Method and system for determining prizewinning status and awarding a prize

Abstract

Method for determining prizewinning status and awarding a prize. Most consumer marketing programs which employ a sweepstakes mechanism with prizes depend on game pieces preprinted with codes or words to signify prizewinning status. Furthermore, if such status is determined to be “winning” the holder of the game piece must still physically mail the game piece in for verification before the corresponding prize is awarded. The game pieces themselves are subject to duplication, forgery, manipulation, and other forms of fraud. The number of winners in such programs depends on the number of prizes, the number of game pieces, the flow of the game pieces into distribution, and the number of participants. The method provided herein eliminates the opportunity for fraud associated with game pieces, simplifies the calculation of the number of winnres, and increases the efficiency of determining prizewinning status and awarding prizes.

1 . A method for determining a prizewinning status and awarding a prize, comprising: receiving a code and validating the code.  
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , the prizewinning status including at least one of: winning, non-winning, winning a predetermined prize, winning a non-predetermined prize, winning a prize dependent on other information, and winning a prize not dependent on other information.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , the receiving including at least one of: receiving through a network, receiving through a device, receiving on an item, receiving in an item, receiving on a container of an item, receiving with an item, receiving in accordance with an act, receiving wirelessly, and receiving through a medium.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , the code including at least one of: a number, an alphanumeric string, a code, a symbol, a barcode, a picture, a sequence, and an indication.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1 , the validating including at least one of: validating by comparing, validating by calculating, validating by matching, and validating by lookup  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: sending a request to a third-party.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 6 , the request including at least one of: a request for a number, an alphanumeric string, a code, a symbol, a barcode, a picture, a sequence, and an indication.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: receiving a reply to the request from the third-party.  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: determining the prizewinning status using the reply to the request and the code in accordance with a commercial program.  
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: collecting information.  
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 10 , the information including at least one of: demographic information, personal information, confidential information, purchase information, product information, transaction information, retailer information, date and time information, and survey information.  
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: selecting a prize.  
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 12 , the prize including at least one of: cash, product, service, discount, rebate, information, and entertainment.  
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: awarding the prize.  
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 14 , the awarding including at least one of: displaying the prize, displaying information corresponding to the prize, displaying information corresponding to a credit or debit account corresponding to the prize, displaying information corresponding to a discount, displaying information corresponding to a rebate, creating and delivering the prize, requesting and delivering the prize, delivering the prize through a network, delivering the entertainment, and delivering the prize to an address provided by the prizewinner.  
   
   
       16 . A method for determining a prizewinning status and awarding a prize, comprising: obtaining a code and submitting the code to a third party.  
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 16 , the obtaining including at least one of: obtaining on an item, obtaining in an item, obtaining on a container of an item, obtaining with an item, obtaining in accordance with an act, obtaining through a network, obtaining through a device, obtaining wirelessly, and obtaining through a medium.  
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising: receiving from the third party a prizewinning status.  
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 18 , the receiving including at least one of: receiving through a network, receiving through a device, receiving contemporaneous to the submitting, receiving at another time after the submitting, receiving on an item, receiving in an item, receiving on a container of an item, receiving with an item, receiving in accordance with an act, receiving wirelessly, and receiving through a medium.  
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising: receiving from the third party a prize.