Abstract:
A method and apparatus that collects demographics from contestants using ubiquitous Internet devices or a new slot machine on a casino floor. Contestants are given the opportunity to earn points that they can redeem for various prizes that are of interest to them. A plurality of prizes can be selected from a plurality of categories. As the contestants play games of chance, a pool of advertisements is presented to the contestants. Advertisements from the pool are selected in accordance with each contestants buying propensity. As contestants play games of chance, the system infers additional propensities of each user and stores this for later reduction. The reduced data is then sold as marketing data together with a list of system users that comprises name, address, phone number and e-mail addresses and the like. The system is implemented using a client-server paradigm. A server maintains databases needed to track all of the contestants that register with the system. The client devices, including the new slot machine, use a standard web browser as a means to retrieve and display web pages to the contestant. Most web pages have an attached java-script program that implements the functionality of the present invention. Other web pages that contestants encounter comprise a shell for a Java applet that embodies a game of chance. The Java applet that implement games of chance are universal in distribution relying on the web browser to homogenize the user interface across a wide range of hardware platforms. The ubiquitous Internet devices and slot machine are connected to the games either through a wired or wireless network.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     This application is a Continuation-in-Part of U.S. Ser. No. 10/089,973 filed Apr. 3, 2002. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     1. Technical Field  
         [0003]     This invention pertains to the field of gambling apparatus and methods and to the field of demographics collection and dissemination.  
         [0004]     2. Description of the Prior Art  
         [0005]     Throughout recorded history, humankind has always been fascinated with the notion of winning great gains by wagering their belongings. The fundamental notion of winning money has remained unchanged over the millennia. In this country&#39;s early history, the gaming business turned to technology as a source of improved gaming methods and apparatus; all in an effort to further entice customers to drop their coins in the “one-armed bandit”.  
         [0006]     Computer technology has really fueled modern gaming trends. Casinos throughout the nation, as well as throughout the world, were quick to embrace gaming machines based on new technology enabled by microprocessors. In the prior art, microprocessors really gave the slot machines a new look. Gone are the mechanical tumblers and spinning cylinders. Slot machines now included a wide array of exciting new display technologies, such as color cathode ray tubes (CRTs) and liquid crystal displays (LCDs). These provide visually stimulating and attractive interfaces that draw potential gamblers.  
         [0007]     Gaming systems are now no longer limited to the casino environment. In fact, through the use of wide area computer networks, anybody that can use a web browser and understands the basic precepts of a graphical user interface can interact with a remote gaming system. In the prior art, there has been a significant proliferation of Internet based gaming systems that resemble casino style games-of-chance. Early gaming web sites allowed computer users to play just about any wagering game imaginable. Barring local statutes and ordinances to the contrary, gaming web sites also let computer users wager real money just like Las Vegas.  
         [0008]     Whether in the traditional gambling parlor, or on a gambling web-site presented over the Internet, the prior art of gaming apparatus had several distinct limitations. First, the prior art microprocessor based slot machine could not adapt to a specific user in order to capitalize on that user&#39;s specific spending tendencies. Another drawback that all prior art gaming apparatus exhibit is that these prior art devices presume that all contestants are interested in winning money. Money may in fact not be the principal motivator for all gamblers. Traditional gambling houses have long recognized the fact that other prizes and promotions are needed to cater to the more sophisticated mentality of the present day gambler. As a result, many casinos now place specialized gaming machines on the casino floor. These allow gamblers to win other prizes such as cars or vacations.  
         [0009]     Failing to recognize the captivity of their gambling audience, prior art gaming systems did not consider other profit mechanisms that could be employed as gamblers sit in front of slot machines. Because the contestants are, in essence, a captive audience, prior art gaming systems could have displayed other information to the contestant such as advertisements or interesting announcements. Casinos could realize an additional source of revenue by selling advertising opportunities to sponsoring advertisers.  
         [0010]     Yet another shortcoming of prior art gaming machines is that they could not profile their users. By allowing users to fill out questionnaires, a gaming system could be tailored to a specific user in order to maintain a high level of interest in the gaming experience. Of course, by maintaining interest in the game gamblers are apt to play longer resulting in greater revenues for the casino. This secondary level of interaction with a gaming user can also be a source of demographic data. Demographics collected during a gaming session could also be sold to third parties as marketing data.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0011]     The present invention comprises a method and apparatus that allows targets advertisements to a user based on demographics that the user exhibits. Generally, personal information about the user is received from number of sources and then store in a database. Presenting advertisements occurs contemporaneously with game play. In the present embodiment, each game integrates the advertisements in such manner as to make the playing experience more enjoyable. As a user plays the game, the present invention correlates personal attributes for the user with advertisements that are also stored in a database.  
         [0012]     The present invention further comprises a method and apparatus that can target advertisement based on observations the system makes with respect to the users activities. Specifically, as a user plays a game, the user can select prizes that are of interest and can spend points in order to improve the probability that a prize will be awarded. Inferences can be drawn from these activities that result in a propensity profile for the user. These propensity profiles can also be used to target advertisements to specific users.  
         [0013]     Advertisements are presented in a number of forms including, but not limited to simple graphical images, animated graphics, audio and video clips and even multimedia presentations. Each advertisement further comprises a hyperlink to an advertisers web site. This hyperlink, when activated, will retrieve additional information that the advertiser wants to convey. The additional information, usually incorporated into a web page, can also take of the forms that advertisements can take on, that being graphic images, animated graphics, video clips and multimedia presentations. This enumeration is intended to be illustrative and is not intended to limit the scope of the claims.  
         [0014]     Another novel aspect of the present invention is that the games that are presented to users for play are themselves highly personalized to meet the tastes and preferences of the those users. Initially, the game can ask the user what prize they would like to vie for. These prizes are selected by the user and then incorporated directly into the game. The present invention further comprises a facility that tracks the game play a user exhibits and then modifies prize selection accordingly. Another mechanism that is used to personalize the games presented to the user is the ability to select prizes from a prize pool based on the users demographics.  
         [0015]     In the general sense, selection of advertisements and prizes is based on the user&#39;s demographics or exhibited propensities and is done by selecting a category and then selecting an advertisement or prize from within that category. This, however, does not preclude those skilled in the art to recognize that the partitioning of the advertisement and prize pools can be done in any arbitrary manner that facilitates the correlation of user demographics or propensities to advertisements and/or prizes.  
         [0016]     The present invention draws inferences with respect to the prizes a user prefers. The strength of the inference is bolstered by the fact that as a user plays to win a particular prize, that user can choose to buy down the odds of winning. The invention records each time a user attempts to win a prize based on random chance and also record each time the user chooses to pay for enhancing the win probability. This information then drives the propensities of the user that are subsequently used to target advertisements and select prizes.  
         [0017]     The present invention maintains information relative to the cost of each prize offered to users. Together with information with respect to the income realized by presenting advertisements, the present invention adjusts the probability of a prize award to ensure that the prize is awarded no more frequently than the period in which an aggregate number of advertisements needed to pay for the prize are presented. This ensures that the system operator remains profitable. Once a prize is awarded, the present invention creates coupons that the user can print out and then use to redeem the prize.  
