US4586707A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Competitive game
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1985-04-29
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Granted: 1986-05-06
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Expires: 2005-04-29
Abstract
Abstract A game primarily though not exclusively intended for mass-communication media such as radio, television and newspapers and periodicals, involves the answers to a set of questions being assembled, for example, as numbers, according to a predetermined explicit or problematic algorithm into an instruction such for example as a telephone number by means of which the first solver can identify himself and claim a prize.
Inventors
- 👤 David L. McNeight
- 👤 John G. Lawrence
- 👤 Pauline Chorlton
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 06:03
CPC Classifications
G; G09; G09B; G09B7/00; G09B7/06; G09B7/07; G09B7/073; A; A63; A63F; A63F9/00; A63F9/18
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 6
Claim 1
Independent Claim
170 words
A method of conducting a game by using a broadcasting arrangement broadcasting to an audience and a telephone network serving members of said audience and said broadcasting arrangement, comprising the steps of: obtaining a pre-determined telephone number serving said broadcasting arrangement; broadcasting to said audience a series of questions; broadcasting to said audience an algorithm for manipulating the collective answers to said series of questions, which algorithm when correctly followed using correct answers to said series of questions will produce as a result said pre-determined telephone number, and which algorithm when not correctly followed using correct answers to said series of questions will not produce as a result said pre-determined telephone number; broadcasting to said audience an instruction to carry out said algorithm, to treat the result produced thereby as a telephone number, and to call said resulting telephone number; receiving at least the first call arriving thereafter at said pre-determined telephone number; and declaring a call arriving at said pre-determined telephone number to be the first place winning call.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
170 words
A method of conducting a game by using a broadcasting arrangement broadcasting to an audience and a telephone network serving members of said audience and said broadcasting arrangement, comprising the steps of: obtaining a pre-determined telephone number serving said broadcasting arrangement; broadcasting to said audience a series of questions; broadcasting to said audience an algorithm for manipulating the collective answers to said series of questions, which algorithm when correctly followed using correct answers to said series of questions will produce as a result said pre-determined telephone number, and which algorithm when not correctly followed using correct answers to said series of questions will not produce as a result said pre-determined telephone number; broadcasting to said audience an instruction to carry out said algorithm, to treat the result produced thereby as a telephone number, and to call said resulting telephone number; receiving at least the first call arriving thereafter at said pre-determined telephone number; and declaring a call arriving at said pre-determined telephone number to be the first place winning call.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
101 words
A method according to claim 1, further including the steps of: obtaining at least one additional predetermined telephone number serving said broadcasting arrangement; designing said algorithm such that, when correctly followed but using correct answers to less than all of said series of questions, it can produce as a result said at least one additional predetermined telephone number; receiving at least the first call arriving at said at least one additional predetermined telephone number; and declaring at least one call arriving at said at least one additional predetermined telephone number to be a winning call of less than first place rank.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
14 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein said broadcasting arrangement comprises a television station.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
25 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein said algorithm employs the answers to more than one but less than all of said series of questions.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
57 words
A method according to claim 1, further including the steps of: broadcasting together with each of said series of questions a plurality of possible answers and a code associated with each said possible answer; and broadcasting to said audience an instruction to treat said codes as answers to the questions for purposes of carrying out said algorithm.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1989-05-05 | 1989-11-04 | 1990-05-06 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1993-05-05 | 1993-11-04 | 1994-05-06 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1997-05-05 | 1997-11-04 | 1998-05-06 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |