U.S. patent application number 11/425038 was filed with the patent office on 2006-10-05 for method and apparatus for conducting or facilitating a promotion.
Invention is credited to Scott B. Allison, Keith Bemer, Geoffrey M. Gelman, Andrew P. Golden, James A. Jorasch, Peter Kim, Timothy A. Palmer, JAY S. WALKER.
Application Number | 20060224456 11/425038 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 26879068 |
Filed Date | 2006-10-05 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060224456 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
WALKER; JAY S. ; et
al. |
October 5, 2006 |
METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CONDUCTING OR FACILITATING A PROMOTION
Abstract
A method and apparatus for conducting a promotion and for
distributing promotions to potential users provide a merchant or
promotion organizer flexibility in the way they conduct the
promotion as well as an ability to change one or more aspects of
the promotion during the operation of the promotion. One or more
outcomes are generated by a controller and provided to a user. In
addition, one or more codes which allow the outcomes to be revealed
or unlocked are generated by the controller and provided to an
intermediary. In exchange for completing or satisfying a qualifying
action or criteria, the user may receive a code from the
intermediary. The user can then unlock an outcome to reveal a
prize, benefit, symbol, value, etc., associated with the unlocked
outcome. The user may provide a redemption request to either the
controller or the intermediary based on the unlocked outcome to
receive a benefit or prize associated with the unlocked
outcome.
Inventors: |
WALKER; JAY S.; (Ridgefield,
CT) ; Gelman; Geoffrey M.; (Stamford, CT) ;
Jorasch; James A.; (Stamford, CT) ; Kim; Peter;
(Stamford, CT) ; Palmer; Timothy A.; (Stamford,
CT) ; Bemer; Keith; (New York, NY) ; Golden;
Andrew P.; (New York, NY) ; Allison; Scott B.;
(Stamford, CT) |
Correspondence
Address: |
WALKER DIGITAL
2 HIGH RIDGE PARK
STAMFORD
CT
06905
US
|
Family ID: |
26879068 |
Appl. No.: |
11/425038 |
Filed: |
June 19, 2006 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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09604898 |
Jun 28, 2000 |
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11425038 |
Jun 19, 2006 |
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60183391 |
Feb 18, 2000 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
705/14.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G07F 17/323 20130101;
G06Q 30/02 20130101; G06Q 30/0241 20130101; G06Q 30/0248 20130101;
A63F 13/50 20140902; G07F 17/3206 20130101; G06Q 30/0209 20130101;
A63F 13/49 20140902; G06Q 30/0225 20130101; G06Q 30/0242 20130101;
G06Q 30/0211 20130101; G07F 17/3244 20130101; G07F 17/3241
20130101; G06Q 30/0213 20130101; G06Q 30/0235 20130101; G06Q
30/0207 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
705/014 |
International
Class: |
G06Q 30/00 20060101
G06Q030/00 |
Claims
1. A method for conducting a promotion, comprising: generating an
outcome; generating an unlock code capable of unlocking said
outcome; providing an indication of said outcome; providing an
indication of said unlock code; and providing an indication of a
benefit associated with said outcome.
2-162. (canceled)
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates generally to a method and
apparatus for conducting a promotion and, more particularly, to a
method and apparatus for distributing promotions to potential
participants and for allowing the promotion participants to receive
benefits associated with the promotions.
[0003] 2. Description of the Prior Art
[0004] Merchants and manufacturers often use promotions to entice
people to try or purchase products, shop or conduct transactions in
certain stores, or to make people aware of products, store
locations, sales, etc. Unfortunately, many such promotions suffer
from a number of drawbacks. For example, promotions for which paper
coupons, flyers, invitations, promotion entry forms, promotion
rules, etc., must be printed may incur significant printing and
distribution costs. Furthermore, knowing how many paper coupons,
flyers, invitations, promotion entry forms, promotion rules, etc.,
to print may be difficult to predict, thereby often causing a
merchant or manufacturer conducting the promotion to print too many
or too few of the necessary items.
[0005] Additional problems for print based promotions may result
when a merchant or manufacturer conducting the promotion desires to
change a rule, benefit, prize, entry criteria, redemption criteria,
or other aspect of the promotion once the promotion has started, or
at least after the merchant or manufacturer has printed or
distributed the printed items necessary for the promotion.
Merchants and manufacturers may desire to change one or more
aspects of a promotion while the promotion is on-going so as to
encourage more people to participate in the promotion, to correct
or change any inconsistencies or errors in the promotion or
promotion related materials, etc.
[0006] Many promotions are based on a randomized distribution of
prizes among promotion tickets or coupons. That is, a person may be
given or sold one or more coupons or coupon numbers. If the
person's coupon or coupon number is deemed to be a "winning"
coupon, the person may win a prize associated with the winning
coupon. For example, a classic lottery allows a person to pick or
receive a set of numbers associated with a lottery ticket. If the
person's numbers are chosen, the person generally wins a monetary
prize. Such a lottery promotion is typically conducted by a
government regulated lottery organization, which contracts with
merchants to sell lottery tickets to consumers. The merchants have
little control over the price of the lottery tickets, the prizes or
benefits associated with winning lottery tickets, the advertising
of the lottery promotion, or any conditions that a consumer must
satisfy before purchasing a lottery ticket. Therefore, merchants
have little ability to tailor such promotions to their products or
market niches, customer demographics, inventory levels, etc.
[0007] Thus, despite the state of the art methods and systems for
conducting lotteries and other promotions, there remains a need for
a method and apparatus for conducting a promotion that overcomes
the problems associated with print oriented promotions while
providing a merchant or promotion organizer flexibility in the
operation of the promotion as well as the ability to change one or
more aspects of the promotion during the operation of the
promotion.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to
provide a method and apparatus for conducting or enabling a
promotion and to provide a method and apparatus for distributing
promotions or portions of promotions to potential users. The method
and apparatus of the present invention provides a merchant or
promotion organizer flexibility in the way they conduct or operate
the promotion as well as an ability to change one or more aspects
of the promotion during the operation of the promotion. Such
benefits can be achieved while reducing, or even eliminating in
some cases, the costs and other shortcomings associated with print
based promotions.
[0009] Additional objects, advantages, and novel features of the
invention shall be set forth in part in the description that
follows, and in part will become apparent to those skilled in the
art upon examination of the following or may be learned by the
practice of the invention. The objects and the advantages may be
realized and attained by means of the instrumentalities and in
combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims.
[0010] To achieve the foregoing and other objects and in accordance
with the purposes of the present invention, as embodied and broadly
described herein, a method for conducting a promotion includes
generating an outcome, generating an unlock code associated with
the outcome, providing an indication of the outcome, providing an
indication of the unlock code, and providing an indication of a
benefit associated with the outcome. In general, when created, an
outcome is "locked" or otherwise hidden or covered so that any
prize, value, symbol or other benefit associated with the outcome
may only be viewed, displayed or otherwise determined after the
outcome is "unlocked" or otherwise revealed with an unlock
code.
[0011] Outcomes and/or unlock codes may be generated and/or
provided by a controller or other central source. The controller or
central source may be operated by, for or on behalf of a lottery
organization or other organization desiring to operate or conduct a
promotion.
[0012] Either or both of an outcome and an unlock code may be
provided to a user, user device, intermediary and/or intermediary
device. Typically, an intermediary may be, include, or function on
behalf of a merchant, a group of merchants (e.g., a shopping mall),
a franchisee, etc. that desires to operate a promotion or
participate in a promotion. In some embodiments, a controller may
provide an outcome to a user or user device and an unlock code
capable of unlocking the outcome to an intermediary or intermediary
device, or vice versa. The user may then receive the unlock code
for the outcome from the intermediary or intermediary device.
[0013] In some embodiments, a qualifying action may be associated
with either the outcome or the unlock code. The benefit associated
with the outcome may not be provided until after the qualifying
action is completed. Completion or satisfaction of the qualifying
action may need to be verified in some embodiments or
implementations. In other embodiments, the outcome, unlock code,
benefit and/or qualifying action may have an expiration date
associated with them or they may otherwise be terminated from
further use.
[0014] After a user or user device unlocks an outcome, the user or
user device may provide a redemption request or other indication to
the controller. The redemption request may inform the controller of
the unlocking of the outcome, request that the user be provided
with a benefit (e.g., a free dinner at a restaurant, a discount
coupon, a car, five hundred dollars, a free lottery ticket, a free
outcome, a free unlock code, a cruise, etc.) associated with the
outcome, request another outcome or unlock code, etc. In some
embodiments, an intermediary or intermediary device may provide the
redemption request.
[0015] There may be a one-to-one, one-to-many, many-to-one, and
many-to-many relationship between outcomes and unlock codes. Thus,
an outcome may be unlockable by one and only one unlock code or by
many unlock codes. In addition, an unlock code may be able to
unlock only one outcome or many outcomes. In some embodiments, an
unlock code may be capable of unlocking many outcomes, but the
unlock code may not be reused after it is used to unlock a first
one of the many outcomes.
[0016] To further achieve the foregoing and other objects and in
accordance with the purposes of the present invention, as embodied
and broadly described herein, a system for conducting a promotion
includes a memory, a communication port, and a processor connected
to the memory and the communication port, said processor being
operative to generate an outcome, generate an unlock code
associated with the outcome, provide an indication of the outcome,
provide an indication of the unlock code; and provide an indication
of a benefit associated with the outcome.
[0017] Also to achieve the foregoing and other objects and in
accordance with the purposes of the present invention, as embodied
and broadly described herein, a computer readable medium for use in
a promotion system, the computer readable medium storing a computer
program including computer readable means for producing an outcome,
computer readable means for producing a reveal code associated with
the outcome, computer readable means for sending an indication of
the outcome, computer readable means for sending an indication of
the reveal code, and computer readable means for sending an
indication of a benefit associated with the outcome.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0018] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and
form a part of the specification, illustrate the preferred
embodiments of the present invention, and together with the
descriptions serve to explain the principles of the invention.
In the Drawings:
[0019] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of system components for an
embodiment of an apparatus usable with the method of the present
invention;
[0020] FIG. 2 is a flowchart of a method in accordance with the
present invention as conducted by the controller of FIG. 1;
[0021] FIG. 3 is a flowchart of a method in accordance with the
present invention as conducted by the intermediary device of FIG.
1;
[0022] FIG. 4 is a flowchart of a method in accordance with the
present invention as conducted by the user device of FIG. 1;
[0023] FIG. 5 is a flowchart of a method illustrating the
combination of the flowcharts of FIGS. 2, 3 and 4;
[0024] FIG. 6 is a flowchart of a second embodiment of a method in
accordance with the present invention;
[0025] FIG. 7 is a flowchart of a third embodiment of a method in
accordance with the present invention;
[0026] FIG. 8 is a block diagram illustrating a representative
controller of FIG. 1;
[0027] FIG. 9 is a tabular representation of a possible data
structure for the outcome database of FIG. 8;
[0028] FIG. 10 is a tabular representation of a possible data
structure for the user database of FIG. 8;
[0029] FIG. 11 is a tabular representation of a possible data
structure for the intermediary database of FIG. 8;
[0030] FIG. 12 is a block diagram illustrating a representative
user device of FIG. 1;
[0031] FIG. 13 is a tabular representation of a possible data
structure for the user outcome database of FIG. 12;
[0032] FIG. 14 is a block diagram illustrating a representative
intermediary device of FIG. 1;
[0033] FIG. 15 is a tabular representation of a possible data
structure for the unlock database of FIG. 14; and
[0034] FIG. 16 is a tabular representation of a possible data
structure for the transaction database of FIG. 14.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS
[0035] The present invention is directed to a method and apparatus
for conducting a promotion wherein one or more outcomes are
generated or created by a controller or other source and then
provided to a user. A user may win, or be entitled to receive, upon
the completion or satisfaction of a qualifying action or criteria,
an outcome with a specific prize or benefit associated with it
that, such as a television, ten-thousand dollars, a coupon worth a
ten percent discount on a purchase of a future product, a free oil
change for a car, etc. Alternatively, an outcome may not have a
specific or identifiable prize or benefit associated with it, but
may have a value, symbol, or other identifier associated with it,
such as a picture of a cherry or orange, the number "4," an
alphanumeric prize identifier, etc. A prize or benefit may then be
associated with the value, symbol or other identifier associated
with the outcome at a later time by a merchant, manufacturer,
controller or other central source, or other entity or device. For
example, a merchant may associate a prize of a ten-percent off
coupon with an outcome of "cherry" while a different merchant may
associate a prize of a free product with an outcome of
"cherry."
[0036] Each outcome may be generated, transmitted and/or stored by
a controller or other device in electronic form. Therefore, a user
may receive or download one or more outcomes via electronic
transmission from the controller and store the outcomes on a user
or customer device, such as a personal digital assistant, laptop
computer, cellular telephone, etc. In some embodiments, a user may
be able to receive hundreds, thousands, etc., of outcomes and store
and use them simultaneously on a single user or other customer
device.
[0037] When originally created, an outcome may be hidden, covered
up, masked, concealed, encoded, or otherwise "locked" (with
includes a partially "locked" outcome) such that the result of the
outcome or the prize, benefit, value, symbol, etc. associated with
the outcome is not knowable solely as a result of having possession
of, or access to, the outcome. In some embodiments, a "locked"
outcome cannot be revealed, accessed, displayed, determined, etc.
by anyone who receives the outcome with an appropriate "unlock"
code that allows the prize, benefit, value, symbol, etc.,
associated with the outcome to be revealed, displayed, accessed,
determined, etc. The term "locked," as used herein, should be
construed broadly and is not meant to imply or suggest any specific
manner or method of hiding, covering, encoding or encrypting,
storing, screening, concealing, masking, etc. a prize, value,
symbol, or other benefit associated with an outcome or to limit how
a prize, value, symbol, or other benefit associated with the
outcome is hidden, covered, encoded or encrypted, stored, screened,
concealed, masked, etc.
[0038] In some embodiments, an unlock code used to unlock an
outcome may include or otherwise provide some or all of the
information or data needed to associate a benefit with an outcome,
identify, select or otherwise determine a benefit associated with
the outcome, complete a benefit being revealed by the unlock code,
etc.
