WO2004040395A2

WO2004040395A2 - A method of doing business by a cellular game

Info

Publication number: WO2004040395A2
Application number: PCT/IL2003/000904
Authority: WO
Inventors: Zvi Gilula
Original assignee: Zvi Gilula
Priority date: 2002-11-01
Filing date: 2003-10-31
Publication date: 2004-05-13
Also published as: WO2004040395A3; AU2003279497A1; AU2003279497A8

Abstract

Method for the implementation of a game for cellular telephones as an advertising tool, and/or as a tool for a cellular phone service provider, for retaining customers.

Description

A METHOD OF DOING BUSINESS BY A CELLULAR GAME

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to a novel cellular game provided as a service comprising advertisements. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method to interconnect customers, cellular companies and advertisers by means said cellular game. The present invention also related to a method to business via this cellular game.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Cellular telephone companies face nowadays stiff mutual competition that poses a real threat to their very existence as a business. The most profound risk that such competition exhibits is customer attrition or defection. Cellular companies are struggling with designing strategies for customer retention, as it is, on the average, 5-10 times more expensive to acquire a new customer than to retain one. The dominating reason behind attrition is price, and price-sensitive campaigns typify most of the strategies for acquiring and retaining customers.

The following invention, entitled "Tele-Scratch" is designed to and aimed at giving cellular companies a way of retaining customers by creating an incentive to stay with the underlying companies. It may also bring new customers from other companies.

An U.S. Pat. No. 6,424,703 to Katz- describes a telephonic-interface lottery system interfaces with a multiplicity of individual terminals to enable lottery players to call and play for at least one additional chance to possibly win by dialing a pay-to-dial telephone number indicated on a "scratch-off or online game lottery ticket for use in the system. In accordance with one embodiment of the Katz' patent, an instant winner is selected online by utilizing techniques such as determining a random winning sequence number or a winning lottery number generated by a number generator.

Additionally, U.S. Pat. No 6,186,892 to Frank et al. entitled "Bingo game for use on the interactive communication network which relies upon probabilities for winning" introduces a method and apparatus for playing bingo having a prize structure which is based upon the true mathematical probabilities of forming pre-announced winning bingo patterns after each random bingo number is drawn and telecasting the mechanical random number generating process live, while simultaneously transecting information interactively over the telephone or a global communications network, for example, the Internet.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is thus a primary goal of the present invention to present a novel cellular game provided: A customer of a cellular company is playing said game for fun or for a reward. An advertiser is promoting its sales by said cellular service. A cellular company is retaliated a predetermined fee for providing said service by either said customer or said advertiser. The present invention also relates to a method to play the said cellular game. Said game may be provided as a service comprising advertisement.

It is also an important goal of the present invention to provide a method for promoting sales by advertising via cellular telephones. Said method comprising the step of providing the customer at least one opportunity to play the game, as defined in claim 1 or in any of the preceding, so said customer is rewarded. Preferably, said method comprises the steps of (1) selling goods or services to a customer; wherein by purchasing said goods or services, said customer is gaining at least one opportunity to play the game as defined in claim 1 or in any of the preceding claims; and (2) playing said game.

Still in the scope of the present invention is a method for a advertiser to do business, especially useful for retaining customers and/or to increasing their loyalty. Said method comprising the step of providing the customer at least one opportunity to play the aforementioned game, so said customer is rewarded.

Lastly, a method for a cellular company to do business is provided. Said method is especially useful for increasing airtime selling and comprising the step of providing customers of said cellular company at least one opportunity to play said cellular game, so said customer is potentially rewarded by gaining at least one more turn to play the game.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

In order to understand the invention and to see how it may be carried out in practice, a preferred embodiment will now be described, by way of non-limiting example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which figure 1 schematically presents a block diagram of the game.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The following description is provided, along all chapters of the present invention, so as to enable any person skilled in the art to make use of said invention and sets forth the best modes contemplated by the inventor of carrying out this invention. Various modifications, however, will remain apparent to those skilled in the art, since the generic principles of the present invention have been defined specifically to provide games for cellular telephones, especially cellular games, and for method for doing business by those games.

