Abstract:
An internet game show host program running on a server computer retrieves a visual clue that is associated with a correct textual answer. Each contestant interactively selects the portions of the visual clue to be exposed. The entire visual clue is loaded onto each of the contestants&#39; computers prior to the beginning of each game, and the contestants&#39; game software progressively exposes the visual clue. Contestants fill in a series of blanks with the answer and activate a send button. The contestants&#39; game software sends the contestant&#39;s answer along with a time stamp indicating the time elapsed since the beginning of the internet game show. At the end of the internet game show, the game show host computer compares the times that the correct responses were sent. The correct response that contains the earliest send time is the winning response.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
   This application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/204,399 entitled “Puzzoo Internet Game Show,” filed May 16, 2000, which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety for all purposes. 

   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The present invention is related to the field of internet usage; and specifically, to the field of multi-player internet games. 
   2. Discussion of the Related Art 
   Several conventional multi-player games, such as board games, are known in the art. Furthermore, communications over the internet is known in the art. A need exists for multi-player games implemented over the internet. 
   BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   According to the present invention, an internet game show is played on the internet in real-time by anyone who has access to the internet. An internet game show host program running on a server computer retrieves a visual clue that is associated with a correct textual answer. Each player from amongst a plurality of players (contestants) establishes a connection to the game show host server computer through the internet. In the presently preferred embodiment, before any games are played, the host computer sends to each of the players game software that specifies the screen appearance of a game window in which the contestants&#39; game is displayed to the player. At the beginning of the game, each contestant&#39;s game window includes a series of blanks corresponding to the words of the correct textual answer. During the game, the visual clue is progressively, in other words, incrementally, exposed to each of the contestants. In the some embodiments of the present invention, the visual clue is progressively exposed to the contestants in an identical manner in real time. Thus, each successive portion of the visual clue is exposed to all of the contestants at the same real time. In other embodiments according to the present invention, each contestant interactively determines which portions of the visual clue to which he is exposed during the real time progression of the internet game show; in these embodiments, the various contestants are not exposed to the same portion of the visual clue at the same real time. 
   The objective of the game for each of the contestants is to solve the puzzle by returning a response to the game show host that contains the correct textual answer corresponding to the visual clue. The winning response received by the game show host is the earliest dispatched response that contains the correct textual answer. The winning contestant who returns the winning response may receive a prize that may be identified in the game window. 
   In some embodiments according to the present invention, including those embodiments in which each contestant interactively determines which portions of the visual clue he is exposed to during the course of the game, the entire visual clue is loaded onto each of the contestants&#39; computers prior to the beginning of each game. However, in these embodiments, the contestants&#39; game software is written such that the visual clue is progressively exposed according to the present invention. In this manner, each contestant is seeing the exact same portions of the visual clue at the same real time in some embodiments. In the other embodiments in which user interactivity determines the portions of the visual clue that are exposed, no more than a predetermined maximum amount of the visual clue is visible to each contestant at the same real time. In these embodiments, the progressive exposing of the visual clue during the play of the internet game show is accomplished even though there is no additional information being passed from the game show host computer to the contestants&#39; computer during the play of the game. 
   In other embodiments according to the present invention in which every contestant is simultaneously exposed to the same portions of the visual clue, each of the progressive portions of the visual clue are sent to each of the contestants simultaneously during the play of the game through the internet as streams from the internet game show host. 
   In all embodiments according to the present invention, whenever the contestant believes that he knows the correct answer, he fills in the series of blanks with the characters of his answer and activate a send button indicating that his answer should be sent to the game show host computer. When the contestant activates a send button indicating that his answer should be sent to the game show host, the contestant&#39;s game software sends the contestant&#39;s answer along with a time stamp indicating the real time elapsed since the beginning of the internet game show that the answer was sent by the contestant&#39;s computer. 
   According to another aspect of the present invention, when the internet game show host receives a response from a contestant, the internet game show host compares the contestant&#39;s answer to the correct answer. If the contestant&#39;s answer does not match the correct answer, then the game show host computer sends back to the contestant a message indicating that the contestant&#39;s answer is incorrect. In this case, the contestant&#39;s game software reports to the contestant that answer that the contestant had entered is incorrect, clears the incorrect answer from the series of blanks, and suggests to the contestant that he try again. If the contestant&#39;s answer matches the correct answer, then the game show host computer sends back to the contestant a message indicating that the contestant&#39;s answer is correct. In this case, the contestant&#39;s game software reports to the contestant that the answer that the contestant had entered is correct and leaves the correct answer in the series of blanks. In the embodiments in which the contestant has no control over which portions of the visual clue are exposed, the visual clue continues to be progressively exposed to the contestant until the entire visual clue has been revealed. After the puzzle has been entirely revealed, the game show host sends a message to each contestant indicating the winner of the game. 
