WO2009014470A2

WO2009014470A2 - Game system as a method for solving social and scientific problems

Info

Publication number: WO2009014470A2
Application number: PCT/RU2008/000399
Authority: WO
Inventors: Viktor Nikiforovich Borshchov
Original assignee: Viktor Nikiforovich Borshchov
Priority date: 2007-07-23
Filing date: 2008-06-27
Publication date: 2009-01-29
Also published as: RU2007128150A

Description

GAME SYSTEM AS A METHOD FOR SOLVING SOCIAL AND SCIENTIFIC

TASKS

Description of the invention

1. The technical field to which the invention relates.

The present invention is based on the use of modern SMS-technologies of cellular communications and computer technologies and relates to a method of conducting an interactive game, the purpose of which is financial support in solving state, social, scientific and other problems that do not contradict state and public interests, the principles of humanity and morality.

2. The prior art.

All the most common, as well as little-known gaming systems, have one significant drawback: they do not have the level of popularity that their creators would like to have. The reason for this is the insufficient interest of the broadest sections of the population in participating in the game process. The lack of proper interest is explained, in turn, by four inseparable factors: insufficient monetary value of winnings, insufficient frequency of winning situations as a percentage (number of winners), insufficient for widespread use of the technical simplicity of the method of participation in the game process, as well as insufficient security the results of the game from external interference, that is, from fraud. If we take the totality, or rather, its absence, of the listed factors as a single requirement for gaming systems, then it is easy, from this point of view, to find out the shortcomings of gaming systems, ultimately affecting the efficiency of their work.

So, the game system presented in the description of the Eurasian patent EA 2 456 Bl, although it involves the use of SMS-technologies of cellular communication in the process of interconnecting players with the game center, is designed more for a limited circle of fans, as it creates difficulties for the participation of numerous categories of citizens in the game process with the excess and complexity of various manipulations: registering the participants of the game before it starts, entering the game data of the participant, transferring the game data of the participant to the game center, using a special SMS cards, money transfer to a game account, and many others. etc. At the same time, the basic parameters (the size of cash wins and the number of winners) remain beyond the scope of the game process and, therefore, the attention of the players, which could initially be decisive for making a decision to participate in the game in favor of one. If these parameters, of course, have the attractiveness necessary for future participants in the game. Not entirely convincing and understandable for most citizens in this game system is also a mechanism for protecting the results of the game.

In the system of gaming devices (see the description of the patent of the Russian Federation RU 2,295,773 C2), an application for participation in an SMS game and the selection of logos for game elements are a less time-consuming way to participate in the game process in comparison with the previous game system. However, the lack of a sustainable proposal with regard to the optimal size of monetary wins and their quantitative expression (frequency of winning situations), together with the lack of control over the process of drawing game elements by the participants of the game, make the game not so ambitious.

The use of lottery tickets as integral attributes in an SMS game (see the description of the Eurasian patent EA 6 072 Bl), and, therefore, additional steps for their purchase, sending SMS requests to the game operator for receiving templates for entering details of the specified lottery tickets, input these details in the received templates, followed by sending them to the address of the game operator and so on do not make the game quite practical. Moreover, given that the main, most significant for the participants, parameters of the game have not been established in advance: the size of cash wins and the frequency of winning situations. Also, the considered method of conducting an SMS game, although it is designed to be implemented without the use of a random number generator, which is undoubtedly its advantage, however, the multi-stage stage of forming the drawing numbers and determining the winning drawing numbers complicate the gameplay technology.

The closest analogue (prototype) to the proposed gaming system is a method of conducting an interactive game (see the description of the Eurasian patent EA 5 390 Bl), according to which the game participants send short SMS messages to a pre-specified number by SMS, the moment of receipt of which the computer controlling the game is recorded as the time of registration of the players with assignment of registration numbers to them. At the same time, game participants are identified by their cell phone numbers. Then, according to the specified algorithm, the winners are selected from the list of game participants, the calculation of the size of wins, etc. The established amount is the amount of money that is debited from the subscriber accounts of the game participants, who are at the same time users of mobile communication services, as payment for SMS messages sent by them Messages are a source of funds for the formation of a prize (winning) fund.

Along with the technically simple and convenient way for the participants of the analogue closest to the claimed invention to enter the game, its disadvantages are a somewhat belated event related to the selection of winners from the list of game participants, uncertainty regarding the initial establishment of the optimal size of monetary wins, the absence of prerequisites for increasing the frequency of winning situations to the maximum level with the optimal amount of cash wins. Uncontrolled, and therefore not entirely convincing, for the participants in the game is the mechanism of blocking the computer after the program is launched in order to protect the game from external interference.

The present invention is a gaming system with a pronounced focus towards financial support in solving state, social, scientific and other problems that do not contradict state and public interests, the principles of humanity and morality. In this sense, it has no analogues. According to its technical solution, the present invention differs from the closest analogue in that when it is carried out, the winners are determined in automatic mode synchronous with the game process, and this does not require the end of the game. According to the set parameters in the automatic mode instant “recognition” takes place in the growing list of game participants of the just appeared winner with the inclusion of his data in a separate list.

