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Advertising and shopping contestRelated Patent Categories: Amusement Devices: Games, Including Means For Processing Electronic Data (e.g., Computer/video Game, Etc.), In A Chance ApplicationAdvertising and shopping contest description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20060229120, Advertising and shopping contest. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] Not applicable. BACKGROUND [0002] 1. Field of Invention [0003] This invention relates to contests conducted by marketers, specifically to such contests which requires participants to obtain information contained in advertisements and information contained in sales transaction records in order to win. [0004] 2. Description of Prior Art [0005] The purpose of radio and television commercials is to inform consumers of new products and sale events, build brand recognition and to pay for the transmission of copyrighted content and other associated costs. People are now able to subscribe to commercial free radio and commercial free television, if they decide not to listen to or view, commercial advertisements. However, revenue generated by commercials is an important part of the economy and makes its way throughout society keeping the economy healthy. In fact, economists use advertising revenue as an economic indicator. However, with the widespread use of videocassette recorders (VCRs), digital video recorders (DVRs), and the availability of commercial free radio and television services, marketers are having a difficult time getting people to listen to or watch their commercial advertisements. [0006] For example, commercial free satellite radio services are now available for a monthly service fee. People can now listen to their favorite radio programming without ever listening to a commercial advertisement. Even regular commercial advertisement supported television is losing its ability to reach consumers as a marketing medium because VCRs and DVRs come equipped with a button that gives people the ability to skip the commercials found during regular programming. Consequently, this prevents a marketer's messages from reaching audience members, resulting in wasted time, money and resources. People in the marketing industry and business owners who use advertising to attract customers lose business and face the possibility of financial failure if they are unable to communicate their product or service, to potential customers. SUMMARY [0007] In accordance with the present invention, a contest consists of a predetermined winning character string that participants try to reproduce using information found in sales transaction records, combined with information found in advertisements. The information contained in the sales transaction record and the information contained in the advertisement are input into a preset computer algorithm and are manipulated by the algorithm to produce a new character string. If the new character string matches the predetermined winning character string then the participant is deemed a winner. In order to redeem his/her reward, the character strings used by the winner must first be authenticated as being genuine, to prevent a fraudulent claim. OBJECTS AND ADVANTAGES [0008] Accordingly, several objects and advantages of my invention are: [0009] a) to provide marketers with a contest that will require participants to view or listen to advertisements in order to participate. [0010] b) to provide participants with an easy, way to participate in a contest. [0011] c) to provide participants a way to know almost immediately whether they will receive a reward or not. [0012] d) to provide manufacturers with a contest that will help build brand recognition. [0013] e) to provide business owners with a contest that will gamer their advertisements attention. Further objects and advantages are to provide a contest, which can be easily and conveniently, conducted using common data already being issued. Still further objects and advantages will become apparent from a consideration of the ensuing description and drawing. DRAWING FIGURES [0014] FIG. 1 shows a flowchart describing how a person enters an advertising and shopping contest and how to determine if he/she is given a reward or not, based on the information he/she collects. REFERENCE NUMERALS IN DRAWINGS [0015] 1--contestant [0016] 10--valid designated character string from an advertisement [0017] 20--valid designated character string from a sales transaction record [0018] 30--enter the valid designated character strings [0019] 40--preset algorithm [0020] 50--new character string [0021] 60--pre-selected winning character string [0022] 70--check and compare [0023] 80--match [0024] 90--not a winner/no reward [0025] 100--winner [0026] 110--authenticate the character strings [0027] 120--genuine [0028] 130--reward is granted [0029] 140--end DESCRIPTION--FIG. 1--PREFERRED EMBODIMENT [0030] FIG. 1 shows how a contestant 1 enters an advertising and shopping contest and how to determine if he/she is given a reward or not based on a valid designated character string he/she obtains from an advertisement, and a valid designated character string he/she obtains from a sales transaction record. [0031] Item 10 is a valid designated character string from an advertisement, such as a television commercial, radio commercial or print ad. Typically, this will be a random number consisting of a plurality of digits. However, it could also be a word or phrase, such as a tag line or slogan, that the advertiser wishes people to remember. Furthermore, it will typically be issued with an expiration date, telling the contestant 1 how long the character string will remain valid for the contest, such as 90 days from initial issue. The more advertisements a contestant 1 sees or hears, the greater his/her chances are of winning the contest because he/she will collect more different designated character strings to use to try to win the contest. [0032] Item 20 is a valid designated character string from a sales transaction record. This will normally be the transaction number or invoice number or confirmation number found on most sales receipts and is essentially a random number issued to the contestant 1. However, it could also be another character string printed on the receipt such as a word or a phrase or telephone number or address. The more sales receipts a contestant 1 collects, the greater his/her chances are of winning the contest because he/she will collect more different designated character strings to use to try to win the contest. The transaction number or confirmation number or reference number on a sales receipt, is a number consisting of a plurality of digits that a merchant issues for sales records control. Typically, the valid designated character string from a sales transaction record 20 will remain valid for as long as the sales receipt remains valid, which could range anywhere between 1 and 90 days, depending on the issuing merchant's return policy. However, some merchants may decide to allow their receipts to remain valid for the contest, for the entire duration of the contest. If a manufacturer is conducting this contest, or desires to draw greater attention to his/her product then he/she may prefer to substitute this character string with a designated character string that is present on the labels of his/her product instead. [0033] The contestant 1 is required to enter the valid designated character strings 30 into the preset algorithm 40. Typically this will be performed using any computer interface and means that will accept input from a person. Normally, this will consist of using the contestant's computer, communicating with a computer conducting the advertising and shopping contest, by means of the Internet. However, the character strings could also be entered into the algorithm by using another means such as, a telephone or other communication device and means capable of interfacing with the computer conducting the contest. [0034] The preset algorithm 40 is encoded into the computer conducting the contest and resides in the computer's memory. It is invoked whenever the contestant 1 tries to win the contest. The preset algorithm 40 is defined before the contest officially starts and is not altered until the contest is officially terminated. Typically, the preset algorithm 40 is a random number generator that uses the valid designated character string from an advertisement 10 and the valid designated character string from a transaction record 20, as seeds. The preset algorithm 40 then proceeds to generate a new character string 50. Typically, the new character string will be a new random number, however it could also be a new word or new phrase. [0035] The new character string derived from the preset algorithm 50, is checked and compared 70 against a pre-selected winning character string 60. Typically, the a pre-selected winning character string 60 would be a random number consisting of a plurality of digits that is defined before the contest officially starts and is not altered until the contest is officially terminated. However it could also be a word or phrase if desired. Keeping both the input and output of the preset algorithm 40 as random numbers, and making the pre-selected winning character string 60 a random number, ensures fairness to everyone hoping to win the contest. [0036] If the new character string 50 derived from the preset algorithm 40 matches 80 the pre-selected winning character string 60, the contestant 1 is deemed a winner 100, otherwise the contestant 1 is not a winner and does not receive a reward 90. The process of trying to win the contest ends 140 when the contestant is deemed not a winner 90. Continue reading about Advertising and shopping contest... Full patent description for Advertising and shopping contest Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Advertising and shopping contest patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. Start now! - Receive info on patent apps like Advertising and shopping contest or other areas of interest. ### Previous Patent Application: Drive system for a crop conveying device Next Patent Application: Aircraft gaming Industry Class: Amusement devices: games ### FreshPatents.com Support Thank you for viewing the Advertising and shopping contest patent info. 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