         [0018]     The games are presented to the user through client devices such as, a personal computer, a set-top box, a ubiquitous Internet appliance and a slot machine. The client devices are connected to games through a wired or wireless network. The client devices contain a wireless network interface to communicate with personal electronic devices such as personal digital assistants and cellular phones. The personal electronic devices identify the user and conduct financial transactions. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0019]     The foregoing aspects are better understood from the following detailed description of one embodiment of the invention with reference to the drawings, in which:  
         [0020]      FIG. 1  is a block diagram that depicts the system level interfaces to the adaptable gaming system;  
         [0021]      FIG. 2  is a block diagram that depicts the connectivity of the PGS adaptable contest server and four types of user client devices;  
         [0022]      FIG. 2A  is a block diagram of a slot machine client device according to the present invention;  
         [0023]      FIG. 2B  is a pictorial of the slot machine and contestant identification devices used therewith;  
         [0024]      FIG. 3  is a flow diagram that depicts the connectivity of web browser clients to a server software element;  
         [0025]      FIG. 4  is a pictorial representation of a user database called user list;  
         [0026]      FIG. 5  is a pictorial representation of a user database called supplemental information;  
         [0027]      FIG. 6  is a pictorial representation of a user database called statistics;  
         [0028]      FIG. 7  is a pictorial representation of a user database called propensities;  
         [0029]      FIG. 8  is a pictorial representation of a user database called teams;  
         [0030]      FIG. 9  is a pictorial representation of a user database called team-scores;  
         [0031]      FIG. 10  is a pictorial representation of a user database called tax report;  
         [0032]      FIG. 11  is a pictorial representation of an advertisement database called Advertisement Pool;  
         [0033]      FIG. 12  is a pictorial representation of an advertisement database called Sponsor List;  
         [0034]      FIG. 13  is a pictorial representation of an advertisement database called Prize Pool;  
         [0035]      FIG. 14A  is the first part of flow diagram that depicts the user interface process employed by the present invention;  
         [0036]      FIG. 15  is a pictorial representation of a typical universal splash screen that is presented on the slot machine of the present invention;  
         [0037]      FIG. 15A  is a pictorial representation of a sign-in web page presented to an unknown user;  
         [0038]      FIG. 15B  is a pictorial representation of a sign-in web page presented to an existing user;  
         [0039]      FIG. 15C  is a pictorial representation of a User Validation web page that is presented to a contestant after a manual identification procedure;  
         [0040]      FIG. 15D  is a pictorial representation of a New Player Questionnaire web page;  
         [0041]      FIG. 15E  is a pictorial representation of a Program ID Device web page presented to a user after a new identification device is dispensed;  
         [0042]      FIG. 16  is a pictorial representation of a personalized welcome page that is presented to a contestant using the system;  
         [0043]      FIG. 17  is a pictorial representation of a team management GUI according to the present invention;  
         [0044]      FIG. 18  is a pictorial representation of the games-to-play web page;  
         [0045]      FIG. 19  is a pictorial representation of a gaming web page having at least one Java applet; and  
         [0046]      FIG. 20  is a pictorial representation of the graphical user interface presented by the Prize Spin Java applet. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0000]     System Description  
         [0047]      FIG. 1  is flow diagram that depicts the system level interfaces for a personalized gaming system according to the present invention. The personalized gaming system  10  (PGS) accepts a plurality of inputs. On the source side, the PGS accepts advertisements  15 , products  20 , services  25 , travel packages  30 , and product promotions  35 . This list is not meant to limit the range or type of inputs that the PGS can accept, rather it is illustrative of the types of inputs that the present embodiment accepts. On the consumer side, the PGS delivers to contestants a wide range of prizes that are normally commensurate with the inputs the PGS receives. This means that prizes can include products, services, travel packages, and promotions. Also the contestant can aggregate his winnings through the accumulation of points and redeem these points for larger prizes. The contestant can also receive product rebates, coupons, and other product promotions. The contestants also serve as a source of demographic data. As an incentive, the contestants are rewarded with prizes whenever the contestants respond to marketing surveys and questionnaires needed to collect demographic data.  
         [0048]     The PGS can also provides a plurality of products to promoters  50 . Promoters can purchase marketing data in the form of customer lists, demographics, and etc. etc.  
         [0049]      FIG. 2  is a block diagram that depicts the connectivity of the PGS adaptable contest server  55  (ACS) and four types of user client devices. In the current embodiment, the ACS  55  is connected to a computer network  60 . Also connected to the computer network  60  are the user client devices. The four types of user client devices supported in the current embodiment include, but should not be construed as a limited to, a personal computer (PC)  65 , a set-top box  70 , a ubiquitous Internet appliance  66  and a slot machine  75 . Also connected to the computer network  60  is a gateway  80 . The gateway also serves as a firewall and enables external computers attached to a wide area network  85  to interact with the ACS  55  and the user client devices according to security privileges enforced by the firewall.  
         [0000]     Client Devices  
         [0050]     In the current embodiment, all of user client devices are substantially similar in architecture. Microprocessor based user client devices such as the PC  65 , a set-top box  70 , the Internet appliance  66  and the slot machine  75  all execute a web browser. The web browser executing in the user client devices interacts with the ACS  55  in order to retrieve web pages according to the present invention. The PC  65 , the set top box  70  and the Internet appliance  66  are well known in the art. The slot machine  75  according to the present invention is new and novel.  
         [0051]      FIG. 2A  is a block diagram of a slot machine  75  client device according to the present invention. The slot machine  75  is, of course, microprocessor based. The microprocessor  105  interfaces to an internal bus  110 . Using the internal bus  110 , the microprocessor  105  retrieves instructions from a memory  115 . The instructions stored in a memory  115  comprises a operating system and a web browser. The operating system manages the functional control of a graphics device  120 . The graphics device  120  drives a graphic display  125 . In the present embodiment, the graphics device display is a flat-panel display utilizing liquid crystal technology. In the present embodiment, flat-panel display is capable of color display at a resolution of 1024×768. Overlaying the flat-panel display is a touch screen  130 . The touch screen  130  reports touch events to the microprocessor  105 . By using a graphic display overlayed by a touch screen, the slot machine of the present invention can support a highly interactive graphical user interface with the contestant.  
         [0052]     The microprocessor  105 , as a result of executing instructions comprising the operating system, also controls a card reader  135 . The card reader  135  senses activity occurring in a magnetic stripe card reader  140 . As a contestant begins using the slot machine of the present invention, the contestant can “swipe” a magnetic stripe card through the magnetic stripe card reader  140 . The operating system further comprises a driver for the card reader  135  that enables the slot machine to detect and read credit cards, special identification cards, hotel room keys and the like.  
         [0053]     The slot machine of the present invention further comprises a network interface  150 . The network interface  150  enables the slot machine of the present invention to communicate with a remote server such as the adaptable contest server  55 . When necessary, the network interface can be used to communicate with a vast range of external devices connected either to the most proximate computer network  60  or any device connected to external networks by utilizing the gateway  80 .  
         [0054]     The slot machine of the present invention further comprises a smart card interface  145  and its associated active area  146 . The smart card interface  145 , again under control of a driver integral to the operating system, allows the slot machine  75  to detect and read a wireless identification device.  
         [0055]     The slot machine  75  further comprises an identification element dispenser  170 . The identification element dispenser  170  receives commands from the microprocessor  105  whenever the contestant needs a new identification  10  element. In the present embodiment, the identification element is a plastic ring that comprises a wireless smart-card integrated circuit. The dispenser  170  receives plastic rings from a magazine  175 . In the present embodiment, the dispenser  170  drops plastic rings through to a slot on the front of the slot machine  75 . It should be noted that the identification device can be made in any convenient form that is not offensive to the contestant and promotes use of the device whenever the contestant uses the present slot machine.  
