System for evaluation and rewarding of responses and predictions

A method for evaluating responses to recorded task-setting messages provided at a central station and intended for respondents located at receiving stations, which method comprises:

• generating, at a central station, during a first time interval a first set of signals conveying a task-setting message;
• generating, at a central station, during a second time interval a second set of signals conveying response criteria defining an acceptable response relative to said task setting message, said second time interval occurring independently of said first time interval, said response criteria including a scoring basis;
• recording said first and said second sets of signals for playback to respondents at said receiving stations;
• playing back said first set of signals at a central station;
• receiving said first set of signals at said receiving stations;
• playing back said second set of signals at a central station;
• receiving said second set of signals at said receiving stations;
• entering responses to said task-setting message at said receiving stations;
• comparing at least one element in one response of said responses with said response criteria;
• and
• scoring accepted responses meeting said said response criteria.

A system for communicating task-setting program signals to respondents at a plurality of receiving stations, and for responding to said program signals at said receiving stations, said system comprising:

• first signal means for generating a program signal;
• second signal means for generating an instructional signal incorporating predetermined response criteria defining an acceptable response, said second signal means being operative to generate said instructional signal independently of a generation of said program signal by said first signal means;
• means coupled to said first and said second signal means for recording upon a recording medium a program signal of said first signal means, and an instructional signal of said second signal means;
• playback means operative with said recording medium for playing back to a respondent said program signal and said instructional signal recorded by said recording means;
• means for communicating said program signal and said instructional signal from said playback means to each of said receiving stations;
• means at each of said receiving stations for entering a response by a respondent to a situation presented in said program;
• comparing means located at each of said receiving stations and responsive to an instructional signal of said playback means for comparing said respondent's response to said predetermined response criteria to determine an acceptable response;
• means coupled to said comparing means for scoring a respondent's acceptable response;
• and
• dispensing means coupled to said scoring means for generating a record of scored responses of said respondent.

A method for evaluating and creating a record of responses to recorded task-setting programs intended for respondents located at receiving stations, which method comprises:

• generating during a first time interval a task-setting program at a further station separate from said receiving stations, said step of generating including formulating a plurality of questions directed to subject matter of said program, each of said questions requiring a separate response criteria;
• formulating at said further station during a second time interval a first response criteria relative to a first question of said plurality of questions, said step of formulating during said second time interval including a formulating of further response criteria respectively for further ones of said plurality of questions, said second time interval occurring independently of said first time interval, each of said response criteria defining at least one acceptable response and including a basis for scoring responses and a predetermined time period for timing responses to one of said questions;
• recording said task-setting program including said first question and corresponding response criteria for playback to respondents at receiving stations;
• recording a further question and a corresponding further response criteria;
• playing back said task-setting program with said first question and corresponding response criteria for presentation to said receiving stations;
• entering a response to said first question at said receiving stations;
• comparing at least one element in a response of said responding step with the corresponding response criteria;
• scoring responses in accordance with the scoring basis of the corresponding response criteria;
• playing back said further question and its response and scoring criteria for presentation to said receiving stations;
• entering a response to said further question;
• and
• scoring the response to the further question on the scoring basis of the corresponding response criteria.

A system for presenting prerecorded signals describing a scenario from a host at a central site to respondents at a plurality of receiving stations, for entering a response to said prerecorded signals at said receiving stations, and for comparing an entered response to an acceptable response, said system comprising:

• playback means operable by the host at said central site for transmitting prerecorded signals to each of said receiving stations, said prerecorded signals being stored on a recording medium in said playback means, said prerecorded signals including a program signal defining a task to be performed by the respondents, and an instructional signal incorporating at least one acceptable response and response criteria including a mode of scoring responses and a period of time allowed to respondents for entering responses, said playback means transmitting the prerecorded signals to the receiving stations during a playback mode of the playback means;
• means at each of said receiving stations responsive to the program signal for presenting a scenario and a task to a respondent;
• and
• means at each of said receiving stations for evaluating and recording responses by said respondents, said evaluating and recording means including means for entering a response by a respondent to the task, said entering means including a keyboard providing for entry of symbols including alphanumeric characters and or other indicia;
• and
• wherein said evaluating and recording means includes means in said entering means for comparing an entered response with an acceptable response, said comparing providing a comparison of a plurality of symbols of the entered response with symbols of an acceptable response;
• said evaluating and recording means includes means in said entering means and coupled to said comparing means for scoring an entered response to provide a score based on said response criteria and on said comparison;
• and
• said evaluating and recording means includes means for recording said score, said score recording means producing an output record of the score in hard copy, the output record having a prescribed format of data of the entered response set forth in symbols, the format of the record being suitable for use of the record as a coupon for receipt of a prize.