[0039] In general, a user having a locked outcome will need to
reveal, display, uncover or otherwise "unlock" the outcome in order
to see or reveal the prize, benefit, value, symbol, etc. associated
with the outcome. An unlock code may also be generated by a
controller or other device and associated with the outcome so that
a user that has or receives the unlock code from the controller can
see, access, or otherwise "unlock" the previously received locked
outcome, thereby allowing the user to determine or see a result of
the outcome or a prize, benefit, value, symbol, etc., associated
with the outcome. As used herein, in addition to its common
meaning, the phrase "associated with" for describing a relationship
between an outcome and an unlock code shall also be taken to
describe the fact that the unlock code can unlock the outcome and
that the unlock code is capable of unlocking the outcome. Thus, an
outcome might be associated with one or more unlock codes and an
unlock code may be associated with one or more outcomes.
[0040] In some embodiments, a user or user device may receive an
unlock code for an outcome before receiving the locked outcome
itself. An unlock code can comprise or include a written, spoken or
data entered password, a radio or television signal, a sequence or
group of keypad selections or entries, a sequence or group of
handwritten or spoken entries, an electronic or electromagnetic
signal, a numerical or alphanumerical sequence, a sequence, group
or combination of musical notes or other sounds, words, syllables,
phrases, tones, etc. to be provided audibly or symbolically to
unlock an outcome, a barcode, a decoding key, rule or algorithm for
a code or cypher, etc. An unlock code can also be based on,
include, or comprise an identifier associated with a particular
user, user device, intermediary, intermediary device, etc.
receiving the unlock code or otherwise being allowed to use or
distribute the unlock code
[0041] An unlock code may also include user biometric information
(e.g., voiceprint, fingerprint, retinal scan, DNA, etc.
information) so that the unlock code may only be used by a specific
user. A controller or other device generating the unlock code may
access a database of previously stored biometric information when
generating or otherwise creating the unlock code. Alternatively, a
user requesting an unlock code may supply the biometric information
when providing the request so that the biometric information can be
included in the unlock code or otherwise used to create the unlock
code. In some embodiments, user biometric information may also be
used when creating or generating outcomes or to otherwise associate
a specific outcome with a specific user, change an outcome
depending on which user has possession of the outcome, etc.
[0042] Software resident and operating on a user device may keep
any outcomes received by and stored on the user device locked until
a code is available to unlock the outcome. When a user receives an
unlock code, the software on the user device may allow the user to
unlock one or more of the outcomes stored on the user device. The
user may be able to determine or select an outcome to unlock.
Alternatively, the user device and associated software may
determine or select which outcome to unlock. In some embodiments,
an unlock code may be able to unlock only one outcome, such as in
implementations where a one-to-one relationship exists between
unlock codes and locked outcomes. An unlock code also may be
generated, transmitted and/or stored in electronic form or as an
electronic signal.
[0043] In general, one or more outcomes will be generated and
provided to one or more users or other people by a central source,
such as a controller, a manufacturer, etc. The controller may also
generate and provide the outcomes and associated codes to an
intermediary, such as a merchant or retailer. The merchant,
retailer or other intermediary can then provide a code to a user,
thereby allowing the user to unlock one of the previously received
outcomes. In some embodiments, the merchant intermediary may or may
not know the prize, benefit, value, symbol, etc., associated with
any outcome provided by the merchant intermediary to the user.
[0044] In order to receive an unlock code that will activate or
unlock an outcome, a user may have to satisfy or complete one or
more qualifying actions or other criteria. Note that the terms
"qualifying action" and "qualifying criteria" will be used
interchangeably herein. For example, a user may have to shop at or
at least visit a specific merchant, purchase a specific product,
use a specific credit card to purchase a product, redeem a specific
coupon, participate in a game or group activity, travel to a
particular destination by a certain day, notify at least five
people of a promotion being conducted by a merchant, hand out
leaflets, switch long distance telephone service providers, agree
to purchase a magazine subscription, convince at least one other
person to download an outcome, attend a particular basketball game,
become a museum docent, answer survey questions, apply for a credit
card, provide a user identifier, provide a user device identifier,
attend a merchant's opening at a new location, commute to work via
public transportation as opposed to driving a car, edit or comment
on a newspaper article or book, take dancing lessons, graduate from
high school diploma or receive high school equivalency degree, try
a new shampoo and provide comments on it, try a new restaurant,
lose ten pounds, rent a vehicle from a specific automobile rental
agency, watch a specific television program, watch a specific
television commercial, donate time helping a charity, log on to a
specific World Wide Web site, purchase a product on a specific day,
send an email to a friend advertising a product or merchant,
etc.
[0045] The qualifying action or criteria that must be satisfied or
completed by a user may be generated or otherwise identified by the
central source or controller, or by a merchant. In some
embodiments, both a central source and a merchant may require a
user to satisfy or complete qualifying actions or criteria before a
code is provided to the user that will unlock an outcome. For
example, a manufacturer acting as a central source may require that
a user purchase a product supplied by the manufacturer in order for
the user to receive an unlock code from a merchant. Thus, the
manufacturer will not allow the merchant to give an unlock code to
the user unless the user purchases a product supplied by the
manufacturer. The merchant may require that a user purchase, rent,
etc., a product at the merchant before the merchant will provide an
unlock code to the user. Thus, in order for the user to receive an
unlock code from the merchant, the user must purchase one of the
manufacturer's products at the merchant.
[0046] In some embodiments selection of a qualifying action may be
based on a user's or user device's location within a shopping mall,
location in a particular merchant or other intermediary, location
in a city, etc. The location of the user or the user device may be
determined via a Global Positioning System (GPS) detector, sensor
or receiver in the user device, by a tracking device attached to
the user or user device, etc.
[0047] In some embodiments, unlock codes may be available for free
or without requiring a qualifying action to be completed. For
example, in some embodiments only a simple request to receive one
or more unlock codes is received, there is no associated qualifying
action for the unlock codes. In such embodiments, a user may
request one or more unlock codes via mail, email, facsimile,
telephone call, etc., and receive the unlock codes via mail, email,
facsimile, telephone call, etc.
[0048] Once a user has received a code from a merchant, the user
can use the code to unlock at least one outcome previously received
by the user and stored on a user device. In some embodiments, the
user may be able to unlock more than one outcome with a code or to
select which of the user's stored outcomes will be unlocked by the
code. Once unlocked, an outcome may reveal that the user has won or
is entitled to receive a specific prize, such as a T-shirt, car,
five-thousand dollars, cruise vacation, lottery ticket, frequent
flyer miles, etc. Alternatively, the unlocked outcome may reveal a
symbol or value, such as "cherry." The user may then have to check
with or access the source of the outcome, such as a controller, to
determine a specific prize or benefit associated with an outcome of
"cherry." Alternatively, the merchant or other intermediary that
provided the code to the user may designate or indicate the
specific prize or benefit associated with the unlocked outcome of
"cherry." In some embodiments, an unlocked outcome may need to be
combined with other unlocked outcomes to entitle a user to receive
a prize. For example, three unlocked outcomes of "cherry" may
needed to entitle a user to a grand prize. Each "cherry" outcome
may entitle the user to ten dollars while the group of three
"cherry" outcomes may entitle the user to one hundred dollars.
[0049] The method and apparatus of the present invention may
operate in both lottery and non-lottery type implementations. An
example of how the method and apparatus of the present invention
may operate in a non-lottery type implementation is as follows. A
company, WIN Network.com, generates one million outcomes.
Predefined rules for generating outcomes dictate the number of
outcomes that entitle users to receive various cash prizes. For
example, exactly two of the one million outcomes promise a prize of
one hundred thousand dollars, four of the one million outcomes
promise fifty thousand dollars, and so on. Therefore, the expected
value of each of the outcomes is know in advance and the frequency
of each outcome is known in advance. Users can receive locked
outcomes free of charge by logging on to the company's World Wide
Web site and downloading up to one thousand outcomes at any given
time. WIN Network.com makes knowledge of the expected value of the
one million outcomes available to potential users who may download
or otherwise receive the outcomes and to merchants who may purchase
the codes associated with the outcomes.
[0050] WIN Network.com also generates one million unlock codes and
then sells the unlock codes to various merchants. Merchant A
purchases twenty thousand unique unlock codes. Merchant A then
advertises that a user may receive an unlock code merely by
visiting the merchant and up to ten unlock codes each time the user
purchases a product at Merchant A.
[0051] A user named Sam logs onto WIN Network.com's World Wide Web
site through his user or client device, a personal digital
assistant, downloads five hundred outcomes and stores them on his
personal digital assistant. Later on, Sam visits the merchant and
purchases a product at the merchant. As a result, the merchant
gives Sam six unlock codes, one unlock code for visiting the
merchant and five unlock codes for purchasing a product at the
merchant. Sam receives the unlock codes in electronic form and
stores them on his personal digital assistant (i.e., Sam's user
device).
[0052] When Sam later uses the six codes to unlock six outcomes,
four of the six unlocked outcomes indicate "Sorry, please try
again," one of the six unlocked outcomes indicates
"Congratulations, you have won five dollars!" and the sixth
unlocked outcome indicates "cherry." Sam then logs back onto the
WIN Network.com's World Wide Web site and provides an identifier of
the outcome and the code as part of an outcome redemption request.
WIN Network.com then provides Sam a message that indicates that it
will send Sam a check for five dollars in the mail. The next time
Sam visits Merchant A, Sam shows a clerk or other employee of
Merchant A the unlocked outcome of "cherry" as part of an outcome
redemption request. The clerk or other employee of Merchant A then
indicates to Sam that an outcome of "cherry" entitles Sam to
receive a twenty percent discount off of Sam's next purchase at
Merchant A. Merchant A may have had a pre-published list or table
of what an outcome of "cherry" wins, thereby avoiding the
perception that Merchant A has unfairly chosen a prize after the
outcome of "cherry" is revealed.
[0053] As illustrated in this example, Merchant A did not
necessarily know which of the one million outcomes Sam had or what
the unlocked outcomes would reveal. In addition, the prize of five
dollars could only be redeemed from WIN Network.com, while the
prize or benefit associated with the benefit of "cherry" could only
be redeemed at Merchant A. Thus, Merchant A had considerable
flexibility in determining or establishing a prize associated with
the outcome of "cherry." In some embodiments, Merchant A may change
a prize or benefit associated with an outcome of "cherry" over time
without affecting the operation of WIN Network.com's promotion. In
some embodiments, WIN Network.com may let the Merchant A determine
all of the prizes or benefits associated with outcomes.
[0054] An example of how the method and apparatus of the present
invention may operate in a lottery type implementation is as
follows. WIN Network.com obtains a batch of one-hundred thousand
electronic scratch-off lottery outcomes from a state lottery
organization. The outcomes themselves are hidden or locked using a
secure encryption algorithm. However, each outcome is associated
with a visible or otherwise ascertainable serial number. Along with
the outcomes, WIN Network.com receives one hundred thousand
decryption codes (i.e., unlock codes) from the state lottery
organization. Using the proper decryption or unlock code, a hidden
or locked outcome may be revealed.
[0055] WIN Network.com pays the state lottery organization
ninety-five cents each for the outcomes, thereby paying a total of
ninety-five thousand dollars to the state lottery organization. WIN
Network.com posts the encrypted lottery outcomes to a web site that
is accessible to users via a communications network such as the
World Wide Web. Each user is able to download up to one hundred
lottery outcomes from WIN Network.com's web site.
[0056] WIN Network.com sells or otherwise provides the unlock codes
to various merchants and other retailers for one dollar each, thus
obtaining one hundred thousand dollars for all the unlock codes.
Associated with each unlock code is the serial number of the
outcome that the code unlocks.
[0057] One retailer to buy the decryption codes is Blue Navy
Outfitters. Blue Navy Outfitters then incorporates into its
advertisements the fact that it has unlock codes. "Shop here," the
advertisements state, "and unlock your WIN Network.com outcomes to
reveal fabulous cash prizes. If you don't have any outcomes, just
log onto WIN Network.com and download some for free."
[0058] A user named Linda sees the Blue Navy Outfitters'
advertisement on television. The advertisement catches her
attention, and Linda logs onto the WIN Network.com web site through
her personal digital assistant (e.g., a Palm Pilot VII.TM. handheld
computer) which functions as a user device for Linda. From WIN
Network.com's web site, she downloads one hundred lottery outcomes.
Linda then goes to Blue Navy Outfitters to shop. Signs are posted
at the Blue Navy Outfitters store saying that the store will
provide up to five unlock codes for any purchase made over twenty
dollars.
[0059] Linda, in need of summer clothing, buys a couple of
T-shirts. Her purchase total comes to thirty-three dollars. At the
cash register or point-of-sale terminal in the store, a cashier
asks Linda if she has WIN Network.com outcomes to unlock. Linda
says that she does and presents her personal digital assistant with
the locked outcomes stored on it. The cashier attaches a connector
from the cash register terminal to Linda's personal digital
assistant. The cash register then scans the serial numbers of the
locked outcomes stored on Linda's personal digital assistant. The
cash register terminal queries a central database operated or
accessible by Blue Navy Outfitters to determine whether Blue Navy
Outfitters possesses or has access to the unlock codes for any of
Linda's locked outcomes. The cash register finishes its search and
displays, "You have four outcomes for which we have the unlock
codes." The cash register terminal then transmits the appropriate
four unlock codes to Linda's personal digital assistant. The
outcomes now appear as shiny gold icons on the display of Linda's
personal digital assistant. Linda clicks on each outcome in turn,
revealing the hidden prize associated with the outcome. The first
three outcomes are displayed as, "Sorry, you lose." The last
outcome is displayed as, "Congratulations, you have won ten
dollars!"
[0060] Linda takes home her personal digital assistant and logs
onto WIN Network.com's web site. She clicks on a special link to
redeem prizes. She is prompted to enter the serial number of her
winning outcome, together with the amount of the prize, which Linda
does. WIN Network.com, in turn, submits the outcome serial number
and the prize amount to the state lottery organization. The state
lottery responds to WIN Network.com, saying that the prize of ten
dollars is indeed the valid prize for the corresponding serial
number. WIN Network.com then sends Linda a check for ten dollars.