   At the end of the internet game show, for each contestant that sends a response to the game show host that contains the correct answer, the game show host computer compares the times that the responses were sent. The response containing the correct answer that contains the earliest send time is the winning response, and the contestant that sent this answer is the winner of the game. Because the game show host cannot control the total real time delay in transit from the contestant&#39;s computer to the game show host&#39;s computer through the internet, the game show host waits for some predetermined time after the puzzle has been entirely revealed before comparing the send times of all the responses containing the correct answer. This predetermined wait time helps to ensure that all responses that contain the correct answer are in fact received by the game show host&#39;s computer before the winner is determined. 
   In contrast, in the embodiments in which the contestant has control over which portions of the visual clue are exposed, such as through the use of the cursor controlled by a mouse, then the entire visual clue is revealed to the contestant after the contestant&#39;s game software receives a message from the game show host indicating that the contestant&#39;s answer was correct. In one alternative according to these embodiments, at some predetermined time after the game show host first receives a response from any contestant that contains the correct answer, then the contestant&#39;s game software reveals the entire visual clue to the user along with an indication of the winner. In another alternative according to these embodiments, at a predetermined time after the beginning of the game, the entire visual clue is revealed to the contestant along with an indication of the winner, regardless of the time at which the first response containing a correct answer was received by the game show host. 
   These and other features and advantages of the present invention are more fully discussed in the Detailed Description of the Invention, which discussed the Figures in narrative form. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  illustrates a system for playing an internet game show according to the present invention. 
       FIG. 2  illustrates a general purpose computer suitable for implementing the game show host computer as well as the various contestants&#39; computers during an internet game show according to the present invention. 
       FIG. 3A  illustrates a screen appearance for a contestant at a beginning of an internet game show in which the visual clue is progressively, in other words, incrementally, exposed according to the present invention. 
       FIG. 3B  illustrates a screen appearance for a contestant at an intermediate stage of an internet game show in which square portions of the visual clue are progressively exposed according to the present invention. 
       FIG. 3C  illustrates a screen appearance for a contestant at a further intermediate stage of an internet game show in which square portions of the visual clue are progressively exposed according to the present invention. 
       FIG. 4A  illustrates a screen appearance for a contestant at an intermediate stage of an internet game show in which vertical strips of the visual clue are progressively exposed according to the present invention. 
       FIG. 4B  illustrates a screen appearance for a contestant at a further intermediate stage of an internet games show in which vertical strips of the visual clue are progressively exposed according to the present invention. 
       FIG. 5A  illustrates a screen appearance for a contestant at an intermediate stage of an internet game show in which horizontal strips of the visual clue are progressively exposed according to the present invention. 
       FIG. 5B  illustrates a screen appearance for a contestant at a further intermediate stage of an internet game show in which horizontal strips of the visual clue are progressively exposed according to the present invention. 
       FIG. 6A  illustrates a screen appearance for a contestant at an intermediate stage shortly after the beginning of an internet game show in which adjacent portions of the visual clue are progressively exposed in a snake-like organic motion according to the present invention. 
       FIG. 6B  illustrates a screen appearance for a contestant at a further intermediate stage of an internet game show in which adjacent portions of the visual clue are progressively exposed in a snake-like organic motion according to the present invention. 
       FIG. 6C  illustrates a screen appearance for a contestant at yet a further intermediate stage of an internet game show in which adjacent portions of the visual clue are progressively exposed in a snake-like organic motion according to the present invention. 
       FIG. 7A  illustrates a screen appearance for a contestant at an intermediate stage of an internet game show in which square portions of the visual clue are progressively exposed according to the present invention. 
       FIG. 7B  illustrates a screen appearance for a contestant at yet a further stage of an internet game show in which square portions of the visual clue are progressively exposed and in which already exposed square portions grow in size so that adjacent portions to the already exposed square portions are exposed according to the present invention. 
       FIG. 8A  illustrates a screen appearance for a contestant at an intermediate stage of an internet game show in which circular portions of the visual clue are progressively exposed according to the present invention. 
       FIG. 8B  illustrates a screen appearance for a contestant at yet a further stage of an internet game show in which circular portions of the visual clue are progressively exposed and in which already exposed circular portions grow in size so that adjacent portions to the already exposed circular portions are exposed according to the present invention. 
       FIG. 9  illustrates a screen appearance for a contestant at an intermediate stage during an internet game show in which adjacent portions of the visual clue are progressively exposed while previously exposed portions of the visual clue are covered up in a sweeping spotlight motion according to the present invention. 
       FIG. 10A  illustrates a screen appearance for a contestant during an internet game show in which the visual clue is exposed in random, rapidly blinking shapes, such as squares, according to the present invention. 
       FIG. 10B  illustrates another screen appearance for a contestant during an internet game show in which the visual clue is exposed in random, rapidly blinking shapes, such as squares, according to the present invention. 
       FIG. 11A  illustrates a screen appearance for a contestant during an internet game show in which the visual clue is exposed in a window, for example having a circular shape, that is controlled by the contestant&#39;s cursor control device, such as a mouse, according to the present invention. 
       FIG. 11B  illustrates another screen appearance for a contestant during an internet game show in which the visual clue is exposed in a window, for example having a circular shape, that is controlled by the contestant&#39;s cursor control device, such as a mouse, according to the present invention. 
       FIG. 12  illustrates a method performed by an internet game show host computer for administering an internet game show according to the present invention. 