         [0056]      FIG. 2B  is a pictorial of the slot machine and contestant identification devices used therewith. In the present embodiment, the slot machine  75  further comprises the magnetic stripe card reader  140  and further comprises a smart card receiver  146 . The magnetic stripe card reader  140  enables the slot machine  75  to read the magnetic stripe on a credit card  150  or a room key  155 , such as those used in many hotels today, to identify a contestant using the slot machine. The slot machine  75  of the present invention can also use the information retrieved from a credit card  75  for financial purposes. These purposes can include charging the contestant for lost wagers or crediting the contestants credit card account to award cash winnings. The wireless smart card interface  145  includes active area  146 . By using an identification element, such as a plastic pinky ring  160  that comprises a wireless smart chip  165 , contestants can also be identified. The identification element dispenser  170  releases such plastic pinky rings to the contestant by way of a slot  180  on the front of the slot machine.  
         [0057]      FIG. 2A  shows one additional feature of the present embodiment. The slot machine of the present invention further comprises a wireless network interface  112 . The wireless network interface  112  uses low-power radio-frequency communications to communicate with personal electronic devices such as personal digital assistants (PDA) and cell phone. The wireless network interface  112  incorporated into the present invention uses a frequency hopping scheme in conjunction with an encryption mechanism that supports secure transactions. The wireless network interface of the present invention conforms to the Bluetooth specification adopted by an industry consortium. It should be noted that any suitable wireless network interface can be utilized so long as secure transactions, wireless transactions with small personal devices can be accommodated.  
         [0058]      FIG. 2B  shows how the wireless network interface  112  can be used in conjunction with a PDA  151  or a cell phone  152 . In actuality, any personal electronic device equipped with a wireless interface that is compatible with the wireless network interface incorporated into the slot machine of the present invention can be used. When a contestant first approaches the slot machine  75 , the wireless network interface  112  establishes a connection  153  with the contestants personal device. This connection allows the slot machine  75  to identify the contestant and then effect any financial transactions the contestant authorizes.  
         [0000]     Client-Server Architecture  
         [0059]      FIG. 3  is a flow diagram that depicts the connectivity of web browser clients to a server software element. The description provided here will assume that all of the user client devices are personal computers (PC)  65 . It should be noted that the client-server interaction between the PC type user client devices and the other types of user client devices, i.e. the set-top box  70 , Internet appliance  66  and the slot machine  75 , are substantially similar. The only real variation in the user client devices is the means by which the web browser interacts with the specific hardware of the device type. This is discussed infra. The ACS  55  executes a server software element  90 . A plurality of user client devices, or PCs  65 , execute web browsers  95 . It should be noted that each instantiation of a web browser is peculiar to the user client devices and services one user. Each instantiation of a web browser  95  creates a dedicated TCP/IP  100  connection to the server software element  90  executing in the ACS  55 . Other network protocols can also be used.  
         [0060]     The ACS  55  further comprises a structured query language (SQL) engine  200 . The SQL engine  200  manages a plurality of databases. These databases and the structure thereof are one key aspects of the present invention. The ACS  55  also further comprises a cache of web pages  210 . The web page cache  210  is used to store a plurality of web pages. These web pages are delivered to the web browsers  95  as contestants use the invention.  
         [0000]     Data Structures  
         [0061]     The present invention comprises a plurality of databases. These include, but are not limited to databases that track contestants as users of the system (user databases); databases that track the products, services, and promotions that can be used as prizes that can be awarded to contestants (prize databases); and databases that are used to manage the display of advertising content to the system users (sponsor databases).  
         [0062]      FIG. 4  is a pictorial representation of a user database called user list. The user list database  220  comprises a plurality of records each of which comprises a plurality of fields. The fields in the user list database comprise:  
                                             User Database - User List       (220)            Field               Name   Reference   Usage Capacity               ID No.   225   The ID No. field is a key field and is               used to track a contestant registered               in the system. This field is used as a               relational index with other user               databases.       LNAME   230   The LNAME field is used to store the               last name of a contestant.       FNAME   240   The FNAME field is used to store the               first name of a contestant.       MNAME   250   The MNAME field is used to store the               middle name of a contestant.       EMAIL   260   The EMAIL field is used to store the               e-mail address of a contestant.       PHONE   270   The PHONE field is used to store the               phone number of a contestant.       FAX   280   The FAX field is used to store the               facsimile phone number of a               contestant.       ADDR1   290   The ADDR1 field is used to store the               first line of a contestants mailing               address.       ADDR2   300   The ADDR2 field is used to store the               second line of a contestants mailing               address.       CITY   310   The CITY field is used to store the               city for the contestants mailing               address.       STATE   320   The STATE field is used to store the               state for the contestants mailing               address.       CNTRY   330   The CNTRY field is used to store the               country for the contestants mailing               address.       POST-   340   The POST-CODE field is used to       CODE       store a postal code for the               contestants mailing address. Where               the contestants mailing address is in               the United States of America, the               POST-CODE field is used to store               the zip code.                    
         [0063]      FIG. 5  is a pictorial representation of a user database called Supplemental Information. The supplemental information database  350  comprises a plurality of records each of which comprises a plurality of fields. The fields in the supplemental information database comprise:  
                                             User Database - Supplemental Information       (350)            Field Name   Reference   Usage Capacity               ID No.   360   The ID No. field is a key field and               is used to track a contestant               registered in the system. This               field is used as a relational index               with other user databases.       BIRTH-   370   The BIRTH-DATE field is used to       DATE       store the birth date of a               contestant.       GENDER   380   The GENDER field is used to               store the sex of a contestant.       REGISTER-   390   The REGISTER-DATE field is       DATE       used to store the first name of a               contestant.       NUMBER-   400   The NUMBER-VISITS field is       VISITS       used to track the number of times               a contestant uses the system.       SS#   410   The SS# field is used to store the               social security (or other tax               identification number) of a               contestant.       DRIVR-   420   The DRIVR-LIC field is used to       LIC       store the drivers license number               of a contestant.       CREDIT-   430   The CREDIT-CARD field is used       CARD       to store the credit card number of               a contestant.       POINTS   435   The POINTS AVAILABLE field is       AVAILABLE       used to store the number of               points the contestant has. Points               can be accumulated either by               purchasing points, as with a               credit card, or by       ID DEVICE   440   The ID DEVICE field is used to               store the serial number of a               personal identification device.       POINTS   445   The POINTS EARNED field is       EARNED       used to record the number of               points that the contestant has               accrued.                    
         [0064]      FIG. 6  is a pictorial representation of a user database called Statistics. The statistics database  450  comprises a plurality of records each of which comprises a plurality of fields. The fields in the statistics database comprise:  
                                                 User Database - Statistics       (450)                Field Name   Reference   Usage Capacity                       ID No.   460   The ID No. field is a key field and                   is used to track a contestant                   registered in the system. This field                   is used as a relational index with                   other user databases.           ORDINAL   470   The ORDINAL field is a key field                   and is used to identify one of a                   plurality of statistical records                   afforded to a given user..           TYPE   480   The TYPE field is used to store an                   indicator of the type of statistics                   record stored in that record.           SUBTYPE   490   The SUBTYPE field is used to                   store a secondary classifying                   indicator of the type of statistics                   record stored in that record.           VALUE   500   The VALUE field is used to store a                   statistical value in the record of the                   given type and subtype.           RECORD-   510   The RECORD-DATE field is used           DATE       to store the date on which the                   record was first created.           EXECUTE-   520   The RECORD-DATE field is used           DATE       to store the date on which the                   action affiliated with the record                   was closed.                        
         [0065]    
       