The state lottery organization makes note of the prize that WIN
Network.com has paid to Linda, and adds the prize to the total
amount of money owed by the state lottery organization to WIN
Network.com. At the end of the month, the state lottery
organization pays any debt owed to WIN Network.com.
[0061] A significant benefit of the method and apparatus of the
present invention is that a promotion can be changed dynamically as
a promotion develops and unfolds over time, thereby providing
substantial flexibility to respond to user and merchant
participation levels in the promotion, user and merchant enjoyment
level of the promotion, feedback from users and merchants
participating in the promotion, etc. For example, the prizes and
benefits associated with a promotion can be changed by a merchant
or other entity or device as the promotion is being conducted to
increase or decrease user interest and participation in the
promotion. Thus, a merchant may have flexibility to tailor a
promotion to best suit the needs, market niche, inventory levels,
customer base, etc., of the merchant. Similarly, a controller
operating the promotion on behalf of multiple merchants may be able
to dynamically adapt the promotion to maximize the operation of the
promotion for the merchants and/or for the controller.
[0062] Another significant advantage of the method and apparatus of
the present invention is that a promotion can be conducted
electronically, thereby providing significant ease of use while
increasing potential participation in the promotion and lowering or
otherwise limiting printing and distribution costs normally
associated with printed promotional items (e.g., coupons, flyers,
rules, prizes, outcomes, codes, etc.). An electronically conducted
promotion may allow users to participate in and benefit from the
promotion via a variety of electronic devices including, but not
limited to, personal digital assistants, cellular telephones,
kiosks, desktop or laptop computers, workstations, etc., thereby
enabling geographically widespread user participation in the
promotion while allowing for coding, encryption, and other
electronically based techniques to minimize the potential and
possibility of user or employee fraud, employee theft, etc., during
the promotion.
[0063] Another significant advantage of the method and apparatus of
the present invention is that a user participating in a promotion
may receive significant entertainment. Entertainment may come from
the process of obtaining unlock codes and from the manner in which
outcomes are revealed to users. For example, a cartoon character
might be shown on a user device revealing an unlocked outcome.
Entertainment may also include a game, such a roulette wheel, slot
machine, video game, board game, trivia game, etc., that a user can
play. Unlocking an outcome may enhance or change play of the game,
come to a conclusion in the game, increase the user's chances of
winning or successfully completing the game, etc. In addition to
receiving the entertainment, the user may be able to receive a
significant benefit or prize for completing an activity that
enables the user to receive a code that will unlock an outcome that
is associated with the prize or benefit.
[0064] Referring now to FIG. 1, an apparatus or system 50 usable
with the method of the present invention is illustrated. The
apparatus 50 includes a controller 52 that may communicate with one
or more user or client devices 54 and one or more intermediary
devices 56 via a computer, data, or communications network 58. The
controller 52 may be located at a retailer or merchant, mall, etc.,
or function as a server for a World Wide Web site.
[0065] The controller 52 preferably generates or creates outcomes
and/or unlock codes. The controller 52 may also provide outcomes to
users or user devices and unlock codes to merchants or their
intermediary devices. Alternatively, the controller 52 may provide
unlock codes to users or user devices and locked outcomes to
merchants or their intermediary devices. The selection of which
outcomes and unlock codes to provide to which users, user devices,
intermediaries, intermediary devices, etc. can be based on many
factors, such as, for example, the location of the users, user
devices, intermediaries, intermediary devices, etc.
[0066] In some embodiments, the controller 52 may also generate or
identify qualifying actions or criteria that a user may have to
complete or satisfy before receiving an outcome or a code to unlock
an outcome. After a user has unlocked an outcome, the controller 52
may receive a redemption request from a user to provide a benefit,
prize, etc., with the unlocked outcome. The configuration,
operation and use of the controller 52 will be described in more
detail below.
[0067] The user or customer device 54 allows a user to interact
with the controller 52, the intermediary device 56 and the
remainder of the apparatus 50. The user or client device 54 may
also enable a user to receive and store outcomes and qualifying
actions from the controller 52 and codes and qualifying actions and
unlock codes from the intermediary device 56. A user may also use
the user device 54 to provide a code or an indication of a
completion by the user of one or more qualifying actions, or an
indication of a willingness or agreement by the user to complete
one or more qualifying actions, to the controller 52 or the
intermediary device 56. The user may also use the user device 54 to
receive unlock codes from an intermediary device and to unlock
outcomes that the user has stored on the user device 54. In some
embodiments, after unlocking an outcome, a user may then use the
user device to send a redemption request regarding the unlocked
outcome to the controller 54 and or the intermediary device 56. In
general, a redemption request provided by a user indicates that the
user is entitled to receive a prize or other benefit associated
with a specific outcome unlocked by the user or the user desires to
receive a prize or other benefit associated with a specific
unlocked outcome identified by the user in the redemption request.
However, a redemption request may not be used or necessary in all
embodiments of the present invention.
[0068] In some embodiments, the user device or terminal 54 may also
be connected to or otherwise in communication with other devices.
Possible user devices include a personal computer, portable
computer, mobile or fixed user station, workstation, network
terminal or server, telephone, beeper, kiosk, dumb terminal,
personal digital assistant, facsimile machine, etc. The
configuration, operation and use of user devices will be described
in more detail below.
[0069] The intermediary device 56 may be located at a retailer or
merchant, mall, etc., or may function as a World Wide Web site
server in an online embodiment. The intermediary device 56 receives
and stores codes from the controller 52 and transmits them to users
after completion of qualifying actions associated with the codes.
In addition, the intermediary device 56 may determine what
qualifying action or criteria to associate with an outcome and
provide notifications of the qualifying actions or criteria to
users. The intermediary device 56 may verify completion of a
qualifying action or criteria and provide a notice or indication of
such completion to a user device or to the controller 52. In some
embodiments, an intermediary device may also receive redemption
requests from a user regarding an outcome that the user has
unlocked. The configuration, operation and use of intermediary
devices will be described in more detail below.
[0070] The communications network 58 might be the Internet, the
World Wide Web, or some other public or private computer, cable or
communications network or intranet, as will be described in further
detail below. The communications network 58 is only meant to be
generally representative of cable, computer or other communication
networks for purposes of elaboration and explanation of the present
invention and other devices, networks, etc., may be connected to
the communications network 58 without departing from the scope of
the present invention. The communications network 58 is also
intended to be representative of, and include all or a part of the
Internet, the World Wide Web, and other privately or publicly
operated networks. The communications network 58 can also include
other public and/or private wide area networks, local area
networks, data communication networks or connections, intranets,
extranets, cable modems, routers, satellite links, microwave links,
cellular or radio links, fiber optic transmission lines, ISDN
lines, T1 lines, DSL, etc. Examples of how communication between
devices, and between devices and consumers or customers, might
operate are illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 5,995,015 issued to
DeTemple et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,950,173 issued to Perkowski, and
U.S. Pat. No. 5,939,173 issued to Nelson, the contents of all three
of which are incorporated herein by reference.
[0071] As previously discussed above, in some embodiments, the
method of the present invention involves operation or activity by a
controller or other central source, such as the controller 52, an
intermediary device located at a merchant, such as the intermediary
device 56, and a user or other client device, such as the user
device 54. Now referring to FIG. 2, a method 100 in accordance with
the principles of the present invention as performed or completed
by the controller 52. In general, the controller 52 will perform or
complete all of the method 100. However, some or all of the steps
of the method 100 may be completed by the intermediary device 56
and/or the user device 54.
[0072] The method 100 illustrated in FIG. 2 includes a step 102
during which the controller 52 generates a locked outcome and an
unlock code associated with the outcome, a step 104 during which
the controller 52 provides the locked outcome or an indication of
the locked outcome determined during the step 102 to a user device,
a step 106 during which the controller 52 provides the unlock code
or an indication of the unlock code determined during the step 102
to an intermediary device, a step 108 during which the controller
52 receives a redemption request from a user, or a user device
associated with the user, a merchant, an intermediary, etc. that
has received an unlock code from the intermediary that enabled the
user to unlock the outcome determined during the step 102 and
provided to the user during the step 104, and a step 110 during
which the controller 52 redeems the outcome, displays, reveals or
provides a benefit associated with the outcome, etc. Each of the
steps 102, 104, 106, 108, 110 will be described in further detail
below.
[0073] Note that in some embodiments the controller 52 may provide
unlock codes instead of locked outcomes to users or user devices
during the step 104 and locked outcomes instead of unlock codes to
merchants or intermediary devices during the step 106. For
practical purposes, the method 100 operates the same in these
embodiments as the previously discussed embodiment.
[0074] During the step 102, the controller 52 generates one or more
outcomes. The outcomes may be a symbol, value, prize identifier or
indicator, etc. For example, the outcome may be "television,"
"ten-thousand dollars," "cherry," "orange," "4," "PI-173068," etc.
The outcomes of "television" and "ten-thousand dollars" indicate
specific prizes for the outcomes. The outcomes of "cherry" and
"orange" indicate a specific outcome, but not specific prize or
benefit associated with the outcome. The controller 52, an
intermediary, or other device or entity may then associate prizes
or benefits to these outcomes at a later time and the associated
prizes and benefits may vary. For example, on one day an outcome of
"cherry" may be associated with a prize of "ten dollars" while on
the next day an outcome of "cherry" may be associated with a prize
of "one hundred dollars." The outcome of "PI-173068" provides a
specific outcome identifier, but like the "cherry" and "orange"
outcomes, the outcome identifier does not indicate a specific prize
or benefit associated with the outcome, thereby allowing a specific
prize or benefit for the outcome to be determined by another entity
or device and to change over time if desired.
[0075] Other prizes or benefits that may be associated with an
outcome include a warrantee for a product purchased in the past by
a user, a warrantee for a product to be purchased in the future by
a user, a discount off a purchase made in the future by a user, a
charity donation, a scholarship, an unlock code for one or more
outcomes, a password allowing access to or use of a software
program, a password allowing access to a restricted World Wide Web
site, a password allowed free access to a World Wide Web site, a
multiplier of a outcome unlocked or a prize won by a user in the
future, an extender of time during which an unlock code or outcome
can be used, an extender of time during which a qualifying action
can be initiated or completed, a free hair cut, a coupon, a coupon
multiplier, a joke or other entertainment, a concert ticket, free
or discounted legal services, a free or discounted apartment or car
rental, free long distance telephone service, frequent shopper
points, frequent flyer miles, a free movie rental, a sample of
music or video, a game, a piece of a puzzle, all or part of a
treasure map or game piece, etc.
[0076] A prize or benefit associated with an outcome may be
merchant specific. Thus, in some embodiments, certain outcomes may
only be unlocked by unlocked codes from a designated intermediary.
In other embodiments, the prize associated with the outcome may be
useable only at a specific merchant or with a promotion sponsored
by a specific intermediary.
[0077] A prize or benefit associated with an outcome may also vary
depending on the user that unlocks the outcome. For example, an
unlocked outcome may provide a user with a prize of ten dollars if
the prize is redeemed on the user's next birthday and five dollars
any other day. A prize or benefit may also vary depending on a
user's purchasing history at an intermediary (e.g., a new customer
of an intermediary may receive a higher valued prize), status,
credit card rating, demographic information (e.g., a prize awarded
to a woman might be a gift certificate to a women's clothing store
while a prize awarded to a man might be a gift certificate to a
men's clothing store). A prize or benefit may also be scalable.
Thus, for example, a prize may entitle a person to ten dollars off
their next purchase of product if the product has a price between
fifty and one hundred dollars and to twenty dollars off if the
product has a price greater than one hundred dollars.
[0078] A prize or benefit may also allow a user to continue to play
a game the user is playing on a user device, progress or change the
game the user is playing on the user device, or come to an end of
the game the user is playing on the user device. For example, a
user playing a roulette wheel game on a user device may use an
unlocked outcome to stop the roulette wheel from spinning. A user
playing a car racing game on a user device may use an unlocked
outcome to progress the race or to determine a winner of the
race.
[0079] A prize or benefit associated with an outcome may have
multiple aspects to it. For example, an unlocked outcome may
entitle a user to five dollars now or fifty dollars if the user
completes another qualifying action. As another example, an
unlocked outcome may entitle a user to five dollars or provide
one-half of a set of outcomes that entitle the user to a new car if
the user can find the corresponding outcome in the set. In a
further example, an unlocked outcome may be worth five dollars for
a user that unlocks the outcome or fifty dollars if the user finds
another user that has the same outcome and both users unlock their
outcomes simultaneously or in conjunction with each other.
[0080] In some embodiments, an outcome or an unlock code may have a
termination or expiration date associated with it, after which the
outcome can no longer be unlocked, revealed, redeemed, etc.
Expiration dates for outcomes or unlock codes may be used to create
a sense of urgency or immediacy in a promotion. In addition, in
embodiments where only one copy of each unique outcome may be
available at any one time, expiring or terminating the outcome
allows the controller 52 to associate a new unlock code or benefit
to the outcome and/or to distribute the outcome to another user or
intermediary. Similarly, expiring or terminating the outcome also
allows a merchant or intermediary device to change a qualifying
action or criterion associated with an outcome.
[0081] Each outcome determined or generated during the step 102
preferably is "locked" in that the symbol, value, prize identifier
or indicator, etc., associated with the outcome is not revealed or
otherwise discernible to a user without an unlock code. Thus, a
user, user device or other entity or device cannot reveal or
otherwise "unlock" the outcome without also having an unlock code
associated with the outcome or capable of unlocking the
outcome.
[0082] The controller 52 may lock the outcome by encrypting the
outcome, such as by encrypting the outcome using a symmetric
encryption algorithm. The encrypting key becomes the unlock code
for the outcome. Other forms of encryption are also possible. With
public key type encryption, outcomes may be locked with a public
key and unlocked with a private key. The controller 52 may also
encode the outcomes generated or otherwise determined during the
102. For example, the controller 52 may convert outcomes into
universal product codes. As a further alternative, the controller
52 may provide a flag along with an outcome, the flag indicating
whether or not a user device can display the outcome to a user. For
example, an outcome generated during the step 102 and later
provided to a user or user device during the step 104 may have an
associated flag bit. The flag bit having a value of either "1" or
"0." If the flag bit is "1," then a program contained on the user
device will prevent the user from seeing the outcome or otherwise
prevent the user device from displaying or outputting the outcome
to the user. Only when the flag bit is "0" will the user device
reveal or display the outcome. The user may have to satisfy or
complete a qualifying action or criteria in order to be able to
change the flag bit from "1" to "0." Further information on public
key and other forms of encryption can be found in Bruce Schneier,
Applied Cryptography, Second Edition, 1996, published by John Wiley
& Sons, Inc.