A system for presenting prerecorded signals describing a scenario from a central site to respondents at a plurality of receiving stations in response to requests by individual ones of the respondents, for entering responses to said prerecorded signals by individual ones of the respondents at said receiving stations, and for comparing an entered response at each receiving station to an acceptable response, said system comprising:

• playback means at said central site for transmitting prerecorded signals to each of said receiving stations;
• telephonic means interconnecting said receiving stations with said playback means, said telephonic means being operable by individual ones of said respondents to activate said playback means;
• and wherein
• said playback means is operable in response to commands of individual ones of said respondents communicated by said telephonic means for transmitting prerecorded signals to the receiving stations of respondents requesting the prerecorded signals;
• said prerecorded signals are stored on a recording medium in said playback means, said prerecorded signals including a program signal defining a task to be performed by respondents in relation to the scenario, and an instructional signal incorporating at least one acceptable response and response criteria including a mode of scoring responses and a period of time allowed to respondents for entering responses, said playback means transmitting the prerecorded signals to the receiving stations during a playback mode of the playback means;
• and
• said system further comprises means at each of said receiving stations responsive to the prerecorded signals for presenting the scenario and a task to a respondent;
• means at each of said receiving stations for entering a response by a respondent to the task, said entering means including a keyboard providing for entry of symbols including alphanumeric characters and/or other indicia;
• means at each of said receiving stations for comparing an entered response with an acceptable response, said comparing providing a comparison of symbols of the entered response with symbols of an acceptable response;
• means at each of said receiving stations and coupled to said comparing means for scoring an entered response to provide a score based on said response criteria and on said comparison;
• and
• means at each of said receiving stations for recording said score, said recording means outputting a hard copy record of the score, the record having a prescribed format of data of the entered response set forth in symbols, the format of the record being suitable for use of the record as a coupon for receipt of a prize.

A method for remotely evaluating and creating a record of responses to task-setting messages prepared by a host and electronically transmitted to receiving stations, which method comprises:

• formulating, by the host, a plurality of task-setting messages for transmission to respondents at said receiving stations;
• formatting, by the host, response criteria relative to said task setting messages, said response criteria including at least one acceptable response to a task of said task setting message meeting said response criteria, a scoring basis, and a timing of responses for determined time intervals;
• recording said task-setting messages and said response criteria on portions of a recording medium;
• selecting said portions of said recording medium for playback to said receiving stations by means of playback apparatus;
• playing back said task-setting messages and said response criteria to be received at said receiving stations;
• entering a response to a task-setting message at said receiving stations;
• comparing an entered response with an acceptable answer of said response criteria, said comparing providing for a comparing of at least one key word or symbol in an entered response with said acceptable response;
• scoring an entered response relative to said response criteria;
• and
• creating a record of an entered response at each receiving station, the record being suitable for use as a prize token.

A system for conducting a telephone game for individual participants at remote locations and for rewarding winning participants, said system comprising:

• a recording medium playing facility at a central location;
• a recording medium to be played by said recording medium playing facility, the recording medium containing at least one set of prerecorded messages, a set of the messages comprising signals conveying a question, signals conveying a time period allowed for answering a question and signals identifying at least one acceptable answer to said question;
• a telephone facility at a central location, said telephone facility being operatively coupled to said recording medium playing facility and capable of transmitting said messages from said recording medium playing facility to individual ones of said remote locations;
• and
• a sub-system at each remote location, said sub-system comprising:
• means operative by a participant for contacting said central telephone facility;
• means for receiving said messages from said telephone facility;
• means coupled to said receiving means for presenting said messages to a participant;
• means for entering an answer by a participant;
• means operatively connected to said entering means and to said receiving means for timing an answer in accordance with a set of said messages;
• means operatively connected to said entering means and to said receiving means for comparing an entered answer with an acceptable answer in accordance with a set of said messages;
• and
• means coupled to said comparing means for announcing an award to an winning participant who has entered an acceptable answer.

