# US 8,784,198 B2 · Method and apparatus for conducting or facilitating a promotion

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- Number: US 8,784,198 B2
- Document ID: US8784198B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 13/734,034
- Filed: 2013-01-04
- Published: 2013-05-23
- Granted: 2014-07-22
- Earliest claimed: 2000-02-18
- Assignees: Inventor Holdings, LLC
- Applicants: Walker Digital. LLC
- Inventors: Jay S. Walker; Geoffrey M. Gelman; James A. Jorasch; Peter Kim; Timothy A. Palmer; Keith Bemer; Andrew P. Golden; Scott Allison
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8784198B2

## CPC

- G06Q 30/0209: {Incentive being awarded or redeemed in connection with the playing of a video game}
- A63F 13/49: Saving the game status; Pausing or ending the game
- A63F 13/50: Controlling the output signals based on the game progress
- G06Q 30/02: Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
- G06Q 30/0207: Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates
- G06Q 30/0211: Determining the effectiveness of discounts or incentives
- G06Q 30/0213: {Consumer transaction fees}
- G06Q 30/0225: {Avoiding frauds}
- G06Q 30/0235: constrained by time limit or expiration date
- G06Q 30/0241: Advertisements
- G06Q 30/0242: Determining effectiveness of advertisements
- G06Q 30/0248: {Avoiding fraud}
- G07F 17/3206: {Player sensing means, e.g. presence detection, biometrics}
- G07F 17/323: {wherein the player is informed, e.g. advertisements, odds, instructions}
- G07F 17/3241: {Security aspects of a gaming system, e.g. detecting cheating, device integrity, surveillance (computer security G06F21/00)}
- G07F 17/3244: {Payment aspects of a gaming system, e.g. payment schemes, setting payout ratio, bonus or consolation prizes}
- G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- A63F: CARD, BOARD, OR ROULETTE GAMES; INDOOR GAMES USING SMALL MOVING PLAYING BODIES; VIDEO GAMES; GAMES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- G07F: COIN-FREED OR LIKE APPARATUS (coin sorting G07D3/00; coin testing G07D5/00; {handling coins or paper currencies apart from payment activated apparatus G07D; payment architectures, schemes or protocols G06Q20/00})

## 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.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A mobile device operable to facilitate a game playable on the mobile device, the mobile device comprising:
an input mechanism for receiving input from a user of the mobile device;
a display screen for outputting results of the game;
a processor;
a memory, the memory operable to store a first software program for conducting the game on the mobile device and a locked outcome of the game such that, upon the first software program being stored in the memory, the processor is operable with the first software program to:
facilitate play of the game by recognizing inputs from the user via the input mechanism;
receive a signal comprising an unlock code;
unlock the locked outcome of the game using the unlock code, thereby determining an unlocked outcome;
determine an intra-game benefit associated with the unlocked outcome; and
incorporate the intra-game benefit into the game while it is being played on the mobile device by the user.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the processor being operable with the first software program to receive a signal comprising the unlock code comprises the processor being operable with the first software program to receive an input from the user via the input mechanism, the input comprising the signal.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the processor being operable with the first software program to receive a signal comprising the unlock code comprise the processor being operable with the first software program to receive a signal from a third party via a network via which the mobile device is operable to communicate with the third party.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the processor being operable with the first software program to receive a signal comprising the unlock code comprises the processor being operable with the first software program to:
receive a request to use a previously stored unlock code to unlock the locked outcome.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the locked outcome comprises an outcome stored in an encrypted form such that the intra-game benefit associated with the locked outcome is not obtainable by the user without an acceptable unlock code being used to unlock the locked outcome and thereby allow an enjoyment of the intra-game benefit.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the processor is further operable with the first software program to download the locked outcome over the internet prior to receiving the signal comprising the unlock code.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the processor is further operable with the first software program to receive indication of payment from the user, the payment being for the unlock code.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The mobile device of claim 7, wherein the processor being operable with the first software program to unlock the locked outcome using the unlock code comprises the processor being operable with the first software program to unlock the locked outcome using the unlock code only if it is first verified that payment for the unlock code has been provided by the user.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the intra-game benefit comprises an advancement within the game.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The mobile device of claim 9, wherein the advancement in the game is unobtainable by the player without use of the unlock code.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the memory stores a second software program for operating the device, and further wherein the processor is operable with the second software program to download at least one of the first software program and a decryption algorithm into the memory.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the processor is further operable with the first software program to verify that the user has completed a qualifying activity that is a prerequisite to unlocking the locked outcome.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, wherein the qualifying activity is watching a specified advertisement.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

