| Class / Patent application number | Description | Number of patent applications / Date published |
|---|
| 705140140 | Chance discount or incentive | 87 |
| 20090265239 | ELECTRONIC COMMERCE PORTAL - An electronic commerce portal ( | 10-22-2009 |
| 20090276304 | Apparatus and Menthod for Incentive Marketing - An incentive marketing apparatus and method provides a purchaser of an item at a store or other retail location a chance to win an award. A unique identifier is assigned to the purchase. The purchaser provides the unique identifier to a kiosk or other customer interface device. The kiosk checks the unique identifier and provides the purchaser an opportunity to win an award based on chance if the unique identifier is validated. In one embodiment, the purchaser wins an award if a randomly generated number matches a portion (such as the cents portion) of the purchase amount. The kiosk may also be configured to dispense a short duration coupon to the purchaser that is redeemable within a predetermined period of time. | 11-05-2009 |
| 20090287554 | COMPUTER-IMPLEMENTED METHOD AND COMPUTING SYSTEM FOR PROVIDING ADVERTISEMENT CONTENT, AND COMPUTER-IMPLEMENTED METHOD AND COMPUTING SYSTEM FOR EXPOSING ADVERTISEMENT CONTENT - A computer-implemented method and computing system for providing advertisement content and a computer-implemented method and computing system for exposing advertisement content are provided. A computer-implemented method of providing advertisement content, the method includes: receiving a bid request with respect to the advertisement content associated with digital broadcast content; determining an exposure ranking of the advertisement content using quality information of the advertisement content; and providing the digital broadcast content and the advertisement content arranged based on the exposure ranking, wherein the advertisement content is classified by an accounting method. | 11-19-2009 |
| 20090292600 | METHOD FOR POINT OF SALE CONSUMER PACKAGED GOODS AND LOTTERY PROMOTIONS - A method and system for point of sale consumer packaged goods and lottery promotions. A discount coupon is generated having two barcodes. The first barcode encodes standard UPC barcode data including, e.g., manufacturer ID, retail product or a retail product family, and discount value code. The second barcode encodes a FreePlay identifier code. A POS system scans the barcodes and the FreePlay identifier code is recognized. Based on this, the consumer is offered a choice of a Lottery FreePlay coupon in lieu of the discount on the retail product. When the consumer accepts the choice of a Lottery FreePlay coupon, a Lottery FreePlay coupon is printed for the consumer in lieu of giving the consumer a discount on the retail product. The Lottery FreePlay coupon is redeemable at an authorized lottery booth for a lottery ticket having a purchase price based on the discount value code. | 11-26-2009 |
| 20100030632 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR PROMOTION - The subject invention includes a promotional web site hosting a plurality of contests or promotions wherein prizes are awarded. A link to the web page in the promotional site featuring a specific contest or promotion are inserted into a plurality of media sponsor sites. The links are typically configured as symbols and are embedded within the media sponsor sites. Traditional media advertisement are then used to tie a contest or promotion to the indicant on the media sponsor site. Participants responding to the traditional media advertisement will look for the indicant in the media sponsor sites, and upon finding the indicant and selecting the indicant, the participant is linked to the promotional website. A registration process is then performed wherein the participant is asked to provide some personal information such as their name, email address, home address, and telephone number. Upon completion of this registration form, the participant then submits the registration form, and is then forwarded back to the same media sponsor site from which they came. | 02-04-2010 |
| 20100036723 | Sweepstakes Incentive Model and Associated System - A sweepstakes incentive model and associated system for a distributed processing system are disclosed that identify the capabilities of distributed devices connected together through a wide variety of communication systems and networks and aggregate these distributed device capabilities to accomplish desired distributed workload objectives. | 02-11-2010 |
| 20100049600 | NETWORK-BASED SWEEPSTAKES SYSTEM AND METHOD - A system and method for automatically enrolling users of a website or other network-based service in sweepstakes. A user of | 02-25-2010 |
| 20100070356 | METHOD AND SYSTEM OF SALES PROMOTION - A method of sales promotion using a networked computer system including the steps of:
| 03-18-2010 |
| 20100100432 | Incentive method and apparatus - Instrumentality for promulgating worker quality and persistence in the workplace and user loyalty and patronage on the internet. A plurality of awards arranged in tiers is provided. One tier preferably is derived from the worker/user when selecting one or more awards from a menu of possible awards. Another tier is preferably provided by the employer/internet provider. A further tier is preferably in the form of a pecuniary award having a value which increments as a function of collective worker/user performance and which is preferably visible to the worker/user on a display until the award is won. Thereafter, the award resets to a base value. | 04-22-2010 |
| 20100114684 | CHAT ROOMS SEARCH ENGINE QUERYER - A system and methods that enable a user to perform real time search of chat rooms discussion information defined by one or more keywords, provide the user with a list of chat rooms that are currently discussing the information and enable the user to selectively join the discussion in a particular chat room. An aspect of the present invention is to provide a link to each chat room, and thereby enable a user to enter the chat room without having to login. Another aspect of the present invention is to enable a user to submit a query directly from the search engine to a particular participant of a particular chat room. According to such variation of the present invention, the user can chat with a particular participant of a particular chat room, without having to log into that chat room. Optionally, a user can be self registered as a relevant user. | 05-06-2010 |
| 20100121697 | METHODS, SYSTEMS AND COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCTS FOR A MOBILE TARGETED COUPON DISTRIBUTOR - This disclosure details the implementation of methods, systems and computer program products for a mobile targeted coupon distributor (hereinafter, “Distributor”). Distributor embodiments may serve to facilitate users' specification of coupon preferences and the provision of coupons to mobile devices consistent with those preferences. In one embodiment, the Distributor may acquire and/or validate user coupon preferences, store those preferences, and subsequently direct the provision of coupons to a user's mobile device via short message service (SMS) text messages, multimedia messaging service (MMS) picture alerts, and/or the like. In one embodiment, coupon characteristics, such as the associated purchase discount amounts, may be determined based on one or more user-specific factors. | 05-13-2010 |
| 20100121698 | CUSTOMER INCENTIVE SYSTEM BASED ON AN EXTERNAL LOTTERY DRAWING - A method of providing customer incentives to a business wherein a buyer of real and/or personal property negotiates the price of the property with the seller, and upon reaching a satisfactory price, the seller shall provide the buyer with a series of numbers prior to transferring title in the property. | 05-13-2010 |