For use in connection with an event, a method for evaluating a prediction wherein a participant predicts an outcome of the event and is informed of the accuracy of the prediction essentially immediately following the event, the method comprising the steps of

• providing at a central location a facility for the electronic signal transmission of data presenting information regarding an event to a participant at a remote location;
• providing to the participant means for entering and storing predictive data predicting the outcome of the event;
• providing means for preventing said entering of predictive data after a predetermined point in time;
• providing at a central location a facility for the electronic signal transmission of outcome data relative to the outcome of said event;
• presenting through electronic signal transmission outcome data;
• providing at said participants location means for receiving said outcome data;
• providing at said participants location means for comparing said stored predictive data with said outcome data;
• entering predictive data by a participant on said entering means;
• preventing the entry of data on said entering means after a predetermined point in time;
• comparing a participants predictive data with said outcome data;
• providing at a participants location means for informing a participant whose predictive data coincide at least partially with said outcome data;
• and
• informing a successful participant that the predictive data coincide at least partially with the outcome data.

A method for conducting an event monitored by a host and requiring an acceptable decision relative to the event, wherein individuals at remote locations endeavoring to become successful participants prior to knowing the outcome of the event are billed for participation and wherein successful participants having met defined criteria receive a payment award, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing central facilities for electronically transmitting signals conveying information pertaining to an event, said information being suitable for presentation at a remote location;
• formulating, by the host, outcome criteria defining an acceptable decision;
• providing central facilities for electronically transmitting to the remote locations signals conveying outcome criteria defining an acceptable decision about the event;
• providing means at remote locations for receiving signals conveying said information and signals conveying said outcome criteria;
• providing a sub-system for a participant at a remote location, the sub-system comprising means operable by a participant for entering data indicating a decision about the event, comprising means for determining whether a participant has met the outcome criteria, and means for generating a record indicating a payment award for an acceptable decision;
• authorizing a billing by a central facility for a participants participation;
• activating a participants sub-system by transmitting electronic signals from a central facility to participants remote location;
• transmitting signals from a central facility conveying said information for presentation at remote locations;
• transmitting signals from a central facility conveying outcome criteria;
• entering, by a participant, a decision about the event;
• comparing a participant's decision with said outcome criteria;
• identifying an acceptable decision;
• and
• generating a record indicating a payment award for an acceptable decision.

For use in connection with a game in which an object is intermittently moved by a player in a playing area from a first portion of the playing area to a second portion of the playing area, a method for evaluating a prediction wherein an observer at a remote location predicts a portion of the playing area to which the object will move upon being addresses by a player, and is informed of the accuracy of the prediction essentially immediately following a move of the object, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing a television screen to an observer at a remote location;
• providing at a central location a facility which transmits an electronic signal of area data presenting a playing area with identifiable portions of the playing area on the television screen visible to the observer at the remote location;
• providing at the remote location a device for entering prediction data identifying a predicted portion of the playing area to which said object will move having been addressed by a player;
• providing at a central location a facility which transmits an electronic signal of move data to a receiver at the remote location, said move data identifying said second portion of the playing area to which said object has moved having been addressed by a player;
• providing at the remote location said receiver for receiving said area and said data signals;
• providing at the remote location means for comparing said prediction data identifying an observers predicted portion with said move data;
• providing at the remote location means for informing the observer whose predicted portion coincides with said second portion;
• presenting through electronic signal transmission of area data identifiable portions of a playing area on a screen visible to the observer;
• entering by the observer on said device said prediction data, said entering being completed essentially prior to a player having addressed said object;
• electronically transmitting move data signals to the remote location identifying said second portion of the playing area;
• comparing the observer's predicted portion with said second portion of the playing area;
• and
• informing the observer whose predicted portion coincides with said second portion of such successful prediction.