       FIG. 13  illustrates a method performed by an internet game show host computer for processing responses sent by the various contestants during a contestant interactive portion of an internet game show according to the present invention. 
       FIG. 14  illustrates the format of a response sent by a contestant&#39;s computer during a contestant interactive portion of an internet game show according to the present invention. 
       FIG. 15  illustrates an exemplary table of correct answers stored by the internet game show host during the internet game show and used by the internet game show host to determine the winner of the internet game show according to the present invention. 
       FIG. 16  illustrates a method performed by a contestant&#39;s computer for competing in an internet game show according to the present invention. 
   

   The Figures are more fully explained in narrative form in the Detailed Description of the Invention. 
   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     FIG. 1  illustrates a system  100  for playing an internet game show according to the present invention. The game show host  101  is connected to the internet  105  through communication link  106 . Player  1   102  is connected to the internet  105  through communication link  107 . Player  2   103  is connected to the internet  105  through communication link  108 . Player  3   104  is connected to the internet  105  through communication link  109 . The game show host  101  administers the internet game show according to the present amongst a plurality of contestants, such as Player  1   102 , Player  2   103 , and Player  3   104 . Although the system  100  shown in  FIG. 1  includes only three players, there is no strict requirement as to the number of players according to the present invention. For example, a single player may play alone, or an arbitrarily large number of players may participate in the same internet game show according to the present invention. The various communication links  106  through  109  to the internet  105  for the game show host  101  and the various contestants  102  through  104  may be implemented in any of a variety of connection methods, such cable connections demodulated by a cable modem, local area networks that are connected to the internet through a firewall, wireless connections, dial-up connections through the telephone lines to an internet service provider, or other connection facilities. 
     FIG. 2  illustrates a general purpose computer architecture  200  suitable for implementing the game show host&#39;s computer  101  as well as the various contestants&#39; computers  102  through  104  during an internet game show according to the present invention. A microprocessor  202  communicates with random access memory  204  over a data bus  201 . The general purpose computer architecture  200  optionally includes read only memory  203 , which provides non-writable, non-volatile storage, and hard disk  205 , which provides large amounts of rewritable storage space. The general purpose computer architecture  200  includes a display interface  206  for presenting images to the human contestant during the play of an internet game show according to the present invention. The human player submits contestant input through keyboard interface  207  and/or cursor controller  208 , such as a mouse or touchpad. The general purpose computer architecture  200  also includes one or more devices for connection to the internet, such as modem interface  209  and local area network interface  212 . The general purpose computer architecture  200  may include devices for accepting computer readable storage media, such as disk drive  210 , which accepts either a compact disk or floppy disk  211 . 
   In the presently preferred embodiments, the downstream communications from the game show host to the various contestants and the upstream communications from the various contestants to the game show are performed through the internet. However, there is no requirement according to the present invention that communications is performed over the internet. For example, the game show according to the present invention can also be performed “live” in a studio, in which downstream communication is accomplished by each contestant viewing the same visual display screen projected on a wall or screen; and in which upstream communication is performed orally or through a local area network at the studio. As another example, downstream communications can be performed on television over the public airways or in a private cable system, with the various contestants watching the clue being incrementally exposed on their individual television screens at home, while upstream communications from the contestants to the game show host is performed orally through the telephone, by computer through the internet or via dial-up networking directly to the game show host. 
     FIG. 3A  illustrates a screen appearance for a contestant at a beginning of an internet game show in which the clue is progressively, in other words, incrementally, exposed according to the present invention. The internet game show is played in a game window  300  displayed on each contestant&#39;s display  206 . Before the internet game show begins, a portion of the game window  301  is completely blank, but will be progressively exposed during the play of the internet game show. The blank rectangular portion  301  of the game window  300  will be used during the internet game show to expose to the contestant portions of the visual clue that has been associated by the game show host  101  to a correct textual answer. The game window  300  further includes a series of blank character spaces  302  corresponding to the characters of the correct textual answer. A send button  304  is provided for instructing the contestant&#39;s internet game show software to send a response to the internet game show host  101 . Before the beginning of the game, the visual clue is completely hidden from the user. The game window  300  may optionally also include an identification of a prize  305 , which may be awarded to the contestant determined by the internet game show host to be the winner. The game window  300  further includes a visual field  306  in which the winner&#39;s name or other unique identifier can be displayed at the conclusion of the game. Although the series of blank character spaces  302  corresponding to the characters in the correct answer have been illustrated as showing the exact number of words, letters, and spaces in the correct answer, this is illustrated by way of example only, not by way of limitation. For example, there is no requirement that the series of blank character spaces  302  be provided at all; in other words; alternatively, the contestant may be required to enter a textual answer in using a text editor in a separate window and to transmit the answer to the host, and in this case, there is no guidance to the contestants as to the length of the correct answer. In this alternative, the contestants may submit answers of any arbitrary length and phrasing. 