| 20100153197 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PROVIDING ADVERTISING SERVICE - There is provided an advertising service providing method and apparatus capable of reducing a load of an advertising cost on an advertiser and increasing participation in an advertisement when providing advertising services via a wired or wireless communication network and a broadcasting network, the method including: collecting persons waiting for participating in an advertisement, determining a number of the persons, receiving a request of an advertiser for inserting an advertisement, determining a target number of advertisement participants and a target class with respect to the requested advertisement within a range of the persons, calculating an advertising cost and a total amount of winning/prize money in proportion to the determined target number of advertisement participants, providing the advertisement to the persons, the providing the advertisement is finished when a number of persons participating in the provided advertisement reaches the determined target number of advertisement participants, determining a prizewinner from the advertisement participants, and providing the determined total amount of winning/prize money to the prizewinner. | 06-17-2010 |
| 20100262476 | METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR SALES PROMOTION - Described herein are methods and systems for conducting sales promotions in accordance with embodiments of the present invention. In some embodiments a retailer offers to consumers an opportunity to win a prize according to predetermined purchasing criteria, this offer being provided as an incentive for the consumers to purchase goods and or services. In overview, and as shown in FIG. ( | 10-14-2010 |
| 20100324980 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR REVENUE SHARING - Disclosed herein is a method of sharing revenue contributions between a plurality of users. The method includes providing at least one prize pool, contributing revenue to the at least one prize pool based on at least one revenue source, providing drawing entries to the plurality of users, selecting at least one of a plurality of drawing entries and awarding a prize to at least one of the plurality of users from the at least one prize pool. | 12-23-2010 |
| 20100332302 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR INTERACTIVE ON-LINE ADVERTISING USING AUCTION PRIZES AWARDED BASED ON USER ENGAGEMENT AS DETERMINED BY AD-SURVEY SUBMISSION - The present invention discloses systems and methods for interactive on-line advertising using auction prizes awarded based on user engagement as determined by ad-survey submission, methods including the steps of: providing an ad survey having an advertisement and a survey for viewing and submission; upon a user submitting a completed ad survey, presenting the user with an incentive to be pledged, by the user, to an ad-survey auction; and awarding an auction prize to a wining user based on a maximum amount of pledged incentive in the ad-survey auction by the winning user. Preferably, the method further includes the step of: constructing a user profile having at least one user characteristic for users of the ad survey. Most preferably, at least one user characteristic is selected from the group consisting of: a user surfing pattern, publicly-available user data, private user data, a user interest, and an ad-survey interest. | 12-30-2010 |
| 20110010231 | AUDIOVISUAL SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DISPLAYING SEGMENTED ADVERTISEMENTS TAILORED TO THE CHARACTERISTIC VIEWING PREFERENCES OF A USER - An audiovisual system for displaying an audiovisual advertisement to a user includes a storage subsystem adapted to receive and store audiovisual advertising segments and to retrieve and transmit stored advertising segments. The audiovisual system further includes a preference determination module coupled to the storage subsystem. The preference determination module is responsive to user input and to metadata to generate one or more user profiles. Each user profile is indicative of characteristic viewing preferences of a corresponding user and includes a time span preference parameter indicative of a preferred advertisement time span of the corresponding user. The audiovisual system further includes a system controller coupled to the storage subsystem. The system controller is responsive to the metadata and to the user profile corresponding to the user to select and retrieve a plurality of stored advertising segments from the storage subsystem and to dynamically assemble the retrieved plurality of stored advertising segments to form the advertisement which conforms to the time span preference parameter of the user profile. | 01-13-2011 |
| 20110015977 | Internet advertisement-posting system | 01-20-2011 |
| 20110035266 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR CONDUCTING PROMOTIONAL PROGRAMS - A method for using promotional programs and merchant values is disclosed. In one example, the method includes receiving an authorization request message including a merchant verification value through a payment processing network, where the authorization request message is associated with a purchase by a consumer. A merchant-specific promotional program is then determined using the merchant verification value, and the merchant specific promotional program is performed. For example, the promotional program can be a sweepstakes and the task may be determining of the consumer is an instant winner. | 02-10-2011 |
| 20110106601 | System And Method For Promotion Processing And Authorization - An example funds facilitation system that facilitates transactions between a payer and payee includes a promotion processing system that facilitates the provision of promotions to account holders on the funds facilitation system. The party offering the promotion may be a merchant/payee that also has an account with the funds facilitation system. The promotion processing system applies promotion rules based on the identity of the merchant/payee and upon conditions placed on the promotion that identify a payer or a group of payers to receive the promotion. A user interface is provided for generating promotion rules and monitoring promotions. A user interface is also provided that displays unused promotion and gift codes and links to merchant/payee websites associated with the unused codes. The funds facilitation system can also provide authorization for purchases based on a condition, such as the age of the payer. | 05-05-2011 |
| 20110145044 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR GENERATING A VIRTUAL VALUE ITEM FOR A PROMOTIONAL CAMPAIGN - Systems and methods for managing a promotional campaign are provided. In one embodiment, a promotional campaign engine communicates in real-time with a participant's mobile computing device, receives an electronic campaign entry from the mobile computing device, and based on a rule set, generates a virtual value item in an established stored value system based on the rule set. | 06-16-2011 |
| 20110153398 | Device, Method and System for Facilitating a Transaction - The present invention relates to a device, method and system for facilitating a transaction. In particular, it relates to a drinks container lid on which is provided transaction data, such as a machine readable code. The transaction data may be entered into a mobile communications device, such as a mobile phone, by key entry or by scanning. It then may facilitate a transaction. In one embodiment, the transaction data is a program which causes the mobile device to communicate with a remote transaction processing system to implement a transaction. | 06-23-2011 |
| 20110184793 | DYNAMIC E-MAIL - A system may present dynamic content to an e-mail recipient in the form of an image implementing frame-sequence animation. Each frame may present an offer to the recipient. Upon selection of an offer, the system may determine which offer the recipient selected by determining which frame was displayed when the recipient responded. The e-mail may include an image URI specifying a frame-sequence animation image. The image URI may include an identifier, which may allow the system to determine when the recipient opened the e-mail message, and a link URI, which may also include the identifier. When the recipient indicates a response to an offer, the system may associate the link URI with the image URI and may determine to which offer the recipient was responding. | 07-28-2011 |
| 20110246270 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR SOCIAL NETWORK MARKETING - A computer implemented marketing system disseminates information about a product or service over a computer network to a plurality of users who are encouraged to provide the marketer with their contact information in exchange for the possibility of obtaining a reward. Utilizing the relationships among users to encourage them to provide their information in an exponential, potential reward structure, the system contacts a large number of users in a short time. The user who wins the reward, and the user's referring party(ies), receive a reward for their participation and referrals. The method utilizes a computer network to generate identification codes for each user, validate the information of each user, and select the winner from among the referred users and the winner's referring party(ies). | 10-06-2011 |