         
               
               
               
               
               
             
           
               
                   
                   
               
               
                   
                   
               
               
                   
                 Type 
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                 01 
                   
                 Total Minutes of Game Play - 
                   
               
               
                   
                   
                   
                 Slot Machine 
               
               
                   
                   
                 01 
                 Slot Machine - 
               
               
                   
                   
                   
                 Configuration 01 
               
               
                   
                   
                 02 
                 Slot Machine - 
               
               
                   
                   
                   
                 Configuration 02 
               
               
                   
                   
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                 Slot Machine - 
               
               
                   
                   
                   
                 Configuration 03 
               
               
                   
                   
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                 Slot Machine - 
               
               
                   
                   
                   
                 Configuration 04 
               
               
                   
                   
                 05 
                 Slot Machine - 
               
               
                   
                   
                   
                 Configuration 05 
               
               
                   
                 02 
                   
                 Total Minute of Game Play - 
               
               
                   
                   
                   
                 Prize Category 
               
               
                   
                   
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                 Prize Category 01 
               
               
                   
                   
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                 Prize Category 02 
               
               
                   
                   
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                 Prize Category 03 
               
               
                   
                   
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                 Prize Category 04 
               
               
                   
                   
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                 Prize Category 05 
               
               
                   
                 03 
                   
                 Prizes Claimed 
               
               
                   
                   
                 01 
                 Prize Code 01 
               
               
                   
                   
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                 Prize Code 02 
               
               
                   
                   
                 03 
                 Prize Code 03 
               
               
                   
                   
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                 Prize Code 04 
               
               
                   
                   
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                 Prize Code 05 
               
               
                   
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
         [0066]      FIG. 7  is a pictorial representation of a user database called propensities. The propensities database  530  comprises a plurality of records each of which comprises a plurality of fields. The fields in the propensities database comprise:  
                                             User Database - Propensities       (530)            Field Name   Reference   Usage Capacity               ID No.   540   The ID No. field is a key field and is               used to track a contestant               registered in the system. This field               is used as a relational index with               other user databases.       ORDINAL   550   The ORDINAL field is a key field               and is used to identify one of a               plurality of propensity records               afforded to a given user . . .       TYPE   480   The TYPE field is used to store an               indicator of the type of propensity               record stored in that record.       VALUE   500   The VALUE field is used to store a               statistical value in the record of the               given type of propensity.       DATE   510   The DATE field is used to store the               date on which the record was               created.                    
         [0067]      FIG. 8  is a pictorial representation of a user database called Teams. The teams database  590  comprises a plurality of records each of which comprises a plurality of fields. The fields in the teams database comprise:  
                                             User Database - Teams       (590)            Field Name   Reference   Usage Capacity               ID No.   600   The ID No. field is a key field and               is used to track a contestant               registered in the system. This field               is used as a relational index with               other user databases.       TEAM-   610   The TEAM-NAME field is a key       NAME       field and is used to identify one of               a plurality of team description               records afforded to a given user.       OBJECT-   620   The OBJECT-CAT field is used to       CAT       record the category of the prize               objective for the team of that               record.       OBJECT-   630   The OBJECT-ITEM field is used to       ITEM       store the item number in the given               category of the prize objective for               the team of that record.       OFFERED-   640   The OFFERED-PRICE field is       PRICE       used to store the number of               contestant points that are required               to win the prize.       EXPIRE-   650   The EXPIRE-DATE field is used to       DATE       store the date on which the team               can no longer pool their points to               win the prize.                    
         [0068]      FIG. 9  is a pictorial representation of a user database called Team-Scores. The teams database  660  comprises a plurality of records each of which comprises a plurality of fields. The fields in the team scores database comprise:  
                                             User Database - Team-Scores       (660)            Field Name   Reference   Usage Capacity               ID No.   670   The ID No. field is a key field and is               used to track a contestant               registered in the system. This field               is used as a relational index with               other user databases.       TEAM-   680   The TEAM-NAME field is a key field       NAME       and is used to identify one of a               plurality of team description records               afforded to a given user.       MEMBER   690   The MEMBER ID field is a key field       ID       that is used to identify another               system user that is a member of the               team.       POINTS   700   The POINTS-EARNED field is used       EARNED       to store the number of points               earned by the team member toward               the prize objective.                    
         [0069]      FIG. 10  is a pictorial representation of a user database called Tax Report. The tax report database  710  comprises a plurality of records each of which comprises a plurality of fields. The fields in the teams database comprise:  
                                             User Database - Team-Scores       (710)            Field Name   Reference   Usage Capacity               ID No.   720   The ID No. field is a key field and is               used to track a contestant               registered in the system. This field is               used as a relational index with other               user databases.       TAX   730   The TAX YEAR field is a key field       YEAR       and is used to identify one of a               plurality of tax report records               afforded to a given user.       REPORT   740   The REPORT TYPE field is a key       TYPE       field that that indicates the type of               tax report issued to a contestant.       AMOUNT   750   The AMOUNT field is used to store               cash value of winnings reported to               the tax authority.       ISSUE   760   The ISSUE DATE field is used to       DATE       record the date on which the tax               report was issued to the tax               authority.                    
         [0070]      FIG. 11  is a pictorial representation of an advertisement database called Advertisement Pool. The advertisement pool database  770  comprises a plurality of records each of which comprises a plurality of fields. The fields in the advertisement pool database comprise:  
                                             User Database - Advertisement Pool       (770)            Field Name   Reference   Usage Capacity               CATEGORY   780   The CATEGORY field is a key               field and is used to identify the               product category that the               advertisement belongs to.       ITEM   785   The ITEM field is a field that is               used to correlate an               advertisement to a prize. This               is used in calculating the odds               of winning prizes.       ADVERTISER   790   The ADVERTISER field is a               key field and is used to               identify one of a plurality of               advertisers that purchase               advertisement impressions on               the system.       AD NAME   800   The AD NAME field is a key               field and identifies the               advertisement.       COST PER   810   The COST PER THOUSAND       THOUSAND       field is used to record the       (CPM)       negotiated rate that is charged               to the advertiser for every one               thousand impression of the               advertisements made to               users.       SATURATION   820   The SATURATION field is       LEVEL       used to record the preference               of the advertisement relative               to other advertisements that               will be presented to system               users.       TOTAL   830   The TOTAL IMPRESSIONS       IMPRESSIONS       field is used to track the               number of impressions of the               advertiser made to               contestants.       TYPE   840   The TYPE field indicates the               media embodiment of the               advertisement. Several types               are supported including:               Still images               Motion Clips       SOURCE   850   The SOURE field is used to               indicate the file where the               media representation of the               advertisement is stored.       HYPERLINK   860   The HYPERLINK field is used               to store a web page address               that the system will direct the               user to if the user selects the               advertisement.       TOTAL   870   The TOTAL REFERELS field       REFERALS       indicates the total number of               redirections to the advertisers               web page resulting from user               selection of the               advertisement.                    
         [0071]      FIG. 12  is a pictorial representation of an advertisement database called Sponsor List. The sponsor list database  880  comprises a plurality of records each of which comprises a plurality of fields. The fields in the advertisement pool database comprise:  
                                             User Database - Sponsor List       (880)            Field Name   Reference   Usage Capacity               GAME   890   The GAME field is a key field               and is used to identify the               game a presented by a               sponsor.       CATEGORY   900   The CATEGORY field is a key               field and is used to identify               one of a plurality of               advertising categories that the               sponsor is paying for.       SPONSOR   910   The SPONSOR field is a key               field and identifies the party               paying for the sponsorship.       TOTAL   920   The TOTAL IMPRESSIONS       IMPRESSIONS       field is used to track the               number of impressions of the               advertiser made to               contestants.       TYPE   930   The TYPE field indicates the               media embodiment of the               advertisement. Several types               are supported including:               Still images               Motion Clips       SOURCE   940   The SOURE field is used to               indicate the file where the               media representation of the               advertisement is stored.       HYPERLINK   950   The HYPERLINK field is used               to store a web page address               that the system will direct the               user to if the user selects the               advertisement.       TOTAL   960   The TOTAL REFERELS field       REFERALS       indicates the total number of               redirections to the advertisers               web page resulting from user               selection of the               advertisement.                    
         [0072]      FIG. 13  is a pictorial representation of an advertisement database called Prize Pool. The prize pool database  970  comprises a plurality of records each of which comprises a plurality of fields. The fields in the advertisement pool database comprise:  
                                                                   User Database - Prize Pool       (970)                Field Name   Reference   Usage Capacity                            CATEGORY   980   The CATEGORY field is a key                   field and is used to identify                   category of a prize.           ITEM   990   The ITEM field is a key field                   and is used to identify a unique                   item within a category of prizes.           QTY ON-   1000   The QTY ON-HAND field           HAND       indicates the inventory level of                   a product.           QTY IN-PLAY   1010   The QTY IN-PLAY field is used                   to track the number of the                   particular prize that contestants                   are vying for.           AGGREGATE   1020   The AGGREGATE AWARDED           AWARDED       field indicates the media                   embodiment of the                   advertisement. Several types                   are supported including:                   Still images                   Motion Clips           TYPE   1025   The TYPE field indicates the                   media embodiment of the prize                   representation. Several types                   are supported including:                   Still images                   Motion Clips           SOURCE   1030   The SOURCE field is used to                   indicate the file where the                   media representation of the                   prize is stored.           PROVIDER   1040   The PROVIDER field is used to                   indicate who is paying for the                   prize or promotion.           AD-ID   1050   The AD-ID field itself consists                   of a category, advertiser and                   ad-name. These are used as a                   key into the advertisement pool                   data base when the prize is                   affiliated with a particular                   advertisement.           PRICE   1060   The PRICE field indicates the                   number of contestant points                   that the contestant must                   redeem in exchange for                   receiving the prize.           COST   1070   The COST field indicates the                   price paid to purchase the item                   from the vendor.           VENDOR   1080   The VENDOR indicates the                   company that the prize is                   purchased or otherwise                   obtained from.           ODDS   1090   The ODDS field indicates the                   probability value for winning the                   prize.                        
 Interface Method 
 
