Abstract:
Disclosed is a method of conducting a competition utilizing a slotless-micro-race-track system and remote control motorized racing vehicle(s), optionally including the providing of benefits to sponsors in the form of televised presentation of identifying marks during the competition. The method involves an initial selecting and effective licensing of a practitioner as a sponsor.

Description:
This is a Continuation-In-Part of application Ser. No. 09/303,747, filed May 3, 1999, which will issue as U.S. Pat. No. 6,254,478 on Jul. 3, 2001. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention relates to methods of conducting a competition, and in particular is a method of conducting a competition utilizing a slotless-micro-race-track system and remote control motorized racing vehicles, said method further involving the authorizing of dealers to practice said method of conducting a competition. 
     BACKGROUND 
     It is known to provide slotless-micro-race-track systems and remote control motorized racing vehicles thereon for the purpose of conducting a competition in which each, (typically a plurality), of the contestants are provided controls for remotely controlling one of such motorized racing vehicles. The competition per se. involves allowing each contestant to remotely control his or her assigned motorized racing vehicle so that it proceeds around the slotless-micro-race-track. Typically a winner of the competition is identified as the contestant who&#39;s motorized racing vehicle completes some selected number of laps in a manner judged comparatively superior amongst the contestants, (eg. typically the fastest). It is noted that slotless-micro-race-track systems and remote control motorized racing vehicles appropriate for use in practice of the present invention method, are available from Micro-Reality Motorsports of 
     Continuing, it is further noted that businessmen, (eg. potential competition sponsors), are always looking for ways to make the best use of marketing dollars to the end that customers are drawn to their facilities. Thus is identified a potential impetus and need for a method of conducting a competition. 
     With the foregoing insight, the present invention is disclosed as a method for conducting a competition by a sponsor involving a slotless-micro-race-track system and remote control motorized racing vehicles, which, as a side benefit, might lead to beneficial marketing exposure of said sponsor to a relevant public, which can include a television audience. 
     With the present invention in mind a Search of Patents was conducted. By far the most relevant Patent found was U.S. Pat. No. 4,781,377 to McVean et al. Said Patent describes a method of conducting a racing event, and a hybrid sporting event and game show based on the sporting event. The sporting event involves mounting robotic jockeys onto live hackney ponies in a racing event made up of one or more races. The robotic jockeys are remote controlled, and players are provided race cards that contain pairings of a race horse identification and an indicium identifying the animal in a corresponding race. Players can win individual races or an entire event depending on the outcome of races and the content of the race cards held, and other factors. Race cards can be distributed in advance of a race event at the race event location, or at a remote location such as supermarkets. The event, said 377 Patent describes, can be broadcast live and winners can be present at a race event or in the broadcast audience. 
     Another Patent, U.S. Pat. No. 5,322,293 to Goyette, describes a board game with focus on an auto racing game apparatus and method of play. While said 293 Patent identifies the concept of auto racing, it does not suggest application of a slotless race track and remote control motorized racing vehicles. Another such board game having as its focus a method of playing a racing game, is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,092,605 to Hoffman. 
     Additional Patents which describe systems and/or methods of playing a game are disclosed because the inventors are aware of them: 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,603,502 to Nakagawa; 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,800,263 to Hayashida et al.; 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,718,429 to Keller Jr.; 
     U.S. Pat. No. 4,953,873 to Jacobsen; 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,795,226 to Yi; 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,372,366 to Gohlke; and 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,439,228 to Pedersen. 
     Even in view of the identified known prior art there remains need for a method of conducting a competition utilizing a slotless-race-track system and remote control motorized racing vehicles. 
     DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is a method of conducting a competition which, in preferred practice, involves a sequence of “qualifying” rounds leading-up to a “championship” round. At the first level(s) of rounds sponsors, (who typically want to draw attention to themselves for, perhaps, marketing purposes), will typically provide contestants access to a slotless-micro-racing-track system which comprises remote control motorized racing vehicles and allow said contestants to participate in one or more racing events. Contestants participate by remotely controlling motorized racing vehicles on the slotless-micro-racing-track system. Alternatively, it is noted, preliminary round event winners can be determined by a lottery or drawing or some other means. Winners of preliminary round events then proceed to additional rounds of competition, typically involving other preliminary round event winners, and contestants are hoping to win their way through some number of such preliminary round events and thereby earn the right to participate in a “championship” round. Typically a “championship” round will involve participation in a racing event against a sponsor selected celebrity, (eg. a championship NASCAR race driver), and will be televised. 