[0083] In some embodiments, a user identifier may be used to
generate and/or lock an outcome. An unlock code that is generated
without using the same user identifier presumably will not be able
to unlock the outcome. Thus, a specific and unique unlock code can
be generated for an outcome, and both may be associated with a
particular user. The user may have to provide the user identifier
prior to receiving an outcome, so that the outcome can be generated
using the user identifier, and prior to receiving an unlock code,
so that the unlock code can be generated using the user identifier.
In other embodiments, a user device identifier or other type of
identifier may be used to generate an outcome and an associated
unlock code in order to make the outcome and unlock code unusable
with any device other than the specific user device associated with
the user device identifier. Thus, the outcome and/or the unlock
code become associated with the specific user device.
[0084] In some embodiments, one or more of the outcomes generated
during the step 102 may be stored in an outcome database
maintained, populated, controlled, and/or accessed on, by or for
the controller 52. The outcome database also may be accessible and
usable by an intermediary device and/or a user device, as will be
discussed in further detail below. The controller 52 may assign or
associate an alphanumeric identifier to an outcome generated by the
controller 52 during the step 102. The identifier may also be
stored in the outcome database for use by the controller 52, an
intermediary device, a user device or other entity or device. In
embodiments where outcomes are displayed on or downloadable from a
World Wide Web site or page, the Uniform Resource Locator (URL) for
the World Wide Web site or page or the Internet Protocol (IP)
address for the server, controller or host computer associated with
the World Wide Web site or page also may be recorded or stored in
the outcome database. The outcome database may also include a user
identifier for a user who receives, unlocks and/or redeems an
outcome, an intermediary identifier for an intermediary that
provides an unlock for the outcome to a user, a benefit or other
payout associated with the outcome, a benefit or payment identifier
for the benefit or other payout associated with the outcome,
etc.
[0085] During the step 102, the controller 52 may also generate one
or more unlock codes for each outcome generated during the step
102. The "generation" of unlock codes and outcomes will also be
considered as including the identification, creation,
determination, ascertainment, selection, obtainment, reservation,
etc. of such unlock codes and outcomes.
[0086] Like the outcomes, the unlock codes may be stored in an
outcome database maintained, populated, controlled, and/or accessed
on, by or for the controller 52. In general, an unlock code will
enable a user to unlock, detect or otherwise reveal at least one
outcome such that a user or user device or other entity or device
in possession of both an outcome and an unlock code will be able to
use the unlock code to reveal, detect, etc. a prize, benefit,
"symbol," "value" or other payout (e.g., "television,"
"ten-thousand dollars," "cherry," "orange," "4," "PI-173068")
associated with the outcome or otherwise "unlock" the outcome.
While the generation or other creation or identification of
outcomes and the generation of unlock codes are discussed herein as
being completed during the step 102, the generation or other
creation or identification of outcomes may be done in a different
step or at a different time or location from the generation or
other creation or identification of unlock codes.
[0087] In some embodiments, a one to one relationship may exist
between unlock codes and outcomes. That is, a single code will
unlock one and only one outcome. In other embodiments, there may be
a one to many relationship such that a single code will unlock
multiple outcomes, a many to one relationship such that multiple
codes will each unlock the same one and only one outcome, or a many
to many relationship such that a code will unlock multiple outcomes
and an outcome can be unlocked by multiple codes. Unlock codes may
be reusable or not reusable, depending on the particular
implementation of the present invention. Thus, even if a code may
unlock any outcomes in a group of outcomes, the code might not be
able to unlock a second outcome after the code is used to unlock a
first outcome.
[0088] If an outcome is encrypted, the controller 52 may generate
one or more keys for an encryption algorithm used to encrypt the
outcome and designate as a code associated with the outcome one or
more keys capable of decrypting the outcome. Alternatively, if an
outcome is encrypted, the controller 52 may designate or identify
as a code the algorithm used for decoding the outcome.
[0089] An outcome may have information or instructions associated
with it. The combination of an outcome and the associated
information or instructions will be referred to herein as a
"ticket." For example, associated information for an outcome might
include a promotional message sent to all users, such as
"Pandelunba Airlines is the way to fly," or a personal message to a
specific user, such as "Happy Birthday!" The associated information
may include instructions for a user device, such as when, how, or
under what circumstances the user device is to display an
instructional, promotional or other message. For example,
associated instructions sent along with an outcome to a user device
might instruct the user device to display a promotional message for
five minutes, on the hour, every other hour, etc. If the user
device includes a Global Positioning System (GPS) sensor or
detector, the associated instructions may instruct the user device
to display a promotion when the user device is in or near a certain
geographic location. The associated information may also include
details as to when an outcome or group of outcomes will expire or
can no longer be unlocked or redeemed.
[0090] The associated information may also include instructions for
a user. An instructional message associated with an outcome may
inform a user how to obtain a code that will unlock the outcome.
For example, an instructional message may indicate "go to
Sepefoma's department store to obtain an unlock code" when
displayed on a user device. In this example, the associated
information for the outcome forms some or all of a qualifying
action or criterion that must be completed or satisfied by a user
before the user will receive an unlock code for the outcome.
[0091] There are many ways or techniques by which the controller 52
can generate or identify an outcome during the step 102. For
example, the controller 52 can use the output of a random number
generator to choose from a numbered list of possible outcomes,
e.g., a random output of "0917" from the random number generator
picks the 917.sup.th outcome from the list of possible
outcomes.
[0092] The output of a random number generator may be associated
with a benefit according to a predefined table. For example, a
random number generator output of "0101" may be associated with a
benefit of one dollar. The benefit may be or include money,
frequent flyer miles, long distance telephone calling time, web
currency, etc. The table may be configured to favor certain
benefits. For example, nine of ten possible outputs of the random
number generator may be associated with a benefit of zero dollars,
whereas only one of the ten outputs of the random number generator
is associated with a benefit of ten dollars.
[0093] The selection of which benefit to associate with which
outcome may be based on any number of factors, including
demographic information or other characteristics of a user
unlocking the outcome, the location of a user or user device
unlocking the outcome or providing a redemption request, the
location of a performance of a qualifying action used to gain
access to an unlock code to unlock the outcome or to receive the
outcome, intermediary information (e.g., size, location, type of
products or services sold, etc.), information relating to other
unlocked outcomes (e.g., the total prize value already awarded to
unlocked outcomes), etc.
[0094] The controller 52 may also identify outcomes by taking the
outcomes in order from a predefined list, the list being created by
the controller 52 or some other entity or device. Similarly, the
outcomes that the controller 52 can use or select from may be
received from outside sources, including intermediary parties,
merchants and retailers, etc.
[0095] In some embodiments, the controller 52 may generate
additions or subtractions to existing outcomes or lists of
outcomes. The outcomes may be undistributed and in the possession
of the controller 52, or the outcomes may be distributed and in the
possession of a user. For example, the controller 52 may decide to
add a promise or prize of ten dollars to an outcome in a user's
possession, and may then communicate to the user, "That outcome you
have is now worth an additional ten dollars when you unlock it."
The communicated message becomes part of the associated information
for the outcome.
[0096] The benefits or prizes associated with outcomes may not be
predetermined by the controller 52. Thus, the controller 52 may
generate parameters for generating an outcome, rather than
generating the outcome itself. For example, the controller 52 may
generate parameters whereby a user will receive five dollars ninety
percent of the time, and fifteen dollars ten percent of the time,
when the user unlocks an outcome. When the user later unlocks the
outcome with a user device, the user device operates an internal
random number generator and determines a benefit for the user in
accordance with the given parameters for the outcome. The
parameters described by the controller 52 may include provisions
for a biometric or other input from the user. Thus, the user may be
allowed to input a seed for the random number generator deciding
the benefit. In addition, biometric information from a user may be
used to generate an outcome and/or an unlock code so that the
outcome and/or unlock code may be used only with or by the specific
user. Biometric information for one or more users may be stored in
a user database for use by the controller 52 or other devices.
[0097] During the step 104, the controller 52 may provide one or
more of the locked outcomes generated during the step 102 to one or
more users or user devices. The controller 52 may also provide the
outcomes to an intermediary. Some users may get a large number of
locked outcomes while other users may get only one or a small
number of locked outcomes. The locked outcomes may be received by
and stored on a user device, such as a personal digital assistant,
laptop computer, cellular telephone, etc. The controller 52 may
record or indicate which users received outcomes or which users
received which specific outcomes in the outcome database. In order
to send an outcome to a user, the controller 52 may have to select
or identify a user and determine or identify the number of outcomes
to send or transfer to that user or the user's user device. The
controller 52 may also provide or send associated information or
instructions to the user along with the locked outcome, such that
the user receives a ticket from the controller 52.
[0098] The controller 52 can identify a user in many ways. For
example, a user may register with the controller 52 by submitting a
name, address, user device identifier, or other pertinent
information. A user may request or agree to receive outcomes.
Alternatively, a third party, such as a merchant or other
intermediary, may ask or instruct the controller 52 to provide
outcomes to a specific user or ask a user to agree to receive one
or more outcomes.
[0099] A user may qualify to receive outcomes based on a test or
other criteria established or agreed to by the controller 52. For
example, all users having or meeting a certain demographic profile
may be eligible to receive or download one or more outcomes. A user
may have to meet certain criteria in order to receive outcomes. The
criteria may include, for example, that the user currently has no
outcomes, the user has an insufficient number of outcomes, the user
has redeemed an outcome that allows or entitles the user to receive
additional outcomes, the user has a particular shopping history,
family size, survey response history, credit limit, etc. In some
embodiments, a user may log on to or access the controller 52 and
request outcomes and the user may or may not have to pay to receive
outcomes.
[0100] There are also many ways in which the controller 52 can
determine how many outcomes to provide or transfer to a user or
user device. For example, the controller 52 may provide to a user
as many outcomes as possible, a single outcome, as many outcomes
that the controller 52 currently has generated, as many outcomes as
a user device can store or hold, as many outcomes as the user has
paid for, as many outcomes for which a third party has paid for on
behalf of the user, the number of outcomes the user has requested,
a standard or fixed (e.g., one hundred, ten, etc.) number of
outcomes, a random number of outcomes, the number of outcomes that
the controller 52 anticipates or determines the user will redeem,
use or unlock in a given period of time, a number of outcomes
determined in accordance with external factors (e.g., the number of
outcomes provided is dependent on the time of day, day of the week,
the current weather, the level of a stock price, etc.), or a number
of outcomes based on user characteristics or demographic profile.
The number of outcomes may also be based on the location of a user
or user device, which may be determined by a Global Positioning
System (GPS) or other tracking device, sensor, detector, etc.
associated with, carried by, or included in the user or user
device.
[0101] The controller 52 may also provide or transfer an outcome to
a user or user device depending on the outcome's perishability. For
example, if one hundred outcomes are about to expire or terminate,
the controller 52 may provide all one hundred outcomes to a user
during the step 104. Alternatively, the controller 52 may provide
or transfer a number of outcomes to a user or user device in
accordance with a number of codes that the controller 52 has or
will dispense. For example, if the controller 52 has previously
provided or transferred one thousand more codes than outcomes, the
controller 52 might provide or transfer one thousand new
outcomes.
[0102] The controller 52 may send or transmit outcomes to a user or
user device electronically, such as via email, cellular telephone
call, or other means using the communications network 58. A user
may also access the controller 52 remotely with a user device, such
as the user device 54, and download or otherwise retrieve one or
more outcomes from the controller 52 for storage on the user
device. The user device preferably allows for storage and retrieval
of multiple outcomes and codes, as will be discussed in further
detail below. The controller 52 may also mail or send outcomes to a
user on a floppy disk CD-ROM, DVD or other electronic storage
medium. The user can then load one or more of the outcomes stored
on the storage medium to a user device and store them on the user
device. As another alternative, the controller 52 may mail a user
device to a user, or otherwise arrange for a user device to be
mailed to a user, the user device having one or more outcomes
previously stored on it. In other embodiments, the controller 52
may designate a set of outcomes as belonging to, or being
associated with, a specific user. The controller 52 may then allow
the user to access the designated set of outcomes by providing an
account number or password. For example, users may view, retrieve
or download outcomes from a password secured World Wide Web site or
page or a bulletin board.
[0103] In some embodiments, the step 104 may be completed after the
step 106. In other embodiments, the step 104 may be completed
immediately after the locked outcomes are generated or identified
during the step 102 and before the generation of the unlock codes
during the step 102.
[0104] During the step 106, the controller 52 provides one or more
of the unlock codes generated during the step 102 to one or more
intermediaries or intermediary devices. Like outcomes, unlock codes
may carry or be associated with information or instructions. In
some embodiments, an intermediary may have to provide payment prior
to or after receiving a code. Also, an intermediary, or a third
party on behalf of the intermediary, may have to request to receive
codes or agree to receive codes.
[0105] An intermediary may have to meet certain criteria or fit a
certain profile in order to be eligible to receive an unlock code
from the controller 52. For example, the intermediary may have had
to run out of previously supplied codes, the intermediary may have
to have a number of codes that is lower than some predetermined
number, the intermediary may have to be located in a certain
location or area, the intermediary may have to have a particular
employee, customer or other demographic composition, address,
customer transaction history, company or store size or location,
survey response history, etc.
