Can You Patent Happy Hour?
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Yes, you can patent happy hour, but it is not what you think. A patent was recently granted for a “virtual happy hour” that offers discounted products on gaming and social networking sites at designated times.
The patent application was filed in January 2007 by technology entrepreneur Bill Lee as an “apparatus for increasing social interaction over an electronic network.” As described by Business Week, the technology would allow companies to market themselves by sponsoring a happy hour deal online. For example, a Las Vegas hotel could sponsor discounts on virtual chips on an online casino website.
Patent 8,180,852 describes the system in greater detail. The system “monitors for a user input requesting initiation of a happy hour, and when the input is detected, modifies the web pages to alert users of the happy hour. The users are notified of which user initiated the happy hour, and are also notified that interaction incentives accumulate at an increased rate during the happy hour. The system also tracks user scorings that accumulate based on the user interaction, and enables certain website features based on these user scorings. The system also tracks ratings for user-uploaded objects and identifies top rated objects for displaying on web pages viewable by other users.”
Lee also predicts that retailers such as Walmart could also use social networks to advertise happy hours in their stores. “The concept works really well on virtual inventory, but you could see it in the offline setting, too,” Lee says. “People might get a note on Twitter saying certain items at Walmart are available at a 50 percent discount thanks to company X that sponsored the happy hour.”
Cheers to protecting an innovative spin on an age-old tradition.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: David A. Farah, M.D.
Dr. David A. Farah specializes in the protection of intellectual property assets, including patents, copyrights, trademarks and trade secrets. He assists his clients in the management of their intellectual property in both the United States and in foreign countries. He also represents his clients in negotiations for the transfer of intellectual property assets and prepares agreements for such transfers.
Dr. Farah is a registered patent attorney and is one of the few also licensed to practice medicine. In addition, he is the only U.S. patent attorney licensed to practice optometry. This background gives his clients advantages when he represents them before the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office and in negotiations involving intellectual property transfers.
Copyright Sheldon Mak & Anderson PC
More information about Sheldon Mak & Anderson PC
Disclaimer: While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of this publication, it is not intended to provide legal advice as individual situations will differ and should be discussed with an expert and/or lawyer. For specific technical or legal advice on the information provided and related topics, please contact the author.
Patent 8,180,852 describes the system in greater detail. The system “monitors for a user input requesting initiation of a happy hour, and when the input is detected, modifies the web pages to alert users of the happy hour. The users are notified of which user initiated the happy hour, and are also notified that interaction incentives accumulate at an increased rate during the happy hour. The system also tracks user scorings that accumulate based on the user interaction, and enables certain website features based on these user scorings. The system also tracks ratings for user-uploaded objects and identifies top rated objects for displaying on web pages viewable by other users.”
Lee also predicts that retailers such as Walmart could also use social networks to advertise happy hours in their stores. “The concept works really well on virtual inventory, but you could see it in the offline setting, too,” Lee says. “People might get a note on Twitter saying certain items at Walmart are available at a 50 percent discount thanks to company X that sponsored the happy hour.”
Cheers to protecting an innovative spin on an age-old tradition.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: David A. Farah, M.D.
Dr. David A. Farah specializes in the protection of intellectual property assets, including patents, copyrights, trademarks and trade secrets. He assists his clients in the management of their intellectual property in both the United States and in foreign countries. He also represents his clients in negotiations for the transfer of intellectual property assets and prepares agreements for such transfers.
Dr. Farah is a registered patent attorney and is one of the few also licensed to practice medicine. In addition, he is the only U.S. patent attorney licensed to practice optometry. This background gives his clients advantages when he represents them before the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office and in negotiations involving intellectual property transfers.
Copyright Sheldon Mak & Anderson PC
More information about Sheldon Mak & Anderson PC
View all articles published by Sheldon Mak & Anderson PC
Disclaimer: While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of this publication, it is not intended to provide legal advice as individual situations will differ and should be discussed with an expert and/or lawyer. For specific technical or legal advice on the information provided and related topics, please contact the author.