     In one embodiment then, the present invention is a method of conducting a competition by a sponsor which comprises, as a first step, the providing of a slotless-micro-racing-track system. A preferred slotless-micro-racing-track system, it is noted, is available from Micro-Reality Motorsports of 1500 S.W. 7th St., Atlantic, Iowa 50022, and has a plurality of functionally interconnectable track sections thereby enabling configuration into a variety of continuous shapes. Said shapes can be selected from the group consisting of: (round, oval, tri-oval, “D” shaped, square, rectangular and possibly even an “8” shape), for instance. Said slotless micro-racing-track system further comprises a plurality of remote control racing vehicles, each including a remote control unit for each of said placed remote control motorized racing vehicles. A next step can involve placing such a slotless micro-racing-track system at a sponsor selected location, such as a business location to which is to be attracted patrons, and configuring it into a desired shape by functionally interconnecting sections thereof. This is followed by placing at least one remote control motorized racing vehicle(s) thereon, and placing a remote control unit for each of said placed remote control racing vehicles near-thereby. Said present invention method further comprises selecting a sponsor designated person, defining a criteria for involvement in, and advertising the sponsoring of an event open to persons who meet said criteria, wherein said event comprises a chance to operate a remote control motorized racing vehicle against said sponsor * designated person who also operates a remote control motorized racing vehicle, during said event. Said method further involves actually selecting at least one person who meets the defined criteria and selecting a time, and as said event, producing an, optionally televised, show originated at a location selected by the sponsor. Said event optionally comprises locating the slotless-micro-racing-track system at the business location of the sponsor of said event and comprises the staging of a race event between said sponsor designated person and said selected at least one other person. The competition, of course, further involves selecting some criteria as how to determine a winner in said racing event, and conducting said event to the end that a winner is identified. 
     It is noted that the defining of a criteria and advertising the sponsoring of an event open to persons who meet said criteria, can, though not necessarily, involve requiring patronage at a place of business to which said sponsor wishes to attract patrons, and/or can involve a drawing and/or can involve the staging of a race involving at least two persons appearing at said sponsor&#39;s identified location whereat is placed a slotless-micro-racing-track system. 
     A particularly relevant version of the method of conducting a competition by a sponsor provides that the step of designating a sponsor designated person involve the sponsor designating a person who is a celebrity. Alternatively, said method of conducting a competition by a sponsor can have the same criteria for selecting contestants involvement in a racing event and such could lead to all contestants being non-celebrities. 
     Said method of conducting a competition by a sponsor can further comprise practicing the steps thereof more than once, to the end that a number of winners are identified. In addition, said method of conducting a competition by a sponsor can further involve developing a new criteria for qualifying said winners to participate in a further competition, said new criteria including having been previously identified as a winner in a prior race event. 
     A modified version of the present invention method of conducting a competition by a sponsor can again comprise the obtaining a slotless-micro-racing-track system, said slotless-micro-racing-track system having a plurality of functionally interconnectable track sections thereby enabling configuration into a variety of continuous shapes, and further comprising a plurality of remote control motorized racing vehicles, including a remote control unit for each of said placed remote control motorized racing vehicles, and the configuring said slotless-micro-racing-track system into a shapes selected from the group consisting of: (round, oval, tri-oval, “D” shaped, square, rectangular and 8 shaped), for instance. However, said slotless-micro-racing-track system is, in this modified version, placed specifically at a TV station during a racing event. Said modified version of the present invention method involves the selecting of a time, and as said event, producing a televised, (in real-time or delayed), show originated at said TV station, said televised show comprising the staging of a race between said at least two selected persons. (Note that another variation of the present invention method involves time trial events wherein a single contestant is involved and rather than race against other contestant(s), races against time). A winner being selected as the contestant who posts, for instance, the fastest time trial time. 
     Another recitation of a present method of conducting a competition by a sponsor provides that steps, in any functional order, be practiced, said steps being: 
     a. providing a race track system with one or more remote control motorized racing vehicles thereon, said remote control motorized vehicles optionally having sponsor identification marking thereon and there being, optionally, sponsor identifying signs placed in the vicinity of said race track system, (ie. near, around and/or on said race track system); 
     b. selecting at least two contestants selected from the group consisting of: 
     at least two celebrities; 
     at least two non-celebrities; and 
     at least a celebrity and a non-celebrity; 
     c. assigning a remote control motorized racing vehicle to each, selected contestant and providing means for remotely controlling it thereto; 
     d. conducting a televised, real-time or delayed, racing competition amongst said selected contestants; 
     e. selecting some criteria as how to determine a winner in said event; 
     to the end that sponsor identifying advertising is observable to television viewers who tune into the telecast, and to the end that a winner of the competition is determined on the basis of the completion of a selected number of laps in a manner judged comparatively superior amongst the contestants. 
     Said method of conducting a competition by a sponsor can again involve, in the step of providing a race track system with one or more remote control motorized racing vehicles thereon, selecting remote control vehicles shaped as at least one selection from the group consisting of: 
     car; 
     truck; 
     tractor; 
     sport utility vehicle 
     snowmobile; 
     go kart; 
     quadrunner; and 
     motorcycle; 
     as well as possibly unusual shapes such as a shoe, as perhaps requested by a sponsor. 
