Commercial game system and method

• US 8,639,573 B2
• Filed: 02/04/2011
• Issued: 01/28/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Wilopen Products LC
• Original Assignee: Wilopen Products LC
• Inventors: Wilen, Richard
• Primary Examiner(s): Garg, Yogesh C
• Application Number:
  US13/021,608
• Publication Number:
  US 20110124390A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,089 Days
• Field of Search: 705/1.1, 705/26.8, 705/500, 705/14.71, 705/14.14, 705/14.18, 705/14.1, 705/14.73, 705/14.28, 705/14.39, 705/14.27, 705/14.41, 705/14.4, 705/14.64, 463/9, 463/42
• US Class Current: 705/14.41
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3227 Configuring a gaming machine, e.g. downloading personal settings, selecting working parameters
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3244 Payment aspects of a gaming system, e.g. payment schemes, setting payout ratio, bonus or consolation prizes
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3255 Incentive, loyalty and/or promotion schemes, e.g. comps, gaming associated with a purchase, gaming funded by advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3295 Games involving skill, e.g. dexterity, memory, thinking

Abstract

A system and method for providing a commercial game that poses questions to a user related to advertisements that the user views or listens to using a multimedia device such as a computer connected to the Internet. Points may be awarded to the user based on the number of questions answered correctly, the number of advertisements viewed, the length of time advertisements are viewed, the number of attempts at answering each question before providing the correct answer, or other advertiser-selected criteria. Points earned by the user are immediately redeemable for services such as subscription services, movies downloads, Pay-Per-View credits, or for any other tangible or intangible good, service, or reward representing a monetary value. If the user provides an incorrect answer to a question, the user is permitted to watch the advertisement multiple times until a correct answer is provided and points are awarded.

Claims

1. An interactive commercial game system that allows a user to answer advertisement related questions generated by an advertiser whereby correctly answered questions are awarded predetermined point values based on a predetermined set of value criteria that are redeemable for predetermined entertainment products, said system comprising:

a server connected to a communications network;

electronic media connected to the server on which recorded advertisements are stored for playback to a user;

a media player device communicatively connected to the server via the communications network further comprising a display screen for playing the recorded advertisements for viewing by the user;

software installed on the server for transmitting questions related to the advertisements that are viewable on the media player device;

a control device communicatively connected to the media player device comprising control features for entering an answer to questions transmitted by the server;

software installed on the server for determining whether answers entered by the user and transmitted to the server are correct;

software installed on the server for calculating, recording, and displaying the number of points awarded to the user for answering questions correctly, the number of advertisements viewed, the length of time advertisements are viewed, the number of attempts at answering each question before providing the correct answer, for purchasing a specific good or service featured in one of the advertisements watched, or for purchasing a good from a featured brand shown in one of the advertisements watched, wherein the advertiser may set different values for points earned depending on whether the points are earned by watching advertisements, answering questions correctly, re-answering questions that are initially answered incorrectly, purchasing products advertised and sold on a particular website or earned by a user whose point value was determined by evaluating the user'"'"'s prior earned points and awarding a predetermined point value based the reward points already earned by the user; and

a plurality of goods and services for which the points earned by the user while viewing advertisements and answering questions are redeemable.

2. The commercial game system of claim 1, wherein the media player device comprises a computer, the communications network comprises the Internet, and the advertisements are viewable on a website stored on the server and viewable on the display screen.

3. The commercial game system of claim 1, wherein the points are redeemable immediately or in the future.

4. A method that allows a user to answer advertisement related questions whereby correctly answered questions are awarded predetermined point values based on a predetermined set of value criteria that are redeemable for predetermined entertainment products, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) playing an advertisement on a display screen viewed by a user, wherein the advertisement comprises information related to a retail item;

(b) presenting the user a series of questions on the display screen related to the retail item;

(c) electronically awarding the user points saved into a user account stored on a server based upon the number of questions answered correctly by the user, the number of advertisements viewed, the length of time advertisements are viewed, the number of attempts at answering each question before providing the correct answer, for purchasing a specific good or service featured in one of the advertisements watched, or for purchasing a good from a featured brand shown in one of the advertisements watched, wherein the advertiser may set different values for points earned depending on whether the points are earned by watching advertisements, answering questions correctly, re-answering questions that are initially answered incorrectly, purchasing products advertised and sold on a particular website, or earned by a user whose point value was determined by evaluating the user'"'"'s prior earned points and awarding a predetermined point value based the reward points alread earned by the user wherein the server is communicatively connected to the display screen;

(d) providing the user with a plurality of reward items for which the point earned by the user may be redeemed or gifted to a third party; and

(e) selecting the reward item to be redeemed or gifted.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the plurality of reward items comprises at least one item selected from the group consisting of:

pay-per-view movie credits, cable television service credit, satellite television service credit, broadband service credit, premium television channel service credit, satellite radio service credit, on-demand television service credit, music downloads, movie downloads, video game plays, video game downloads, gas credits, airline miles, a downloadable publication, a downloadable video, a downloadable music file, a downloadable audio file, a downloadable audiobook, a streaming video file, a streaming audio file, a downloadable image file, a downloadable computer screen saver, a downloadable video file, a movie rental voucher, and other suitable retail goods and services.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the retail item comprises a good or a service.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein the method further comprises the step of:

(e) permitting the user to gift either the points earned or the reward item selected by the user to a gift recipient, the points being distributable via a physical or electronic gift card.