| 20110258024 | Advertising Viewing and Referral Incentive System - An advertising referral incentive system encourages users to interact with advertisements by providing payment to original users for interaction with advertisements and interaction by users referred by original users. The payment may be monetary and also entries into a jackpot. Advertisers may select users based on demographic information provided by users and pay for the users they reach. | 10-20-2011 |
| 20110270656 | METHOD OF AUCTIONING LICENSE PLATES TO GENERATE REVENUE - The method of auctioning license plates provides for the public auctioning of state-issued, motor vehicle license plates. The method includes the step of first establishing a market value data set for a plurality of license plates. Next, the market value data set is stored in a market value database, which is recorded in computer readable memory associated with an auction server. An online auction is then established for at least one license plate to be sold. Once up for auction, bidders bid on the at least one license plate. Once bidding has closed, the at least one license plate is sold to the highest bidder, and funds are transferred from buyer to seller. Following the sale, transfer of ownership of the at least one license plate is recorded in a motor vehicle administration database, and both sales and property taxes associated with the sale of the license plate are assessed. | 11-03-2011 |
| 20110282721 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR PROVIDING FUNCTIONAL ADVERTISEMENTS - One example embodiment includes a computing environment that includes an application for connecting a remote user to a client. The application performs a method of providing functional advertisements to the user. The method includes providing a functional advertisement, where the functional advertisement includes an advertisement that the user can interact with. The method also includes connecting a user to the client over a network and transmitting the functional advertisement from the client to a user over the network. | 11-17-2011 |
| 20110320249 | Reward Based Media Distribution System - A reward based media distribution system, the system having a token generation system having a sales platform and a token server, a token redemption system having a token redemption platform and a token redemption server, and a drawing processor through which winners are selected. The reward based media distribution system will provide content creators and distributors with a device that will motivate the public through games of chance to purchase digital content rather that stealing it. | 12-29-2011 |
| 20120004963 | METHODS OF ESTABLISHING CREDIT - A method for enhancing credit of a cardholder of a pre-paid card may include issuing a pre-paid card to a cardholder. The cardholder may be charged a fee to establish a credit instrument associated with an account and the pre-paid card. The cardholder may be billed a portion of the credit instrument that includes the fee on a periodic basis, where the billing may be independent of billing for purchases of goods and services with the pre-paid card. A determination as to whether the cardholder timely paid the bill. If the cardholder timely paid the bill, then the payment may be recorded as being timely paid. Otherwise, a recording may be made that the bill was not timely paid. A reporting as to the timeliness of the payment may be made to affect a credit rating of the cardholder. | 01-05-2012 |
| 20120047007 | Method and apparatus for charging fee to customer - A method and an apparatus for charging all or a portion of the credit card discount fee or debit card discount fee (or other type of card, e.g., smart card, discount fee) to the consumer, customer, end user, credit card owner, or debit card owner, thereby reducing or eliminating the cost of the discount fee to the merchant upon a transaction initiated at the merchant location, are disclosed herein. With the cost of the discount fee to the merchant reduced or eliminated, embodiments disclosed herein allow the merchant to choose to optionally provide benefits, incentives, prizes, discounts (e.g., on services or goods), and/or a game of chance where the consumer, customer, end user, credit card owner, or debit card owner is capable of winning prizes, benefits, incentives, and/or discounts for the consumer, customer, end user, credit card owner, or debit card owner with any portion or all of the discount rate amount saved by the merchant. | 02-23-2012 |
| 20120116856 | COMPUTERIZED SYSTEM AND METHODOLOGY FOR SALE OF PRODUCTS BY DRAW - A system for selling products on-line including a seller module providing functionality for offering a product, establishing a minimum price for the product, and establishing at least one of a target price higher than the minimum price, and an offer expiration date; a transaction engine publishing the offering of the product; and a buyer module, providing functionality for purchasing, by potential acquirers of the product, rights to participate in a draw for the product; and wherein the transaction engine is operative to automatically conduct the draw in accordance with criteria which include purchase by potential acquirers of rights for a total amount not less than the minimum price, and arrival of offer expiration date or purchase by potential acquirers of the product of rights for a total amount which is not less than target price, and wherein transaction engine is also operative to award the product to winner of draw. | 05-10-2012 |
| 20120123836 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR DRIVING INTERNET TRAFFIC - A system and method for driving internet traffic to a coupon website is described. The website can provide low-cost, high traffic advertising to vendors by providing coupons. Traffic to the website can be enhanced by providing a variety of incentives. The incentives can include points, free prizes, and cash incentives. The site can be flexible and adaptable enabling vendors to change coupons and/or offers during the pendency of their contract. The site can be geographically limited to a small number of vendors to increase site demand and decrease vendor competition. The site can comprise a non-exclusive geographical site to increase traffic and improved economies of scale. The site can be divided into zones or areas to provide relevant information to consumers based on geographical, or other, data. The site can provide a variety of payment options including paying all or part of the listing fee with vendor coupons. | 05-17-2012 |
| 20120143663 | Tying Sweepstakes Incentive Rewards to Completion of Desired Fitness or Wellness Activity - An indication is received with a computing device of a completion of a desired fitness or wellness event by a plurality of users of a multiplicity of users. In response to each completion of the desired fitness or wellness event by each of the plurality of users of the multiplicity of users, the user is entered into a sweepstakes. One of the entries in the sweepstakes is selected at random for a prize. | 06-07-2012 |
| 20120226532 | MITIGATION OF CONGESTION IN USE OF A CAPACITY CONSTRAINED RESOURCE BY PROVIDING INCENTIVES - Congestion of a network being accessed by users is mitigated by providing predetermined incentive credits to users who follow network use recommendations and allowing the users to redeem accumulated credits for entry in a game of chance that provides a chance of winning a large reward. A server collects network use data to determine network congestion states and to determine whether users followed network use recommendations. The server also implements a web portal through which users can view historical network use and awarded credits, and redeem their credits. Application domains of the method to mitigate congestion include public transportation networks, wireless communication networks, and energy distribution networks. The techniques may also be enhanced by integration with online social networking features. | 09-06-2012 |