         [0073]     The present invention exploits the ubiquitous web browser interface. By using a web browser on the client device, graphical interfaces can be created and easily modified by using a markup language such as the hyper text markup language (HTML). The present invention adopts the industry nomenclature of a “web page” when referring to graphical user interfaces. Generally, a graphical user interface (GUI), or web page is created using industry standard HTML in conjunction with a Java applets. In the alternative embodiment, GUIs are created using a multimedia-authoring tool.  
         [0074]     Access to the databases maintained by the ACS  55  is accomplished by way of SQL requests that are sent to the SQL engine  200 . The SQL request are composed by Java scripts attached to web pages introduced infra or by Java applets that comprise the embodiments of games of chance. In either case, the SQL requests are received by the SQL engine  200  and fulfilled. The resulting database activity is reported to the requesting process.  
         [0075]      FIG. 14A  is the first part of flow diagram that depicts the user interface process employed by the present invention. Whenever a user wants to use the personalized gaming system, the user must specify a gaming system home page using a browser. An analogous process is employed in the slot machine specified herein. The slot machine  75  starts up executing a web browser in a kiosk mode. The kiosk mode dispenses with the presentation of many of the menus ordinarily available to a computer user and presents only a border-less window wherein the composition of a web page is rendered for presentation to the contestant. In the slot machine embodiment, the web browser is immediately directed to the gaming system home page.  
         [0076]     Once the home page is loaded into the browser, scripting within the home page attempts to identify the user. In step  1200 ; the home page script looks for a “cookie” previously written to a non-volatile memory accessible by the user&#39;s client device. In the case of a PC, a cookie is normally written to the user&#39;s hard disk. If the system finds a cookie (step  1205 ) the script in the home page will retrieve the identification stored in the cookie (step  1200  to  10 ). Once the user has been identified, the identification of the user is used to personalize the welcome page presented immediately after the home page script finishes executing (step  1215 ).  
         [0077]     In the event that a cookie is not discovered, the home page will retrieve a universal splash screen and present this to the user (step  1220 ). The universal splash screen  1225  is normally presented in the slot machine  75  device where the user cannot easily be identified. The splash screen  1225  further comprises a java-script that embodies the logical sequence needed to identify a user in the slot machine  75  of the present invention.  
         [0078]      FIG. 14A  shows that, after having displayed the splash screen  1225 , the slot machine will attempt to identify the contestant. The identification process is embodied as a java-script that calls special web pages served up by a microserver. The microserver is also executing in the slot machine  75  and includes device drivers that work in conjunction with the drivers integral to the operating system. This arrangement enables control of the slot machines physical devices.  
         [0079]     The java-script attached to the splash screen  1220  waits until there is an identification device event (step  1260 ). When an identification device event is perceived by the system, the java-script will retrieve the identification number from the device in order to identify the user (step  1265 ). The java-script will then redirect the web browser to a personal welcome page using the identification number retrieved from the identification device (step  1215 ). If an identification device event is not immediately sensed, the java-script attached to the splash screen  1225  will continue to wait for an identification device event (step  1260 ), or for either the identification command button (step  1270 ) or the play command button (step  1290 ) to be actuated by the user. In the event that the identification command button is actuated (step  1270 ) the java-script will direct the web browser to a sign-in page (step  1280 ). If the java-script detects that the play command button (step  1290 ) was actuated, the java-script will redirect the web browser to the games-to-play web page (step  1300 ).  
         [0080]      FIG. 15  is a pictorial representation of a typical universal splash screen that is presented on the slot machine of the present invention. The splash screen  1225  comprises attention getting graphics  1230 , the emulation of a game a chance:  35 , a header  1240 , and at least to command buttons. These to command buttons include identification command buttons  1245  and a play command of a  1215 . The command buttons comprise hyperlinks to two other web pages as discussed infra.  
         [0081]      FIG. 15A  is a pictorial representation of a sign-in web page presented to an unknown user. The sign-in web page  1500  comprises an advertisement  1325 , instructions on how to use the web page and two command buttons. The two command buttons are: New Player  1505 ; and Existing User  1510 . If the contestant has already registered with the system, the contestant should chose the Existing User command button  1510 . Otherwise, the contestant should choose the New Player command button  1505 .  
         [0082]      FIG. 15B  is a pictorial representation of a sign-in web page presented to an existing user. The Existing User command button  1510  hyperlink will direct the browser to the Existing User GUI (web page)  1515 . The Existing User web page  1515  comprises an advertisement  1325 . The Existing User web page  1515  further comprises a telephone keypad  1520  telephone number display  1525 . The Existing User web page  1515  further comprises a US/International radio button control  1530 . The contestant is instructed to enter their telephone number using the telephone keypad  1520 . The Existing User web page  1515  is java-script enabled. The java-script receives one digit of the contestants phone number at a time and echoes the digit in the telephone number display  1525 . The contestant is also instructed to indicate if the phone number entered is a US number or an international number. Selecting one of two radio buttons in the US/International radio button control  1530  does this.  
         [0083]     Once the contestant has entered a phone number, the system requires that verification of the user be accomplished. This is performed by requiring the contestant to indicate the month of their birth, and optionally the date of their birth. Any means to authenticate the user could be used, including but not limited to asking the user to enter a password. In the present embodiment, the Existing User web page  1515  further comprises radio button controls for month  1535  and date  1540 . The contestant must select the month and date of their birth using the month radio button control  1535  and the date radio button control  1540 . If the system can not adequately authenticate the user through the above described phone number and birth date mechanism, then the system will prompt the user to try entering the authentication data again.  
         [0084]      FIG. 15C  is a pictorial representation of a User Validation web page that is presented to a contestant after a manual identification procedure. If the system finds a registered contestant that has been authenticated as described above, then the system will provide the contestant with an opportunity to accept the purported identification. This is accomplished by displaying the contestant&#39;s name. Presenting the User Validation web page  1545  does this. The user validation web page  1545  comprises a display of the users name and a Confirmation command button  1550 . The User Validation web page  1545  further comprises a New ID Device command button  1555 . In the event that the user was found to be registered and now needs a new identification device, the user can select the New ID Device command button  1555 . When the user selects the Confirmation command button  1550 , the web browser will be directed to the personalized welcome page for the contestant. If the contestant selects the New ID Device command button  1555 , then the sign-in process continues by presenting the New ID Device web page  1560  to the user.  
         [0085]      FIG. 15D  is a pictorial representation of a New Player Questionnaire web page. When the user selects the New Player command button  1505  on the Sign-In web page  1500 , the web browser is directed to the New Player Questionnaire web page  1565 . The New Player Questionnaire web page  1565  comprises a plurality of data entry controls for each of the following fields:  
                                                       Control Name   Reference   Control Type                           First Name   1570   Text Entry           Middle Name   1575   Text Entry           Last Name   1580   Text Entry           Address Line 1   1585   Text Entry           Address Line 2   1590   Text Entry           e-mail address   1595   Text Entry           City   1600   Text Entry           State   1605   Drop Down List           Postal Code (Zip   1610   Text Entry           Code)           Country   1615   Drop Down List           Birth date   1620   Text Entry           Phone number   1625   Text Entry           Gender   1630   Radio Button                        
         [0086]     The New Player Questionnaire web page  1565  further comprises a java-script that ensures that all of the text entry controls are properly populated with text. Once the java-script has determined that the new user has properly filled out the form, the java-script composes an SQL request to add a data record to the user list database  220  and to the supplemental information database  350 . The data received from the new user is populated into the new records in both databases according the field names corresponding to the acquisition of the information.  
         [0087]      FIG. 15E  is a pictorial representation of a Program ID Device web page presented to a user after a new identification device is dispensed. The Program ID Device web page  1560  is comprised of textual instructions to the user to place the dispensed identification device in front of a flashing platter on the front surface of the slot machine  75 . This is the smart card interface active area  146 . Once the user places the new identification device in front of the active area  146 , the slot machine will program the device  160  with the users identification number. This is accomplished through the use of yet another java-script attached to the Program ID Device web page  1560 . This java-script will call the microserver running locally on the slot machine  75  in order to directly control the hardware devices, i.e. the smart card reader. Once the identification device has been successfully programmed, the web browser is directed to a personalized welcome page for the user.  
         [0088]      FIG. 16  is a pictorial representation of a personalized welcome page that is presented to a contestant using the system. Using either the cookie identification from a PC  65 , Internet appliance  66 , or the set-top box  70 , or the identification device or a sign-in from a slot machine  75 , the identification number  225  of the user is used to access personal information in the user list database  220 . The personalized web page  1310  comprises a header that includes the name of the contestant  1315 , a display of the number of accumulated points the player has earned so far  1320 , a plurality of advertisements  1325  and a plurality of play options  1330 .  
         [0089]     The name of the contestant is retrieved from the user list database  220  by using the identification number  225  as a key into the table. The user&#39;s first and last name are retrieved from those respective fields  240  and  230 . The number of points that the contestant has earned is retrieved from the supplemental information database  350 , specifically from the points earned field  445 .  
