Internet marketing method and game

• US 6,595,859 B2
• Filed: 04/21/1999
• Issued: 07/22/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/21/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Virtumundo, Inc. (v2 Ventures Group LLC)
• Original Assignee: Virtumundo, Inc. (v2 Ventures Group LLC)
• Inventors: Lynn, Scott W.
• Primary Examiner(s): SAGER, MARK ALAN
• Application Number:
  US09/295,953
• Publication Number:
  US 20030003975A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,553 Days
• Field of Search: 463/1, 463/25, 463/29-30, 463/40-42, 463/16, 463/11, 340/825, 340/323.R, 705/1, 705/14, 705/26-27, 902/1, 902/2, 434/118
• US Class Current: 463/42
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5506 using advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0252 based on events or environment, e.g. weather or festivals
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0277 Online advertisement

Abstract

An Internet marketing method and game is designed for promoting access to the web site which hosts the game, and to keep potential consumers occupied on the web site for exposure to several different advertisements, or to a few advertisements repeatedly. The inventive game is centered around a “point and click” system in which a screen display is provided which includes a game image made up of a large number of individual pixels. A player is encouraged to randomly select a pixel or image area location on the game image which selected pixel or image area location is then compared to one or more stored prize winning pixel or image area locations. Players are encouraged to play the game as many times as they like, and with each play, one or more advertisements are displayed on the screen outside of the picture, and on losing response pages with each additional “play” of the game.

Claims

1. A computer network marketing method, comprising:

providing a computer network;

providing a screen display accessible via the computer network, the screen display comprising an image made up of a plurality of pixels;

providing an advertisement viewable on the screen display;

providing a winning image area location within the plurality of pixels;

allowing a user of the network to select randomly an image area location;

comparing the randomly selected image area location with the winning image area location to determine if they match;

rewarding the user if the image area location matches the winning image area location;

determining whether a random response page or a rules based dynamic response page will be generated if the image area location does not match the winning image area location;

encouraging the users to remain at the screen display, and thus remain exposed to the advertisement for extended periods, by inviting the users to select another random image location.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the image comprises thousands of individually selectable image area locations.

3. The method of claim 1 where a point-and-click method is used to select randomly the image area location.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein a plurality of advertisements are displayed on the screen display.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein different advertisements are displayed on the screen display depending on whether a match results from the randomly selected image area location.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the winning image area location changes periodically so that the user does not know where the winning image area is located on the image.

7. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

a set of rules to determine whether a random response page or a rules based dynamic response page will be generated if the randomly selected image area location does not match the winning image area location.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising;

requesting the user to provide an identifier;

customizing a dynamic response page to the identifier of the user.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing the user with a winner'"'"'s form to fill out and submit upon determining that the image area location matches the winning image area location.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing a set of rules to determine whether a random response page or a rules based dynamic response page will be generated if the randomly selected image area location does not match the winning image area location;

generating a dynamic response page customized to the user.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing a set of rules to determine whether a random response page or a rules based dynamic response page will be generated if the randomly selected image area location does not match the winning image area location;

generating a dynamic response page customized to a game situation.

12. A computer network marketing methods, comprising:

providing a computer network;

providing a screen display accessible via the computer network, the screen display comprising an image made up of a plurality of pixels;

providing an advertisement viewable on the screen display;

providing a winning image area location within the plurality of pixels;

allowing a user of the network to select randomly an image area location;

comparing the randomly selected image area location with the wining image area location to determine if they match;

rewarding the user if the image area location matches the winning image area location;

upon determining that the randomly selected image area location does not match the winning image area location, determining if a subsequent display page will be a random response page or a rules based dynamic response page.

13. A method according to claim 12, further comprising:

providing a set of rules to determine whether a random response page or a rules based dynamic response page will be generated if the randomly selected image area location does not match the winning image area location.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

requesting the user to provide an identifier;

customizing a dynamic response page to the identifier of the user.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

providing the user with a winner'"'"'s form to fill out and submit upon determining that the image area location matches the winning image area location.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

providing a set of rules to determine whether a random response page or a rules based dynamic response page will be generated if the randomly selected image area location does not match the winning image area location;

generating a dynamic response page customized to the user.

17. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

providing a set of rules to determine whether a random response page or a rules based dynamic response page will be generated if the randomly selected image area location does not match the winning image area location;

generating a dynamic response page customized to a game situation.