| 20120284096 | Resource Usage Reduction via Incentives - Conservation of a utility resource is incentivized by a method in which a utility customer records utility meter readings with a smart phone and submits the readings to a server for processing. The server processes the meter readings and awards the customer with credit awards contingent upon customer compliance with behavior that is being incentivized by the system, e.g., reduced resource use during peak hours, resource use below a target level set by the server, resource use below a goal set by the customer, frequent and accurate resource meter submissions, or verification of resource submissions of other customers. Cumulative awarded credits may be redeemed by a customer in exchange for participation in a micro-raffle or other game of chance. Preferably, a consumer awarded more credits has a greater chance of winning a prize, and a greater chance of winning a larger prize, than a user awarded fewer credits. | 11-08-2012 |
| 20120296717 | Lucky Day Rewards Program - A Lucky Day Rewards according to the present invention is a loyalty and rewards program that does not require customers to keep track of miles or points. Customers pay nothing to participate in the program. The Lucky Day Rewards program awards the loyal customers based on purchases made within a defined period of time. The purchase is rewarded faster than other type of reward program which may require accumulation for a long period of time for a valuable redemption. On the first day of each month, a random number is generated by spinning a wheel containing 31-numbers, or the like. The number it lands on is the winning day for the previous month. Anyone who purchased anything at a participating business entity during the previous month simply brings back their receipt to the stores or mails the receipt or enters their customer number or receipt number online for a partial or full credit. | 11-22-2012 |
| 20130030887 | CUSTOMER REWARD AND LOYALTY SYSTEM - Embodiments of the invention relate to systems, methods, and computer program products for implementing a customer loyalty rewards program by assigning point values to a customer's completion of certain activities, monitoring the customer's activities to determine when the customer has completed an activity, crediting the customer the assigned value of points for the completed activities, correlating points to one or more rewards and facilitating the exchange of rewards. | 01-31-2013 |
| 20130030888 | SYSTEM FOR ALLOWING CUSTOMERS TO CHOOSE REWARDS - Embodiments of the invention relate to systems, methods, and computer program products for allowing a customer to choose rewards as part of a customer incentive program by receiving a first customer input, wherein the first customer input is a characteristic of the customer, receiving a second customer input, wherein the second customer input is a category of reward in which the customer is interested, correlating the first customer input to a plurality of activities to be completed by the customer, correlating the second customer input to rewards to be provided to the customer for completing an activity, monitoring the customer's activities to determine when the customer has completed an activity and providing a reward to the customer corresponding to the completed activity. | 01-31-2013 |
| 20130030889 | Methods and Systems for Providing a Rewards Program - A system and method for providing a rewards program for a plurality of rewards accounts is disclosed that promote the adoption, retention, and the desirable usage of credit cards, prepaid cards, debit cards, and other transactional products and that induce the development and improvement of consumer behavior through education and rewards. Embodiments of the invention provide a rewards program by associating a financial product with a rewards account of the plurality of rewards accounts and detecting rewardable actions associated with the financial product. Any type of actions may be deemed rewardable actions including the participation in educational programs related to features of the financial product, financial responsibility, health, professional development and others. For completing rewardable actions, participants may be rewarded with points that they may then use to enter into sweepstakes in order to win prizes. | 01-31-2013 |
| 20130030890 | SYSTEM FOR COLLABORATIVE TRANSACTIONS - An online time-based collaborative contribution system for the purchase of good(s) or service(s) includes a database, a server, a plurality of user devices, and a user interface provided at each user device. The database stores information related to the goods or services, a predetermined amount, and a designated target contribution amount. The server is coupled to the database. The plurality of user devices are connected to the server and the database via a network. The user interface allows a respective user to make a contribution of the predetermined amount towards the designated targeted contribution amount. The server initiates the transfer of the good(s) or service(s) as a function of the contributions made by the user and the designated target contribution amount. | 01-31-2013 |
| 20130054322 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CASHBACK FUNDING - In an example embodiment, a system is provided for a cashback funding of an account. The system comprises a transaction request receiving module configured to receive a request to make a transaction between a user and an online vendor using a first account of the user, the transaction request including a transaction amount and an identification of the online vendor, A transaction authorization module is configured to provide an option to select a cashback amount, receive a selected cashback amount from the user, add the selected cashback amount to the transaction amount, generate a completion, request message based on the sum. to a third party payment processor, and upon receiving an approval message in response to the completion request message, direct the transaction amount to the online vendor. A cashback funding module is configured to direct the cashback amount to an online account designated by the user, the online account distinct from the first account, | 02-28-2013 |
| 20130066694 | Online Auction System with Random Rebate - An online auction system with a random rebate includes a computer having a processor, memory storing programming, and input, the computer being in network communication with the internet. The processor executes programming to receive auction item, rebate range, pool closure time, and auction time data from the computer input. The processor receives bidder registration data until pool closure, a predetermined fee, and bids from registered bidder until auction time expiration. The processor determines the highest bidder upon auction time expiration and notifies the highest bidder to make payment. A random rebate percentage is determined and sent to the bidder. Operation of the auction system enables a seller to receive a predetermined amount of auction registration fees and a winning bid amount less the random rebate. A buyer is able to purchase an auction item for less than market value and also receive a randomly assigned rebate. | 03-14-2013 |
| 20130080224 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR AN ONLINE STORY SHARING SERVICE - An online story sharing service is described. The online story sharing service includes a server that includes a submit story application component that is configured to allow users of the story sharing service to submit stories, each story including one or more of a written component, an audio component, an image component, and a video component. The server further includes a view story application component that is configured to allow users to view stories that have been submitted. The server further includes an external destination share application component that is configured to allow users of the online story sharing service to share links of stories with one or more external destinations. The server further includes a story contest module to conduct story contest. Each story contest is for a predetermined duration of time and includes multiple entries. For the story contest, the story contest module tracks a set of attributes for each story entered into the contest that indicate an interest level of that story relative to the interest level of the other stories; determines winning story(ies) based on the tracked attributes; and provides a reward to the users that submitted the winning story(ies). | 03-28-2013 |