         [0090]     In the present embodiment, the play options include a preferred game command button  1335  and a secondary preference button  1340 . The personalized welcome page  1310  is composed by the ACS  55  based on the user&#39;s preferences as recorded in the propensities database  530 . One of the propensity categories stored in the propensities database  530  indicates the users two most favorite games of chance. These are used to configure the personalized web page  1310  preferred  1335  and secondary  1340  command buttons. In the case depicted in the figure, the user&#39;s first and second preferences are the games called PrizeSpin and Black Jack, respectively.  
         [0091]     In the event that the contestant wants to engage in team play, a mean to aggregate points with the achievements of other contestant, the contestant can actuate the team play command button  1345 . If the contestant would like to play other games, the other games command button  1350  can be selected. These two command buttons direct the web browser to either the team management GUI (web page)  1355  or the games-to-play web page  1360 . At this juncture, the contestant can select any one of the command buttons to navigate to the next desired GUI. Any of the advertisements included in the web page further comprise a hyperlink that will direct the web browser to the advertisers web page.  
         [0092]      FIG. 17  is a pictorial representation of a Team Management GUI (or web page) according to the present invention. Note that any information shown in the figure is for purposes of illustration only and should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention. Having selected the team play command button  1345  included in the personalized welcome page  1310 , the contestant is presented with a Team Management web page  1355 . The Team Management web page  1355  comprises a data display control for presenting the team captain and further comprises a team name control  1365 . The team name control  1365  is a drop down list control that can also accept new text input. The ACS  55  will compose the Team Management web page  1355  by first consulting the Teams database  590 . Using the current user identification number as a primary key, the ACS  55  will retrieve all of the team names (field  610 ) from the Teams database  590 . This data will be used to populate the team name drop down control  1365 .  
         [0093]     When the team management web page  1355  is first presented to the contestant, only the team captain and team name controls are initialized. The contestant can then select one of the team names that are included in the team name drop down control  1365 . Once the user has selected one of the team names, the java-script attached to the web page will compose an SQL query to retrieve additional information about that team. The SQL query includes, but is not limited to retrieving the category of a prize and the item of a prize (object category field  630  and object item field  630 ) that the user previously selected as that team&#39;s objective, the number of points the team must earn to secure the prize objective (offered price field  640 ) and the date by which the team must attain the total number of required points (expire date field  650 ). If the object item is not defined (i.e. a null value is returned in response to the SQL query), then the java-script will populate the item control  1375  with an enumeration of all of the items available in the selected category. This is accomplished by retrieving all of the items defined in the Prize Pool database  970  where the category field  980  is equal to the category value returned from the teams database. If the object has not been previously defined, then the java-script will retrieve a list for all prize categories found in the Prize Pool database  970  and populate the category drop down control  1370  with that enumeration. Once the contestant selects a prize category and item for a team, that selection can not be changed.  
         [0094]     The system will determine the total number of points that the team must earn before it can redeem the prize. This is done by retrieving price (in points) of the prize (field  1070 ) from the prize pool database  970 . This price is stored in the teams database  590 , offered price field  640 . The java-script will retrieve the number of points (teams database  590 , offered price field  640 ) and the expiration date (teams database  590 , expire date field  650 ) of the collaborative objective offer and present these in the two text display controls  1380  and  1385 .  
         [0095]     The team management web page  1355  further comprises a team mates control  1400 . The team mates control  1400  is managed by the java-script attached to the web page and is updated whenever a team mate is added or dropped or when the web page is first presented to the contestant. In order to update the team mates control  1400 , the java-script retrieves a list of all of the team mates affiliated with the team from the team mate database  660 . Using the contestants identification number as a primary key (ID number field  670 ), the java-script composes an SQL query to retrieve all of the team member identification numbers (field member ID  690 ) for the given team name (team name field  680 ). The SQL query also retrieves the number of points each team member has earned toward the objective. This information is then presented in the team mates control  1400 . The team mates control  1400  is a scrollable text field arranged in a cellular structure.  
         [0096]      FIG. 18  is a pictorial representation of the games-to-play web page. The games-to-play web page  1360  comprises a plurality of game selection hyperlinks for the Prize Spin Game  1700 , 5-card stud  1705 , draw poker  1710 , keno  1715 , Black Jack  1720 , Roulette  1725 , Lottery  1730 , and Slots  1735 . These games are implemented as Java applets attached to web pages referenced by the hyperlinks. When the contestant selects one of the hyperlinks, the browser loads the referenced web page and the Java applet executes.  
         [0097]      FIG. 19  is a pictorial representation of a gaming web page having at least one Java applet. Gaming web pages  1740  in the system comprise an advertisement  1325  and a game applet  1750 . The game applet uses the browser as an execution platform, relying on the browser to accomplish the man-machine-interface.  
         [0098]      FIG. 20  is a pictorial representation of the graphical user interface presented by the Prize Spin Java applet. The Prize Spin Java applet GUI  1760  comprises a plurality of spin emulators  1765 , a corresponding number of freeze command buttons  1770 , and a spin command button  1765 . The Prize Spin Java applet GUI further comprises a category cylinder  1776 , category sponsor window  1780  and category cylinder rotation command buttons back  1785  and forward  1790 .  
         [0099]     When the Java applet begins executing, the graphical user interface is created and managed directly by the program applet. When a contestant actuates the spin command button  1775 , the Java applet will cause the cylinder emulators  1765  to begin scrolling through a series of prize selections. The cylinder emulators will be stopped in sequential order. Before the contestant again spins the cylinders, the contestant can freeze any number of the cylinders to maintain the prize currently portrayed on the cylinder.  
         [0100]     Whenever the contestant freezes a prize, the system infers that the contestant is interested in winning that prize. This inference is manifest as an entry in the user propensity database  530 . The Java applet creates an SQL request to add a record to the propensity database  530  with the ID number field  540  set to the current contestant identification number and the ordinal field  550  set to the next sequential number. The propensity type field  560  is set to indicate a prize preference propensity and the value field  570  is set to indicate the prize category and item. The date that the event occurred is also stored in the date field  580 . A new propensity record is added to the propensity database  530  whenever the contestant freezes a prize. This means that a plurality of propensity records will be created if a contestant chooses to freeze multiple cylinders for the same prize. In the present embodiment, the act of freezing a cylinder will result in a debit of points to the contestant&#39;s account. Since freezing a cylinder costs the contestant in terms or points, the inference that the frozen cylinder is important to the contestant can be further sustained.  
         [0101]     The cylinder emulator  1765  has another novel utility. Some of the images shown on the cylinder are advertisements. When a cylinder stops scrolling, the Java applet will present the advertisement in a presentation window on the cylinder.  
         [0000]     Statistics Gathering  
         [0102]     The present invention endeavors to collect statistics by monitoring the contestant&#39;s activities. Several mechanisms are employed in the effort to profile a contestant. These mechanisms are described here but can also be summarized as a inferential mechanisms in that the system attempts to profile each contestant based on their behavior during game play.  
         [0000]     Favorite Game  
         [0103]     As contestants use the system, the system tracks the number of minutes each contestant plays each game of chance. Each game of chance is implemented as a Java applet. That Java applet will note the time at which the contestant started playing the game. When the contestant stops playing the game, the Java applet will again read the time of day and subtract the start time from the end time. This difference will be accumulated to the users play preference. This accumulation is accomplished by composing an SQL request to create a new record in the user statistics database  450 . The new record is then populated with the next sequential ordinal number (ordinal field  470 ) and the type  480  and subtype  490  fields set to indicate the type of game being played. The value field  500  is set with the total number of minutes played and the record date  510  is also recorded. Whenever the contestant returns to the system, the statistics database  450  is consulted and all records having the users identification number and that have game play information are extracted from the database by the web server executing in ACS  55 . The ACS  55  will then determine what the contestants two favorite games are when a personalized welcome page is created for the user.  
         [0000]     Prize Preference  
         [0104]     The present invention further comprises a collection of games that are implemented as Java applets. These Java applets are attached to web pages that are loaded by the client side browser upon selection of that game by the contestant. When a contestant plays any game of chance in the system, the Java applet will send propensity records to the ACS  55  in order to record product preferences or spending propensities of that contestant.  
         [0105]     As the player plays any of the games offered by the system, the game applet will retrieve personal attributes about the contestant from the user list database  220 , from the user supplemental database  350  and from the user propensities database  530  using an SQL query. When a game applet offers a plurality of prizes that the contestant can win, prizes are selected from the prize pool database  970  based on either personal attributes or a correlation of certain propensities the player is exhibiting to the prize categories.  
         [0106]     The prize pool database  970  may have a plurality of categories including, but not limited to: 
    Product Categories: 
        Furniture    
        Consumer Electronics 
        Books     Computers     Cars     Sporting Goods     Baby Wares     Hobby Supplies    
        Promotion Categories: 
        Entertainment     Sports     Fitness     Travel     Home    
        Lifestyle Categories: 
        Family Bent     Senior Citizen     Teenager     City Dweller     New Yorker     Traveler 
 