The mobile device of claim 1, further comprising a GPS detector and wherein the processor is further operable with the first software program to:
detect a location of at least one of the user or the device by use of the GPS detector.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The mobile device of claim 14, wherein the processor being operable with the first software program to determine an intra-game benefit associated with the unlocked outcome comprises the processor being operable with the first software program to determine an intra-game benefit based on the location.

### Claim 16 (depends on 1)

The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the intra-game benefit comprises at least one of an enhancement of the game, a modification of the game, a conclusion of the game, an increase in the user's chances of winning the game, an increase in the user's chances of successfully completing the game, continued access to the game or a game piece usable in the game.

### Claim 17 (depends on 1)

The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the first software program comprises the locked outcome.

### Claim 18

A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions for directing a processor of a mobile device to perform a method, the method comprising:
facilitating play of a game on the mobile device by recognizing inputs provided by a user via an input mechanism of the mobile device, at least one of the inputs causing progress in the game;
receiving a signal comprising an unlock code;
determining a locked outcome of the game;
unlocking the locked outcome of the game using the unlock code, thereby determining an unlocked outcome;
determining an intra-game benefit associated with the unlocked outcome; and
providing the intra-game benefit to the user by incorporating the intra-game benefit into the game.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 18, wherein the locked outcome of the game is stored in a memory of the mobile device prior to the unlock code being received and wherein the method further comprises retrieving the locked outcome from the memory.

### Claim 20 (depends on 18)

The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 18 further storing the locked outcome of the game prior to receiving the signal comprising the unlock code, wherein the method further comprises accessing the previously stored locked outcome.

### Claim 21 (depends on 18)

The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 18, wherein the method further comprises receiving an input from the user via the input mechanism, the input comprising the signal.

### Claim 22 (depends on 18)

The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 18, wherein receiving the signal comprising the unlock code comprises receiving the signal from a third party via a network via which the mobile device is operable to communicate with the third party.

### Claim 23 (depends on 18)

The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 18, wherein the method further comprises:
receiving a request to use a previously stored unlock code to unlock the locked outcome.

### Claim 24 (depends on 18)

The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 18, wherein the method further comprises downloading the locked outcome over the internet prior to receiving the signal comprising the unlock code.

### Claim 25 (depends on 18)

The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 18, wherein the locked outcome comprises an outcome stored in an encrypted form such that the intra-game benefit associated with the locked outcome is not obtainable by the user without an acceptable unlock code being used to unlock the locked outcome and thereby allow an enjoyment of the intra-game benefit.

### Claim 26 (depends on 18)

The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 18, the method further comprising:
receiving indication of payment from the user, the payment being for the unlock code.

### Claim 27 (depends on 18)

The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 18, wherein the intra-game benefit comprises at least one of an enhancement of the game, a modification of the game, a conclusion of the game, an increase in the user's chances of winning the game, an increase in the user's chances of successfully completing the game, continued access to the game or a game piece usable in the game.

### Claim 28 (depends on 18)

The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 18, wherein the wherein the intra-game benefit comprises an advancement within the game.

### Claim 29 (depends on 28)

The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 28, wherein the advancement in the game is unobtainable by the player without use of the unlock code.

### Claim 30 (depends on 18)

The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 18, wherein the method further comprises:
verifying that the user has completed a qualifying activity that is a prerequisite to unlocking the locked outcome and only allowing the locked outcome to be unlocked if it is verifying that the user has completed the qualifying activity.

### Claim 31 (depends on 30)

The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 30, wherein the qualifying activity is watching a specified advertisement.

### Claim 32 (depends on 18)

The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 18, wherein the method further comprises using a GPS detector of the mobile device to detect a location of at least one of the user or the mobile device.

### Claim 33 (depends on 32)

The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 32, wherein determining the intra-game benefit associated with the unlocked outcome comprises determining the intra-game benefit based on the location.