[0106] The controller 52 may send or transmit codes to an
intermediary or intermediary device electronically, such as via
email, cellular telephone call, or other means using the
communications network 58. Likewise, the controller 52 may mail or
send a floppy disk, CD-ROM, DVD or other storage medium containing
one or more codes to one or more intermediaries. The intermediary
can then load one or more of the codes stored on the storage medium
to an intermediary device and store them on the intermediary
device. As another alternative, the controller 52 may mail or
provide an intermediary device to an intermediary, or otherwise
arrange for an intermediary device to be mailed or provided to an
intermediary, the intermediary device having one or more codes
previously stored on it. In other embodiments, the controller 52
may designate a set of unlock codes as belonging to, or being
associated with, a specific intermediary. The controller 52 may
then allow the intermediary to access the designated set of unlock
codes by providing an account number or password. For example,
intermediaries may view, retrieve, download, access, etc. unlock
codes from a password secured World Wide Web site or page, bulletin
board, etc.
[0107] An intermediary may also access the controller 52 remotely
with an intermediary device, such as the intermediary device 56,
and download or otherwise retrieve one or more codes from the
controller 52 for storage on the intermediary device. The
intermediary device preferably allows for storage and retrieval of
multiple outcomes and codes, as will be discussed in further detail
below. In order to send an outcome code to an intermediary, the
controller 52 may have to select or identify an intermediary and
determine or identify the number of outcomes to send or transfer to
that intermediary or an intermediary device associated with or
controlled by the intermediary.
[0108] The controller 52 may have to determine, identify or agree
to a number of unlock codes to be transferred or provided to an
intermediary during the step 104. For example, the controller 52
may transfer or provide to an intermediary as many codes as
possible, a single code, as many codes that the controller 52
currently has generated, as many codes as an intermediary device
can store, hold or unlock, as many codes as the intermediary has
paid for, as many codes for which a third party has paid for on
behalf of the intermediary, the number of codes the intermediary
has requested, a standard or fixed (e.g., one hundred, ten, etc.)
number of codes, a random number of codes, the number of codes that
the controller 52 anticipates or determines the intermediary will
use in a given period of time, a number of codes determined in
accordance with external factors (e.g., the number of codes
provided is dependent on the time of day, day of the week, the
current weather, the level of a stock price, etc.), a number of
codes based on a supplied user identifier, user device identifier
or other identifier, or a number of codes based on intermediary
characteristics or profile.
[0109] The number of unlock codes may also be based on the location
of the intermediary, which may be determined by a Global
Positioning System (GPS) or other tracking device, sensor,
detector, etc. associated with or included in the intermediary or
intermediary device.
[0110] The controller 52 may also provide or transfer a code to an
intermediary or intermediary device depending on the code's
perishability. For example, if one hundred codes are about to
expire or terminate, the controller 52 may provide all one hundred
codes to an intermediary during the step 106. Alternatively, the
controller 52 may provide or transfer a number of codes to an
intermediary or intermediary device in accordance with a number of
outcomes that the controller 52 has or will dispense. For example,
if the controller 52 has previously provided or transferred one
thousand more outcomes than codes, the controller 52 might provide
or transfer one thousand new codes.
[0111] In embodiments where an intermediary pays for receiving or
downloading codes, payment may be based on the number of codes that
the intermediary receives, or the value or expected value of any
prize or benefit associated with an outcome unlocked by a code
provided to the intermediary. Payment amounts for codes may vary
depending on intermediary participation or satisfaction levels,
user participation or satisfaction levels, etc. For example, in an
implementation where a user pays to receive unlock codes, an amount
a user may pay for unlock codes may depend on the number of users
participating in a promotion, the number of merchants or other
intermediaries participating in a promotion, the degree to which a
merchant's participation in a promotion increases sales of products
or services involved in the promotion, user feedback regarding
participation in a promotion, etc.
[0112] In some embodiments, the controller 52 may maintain, update
or access an intermediary database in which addresses, contact
information, email addresses, names, etc., for one or more
intermediaries are stored or recorded. The controller 52 may record
in the intermediary database information regarding which codes have
been sent or provided to which intermediary.
[0113] Each intermediary to which the controller 52 sends an unlock
code may have a unique identifier associated with it. The
controller 52 may store unique identifiers and other intermediary
information in the intermediary database. In addition, the
controller 52 may store information, code identifiers, etc., for
some or all of the codes sent to the intermediary by the controller
52 during the step 106. In embodiments where codes are displayed on
or downloadable from a World Wide Web site or page, the Uniform
Resource Locator (URL) for the World Wide Web site or page or the
Internet Protocol (IP) address for the server, controller or host
computer associated with the World Wide Web site or page also may
be recorded or stored in the intermediary database.
[0114] In some embodiments, the step 106 may be completed before
the step 104. In addition, the step 106 may be completed
immediately after the generation or identification of unlock codes
during the step 102.
[0115] After the controller 52 provides an outcome to a user or
user device during the step 104 and a code that unlocks the outcome
to an intermediary or intermediary device during the step 106, the
controller 52 may wait to receive the code or other redemption
request back from the user or an intermediary during the step 108.
Note that the step 108 may not be used or needed in all embodiments
of the present invention. The user presumably will have received
the code from the intermediary and unlocked the outcome so that
that the user can view or discern the prize, benefit, value,
symbol, etc., associated with the outcome. As previously discussed
above, the user also presumably had to complete or satisfy a
qualifying criteria or action to receive a code from an
intermediary. Further discussion and explanation of how a user
might receive from an intermediary an unlock code for an outcome
will be provided below.
[0116] During the step 108, the controller 52 receives a redemption
request from a user. The redemption request may be sent by a user
to the controller 52 via mail, wire transfer, facsimile, telephone,
email or other electronic transmission, etc.
[0117] The redemption request received by the controller 52 during
the step 108 may include or constitute a code used to unlock an
outcome, a request to receive any or all of a benefit or prize
associated with an outcome unlocked by the user, an outcome
unlocked by user with the code and any flags, information or
instructions associated with the outcome, the date and/or time at
which the user received the code, the date and/or time at which the
user unlocked an outcome with the code, an intermediary identifier
for the intermediary from which the user received a code,
description of any qualifying criteria or action the user had to
complete or satisfy in order to receive a code, proof, verification
or authentication that the user has completed or satisfied any
qualifying criteria or action associated with an outcome, an
indication of a prize or benefit that the user would like to
receive or redeem, a user identifier or other user identifying
information, a user device identifier, serial number or other user
device identifying information, user security information (e.g.,
the user may send a password, voice biometric, photograph, etc., to
the controller 52 that enables a user to access an account the user
has with the controller 52), etc.
[0118] In some embodiments, the controller 52 may receive a
redemption request from a merchant instead of a user during the
step 108. For example, a user may obtain a prize from a merchant.
The merchant then submits a redemption request to the controller 52
in order to recoup some or all of the value of the prize provided
by the merchant to the user.
[0119] During either the step 108 or the step 110, the controller
52 may verify an outcome. That is, the controller 52 may verify
that a user trying to redeem an outcome by providing a redemption
request received by the controller 52 during the step 108 is the
user to whom the outcome was sent by the controller 52 during the
step 104. The controller 52 may look up the outcome submitted by
the user, or the outcome associated with the redemption request
received by the controller 52 during the step 108, in an outcome
database and check that the identifying information provided in the
redemption request matches identifying information of the user to
whom the outcome was originally provided by the controller 52
during the step 104. A user password or account number provided in
a redemption request may also serve as identifying information if
the controller 52 has given the password or account number only to
a particular user.
[0120] Another verification of an outcome that can be conducted by
the controller 52 is a verification that the outcome was unlocked
properly. The controller 52 may compare a user code submitted as
part of a redemption request to the code provided in a database of
the codes generated or identified by the controller 52 during the
step 102. The controller 52 may also query an intermediary or the
user to ascertain whether or not the user received the code
properly from the intermediary.
[0121] The controller 52 may also verify that the value, symbol,
benefit or prize associated with the outcome for which the
redemption request is received during the step 108 is the same
value, symbol, benefit or prize associated with the outcome when
the outcome was originally generated by the controller 52 during
the step 102 or originally provided to a user during the step
104.
[0122] The controller 52 may also verify that any qualifying
actions or criteria associated with an outcome by the controller 52
or an intermediary have been satisfied or completed by the user
from whom the redemption request is received during the step 108.
The controller 52 may query an intermediary or the user to
ascertain whether or not such qualifying criteria or action was
properly satisfied or completed. Similarly, the controller 52 may
determine that the outcome has not been terminated or otherwise
perished or expired.
[0123] If a user submits multiple redemption requests or outcomes
for redemptions the controller 52 may check to see if the user
unlocked multiple outcomes within an unreasonably or impossibly
short period of time. For example, it may be physically impossible
for a user to complete all of the required behaviors or qualifying
actions for multiple outcomes in a short period of time. Thus, if a
user unlocked a large number of outcomes in a short period of time,
the controller 52 may assume that the user has acted improperly
somehow.
[0124] During the step 110, the controller 52 may redeem an outcome
or otherwise provide a benefit or other payout associated with the
outcome for which a redemption request was received by the
controller 52 during the step 108. The step 110 may also be
completed by the controller 52 providing an indication of the
benefit or other payout. In some embodiments, the controller 52 may
access an outcome database to determine if a specific benefit has
been associated with a particular outcome and/or what the benefit
is.
[0125] In some embodiments, a prize or benefit may be associated
with the outcome generated during the step 102 before the outcome
is generated, before the indication of the outcome is sent during
the step 104, etc. In other embodiments, the prize or benefit
associated with an outcome may not be determined until the outcome
is unlocked, after a redemption request for the outcome is
received, after a qualifying action is performed, etc.
[0126] The controller 52 may compensate or provide a benefit to a
user in a variety of ways. For example, the controller 52 may mail
cash, a check, coupons, products, gift certificates, etc., to a
user, the controller 52 may transfer or wire a benefit
electronically to a user, the controller 52 may place or post a
benefit where the user may obtain it (e.g., the controller 52 may
post digital cash to a World Wide Web site where the user may claim
or download it), the controller 52 may arrange for a third party to
mail, transfer or provide a benefit to the user, the controller 52
may settle a user's payment for a product of service with a third
party (e.g., the controller 52 arranges with AT&T Corporation
to pay the user's long distance phone bill), the controller 52 may
procure or arrange a free or discounted service for a user (e.g.,
the controller 52 may arrange for a professional golf player to
give the user a free golf lesson), the controller 52 may publicize
a user's name, the controller 52 may provide or arrange for the
provision of a benefit to a user designated charity or other third
party, etc.
[0127] In some embodiments, a benefit associated with an outcome
may change or decrease over time during a promotion, thereby
motivating users to unlock the outcome sooner rather than later. In
addition, such an embodiment may encourage intermediaries to
provide unlock codes for outcomes in an expedited manner or to
change qualifying actions associated with outcomes or unlock
codes.
[0128] In some embodiments, a benefit associated with an outcome
may be selected or varied depending on a location of an
intermediary, intermediary device, user, user device, the
controller 52, etc. associated with the outcome, associated with an
unlock code used to unlock the outcome, associated with a
qualifying action completed to enable access to the unlock code
used to unlock the outcome, etc.
[0129] After an outcome is redeemed or provided to a user, the
controller 52 may update an outcome database to reflect or record
that the outcome has been redeemed. The controller 52 may also
include information in the outcome database regarding which unlock
code the user used to unlock the outcome, which intermediary
provided the unlock code to the user, what qualifying action, if
any, is associated with the outcome, etc.
[0130] As previously discussed above, in some embodiments, the
method of the present invention involves operation or activity by a
controller or other central source, such as the controller 52, an
intermediary device located at a merchant, such as the intermediary
device 56, and a user device, such as the user device 54. The
method 100 previously discussed above dealt primarily with
activities of the controller 52. Now referring to FIG. 3, a method
200 in accordance with the principles of the present invention is
illustrated as may performed or completed by an intermediary or
intermediary device, such as the intermediary device 56. In
general, the intermediary or intermediary device will perform or
complete all of the method 200. However, some or all of the steps
of the method 200 may be completed by the controller 52 and/or the
user device 54.
[0131] The method 200 includes a step 202 during which an
intermediary or intermediary device receives one or more codes
directly or indirectly from the controller 52, a step 204 during
which the intermediary or intermediary device associates one or
more qualifying actions or criteria to one or more codes received
from the controller 52 during the step 204, a step 206 during which
the qualifying actions or criteria established during the step 204
are provided or indicated by the intermediary or intermediary
device to a user or user device, a step 208 during which the
intermediary or intermediary device verifies or determines if the
user has completed or satisfied the designated qualifying actions
or criteria, and a step 210 during which the intermediary or
intermediary device provides at least one code to the user, or
associated user device, who completed the qualifying action or
criteria, the code being one of the codes received by the
intermediary or intermediary device from the controller 52 during
the step 202.
[0132] The step 202 for the intermediary or intermediary device is
complementary to the step 106 for the controller 52. That is, the
unlock codes provided by the controller 52 during the step 106 are
received by the intermediary or intermediary device during the step
202. A code received by the intermediary or intermediary device
during the step 202 may have associated information or instructions
or comprise part of a ticket, as previously discussed above.
[0133] During the step 204, the intermediary or intermediary device
defines or associates qualifying criteria or a qualifying action
for a code that a user must complete or satisfy before the
intermediary will provide a code to the user during the step 210.
There can be many kinds of qualifying criteria or qualifying
actions that a user may have to complete. For example, the user
might have to fill out a survey. Filling out the survey might
entail releasing private information, such as the user's
demographic data or profile. To meet intermediary criteria, the
survey might have to pass accuracy tests administered by the
intermediary or intermediary device or other entity or device. For
example, the intermediary device 56 might verify that answers to
similar questions are consistent.
[0134] As other examples of qualifying criteria or qualifying
actions, the user might have to stand in line at a checkout
counter, customer service counter, or at some other area for a
period of time, the user might have to visit a particular location,
merchant, store area, etc., the user might have to view, listen to,
or otherwise perceive certain content (e.g. the user may be
required to view an advertisement), the user might have to achieve
a certain performance level at a game or other test of skill or
predominant skill (e.g., a cashier may have to deliver and conduct
a sales transaction properly, or a pilot might have to take off or
navigate successfully in a flight simulation), the user might have
to achieve a certain performance level at a game of luck or
predominant luck, the user might have to teach or coax another into
achieving a certain performance level at a game or test of skill
(e.g., the user might have to teach a child to spell twenty words
correctly), the user may have to utter a particular phrase (e.g.,
the user may have to say "Coke rules" three times in a day), the
user might have to wait on hold on the phone for a period of time,
the user might have to commit to an action (e.g., the user agrees
to buy a specific product in the next three days), the user might
have to pay the intermediary or some other party, the user might
have to make a purchase of products or services from the
intermediary or from some other party, the user might have to
convince others to make a purchase of a specific product or at a
specific merchant, the user might have to interact with one or more
third parties in the performance of some behavior or the
achievement of some goal, the user might have to perform any one or
more of the other described behaviors within a particular time
frame, etc. A qualifying action may also be based on an external or
unpredictable event. For example, a qualifying action may be based
on a designated professional baseball team winning its next
game.
