INTERACTIVE TREASURE HUNT GAME

Abstract

An interactive treasure hunt game, preferably in the form of a television game show, includes a host in a studio essentially serving as a master of ceremonies, who is positioned on a stage adjacent a large map of the United States. The treasure hunt game features a nationwide treasure hunt for a national grand prize, as well as a series of regional or local treasure hunts that yield weekly prizes and local grand prizes. Co-hosts are located around the country, and in one embodiment there is one co-host in each state of the U.S. These co-hosts in each state provide local clues that ultimately lead to prizes. The prizes may be provided by sponsors, and in exchange, the clues may drive the general public to the sponsor businesses, or to purchase a sponsor's products or services, in search of the treasure, prizes, or additional clues.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to treasure hunt games. More specifically, the present invention includes an interactive treasure hunt game that is nationwide in scope, uses television and/or other electronic media, such as the internet, to distribute clues, awards valuable prizes to winning participants, and generates revenue in a variety of ways.

Television game shows, in many different formats, have been popular for decades. Early game shows required that the participants be in the television studio, either as a pre-selected group, or wherein the participants were selected from the audience in attendance. More recently, as game shows and televised contests have become more interactive due to advances in communication technology, audience participation has been broadened to include the general viewing public. Indeed, television game shows have converged with the internet and other communications tools (text messaging, electronic video transfer, etc), so that participants in the game may use (or may be required to use) a combination of electronic tools and media to compete for prizes.

In an effort to broaden the number of competitors who may participate in these interactive games, it would be desirable to provide a treasure hunt that is national in scope, wherein prizes are distributed across a large geographical area, and which could include a large number of sponsors. Additionally, it would be desirable to provide incentive for businesses to participate as sponsors in a variety of creative ways. Further, it would be desirable to provide a revenue in creative ways, and have high entertainment value for the general public.

In accordance with one aspect of the invention, an interactive treasure hunt game includes a host in a studio essentially serving as a master of ceremonies, who is positioned on a stage adjacent a large map of the United States. The treasure hunt game features a nationwide treasure hunt for a national grand prize, as well as a series of regional or local treasure hunts that yield weekly prizes and local grand prizes. Co-hosts are located around the country, and in one embodiment there is one co-host in each state of the U.S. These co-hosts in each state provide clues that ultimately lead to prizes. The prizes may be provided by sponsors, and in exchange, the clues may drive the general public to the sponsor businesses, or to purchase a sponsor's products, in search of the treasure, prizes, or additional clues.

In one embodiment of the present invention, hidden cameras may be placed at or near the treasures, in order to capture video of participants as they get close to finding the treasure. Alternatively, or in combination with the hidden cameras, participants may use their own video cameras, cell phones, or other video devices to capture footage of their quest for the treasure. This footage may be broadcast as part of the show in order to increase the entertainment value of the game. Further, when a participant actually locates a treasure chest, the chest includes a code that may correspond with a prize that is unknown to the participant at the time it is located. Then, in the next episode of the show, that participant may appear with the host or a co-host for a presentation of the actual prize (such as a new car, an all-expense paid vacation, or any number of other valuable prizes). It should be understood that while this game is described as being broadcast on television, other electronic media may be used, either instead of or in combination with television media, such as the internet, to allow the public to watch the game, and to participate, as well.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Overview

The present invention includes a large-scale treasure hunt type of a game. The treasure hunt game, in a preferred embodiment, is in the form of a televised game show that features a nationwide treasure hunt for a national grand prize, as well as a series of regional or local treasure hunts that yield weekly prizes and local grand prizes. In one embodiment, the game features a host in a studio with a live studio audience, and a series of co-hosts that are located and disbursed across a large geographical area. The host serves as a sort of master of ceremonies, and periodically pans to the co-hosts across the country throughout the show. The co-hosts, in one embodiment, may be located in each of the fifty states, and they give on-air clues that lead either to prizes or other clues. When the host pans to a co-host in the field, the location of the co-host is indicated on the large map near the host. The co-hosts may broadcast from any suitable place, including well-known points of interest, public parks, scenic locations, or local businesses.

It is contemplated that the game may consist of a series of episodes within a single season, similarly to the popular American Idol contest and show. During the early episodes, clues are given out that lead to other clues, and eventually to treasure chests. Each chest includes an embossed code which corresponds to a prize. The contestants who find the treasure chests do not know what prize they have won until the next week, when they appear on the show, present their treasure chest, and are awarded the corresponding prize.