Method for encouraging members of a remote viewing audience to avail themselves of televised shopping announcements prepared by a host, the method being characterized by the awarding of prizes to certain ones of the members who participate in a quiz program, the quiz program comprising questions interspersed among the shopping announcements, the method comprising the steps of:

• preparing, by a host, plurality of general announcements of items of merchandise or services offered for sale, suitable for broadcasting from a central station to members of a viewing audience at remote locations over two-way electronic transmission facilities, said general announcements including auxiliary announcements of information regarding said items;
• transmitting signals from said central station to said members over said transmission facilities conveying a first one of said general announcements;
• receiving said first announcement by said members;
• requesting by individual ones of said members of an additional one of said general announcements, said request being transmitted over said transmission facilities;
• transmitting a requested auxiliary announcement to said members over said transmission facilities;
• receiving said requested auxiliary announcement by said members;
• repeating the preceding three steps;
• formulating a total number of questions adapted for successive transmission from said central station to the remote locations;
• formulating a set of answer criteria accompanying each question;
• said criteria including data defining an acceptable answer to a question, and further including a time period allowed for answering a question, and a scoring mode governing the qualifying for a prize by a member, such qualifying being determined by a number of acceptable answers entered or credits earned for acceptable answers;
• transmitting a question and accompanying set of answer criteria to remote locations;
• receiving said questions and answer criteria at remote locations by a response unit wherein each of said response units comprises means for entering an answer to a question by a member of said remote audience, said response units further comprising means for receiving and storing data conveying said answer criteria, means for conveying a request by a member for an additional announcement, timing means, means for comparing an entered answer with said data defining an acceptable answer, means for scoring an answer, and means for informing a member of acceptable answers entered or credits earned;
• entering an answer to a question by a member of said remote audience on said entering means;
• comparing an entered answer with an accompanying answer criteria;
• scoring an acceptable answer in accordance with said scoring mode;
• informing members of acceptable answers answered or credits earned by such a member;
• and
• making the benefit of a prize available to members having qualified for a prize.

A method for use in a system for conducting a sweepstakes game monitored by a host and comprising questions and answers, the game including an answer evaluation and a rewarding of respondents for acceptable answers, the method comprising the steps of:

• formulating, by the host, a plurality of questions and a plurality of accompanying answer criteria, each of said answer criteria defining at least one acceptable answer to a question;
• formulating, by the host, a plurality of monetary awards accompanying acceptable answers, including at least one sweepstake prize;
• transmitting first electronic signals conveying questions from a central location to receivers at locations of respondents;
• receiving said first signals at respondents locations;
• entering an answer to a question by a respondent;
• transmitting second electronic signals conveying said answer criteria from said central location to receivers at respondents locations;
• receiving said second signals at respondents' locations;
• providing a plurality of recording media at respondents' locations, said media having been provided with identification indicia;
• transmitting third electronic signals from said central location to receivers at respondents' locations conveying a plurality of monetary awards for acceptable answers, including at least one sweepstakes award;
• comparing an entered answer to a question with accompanying response criteria at a respondent's location to determine the presence of an acceptable answer by the respondent;
• generating a hard copy record of an award accompanying an acceptable answer on an individual one of said recording media;
• and
• delivering said hard copy to a respondent having entered an acceptable answer.

A method for conducting a game from a central location and for issuing to players at remote locations a recording medium with data identifying winners in said game, said method comprising the steps of:

• transmitting from a central location to the remote locations instructional signals for controlling a means at each of the remote locations for recording on said medium, said medium having a first set of recognizable data provided thereon prior to said transmitting step and being capable of having at least two additional sets of data provided thereon, said central location having broadcast means for transmitting instructional signals for controlling said recording means at the
• remote locations, there being means at the remote locations for receiving a second set and a third set of data;
• controlling said recording means at the remote locations by the instructional signals transmitted from the central location
• wherein said controlling includes an activating of said recording means and a command to record said second set and said third set of data on said medium;
• receiving said electronic signals at remote locations;
• recording said second set and said third set of data on said recording medium, said second set comprising recognizable data and said third set comprising a verification code;
• and
• dispensing said recording medium to players;
• wherein a dispensed medium containing first and second sets of recognizable data having a predetermined correlation is deemed to be a winning medium.

