Contest to reach a target

Abstract

A contest implemented by downloading to a player device a location of a target. The player device displays the location of the target on a map. A count is kept of a number of times the target is reached by any player. A grand prize is awarded to a player using the player device when the player reaches the target and the number counted is at a predetermined winning value.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A method for implementing a contest comprising:
 downloading to a player device a location of a target;   displaying, by the player device, the location of the target on a map;   counting a number of times the target is reached by any player; and,   awarding a grand prize to a player using the player device when the player reaches the target and the number counted is at a predetermined winning value.   
     
     
         2 . A method as in  claim 1  additionally comprising:
 presenting an award to the player when the player reaches the target and the number counted is not at the predetermined winning value; and, 
 awarding a consolation prize to a winning player selected via a raffle from among players that reached the target but were not awarded the grand prize. 
 
     
     
         3 . A method as in  claim 2  wherein the grand prize is a gift card, the consolation prize is a gift card and the award is a discount coupon. 
     
     
         4 . A method as in  claim 1  wherein the target is a person and the player reaches the target when the player addresses the target. 
     
     
         5 . A method as in  claim 1  wherein the target is at a fixed location and the player reaches the target when the player device sends a ping to a game server when the player device is within a predetermined distance from the fixed location. 
     
     
         6 . A method as in  claim 1  wherein the location of the target is downloaded to the player device by a game server. 
     
     
         7 . A method as in  claim 1  wherein the target changes location and the player device periodically updates display of the location of the target on the map. 
     
     
         8 . A method as in  claim 1  wherein awarding the prize to the player is accomplished by electronic transmission from a game server to the player device. 
     
     
         9 . A method as in  claim 1  wherein the player can reach the target multiple times provided there is an interval of time of at least a predetermined duration between each time the player reaches the target. 
     
     
         10 . A method as in  claim 1  wherein at a predetermined time the contest is ended. 
     
     
         11 . A method as in  claim 9  wherein at the predetermined time the contest is ended, an award is downloaded to the player device by a game server. 
     
     
         12 . A method for setting up a contest comprising:
 receiving, by an administrative device from an administrator, time constraints for the contest;   receiving, by the administrative device from the administrator, location information for a target;   receiving, by the administrative device from the administrator, a description of a prize;   receiving, by the administrative device from the administrator, a winning number; and,   forwarding, to a plurality of player devices, the time constraints, location information and prize descriptions;   wherein the contest consists of awarding the prize to a player, using of one of the plurality of player devices, who reaches the target when a count of players that reach the target reaches the winning number.   
     
     
         13 . A method as in  claim 12  additionally comprising:
 receiving, by the administrative device from the administrator, a description of an award awarded to any player that reaches the target when the count of players that reach the target has not reached the winning number. 
 
     
     
         14 . A method as in  claim 12  additionally comprising:
 receiving, by the administrative device from the administrator, a description of an award awarded to any player that competes in the contest; and, 
 awarding a consolation prize to a winning player selected via a raffle from among players that reached the target but were not awarded the grand prize. 
 
     
     
         15 . A method as in  claim 12  additionally comprising:
 receiving, by the administrative device from the administrator, a description of an award awarded to any player that competes in the contest. 
 
     
     
         16 . A method as in  claim 12  wherein location information for the target is a unique device identifier (UDID) assigned to a target device. 
     
     
         17 . A method as in  claim 12  wherein location information for the target is a set of longitude and latitude coordinates for a fixed location. 
     
     
         18 . A game server that implements a contest, the game server comprising:
 means for receiving from an administrator information pertaining to the contest, the information including, time constraints for the contest, location information for a target, a description of a prize and a winning number; and,   means for forwarding to a player device the time constraints for the contest, the location information for the target, and the description of the prize;   wherein the contest consists of awarding the prize to a player, using of one of the plurality of player devices, who reaches the target when a count of players that reach the target reaches the winning number.   
     
     
         19 . A game server as in  claim 18  additionally comprising means to receive a ping from a player device from the plurality of player devices, when the player device is within a predetermined distance from the target. 
     
     
         20 . A game server as in  claim 18  additionally comprising means to award the prize by electronically transmitting a gift card to a player device for the player who reaches the target when the count of players that reach the target reaches the winning number.