| 20130096999 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR SELLING A PRODUCT ONLINE - A method of selling a product online over the Internet is to be performed by a server device, and includes the steps of: a) configuring the server device to receive customer-identification information from at least one customer who has decided to purchase the product; b) configuring the server device to associate at least one of a plurality of identifiers with the customer-identification information; c) configuring the server device to select at least one of the identifiers according to a predetermined scheme when a predetermined termination condition is satisfied; and d) configuring the server device to conduct, with the at least one customer, transaction for the product. Whether or not a benefit associated with purchase of the product is provided to the at least one customer is based on the selected identifiers. | 04-18-2013 |
| 20130103468 | COMPENSATION MODEL FOR NETWORK SERVICES - A compensation model is disclosed for compensating a network service provider. | 04-25-2013 |
| 20130132173 | PROVIDING PRIZE IN PAYMENT PROCESS IN MOBILE SHOPPING - A shopping-payment management system and method applies pre-registered prize data of a manufacturer or retail store to payment information on condition that a specific item is contained in shopping information before completing payment, and may notify a mobile device of the result. The system encourages a customer to actively use the system. | 05-23-2013 |
| 20130138490 | Method and System for an Electronic Auction and Sweepstakes - A system for allowing a user to participate in an electronic auction and an electronic sweepstakes game includes a processor configured to (1) receive a request to purchase a first quantity of bids, (2) enable purchase the first quantity of bids, (3) allocate the first quantity of purchased bids and a first quantity of electronic sweepstakes entries to an account of the purchase, (4) enable the purchaser to use one of the first quantity of bids to bid on a first item, (5) receive a request to reveal one of the first quantity of sweepstakes entries, (6) enable the user to reveal the one sweepstakes entry, and (7) enable the display of a result selected from a group consisting of the auction of the item and the reveal of the at least one sweepstakes entry. | 05-30-2013 |
| 20130151320 | PAYMENT METHOD AND SYSTEM - A payment system enables making purchases for a token fee. A customer is offered a choice of making a purchase at a regular price or taking a chance to make the purchase for an additional nominal fee. The nominal purchase or participation fee is determined based on the purchase price and a probability, which is calculated according to rules. The rules get established with a specific business and provide that the collected participation fees cover the cost of purchases. A random number generator system is programmed according to the rules of the method and system is used by the business. Based on the value of the random number, the system will determine if the customer was ‘lucky’ and needs to pay only the participation fee, nothing, or if the customer needs to pay the price of the goods plus the participation fee. | 06-13-2013 |
| 20130204682 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR REDUCING CHURN FOR A COMMUNICATIONS SERVICE - A method and system of reducing churn of customers for a communications service provider may include storing account information of a customer of the communications service provider. The customer account information may include customer service plan data and customer history data. The customer account information may be accessed by a computing unit. A total number of points collected by the customer during a time period based on the customer account information may be determined. The calculation may include totaling points associated with the customer service plan data and customer history data. A number of sweepstakes entries the customer achieved based on the calculated total number of points may be determined. The customer may be entered into the sweepstakes with one or more achieved sweepstakes entries for the time period. A sweepstakes drawing for the sweepstakes may be conducted, and a prize may be awarded to a winner of the sweepstakes. | 08-08-2013 |
| 20130204683 | LOTTERY VENDING MACHINE - In one embodiment of the invention, an apparatus comprises a lottery vending machine having an input slot configured to receive a lottery ticket, a second input slot configured to receive cash, and an output slot configured to output at least one of a money amount and a lottery ticket. In an embodiment, the apparatus provides a selectable credit option where the lottery vending machine, in response to receiving a winning lottery ticket, is configured to provide one of the following credit options: a money prize, one or more selected lottery tickets, or a combination of one or more lottery ticket(s) and a money amount. | 08-08-2013 |
| 20130226680 | COMMERCE PLATFORM - A commerce platform has user, referral tree, purchasing, reward and invitation modules, and allows users to purchase items and allows for a user referral system which incentivises the viral referral of new users. When a user purchases an item the purchasing module automatically transfers a fraction of the purchase value to a reward account. This fraction contributes to an award value. The referral tree module is operable to create and store a plurality of referral trees having one or more user accounts. The reward module is operable to determine a main award account from one of the user accounts of the referral tree and to distribute at least part of the award value between the main award account and one or more additional user accounts. Each additional user account belongs to a reward tree in which the main award account is a secondary user account. | 08-29-2013 |
| 20130231987 | Lottery Method - The present invention relates to an online lottery syndicate system. The system includes a lottery server for issuing lottery tickets associated with a lottery. A syndicate manager computer enables a syndicate manager to arrange purchase of a lottery syndicate ticket in the lottery. An agent server receives confirmation of payment by the lottery syndicate manager, receives lottery syndicate conditions selected by the lottery syndicate manager, and purchases the lottery syndicate ticket upon receipt of said payment and based upon said lottery syndicate conditions. | 09-05-2013 |
| 20130275191 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR BAGGAGE CHECK AND PROMOTIONAL ADVERTISEMENT - A luggage tag system includes a main portion comprising an elongated portion for forming a loop to attach the luggage tag system to a piece of luggage; a removable portion detachable from the main portion; a unique serial number provided on both the main portion and the removable portion; an area of the removable portion comprising a printed coupon or prize indicator; and an adhesive panel covering the area to prevent the area from being seen until the adhesive panel is removed. Any portion of the adhesive panel that is separated from the removable portion of the tag system loses its ability to adhere to the removable portion so that premature removal of the adhesive panel, in whole or in part, is detectable. | 10-17-2013 |
| 20130290083 | SYSTEM AND METHODS FOR PROVIDING ONLINE AUCTIONS WITH SWEEPSTAKES ENTRIES - A method of conducting an auction is described herein. The method includes receiving a first bid unit purchase request from a user and responsively generating at least one initial bid unit for bidding on one or more auction items displayed in the auction. The method also includes distributing at least one sweepstakes entry into a sweepstakes event to the user in response to the received purchase request, providing a sweepstakes award to the user as a function of the at least one sweepstakes entry, and allowing the user to purchase at least one addition bid unit with at least a portion of the sweepstakes award. | 10-31-2013 |