8. A method that allows a user to answer advertisement related questions whereby correctly answered questions are awarded predetermined point values based on a predetermined set of value criteria that are redeemable for predetermined entertainment products, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) playing an advertisement for viewing by a user on a media player device that further comprises a display screen, wherein the media player device is communicatively connected to a server via a communications network;

(b) after the advertisement has been played for viewing by the user, displaying at least a first question on the display screen, wherein the first question is related to the advertisement;

(c) using the media player device, entering an answer to the first question presented on the display screen;

(d) transmitting the answer entered by the user from the media player device to the server over the communications network;

(e) using software installed on the server, comparing the user'"'"'s answer to a stored correct answer programmed into the software;

(f) awarding one or more points to the user for a user-entered correct answer, the number of advertisements viewed, the length of time advertisements are viewed, the number of attempts at answering each question before providing the correct answer, for purchasing a specific good or service featured in one of the advertisements watched, or for purchasing a good from a featured brand shown in one of the advertisements watched, wherein the advertiser may set different values for points earned depending on whether the points are earned by watching advertisements, answering questions correctly, re-answering questions that are initially answered incorrectly, purchasing products advertised and sold on a particular website, or earned by a user whose point value was determined by evaluating the user'"'"'s prior earned points and awarding a predetermined point value based the reward points already earned by the user;

(g) electronically recording the number of points awarded to the user on a storage device of the server in a user account associated with the user;

(h) transmitting the number of points awarded for the correct answer to the media player device and displaying the number of points awarded on the display screen; and

(i) providing a virtual mall accessible through the media player device via the communications network, wherein the virtual mall displays items or services for sale for which the points awarded to the user are redeemable.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising the step of:

(j) varying the number of points awarded for each correct answer based upon the level of difficulty of the question being answered, the number of advertisements viewed, the length of time advertisements are viewed, the number of attempts at answering each question before providing the correct answer, for purchasing a specific good or service featured in one of the advertisements watched, or for purchasing a good from a featured brand shown in one of the advertisements watched, wherein the advertiser may set different values for points earned depending on whether the points are earned by watching advertisements, answering questions correctly, re-answering questions that are initially answered incorrectly, purchasing products advertised and sold on a particular website, or earned by a user whose point value was determined by evaluating the user'"'"'s prior earned points and awarding a predetermined point value based the reward points already earned by the user.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising the step of:

(k) providing a gifting control communicatively connected to the server, whereby the user redeems points the user has earned by viewing advertisements and answering questions to be delivered as a gift for another person.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising the step of:

(l) awarding points to the user for incorrect answers to questions in an amount that is less than the number of points awarded for correct answers to the same questions.

12. The method of claim 8, further comprising the step of:

(m) providing the user with a second chance to answer each question when the software installed on the server determines that the answer to a particular question entered by the user is incorrect, wherein the number of points awarded for a correct answer to the question during the user'"'"'s second chance is less than the number of points that are awarded for correct answer to the question during the user'"'"'s first chance.

13. The method of claim 8, further comprising the step of:

(n) providing the user with at least a second question to be answered that is different from the first question when the software installed on the server determines that the user has entered an incorrect answer to the first question.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising the step of:

(o) awarding the user a number of points for a correct answer to the at least second question that is less than the number of points that are awarded for a correct answer to the first question.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising the step of:

(p) awarding the user a number of points for a correct answer to the at least second question that is more than the number of points that are awarded for a correct answer to the first question.

16. The method of claim 8, further comprising the steps of:

(q) registering each user by requiring each user to submit personal information that is input into the media player device to the server via the communications network;

(r) compiling data that is stored in a database in the server transmitted from the media player device via the communications network, wherein the data comprises the personal information submitted by the user and website usage data related to the user'"'"'s shopping and browsing habits; and

(s) providing the data to one or more buyers, wherein the buyers are advertisers, retailers, distributors, and manufacturers.

17. The method of claim 8, wherein the number of points awarded to the user for playing and interacting with advertisements provided by a first advertiser is different than the number of points awarded to the user for playing and interacting with advertisements provided by a second advertiser.

18. The method of claim 8, wherein the points earned by the user through playing and interacting with advertisements provided by a first advertiser have a redemption value that is different from the redemption value of points earned by the user through playing and interacting with advertisements provided by a second advertiser.

19. The method of claim 8, further comprising the step of:

(q) awarding the user a number of points dependent upon the number of seconds of advertising viewed.

20. The method of claim 8, wherein the user can select the number of advertisements viewed.

21. The method of claim 8, wherein the media player device comprises a device selected from the group consisting of:

a computer, a notebook computer, a television, a cellular telephone, a smartphone, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a global positioning system (GPS) device, a handheld gaming device, any other suitable handheld electronic device comprising a display screen, and any other suitable media player device comprising a display screen.

22. The method of claim 8, wherein the display screen comprises a communicatively connected touch screen that comprises touch screen controls.

23. The method of claim 8, wherein the media player device further comprises a communicatively connected pointing device.

24. The method of claim 8, wherein the media player device further comprises a communicatively connected control device.

25. The method of claim 8, wherein the items and services for which points can be redeemed comprise at least one item or service selected from the group consisting of:

pay-per-view movie credits, cable television service credit, satellite television service credit, broadband service credit, premium television channel service credit, satellite radio service credit, on-demand television service credit, music downloads, movie downloads, video game plays, video game downloads, gas credits, airline miles, a downloadable publication, a downloadable video, a downloadable music file, a downloadable audio file, a downloadable audiobook, a streaming video file, a streaming audio file, a downloadable image file, a downloadable computer screen saver, a downloadable video file, a movie rental voucher, and other suitable retail goods and services.