Online electronic game based- e-commerce and data mining system

• US 20050240476A1
• Filed: 04/21/2005
• Published: 10/27/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/22/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Frank Bigott
• Original Assignee: Frank Bigott
• Inventors: Bigott, Frank
• Application Number:
  US11/111,396
• Publication Number:
  US 20050240476A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14.120
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/12 involving interaction between a plurality of game devices, e.g. transmisison or distribution systems protocols for networked virtual reality, networked games H04L29/06034
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/30 Interconnection arrangements between game servers and game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/335 using Internet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/79 involving player-related data, e.g. identities, accounts, preferences or play histories
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/85 Providing additional services to players
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/407 Data transfer via internet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/50 characterized by details of game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/513 server hierarchy, e.g. local, regional, national or dedicated for different tasks, e.g. authenticating, billing
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5506 using advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5546 using player registration data, e.g. identification, account, preferences, game history
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/575 for trading virtual items
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0209 Incentive being awarded or redeemed in connection with the playing of a video game

Abstract

A discount selling platform in the form of an Internet web site is disclosed, wherein consumers play games to earn discounts on products purchased from the system, with the amount of the discount based on how well the games are played. Additionally the system is a consumer data mining web site, which collects personal information such as email address and demographic information from the users of the system before they are allowed to participate in said games.

Claims

1. An ecommerce promotional tool, comprising:

a discount selling platform for selling products or services in the form of an Internet web site; and

online web-based Internet games coupled to the discount selling platform;

wherein users play the games to earn discounts on the products or services purchased from the platform and wherein the discounts are directly related to scoring of the games played.

2. The ecommerce promotional tool of claim 1, further comprising a database that collects personal information of the users.

3. The ecommerce promotional tool of claim 2, wherein an email address of each user of the games is collected.

4. The ecommerce promotional tool of claim 2, wherein demographic information of the users of the games is collected.

5. The ecommerce promotional tool of claim 1, wherein a purchase price of the products is directly related to a time it takes to complete a game.

6. The ecommerce promotional tool of claim 1, wherein at least one designated product or service is awarded for free to a user that completes a designated game with the highest score.

7. The ecommerce promotional tool of claim 1, wherein at least one designated product or service is awarded for free to a user that completes a designated game with the fastest time.

8. The ecommerce promotional tool of claim 1, wherein a portion of the games are time-based games.

9. The ecommerce promotional tool of claim 8, wherein a plurality of users compete asynchronously to achieve a fastest game completion time for the time-based games.

10. An ecommerce promotional method, comprising:

selling products or services on an Internet web site;

associating online web-based Internet games with the products or services;

allowing users that play the games to earn discounts on the products or services purchased from the ecommerce promotional tool; and

directly relating the discounts of the products or services to scores of the games played.

11. The ecommerce promotional method of claim 10, wherein a portion of the games are time-based games.

12. The ecommerce promotional method of claim 11, further comprising creating asynchronous competitions of a portion of the time-based games between plural users.

13. The ecommerce promotional method of claim 12, wherein a winner of the time-based games is determined as the user that has a fastest game completion time.

14. The ecommerce promotional method of claim 10, further comprising awarding a designated product or service for free to a user that completes a designated game with a fastest time.

15. The ecommerce promotional method of claim 10, wherein a purchase price of the products or services is directly related to a time it takes to complete a game.

16. In a web-based Internet environment with plural clients connected to a server for conducting ecommerce transactions, a method comprising:

offering products or services via the web-based Internet environment;

associating plural interactive web-based Internet games with the products or services;

directly associating discounts of designated products or services with scores of the games played;

allowing specified users to purchase the products or services at the discounts; and

providing a portion of the games as time-based games.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising awarding a designated product or service for free to a user that completes a designated game with a fastest time.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein a purchase price of the products or services is directly related to a time it takes to complete a game.

20. The method of claim 16, further comprising a database that collects personal information of the users.

17. The method of 16, further comprising creating asynchronous competitions of a portion of the time-based games between plural users and wherein a winner of the time-based games is determined as the user that has a fastest game completion time.