Appeal No. 97-3256 Application 08/280,012 constitute all the claims remaining in the application. Amendments after final rejection were filed on June 3, 1996 and July 2, 1996. Both amendments were entered by the examiner. The claimed invention pertains to a method and apparatus for handling communications between a central broadcast facility and a plurality of remote users who are responding to questions asked by the central facility. Specifically, the invention relates to a technique for ensuring that no tampering takes place with the answers provided by the remote users. Representative claim 1 is reproduced as follows: 1. A secured system of remote participation in interactive games, the system comprising a transmission central computer sending out cryptographic messages received by television receivers during a television program, and a games machine available to a televiewer of the television program capable of reading the cryptographic messages and of sending back the televiewer’s answer to questions asked in the messages, wherein: a) the games machine further comprises: - means for counting consecutive periods of time including a period of time Tr12 defined by the instant t1 of reception of the message and the instant t2 of the televiewer’s answer, and a period of time Tr25 defined by the instant t2 of the televiewer’s answer and the instant t5 of the forwarding of the televiewer’s answer to the central computer; - means for transmitting the televiewer’s answer and the values Tr12 and Tr25 to the transmission central computer; and wherein 2Page: Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 NextLast modified: November 3, 2007