The description is divided into 3 sections. The first section describes the mechanism as the game, the second part describes the technology, and the third part describes how such a game is used for doing business in the area of customer retention.

The Mechanism of Cellular Games

It is hence according to one preferred embodiment of the present invention to present a cellular game. The commercial driving force for the service may be divided into three categories as follows: (1) a customer of a cellular company is playing said game for fun or for a reward;

(2) an advertiser is promoting its sales by said cellular service; and

(3) wherein the cellular company is retaliated a predetermined fee for providing said service by either said customer or said advertiser.

In the present invention, the term 'cellular company' is referring to any organization that sales airtime and/or time services for cellular telephones or for any communication devices as defined below. The term customer is referring to any person who is purchasing a good or a service and been offered to play a cellular game, and/or to any person who is actually playing said game. The term 'advertiser' is referring to any person, commercial business or non-profit organization of any kind or size that is seeking to promote it sales or activity, and thus is advertising an advertisement. Said term 'advertisement' is referring in the present invention to any form of passive or active means designed to promote sales of its advertiser. Said advertisement may be selected from any visual signs as defined below and/or audio notifications or sounds.

According another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the aforementioned cellular game is provided as a service comprising advertisement and/or is to be played online. In this case, a customer of the cellular company is playing said game for fun or for a reward and he the one to pay the cellular company for the airtime. Additionally or alternatively, this game is adapted to be played offline. Here, the customer is playing said game for fun or for a reward, wherein either the advertiser or the customer are paying the cellular company for the service. It is acknowledged that the cellular company and the advertiser may be of the same identity, can be differ for each other and/or be a plurality of more then one identities.

It is in the scope of the present invention wherein the hereto-defined service for playing a cellular game comprises hidden or non-hidden advertisement. In this respect, a hidden advertisement is an advertisement the customer is not immediately and/or consciously aware of the fact he or she is being exposed to said advertisement. It is also in the scope of the present invention wherein above defined cellular game is played in a communication device of any sort or kind. For example, said device is selected form cellular and wireless telephone, line telephone, beeper, palms pilot, MIRS and personal computer having means for either telephone or web communication. The customer is operating said communication device by means of its operating buttons and/or by a vocal notification.

It is in the role of the invention that the customer is to be rewarded to gain a predetermined prize, product or service in case he or she wins the game. Such rewarded may be, yet not limited to the case that the customer gains at least one additional turn to play the game.

The present invention is not limited to one type of cellular games. Nevertheless, only for the sake of easiness, a bull's eye type of game shall be further described in details. It is well acknowledged that those skilled in the art may alter, adapt or improve the said game to any cellular game known in the art, such as Snake, Tetris, Car Race, Black-jack or to any future game.

Thus, an example only for the game as defined above is comprises a personal number and a hidden number, both presented on the screen of said phone. Both said numbers comprises of a plurality digits; wherein the said personal number is known the customer, and further wherein said hidden number is been virtually scratched-off by said customer, digit after digit. If said scratched digit of the hidden number is equal to the corresponding digit of said personal number (a peferct match), said customer wins a respectively high score. Alternatively, if said scratched digit is the personal number yet not equal to the corresponding digit (an hit), said customer wins a lower score. After all the digits are scratched, the final score of said customer is calculated; wherein in case that the final score is higher than a predetermined value, said customer is awarded to win a predetermined prize. Said bull's eye game may be easily altered to any lottery or bingo games or to their derivatives.

In the scope of said example game, the digits are selected from graphical presentations or audio identifications. It is further acknowledged that graphical presentations may be selected from, yet not limited to numerical digits, alphabetical letters, words, logos, marks, pictures or any combination thereof. Preferably, according to this example, all digits to be scratched are chosen at random by a common, or customized random number generator. It is also in the role of the said example, wherein the hidden number is been virtually scratched-off by the customer in partials, by means of a plurality of subsequent of scratching steps; and/or wherein all the hidden number is been virtually scratched-off by the customer in one step; and/or wherein the personal number is predetermined by the customer; and/or wherein the personal number is predetermined by the cellular company; and/or wherein the personal number is predetermined by the advertiser.