In response SMS messages sent to the participants of the game, along with the serial number in the automatic mode, the date and time of receipt of the SMS message from this participant to the signal reception and processing system of the cellular operator are indicated automatically. Each participant can save this data until the announcement of the list of winners in the media and compare them with the data of the announced list. This circumstance ensures that the gameplay is controlled by the participants and is the most convincing argument for them in favor of fair play, which distinguishes the claimed invention from the closest analogue.

The social orientation taking place along with others, and this, perhaps, the most important thing, not only emphasizes the humane goals of the claimed invention, but also serves as a very powerful tool, influencing, on the basis of feedback, the activity of game participants, attracting an increasing number of them to participate in game process, and therefore, to a large extent affecting the overall performance of the gaming system.

3. Disclosure of the invention.

The start of the game is reported in a special television program, on the radio or in a newspaper.

The game participants, the owners of cell phones, send simple (one word) SMS messages to a given number, specially allocated for this purpose by the mobile operator.

The computer software with the specified parameters, upon receipt of the indicated SMS messages, places them in the form identified by the numbers of mobile phones in the list of game participants in strict sequence, automatically assigning a serial registration number to each and indicating the date and time of arrival of each SMS message. Thus, if, for example, the continuous nature of the gameplay is initially established, a continuous list of game participants will be compiled, respectively. At the same time, each participant can send SMS messages without any restrictions on their number, and each time they will be assigned a new serial number, and, therefore, each newly sent SMS message will increase the chances of its sender to become a winner of the game.

Before the start of the game, they also report the amount of upcoming cash wins. At the same time, the organizers of the game can take on the task, at the request of the winners, to give them winnings either in the form of monetary rewards, or in the form of other objects and objects of winnings most in demand and popular among game participants.

The winners are determined in automatic mode synchronous with the game process. The set parameters of the computer software allow you to “recognize” each newly registered, for example, 55,000th participant in the game as a winner and enter his data into a separate list. In this case, the relevant information instantly goes to the computer monitor of the game organizer, located in the television, radio studio or in the newspaper.

It should be noted that game participants who send SMS messages almost instantly receive SMS messages in response, which indicate their serial registration numbers in the list of game participants and the date and time the SMS messages were received in the signal reception and processing system of the mobile operator. This data represent documented information about the main parameters of the fact of participation in the game process, allow participants to monitor the correct conduct of the game and determine the winners, and, in case of disagreement of any of the participants with the results of the drawing, to present a reasonable claim to the organizers of the game.

At the discretion of the organizers, the game may also be intermittent. In this case, a signal to the end of the current draw may serve, for example, registration of the next winner.

The results of the game are announced on a television channel, radio or printed in a newspaper. At the same time, television and radio broadcasts can be organized in the form of interesting shows with the participation of famous artists, singers, as well as the most interesting winners of the game, which causes additional interest in the game from potential participants.

In addition to the set optimal monetary value of winnings, the following parameter is no less significant for the successful conduct of the game: the prize fund is set in the most optimal percentage of the funds received from the game, the source of which is the cancellation of the amounts previously established and agreed with the participants in the game from their subscriber accounts that belong to the participants of the game as users of mobile services. A percentage-optimal prize fund allows you to increase the frequency of winning situations, that is, increase the number of winners, and therefore, how to increase the amount of material assistance to citizens and influence the further course of the game towards increasing the number of its participants due to the awakening wide interest in this type of collective activity .

The next component of the claimed method of conducting the game is no less important. It provides for the transfer of part of the funds received from the game for state, social, scientific and other purposes that do not contradict state and public interests, the principles of humanity and morality. Undoubtedly, the gaming system itself also benefits from this, since such a business policy, which is closely related to state and public interests and is largely subordinate to them, arouses special trust, increases, therefore, the technical result of the claimed invention and has a good development perspective .

Moreover, these transfers, for example, can be aimed at solving state problems in the field of social policy regarding the repair of dilapidated and emergency housing, the construction of free housing, to help pensioners and the poor, for financing, for example, the most relevant scientific research in the field of molecular biology and medicine, etc.

From the foregoing, it follows that in addition to simplified methods for determining and selecting game winners, as well as ways to enhance the protection of game results and create accountability for game participants in the game process, which, of course, leads to a technical effect, the establishment, along with other socially-oriented parameters in the proposed game system leads to a more significant technical result, as it has, as already noted, a double effect on the results of the game: firstly, these parameters due to their direct pre appointments resulting from the implementation of the game system bring obvious public benefit, and secondly, by the principle of feedback, they influence the course of the game, attracting a significant number of citizens to participate in the game process.

4. A brief description of the drawings.

Figure l presents a functional block diagram of a device for implementing the method of conducting an SMS game aimed at solving state, social, scientific and other problems that do not contradict public and state interests, the principles of humanity and morality.