     It is noted that a preferred version of said method of conducting a competition by a sponsor which comprises the placing of sponsor identifying signs in the vicinity of the race track system in view of the television camera. 
     Any modification of said method of conducting a competition by a sponsor can further comprise the awarding of prizes to contestants. 
     A method of conducting a competition by a sponsor can further comprise at least one repeated performance of said method of conducting a competition by a sponsor, and wherein the selection criteria for selecting contestants can be varied from what was the initially applied criteria. 
     It is further noted that another variation of the present invention method involves time trial events wherein a single contestant is involved, and rather than race against other contestants), races against time. In such a case a winner is selected on a criteria of, for instance, which contestant posts the fastest time trial time. 
     It is further to be understood that the step of providing a race track system with at least one remote control motorized racing vehicle(s) thereon can involve providing any functional race track system, (such as demonstrated in the drawings or, for instance, a suitable race track system can be formed by simply drawings lines on an essentially horizontally oriented surface). 
     It is further to be understood that the step of assigning a remote control motorized racing vehicle to each selected contestant and providing means for remotely controlling it thereto, can involve ue of any functional remote control system, including counsel and hand-held “means for remotely controlling”. 
     It Is further noted that a racing competition amongst selected contestants can be alternatively be referred to as conducting a game show. 
     It is to be understood that combinations and/or additional variations on the recited present invention method are within the scope thereof. 
     The present invention, includes, as a preliminary step, the effective licensing of a practitioner to conduct said method of conducting a competition. That is the provider of a slotless-micro-racing-track system and remote control motorized racing vehicles, (i.e. the owners of U.S. Pat. No. 6,254,478), can authorize others to practice said Patent and/or variations thereof as a sponsor. 
     The present invention method further can involve contestant selection on the basis of a “trivia” contest wherein potential contestants are selected by how they answer questions, much as in the recent “weakest link” and other such programs. For instance, sponsor designated person(s) such a celebrity and non-celebrity contestants etc. are selected via asking them questions and obtaining answers thereto therefrom. 
     The system utilized in the practice of the present invention method will be better understood by reference to the Detailed Description Section of this Disclosure, with appropriate reference to the accompanying Drawings. 
     SUMMARY 
     It is therefore a primary purpose of the present invention to teach a method of conducting a competition utilizing a slotless-race-track system and remote control motorized racing vehicles. 
     It is another purpose of the present invention to teach a method of conducting a competition utilizing a slotless-race-track system and remote control motorized racing vehicles, which provides benefits to sponsors in the form of televised presentation of identifying marks. 
     It is another purpose of the present invention to teach a preliminary sponsor authorization of “dealers” to conduct said competition utilizing a slotless-race-track system and remote control motorized racing vehicles. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 shows a preferred oval shaped slotless-micro-racing-track system as is available from Micro-Reality Motorsports of 1500 S.W. 7th St., Atlantic Iowa 50022. 
     FIGS. 2 and 3 demonstrate oval and circular shaped slotless-micro-racing-track systems constructed from a plurality of functionally interconnectable track sections. 
     FIG. 4 shows that an alternative configuration can be essentially triangular shaped. 
     FIG. 5 demonstrates that in side view a slotless-micro-racing-track system section is preferably banked at, a demonstrative and not limiting, approximate fourteen-and-one-half (14.5) degrees. 
     FIG. 6 demonstrate the presence of a trademark (TM) on a motorized racing vehicle. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Turning now to the drawings, in FIG. 1 there is shown a demonstrative, preferred oval shaped slotless-micro-racing-track system ( 1 ) as is available from Micro-Reality Motorsports of 1500 S.W. 7th St., Atlantic, Iowa 50022. FIG. 5 shows that a preferred racing surface of the slotless-micro-racing-track system ( 1 ) is banked at an angle of approximately fourteen and one-half (14.5) degrees, with there being an eighteen (18) inch rise over the six foot wide racing surface. Said embankment encourages good motorized racing vehicle traction on the racing surface. It is also to be noted that there is shown a demonstrative sign which can carry the name or trademark or logo etc. of a competition sponsor. As well, contestants can wear clothing with a sponsor&#39;s name or trademark or logo etc. of a competition sponsor during a competition. FIG. 6 is included to demonstrate the presence of a sponsor trademark (TM) or other sponsor identifying material on a motorized racing vehicle (VX). As mentioned infra in this Disclosure, a sponsor of racing competitions can gain exposure and benefit from such presence of its identifying marks at a racing competition, particularly where it is televised. 
     FIG. 2 demonstrates that said preferred oval shaped slotless-micro-racing-track system is constructed from a plurality of functionally interconnectable track sections. Note FIG. 2 could delete straight sections (( 2 ) and ( 11 )). FIG. 3 shows a circular shaped slotless-micro-racing-track system. 
     FIG. 4 shows that an alternative configuration can be essentially triangular shaped. Other shapes possible include “D” shaped, square, rectangular. 
     Continuing, FIG. 1 also shows the presence to motorized racing vehicles (V 1 ), (V 2 ), (V 3 ), (V 4 ), (V 5 ) and (V 6 ) on the racing surface of the preferred oval shaped slotless-micro-racing-track system, as well as the presence of associated Remote Control Systems (RC 1 ), (RC 2 ), (RC 3 ), (RC 4 ), (RC 5 ) and (RC 6 ). It is to be noted that each of the Remote Control Systems as associated therewith a Steering Wheel and Accelerator as follows: 
     