[0135] After the intermediary or intermediary device has determined
or identified the qualifying actions or criteria for receiving a
code during the step 204, during the step 206 the intermediary or
intermediary device will provide or indicate the qualifying actions
or criteria to a user or user device. The intermediary or
intermediary device may also provide an indication of the
qualifying action to the controller 52. The intermediary or
intermediary device may provide indications of the qualifying
actions or criteria in many ways, such as through announcements or
advertisements on billboards, signs, television, radio, telephone,
email, public address systems, speakers, the World Wide Web, and
the Internet, as well as through direct mail advertisements. In
some embodiments, the intermediary or intermediary device may
transmit qualifying actions wirelessly to users walking by, through
or near the intermediary, driving or otherwise passing by the
intermediary, etc.
[0136] Qualifying criteria or actions may also be provided or
listed in a product or on a product's packaging. For example, a
message in a cereal box might state: "send in the UPC label for
this box and receive an unlock code in the mail."
[0137] Salesmen or other representatives or employees of an
intermediary may communicate the qualifying criteria or actions to
a user. Alternatively, a salesman may travel to the user's address,
or may communicate to the user at the location of the
intermediary.
[0138] An intermediary may communicate qualifying actions or
criteria to a user through a third party. For example, the
intermediary may provide qualifying information to a friend of the
user, who then provides the user with the intermediary's qualifying
criteria.
[0139] A user device may be programmed to communicate qualifying
criteria to a user. For example, a merchant or other intermediary
may sell or pass out user devices to users. The user devices
periodically display "make a purchase today to receive a code and
unlock an outcome." In some embodiments, an unlock code, when
loaded onto or stored on a user device, may cause the user device
to display criteria for receiving additional unlock codes.
[0140] After the qualifying actions or criteria are provided by an
intermediary to a user or user device during the step 206, the
intermediary or intermediary device may verify that the qualifying
actions or criteria have been satisfied or completed by the user
during the step 208. The verification process may depend on the
type and scope of qualifying action or criteria. In some
embodiments, a user's satisfaction or completion of a qualifying
action or criteria may be assumed unless the intermediary or
intermediary device receives an indication that the user has not
satisfied or completed the qualifying action or criteria. In other
embodiments, the verification process during the step 206 may be
considered to be totally or partially completed by the intermediary
or intermediary device receiving a message or other indication of a
willingness or agreement to complete the qualifying actions. Such
message or other indication may come directly or indirectly from a
user or a user device.
[0141] In some embodiments, a qualifying action associated with an
outcome or unlock code may be modified, disabled or invalidated
over time, thereby allowing the qualifying action to be based on
external events, modified according to or based on the occurrence
of an external event, etc.
[0142] In some embodiments, the verification step 208 may also
include a three part analysis during which the intermediary or
intermediary device receives indications, information or inputs of
a user's behavior, the intermediary or intermediary device
characterizes the user's behavior based on the indications,
information or inputs, and then the intermediary or intermediary
device compares the user's characterized behavior with specified
qualifying criteria to determined if the user has completed or
satisfied the qualifying criteria.
[0143] The intermediary or intermediary device may receive
indications, information, inputs, etc., regarding a user's behavior
in a variety of ways. For example, the intermediary or intermediary
device may receive a keyword, code, etc., indicative of a user
behavior, either from the user or some other party. The user might
have received the keyword, code, etc., from a third party in
exchange for completing an activity, such as watching a new product
demonstration or commercial, playing a new game, testing a new
product, answering a survey, etc. The intermediary may film, tape
or otherwise record a user performing an activity or use other
sensors of input devices to capture or ascertain aspects or
characteristics of a user's behavior. Sensors may include weight
sensors, touch sensors, touch screens, buttons, retinal scanners,
heart monitors, finger print scanners, thermometers, infrared
sensors, blood pressure sensors, skin conductivity sensors, breath
analyzers, screens which record hand writing, and so on. The
sensors may be part of an intermediary device, may be in
communication with the intermediary device, or may be part of a
user device.
[0144] A user may communicate or otherwise provide user behavior
information to the intermediary or intermediary device.
Alternatively, an employee or other representative of the
intermediary or an intermediary device, or some other third party
or device, may observe the user's behavior and communicate or
provide observations regarding the user's behavior to the
intermediary or intermediary device. Authenticating documentation
may also be provided to the intermediary or intermediary device by
the employee, representative, or other third party or device.
[0145] After receiving or determining the information, indications,
or inputs regarding a user's behavior, the intermediary or
intermediary device may interpret or characterize the user's
behavior. In some situations no characterization of the user's
behavior by the intermediary or an intermediary device will be
necessary. For example, if an intermediary's representative has
described a user behavior to an intermediary, presumably the
representative has already interpreted the user's behavior or at
least has provided some interpretative information regarding the
user's behavior. For example, a representative might describe a
user as reaching out and examining a can of soup in a grocery
store. The representative may also describe or attempt to ascertain
the user's interest level in the can of soup.
[0146] After a user's behavior is interpreted or characterized by
the intermediary or intermediary device, the user's behavior can be
compared against qualifying criteria or actions established by the
intermediary or intermediary device during the step 204 to see if
the user has satisfied or completed the qualifying criteria or
actions. The intermediary device may maintain a database of
qualifying actions against which to compare a user's characterized
behavior to see or determine if the user has satisfied or completed
any of the criteria.
[0147] During the step 210, if a user has completed or satisfied
the qualifying criteria or code established for a code during the
step 204, the intermediary or intermediary device may provide the
code received during the step 202 to the user. The user can then
use the code to unlock an outcome stored on a user device. There
are many ways by which the intermediary or intermediary device can
provide an unlock code to the user. For example, the intermediary
device 56 can transfer an electronic unlock code over a wired or
wireless electronic connection with a user device, the intermediary
device 56, a representative of an intermediary can communicate the
code to the user via phone, email message, telegraph, facsimile,
cable modem or any other electronic means, the intermediary can
mail the code to the user, or the intermediary device 56 can
transfer the unlock code to a third party, such as a friend of the
user, who then transfers the unlock code to the user. The
intermediary device 56 or an intermediary's employee can also
personally transfer or verbally communicate the code to the user or
a user device. The code may be printed as text, a bar code,
Braille, etc., or may be stored on machine-readable medium. In some
embodiments, an intermediary or intermediary device may transmit an
unlock code to a user or user device wirelessly as the user or user
device is walking, driving or otherwise passing through, by or near
an intermediary,
[0148] Once the user has received a code, the user can unlock an
outcome stored on a user device, as previously discussed above.
There are many ways in which a user may unlock an outcome, as will
be discussed in more detail below.
[0149] As previously discussed above, in some embodiments, the
method of the present invention involves operation or activity by a
controller or other central source, such as the controller 52, an
intermediary device located at a merchant, such as the intermediary
device 56, and a user device, such as the user device 54. Now
referring to FIG. 4, a method 300 in accordance with the principles
of the present invention as performed or completed by a user or a
user device, such as the user device 54. In general, the user or a
user device will perform or complete all of the method 300.
However, some or all of the steps of the method 300 may be
completed by the controller 52 and/or an intermediary device.
[0150] The method 300 includes a step 302 during which an
indication of one or more outcomes is received by a user or user
device from the controller 52, a step 304 during which an
indication of a qualifying action or criteria is received by the
user or user device from an intermediary or intermediary device,
such as the intermediary device 56, a step 306 during which a user
completes the qualifying action or criteria that entitles the user
or user device to receive a code from the intermediary or
intermediary device, a step 308 during which the user or user
device receives a code from the intermediary or intermediary
device, a step 310 during which the user or user device unlocks an
outcome received from the controller 52 during the step 302, a step
312 during which the user or user device provides a redemption
request to the controller 52, and a step 314 during which the user
or user device receives a benefit or outcome associated with the
outcome unlocked during the step 310 with the code received from
the intermediary or intermediary device during the step 308.
[0151] During the step 302, the user or user device receives one or
more outcomes from the controller 52. The step 302 for the user or
user device is complementary to the step 104 for the controller 52.
That is, the outcomes provided by the controller 52 during the step
104 are received by the user or user device during the step 302. An
outcome received by the user or user device during the step 302 may
have associated information or instructions or comprise part of a
ticket, as previously discussed above.
[0152] During the step 304, the user or user device receives an
indication of a qualifying action or criteria from an intermediary
that, upon completion or satisfaction, will enable or authorize the
user or user device to receive an unlock code from the intermediary
that will unlock at least one of the outcomes that the user or user
device received from the controller 52 during the step 302. The
step 304 for the user or user device is complementary to the step
206 for the intermediary device 56. That is, the indication
provided by the intermediary device 56 during the step 206 is
received by the user or user device during the step 304. Note that
in some embodiments, the controller 52 may provide an indication of
a qualifying action directly to a user or user device. Therefore,
in such embodiments, the user or user device will not receive the
indication of the qualifying action or criteria from the
intermediary or intermediary device during the step 304, but will
instead receive it from the controller 52, as will be discussed in
more detail below.
[0153] During the step 306, the user completes or satisfies the
qualifying criteria or actions provided to the user or user device
from an intermediary or intermediary device during the step 304.
Upon completion or satisfaction of the qualifying criteria or
actions, the user or user device or some other entity or device may
provide a message or other indication to the intermediary or
intermediary device that the user has completed or satisfied the
qualifying criteria or action. Alternatively, in some embodiments,
the user may provide an indication of a willingness or agreement to
complete the qualifying action, which suffices to complete the step
306.
[0154] As previously discussed above, the intermediary or
intermediary device may verify during the step 208 that the user
has, in fact, completed or satisfied the qualifying criteria or
action.
[0155] During the step 308, the user or user device receives one or
more codes from the intermediary or intermediary device. The step
308 for the user or user device is complementary to the step 210
for the intermediary or intermediary device. That is, the code
provided by the intermediary or intermediary device during the step
210 is received by the user or user device during the step 308.
Note that in some embodiments, the controller 52 may provide an
unlock code directly to a user or user device. Therefore, in such
embodiments, the user or user device will not receive the unlock
code from the intermediary or intermediary device during the step
308, but will instead receive it from the controller 52, as will be
discussed in more detail below.
[0156] During the step 310, the user or user device uses the unlock
code received from the intermediary or intermediary device during
the step 308 to unlock one or more of the outcomes received from
the controller 52 during the step 302. There are many ways in which
a user or user device may unlock an outcome. For example, if the
unlock code is a key associated with a decryption algorithm, then a
user device may apply the algorithm to the key and to the outcome
stored on the user device. If the unlock code describes an
algorithm for decoding the encoded outcome, then the user or user
device may employ the algorithm to decode the outcome. If the
outcome is embodied with scratch-off technology, the user scratches
off the space indicated by the code. If the outcomes is associated
with code bits which tell the user device whether to reveal the
outcome, then the user device searches its outcome database for
outcomes that may be revealed with the obtained code. If multiple
outcomes may be unlocked, the user device may pick one outcome at
random, reveal that one, and then reveal no others. Alternatively,
outcomes may be ordered in the user device, and the user device may
pick the first of a plurality of potential outcomes to unlock
according to some ordering scheme. If the unlock code is a key for
unlocking a box or other physical contraption, then the user
unlocks the contraption using the key. If the code is a combination
for a combination lock to a box containing the outcome, then the
user uses the combination to open the lock.
[0157] During the step 312, the user or user device provides a
redemption request to the controller 52. The step 312 for the user
or user device is complementary to the step 108 for the controller
52. That is, the redemption request provided by the user or user
device during the step 312 is received by the controller 52 during
the step 108. As previously discussed above, the redemption request
may include or constitute the code used to unlock an outcome that
is received by the user during the step 308, a request to receive
any or all of a benefit or prize associated with an outcome
received by the user from the controller 52 during the step 302 and
unlocked by the user during the step 310, an outcome unlocked by
user with the code and any flags, information or instructions
associated with the outcome, the date and/or time at which the user
received the code, the date and/or time at which the user unlocked
an outcome with the code, an intermediary identifier for the
intermediary from which the user received a code, description of
any qualifying criteria or action the user had to complete or
satisfy in order to receive a code, proof, verification or
authentication that the user has completed or satisfied any
qualifying criteria or action associated with an outcome, an
indication of a prize or benefit that the user would like to
receive or redeem, a user identifier or other use identifying
information, a user device identifier, serial number or other user
device identifying information, user security information (e.g.,
the user may send a password, voice biometric, photograph, etc., to
the controller 52 that enables a user to access an account the user
has with the controller 52), etc.
[0158] During the step 314, the user or user device receives an
outcome or a benefit or prize associated with the outcome from the
controller 52 or some other entity or intermediary associated with
the controller 52, as previously discussed above. The step 318 for
the user or user device is complementary to the step 110 for the
controller 521. That is, the benefit provided by the controller 52
during the step 110 is received by the user or user device during
the step 314.
[0159] Now referring to FIG. 5, a flowchart 400 is illustrated that
shows the combined operation of the method 100 by the controller
52, the method 200 by the intermediary device 56, and the method
300 of the user 54. Thus, the method 400 shows the relationships of
the steps 102, 104, 106, 108 and 110 of the method 100, the steps
202, 204, 206, 208 and 210 of the method 200, and the steps 302,
304, 306, 308, 310, 312 and 314 of the method 300.
[0160] While the steps of the method 400 are shown as proceeding in
the following order: 102, 104, 302, 106, 202, 204, 206, 304, 306,
208, 210, 308, 310, 312, 108, 110 and 314, the steps may be
performed in different orders. For example, the steps 106 and 202
may be initiated or completed before the step 104.