   According to the present invention, the visual clue is progressively exposed to the contestant in any one of a variety of methods. For example,  FIG. 3B  illustrates a screen appearance  310  for the contestants at an intermediate stage of an internet game show in which square portions of the visual clue are progressively exposed according to the present invention. In this embodiment, the rectangular visual clue is separated into a Cartesian array of squares. At predetermined real time intervals, the various squares of the visual clue are exposed to each of the contestants. For example, at the intermediate time shown in FIG.  3 B, the squares  311  and  312  have been exposed to each of the contestants simultaneously.  FIG. 3C  illustrates a screen appearance  320  for a contestant at a further intermediate stage of an internet game show in which square portions of the clue are progressively exposed according to the present invention. For example, additional square portions  321  and  322  have been exposed to each of the contestants at this later intermediate stage of the internet game show. In the embodiments illustrated in  FIGS. 3A ,  3 B, and  3 C, the square portions are randomly chosen, and once any given square is exposed to the contestants, it remains on the screen for the remaining duration of the internet game show. However, there is no requirement according to the present invention that the square portions are randomly chosen. Thus, the square portions to be progressively exposed may alternatively be exposed in a predetermined geometric pattern. During each predetermined time period, one or more of the square portions are exposed to the user. In the presently preferred embodiment, the predetermined time period is constant; however, there is no requirement according to the present invention that the time period between successive uncoverings of the square is constant. Furthermore, one or more or a variable number of squares may alternatively be exposed during each of the predetermined time periods. Regardless of the manner in which the square portion are exposed, in these embodiments all contestants, such as Player  1   102 , Player  2   103 , and Player  3   104  view the same screen appearances  301 ,  310 , and  320  at the same real time during the play of the internet game show according to the present invention. 
     FIG. 4A  illustrates an alternative screen appearance  400  for the contestants at an intermediate stage of an internet game show in which vertical strips of the visual clue are progressively exposed according to the present invention. In all of the alternative embodiments in which portions of the clue are progressively exposed to the contestants, the beginning screen appearance  300  is preferably blank, as illustrated in FIG.  3 A. However, there is no requirement according to the present invention that the beginning screen appearance is blank. For example, at the beginning of each game, each contestant&#39;s screen may alternatively include a predetermined portion of the visual clue, which is then further exposed as the game progresses. In the example shown in  FIG. 4A , vertical strip portions  401  and  402  have been exposed to each of the contestants through their displays  206 .  FIG. 4B  illustrates the screen appearance  410  for a contestant at a further intermediate stage of an internet games show in which vertical strips of the clue are progressively exposed according to the present invention. For example, vertical strip  411  has been exposed to each of the contestants at the intermediate stage illustrated in FIG.  4 B. 
     FIG. 5A  illustrates yet another alternative screen appearance  500  for the contestants at an intermediate stage of an internet game show in which horizontal strips of the visual clue are progressively exposed according to the present invention. As discussed above with reference to  FIG. 4B , the preferred beginning screen appearance is the blank screen  301  illustrated in  FIG. 3B , although there is no requirement according to the present invention that the contestants&#39; screens are blank at the beginning of the internet game show. At the intermediate stage of the internet game show shown in  FIG. 5A , horizontal strip  501  of the visual clue has been exposed to all of the contestants. 
     FIG. 5B  illustrates a screen appearance  510  for the contestants at a further intermediate stage of an internet game show in which horizontal strips of the visual clue are progressively exposed according to the present invention. At the stage illustrated in  FIG. 5B , the horizontal strip  511  has been exposed to the contestants. In the alternative embodiments illustrated in  FIGS. 4A ,  4 B,  5 A, and  5 B, there is no requirement according to the present invention that each of the strips to be exposed are of a fixed width. 
   Thus far,  FIGS. 3A through 5B  have described various presently preferred embodiments of the present invention in which portions of the visual clue are progressively exposed to the user. It is to be understood that those embodiments are offered by way of example, not by way of limitation. For example, the visual clue can be exposed in windows of any arbitrary shape and in any organization without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. The present invention includes progressively exposing the visual clue in any manner. 
     FIG. 6A  illustrates a screen appearance  600  for a contestant at an intermediate stage shortly after the beginning of an internet game show in which adjacent portions of the visual clue are progressively exposed in a snake-like organic motion according to the present invention. As in the previous embodiments, the beginning screen appearance is preferably a blank screen  300 , as illustrated in  FIG. 3A , although there is no requirement that the initial screen is blank. At the stage shown in  FIG. 6A , snake-like portion  601  has been exposed to each of the contestants in an internet game show according to the present invention. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, one end  602  of the snake-like portion, analogous to the snake&#39;s head, expands into adjacent portions of the visual clue. However, there is no requirement according to the present invention that only one end expand into the previously unexposed portions of the visual clue. For example, both ends can alternatively expand into adjacent areas of the visual clue. 
     FIG. 6B  illustrates a screen appearance  610  for a contestant at a further intermediate stage of an internet game show in which adjacent portions of the visual clue are progressively exposed in a snake-like organic motion according to the present invention. The portion  611  of the visual clue that has been exposed to the contestants the stage shown in  FIG. 6B  includes the portion  601  which was previously exposed in the internet game show (as illustrated by  FIG. 6A ) and additional adjacent portions of the visual clue, such that the adjacent portions are chosen in an extending snake-like organic motion. According to this embodiment, the snake-like exposing can be performed continuously in real-time, such that the screen image shown to each contestant appears to grow continuously during each instant of real time. Alternatively, the snake-like exposing is performed in discrete steps in predetermined fixed or variable real-time increments, as discussed above with respect to  FIGS. 3B and 3C , such as once per second of real time. 
     FIG. 6C  illustrates a screen appearance  620  for a contestant at yet a further intermediate stage of an internet game show in which adjacent portions of the clue are progressively exposed in a snake-like organic motion according to the present invention. Whenever the snake-like organic motion crosses an already exposed portion of the visual clue, such as the region  621 , then the already exposed portion remains exposed, and no additional portions of the visual clue are exposed to the contestants until the head of the snake reaches a portion of the visual clue that is not already exposed. 
     FIG. 7A  illustrates a screen appearance  700  for a contestant at an intermediate stage of an internet game show in which square portions of the clue are progressively exposed according to the present invention. Preferably, the beginning screen is blank, such as shown by screen  301  in  FIG. 3A , although there is no requirement that the beginning screen is blank according to the present invention. In the example shown in  FIG. 7A , square portions  701 ,  702 , and  703  have been exposed at this intermediate stage of an internet game show according to the present invention. 
     FIG. 7B  illustrates a screen appearance  710  for a contestant at yet a further stage of an internet game show in which square portions of the visual clue are progressively exposed and in which already exposed square portions grow in size so that adjacent portions to the already exposed square portions are exposed according to the present invention. Thus, for example, the square portions  711 ,  712 , and  713  of  FIG. 7B  include the portions  701 ,  702 , and  703  of  FIG. 7A , as well as surrounding adjacent areas which were exposed as the squares increase in size. In the example shown in  FIG. 7B , additional square portions  714  and  715  were exposed and have expanded somewhat in the real time intervening the screen appearances  700  and  710 . In addition, square portion  716  has been exposed in the time intervening the screen appearances  700  and  710 , although square  716  is younger than square portions  711  through  715 , as evidenced by its smaller size. As discussed above with respect to  FIGS. 6A ,  6 B, and  6 C, the expanding of the square portions can be continuous or in discrete steps. Moreover, the expanding of the square portions can be at a constant or variable rate, and can expand into any adjacent areas of the square portions according to the present invention. 
     FIG. 8A  illustrates a screen appearance  800  for the contestants at an intermediate stage of an internet game show in which circular portions of the visual clue are progressively exposed according to the present invention. Preferably starting with a blank screen  300 , shown in  FIG. 3A , at some later real time in the internet game show circular portions  801  and  802  have been exposed. 
     FIG. 8B  illustrates a screen appearance  810  for the contestants at yet a further stage of an internet game show in which circular portions of the clue are progressively exposed and in which already exposed circular portions grow in size so that adjacent portions to the already exposed circular portions are exposed according to the present invention. Thus, for example, the circular portions  811  and  812  of  FIG. 8B  include the portions  801  and  802  of  FIG. 8A , as well as surrounding adjacent areas which were exposed as the circular portions increased in radius. In the example shown in  FIG. 8B , additional circular portions  813  and  814  were exposed and have expanded somewhat in the real time intervening the screen appearances  800  and  810 . In addition, circular portion  815  has been exposed in the time intervening the screen appearances  800  and  810 , although circular portion  815  is younger than circular portions  811  through  814 , as evidenced by its lesser radius. As discussed above with respect to  FIGS. 6A ,  6 B, and  6 C, the expanding of the circular portions can be continuous or in discrete steps. Moreover, the expanding of the circular portions can be at a constant or variable rate. 
   The above-described embodiments illustrated in  FIGS. 6A through 8B  described various embodiments of the present invention including methods of exposing the visual clue in which adjacent portions of the already exposed portions are further exposed to the contestants. It is to be understood that those embodiments are offered by way of example, not by way of limitation. For example, the present invention includes expanding exposed portions so as to make the exposed portions larger in any arbitrary fashion. For example, the horizontal or vertical strips can be made wider continuously or in discrete steps in real time in accordance with the present invention. Thus, the present invention includes all such embodiments in which the already exposed portions are expanded so as to expose adjacent portions to the contestants. 
     FIG. 9  illustrates a screen appearance  900  for the contestants at an intermediate stage during an internet game show in which adjacent portions of the clue are progressively exposed while previously exposed portions of the clue are covered up in a sweeping spotlight motion according to the present invention. In the example shown in  FIG. 9 , a circular window  910  sweeps across the contestants&#39; display windows, thereby exposing portions of visual clue. The movement of the circular window  910  is similar to the movement of the snake&#39;s head as discussed above with reference to  FIGS. 6A ,  6 B, and  6 C. Optionally, trailing crescent windows, such as crescent window  911  expose small portions where the circular window has recently been. The movement of the circular window  910  is preferably continuous in real time as observed by the contestants, although this is not required according to the present invention. In contrast to the previously discussed embodiments illustrated in  FIGS. 3A through 8B , in the embodiment shown in  FIG. 9 , a predetermined fixed amount of the visual clue is exposed at any given time, rather than having a progressively greater portion of the visual clue exposed as real time progresses. This predetermined fixed amount is the sum of the areas of the circular window  910  and any crescent trailers, such as  911 . Preferably, as illustrated in  FIG. 9 , the window  910  is circular; however, there is no requirement according to the present invention that the moving window exposing the visual clue is circular. For example, alternatively, the moving window is square, rectangular, triangular, hexagonal, or any other shape. 