As the season progresses, the prizes become larger, and the clues become more difficult to solve. Ultimately, the series leads to the final episode, which culminates in the award of local vacations, cash, and possibly real estate, such as a new home or vacation home. Any suitable prizes may be awarded.

Sponsors

The game may include a series of sponsors, typically small to large businesses, and the sponsors may donate prizes to be awarded to contestants. A sponsor may also pay a fee to be included in the game, or could simply “purchase” a clue, or a number of clues. In return, the clues that are provided for a certain location may drive contestants to these sponsor businesses, or may cause the participants to purchase products sold by the sponsors. For example, a co-host may broadcast from a local automobile dealership (sponsor), and clues may be distributed to every person who comes to the dealership within a certain amount of time and test drives a new vehicle from that dealership. The local grand prize in that location could be a new car, given away by that sponsor. Other sponsor's clues may be distributed in association with that sponsor's products. For example, clues may be found on the inside of cereal boxes, under bottle caps, on fast food wrappers, or in any other suitable, preferably creative, manner. So, essentially, in return for donating prizes and possibly paying for the right to become a sponsor, the game includes creative ways to drive customers to purchase products and/or services from the sponsor, and also drives foot traffic to sponsor businesses.

Additionally, sponsors may elect to advertise in the traditional manner, using commercials during the game show, or by including advertisements on official game web sites, etc. It is also contemplated that clues ultimately leading to prizes (whether directly to the prize, or indirectly to more clues that eventually lead to the prize) may be disclosed by sponsors during television commercials that are broadcast during other programs, including commercials aired during popular televised events like the Superbowl. In one embodiment, when a business signs on to become a sponsor, the administrators of the game may simply provide a set of clues to that sponsor and allow that sponsor to publicly disclose the clues in any manner in which they see fit, potentially subject to approval from the game administrators. Alternatively, the sponsor may be allowed to generate their own clues, providing a trail to the prize donated by that sponsor, and may further decide how those clues are going to be publicly disclosed. It is contemplated, however, that under most circumstances, at least some of the clues for any particular prize be disclosed during an episode of the game show. Preferably, the game show would also broadcast footage of contestants actually finding the treasure chests, and all awards of the prizes would be broadcast as part of the show, as well.

Sponsorship may be divided into several different levels. For instance, a top sponsor, who pays the most money and donates the most valuable prizes in order to participate, may be permitted to generate or use several different clues that drive customers to their products, services, or places of business. The lowest level sponsor will be permitted to simply purchase a clue, and may then hide the clue somewhere within one of their products, like on the inside of a candy bar wrapper, for example. There may exist middle tiers of sponsorship, so that the number of clues provided to the sponsors, and the level of participation of that sponsor, corresponds directly to the value of the prizes donated and/or cash paid by that sponsor. In other words, the more prizes and/or cash the sponsors donate or pay in to the show, the more exposure they will receive through the use of clues to weekly prizes and grand prizes.

Contestants and Prizes

In this game, contestants may include anyone in the general public. In order to participate, a contestant simply watches the television show and begins following the clues to the treasure chest. In one embodiment, at least one new prize is awarded each week for a given geographical region, such as a state, and each prize is independent of earlier or later awarded prizes, so that winning a prize one week confers no advantage to that winner during the next week or subsequent weeks. This rule structure allows and encourages anyone to begin competing for prizes, even if they are starting in the middle of the season, having missed the first few episodes or rounds of clues.

Although winning a weekly prize may not confer any advantage on the winner with respect to future weekly prizes, it is contemplated in one optional embodiment that the winner of any weekly prize may receive a clue to the grand prize (either the national grand prize, the local grand prize, or both) that is not made publicly available. Thus, in a preferred embodiment, winners of weekly prizes may be afforded an advantage over others for locating the local grand prize, or even the national grand prize. This arrangement encourages people to participate in both the weekly treasure hunt and the season-long hunt for the grand prizes.