The device consists of a mobile phone or other technical device (1), from which a signal is sent in the form of an SMS message to a signal reception and forwarding unit (3) in a signal reception and processing system of a cellular operator (2). In this case, the signal reception and forwarding unit (3) fixes the date and time of receiving the SMS message and with these parameters transmits the signal to the storage device (4), from where the latter is forwarded in two directions: to the device for automatically generating the SMS message to the address of the game participant ( 6) in the signal reception and processing system of the cellular operator (2) and on the signal reception and transmission device (7) in the game operator’s server (8). The device for receiving and transmitting signals (7) transmits the signal to the storage device (9), from where it is sent to the identifier of the cell phones of the game participants (10), as well as to devices for automatic deductions from the cost of received SMS messages to state, social, scientific and other goals that do not contradict public and state interests, the principles of humanity and morality (14), and to a device for determining the amount of savings used as a prize fund (12). From the device for determining the amount of accumulations (12), data on the current amount of accumulations are transmitted in real time to a computer monitor operator or organizer of the game (16). From the identifier of the participants of the game (10), the signal enters the registration device of the identified participants of the game with the assignment of serial numbers (11) to them. Further, from the device for registering participants in the game (11), the signal is transmitted to the device for automatically determining the winners of the game (13), which is activated when the specified amount of accumulations used as a prize fund is reached by the signal from the device (12). The device for automatically determining the winners of the game (13) is a random number sensor, the output of which is a signal in the form of the serial number of the winning participant in the game. In the current mode (before the start of the prize pool), the signal from the registration device of the identified participants of the game (11) is transmitted to the signal reception and forwarding unit (15), from where the signal with information about the identified participant of the game and its serial number is transmitted to the device (7) . Next, the signal from the device (7) is transmitted to the device for automatically generating SMS messages (6), where, together with the information received from the storage device (4), an SMS message is generated, which indicates the date and time of receipt of the SMS message from the game participant and the serial number assigned to this participant in the game. Then, the generated SMS message is sent to the SMS center of the cellular operator (5), from where it is transmitted to the game participant on the cell phone via the signal reception and transmission unit (3).

After determining the winner of the SMS game, a signal with information about the serial number of the winner is transmitted to the monitor (16) and to the signal reception and forwarding unit (15) for subsequent transmission through devices (7), (6), (5), (3) to mobile phone (1) participant SMS-games.

In addition to the functional block diagram of the device presented in this section, other methods of its implementation can be used: for example, the corresponding computer program can be created and applied, which would completely cover the entire number of operations necessary for the full implementation of the claimed method.

5. The implementation of the invention.

It is easy to imagine that, for example, a game has been announced with the simplest and most technically convenient way to participate in it based on the use of simple SMS technologies. After 50 million people send short and inexpensive SMS messages to a given number, which in general is not difficult to do this at any time and from any place, for example, with the corresponding set winnings and prize pool (12), it becomes known from the media that 1000 people receive cash prizes commensurate with the cost of the apartment. If you imagine that the number of participants in the game reaches 50 million every three days, then in a month the number of winners reaches 10,000. And if 50 million people participate in the game every day, then for a month 30,000 participants get the opportunity to purchase new apartments or just get money remuneration commensurate with their value. This, of course, causes great public interest and turns the game into a large-scale collective activity. And this does not take into account the fact that, given, for example, 5.0 - 10% (14) per month, about 150 million US dollars are transferred to the state budget, for example, for solving housing problems; for pensioners and the poor, for given, for example, 1.0 - 2.0% (14) per month they pay about $ 30,000,000, etc. These figures, of course, tend to grow rapidly over time and acquire the character of regularity, continuity and stability.

It is easy to calculate that, for example, for five years of continuous implementation of this method with the above quantitative parameters, about 9,000,000,000 US dollars will go to the state budget, and about 1,800,000,000 US dollars will be paid to pensioners and the poor.

There is a technical result that has the prospect of public and state recognition.

6. Possibility of use in industry.

Currently, perhaps in all countries of the world there are sufficient opportunities for implementing the claimed method. The development of cellular communications, computer technology and the media are the main components of objective conditions in solving this problem. Each of the countries in which the proposed invention will be implemented will receive significant financial support in addressing the most important tasks facing the state and society, in improving the welfare of its citizens, developing industry, science, culture, etc.

Claims

Claim:

A method of conducting an interactive game using SMS-technologies of cellular communication and computer technologies, characterized in that the determination and selection of the winners of the game (13) from the list of its participants is carried out in an automatic synchronous mode with the game process, with instant entry of their data into a separate list (16) , establish the control of the game process and determine the winners of the game participants by informing them of the date and time of receipt of short SMS messages from them to the system of receiving and processing signals of the cell operator new communication (2), as well as by informing the participants of the game of their serial registration numbers (11), establish the optimal size in money terms (12), as well as the optimal type of winnings for the participants of the game, establish the optimal percentage of incoming from the game money the size of the prize fund (12), transfer part of the money received from the game for state, social, scientific and other purposes that do not contradict state and public interests, the principles of humanity and yell (14).