     FIG. 10A  illustrates a screen appearance  1000  for the contestants during an internet game show in which the visual clue is exposed in random, rapidly blinking shapes, such as squares, according to the present invention. For example, as shown in  FIG. 10A , square portions  1001  and  1002  are exposed to all of the contestants at the intermediate time of the taking of the screen appearance  1000 . 
     FIG. 10B  illustrates another screen appearance  1010  for the contestants during an internet game show in which the visual clue is exposed in random, rapidly blinking shapes, such as squares, according to the present invention. The square portions  1001  and  1002  shown in  FIG. 10A  are no longer exposed, although the square portions  1011  and  1012  shown in  FIG. 10B  are exposed to all the contestants at the time of the taking of the snapshot shown in FIG.  10 B. Thus, this embodiment is similar to the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 9  in the sense that previously exposed portions of the visual clue are covered up as new portions of the visual clue are exposed. Although the portions exposed in the example shown in  FIGS. 10A and 10B  are shown as square and as randomly chosen, there is no requirement according to the present invention that the exposed portions be square or randomly chosen. For example, the portions can be circular, oval shaped, triangular, rectangular, hexagonal, or any other shape, and can be blink in a predetermined pattern, rather than randomly, according to the present invention. 
   The above-described embodiments related to  FIGS. 9 through 10B  include covering up previously exposed portions of the visual clue. These embodiments are offered by way of example, not by way of limitation. The present invention includes exposing new portions and covering up previously exposed portions in real time as perceived by the contestants in any arbitrary fashion such that less than the entire visual clue is visible at any given real time during the internet game show. Preferably, the progressive exposing of new portions and covering up of previously exposed portions is performed such that only a predetermined fraction of the visual clue is exposed to the contestants at any given real time; however, there is no requirement according to the present invention that only a predetermined amount of the visual clue be exposed. All methods exposing any portion of the visual clue while covering up previously exposed portions are included in the present invention. 
   The embodiments of the present invention illustrated by  FIGS. 3A through 10B  thus far describe systems in which all participating contestants&#39; computers, such as Player  1   102 , Player  2   103 , and Player  3   104  shown in  FIG. 1 , display the exact same portions of the visual clue to the contestants at the same real time. However, there is no limitation according to the present invention that the same portions of the visual clue are exposed to all contestants at the same real time during the internet game show. For example, the individual contestants may alternatively be given control over which portions of the visual clue are exposed at any given time, as described below with reference to  FIGS. 11A and 11B . 
     FIG. 11A  illustrates a screen appearance  1100  for the contestants during an internet game show in which the visual clue  1100  is exposed in a window  1101 , for example having a circular shape, that is controlled by the contestant&#39;s cursor control device  208 , such as a mouse or touchpad, according to the present invention. As illustrated in  FIG. 11A , the position of the window  1101  is controlled by the contestant&#39;s cursor  1102 , which is controlled by the contest&#39;s cursor control device  208 , which is controlled by the human contestant himself in real time during the internet game show. 
     FIG. 11B  illustrates another screen appearance  1110  for a contestant during an internet game show in which the clue is exposed in a window, for example having a circular shape, that is controlled by the contestant&#39;s cursor control device  208 , such as a mouse or touch pad, according to the present invention. At the time of the taking of the snapshot  1110 , the window  1111  has moved from its previous position  1101  shown in FIG.  11 A. This movement was caused by the contestant&#39;s direction of the cursor  1112  to a new position on his display screen. The display window is optionally trailed by crescent windows, such as crescent  1113 , which show where the display window had previously been. Preferably, the movement of the display window  1111  is continuous in real time as perceived by the human contestant watching his display  206 ; however, there is no requirement according to the present invention that this be the case. For example, the display window may move in discrete steps as perceived by the human contestant. As discussed above with reference to  FIGS. 9 ,  10 A, and  10 B, in the embodiment illustrated in  FIGS. 11A and 11B , only a predetermined amount of the visual clue is exposed at a given real time. There is no requirement according to the present invention that the contestant controlled display window have any particular shape. For example, the contestant controlled display window is alternatively rectangular. 
     FIGS. 11A and 11B  describe embodiments in which the portions of the visual clue that are exposed are controlled by each individual contestant, and in which, as new portions of the visual clue are exposed to the contestant, previously exposed portions of the visual clue are covered up, such that only a fixed amount of the visual clue is exposed at any given real time to any given contestant. However, it is to be understood that this is only one example of allowing individual contestant input to control the portions that are exposed to that individual contestant. For example, the direction of movement of the head of the snake-like organic motion shown in  FIGS. 6A through 6C  can alternatively be controlled by the direction of the vector from the present position of the center of the snake&#39;s head to the current position of the cursor on the contestants&#39; computer, where the position of the cursor is controlled by the human contestant himself. Thus, it is to be understood that the present invention includes all such embodiments in which individual contestant input on the individual contestant&#39;s computer determines which portions of the visual clue are exposed to the individual contestant. 
