Patent ID: 8021221
Filing Date: 2011-09-20
Classification: G06Q,G07F,G09B

Abstract:
1. A method for conducting computer programming competitions, comprising: registering a plurality of contestants with a server by receiving from each contestant an alias for the contestant and associating with the alias, information about the contestant, the alias for use by the contestant in multiple computer programming competitions wherein a number of contestants in each round are invited to participate in the next round based on their submissions and wherein one or more initial rounds are conducted over an internet, and a later round is conducted in person with multiple contestants in the same location; and in each of two or more computer programming competitions: associating the contestants with their respective aliases; communicating, by a server via a network, a plurality of computer programming problems to each of the plurality of registered contestants in the computer programming competition; receiving submissions via the network from the registered contestants, each submission solving one of the plurality of computer programming problems and associated with said alias; automatically evaluating, by a competition server, each one of the submissions to determine whether the submissions demonstrate a solution to the computer programming problems; automatically awarding, by a competition server, points to the contestants based on the evaluation of their respective submissions; and designating as the computer programming competition winner(s), the contestant(s) who submitted the submission(s) resulting in the greatest number of points, the contestant(s) identified by his (their) respective alias(es).