Method, Apparatus, and System for Entertaining Users of an Electronic Information Distribution System

Abstract

Some embodiments provide a method of presenting a game show through a computer network. The method presents an item to a number of contestants through the computer network. The method asks the contestants to answer through the computer network a question about an attribute of the item. The method also rewards a contestant that provides an acceptable answer to the question. Some embodiments provide a method for presenting a game show over a computer network including receiving, through the computer network, a request from a contestant to register for a game show. The method determines whether the contestant can register for the game show. The method also provides the contestant with a time interval for registering for the game show upon determining that the contestant cannot register for the game show.

1 . A method of presenting a game show through a computer network, said method comprising:
 presenting an item to a number of contestants through the computer network;   asking the contestants to answer through the computer network a question about an attribute of the item; and   rewarding a contestant that provides an acceptable answer to the question.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein rewarding a contestant comprises:
 identifying the first contestant who answers the question correctly when more than one of said contestants answers the question correctly; and   awarding a prize to the first contestant.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the contestants are required to answer the question within a specified amount of time. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3  further comprising awarding a prize to at least one of the contestants who did not provide the correct answer within the specified amount of time. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4  wherein the prize is credit for purchasing items through the computer network. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein when none of the contestants answer the question correctly within the specified amount of time, the method further comprises awarding a prize to a contestant who provided an answer that was the closest to the correct answer. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the attribute of the item is a price of the item. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the attribute of the item is an identity of a merchant selling the item. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the attribute of the item is the name of the item. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the item is presented to the contestants through the Internet. 
     
     
         11 . A method of presenting a game show over a computer network, the method comprising:
 receiving, through the computer network, a request from a contestant to register for a game show;   determining whether the contestant can register for the game show; and   providing the contestant with a time interval for registering for the game show upon determining that the contestant cannot register for the game show.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the duration of the time interval depends on the contestant's past interactions with a computer system through the computer network. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11  further comprising allowing the contestant to participate in a game show with a number of other contestants upon the contestant registering for the game show. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11  further comprising:
 providing the contestant with the opportunity to interact with a computer system through the computer network while waiting for the game show; and   informing the contestant that he will be prompted to register for the next game show so long as he continues interacting with the computer system.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein providing the contestant with the opportunity to interact with the computer system comprises providing the contestant with the opportunity to interact through the computer network with an application that runs on the computer system connected to the computer network. 
     
     
         16 - 23 . (canceled) 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 15  further comprising analyzing the contestant's interactions with the application to determine whether to notify the contestant to register for the game show. 
     
     
         25 . (canceled) 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 15  wherein the application presents a virtual game show waiting area to the contestant. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26  further comprising:
 randomly presenting selectable objects to the contestant in the virtual game show waiting area; and   requiring the contestant to select the presented objects through a cursor click operation.   
     
     
         28 - 31 . (canceled) 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 11  further comprising:
 presenting an item to a number of contestants through the computer network;   asking the contestants to answer a question about an attribute of the item; and   rewarding a contestant that provides an acceptable answer to the question.   
     
     
         33 - 141 . (canceled) 
     
     
         142 . A computer readable medium storing a computer program for presenting a game show through a computer network, the computer program comprising:
 a) a set of instructions for presenting an item to a number of contestants through the computer network;   b) a set of instructions for asking the contestants to answer through the computer network a question about an attribute of the item; and   c) a set of instructions for rewarding a contestant that provides an acceptable answer to the question.