Abstract:
An apparatus, computer program product, method and system are disclosed for directing a contestant in a competition through a series of puzzles to find a hidden item of value using digitized clues wirelessly transmitted to the contestant using SMS messaging. The digitized clues are transmitted sequentially to contestants in accordance with each contestant&#39;s, or team of contestants&#39;, satisfaction of performance benchmarks in the competition. Certain embodiments of the present invention include substitute means of generating and transmitting clues, as well as of collecting contestant performance data.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    This invention relates to games and entertainment, and more particularly relates to a system and computer program product for directing a contestant in a competition to an item of value using wirelessly transmitted clues. 
         [0003]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0004]    Reality television programs have steadily grown in popularity for more than decade. Over time, the most successful reality television programs have pitted contestants against each other in various genres of competitions for one or more prizes awaiting the winner, including competitions for the affection of a man or woman, for recording contracts with prominent record labels, or for employment with high profile organizations. 
         [0005]    While the contestants in some of these competitions are advised or assisted in the competition by judges or counselors, the art does not teach competitions in which the contestants are directed electronically by a computer program product from one physical location to another in pursuit of a prize. 
         [0006]    People across the world enjoy entertaining themselves with video games managed exclusively by computer program products which impose rules upon game participants in virtual environments. People across the world also enjoy watching sports and competitions managed manually by organizations and individuals imposing rules upon game participants in real-world environments. There are, however, no games in the industry which comprise computer programs that manage, and impose rules upon, game participants competing for a prize in a real-world environment by distributing clues to them electronically, which clues allow the contestants to continue their participation. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    From the foregoing discussion, it should be apparent that a need exists for a system, apparatus and computer program product for directing contestant through a competition using wirelessly transmitted clues. The present invention has been developed in response to the present state of the art; and, in particular, in response to the problems and needs in the art that have not yet been fully solved by currently available methods, systems and apparatii, and that overcome many or all of the above-discussed shortcomings in the art. Accordingly, the present invention has been developed to provide an apparatus, computer program product, and system for directing a contestant through a competition using wirelessly transmitted clues. 
         [0008]    A system is disclosed that remotely directs a game contestant to the location of a prize, the system comprising: a persistent computer readable storage; and an incorporation module configured to incorporate a contestant into a virtual game framework, the incorporation module configured to store the contestant&#39;s name and mobile phone number in a database record in the persistent computer readable storage, the incorporation module configured to verify a contestant&#39;s name and registration by messaging the contestant wirelessly using one of a Short Message Service (SMS) and a Multimedia Message Service (MMS). 
         [0009]    The system further comprises a distributor module configured to effectuate a wireless distribution to the contestant of a digitized clue stored in persistent storage with a plurality of digitized clues, the digitized clue indicative of the physical location of one or more items of value ensconced with a confirmation code, the digitized clue distributed in response to receipt of SMS from the contestant that satisfies a confirmation code exclusively associated with the digitized clue; a receiver module configured to await SMS receipt the confirmation code sent by the contestant; and a measurement module configured to measure contestant game performance, the measurement module configured to measure one or more of: the time that elapses between transmission of a digitized clue to the contestant and receipt of the confirmation number associated with the digitized clue, mileage traveled by the contestant, and points accumulated by the contestant, relative rank of the contestant. 
         [0010]    The system also comprises a transmitter module configured to interface with a social networking website, the transmitter module configured to transmit one or more measurements of contestant performance data to the social networking website. 
         [0011]    In some embodiments, the incorporation module is further configured to await a reply SMS message from the contestant before incorporating the contestant into the virtual game framework. In some embodiments, the incorporation module awaits a reply sent to short code telephone number. 
         [0012]    In still further embodiments, the contestant is virtually grouped into one of a plurality of contestant groups in accordance with a predetermined algorithm in which one or more factors comprise measurements of contestant&#39;s game performance. In various embodiments, the digitized clues are distributed sequentially in accordance with a predetermined sequence to each contestant in a contestant group in the plurality of contestant groups. 
         [0013]    In other embodiments, the measurement module is in communication with a Global Positioning System (GPS) in possession of the contestant. In still other embodiments, the receiver module is configured to await one or more of: SMS receipt the confirmation code sent by the contestant, RFID confirmation of contestant presence at a predetermined location, GPS confirmation of contestant presence at a predetermined location or magnetic card swipe. 
         [0014]    The incorporation module may also be configured to incorporate a team of contestants into a single database record. The digitized clue may be randomly selected from the plurality of digitized clues. 
         [0015]    The system may comprise a tallying module configured to receive and tally votes communicated telephonically by third-parties tracking contestant performance, the tallying module storing vote tallies in the persistent computer storage. 
         [0016]    The digitized clue may be transmitted to the contestant accumulating the highest vote tally, and may comprise an automatic call distributor (ACD). The confirmation code may be relayed by the contestant to the receiver module telephonically with DTMF signaling. 
         [0017]    The system may comprise an IVR platform configured to recognize oral recitation of the confirmation code by the contestant. The transmitter module may be further configured to transmit one or more measurements of contestant performance data electronically to a television network. 
         [0018]    The item of value may comprise a pool of money that grows in direct proportion to the amount of viewers garnered by the television network broadcasting a television program comprising contestant performance data and commentary on the game. 
         [0019]    The value of the item of value may grow with the number of participants. 
         [0020]    Alternatively, the confirmation code may be stored at the location of the prize is generated by a computer device. The receiver module may also be further configured to acknowledge receipt of the confirmation code in response to correct transmission of the confirmation receipt and further configured to inform the contestant of non-confirmation of the confirmation code in response to incorrect transmission of the confirmation code. 
         [0021]    A computer program product is also disclosed, comprising a memory device, which computer program product is configured to perform operations that closely mirror the functions imparted to the system recited above. Additionally, an apparatus to direct contestants through a competition by wirelessly transmitting clues which comprises modules functionally similar to those of the system is disclosed. 
         [0022]    Reference throughout this specification to features, advantages, or similar language does not imply that all of the features and advantages that may be realized with the present invention should be or are in any single embodiment of the invention. Rather, language referring to the features and advantages is understood to mean that a specific feature, advantage, or characteristic described in connection with an embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus, discussion of the features and advantages, and similar language, throughout this specification may, but do not necessarily, refer to the same embodiment. 
         [0023]    Furthermore, the described features, advantages, and characteristics of the invention may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. One skilled in the relevant art will recognize that the invention may be practiced without one or more of the specific features or advantages of a particular embodiment. In other instances, additional features and advantages may be recognized in certain embodiments that may not be present in all embodiments of the invention. 
         [0024]    These features and advantages of the present invention will become more fully apparent from the following description and appended claims, or may be learned by the practice of the invention as set forth hereinafter. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0025]    In order that the advantages of the invention will be readily understood, a more particular description of the invention will be rendered by reference to specific embodiments that are illustrated in the appended drawings. Understanding that these drawings depict only typical embodiments of the invention and are not therefore to be considered to be limiting of its scope, the invention will be described and explained with additional specificity and detail through the use of the accompanying drawings, in which: 
           [0026]      FIG. 1  is an entity-relationship diagram illustrating one embodiment of a system that directs a contestant through a competition using wirelessly transmitted clues in accordance with the present invention; 
           [0027]      FIG. 2  is an entity-relationship diagram illustrating one embodiment of a system that directs a contestant through a competition using wirelessly transmitted clues in accordance with the present invention; 
           [0028]      FIG. 3  is a block diagram illustrating another embodiment of an apparatus for directing a contestant through a competition using wirelessly transmitted clues in accordance with the present invention; and 
           [0029]      FIG. 4  is a flow chart of a method of directing a contestant through a competition using wirelessly transmitted clues in accordance with the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0030]    Reference throughout this specification to “one embodiment,” “an embodiment,” or similar language means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Appearances of the phrases “in one embodiment,” “in an embodiment,” and similar language throughout this specification may, but do not necessarily, all refer to the same embodiment. 
         [0031]    The described features, structures, or characteristics of the invention may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. In the following description, numerous specific details are provided. One skilled in the relevant art will recognize, however, that the invention may be practiced without one or more of the specific details, or with other methods, components, materials, and so forth. In other instances, well-known structures, materials, or operations are not shown or described in detail to avoid obscuring aspects of the invention. The apparatus modules recited in the claims may be configured to impart the recited functionality to the apparatus. 
         [0032]      FIG. 1  is an entity-relationship diagram illustrating one embodiment of a system  100  that directs a contestant through a competition using wirelessly transmitted clues in accordance with the present invention. The system  100  comprises a server  102 , an SMS gateway provider  104 , a wireless network  106 , an IVR  108 , a persistent storage  109 , a measurement module  112 , a digitized clue library  114 , contestant records  116 , measurement data  118 , a social networking website  120 , and a television network  122 . A contestant  110  and observer  124  interact with the system  100 . 