A system for promoting a use of commercial recording media such as tapes and discs having provided thereon recordings including commercial messages, the system comprising:

• a response unit operative by a user;
• a recording medium for playback by a user, the medium having on a first portion thereof a first recording comprising a program and on a second portion thereof a second recording comprising at least one task set;
• and
• wherein a task set includes a task to be performed by a user of said recording medium by entering an acceptable response on an entering device of a response unit within an allowed time period, and response criteria defining at least one acceptable response to said task including a mode for scoring an acceptable response;
• and
• wherein said program, said task set and said time period are formatted for playing back in a form directly to the user;
• and
• wherein said response criteria are formatted for playing back in a form suitable for use by said response unit but unintelligible to the user;
• wherein said system further comprises means operative with said recording medium for playing back said first and said second recordings;
• wherein said response unit receives signals outputted from said playing-back means by a playing back of said first and said second recordings, said response unit comprising:
• means for entering a reponse to a task by the user;
• means coupled to said entering means for comparing an entered response with an acceptable response, said comparing means identifying an acceptable response in accordance with said response criteria;
• means coupled to said comparing means for scoring an acceptable response to provide a score in accordance with said scoring mode;
• means responsive to an output signal of said scoring means for generating a hard copy output record of said score, said record indicating a monetary value and having a format suitable for redemption;
• and
• means coupled to said playing-back means and responsive to said signal of said recording medium for rendering at least a part of said second recording useless by at least partially impairing the integrity of said recording, said impairing being performed following a first playback of the response criteria of said second recording to prevent a repeated playback of said second recording while permitting a repeated playback of said first recording.

A television game show comprising the steps of:

• transmitting first signals from a central location conveying a television program, said program including a plurality of questions calling for answers at a basic difficulty level and alternatively at at least one higher difficulty level and including a period of time allowed for answering a question;
• transmitting second signals from a central location conveying answer criteria defining at least one acceptable answer to each question at each of said difficulty levels, including a scoring mode of allocating credits for each acceptable answer, whereby an answer at a higher difficulty level is allocated more credits than an answer at a lower difficulty level;
• receiving said first and second signals at TV-viewers' remote locations;
• electing by a TV-viewer whether to answer a question at a higher difficulty level, or to retain the basic difficulty level;
• entering by a TV-viewer of answers to said questions on an entering device of a response unit, each answer being elected at the difficulty level;
• comparing a TV-viewer's answer to said response criteria by said response unit;
• allocating credits to a TV-viewer in accordance with said scoring mode at the elected difficulty level;
• accumulating said credits in a memory of a TV-viewer's response unit;
• transmitting third signals from a central location instructing recording means in said response units to generate a record of the cumulative credits of individual ones of said TV-viewers;
• receiving said third signals at remote locations;
• generating said records of cumulative credits;
• and
• making said records available to individual ones of said TV-viewers.

A method for promoting a use of commercial recording media, such as tapes and discs, having provided thereon recordings including commercial messages, the method comprising the steps of:

• recording on a first portion of a recording medium a first recording comprising a program, and on a second portion of the medium a second recording comprising at least one task set;
• and
• wherein a task set includes a task to be performed by a user of said recording medium by entering an acceptable response to an entering device of a response unit within an allowed time period, and response criteria defining at least one acceptable response to said task including a mode for scoring an acceptable response;
• and
• wherein said program, said task set and said time period are formatted for playing back in a form intelligible to the user;
• and
• wherein said response criteria are formatted for playing back in a form suitable for use by said response unit but unintelligible to the user;
• the method further comprising:
• playing back said recording medium at a users location by use of means at a location of the user for playing back said first and said second recordings;
• entering a response to a task by the user by use of a response unit at the location of the user, a response unit comprising means operable by the user for entering a response to a task, means for comparing an entered response with said response criteria to identify an acceptable response, means to score an acceptable response, means for generating a hard copy record of the scored response, and means for impairing the integrity of said second recording after its first playing back;
• comparing said entered response with said response criteria;
• identifying an acceptable response;
• scoring an acceptable response;
• generating a hard copy record of the monetary value of a scored response;
• and
• rendering said second recording useless by impairing its integrity, so as to permit a repeated playback of said first recording, but preventing the generating of a hard copy record indicating a monetary value.