[0161] The steps 312, 108, 110 and 314 could be eliminated or
changed such that the user provides a redemption request to an
intermediary or other entity instead of the controller 52 during
the step 312, thereby changing the step 108 accordingly. In
addition, the intermediary or other entity could provide a benefit
to the user during the step 110 instead of the controller 52,
thereby also changing the step 314 accordingly.
[0162] Now referring to FIG. 6, a second embodiment 500 of a method
in accordance with the present invention is illustrated. The method
500 may be completed by the controller 52 and includes the steps
104, 106, 108 and 110 previously described above. In contrast to
the method 100, the method 500 includes the step 502 instead of the
step 102, during which the controller 52 generates one or more
outcomes and one or more associated codes as previously described
above. In addition, during a step 502 the controller 52 also
generates a qualifying action associated with one or more of the
generated outcomes or codes, in much the same way as the
intermediary did during the step 204 previously described above.
For example, the controller 52 may require that a user purchase a
specific product, any product of a specific manufacturer, any
product or service at a specific retailer, any product or service
using a specific credit card, etc., as a qualifying action that a
user must complete before being entitled to receive a code or
unlock an outcome. As another example, the controller 52 may
require that a user meet a specific demographic profile in order to
receive a code or unlock an outcome. Note that an intermediary may
still complete the step 204 and add or associate an additional
qualifying action or criteria to an outcome or code such that a
user must satisfy or complete both the qualifying action or
criteria identified by the controller 52 during the step 502 and
the qualifying action or criteria identified by the intermediary
during the step 204.
[0163] During a step 504, the controller 52 provides an indication
of the qualifying action(s) determined or generated during the step
502 to an intermediary, a user, or both. Thus, the step 504 is
similar to the step 104, during which an indication of an outcome
is provided to a user, and/or the step 106, during which an
indication of a code is provided to an intermediary.
[0164] Now referring to FIG. 7, a third embodiment 550 of a method
in accordance with the present invention is illustrated. The method
550 may be completed by the controller 52 and includes the steps
502, 104, 504, 106, 108 and 110 previously discussed above. In
addition, the method 550 includes a step 552 during which the
controller 52 verifies a user's completion of the qualifying action
or criteria established during the step 502 and communicated to the
user during the step 502. The method 550 may be used in conjunction
with the method 200 and the method 300. Alternatively, the method
550 may be used with the method 300 and not the method 200. Thus,
the method 550 is particularly useful when no intermediary or
intermediary device is available or participating in a promotion
and the entire activity or completion of, or participation in, the
promotion occurs by the controller 52 and a user. In such
embodiment, a user or user device may receive an indication of a
qualifying action or criteria from the controller 52, as opposed to
an intermediary device, during the step 304. Similarly, the user or
user device may receive an unlock code from the controller 52, as
opposed to an intermediary device, during the step 308.
[0165] When no intermediary or intermediary device is available or
participating in a promotion, the controller 52 may also conduct
many, if not all, of the steps of the method 200 as well as other
activities. For example, the controller 52 may determine or
identify at least one user to whom to provide an indication of an
outcome, determine or identify at least one user to whom to provide
an indication of an unlock code, determine or identify a qualifying
action or criteria for receiving an unlock code, receive an
indication of a behavior of a user or other recipient of an outcome
or unlock code, characterize a behavior of a user or other
recipient of an indication of an outcome or unlock code, compare a
behavior of a user or other recipient of an indication of an
outcome to a qualifying action established by the controller 52,
etc.
[0166] In other embodiments of the methods discussed above, groups
of two or more users or customers may work in a collaborative,
complementary, or even competitive relationship to obtain benefits
or unlock outcomes. In some embodiments some or all of the members
of a group may know each other while in other embodiments none of
the members of the group may know each other. For example, each
person in a group may receive the same outcomes. In some
embodiments, only the first person in the group to unlock an
outcome may receive the benefit associated with the outcome. In
other embodiments, every person in the group may receive a benefit
associated with an outcome when a first person in the group unlocks
the outcome. In still further embodiments, a benefit associated
with an outcome may not be given or provided to any member of the
group until all members of the group have unlocked the outcome
individually.
[0167] In some embodiments, a group of people may be provided with
the same outcome. The benefit provided to members of the group who
unlock the outcome or to the entire group may increase each time a
group member unlocks the outcome. In situations where the group
members do no know each other, the group members may spend time
locating and contacting other potential group members to share
unlock codes, thereby resulting in the spreading of news and
information about a promotion. The controller 52 or an intermediary
may coordinate or establish a communication channel for group
members, such as a chat room accessible by the group members via
the communications network 58.
[0168] In some group oriented situations, each member may have to
be present at a merchant to provide a redemption request or to
receive a benefit. Alternatively, the group members may have to
provide a single redemption request to the controller 52 or to an
intermediary device or merchant.
[0169] In other embodiments of the methods described above, the
controller 52 or an intermediary may allow a user to indicate that
the user will not use one or more unlock codes and/or one or more
outcomes previously provided to the user by the controller 52 or
the intermediary. Thus, the controller 52 and/or the intermediary
gains a better understanding of the user's participation and
interest in a promotion. In some embodiments, the controller 52 or
intermediary may provide a benefit to the user for providing such
an indication or for returning unused unlock codes or outcomes
previously provided to the user.
[0170] Now referring to FIG. 8, a representative block diagram of a
controller, such as the controller 52, is illustrated. The
controller 52 may include a processor, microchip, central
processing unit, or computer 600 that is in communication with or
otherwise uses or includes one or more communication ports 602 for
communicating with user or client devices and/or other devices. For
example, if the controller 52 is connected to the user or customer
device 54 via an Ethernet local area network and the intermediary
device 56 via a cellular telephone network, the controller 52 may
have an Ethernet adapter as one communication port to allow the
controller 52 to communicate with the user device 54 and a
connection to a cellular telephone network as another communication
port to allow the controller 52 to communicate with the
intermediary device 56.
[0171] The controller 52 may also include an internal clock element
604 to maintain an accurate time and date for the controller 52 and
to create time stamps for outcomes, codes, indications, redemption
requests etc., generated via the controller 52 or received by the
controller 52.
[0172] In some embodiments, the controller 52 may include one or
more output devices 606 such as a printer, infrared or other
transmitter, antenna, audio speaker, display screen or monitor,
text to speech converter, etc., as well as one or more input
devices 608 such as a bar code reader or other optical scanner,
infrared or other receiver, antenna, magnetic stripe reader, image
scanner, roller ball, touch pad, joystick, touch screen,
microphone, computer keyboard, computer mouse, etc. In addition,
the controller 52 may include a voice recognition system or
interactive voice response unit as an input device 608 to aid in or
enable receiving and processing of redemption requests, outcomes,
codes, etc. The controller 52 may also include a fingerprint
scanner or reader, a retinal scanner, a voice analyzer, or other
biometric data input device as an input device 608 to allow the
controller 52 to identify users and other people.
[0173] In addition to the above, the controller 52 may include a
memory or data storage device 610 to store information, software,
databases, device drivers, user information, outcomes, codes,
redemption requests, qualifying action information, product or
service information, encryption or cryptographic software, random
number generation software, etc. The memory or data storage device
610 preferably comprises an appropriate combination of magnetic,
optical and/or semiconductor memory, and may include, for example,
Random Access Memory (RAM), Read-Only Memory (ROM), a tape drive,
flash memory, a floppy disk drive, a ZIP.TM. disk drive, a compact
disc and/or a hard disk. The processor 600 and the data storage
device 610 in the controller 52 may each be, for example: (i)
located entirely within a single computer or other computing
device; or (ii) connected to each other by a remote communication
medium, such as a serial port cable, telephone line or radio
frequency transceiver. In one embodiment, the controller 52 may
comprise one or more computers that are connected to a remote
server computer for maintaining databases.
[0174] A conventional personal computer or workstation with
sufficient memory and processing capability may be used as the
controller 52. In one embodiment, the controller 52 operates as or
includes a web server for an Internet environment. The controller
52 preferably transmits and receives data related to transactions,
outcomes, qualifying actions, codes, etc., and is capable of high
volume transaction processing, performing a significant number of
mathematical calculations in processing communications and database
searches. A Pentium.TM. microprocessor, such as the Pentium III.TM.
microprocessor manufactured by Intel Corporation, may be used for
the processor 610. Equivalent processors are available from
Motorola, Inc., AMD, or Sun Microsystems, Inc. The processor 610
may also comprise one or more microprocessors, computers, computer
systems, etc. In some embodiments, the controller 52 may also
include a cryptographic processor and/or a random number
generator.
[0175] Software may be resident and operating or operational on the
controller 52. The software may be stored on the data storage
device 610 and may include some or all of the following: a control
program 612 for operating the controller 52 and for performing one
or more of the steps of the methods described herein; an outcome
database 614 for storing information about outcomes generated by
the controller 52; a user database 616 for storing information
about users, user devices, customers, etc.; and an intermediary
database 618 for storing information regarding intermediaries,
intermediary devices, etc.
[0176] Each of the databases 614, 616, 618 and their use and
potential data structure will be discussed in more detail below. As
will be understood by those skilled in the art, the schematic
illustrations and accompanying descriptions of the databases
presented herein are exemplary arrangements for stored
representations of information. A number of other arrangements may
be employed besides those suggested by the tables shown. Similarly,
the illustrated entries of the databases represent exemplary
information only. Thus, those skilled in the art will understand
that the number and content of the entries can be different from
those illustrated herein. Not all of the databases 614, 616, 618
will be used or needed in every embodiment of the method 100 or the
system 50. Furthermore, some embodiments of the method 100 or the
system 50 may use none or only some of the databases 614, 616, 618.
Of course, there may be embodiments of the method 100 or the system
50 where all of the databases 614, 616, 618 are used.
[0177] The control program 612 may control the processor 600. The
processor 600 preferably performs instructions of the control
program 612, and thereby operates in accordance with the present
invention, and particularly in accordance with the methods
described in detail herein. The control program 612 may be stored
in a compressed, uncompiled and/or encrypted format. The control
program 612 furthermore includes program elements that may be
necessary, such as an operating system, a database management
system and device drivers for allowing the processor 600 to
interface with peripheral devices, databases, etc. The control
program 612 may include or access software to generate outcomes,
unlock codes, benefits, qualifying actions, etc. and receive
redemption requests and other indications. Appropriate program
elements are known to those skilled in the art, and need not be
described in detail herein. According to an embodiment of the
present invention, the instructions of the control program 612 may
be read into a main memory from another computer-readable medium,
such as from a ROM to RAM. Execution of sequences of the
instructions in the control program 612 causes the processor 600 to
perform the process steps described herein. In alternative
embodiments, hard-wired circuitry may be used in place of, or in
combination with, software instructions for implementation of some
or all of the methods of the present invention. Thus, embodiments
of the present invention are not limited to any specific
combination of hardware and software.
[0178] As previously discussed above, the outcome database 614 can
be used to store information and data regarding outcomes generated,
provided, redeemed, etc., by the controller 52. The outcome
database 614 may be populated, used, accessed, and/or updated by
the controller 52 during any of the steps of the method 100.
[0179] A tabular representation of a possible implementation of, or
data structure for, the outcome database 614 is illustrated in FIG.
9. The outcome database 614 includes an outcome identifier field
650 which may include identifiers or other identifying information
for outcomes generated or provided by the controller 52, a
distribution status field 652 which may include information
regarding whether or not the controller 52 has issued or provided
the outcomes identified in the field 650 to users, a date issued
field 654 which may include date and/or time information for the
outcomes identified in the field 650 that have been issued or
provided to users by the controller 52, a user device identifier
field 656 which may include identifiers or other identifying
information for user devices to which the outcomes identified in
the field 650 have been sent or provided by the controller 52, a
payout or benefit field 658 which may include information regarding
a financial amount or payout or other benefit associated with the
outcomes identified in the field 650, a redeemed field 658 which
may contain information regarding whether a user has redeemed or
unlocked an outcome identified in the field 650, an intermediary
identifier field 662 which may contain identifiers or other
identifying information regarding the intermediary for whom a user
obtained a code that unlocked a redeemed outcome listed in the
field 650, and a paid status field 664 which may indicate whether
or not the intermediary listed in the field 662 paid for the unlock
code that a user used to unlock or redeem an outcome listed in the
field 650.
[0180] While the outcome database 614 illustrated in FIG. 9
provides information for three outcomes 666, 668, and 670
identified by the outcome identifiers "O-000001," "O-000002" and
"O-000003," respectively, in the outcome identifier field 650,
there is no limit to the number of outcomes for which information
can be stored in the outcome database 614 and different fields may
be used in the outcome database 614.
[0181] As previously discussed above, the user database 616 can be
used to store information and data regarding users, user devices,
etc. The user database 616 may be populated, used, accessed, and/or
updated by the controller 52 during any of the steps of the methods
disclosed herein. A tabular representation of a possible
implementation of, or data structure for, the user database 616 is
illustrated in FIG. 10.
[0182] The user database 616 includes a user device identifier
field 700 which may include an identifier or other identifying
information for a user device, a user name field 702 which may
includes the names of users associated with the user devices
identified in the field 700, a financial account identifier field
704 which may include financial account numbers, credit card
numbers, bank account numbers, etc., for the users identified in
the field 702, and a contact information field 706 which may
include telephone numbers, postal addresses, email addresses,
facsimile numbers, or other contact information for the users
listed in the field 702.
[0183] While the user database 616 illustrated in FIG. 10 provides
information for three user devices and associated users 708, 710,
712 identified by the user device identifiers "UD-234D," "UD-593D"
and "UD-202D," respectively, in the user device identifier field
700, there is no limit to the number of users, user devices, etc.,
for which information can be stored in the user database 616 and
different fields may be used in the user database 616.
[0184] As previously discussed above, the intermediary database 618
can be used to store information and data regarding intermediaries,
intermediary devices, etc. The intermediary database 618 may be
populated, used, accessed, and/or updated by the controller 52
during any of the steps of the methods disclosed herein. A tabular
representation of a possible implementation of, or data structure
for, the intermediary database 618 is illustrated in FIG. 11.