| 20130346169 | Device, Method and System for Facilitating a Transaction - The present invention relates to a device, method and system for facilitating a transaction. In particular, it relates to a drinks container lid on which is provided transaction data, such as a machine readable code. The transaction data may be entered into a mobile communications device, such as a mobile phone, by key entry or by scanning. It then may facilitate a transaction. In one embodiment, the transaction data is a programme which causes the mobile device to communicate with a remote transaction processing system to implement a transaction. | 12-26-2013 |
| 20130346170 | Customized Customer Loyalty Rewards Program Enhanced Rewards Distribution System and Method - A customer loyalty rewards program random enhanced reward distribution system and method may comprise a server ( | 12-26-2013 |
| 20140006121 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR MANAGING PROMOTIONAL OFFERS | 01-02-2014 |
| 20140012644 | SYSTEM FOR INCENTIVIZING CUSTOMER LOYALTY USING AWARDS - Customer loyalty to a retailer is incentivized using awards. Customers are incentivized to shop at a particular retail store by offering awards such as coupons or points redeemable for coupons to customers that have visited the retail store during a specified time period. A drawing or lottery can be used to select one or more winners of an award for each specified time period. Awards can be transmitted to a customer's mobile phone where the customer can redeem them upon purchasing a product. | 01-09-2014 |
| 20140019220 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR DETERMINING AND PRESENTING ACTIVITIES WITH CHANCE-BASED OUTCOMES AND ASSOCIATED REWARDS - Disclosed are methods, systems, apparatus, devices, products and other implementations, including a method that includes receiving, at one or more processor-based devices, information about at least one transaction, including information about at least one first item selected by a customer in the at least one transaction, and determining, at the one or more processor-based devices, data relating to a reward provided to the customer in response to achieving a chance-based outcome for an activity performable by the customer, the data relating to the reward determined, at least in part, based on the received information. | 01-16-2014 |
| 20140052512 | SALES BONUS REWARD SYSTEM AND METHOD - A sales bonus reward system and method includes a central controller, at least one cash register and a judgment unit. The central controller generates an accumulated award random value. The cash register generates a sales bonus after checkout of a consumption activity. The judgment unit accumulates the sales bonus to generate an accumulated sales bonus and offers the accumulated sales bonus as an incentive reward when it is greater than the accumulated award random value. Thus consumers are stimulated to spend more in order to get extra accumulated sales bonus in the consumption. As a result, business revenue can increase and profits can be boosted. | 02-20-2014 |
| 20140122200 | MARKETING PROMOTION GENERATION, MANAGEMENT, AND DISTRIBUTION - This disclosure is drawn to methods, systems, devices and/or apparatus related to generating, managing, operational management, distributing, administering, and/or analyzing simple to extremely complex marketing promotion campaigns. Specifically, the disclosed methods, systems, devices and/or apparatus relate generating, managing, distributing, administering, and/or analyzing a variety of marketing promotion campaigns simultaneously (including sweepstakes, user-generated contests, instant win campaigns, coupons, group buying promotions, sales incentives, trivia games, loyalty programs, donation promotions, and the like) on simultaneous media channels the Internet, social networks, and/or mobile platforms. There are many types of promotions, which may be combined for use in a single marketing promotion campaign. Example systems may include a promotion builder engine, a user interface design engine, a user management component, a prize management component, a rules generation engine, an award selection and notification component, and/or an analytics component. | 05-01-2014 |
| 20140129306 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS TO FACILITATE AN OFFER CAMPAIGN BASED ON THE RESULT OF A COMPETITION - Systems and methods configured to allow an offer campaign to be specified in connection with a competition on a social networking site. Users are classified into different groups based on a result of the competition; and the offer campaign provides different interaction experiences to users of different groups in accordance with the specification of the offer campaign. | 05-08-2014 |
| 20140172526 | Transaction tax collection system and method - A system and method for sale and use tax collection rate by providing a system and method including a mechanism to incent taxpayers comprising three major components: Merchants (Data Capture devices), Processors/Acquirers and the Aggregator. | 06-19-2014 |
| 20140257952 | Methods and Systems for Administering Sweepstakes Contests - Methods and systems for providing sweepstakes entries are disclosed. One disclosed method includes receiving a first transaction information from a first computing device over a network, comparing the first transaction information to a sweepstakes criteria using a sweepstakes engine to determine whether the transaction is sweepstakes eligible, allocating an available sweepstakes entry if the transaction is sweepstakes eligible, storing sweepstakes allocation information on a database server; generating sweepstakes entry information, and transmitting the sweepstakes entry information to a second computing device. | 09-11-2014 |
| 20140310078 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR PROVIDING A LOYALTY PROGRAM - The present invention relates to a method and system for providing a loyalty program. The method includes a user providing access to a server to a plurality of receipts from a plurality of providers. The server processes the receipts in order to generate benefits for the user. | 10-16-2014 |
| 20140351031 | SYSTEM AND METHODS FOR PROVIDING ONLINE AUCTIONS WITH SWEEPSTAKES ENTRIES - A system for allowing a user to participate in a sweepstakes event via user computing devices is described herein. The system includes a database including a list of sweepstakes awards and a controller coupled to the database and a user computing device. The controller is configured to receive a request to purchase a bid unit for use in bidding on one or more auction items from the user via the user computing device, distribute at least one sweepstakes entry into a sweepstakes event to the user in response to the received request, select a sweepstakes award being associated with the at least one sweepstakes entry from the list of sweepstakes awards included in the database, and transmit an award notification message to the user that is indicative of the sweepstakes award. | 11-27-2014 |
| 20140358652 | Facilitating Online Transactions - Techniques for operating a marketplace server include receiving a purchase request of a user and a payment corresponding to the purchase request from an account associated with the user. The techniques include allocating a first portion of the payment to a drawing system being comprised of a plurality of available drawings and awarding one or more entries to a user. The user can enter each entry into one of a plurality of available drawings. Each available drawing has a respective prize and having its own respective odds. The techniques also include receiving one or more user submissions, each user submission indicating a selection of one of the plurality of available drawings in which one of the one or more entries is to be entered. The techniques further include entering one of the entries of the user into a selected available drawing indicated in the user submission. | 12-04-2014 |
| 20140358653 | ELECTRONIC COMMERCE SYSTEM AND METHOD APPLYING RANDOM DISCOUNT RATE WHEN BARGAIN IS REQUESTED - The present invention relates to an electronic commerce system and method applying a random discount rate when a bargain is requested. According to the present invention, a purchaser terminal connects to an electronic commerce server and selects a product from a sales site provided by the electronic commerce server, and the electronic commerce server confirms whether or not a bargaining function of the selected product is activated. If the electronic commerce server receives a request for bargaining a price of the selected product from the purchaser terminal while the bargaining function is activated, the electronic commerce server calculates a random discount rate in response to the bargaining request, notifies the purchaser terminal of the calculated discount rate and a price of the product to which the discount rate is applied, and performs a product purchase process according to the intention of the purchaser terminal for purchasing the selected product. | 12-04-2014 |
