Networked search and tracking games

• US 6,769,990 B2
• Filed: 12/21/2000
• Issued: 08/03/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Robert Cohen
• Original Assignee: Robert Cohen
• Inventors: Cohen, Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): HOTALING, JOHN M
• Application Number:
  US09/745,627
• Publication Number:
  US 20010024974A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,321 Days
• Field of Search: 463/9, 463/23, 463/25, 463/42, 434/322, 434/350, 434/323, 705/14, 700/91-93
• US Class Current: 463/42
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/0053 Computers, e.g. programming

Abstract

An Internet-based Web Search Contest. Participants are provided clues as to target Web sites. The target Web sites are maintained in an ordered list and participants sequentially locate the target Web sites and are provided clues as to the next target Web site in the list guided by a character voice. Answers to the provided clues are awarded points and that are stored in a bucket associated with individual participants.

Claims

1. A method of tracking a user of an Internet-based search and tracking game executing on a user computer, the user navigating between a game site on first server and a plurality of target sites on other servers, comprising:

providing clue information by the first server regarding at least one of the plurality of target sites to the user computer at a start time;

connecting the user computer to the at least one of the plurality of target sites, the at least one of the plurality of target sites including a plurality of target locations;

receiving answer information responsive to the clue information;

recording an answer time upon receipt of the answer information;

comparing the answer information to a predetermined answer key;

subtracting points associated with the user if the answer information does not match the predetermined answer key and increasing points associated with the user if the answer information matches the predetermined answer key; and

wherein the points subtracted if the answer information does not match the predetermined answer key is based on a difference between the answer time and the start time.

2. The method of tracking a user of an Internet-based search and tracking game executing on a user computer, the user navigating between a game site on a first server and a plurality of target sites on other servers, of claim 1 wherein connecting the user computer to the at least one of the plurality of target sites, the at least one of the plurality of target sites including a plurality of target locations, comprises providing the user computer a link to the at least one of the plurality of target sites.

3. The method of tracking a user of an Internet-based search and tracking game executing on a user computer, the user navigating between a game site on a first server and a plurality of target sites on other servers, of claim 2 wherein the link is a URL of the at least one of the plurality of target sites.

4. The method of tracking a user of an Internet-based search and tracking game executing on a user computer, the user navigating between a game site on a first server and a plurality of target sites on other servers, of claim 3 further comprising:

identifying the user at the game site; and

providing the user computer unique user identification information.

5. The method of tracking a user of an Internet-based search and tracking game executing on a user computer, the user navigating between a game site on a first server and a plurality of target sites on other servers, of claim 4 wherein the predetermined answer key includes a plurality of answers, each answer of the plurality of answers including specific information associated with and available at the at least one of the plurality of target locations of the at least one of the plurality of target sites.

6. The method of tracking a user of an Internet-based search and tracking game executing on a user computer, the user navigating between a game site on a first server and a plurality of target sites on other servers, of claim 5 further comprising:

selecting at least one of a plurality of games; and

generating a unique voice module associated with the at least one of the plurality of games selected, the unique voice module providing game information to guide the user to the at least one of the plurality of target sites.

7. The method of tracking a user of an Internet-based search and tracking game executing on a user computer, the user navigating between a game site on a first server and a plurality of target sites on other servers, of claim 6 wherein the generation of the unique voice module and the clue information is based on the at least one of the plurality of games selected.

8. The method of tracking a user of an Internet-based search and tracking game executing on a user computer, the user navigating between a game site on a first server and a plurality of target sites on other servers, of claim 7 wherein the connection of the at least one of the plurality of target sites is based on the game selected.

9. The method of tracking a user of an Internet-based search and tracking game executing on a user computer, the user navigating between a game site on a first server and a plurality of target sites on other servers, of claim 8 further comprising:

aggregating the points associated for each answer information that successfully corresponds to the predetermined answer key; and

storing the points aggregated at the game site.

10. The method of tracking a user of an Internet-based search and tracking game executing on a user computer, the user navigating between a game site on a first server and a plurality of target sites on other servers, of claim 9 wherein storing the points aggregated includes establishing individual buckets for each identified user and associating the points aggregated to the individual buckets established and a plurality of prizes.

11. The method of tracking a user of an Internet-based search and tracking game executing on a user computer, the user navigating between a game site on a first server and a plurality of target sites on other servers, of claim 10 further comprising:

identifying a plurality of users at the game site; and

generating unique user identification information corresponding to each of the plurality of users identified.

12. The method of tracking a user of an Internet-based search and tracking game executing on a user computer, the user navigating between a game site on a first server and a plurality of target sites on other servers, of claim 11 further comprising notifying each of the identified user regarding status of the game selected.

13. The method of tracking a user of an Internet-based search and tracking game executing on a user computer, the user navigating between a game site on a first server and a plurality of target sites on other servers, of claim 12 further comprising:

generating additional clue information, the additional clue information pertaining to an additional one of the plurality of target sites;

initiating additional start time in response to generation of additional clue information;

connecting the user computer to the additional one of the plurality of target sites;

receiving answer information after connection of the user to the additional one of the plurality of target sites;

comparing answer information to a predetermined answer key;

recording an end time upon the comparison of the answer information to the predetermined answer key being successful; and

associating points to a difference between the end time and start time.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein the number of points subtracted decreases with an increase in difference between the answer time and the start time.

15. A method of tracking a user of a search contest, the user navigating between a game site and a plurality of target sites, comprising:

providing clue information regarding at least one of the plurality of target sites to the user;

connecting the user to the at least one of the plurality of target sites, the at least one of the plurality of target sites including a plurality of target locations;

receiving answer information responsive to the clue information;

comparing the answer information to a predetermined answer key;

granting points based upon a match between the answer information and the predetermined answer key;

deducting points based upon a difference between the answer information and the predetermined answer key; and

measuring a time period delimited by when the clue information is provided and when the answer information is compared, such that the points granted or deducted is further based on the time period measured.