It is according to one preferred embodiment of the present invention, wherein wherein the customer may scratch a joker in at least one scratching turns, and thus to win a hit or a perfect match in said turn. Additionally or alternatively, said customer may scratch a joker in at least one scratching turns and thus to win the game. It is acknowledged that the joker is an advertisement advertised by the advertiser. Thus, the joker may be selected from, yet not limited to a logo, a trade mark, or any graphical or vocal presentation of an advertiser and/or its products and/or its services.

For sake of illustration only, reference is made now to Figure 1, showing a cellular "bull's eye" game. While the description below illustrates a 7-digit number, the game is to be accommodated numbers with any quantity of digits. The game uses the screen of the telephone and is played by the customer (or equally, by a caller of the cellular telephone, hereto defined in the term 'caller') by using predetermined keys on the keyboard of the telephone. As illustrated by the flow chart of the aforementioned game, the customer is prompted to play by getting a message from the cellular company. By accepting the offer to play, the cellular company, preferably through a special server, initiates an observable (manifest) caller's number, and a hidden number. The hidden number is represented by dark boxes (here 7 digits) and cannot be observed. All digits in the boxes are chosen at random by a common (or customized) random number generator.

By using a predetermined key, the customer (e.g., the caller) "scratches" the digits appear in boxes, one box at a time. The sequence of the said scratch may be from left to right, the other way around, or any box at any order. The mechanism of scratching is very simple, and is realized by replacing a box by a digit. The game is completed when all boxes are scratched and the all digits in those boxes are revealed and are observable. The server of the cellular company computes how many matches and hits between the caller's number, and informs the caller about the results and a prize, if such prize is won by that particular matches and hits.

According to the well-known roles of the bull's eye game, the definitions of "match" and "hit" are as follows. A match is attained when digit in a box is the same as the digit of caller's number situated above it. A hit is attained when the digit in the box is different then the corresponding digit in the caller's number, but is the same as a digit in the caller's number elsewhere. Counting hits can vary. In a version where the game is such that all digits must be distinct then counting is straightforward. If identical digits are allowed to appear in more than one slot in a number (caller and/or hidden) then the number of hits is the greater of the following two quantities- the number of digits in the caller's number that are not a match but are identical to a digit in the hidden number, or the number of digits in the hidden number that are not a match but are identical to a digit in the caller's number. Yet, another version of counting hits is the one that allows for only one of the two quantities mentioned above. In any case, digits in the caller's number that match the digits in the hidden number and vice versa are not eligible to be counted as hits

According to one preferred embodiment of the present invention, the game is operated as a cellular Internet game. In this version, the WAP mode and is usable with WAP- compatible cellular telephones, thought it is well acknowledged that other technologies are possible.

Based on the number of matches and hits callers can win cash or prizes, such as a car, a vacation, a dinner, etc. A common prize for relatively moderate number of hits should be another game

Method of Doing Business via the Cellular Telephone

It is according to another preferred embodiment of the present invention to provide a method to play any cellular game as defined in any of the above. Said method is comprises the following steps: (1) virtually scratching-off digits from a hidden number; (2) comparing the obtained scratched digit or digits with a predetermined caller number; (3) calculating the final score of the game in accordance with the number of perfect matches and hits; and than (4) awarding the customer with a predetermined prize according to the calculated final score of his game.

It is also in the core of the invention to provide a useful and novel method for promoting sales by advertising via cellular telephones. Said method is hence comprising the step of providing the customer at least one opportunity to play the any cellular game game, so said customer is rewarded.