A method for encouraging members of a remote viewing audience to avail themselves of televised shopping announcements prepared by a host, the method including an awarding of prizes to certain ones of the members who participate in a quiz program, the quiz program comprising questions interspersed among the shopping announcements, the method comprising the steps of:

• preparing, by the host, a plurality of general announcements of items of merchandise or services offered for sale, suitable for broadcasting from a central station to members of a viewing audience at remote locations, said general announcements including auxiliary announcements of information regarding said items;
• transmitting signals from said central station to said members at said remote locations, said transmitting including a conveying of a first one of said general announcements;
• receiving said first announcement by said members;
• requesting by individual ones of said members of an additional one of said general announcements, said request being transmitted over said transmission facilities;
• transmitting a requested auxiliary announcement to said members over said transmission facilities;
• receiving said requested auxiliary announcement by said members;
• repeating the preceding three steps;
• formulating a total number of questions adapted for successive transmission from said central station to said remote locations;
• formulating a set of answer criteria accompanying each question, said criteria including data defining an acceptable answer to a question, and further including a time period allowed for answering a question, and a scoring mode governing the qualifying for a prize by a member, such qualifying being determined by a number of acceptable answers entered or credits earned for acceptable answers;
• transmitting a question and an accompanying set of answer criteria to said remote locations;
• receiving said questions and said answer criteria at said remote locations;
• entering an answer to a question by a member of said remote audience;
• comparing an entered answer with an accompanying answer criteria;
• scoring an acceptable answer in accordance with said scoring mode;
• informing members of acceptable answers answered or credits earned by such a member;
• and
• making the benefit of a prize available to members having qualified for a prize.

A method for conducting a game from a central location and for issuing to players at remote locations a recording medium with data identifying winners in said game, said method comprising the steps of:

• transmitting from a central location to the remote locations instructional signals for controlling a means at each of the remote locations for recording on said medium, said medium having a first set of recognizable data provided thereon prior to said transmitting step and being capable of having at least two additional sets of data provided thereon;
• receiving said instructional signals at remote locations;
• recording a second set and a third set of data on said recording medium by said recordinq means in response to said instructional signals, said second set comprising recognizable data and said third set comprising a verification code;
• and
• dispensing said recording medium to players;
• and
• wherein a dispensed medium having first and second sets of recognizable data having a predetermined correlation is deemed to be a winning medium.

A method for remotely evaluating and creating a record of responses to task-setting messages with the aid of response criteria, the messages and the criteria being transmitted to receiving stations, the method comprising:

• recording said task-setting messages and response criteria on portions of a recording medium;
• selecting individual ones of said portions of said recording medium for playback to said receiving stations by means of playback apparatus;
• playing back said task-setting messages and said response criteria at a central station;
• receiving said task-setting messages and said response criteria at said receiving stations;
• entering a response to a task-setting message at said receiving stations;
• comparing an entered response with an acceptable answer of said response criteria, said comparing providing for a comparing of at least one key word or symbol in an entered response with said acceptable response;
• scoring an entered response relative to said response criteria;
• and
• creating a record of an entered response at each receiving station, the record being suitable for use as a prize token.

A method for evaluating and creating a record of responses to a recorded task-setting program with the aid of response criteria intended for respondents located at receiving stations, said task-setting program including a plurality of questions, and said response criteria including a plurality of criteria, the method comprising:

• recording said task-setting program including a first of said questions and a first of said response criteria for playback to respondents at receiving stations;
• recording a second of said questions and a second of said response criteria;
• playing back said task setting program with said first question and said first response criteria at a central station for presentation to said receiving stations;
• entering a response to said first question at said receiving stations;
• comparing at least one element in a response of said response-entering step with said first response criteria;
• scoring responses in accordance with the scoring basis of said first response criteria;
• playing back a second of said questions and a second of said response criteria at a central station for presentation to said receiving stations;
• entering a response to said second question;
• and
• scoring the response to said second question on a scoring basis of the second response criteria.