In one embodiment, hidden cameras may be placed at or near the treasures, in order to capture video of contestants as they get close to finding the treasure. Alternatively, or in combination with the hidden cameras, contestants may use their own video cameras, cell phones, or other video devices to capture footage of their quest for the treasure. This footage may be broadcast as part of the show in order to increase the entertainment value of the game. Even if a contestant does not find a treasure chest in a given week, the footage of their quest may be shown on the next week's episode, if that footage is deemed to have entertainment value.

Every week, co-hosts in various geographic locations give clues about the location of the weekly local prize, and additionally, the host may give out the next clue to finding the local grand prize. The local and national grand prizes are obviously the most difficult to find, and new clues about the location of the grand prizes are disclosed each week on the game show by the host (national grand prize) and the co-hosts (local grand prizes). A running list of these clues may be provided on an official treasure hunt web site, so that if a contestant misses an episode of the show, he or she can still get the latest clue (as well as the cumulative list of clues to date) from the website. Weekly prize winners may receive additional clues that are not made public, as mentioned heretofore.

Episode Structure

Each episode may be divided into three main segments. In the first portion of the show, the host may recap the highlights from the previous week and repeat the most recent clues. The host may pan to various states where the co-hosts provide local coverage and show clips of contestants that have found a treasure chest.

Next, winners from the current week appear on the show carrying their treasure chest. Each chest has an embossed code which is read out loud by the contestant so that the matching prize can be announced. The winning prizes are announced and presented to the contestants in front of the applauding studio audience.

After the prize presentation, the host describes and provides some “hype” for the outstanding prizes. Clues are given for the location of the next round of hidden treasure chests. Celebrity guest appearances may be used to deliver the clues and attract additional viewers.

Revenue

The treasure hunt game show may generate revenue in a number of different ways. Of course, advertisers may pay to have their commercials aired during the show. Ads may also be placed on the official treasure hunt game web site. Sponsors may be required to pay a fee in order to become sponsors, or simply to purchase clues. As stated heretofore, when a sponsor purchases a clue, then sponsor has the opportunity place the clue in or on one of its products to be sold to the public, or may disclose the clue as part of its services, or the clue may be used to drive foot traffic to the sponsor's place of business.

Indirect revenue may be generated by the treasure hunt game show, as well. A network that broadcasts the show may drive viewership of other shows by interviewing winners, as well as giving out clues on other television shows broadcast by that network. Contestants may be driven to watch new television shows by the promise of receiving new clues.

Although the present invention has been described in considerable detail with reference to certain preferred versions thereof, other versions are possible. Therefore, the spirit and scope of the appended claims should not be limited to the description of the preferred versions contained herein. All features disclosed in this specification may be replaced by alternative features serving the same, equivalent or similar purpose, unless expressly stated otherwise. Thus, unless expressly stated otherwise, each feature disclosed is one example only of a generic series of equivalent or similar features.

Claims

1. A method of playing a treasure hunt game comprising the steps of:

broadcasting a series of audio visual episodes featuring a host, wherein said host discloses clues to a location where an item is hidden during each episode of said series;

selling at least one clue to a sponsor, wherein said sponsor discloses said clue publicly by associating said clue with said sponsor's goods, services, or place of business;

allowing contestants to follow said clues in a quest to find said hidden item, wherein contestants may comprise any member of the public, so that the number of contestants is unlimited;

allowing said contestants to find said hidden item and trade said hidden item for a prize; and

broadcasting a presentation of said prize to said contestant during an episode.

2. The method set forth in claim 1, further including the step of:

providing a plurality of hidden items, and broadcasting clues to locations of each said hidden item.

3. The method set forth in claim 1, further including the step of:

selling at least one clue to a plurality of said sponsors, wherein each said clue is unique, so that each said sponsor receives a different clue.

4. The method set forth in claim 1, further including the steps of:

providing at least one hidden camera that is directed toward said hidden item, so that said camera may capture audio and video footage of a contestant finding said hidden item; and

broadcasting said footage captured by said hidden camera during one of said episodes.

5. The method set forth in claim 1, further including the steps of:

allowing contestants to capture footage of themselves searching for said hidden item; and

broadcasting said footage captured by said contestants during an episode of said series.

6. The method set forth in claim 1, wherein said prize is provided by said sponsor.

7. The method set forth in claim 1, further including the step of:

presenting a secret clue to said contestant along with said prize, wherein said secret clue is associated with a location of a second hidden item, and wherein said secret clue is disclosed only to that contestant, and is not disclosed to any other contestant.