This method may be also useful for promoting sales by advertising, here, the required steps are (1) selling goods or services to a customer; wherein by purchasing said goods or services, said customer is gaining at least one opportunity to play the game as defined above; and than (2) playing said game. It is acknowledged that advertiser may advertising an advertisement via the game, thus gain more awareness to its advertisement.

Still another method for a advertiser to do business is acknowledged. This method is especially useful for retaining customers and/or to increasing their loyalty to the advertiser. Said method comprising the step of providing the customer at least one opportunity to play the game, as defined in claim 1 or in any of the preceding, so said customer is rewarded.

Lastly, the present invention provides a useful method for a cellular company to do business, especially for increasing airtime selling. Said method comprising the step of providing customers of said cellular company at least one opportunity to play any cellular game as defined above, so said customer is potentially rewarded by gaining at least one more turn to play the game.

The right to play a game should depend on the value of the underlying customer to the company. In principle, the cellular company should give a customer the right to play if that customer has accumulates enough airtime, and/or brought new customers to the company. It is important to emphasize that according to one embodiment of the present invention, the right to play cannot be bought for cash. Such approach avoids gambling that may be prohibited at certain countries and states. The quantity of prizes cash and otherwise, their values, and their frequency of being won is designed to at least avoid the cellular company and/or the advertiser any lose of revenue, and in fact can create much additional revenue. Such additional revenue can come from a variety of sources such as using extra air-time to play and sponsorship. The latter could cover the most costly prizes.

The game can be easily modified to accommodate a sponsor. As an example, if the Coca-Cola Company sponsors the game, then the boxes can carry the Coca-Cola logo. As an alternative, the Coca-Cola logo can be "wild" or "Joker". That means that if a box contains a logo instead of a digit then a match is recorded. In this way, the said logo is being connected by the user with success.

Additionally, the cellular company, or a venture of few such companies can join an advertiser or a plurality of advertisers to promote sales of the advertiser (or advertisers) via the game according to the methods defined above. The cellular company gains airtime by introducing cellular game, and the advertiser gains increased sales.

A beverages company launches a campaign for example, wherein all those who buy a six pack of cans (i.e., the caller) have on the wrap a (10-digit) number or code. The customer who purchase said pack is prompted to call the company he is in contract with, and thus to hook to the game server. Upon demand, the customer is asked to insert the code. Subsequently, the customer is entitled to play the game and to win prizes. The code is used once. Hence, once used code will perpetually be ignored by the game server. Alternatively, the code is used for predetermined times.

As mentioned above, the advertiser can operate the game with more than one cellular company simultaneously. The goal of the advertiser is to give the game incentive to the largest population, and not just to a sub-population, limited to one cellular company. The cellular companies, under this model, do not compete with each other but rather join forces in order to create the largest possible population targeted by the advertiser. Customer Retention

The present invention also approaches a new and useful method for an organization to retain its customers. The organization, such as cellular companies but by no means limited to said cellular company, identifies valued customers it wants to retain. These could be gig spenders and/or youth that have a potential value. The organization and/or a cellular company is sending valued customers an SMS communication, notifying them they are entitled to play the game. Based on the number of matches and hits, callers can win cash or prize. A common prize for relatively moderate number of hits should be another game. The right to play a game should depend on the value of the underlying customer to the cellular company and/or to any organization defined above. In principle, the cellular company should give a customer the right to play if that customer has accumulates enough airtime, and/or brought new customers to the company.

The quantity of prizes, cash and otherwise, their values, and their frequency of being won should be designed to at least avoid the company any lose of revenue, and in fact can create much additional revenue. Such additional revenue can come from a variety of sources such as using extra airtime to play and sponsorship. The latter could cover the most costly prizes

An additional example is provided hereafter, presenting one embodiment of a C⁺⁺ program enabling the aforementioned on-line bull's eye cellular game. Said Example is given only for sake of demonstrating, and thus it is well acknowledged that those skilled in the art may use similar programs, even quit different one for the very same purpose:

<% Response. ContentType = "text vnd.wap.wml" %>

<?xml version="1.0" ?>

<!DOCTYPE wml PUBLIC "-/ΛVAPFORUM//DTD WML 1.1//EN" "http://www.wapforum.org DTD/wml_ l.xml">

<wml>

<head>

</head>

Welcome to Tele-Scratch. This is the place to win big prizes with a simple scratch game

<a href="scratch.asp?n=<%=timer%>" title="start">Start scratching</a>

<a href="ru!es.asp" title- 'rules">Rules</a><br/x/p> < card> </wml>

Rules <% Response.ContentType = "text/vnd.wap.wml" %> <?xml version- ' 1.0" ?>

<!DOCTYPE wml PUBLIC "-//WAPFORUM//DTD WML 1.1 //EN" "http://www.wapforum.Org/DTD/wml_l . l.xml"> <wml>

<head>

</head>

RULES

l. Click on: "start scratching".

2. Your personal number will appear at the top.

3. The secret number will appear at the bottom.

4. Start Scratching the secret number.

5. Every Exact hit will reward you with a prize.

<a href="scratch.asp" title="start">Start scratching</a>

_____

<% Response.ContentType = "text/vnd.wap.wml" %>

<?xml version-" 1.0" ?>

<!DOCTYPE wml PUBLIC "-//WAPFORUM//DTD WML 1.1//EN" "http://www.wapforum.0rg/DTD/wml_l. l.xml">

<wml>

<head>

<%' random start number dim userNum(l l),origNum(l 1) randomize() for i=0 to 9 userNum(i)=Int(Rnd*( 10)) next randomize() for i=0 to 9 origNum(i)=Int(Rnd*(l 0)) next score=0 near=0 strOrigNum=origNum(0) strUserNum=userNum(0) for i=l to 6 strOrigNum=strOrigNum&","&origNum(i) strUserNum=strUserNum&","&userNum(i) next for i=0 to 6 'exacts hit if origNum(i)=userNum(i) then score=score+l else 'near hit tmpString=strUserNum while instr(tmpString,cstr(origNum(i)))>0 near=near+l tmpString=right(tmpString,len(tmpString)-(instr(tmpString,cstr(origNum(i))))) wend end if next t=timer

• %>

Tele-Scratch

Your number:

<img src="makepic.asp?orig=<%=strOrigNum%>&n=<%=t%>" alt="loading"/>

<img src="makepic.asp?stage=0&userNum=<%=strUserNum%>&n=<%=t%>" alt="..."/> <!-- <img src="makepic.asp?stage=0&userNum=<%=strUserNum%>&orig=<%=strOrigNum%>&n=<%=t%>" alt="loading... "/>->

<a href="#numl " title="start">Start Scratching</a> p>

</card>

</onevent>

Tele-Scratch

<img src=''makepic.asp?orig=<%=strOrigNum⁰/o>&n=<⁰/o=t%>'' alt=''loading''/> <img src="makepic.asp?stage=l&userNum=<%=strUserNum%>&n=<%=t%>" alt="...7> </card> <card id= "num2" title="Scratch">

</onevent>

Tele-Scratch

<img src="makepic.asp?orig=<%=strOrigNum%>&n=<%=t%>" alt="loading"/> <img src="makepic.asp?stage=2&userNum=<%=strUserNum%>&n=<%=t%>" alt="..."/> </card> <card id= "num3" title- ' Scratch ">

</onevent>

Tele-Scratch

<img src="makepic.asp?orig=<%=strOrigNum%>&n=<%=t%>" alt="loading"/> <img src="makepic.asp?stage=3&userNum=<%=strUserNum%>&n=<%=t%>" alt="..."/> card> <card id= "num4" title="S cratch ">

</onevent>

Tele-Scratch

<img src="makepic.asp?orig=<%=strOrigNum%>&n=<%=t%>" alt="loading"/> <img src="makepic.asp?stage &userNum=<%=strUserNum%>&n=<%==t%>" alt="..."/> </card> <card id= "num5" title="Scratch">