 Because some prizes will be appealing to more than one category, a prize record may be duplicated in the prize pool database  970  so that the identical prize item will appear in more than one category. 
   
       
 
         [0129]     Prize categories are selected based on the personal attributes or based on propensities. As users play a game, their propensities will be updated according to their game play activity. A propensity record will be appended to the propensity database  530 .  
         [0000]     Advertisements  
         [0130]      FIG. 11  shows that when an advertisement is sold to an advertiser, a record in stored in the advertisement pool database  770 . Advertisements are sold to companies or individuals that want to present a multi-media message to the contestants using the system. Each advertisement is stored according to a product category. The category is recorded in the category field  780  of the advertisement pool database  770 . The current embodiment has a plurality of categories, including, but not limited to: 
        Entertainment;     Sports;     Fitness;     Travel; and     Home. 
 
 Each advertisement record is stored with the name of the advertiser in field  790  and the name of the advertisement  800 . The negotiated cost of presenting the advertisement to contestants is also stored in the cost per thousands (CPM) field  810 . The saturation level of the advertisement is stored in the field of the same name  820 . The saturation level is a multiplier that results in preferential presentation among advertisements in a category. Advertisements with a greater saturation level value will be presented more frequently than those with a smaller saturation value. 
         
         [0136]     As the advertisement is presented to users, the system will keep track of the number of impressions of the advertisement that are presented. This is done directly by the ACS  55  when web pages are composed. Advertisements can be in many different forms, as an illustrative example, advertisements can be simple graphic images, animated graphics, interactive multimedia presentations, audio or video clips: The advertisement pool database  770  stores a reference to a source file (field  850 ) for the advertisement. An appropriate companion, extension or plug-in is used in conjunction with the browser in order to display an advertisement.  
         [0137]     Advertisements are also presented by the Java applets that embody the plurality of games of chance that the contestants can play. In the event that a Java applet needs to present an advertisement, the applet will send a request to the ACS  55  to retrieve a reference to an advertisement. Once the applet receives the reference, it retrieves the source file from the ACS  55  and then displays the advertisement to the contestant. When the ACS  55  provides a reference to a Java applet, it increments the impression counter (field  830 ) for that advertisement.  
         [0138]     The present invention presents advertisements in accordance with preferences attributed to each individual contestant. As disclosed earlier, each contestant using the system is profiled. The propensities database is processed on a period basis, currently one week but the period is adjustable as needs dictate. The processing of the propensity database  530  comprises the extraction of any products that the contestant favors over the proceeding plurality of processing periods. The resulting list of products is then sorted by product category and the resulting categories are again stored in the propensities database  530 .  
         [0139]     When the system needs to present an advertisement, the preferences for product categories are retrieved from the propensities database  530  and an advertisement is selected from the advertisement pool database  770  in a random manner having a matching category. Of course, where there are a plurality of advertisements in a category, the selection is weighted according to the saturation level (field  820 ) for each of the advertisements.  
         [0000]     Sponsorships  
         [0140]     Many of the games of chance that are presented in the system are sponsored. Sponsorships are, in essence, super ads. These super ads are presented to the contestant for the duration of game play and are categorized.  
         [0141]      FIG. 20  is an excellent illustration of a sponsorship in the Prize Spin game. A plurality of sponsorships can be sold to companies is a plurality of product categories. A sponsor presentation window  1780  is visible so long as the contestant remains in the corresponding category. In the prize spin game, the contestant can change categories using the category forward  1790  and back  1785  command buttons.  
         [0142]     As is the case with any advertisement, a sponsorship message can be in any multimedia form supported by the system.  
         [0000]     Hyperlink Processing  
         [0143]     The system charges additional fees for referring a contestant to an advertisers or sponsors web site. Every advertisement presented to a contestant by the system, including sponsorship, is in the form of: 
    www.acs.com/ad_reference=ref_address,userID 
 