         [0033]    Those of skill in the art recognize that the system  100  may be more simple or complex than illustrated so long as the system  100  includes modules or sub-systems that correspond to those described herein. The server  102  may comprise a computer program running on one or more data processing devices (DPDs), such as a server, computer workstation, router, mainframe computer, or the like. In various embodiments, the DPD comprises one or more processors. The processor is a computing device well-known to those in the art and may include an application-specific integrated circuit (“ASIC”). 
         [0034]    Typically, the server  102  comprises one or more central processing units executing software and/or firmware to control and manage the other components within the system  100 . In one embodiment, the server  102  comprises hardware and/or software more commonly referred to as a Multiple Virtual Storage (MVS), OS/390, zSeries/Operating System (z/OS), UNIX, Linux, or Windows system  100 . 
         [0035]    In the shown embodiment, the server  102  creates contest records  116  from information gathered telephonically from a contestant  110  communicating with the server  102  wirelessly through an SMS Gateway Provider  104  using a Short Message Service (SMS) or Multimedia Message Service (MMS) message. Alternatively, the server  102  may be in logical communication with contestants  110  through a networked environment, such as local area network (LAN) or wide area network (WAN), including the wireless network  106 . 
         [0036]    In alternative embodiments, the contestant  110  communicates with the server  102  using other wireless personal DPDs such as laptops, Smart Phones, Palm Pilots®, GPS signaling devices, digital cameras, personal gaming system, and the like. 
         [0037]    The server  102  is in logical communication, or networked communication, via the Internet (shown as wireless network  106 ) with one or more social networking websites  120  and/or one or more television networks  122 . 
         [0038]    The information gathered by the system  100  and stored in contestant records  116  in persistent storage  109  comprises, in some embodiments, IP addresses, names, email addresses, phone numbers, ages, and demographic information, including sex, race, income, and socioeconomic status. This information, in some embodiments, is input wirelessly using SMSs. 
         [0039]    The server  102  may comprise, internally or externally, an Interactive Voice Response (IVR)  108 , which recognizes verbal and keypad input from callers and enables contestants  110  to input information to the IVR  102  in the form of natural voice communication or DTMF keypad input. 
         [0040]    The persistent storage  109  also stores a library of digitized clues  114 . In the shown embodiment, the digitized clue library  114  comprises a plurality of textually displayable digitized clues stored as text in computer readable files transmittable over a signal bearing medium. In the shown embodiment, the digitized clues are stored in database format and are further described below in relation to  FIG. 2 . 
         [0041]    The measurement module  112  measures contestant performance data, or measurement data  118 , such as the amount of time that elapses between distribution of a digitized clue to a contestant  110  and receipt of a confirmation code exclusively associated with that digitized clue. The measurement data  118  may also comprise a tally of the number of digitized clues that have been properly deciphered by one or more contestants  110 , mileage traveled by one or more contestants  110 , subsequent clarifying clues (or cheats) that a contestant  110  requests from the server  102  or that the server  102  distributes to one or more contestants  110 , and the like. The measurement data  118  may be determinative, dispositive, or partially determinative of which of a plurality of contestants  110  is ultimately chosen by the server  102  or third-parties as the winner of the competition. 
         [0042]    Alternatively, the server  102  may communicate with observers  124  using Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP), Internet Message Access Protocol (IMAP), Post Office Protocol (POP), or other protocols well-known to those of skill in the art. 
         [0043]    The contestant  110  may comprise any individual, organization, or group of individuals and/or organizations, including a man, woman, child, husband and wife, executive, athlete, or vagrant interested in competing in the competition, and the like. 
         [0044]    The contestants  110  may be grouped into teams, the composition of which may be determined by the server  102 , voters, observers  124 , third-parties, or the contestants  110  themselves. The teams may comprise contestants  110  of similarly situated racial, sexual, familial, geographic, economic or socioeconomic statii. 
         [0045]    The persistent storage  109  provides persistent storage of data. In particular, the persistent storage  109  stores computer readable database files, including a library of digitized clues  114  and contestant records  116 , which comprise information about contestants  110  who have been incorporated into a virtual game structure (i.e. virtual competition structure or virtual game framework). 
         [0046]      FIG. 2  is an entity-relationship diagram illustrating one embodiment of a system  200  that directs a contestant through a competition using wirelessly transmitted clues in accordance with the present invention. The system  200  comprises a server  102 , a phone  202   a , a phone  202   b , a phone  202   c , registration information  204 , GPS data  206 , a confirmation code  210   a , a digitized clue  212   a , a confirmation code  210   a , and a digitized clue  212   a . Contestants  110   a - c  interact with the system  200 . 
