Mobile scratch off advertising system

Abstract

Embodiments of the disclosure may provide a method, system, and computer program configured to display advertising to mobile user. The method may include uploading logon information from a mobile device to a server, wherein the logon information contains at least a geographical location identifier, downloading a current electronic scratch off game to the mobile device from the central server, wherein the current electronic scratch off game corresponds to the geographical location identifier, displaying a foreground image to a user of the mobile device, and receiving a wiping input from the user of the mobile device on a touch screen of the mobile device. The method may further include removing a portion of the foreground image corresponding to the wiping input, displaying background image in areas corresponding to the wiping input, displaying a win or loss indicator, and using the win indicator at a retail sponsor advertising location to obtain a prize or item of value.

1 . A method for displaying advertising to a mobile user, comprising:
 selecting, at the game or advertising server network, a first electronic scratch off game corresponding to a geographic location or an anticipated geographic location of the mobile user;   downloading the selected electronic scratch off game to the mobile device from the server;   displaying a foreground game image to the mobile user of the mobile device;   receiving a wiping input from the mobile user of the mobile device on a touch screen of the mobile device;   removing a portion of the foreground game image corresponding to the wiping input;   displaying a background game image in areas corresponding to the wiping input, wherein the background game image contains a scratch off game win indicator or loss indicator;   using the loss indicator to select, from the game or advertising server network, a second electronic scratch off game corresponding to the geographic location or anticipated geographic location identifier;   using the win indicator at a sponsor advertising location to obtain a prize or item of value; and   upgrading the prize or item of value by requiring additional input from the mobile user.   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein downloading the electronic scratch off game to the mobile device from the central server comprises checking a mobile device game identification value against a server game identification value, wherein the server game identification value is calculated based on the geographical location identifier. 
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein displaying the foreground image further comprises displaying an advertising component. 
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein displaying the background image comprises displaying an advertising component. 
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein upgrading the prize or item of value comprises an opportunity to convert the prize or item of value into an additional chance to play the first or second electronic scratch off game. 
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the additional input from the mobile user comprises requiring the mobile user to participate in a survey, a poll, or a review of a product/service, or by viewing and rating an advertisement, commercial, or other sponsor content. 
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising storing a compilation of win indicators in a memory of the mobile device so that the win indicators may be subsequently used. 
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the logon information further comprises a mobile device ID, a username and password for the game or server network, and the geographic location identifier. 
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the second electronic scratch off game results in a secondary prize or item of value that is less valuable than the prize or item of value received from the first electronic scratch off game. 
   
   
       10 . A computer program embodied on a computer readable medium, that when executed by a processor, is configured to control a method for displaying advertising content to a mobile user, comprising:
 uploading logon information from a mobile device to a central server, wherein the logon information contains a geographical location identifier;   downloading a first current electronic scratch off game to the mobile device from the central server, wherein the first current electronic scratch off game corresponds to the geographic location identifier;   displaying a foreground image to a user of the mobile device;   receiving a wiping input from the user of the mobile device on a touch screen of the mobile device;   removing a portion of the foreground image corresponding to the wiping input;   displaying background image in areas corresponding to the wiping input;   displaying a win indicator or a loss indicator;   using the loss indicator to select from the central server a second current electronic scratch off game corresponding to the geographic location identifier;   using the win indicator at a retail sponsor advertising location to obtain a prize or item of value; and   upgrading the prize or item of value by requiring additional input from the mobile user.   
   
   
       11 . The computer program of  claim 10 , wherein downloading the electronic scratch off game to the mobile device from the central server further comprises confirming that a game on the mobile device corresponds to the geographical location identifier. 
   
   
       12 . The computer program of  claim 10 , wherein displaying the foreground image and or the background image further comprises displaying an advertising component. 
   
   
       13 . The computer program of  claim 10 , wherein upgrading the prize or item of value comprises an opportunity to convert the prize or item of value into an additional chance to play the first or second electronic scratch off game. 
   
   
       14 . The computer program of  claim 10 , wherein the additional input from the mobile user comprises requiring the mobile user to participate in a survey, a poll, or a review of a product/service, or by viewing and rating an advertisement, commercial, or other sponsor content. 
   
   
       15 . The computer program of  claim 10 , further comprising maintaining a local database of win indicators on the mobile device for subsequent use. 
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the second current electronic scratch off game results in a secondary prize or item of value that is less valuable than the prize or item of value received from the first current electronic scratch off game. 
   
   
       17 . A method for displaying targeted advertising to a user of a mobile device, comprising:
 receiving a logon request from the mobile device in an advertising server, wherein the logon request includes a mobile device ID and geographic location information for the mobile device;   validating the logon request in the advertising server, and in response to the validating, sending a first geographically-specific scratch off game from the server to the mobile device, wherein the scratch off game includes a unique package ID;   receiving the first scratch off game and the unique package ID in the mobile device, and validating the first scratch off game by comparing the received unique package ID with a locally stored game package ID;   upon successful validation of the scratch off game, allowing the user to play the game, comprising:
 displaying a foreground image to the user on a touch screen display of the mobile device; 
 receiving a touch screen input on the mobile device and removing the foreground image in an area where the touch screen input was received, thus revealing portions of a background image to illustrate a win indicator or loss indicator; 
 using the win indicator at a retail sponsor advertising location to obtain a prize or item of value; and 
 using the loss indicator to select from the advertising server a second geographically-specific scratch off game, wherein the second scratch off game results in a secondary prize or item of value redeemable at a retail sponsor advertising location. 
   
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein sending a geographically specific scratch off game from the server to the mobile device further comprises selecting a scratch off game from a database of games using the geographic location information as a primary selection criteria. 
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising selling geographically targeted advertising to advertisers for display on the mobile device when the device has a game played in an advertiser's selected geographic area. 
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the prize or item of value or the secondary prize or item of value may be upgraded by requiring additional input from the mobile user.