[0185] The intermediary database 618 includes an intermediary
device identifier field 720 which may include an identifier or
other identifying information for an intermediary device, an
intermediary name field 722 which may include the names of
intermediaries associated with the intermediary devices identified
in the field 720, and a contact information field 724 which may
include telephone numbers, postal addresses, email addresses,
facsimile numbers, or other contact information for the
intermediaries listed in the field 720.
[0186] While the intermediary database 618 illustrated in FIG. 11
provides information for three intermediary devices and associated
intermediaries 726, 728, 730 identified by the intermediary device
identifiers "ID-353," "ID-251" and "ID-933," respectively, in the
intermediary device identifier field 720, there is no limit to the
number of intermediaries, intermediary devices, etc., for which
information can be stored in the intermediary database 618 and
different fields may be used in the intermediary database 618.
[0187] Now referring to FIG. 12, a representative block diagram of
a user or other customer device, such as the user device 54, is
illustrated. The user device 54 may include a processor, central
processing unit, microchip, or computer 750 that is in
communication with or otherwise uses or includes one or more
communication ports 752 for communicating with the controller 52
and/or with the intermediary device 56 and/or other devices. For
example, the user device 54 may have an infrared or other wireless
transmitter as one communication port to allow the user device 54
to wirelessly communicate with the controller 52. In addition, if
the user device 52 is connected to the controller 52 via an
Ethernet local area network, the user device 54 will preferably
include an Ethernet adapter as a communication port to allow the
user device 54 to communicate with the controller 52.
[0188] The user device 54 may include one or more output devices
754 to allow a user to hear, print or view information, messages,
codes, outcomes, qualifying actions, etc., received from the
controller 52 or an intermediary device, such as a printer, audio
speaker, infrared or other transmitter, antenna, display screen or
monitor, text to speech converter, etc., as well as one or more
input devices 756 for receiving information, messages, indications,
etc., from a user, such as a bar code reader or other optical
scanner, infrared or other receiver, antenna, magnetic stripe
reader, image scanner, roller ball, touch pad, joystick, touch
screen, microphone, computer keyboard, computer mouse, etc. A user
device 54 may include a voice recognition system or interactive
voice response unit as an input device 756 to aid in receiving and
processing inputs or entries made by a user. The user device 54 may
also include a fingerprint scanner or reader, a retinal scanner, a
voice analyzer, or other biometric data input device as an input
device 756 to allow the user device 54 to be accurately identified
or to allow a user to provide biometric information as part of a
redemption request, outcome request, or unlock code request.
[0189] In addition to the above, the user device 54 may include a
memory or data storage device 758 to store information, software,
databases, device drivers, customer information, customer
identifications, outcomes, codes, qualifying actions, encryption or
cryptographic software, random number generation software, etc. The
memory or data storage device 758 preferably comprises an
appropriate combination of magnetic, optical and/or semiconductor
memory, and may include, for example, Random Access Memory (RAM),
Read-Only Memory (ROM), a tape drive, flash memory, a floppy disk
drive, a ZIP.TM. disk drive, a compact disc and/or a hard disk.
[0190] The user device 54 may also include an internal clock
element 759 to maintain an accurate time and date for the user
device 54, create time stamps for information, outcomes, codes,
qualifying actions, etc., generated or received via the user device
54. In some embodiments, the user device 54 may also include a
cryptographic processor and/or a random number generator.
[0191] As previously discussed above, user devices may comprise or
include a personal computer, portable computer or laptop computer,
mobile or fixed user station, workstation, network terminal or
server, telephone, beeper, kiosk, dumb terminal, personal digital
assistant, facsimile machine, etc. In some embodiments, the user
device 54 may also function as the controller 52 or as an
intermediary device. Also, the user device 54 may include a control
program similar to the control program 612 previously discussed
above for the controller 52.
[0192] In some embodiments, the user device 54 may have a unique
serial number or other user device identifier associated with it or
encoded on it that is accessible via software. For example, the
Palm Pilot.TM. series of personal digital assistants manufactured
by Palm. Inc. uses a software accessible serial number. The serial
number may be used to associate specific outcomes and/or unlock
codes with a specific user device so that an unlock code can only
be used to unlock or otherwise reveal outcomes on the specific user
device, an outcome can only be stored on or used by a specific user
device, etc. The serial number may be provided by a user or the
user device when a user is requesting or receiving outcomes and/or
unlock codes.
[0193] In some embodiments, the user device 54 may include a Global
Positioning System (GPS) detector, sensor or receiver or other
tracking device so that the location or position of the user device
54, or the location or position of a user associated with the user
device 54, can be ascertained. As previously discussed above,
different outcomes, unlock codes, benefits, qualifying actions,
etc. may be provided to a user or transmitted to a user device
based on the user's or user device's location.
[0194] The user device 54 may include a user outcome database 760
to store information and data regarding outcomes received by the
user device. The user outcome database 76 may be populated, used,
accessed, and/or updated by the user device 54 when receiving
outcomes, codes, qualifying actions, etc., during any of the steps
of the methods 100, 300. A tabular representation of a possible
implementation of, or data structure for, the user outcome database
760 is illustrated in FIG. 13.
[0195] The outcome database 760 includes an outcome position field
800 which may include information regarding an order in which
outcomes were received, an order in which outcomes are to be
unlocked, an order of expiration for one or more outcomes, etc., an
outcome identifier field 802 which may include identifiers or other
identifying information for outcomes received from the controller
52, a payout field 804 which may include information regarding a
financial amount or payout associated with the outcomes identified
in the field 802, a status field 806 which may contain information
regarding whether a user has used, redeemed or unlocked an outcome
identified in the field 802, an unlock code field 808 which may
contain information regarding a code used to unlock the outcomes
identified in the field 802, a category field 810 which may contain
information regarding the type of prize an outcome may reveal
(e.g., "Gold" outcomes may have a higher expected value than other
types of outcomes), and an intermediary identifier field 812 which
may contain identifiers or other identifying information regarding
the intermediary for whom a user obtained a code listed in the
field 808 that the user used to unlock the corresponding outcome
identified in the field 650, and a paid for field 664 which may
indicate whether or not the intermediary listed in the field 802
has been paid.
[0196] While the user outcome database 760 illustrated in FIG. 13
provides information for three user outcomes 814, 816 and 818
identified by the outcome position identifiers "OP-0001," "OP-0002"
and "OP-0003," respectively, in the outcome position identifier
field 800, there is no limit to the number of outcomes for which
information can be stored in the user outcome database 760 and
different fields may be used in the user outcome database 760.
[0197] Now referring to FIG. 14, a representative block diagram of
an intermediary device, such as the intermediary device 56, is
illustrated. The intermediary device 56 may include a processor
850, a communications port 852, a clock 854, an output device 856,
an input device 858, a storage device 860, and a control program
862. The processor 850, a communications port 852, a clock 854, an
output device 856, an input device 858, a storage device 860, and a
control program 862 may work in a similar fashion to the processor
600, communications port 602, clock 604, output device 606, input
device 608, storage device 610, and control program 612,
respectfully, in the controller 52 previously described above. In
addition, the intermediary device 56 may include an unlock database
880 for storing information regarding codes received by the
intermediary device from the controller 52 and provided to users,
as well as any qualifying actions or criteria associated with the
codes, and a transaction database 882 for storing information
regarding transactions that the intermediary device 56 is
conducting or participating in.
[0198] As previously discussed above, the user unlock database 880
can be used to store information and data regarding codes and
qualifying actions or criteria associated with outcomes. The unlock
database 880 may be used, accessed, and/or updated by the
intermediary device 56 during any of the steps of the method 200. A
tabular representation of a possible implementation of, or data
structure for, the user unlock database 880 is illustrated in FIG.
15.
[0199] The database 880 includes an activity identifier field 900
which may contain identifiers or other identifying information
regarding qualifying actions or criteria that may need to be
performed by a user before the intermediary will provide a code to
the user, an activity description field 902 which may contain
description information for the qualifying actions or criteria
identified in the field 900, and an unlock code field 904 which may
contain information regarding which unlock codes will be provided
to a user once the user completes or satisfies the qualifying
criteria or actions identified in the field 900. While the user
unlock database 880 illustrated in FIG. 15 provides information for
two qualifying activities 906 and 908 identified by the activity
identifiers "A-001 and "A-002," respectively, in the activity
identifier field 900, there is no limit to the number of activities
or codes for which information can be stored in the user unlock
database 880 and different fields may be used in the user unlock
database 880.
[0200] As previously discussed above, the transaction database 882
can be used to store information and data regarding transactions,
outcomes, codes, user devices, users, etc. The transaction database
882 may be used, accessed, and/or updated by the intermediary
device 56 during any of the steps of the method 200. A tabular
representation of a possible implementation of, or data structure
for, the transaction database 882 is illustrated in FIG. 16.
[0201] The transaction database 882 includes a transaction
identifier field 902 which may contain identifiers or other
identifying information for transactions completed, initiated or
otherwise conducted by the intermediary, an unlock code field 922
which may contain codes received or provided by the intermediary
during the transactions identified in the field 920, a date/time
field 924 which may include date and/or time information for the
transactions identified in the field 920, and a user device
identifier field 926 which may include user device identifiers for
user devices involved in the transactions identified in the field
920.
[0202] While the transaction database 882 illustrated in FIG. 16
provides information for two transactions 928 and 930 identified by
the transaction identifiers "T-0001" and "T-0002," respectively, in
the transaction identifier field 920, there is no limit to the
number of transactions for which information can be stored in the
transaction database 882 and different fields may be used in the
transaction database 882.
[0203] The foregoing description is considered as illustrative only
of the principles of the invention. Furthermore, since numerous
modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in
the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact
construction and process shown and described above. Accordingly,
all suitable modifications and equivalents may be considered as
falling within the scope of the invention as defined by the claims
that follow. Further, even though only certain embodiments have
been described in detail, those having ordinary skill in the art
will certainly understand that many modifications are possible
without departing from the teachings thereof. All such
modifications are intended to be encompassed within the following
claims.
[0204] The present invention may be embodied as a computer program
developed using an object oriented language that allows the
modeling of complex systems with modular objects to create
abstractions that are representative of real world, physical
objects and their interrelationships. However, it would be
understood by one of ordinary skill in the art that the invention
as described herein can be implemented in many different ways using
a wide range of programming techniques as well as general purpose
hardware systems or dedicated controllers. In addition, many, if
not all, of the steps for the methods described above are optional
or can be combined or performed in one or more alternative orders
or sequences without departing from the scope of the present
invention and the claims should not be construed as being limited
to any particular order or sequence, unless specifically
indicated.
[0205] While specific implementations and hardware configurations
for the controller 52, user device 54, and intermediary device 56
have been illustrated, it should be noted that other
implementations and hardware configurations are possible and that
no specific implementation or hardware configuration is needed.
Therefore, many different types of implementations or hardware
configurations can be used in the system 50 and with the methods
100, 200, 300, 500, 550 and the methods disclosed herein are not
limited to any specific hardware configuration.
[0206] Each of the methods described above can be performed on a
single computer, computer system, microprocessor, etc. In addition,
two or more of the steps in each of the methods described above
could be performed on two or more different computers, computer
systems, microprocessors, etc., some or all of which may be locally
or remotely configured. The methods can be implemented in any sort
or implementation of computer software, program, sets of
instructions, code, ASIC, or specially designed chips, logic gates,
or other hardware structured to directly effect or implement such
software, programs, sets of instructions or code. The computer
software, program, sets of instructions or code can be storable,
writeable, or savable on any computer usable or readable media or
other program storage device or media such as a floppy or other
magnetic or optical disk, magnetic or optical tape, CD-ROM, DVD,
punch cards, paper tape, hard disk drive, ZIP.TM. disk, flash or
optical memory card, microprocessor, solid state memory device,
RAM, EPROM, or ROM.
[0207] The term "computer-readable medium" as used herein refers to
any medium that directly or indirectly participates in providing
instructions to a processor for execution. Such a medium may take
many forms, including but not limited to, non-volatile media,
volatile media, and transmission media. Non-volatile media include,
for example, optical or magnetic disks. Volatile media include
dynamic random access memory (DRAM). Transmission media include
coaxial cables, copper wire and fiber optics, including the wires
that comprise a system bus coupled to a processor. Transmission
media can also take the form of acoustic, electrical or
electromagnetic waves, such as those generated during radio
frequency (RF) and infrared (IR) data communications.
[0208] The connections or communications between user devices,
intermediary devices, the controller 52, etc., discussed herein is
only meant to be generally representative of cable, computer,
telephone, or other communication or data networks and methods for
purposes of elaboration and explanation of the present. The
connections are also intended to be representative of, and include
all or a part of, the Internet, the World Wide Web, and other
privately or publicly operated networks, including wide area
networks, local area networks, data communication networks or
connections, intranets, extranets, cable modems, routers, satellite
links or networks, microwave links or networks, cellular telephone
or radio links, fiber optic transmission lines, ISDN lines, T1
lines, etc. In addition, as used herein, the terms "computer,"
"user device," "terminal," "client," "device," "customer device"
and "client device" are generally interchangeable and are meant to
be construed broadly and to include, but not be limited to, all
clients, client devices or machines, personal digital assistants
and palm top computers, cash registers, terminals, computers,
point-of-sale devices, processors, servers, etc., connected or
connectable to a computer or data communications network and all
devices on which Internet-enabled software, such as the NETSCAPE
COMMUNICATOR.TM. or NAVIGATOR.TM. browsers, MOSAIC.TM. browser, or
MICROSOFT INTERNET EXPLORER.TM. browsers, can operate or be run.
The term "browser" should also be interpreted as including
Internet-enabled software and computer or client software that
enables or allows communication over a computer network and
Internet-enabled or World Wide Web enabled, monitored, or
controlled devices such as WebTV.TM. devices, household appliances,
phones, etc.
[0209] The words "comprise," "comprises," "comprising," "include,"
"including," and "includes" when used in this specification and in
the following claims are intended to specify the presence of stated
features, elements, integers, components, or steps, but they do not
preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features,
elements, integers, components, steps, or groups thereof.
* * * * *