System and method for utilizing a fully-integrated, on-line digital collectible award redemption and instant win program

Abstract

A fully integrated, on-line digital collectible award redemption and instant-win program is disclosed. Consumers will receive Limited Edition Digital Objects (LEDOs) from online merchants and websites as a premium for making online purchases, visiting their websites, or doing other activities such as taking surveys, signing up for memberships, etc. LEDOs will be represented on users' computer and TV screens as small images that can be collected and organized in an on-screen viewing album. When activated, LEDOs can show pictures, play sounds and movies, and be used for a variety of interactive entertainment, including instant win contests, and as game pieces for video and online games. As for any collectible, key to the appeal of LEDOs is that they are organized into lines of content that appeals to the passions, interests, and lifestyles of consumers. Utilizing the present invention, LEDOs can also be saved as redemption points, and can be traded in for redemption award. Consumers as well as on-line websites will be able to recruit new users of LEDOs, and will be compensated for their recruiting efforts on an ongoing basis relative to the number of new LEDOs their recruits acquire. This compensation can take the form of monetary awards or the award of additional LEDOs. In addition, a central data processing system, accessed through “online” networks of computers, will provide consumers with a “shopping portal” to find goods and services available at participating merchants and websites that will in award LEDOs to users in return, a catalog showroom of redemption merchandise, and the ability to interact with other LEDO collectors in games, chat, auctions, and trading.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.