| 20140358654 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING AN ADVERTISEMENT BY USING AN INSTANT COUPON - Provided is an advertisement providing apparatus, in particular, an apparatus for providing an advertisement using an instant coupon that provides an instant coupon including instant coupon numbers, provides an advertisement corresponding to a winning ranking when a coupon user confirms the winning ranking of the instant coupon numbers, and provides a free gift to the coupon user who watches an advertisement until the end. | 12-04-2014 |
| 20150019308 | Methods and Systems for a Multi-User Competition - A method of offering a reward customized to a user that is carried out by a processing system, including receiving a user selection of a unique identifier from a plurality of unique identifiers associated with a respective plurality of items from one or more first providers. The method further includes determining an item associated with the user selection, and offering a reward customized to such item. | 01-15-2015 |
| 20150032520 | SYSTEM AND METHODS FOR PROVIDING ONLINE AUCTIONS WITH SWEEPSTAKES ENTRIES - A system for allowing a player to participate in an auction event via a user computing device is described herein. The system includes a gaming controller, an auction controller, and a bid unit award controller. The gaming controller generates and displays a wagering game on the user computing device, generates an outcome of the game, and provides an award to the player as a function of the outcome. The auction controller generates and displays an auction on the user computing device, retrieves an auction list including a plurality of auction items, and displays the plurality of auction items on the user computing device. The bid unit award controller is configured to determine if the player has placed a wager on the wagering game and responsively provide a bid unit to the player for use in placing bids associated with auction items displayed in the auction. | 01-29-2015 |
| 20150066614 | PROMOTION WITH FRIENDS - Exemplary methods and apparatuses facilitate a promotion for users of a social networking system by receiving a promotional identifier from a user device of a first user in the social networking system and entering the first user into the promotion. Selection of a second user for participation in the promotion is received from the first user. In response to receiving an indication that the second user has completed an action within the social networking system, the likelihood of the first user winning an award or the quality of the award is increased. | 03-05-2015 |
| 20150081408 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR MANAGING PROMOTIONAL OFFERS - Through an interface of a platform, promotional offers are provided from merchants. Each promotional offer pertains to a rebate, purchase credit, reward, price discount, or other consumer offering. Association information is also automatically obtained from a social network application to identify for a first user which other platform users are members of the first user's social group. Each other user is a member of the first user's social group through the social network application, independently of use of such promotional offers. A first promotional offer is provided by the platform from a first merchant to a client device of the first user. The first promotional offer is provided or the rebate amount, purchase credit amount, reward, price discount amount, or other consumer offering of the provided first promotional offer is determined, selected or applied, based on a measure of a purchasing or platform usage activity of the other users. | 03-19-2015 |
| 20150142539 | METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR MANAGING A CUSTOMER LOYALTY PROGRAM - Method and system is disclosed for providing rewards to a loyalty program customer. The method includes receiving operating parameters for a selected computer-implemented game, receiving lottery-based information, determining odds based upon the received operating parameters and the received information, executing the selected computer-implemented game based upon the determined odds and the received operating parameters, determining a reward for the loyalty program customer based at least in part on the executing of the selected computer-implemented game, providing an offer of the reward to the loyalty program customer, and updating an account associated with the loyalty program customer based upon the providing. The method can further include changing the offer based upon distribution of information associated with the game to contacts of a user's virtual social network. | 05-21-2015 |
| 20150149266 | REWARD GRANTING SYSTEM, REWARD GRANTING METHOD, REWARD GRANTING DEVICE, REWARD GRANTING PROGRAM, REWARD-RELATED INFORMATION DISPLAY PROGRAM, AND REWARD-RELATED INFORMATION DISPLAY METHOD - A reward granting device includes a determination unit that determines whether address information from a user terminal corresponds to reward address information, a reward-related information generation unit that generates reward-related information indicating that a website indicated by the address information is a website related to reward granting when it is determined that the address information corresponds to the reward address information, and a transmitting unit that transmits the reward-related information to the user terminal. A user of the user terminal can thereby recognize that the address information in an access request is relevant to reward granting, and therefore an access to the website by the user is encouraged, motivated by reward granting. Accordingly, the opportunities to view a specific website are increased. | 05-28-2015 |
| 20150363808 | GAMIFIED AND/OR REACTIVE CONSUMER INCENTIVES FOR MASS ADOPTION OF CREDIT, CHARGE AND/OR DEBIT CARDS, AND ACCESS TOKENS, USING ONE TIME PASSWORD (OTP) AUTHENTICATION - A system and method are provided for enabling a mass audience of network-connected users of computing and mobile communicating devices to employ financial instruments, including credit cards, debit cards or other physical transaction tokens, which are enabled to engage in one-time password (or passcode) (OTP) transaction validation, to participate in contests and sweepstakes as part of the OTP-enabled transaction validation process. The disclosed schemes make use of an emerging technology that allows powered credit cards to generate unique and/or random four or more digit numbers as OTPs. The disclosed schemes gamify the use of these transaction vehicles by awarding prizes for their use. The time sensitive and randomly associated nature of the OTP provides an additional layer of security for the financial transactions. The consumer or customer is not required to memorize, for entry at the point of a transaction. | 12-17-2015 |
| 20150371250 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PROMOTING SALES AND INCREASING BRAND NAME RECOGNITION - A method for promoting sales and increasing brand recognition is provided, the method comprising: selecting brand names of products based on customer purchases enumerated on a customer receipt generated at a retail outlet; obfuscating one of said brand names on the customer receipt so as to induce a customer to attempt to guess the one of said brand name; and determining if the customer guessed correctly. Also provided is a brand-name promotional system, the system comprising a point of sale scanner for recording customer purchases at a retail outlet, a protocol for identifying product classes based on the customer purchases; game piece generator for printing indicia onto a customer receipt; wherein the indicia is an obfuscated brand name, wherein the brand name identifies goods found in the product classes; and a protocol for determining if a customer correctly guesses the brand name from the indicia. | 12-24-2015 |
