Method and apparatus for the rewarding of the interest of a user in an activity
A method and system for rewarding a user's interest in an activity is provided. It comprises identifying a location for the user; determining a period of time during which the user is to maintain interest in the activity; monitoring an interest of the user in the activity for the period of time, at the location; deciding if a prize should be awarded to the user if the user has maintained an interest for the period of time, at the location; and choosing and awarding the prize to the user if the decision is positive; whereby the user can be rewarded for having maintain his interest in the activity.
1 . A system for rewarding a user's interest in an activity, comprising:
a locator for identifying a location for said user;
a timer for determining a period of time during which said user is to maintain interest in said activity;
an activity monitor, communicating with said locator and said timer, for monitoring an interest of said user in said activity for said period of time, at said location;
a selector for deciding if a prize should be awarded to said user if said activity monitor indicates that said user has maintained an interest for said period of time, at said location; and
a prize distributor for choosing and awarding said prize to said user if said decision is positive;
whereby said user can be rewarded for having maintain his interest in said activity.
2 . A system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said user is a player of a game.
3 . A system as claimed in claim 2 , wherein said activity is playing in a principal casino table game.
4 . A system as claimed in claim 3 , wherein said location is a seat at a casino table of a casino wherein said principal casino table game is played.
5 . A system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said period of time is ten minutes.
6 . A system as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising a control console to provide information concerning said user to at least one of said locator, said timer and said activity monitor.
7 . A system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said locator is a sensor detecting a presence of said user at said location and emitting a signal having an identification code for said location and wherein said activity monitor receives said signal.
8 . A system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said timer comprises a generator for randomly generating a period of time for said monitoring.
9 . A system as claimed in claim 6 , wherein said console comprises a keypad for letting an administrator enter a code to provide said information.
10 . A system as claimed in claim 2 , wherein said activity monitor comprises a bet sensor for sensing if said user has placed a bet on said game.
11 . A system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said prize distributor comprises a prize list from which a prize is chosen and awarded to said user.
12 . A system as claimed in claim 11 , wherein said prize distributor uses an indication of said period of time to choose said prize.
13 . A system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said prize distributor comprises an electronic bank, wherein said prize is a credit amount and wherein said electronic bank is credited by said credit amount if said prize is awarded.
14 . A system as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising a jackpot accumulator for accumulating a jackpot amount available to be chosen as a prize by said prize distributor.
15 . A system as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising a participation acceptor for recording a participation of said user in said monitoring.
16 . A system as claimed in claim 15 , wherein said participation acceptor comprises a credit acceptor for receiving an amount of credits required to participate in said monitoring.
17 . A system as claimed in claim 16 , wherein said credit acceptor is an electronic bank.
18 . A system as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of said locators, for identifying a location of each of at least one of a plurality of said users.
19 . A system as claimed in claim 18 , wherein said selector selects only one of said plurality of said users who has maintained an interest for said period of time, at each of said locations.
20 . A system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said timer determines said period of time using a type of said activity.
21 . A system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said user is connected to a network using a terminal.
22 . A system as claimed in claim 21 , wherein said network is Internet and wherein said terminal is a computer.
23 . A system as claimed in claim 21 , wherein said locator identifies a location for said terminal currently used by said user to maintain interest in said activity.
24 . A system as claimed in claim 22 , wherein said activity is being connected to a predetermined website on the Internet.
25 . A system as claimed in claim 21 , wherein said activity is participating in a game.
26 . A system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said activity monitor comprises a participation checker for checking if said user participated in said activity throughout said period of time.
27 . A system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said selector is a random selector.
28 . A system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said prize is at least one of a number of credits, a prize, a dollar amount and a number of points.
29 . A system as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising a profile builder for tracking a profile for said user, said profile having at least one of a duration of said interest, a type of said activity and a record of prizes won by said user.
30 . A system as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising a display for displaying information concerning at least one of said user, said location, said period of time and said prize.
31 . A method for rewarding a user's interest in an activity, comprising:
identifying a location for said user;
determining a period of time during which said user is to maintain interest in said activity;
monitoring an interest of said user in said activity for said period of time, at said location;
deciding if a prize should be awarded to said user if said user has maintained an interest for said period of time, at said location; and
choosing and awarding said prize to said user if said decision is positive;
whereby said user can be rewarded for having maintain his interest in said activity.
32 . A method as claimed in claim 31 , wherein said user is a player of a game.
33 . A method as claimed in claim 32 , wherein said activity is playing in a principal casino table game.
34 . A method as claimed in claim 33 , wherein said location is a seat at a casino table of a casino wherein said principal casino table game is played.
35 . A method as claimed in claim 31 , wherein said period of time is ten minutes.
36 . A method as claimed in claim 31 , further comprising providing information concerning said user for at least one of said identifying, determining and monitoring.
37 . A method as claimed in claim 31 , wherein said identifying comprises detecting a presence of said user at said location and emitting a signal having an identification code for said location and wherein said monitoring comprises receiving said signal.
38 . A method as claimed in claim 31 , wherein said determining comprises randomly generating a period of time for said monitoring.
39 . A method as claimed in claim 32 , wherein said monitoring comprises sensing if said user has placed a bet on said game.
40 . A method as claimed in claim 31 , wherein said choosing comprises choosing from a prize list.
41 . A method as claimed in claim 40 , wherein said choosing uses an indication of said period of time.
42 . A method as claimed in claim 31 , further comprising accumulating a jackpot amount available to be chosen as a prize.
43 . A method as claimed in claim 31 , further comprising recording a participation of said user in said monitoring.
44 . A method as claimed in claim 31 , further comprising identifying a location of each of at least one of a plurality of said users.
45 . A method as claimed in claim 44 , wherein said deciding selects only one of said plurality of said users who has maintained an interest for said period of time, at each of said locations.
46 . A method as claimed in claim 31 , wherein said determining uses a type of said activity.
47 . A method as claimed in claim 31 , wherein said user is connected to a network using a terminal.
48 . A method as claimed in claim 47 , wherein said network is Internet and wherein said terminal is a computer.
49 . A method as claimed in claim 47 , wherein said identifying comprises identifying a location for said terminal currently used by said user to maintain interest in said activity.
50 . A method as claimed in claim 48 , wherein said activity is being connected to a predetermined website on the Internet.
51 . A method as claimed in claim 47 , wherein said activity is participating in a game.
52 . A method as claimed in claim 31 , wherein said monitoring comprises checking if said user participated in said activity throughout said period of time.
53 . A method as claimed in claim 31 , wherein said deciding is a random decision.
54 . A method as claimed in claim 31 , wherein said prize is at least one of a number of credits, a prize, a dollar amount and a number of points.
55 . A method as claimed in claim 31 , further comprising tracking a profile for said user, said profile having at least one of a duration of said interest, a type of said activity and a record of prizes won by said user.
56 . A method as claimed in claim 31 , further comprising displaying information concerning at least one of said user, said location, said period of time and said prize.