         [0047]    The phones  202   a - c  are substantially described above in relation to  FIG. 1 . 
         [0048]    The GPS data  206  comprises Global Positioning System (GPS) information identifying a contestant&#39;s  110  physical location. A GPS module may be comprised by the phones  202   a - c.    
         [0049]    The digitized clues  212   a - b  are described generally above in relation to  FIG. 1  and more specifically described below. The digitized clues  212   a - b  are indicative of the physical location of an item of value. The digitized clues  212   a - b  are stored in the library of digital clues  114 . The digitized clues  212   a - b  may directly denote the location of an item of value, or merely suggest the location. The digitized clues  212   a - b  comprise computer readable files stored in persistent storage  109  and transmittable over a signal bearing medium. 
         [0050]    The digitized clues  212   a - b  may comprise passwords, user names, encryption codes, hash keys, GPS coordinates, names, places, or colors. The digitized clues  212   a - b  may merely be indicative of a sequence, order, or organization that can imposed on another dataset, such as numbers gathered by contestants  110  in the field or given to them by the server  102 . 
         [0051]    Alternatively, the digitized clues  212   a - b  may be indicative of a piece of information necessary to solving a larger puzzle, such as a crossword puzzle, maze. The digitized clues  114  may comprise acronyms, anagrams, bilingual words, and the like. 
         [0052]    In some embodiments of the present invention, one or more observers  124  vote for a winner of the competition telephonically, which votes are tallied by the server  102  and determinative of the winner, or a factor used by the system  200  in determining the winner. 
         [0053]    In other embodiments, the server  102  determines the winner by identifying the contest  110  with the highest relative position, or rank, with respect to other participants. 
         [0054]    The item of value may comprise any item, or piece of information, of value. The item of value may comprise gold, money, consumer goods, or even another clue. 
         [0055]    Located with each item of value is a confirmation code  210 , discoverable by contestants  110  only upon finding the item of value. 
         [0056]    The system  200  determines, in some embodiments, that a contestant  110  has discovered the item of value by awaiting an SMS from the contestant  110  containing the confirmation code found with the item of value. In other embodiments, the contestant  110  scans a QR Code printed on, or affixed to or near, the item of value. In still further embodiments, the contestant  110  activates a passive or active RFID tag located with the item of value. In still further embodiments, the contestant  110  swipes a magnetic card exclusively in the contestant&#39;s  110  possession through a swiping apparatus located with the item of value. 
         [0057]    In the shown embodiment, contest  110   b  and contestant  110   c  transmit the confirmation code  212   a  and confirmation code  212   b  respectively to the server  102 . After receiving the confirmation codes  212   a - b , and verifying their authenticity, the server  102  relays digitized clue  212   a  and digitized clue  212   b  to contestant  110   b  and contestant  110   c  respectively. Digitized clue  212   a  and digitized clue  212   b  comprise textualized clues and are serialized in the digitized clue library  114  to add sequence to the plurality of digitized clues  114  for ordering their distribution to contestants  110 . 
         [0058]    The digitized clues  212  may serialized numerically, as hash codes and/or in a has table, with ASCII, or through other methods, with the serialization formatted in persistent memory  109  in database columns in the digitized clue library  114 . 
         [0059]      FIG. 3  is a block diagram illustrating another embodiment of an apparatus  300  for directing a contestant through a competition using wirelessly transmitted clues in accordance with the present invention. The apparatus  300  comprises persistent storage  109 , an incorporation module  302 , a distributor module  304 , a receiver module  306 , a measurement module  308 , a grouping module  310 , a tallying module  312 , a webs server  314 , a relational database management system (RDBMS)  316 , an interactive voice response (IVR)  318 , a generation module  320 , and a randomizer  322 . 
         [0060]    The persistent storage  109  and IVR  318  is substantially described above in relation to  FIGS. 1-2 . 
         [0061]    The modules of apparatus  300  are configured to substantially perform the operations and functions of the systems  100  and  200  above. 
         [0062]    The incorporation module  302  incorporates contestants  110  into the virtual game framework. In some embodiments, the incorporation module  302  will only incorporate contestants  110  in the virtual competition structure who have been invited to incorporate using electronic means well-known to those of skill in the art, including email. 
         [0063]    Contestants may be incorporated into the virtual game framework by filling about a questionnaire made available to them via the wireless network  106 . In some embodiments, a predetermined number of contestants  110  are randomly chosen for incorporation from a group of individuals in concurrent wireless communication with server  102 . 