</onevent

Tele-Scratch

<img src="makepic.asp?orig=<%=strOrigNum%>&n=<%=t%>" alt="loading"/> <img src="makepic.asp?stage=5&userNum=<%=strUserNum%>&n=<%=t%>" alt="..."/x/p> </card> <card id= "numό" title="Scratch">

</onevent>

Tele-Scratch

<img src="makepic.asp?orig=<%=strOrigNum%>&n=<%=t%>" alt="loading"/> <img src="makepic.asp?stage=6&userNum=<%=strUserNum%>&n=<%=t%>" alt="..."/> </card> <card id= "num7" title="Scratch">

Tele-Scratch

<img src="makepic.asp?orig=<%=strOrigNum%>&arnp;n=<%==t%>'' alt=''loading''/> <img src="makepic.asp?stage=7&userNum=<%=strUserNum%>&n=<%=t%>" alt="..."/> You got <%=score%> exact matches and <%=near%> hits. </card>

</wml> β _^te Pιgtu___nc___e

<%@ language=vbscript %> <% Response.ContentType = "image/vnd.wap.wbmp"

Set wbmp = Server.CreateObject("csWAPDraw.WBMP") dim origNum,userNum offX=l l wbmp.NewImage 90, 16 wbmp.FillStyle = 0 wbmp.PenColor = 0 wbmp.Rectangle 0, 0, 90, 16 strOrig=request.queryString("Orig") ifstrOrigo"" then origNum=split(strOrig,", ") for n=0 to 6 wbmp.PenColor = 0 wbmp.FillStyle = 0 wbmp.Rectangle 0+n*(offX+l), 0, l l+n*(offX+l), 16 wbmp.PenColor = 1 wbmp.TextSize = 12 wbmp.Text 2+n*(offX+l), l,origNum(n) next else strUser=request.queryString("UserNum") UserNum=sp 1 it(strUser, " , " ) stage=cint(request.queryString("stage")) for n=0 to stage- 1 wbmp.PenColor = 1 wbmp.Rectangle 0+n*(offX+l), 0, l l+n*(offX+l), 16 wbmp.PenColor = 0 wbmp.Rectangle l+n*(offX+l), 1, 10+n*(offX+l), 15 wbmp.PenColor = 1 wbmp.TextSize = 12 wbmp.Text 2+n*(offX+l), 1, userNum(n) next for n=stage to 6 wbmp.PenColor = 1 wbmp.Rectangle 0+n*(offX+l), 0, l l+n*(offX+l), 16 next end if

' wbmp.PenColor = 1 ' wbmp.FillStyle = 8 ' wbmp.RoundRect 6, 0, 93, 17, 20, 20 ' wbmp.PenColor = 0 ' wbmp.FillStyle = 0 ' wbmp.RoundRect 0, 6, 87, 23, 20, 20 ' wbmp.PenColor = 1 ' wbmp.FillStyle = 1 ' wbmp.RoundRect 0, 6, 87, 23, 20, 20 ' wbmp.TextOpaque = false ' wbmp.TextSize = 10

Response.BinaryWrite wbmp.WBMPDataOut %>

Claims

1. A cellular game, wherein a customer of a cellular company is playing said game for fun or for a reward; wherein an advertiser is promoting its sales by said cellular service; and further wherein the cellular company is retaliated a predetermined fee for providing said service by either said customer or said advertiser.

2. The cellular game according to claim 1 provided as a service comprising advertisements.

3. The cellular game according to claim 1 wherein it been played online; wherein a customer of the cellular company is playing said game for fun or for a reward; and further wherein said customer is paying the cellular company for the airtime.

4. The cellular game according to claim 1 wherein it been played offline; wherein a customer of the cellular company is playing said game for fun or for a reward; and further wherein either the advertiser or said customer are paying the cellular company for the service.

5. A service for playing a cellular game according to claim 1, wherein the advertisement is hidden from the customer.

6. A service for playing a cellular game according to claim 1, wherein the advertisement is evident to the customer.

7. The game according to claim 1 or any of the preceding claims; wherein the cellular company and the advertiser are of the same identity.