     FIG. 12  illustrates a method  1200  performed by the game show host computer  101  for administering an internet game show according to the present invention among one or more contestants  102  through  104 . At step  1201 , the contestant&#39;s internet game show software is downloaded to all the contestant&#39;s computers  102  through  104 . At step  1202 , the game show host  101  sends a start game message to the contestants&#39; computers  102  through  104  which sets to zero each of the contestant computer&#39;s timers for determining the time of dispatch of the contestants&#39; responses. At step  1203 , the game show host computer  101  sends a stream of portions of the visual clue to the contestants&#39; computers  102  through  104 . As further discussed below, this stream of portions of the visual clue to be progressively exposed can be sent and received in real-time during the play of the internet game show to implement the embodiments illustrated in  FIGS. 3A through 10B  or can alternatively be performed all at once prior to the beginning of the internet game show to implement the embodiments illustrated in  FIGS. 3A through 11B . At step  1204  at the conclusion of the internet game show, the game show host computer  101  searches its table of correct responses for the correct response having the earliest dispatch time. Because the game show host cannot control the total real time delay in transit from the contestant&#39;s computer to the game show host&#39;s computer through the internet, the game show host waits for some predetermined time after the puzzle has been entirely revealed before comparing the send times of all the responses containing the correct answer. This predetermined wait time helps to ensure that all responses that contain the correct answer are in fact received by the game show host&#39;s computer before the winner is determined. The table of correct responses was constructed as a result of the responses sent by the various contestants  102  through  104  during the contestants&#39; interactive portion of the game. At step  1205 , the internet game show host computer  101  sends game end messages to the contestants&#39; computers  102  through  104 , indicating the name of the winning contestant and the correct answer. The contestants&#39; interactive portion of the internet game show is defined by the dotted lines  1206  and  1207 . 
     FIG. 13  illustrates a method  1300  performed by the game show host computer  101  for administering the interactive portion of the game with the various contestants  102  through  104  during the internet game show according to the present invention. At step  1301 , the game show host computer  101  receives a response from a contestant, for example, Player  2   103  that includes the contestant&#39;s answer. At step  1302 , the contestant&#39;s answer is compared to the correct answer. If the contestants&#39; answer is correct, then the contestant&#39;s response is added to the table of correct responses, which is maintained by the internet game show host computer  101  according to the present invention. At step  1304 , the internet game show host computer  101  sends to the contestant&#39;s computer  103  a reply indicating whether or not the contestant&#39;s answer is correct. The method  1300  according to the present invention is performed by the internet game show host computer  101  each time a response is received by any contestant in the internet game show during the interactive portion of the internet game show. This method  1300  is performed in parallel with the distribution of the stream of portions of the visual clue performed at step  1203  of  FIG. 12  during the internet game show. 
   There are a variety of ways that the internet game show host&#39;s distribution to the various contestants of the visual clue can be performed. In one alternative, a real-time stream of the individual portions are simultaneously sent to each of the various contestants&#39; computers  102  through  104  such that the portions are exposed to the various contestants upon receipt. In this way, none of the contestant&#39;s computers contain the entire visual clue until the end of the internet game show. This alternative is desirable in the embodiments described with respect to  FIGS. 3A through 10B , in which all contestants  102  through  104  are exposed to the same portions of the visual clue at the same real time. 
   However, in the embodiments described with reference to  FIGS. 11A and 11B , in which each individual contestant determines the portions of the visual clue that are exposed at the various real time intervals during the play of the internet game show, the various contestants  102  through  104  are not exposed to the same portions of the visual clue at the same times. Therefore, in the embodiments in which contestant input determines how the visual clue is exposed, the visual clue is instead transmitted in its entirety to the various contestants before the beginning of the game. However, the contestants&#39; internet game show software is written such that even though the entire visual clue is stored on the various contestants&#39; computers  102  through  104 , the internet game show software progressively exposes the visual clue through the contestants&#39; displays  206  so that none of the contestants sees the entire visual clue until the end of the game. This alternative approach of sending the entire visual clue before the beginning of the game is also applicable to the embodiments shown in  FIGS. 3A through 10B . In these alternatives in which the entire visual clue is included in the internet game software prior to the beginning of the game, steps  1201 ,  1202 , and  1203  shown in  Figure 1200  are essentially lumped into a single step, and the beginning of the contestant interactive portion of the internet game show indicated by the dotted line  1206  is delayed until after step  1203 . 
   It is to be understood that although the game show host  101  has been illustrated and described as a single computer, such as general purpose computer architecture  200 , there is no requirement that the various functions of the game show host be performed by a single computer. For example, in an internet game show including 50,000 contestants, the game show host may be implemented by several computers, such as one or more server computers performing the method  1200 , including the issuing of the streams of portions of the visual clues to the various 50,000 contestants, while another one or more server computers performs the method  1300 , including the receipt and replies to the various responses from the contestants. 