| 20150379548 | Method and System for Data Processing - Methods and systems for data processing. The method includes receiving, by a computing device, data to be processed. The computing device may determine whether a random value corresponding to the data to be processed is stored in a storage medium associated with the computing device. If the random value is stored in the storage medium associated with the computing device, the computing device may process the data to be processed using the random value. If the random value is not stored in the storage medium associated with the computing device, the computing device may obtain an additional random value for the data to be processed, and process the data to be processed using the additional random value, and store the additional random value in the storage medium associated with the computing device. | 12-31-2015 |
| 20160005068 | SERVICE PROVIDING DEVICE, TERMINAL, WIRELESS CHARGING SYSTEM COMPRISING THE SAME, CONTROL METHOD THEREOF AND COMPUTER READABLE MEDIUM HAVING COMPUTER PROGRAM RECORDED THEREFOR - The present invention provides a service providing device and a terminal, a wireless charging system including the service providing device and the terminal, a control method thereof, and a computer readable medium having a computer program. That is, according to the present invention, in any one of cases when a terminal is intended to be charged by a wireless charging device, when a terminal is recognized by a wireless charging device, and when a terminal is in the BLE range of a wireless charging device, a product is selected through a corresponding terminal on the basis of product information provided from a POS terminal or a service providing device, a function of ordering the selected product is performed, and a function of paying for the selected product is performed, such that the wireless charging system can be used in more fields and more conveniently used. | 01-07-2016 |
| 20160012462 | ENHANCING USER RETENTION AND ENGAGEMENT VIA TARGETED GAMIFICATION | 01-14-2016 |
| 20160063530 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR TRANSACTING BUSINESS OVER A GLOBAL COMMUNICATIONS NETWORK SUCH AS THE INTERNET - A business model/process is described for conducting business transactions over the Internet, allowing buyers to reduce the price of the selected product/service based on the buyer's performance during a collateral activity. Sellers offer the product/service within a specified price range, and buyers accept the offer, in exchange for the opportunity to close the transaction at the lowest price offered by achieving a high score or performance rating during the collateral activity. The ultimate price is within the agreed upon range, but is determined based upon the buyer's performance and scaled to the performance at the collateral activity. The price may change throughout performance of the collateral activity, and the available price at any given time may be displayed or otherwise made available to the buyer. The price change may be continuous, at intervals, in response to certain events, etc. The activity may be a video game, electronic board game, sports bet, card game, or any other activity, and may be performed against the seller, a pre-programmed software opponent, a computer opponent, another buyer competing for the same or a different product, a player participating as a player only and not as a buyer, or anyone or anything else. | 03-03-2016 |
| 20160063571 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR DETERMINING AN AMOUNT OF TIME AN OBJECT IS WORN - Systems and methods for verifying the eligibility of players attempting to participate in gaming events are disclosed. Communication objects having RFID tags and closed electrical circuits are individually assigned to and worn by players within a gaming player verification system, which can be administered by a casino desk, hotel concierge, or other operating entity. These RFID tags are adapted to communicate with associated player tracking units attached to gaming machines and other devices via radio frequency waves, and each communication object is adapted to alter its communication pattern in response to any break of its closed electrical circuit. Bracelets, wristwatches or collars can be used as communication objects, such that the removal of such an object from a player cannot be accomplished without breaking the closed electrical circuit contained therein, thereby disabling or de-authenticating the device. Communication objects, such as bracelets, may further include patterns, colors, designs, or other markings to indicate a player status. A computer server having a player verification program and database may also be used. | 03-03-2016 |
| 20160078462 | KIOSK MARKETING PROMOTION SYSTEM AND METHOD - A kiosk marketing promotion system includes a retail kiosk to hold and display one or more stored value cards, and a kiosk computing device to be housed and supported by the retail kiosk. The computing device has a display screen for playing an interactive marketing promotion video on the display screen to play advertising content associated with the stored value cards displayed by the retail kiosk. The interactive marketing promotion video also receives, from the consumer, personal information associated with the consumer, and when the personal information is received, determine whether the consumer wins a prize according to a specified probability, the prize comprising at least one of the stored value cards displayed by the retail kiosk. | 03-17-2016 |
| 20160086210 | METHOD FOR PROVIDING SHOPPING MALL AND SERVER SYSTEM THEREFORE - A method for providing a shopping mall is provided. The method includes receiving a request for a multi-party goods sale contest, proceeding with the multi-party goods sale contest when the contest is established in response to the request, analyzing a contest result in consideration of a sale record after a predetermined time lapses, determining a goods sale rank of the plurality of sellers based on the analyzed sale result, and giving different benefits to buyers purchasing goods of the plurality of sellers according to the determined sale rank. | 03-24-2016 |
| 20160098787 | Method and System for an Electronic Auction - The invention comprises a method and system which will simultaneously display a plurality of electronic bidding fee auctions. Users may simultaneously place at least one bid on each of the displayed electronic auctions using a single action, such as a single mouse click, keyboard stroke, or the pressing of a touch screen monitor. At least one bid is then placed in each auction. Each of the displayed auctions may end at different times and, as they end and a winner is notified, each ended auction is immediately replaced by another auction such that continuous bidding is not interrupted. | 04-07-2016 |
| 20160110748 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR SHARING A PRIZE PROMOTION - The present invention creates a system and method for sharing a prize promotion. The present system comprises various mutual aid groups, a test question bank, and a set of executive and controlling programs. The present system and method can group a plurality of small businesses together by recruiting them in the mutual aid group to jointly run the collective prize promotional campaign. The mutual aid group is created by the administrator of the system or is initiated by a business, and other businesses may request for joining the mutual aid group when the mutual aid group is recruiting. The test question bank includes a lot of test questions, puzzles, and games being used to test the skills of entrants in the promotional contest. The executive programs are to perform the tasks of grouping lots of small businesses together and running the collective prize promotional campaign through the mutual aid group and the test question bank. The controlling programs are to control the executive processes and the transformation of the processes. The present system and method enables the very small business to run the large prize promotion of offering million prizes as a large business can do. Moreover, the integration of both the mutual aid groups and the test question bank makes it easier to run the promotional contest, and greatly cut down the operative cost of the prize promotion. | 04-21-2016 |
| 20160196569 | MESSAGE CONTROL SYSTEM | 07-07-2016 |