8. The game according to claim 1, wherein the cellular game is played in a communication device, selected form cellular and wireless telephone, line telephone, beeper, palms pilot, MIRS and personal computer having means for either telephone or web communication.

9. The game according to claim 8, wherein the customer is operating the communication device by means of its operating buttons and/or by a vocal notification.

lO.The game according to claim 1, wherein the customer is rewarded to gain a predetermined prize, product or service.

11. The game according to claim 1 , wherein the customer is rewarded to gain at least one additional turn to plat the game.

12.The game according to claim 1 or any of the preceding claims, comprising a personal number and a hidden number, both presented on the screen of said phone; wherein both said numbers comprises of a plurality digits; wherein the said personal number is known the customer, and further wherein said hidden number is been virtually scratched-off by said customer, digit after digit; so if said scratched digit of the hidden number is equal to the corresponding digit of said personal number (a peferct match), said customer wins a respectively high score; and alternatively if said scratched digit is the personal number yet not equal to the corresponding digit (an hit), said customer wins a lower score; after all the digits are scratched, the final score of said customer is calculated; wherein in case that the final score is higher than a predetermined value, said customer is awarded to win a predetermined prize.

13. The game according to claim 12, selected from lottery, bingo, bull's eye and their derivatives.

14. The game according to claim 1, comprising the presentation of digits; wherein said digits are selected from graphical presentations or audio identifications.

15. The game according to claim 14, wherein the graphical presentations are selected from numerical digits, alphabetical letters, words, logos, marks, pictures or any combination thereof.

16. The game according to claim 14, wherein all digits to be scratched are chosen at random by a common, or customized random number generator.

17. The game according to claim 12, wherein the hidden number is been virtually scratched-off by the customer in partials, by means of a plurality of subsequent of scratching steps.

18. The game according to claim 12, wherein all the hidden number is been virtually scratched-off by the customer in one step.

19. The game according to claim 12, wherein the personal number is predetermined by the customer.

20. The game according to claim 12, wherein the personal number is predetermined by the cellular company.

21. The game according to claim 12, wherein the personal number is predetermined by the advertiser.

22. The game according to claims 12, wherein the customer may scratch a joker in at least one scratching turns, and thus to win a hit or a perfect match in said turn.

23. The game according to claim 12, wherein the customer may scratch a joker in at least one scratching turns and thus to win the game.

24. The game according to claims 5, 6 and 12, wherein the joker is an advertisement advertised by the advertiser.

25. The game according to claim 24, wherein the joker is selected from a logo, a trade mark, or any graphical or vocal presentation of an advertiser and/or its products and/or its services.

26. A method to play the game as defined in claim 12; comprising a. virtually scratching-off digits from a hidden number; b. comparing the obtained scratched digit or digits with a predetermined caller number; c. calculating the final score of the game in accordance with the number of perfect matches and hits; d. awarding the customer with a predetermined prize according to the calculated final score of his game.

27. A method for promoting sales by advertising via cellular phones; comprising the step of providing the customer at least one opportunity to play the game, as defined in claim 1 or in any of the preceding, so said customer is rewarded.

28. A method for promoting sales by advertising comprising; a. selling goods or services to a customer; wherein by purchasing said goods or services, said customer is gaining at least one opportunity to play the game as defined in claim 1 or in any of the preceding claims; b. playing said game.

29. A method for promoting sales according to claim 27, additionally comprising the step of advertising an advertisement via the game.

30. A method for a advertiser to do business, especially useful for retaining customers and/or to increasing their loyalty; comprising the step of providing the customer at least one opportunity to play the game, as defined in claim 1 or in any of the preceding, so said customer is rewarded.

31. A method for a cellular company to do business, especially useful for increasing airtime selling; comprising the step of providing customers of said cellular company at least one opportunity to play the game, as defined in claim 1 or in any of the preceding, so said customer is potentially rewarded by gaining at least one more turn to play the game.