     FIG. 14  illustrates the format of a response sent by a contestants&#39; computer during a contestant interactive portion of an internet game show according to the present invention. Each contestant&#39;s response includes at least a time  1401  that the response was issued by the contestant relative to the beginning of the internet game show, a name or other unique identifier  1402  of the contestant, such as the contestants&#39; internet protocol (IP) address, and the contestant&#39;s answer  1403 , which is a series of characters. 
     FIG. 15  illustrates an exemplary table of correct answers  1500  stored by the internet game show host  101  during the internet game show and used by the internet game show host  101  to determine the winner of the internet game show according to the present invention. As discussed above with respect to step  1303  of  FIG. 13 , only correct contestant responses are added to the table of correct answers  1500 , thus the internet game show host&#39;s table of correct answers  1500  need only include the time  1501  and identifier  1502  fields. In the example show in  FIG. 15 , Player_ 9  issued a correct response to the game show host 20.08 seconds after the beginning of the internet game show. Player_ 1  issued a correct response 19.66 seconds after the beginning of the internet game show. Player_ 6  issued a correct response 17.76 seconds after the beginning of the internet game show. Player_ 4  issued a correct response 18.69 seconds after the beginning of the internet game show. Player_ 7  issued a correct response 22.36 seconds after the beginning of the internet game show. Player_ 2  issued a correct response 31.00 seconds after the beginning of the internet game show. In all likelihood, many incorrect responses may have been received by the internet game show host  101 , however these responses need not be stored by the internet game show host. In the example illustrated in  FIG. 15 , Player_ 6  will be determined by the internet game show host  101  to be the winner at step  1204  at the conclusion of the internet game show, because Player_ 6 &#39;s correct response was dispatched from his computer at the earliest time relative to the beginning of the internet time show. The relevant time  1401  of the response is measured from the beginning of the internet game show because the clocks on the individual contestants&#39; computers are not synchronized. The relevant time  1401  of the response the time of dispatch from the contestant rather than the time of receipt by the internet game show host because the transit time through the internet of the response from the contestant&#39;s computer to the internet game show host computer is highly variable from contestant to contestant and from response to response. 
     FIG. 16  illustrates a method  1600  performed by a contestant&#39;s computer, such as Player  2   103  in  FIG. 1 , for competing in an internet game show according to the present invention. At step  1601 , the contestant&#39;s computer  103  downloads the contestant&#39;s internet game show software from the internet game show host computer  101 . At step  1602 , the game window, such as shown in  FIG. 3A , is drawn on the contestant&#39;s computer display  206 . At step  1603 , the internet game show begins after the receipt by the contestant&#39;s computer  103  of a start game message issued by the internet game show host  101  at step  1202  in FIG.  12 . 
   Test  1604  determines whether or not contestant input has been received or not from the human contestant to the contestant&#39;s computer  103  through the keyboard  207  and/or cursor controller  208 . Contestant input refers to the entering of a contestant&#39;s answer in the series of blanks  302  shown in FIG.  3 A and activating the send button  304  shown in  FIG. 3A  either by the cursor controller  208  or a hot key on the keyboard  207 . If contestant input is received, the contestant&#39;s computer  103  sends a contestant&#39;s response to the internet game show host computer  101  over the internet  105  at step  1605 . The contestant&#39;s computer  103  then receives the internet game show host&#39;s reply to the contestant&#39;s response at step  1606  from the internet game show host  101  over the internet  105 . At test  1607 , the contestant&#39;s computer  103  examines the internet game show host&#39;s reply to determine whether or not the contestant&#39;s response included the correct answer. If the internet game show host&#39;s reply indicates that the contestant&#39;s answer was not the correct answer, then the contestant&#39;s computer  103  clears the answer blanks  302  at step  1608  in the contestant&#39;s game window  300 , and the method returns to test  1604  to check for further contestant input, since the contestant is preferably allowed to submit as many responses as he desires until he submits a response containing the correct answer. If test  1607  determines that the contestant&#39;s answer was indeed correct, then at step  1609  the contestant&#39;s computer  103  disables further contestant input by freezing the correct answer into the series of blanks  302 , so that the contestant can no longer alter the contents of the series of blanks  302  or activate the send button  304 . 
   As discussed above with respect to  FIGS. 3A through 11B , portions of the visual clue are progressively exposed to the contestants at step  1610 . Test  1611  determines if a game end message has been received by the internet game show host. If the game end message containing the correct answer and the winner has not been received by the contestant&#39;s computer  103 , then the internet game show until test  1611  determines that the game end message has been received, at which time the contestant&#39;s computer at step  1612  displays the correct answer and the winner. 
   While the present invention has been described with reference to its preferred and alternative embodiments, those embodiments are offered by way of example, not by way of limitation. Various additions, deletions, and modifications can be made to the embodiments of the present invention by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Accordingly, all such additions, deletions, and modifications are deemed to lie within the spirit and scope of the present invention as delineated in the appended claims.