System to manage automated prize value accumulation and distribution

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9224148-B2
Application number	US-21450705-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 29, 2005
Priority date	Aug 29, 2005
Publication date	Dec 29, 2015
Grant date	Dec 29, 2015

Abstract

A system to manage prize accumulation and distribution includes an interface to receive publication data from a publishing user. The publication data is to be published by the computer system. The interface further receives a prize contribution value, at the computer system and from the publishing user, in exchange for the presentation of an opportunity to win a cumulative prize. The opportunity to win the cumulative prize is to be presented by the computer system in conjunction with the publication of the publication data. A publication module is to electronically publish the publication data on behalf of the publishing user, and is to electronically present the opportunity to win the cumulative prize in conjunction with the publication of the publication data. A prize processing module is to calculate a value of the cumulative prize, based on a cumulative contribution of prize contribution values received from a plurality of publishing users.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system comprising:
an interface to receive:
publication data at a computer system from a publishing user;
an indication from the publishing user that the publication data is opted into a prize scheme;
a publication value, from the publishing user, to publish the publication data; and
a prize contribution value, from the publishing user, the prize contribution value being an opt-in fee for the prize scheme that causes display of an opportunity to win a prize in conjunction with the publication of the publication data, the prize contribution value being distinct from the publication value to publish the publication data; and
a condition that is to be satisfied by a viewing user as a prerequisite to causing display of the opportunity to win the prize; and

a publication module comprising at least one processor to:
receive a search query from the viewing user;
verify that the viewing user satisfies the received condition;
determine a plurality of instances of publication data that match the search query including the publication data from the publishing user; and
electronically publish a list of the plurality of instances of the publication data that match the search query including the publication data of the publishing user to an interface of a viewing user, the list visually distinguishing a first set of the plurality of instances of the publication data that are opted into the prize scheme from a second set of the plurality of instances of the publication data not opted into the prize scheme, the publication data containing data that is distinct from the indication of the opportunity to win the prize.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the prize is a cumulative prize and the system includes a prize processing module to calculate a value of the cumulative prize based on a cumulative contribution of prize contribution values received from a plurality of publishing users.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the interface is to receive further publication data at the computer system from the plurality of publishing users, and is to receive, from the plurality of publishing users, the prize contribution values on which the value of the cumulative prize is based.

4. The system of claim 2 , wherein the prize processing module is to allocate a first portion of the prize contribution value received from the publishing user to the value of the cumulative prize, and to allocate a second portion of the prize contribution value received from the publishing user to a prize scheme operator.

5. The system of claim 2 , wherein the prize processing module is automatically to determine that a viewing user has won the cumulative prize, and is to allocate at least a first portion of the value of cumulative prize to the viewing user.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the prize processing module is automatically to allocate at least a second portion of the value of the cumulative prize to the publishing user.

7. The system of claim 2 , wherein the prize processing module, responsive to the receipt of the prize contribution value from the publishing user, is automatically to allocate at least a first portion of the prize contribution value to the value of the cumulative prize, thereby generating an updated value of the cumulative prize, the publication module automatically to present the updated value of the cumulative prize in real-time.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the publication module is to electronically present a number of opportunities to win the prize in conjunction with the publication of the publication data, the number of opportunities presented by the publication module being dependent upon the prize contribution value.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the search query comprises a search for publication data describing a good or service sought to be purchased by the viewing user.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the interface is to receive, from the publishing user, the publication value in exchange for the publication of the publication data by the computer system.

11. The system of claim 1 , wherein the computer system comprises a network-based publication system.

12. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
the condition that is to be satisfied is a time period, and
the viewing user receives the indication of the opportunity to win the prize during the time period.

13. The system of claim 1 , wherein the condition that is to be satisfied by the viewing user pertains to a manner in which the viewing user transacts to purchase an item related to the publication data.

14. The system of claim 1 , wherein the condition that is to be satisfied by the viewing user pertains to a qualification of the viewing user.

15. The system of claim 1 , wherein the publication module is to present the indication of the opportunity to win the prize to the viewing user responsive to the viewing user complying with the condition.

16. The system of claim 1 , wherein the opportunity to win the price compromises an entry into a lottery scheme.

17. The system of claim 1 , wherein the opportunity to win the prize comprises an instant win opportunity, in terms of which the viewing user instantly determines whether the prize has been won.

18. The system of claim 1 , wherein the publication module is to present the value of the prize to a viewing user.

19. The system of claim 1 , wherein the publication module is to display the value of the prize in association with the publication data, responsive to the receipt of the prize contribution value from the publishing user.

20. The system of claim 1 , wherein the publication module is further to:
receiving a selection of the publication data of the publishing user from the list;
determining whether a condition under which the publication module is to present the indication of the opportunity to win the prize indicated by the publishing user is satisfied by the viewing user that selected the publication data of the publishing user; and
in response to the condition indicated by the publishing user being satisfied, publishing the opportunity to win the prize to the viewing user in conjunction with the publication data of the publishing user, the publication data containing data that is distinct from the indication of the opportunity to win the prize.

21. The system of claim 1 , wherein the search query comprises a keyword search and the publication module is to
determine the plurality of instances of publication data that match the keyword search.

22. A computer-implemented method comprising:
receiving publication data at a computer system from a publishing user;
receiving, from the publishing user, a publication value to publish the publication data, a prize contribution value, and an indication that the publication data is opted into a prize scheme, the prize contribution value being an opt-in fee for the prize scheme that causes presentation to an interface of a viewing user of an indication of an opportunity to win a prize, the indication of the opportunity to win the prize to be presented to the viewing user in conjunction with the publication of the publication data, the prize contribution value being distinct from the publication value to publish the publication data;
receiving, from the publishing user, a condition that is to be satisfied by the viewing user as a prerequisite to causing display of the opportunity to win the prize;
receiving a search query from the viewing user;
verifying that the viewing user sati

Assignees

• Monahan Jay
• Ebay Inc

Inventors

• Monahan Jay

Classifications

• G06Q30/06

  Buying, selling or leasing transactions · CPC title

• G07F17/3244

  Payment aspects of a gaming system, e.g. payment schemes, setting payout ratio, bonus or consolation prizes · CPC title

• G06Q30/02 Primary

  Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising · CPC title

• G07F17/329

  Regular and instant lottery, e.g. electronic scratch cards · CPC title

• G07F17/3241 Primary

  Security aspects of a gaming system, e.g. detecting cheating, device integrity, surveillance (computer security G06F21/00) · CPC title