Patent ID: 8498897

Claim:
A method of operating a reward program comprising the steps of: a. a broadcast server computer generating a broadcast signal comprising reward content and broadcast content, b. the broadcast server computer transmitting the broadcast signal via a transmission network; c. a receiving device at a viewer premises receiving the broadcast signal; d. the receiving device outputting the broadcast content and the reward content from the received broadcast signal; e. the receiving device receiving input from a viewer comprising a reward response in association with the broadcast content and the reward content; f. the receiving device receiving input from the viewer comprising consumer data associated with the reward response and a data control parameter associated with the consumer data, the data control parameter specifying a level of control granted over utilization of the associated consumer data; g. the receiving device transmitting the reward response and the consumer data to the broadcast server computer; h. the broadcast server computer verifying the accuracy of the reward response; i. the broadcast server computer utilizing the consumer data; and j. the broadcast server computer awarding, in accordance with the accuracy of the reward response and the utilization of the consumer data, a reward to a reward account stored on behalf of the viewer.