       
         
               
               
             
               
               
               
               
               
               
               
             
               
               
               
               
               
               
               
             
           
               
                   
                   
               
               
                   
                 REMOTE CONTROL SYSTEM 
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 (RC1) 
                 (RC2) 
                 (RC3) 
                 (RC4) 
                 (RC5) 
                 (RC6) 
               
               
                   
                   
               
             
          
           
               
                 STEERING 
                 (SW1) 
                 (SW2) 
                 (SW3) 
                 (SW4) 
                 (SW5) 
                 (SW6) 
               
               
                 WHEEL 
               
               
                 ACCELER- 
                 (ACC1) 
                 (ACC2) 
                 (ACC3) 
                 (ACC4) 
                 (ACC5) 
                 (ACC6) 
               
               
                 ATOR 
               
               
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
     In use, a contestant is provided control over a Racing Vehicle ((V 1 ), (V 2 ), (V 3 ), (V 4 ), (V 5 ), (V 6 )), associated Remote Control System, (eg. (RC 1 ), (RC 2 ), (RC 3 ), (RC 4 ), (RC 5 ), (RC 6 )), and operates the associated Steering Wheel ((SW 1 ), (SW 2 ), (SW 3 ), (SW 4 ), (SW 5 ), (SW 6 )) and Accelerator ((ACC 1 ), (ACC 2 ), (ACC 3 ), (ACC 4 ), (ACC 5 ), (ACC 6 )), during a competition. Turning Steering Wheel in one direction causes a motorized racing vehicle to turn in one direction, (and vice-versa), and operating an accelerator causes an associated Racing.Vehicle to change speed. 
     For additional insight it is also noted that the motorized racing vehicles utilized in the preferred slotless-micro-racing-track system ( 1 ) are approximately twelve (12) to nineteen (19) inches.long and five (5) to nine (9) inches wide, and are preferably covered with a removable/replaceable plastic protective covering that serves to prevent damage to the motorized racing vehicles in collisions. In addition this allows easily changing trademark etc. materials visible on said motorized racing vehicles. FIG. 6 is included to demonstrate the presence of a sponsor trademark (TM) on a motorized racing vehicle (VX). As mentioned infra in this Disclosure, a sponsor of racing competitions can gain exposure and benefit from such presence of its identifying marks at a racing competition, particularly where it is televised. 
     It is further noted that each motorized racing vehicle is equipped with a signal emitting circuit which causes a lap counter detector (DET) to activate every time it makes a lap of the slotless-micro-racing-track. This enables keeping accurate count of laps completed by each racing vehicle as each motorized racing vehicle is caused to emit a different signal. 
     In addition, it is to be understood that a remote control system can include a robotic drive in a racing vehicle, that there can be a camera mounted in a racing vehicle, that prizes can be awarded to contestants in additional steps of a race event competition, that multiple sponsors can sponsor a race event competition, and that race event competitions can be televised from a television station or from a remote location. 
     It is also noted that the terminology “Sponsor” is to be interpreted broadly to include, in addition to the provider of a slotless micro racing track system, businesses and/or individuals who make locations for conducting the competition available. 
     Finally, it is to be understood that the drawings and discussion in this Disclosure show and describe exemplary, not limiting, slotless-micro-racing-track systems, and that any functionally similar slotless-micro-racing-track systems can be utilized in practice of the present invention methodology, which methodology was disclosed in the Disclosure of the Invention Section of this Disclosure.