 This hyperlink first causes a special referral page to be loaded. The referral page is called “reference”. The actual address of the advertisers web page is passed to the referral page as an argument. The referral page has an attached java-script that uses the web page address to as an indicator that the corresponding advertiser should be charged for a referral. This is recorded by incrementing the referral field  870  of the advertisement pool database. Optionally, the system can use the userID to record the contestant that requested the referral. 
   
 
         [0145]     In the event that the advertisement is a sponsorship presentation, the form of the hyperlink is: 
    www.acs.com/spon_reference=ref_address,userID 
 
 This hyperlink is processed analogously to that of an advertisement reference. The difference between the &lt;ad_reference&gt;and &lt;spon_reference&gt; lies in the JavaScripts attached to each. In the advertisement referral page, the java-script counts references by incrementing the referral counter in the advertisement pool database  770 . The sponsorship referral page increments the total impressions field  920  in the sponsor list database  880 . These incrementing activities are implemented as SQL commands that each respective java-script composes and directs to the ACS  55 . 
 
 Prize Fulfillment 
   
 
         [0147]     The present invention establishes a probability level for the awarding prizes and or points. The odds that a particular prize will be awarded directly by a game-of-chance is established by monitoring the number of contestants vying for the prize. The odds of wining a prize are also based on the number of advertising impressions that must be presented in order to ensure overall profitability for the system operator.  
         [0148]     In the present embodiment, the odds of winning a prize are first calculated as a function of: 
        the cost of the prize stored in the prize pool database  970  cost field  1070 ; and     minimum of all advertisement cost per thousand that have the prize indicated as the correlated item in the advertisement pool database  770 , field  785 . 
 
 The first imperative in setting odds of winning is that the difference in the cost the prize must be less than the amount of revenue received as a result of advertising revenue. 
       
 
         [0151]     A contestant can receive prizes either by winning the prize at the calculated probability, or the contestant can redeem points won or purchased toward the prize.  
         [0000]     Marketing Data  
         [0152]     Many advertisers and sponsors will want to purchase marketing data directly from the system operator. Marketing data is tracked for every contestant registered in the user list database  220 . The marketing data is stored in the propensities database  530 . On a periodic basis, the period of which is definable to the system operator, the billing server  56  will retrieve the user list database  220  and the propensities database  530  and store copies of these databases in the billing server. The billing server will then create a report of buying propensities that describes the interest level of each contestant in product categories and specific prizes and/or promotions. This report will be e-mailed to a purchaser using an electronic shopping facility. The electronic shopping facility will then print an invoice using as printer  57  or it will debit the purchasers account using a special electronic fund transfer interface  58 .  
         [0000]     Contestant Billing  
         [0153]     Contestants compete in play using points. Points must be purchased before a player can play a game of chance. A billing GUI requires the contestant to enter a credit card number, expiration date and the name on the card. This information is stored in the user supplemental information database  350 , the credit card field  430 . As points are purchased, the number of points available for that contestant is adjusted accordingly. The number of points available is also stored in the user supplemental information database  350 . The points available are stored in a field with the same name  435 . The billing server  56  will use the special transaction interface  58  to obtain credit card authorization from the issuing bank.  
         [0000]     Promoter Billing  
         [0154]     The system adheres to a monthly billing cycle for advertisers and sponsors, although the billing period can be adjusted to suit the needs to the system operator. Upon initiation, the billing server ( FIG. 2 :  56 ) will make a copy of all of the databases involved in billing. These include, but not necessarily are limited to: 
        advertisement database  770 ; and     sponsor list database  880 . 
 
 At the end of the billing cycle, the billing databases are again copied from the ACS  55  into a separate set of files in the billing server  56 . The copies retained by the billing server  56  as the end of a billing cycle will become the initial databases for the subsequent billing cycle. 
       
 
         [0157]     Once the databases are copied, the billing server  56  will discover any differences in the total impression count and the referral count for each advertiser and sponsor. These differences will be the basis for billing the advertisers and sponsors for presenting their multimedia messages. Billing can be accomplished either by printing invoices using a printer  57  or by conducting electronic debit transactions to the advertisers or sponsors bank account using a special interface  58 .  
         [0158]     The final step in the billing cycle is to determine which advertisements and sponsorships have expired. This is done with the aid of an off-line database. The billing server  56  will then compose an SQL command to remove the records for each of the expired advertisements and sponsorships from the working billing databases maintained in the ACS  55 .  
       ALTERNATIVE EMBODIMENTS  
       [0159]     While this invention has been described in terms of several preferred embodiments, it is contemplated that alternatives, modifications, permutations, and equivalents thereof will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon a reading of the specification and study of the drawings. It is therefore intended that the true spirit and scope of the present invention include all such alternatives, modifications, permutations, and equivalents. Some, but by no means all of the possible alternatives are described herein.  
         [0160]     The invention uses an SQL database engine and allows remote devices to interact with the databases using the structured query language. Any other suitable database management system that allows clients to interact with a main set of databases is sufficient to support the database needs of the present invention.  
         [0161]     The invention employs a standard web browser that can present HTML web pages and execute java-script and Java applets. Other possible embodiments would include a custom web GUI definition language and psudo code executive. One such other implementation would be a multimedia presentation created in MacroMedia™ Flash™ MPEG-4 technology could likewise be utilized.  
         [0162]     The invention is based on TCP/IP protocols. Other alternative, including the use of isochronous channels to carry multimedia to the client devices and asymmetrical protocols could also be used. Any suitable networking structure that provides for client sever interaction is an acceptable alternative to TCP/IP.  
         [0163]     The invention is based on client device connected to computer network. Wireless devices such as PDA&#39;s and cell phones interface with slot machines, to identify the contestant and then effect any financial transactions the contestant authorizes. Other alternatives include using wireless devices with other client devices such as a personal computer, a set-top box and a ubiquitous Internet appliance. Each client device contains a wireless network interface. The wireless network interface uses low-power radio-frequency communications to communicate with personal electronic devices such as PDA&#39;s and cell phones.  
         [0164]     The wireless network interface incorporated into the invention uses a frequency-hopping scheme in conjunction with an encryption mechanism that supports secure transactions. The wireless network interface of the present invention conforms to the Bluetooth specification adopted by an industry consortium. It should be noted that any suitable wireless network interface can be utilized so long as secure transactions, wireless transactions with small personal devices can be accommodated. When a contestant first approaches the client device, the wireless network interface establishes a connection with the contestant&#39;s personal device. This connection allows the client device to identify the contestant and then effect any financial transactions the contestant authorizes.  
         [0165]     The invention is based on a PGS wired to client devices. Another preferred embodiment includes the use of wireless communication devices employing wireless protocols to connect the client devices to the PGS. Monies are transferred to and from the PGS and the client devices. Transactions are secured using the Bluetooth specification as described previously.