         [0064]    The distributor module  304  distributes digitized clues  212  to contestants  111  wireless as substantially described above in relation to  FIGS. 1-2 . 
         [0065]    The measurement module  112  is in logical communication with the server  102 , and gathers contestant measurement data  118 . The measurement module  112  relays this measurement data to a television network  122  using means well-known to those of skill in the art. In alternate embodiments, the measurement module  112  additionally or alternatively relays measurement data  118  to a social networking website, such as FaceBook®, Twitter®, MySpace®, and the like, where it can be made available to users integrated as virtual friends or enemies into one or more accounts with the social networking site. 
         [0066]    Further embodiments of the apparatus  300  may also comprise a determination module which determines the winner of the competition. The winning contestant may be determined using a predetermined algorithm reliant on one or more parameters of measurement data  118  and/or vote tallies. 
         [0067]    The apparatus  300  comprises, in some embodiments, a Relational Database Management System (RDBMS) for managing computer readable files saved in database format in persistent storage  109  and/or the measurement module  112 , including IBM DB2®, SQL®, Oracle® and the like. 
         [0068]    The grouping module groups contestants  110  into team as described above. 
         [0069]    The tallying module tallies votes submitted by observers  124 . 
         [0070]    The web server  314  is substantially described above as the server  102 , and may include Apache® and other software applications well-known to those of skill in the art. 
         [0071]    The generation module  320  generates information needed by the virtual game framework, including conformation codes  210 . Confirmation codes  210  generated by the generation module may be encrypted and placed with the item of value by the server on a digital display using means well-known to those of skill in the art. 
         [0072]    In some embodiments of the present invention, the generation module  320  generates a physical location for placement of the item of value. In still further embodiments, the generation module  320  is configured to generate, or assist in generating, one or more digitized clues  212  for distribution to the contestants  110 . 
         [0073]    The randomizer  322  randomly picks a digitized clue  212  from the digitized clue library  114  for distribution to one or more contestants  110  in some embodiments, or randomly picks a digitized clue  212  from a group of digitized clues  212  not yet distributed to any contestant  110  incorporated into the virtual game framework. 
         [0074]      FIG. 4  is a flow chart of a method  400  of directing a contestant through a competition using wirelessly transmitted clues in accordance with the present invention. 
         [0075]    The method  400  begins  402  when a contestant is incorporated  404  into a virtual competition framework. In some embodiments, the contestant  110  is incorporated  404  after the contestant  110  is electronically invited to register for the competition. The contest  110  registers with a series of SMSs in some embodiments using a cellular phone  202 . 
         [0076]    The method  400  proceeds by checking  406  whether or not there are digitized clues  212  in the library of digitized clue  114  which have not yet been distributed to a contestant  110 , or which have yet to be distributed to any of a plurality of contestants  110 , including a team of contestants. 
         [0077]    If there is an undistributed digitized clue  212  in the library of digitized clues  114 , the method proceeds by distributing  408  the undistributed digitized clue  212 . In some embodiments, the digitized clue  212  which is distributed is distributed in accordance with a predetermined sequence. In other embodiments, the digitized clue  212  is distributed randomly. In still further embodiments, the digitized clue  212  may be a bonus clue, which is distributed only to a contestant  110  that has accumulated a certain quantity of points, or exceeded a predetermined performance threshold. 
         [0078]    The method  400  proceeds by measuring  410  contestant performance data  118  as substantially described above in relation to  FIGS. 1-3 . 
         [0079]    The method  400  then awaits  412  receipt of the confirmation code  210  as substantially described above in relation to  FIGS. 1-3 . 
         [0080]    Once the confirmation code  210  is received, the method  400  proceeds by checking  416  whether or not the confirmation code  210  is accurate. If the confirmation code  210  is not accurate, the method  400  returns to step  410  and continues measuring contestant  210  performance. 
         [0081]    If the confirmation code  210  is confirmed upon receipt, the method  400  returns to step  406  and determines  406  whether or not there are still undistributed digitized clues  212  in the library of digitized clues  114 . If there are not undistributed digitized clues  114 , then the method  400  proceeds and determines  418  a winner and notifies  420  the other contestants  110  incorporated into the competition of the identity of the winner. In some embodiments, observers  124 , one or more television networks  122 , and/or social networking websites are simultaneously notified of the determination  418  of a winner. 
         [0082]    Finally, the method  400  terminates  422 . 
         [0083]    The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from its spirit or essential characteristics. The described embodiments are to be considered in all respects only as illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the invention is, therefore, indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description. All changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are to be embraced within their scope.