WO2008089106A1

WO2008089106A1 - Rewards program

Info

Publication number: WO2008089106A1
Application number: PCT/US2008/050933
Authority: WO
Inventors: Anthony G. Macaluso
Original assignee: Macaluso Anthony G
Priority date: 2007-01-12
Filing date: 2008-01-11
Publication date: 2008-07-24
Also published as: CA2675336A1

Abstract

A method may associate a user with an account, the account specifying a number of activity units available to an account holder, each activity unit allowing the account holder to temporarily engage in an activity. Thereafter, a graphical user interface may be provided with one or more objects, each object being associated with a task to be accomplished. In response to the graphical user interface, at least one input may be received from the user selecting one or more of the graphical user interface objects, each selected graphical user interface object indicating that a task has been accomplished. Activity units associated with the account holder may thereafter be increased in response to the selected graphical user interface objects. Related apparatus, computer program products, and computer systems are also described.

Description

Rewards Program

PRIOR APPLICATIONS

[000 IJ This application claims priority to U.S. Application Serial No. 60/884,818 filed January 12, 2007. The disclosure of the prior application is considered part of the disclosure of this application and is incorporated by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND

[0002] Motivating individuals to perform certain tasks can be difficult and require incentives to encourage timely compliance. Such problems are particularly frequent with children that have been assigned household chores.

[0003] Responsibility charts, specifying various tasks and their respective due dates have often been used to schedule the performance of certain tasks. For example, a task chart might include the days of the week on a horizontal axis and the various tasks on a vertical axis. Once each task is completed, a mark is made under the relevant day of the week indicating that the tasks has been finished. While this arrangement provides clear guidance on when a certain task is to be accomplished, in the case of children, a token award such as a gold star is not always a sufficient motivation tool. Moreover, resulting discussions between caregivers (e.g., parents) and children regarding rewards for performing a certain task can often take as long as the chore itself.

SUMMARY

[0004] In a first aspect, a method associates a user with an account that specifies a number of activity units available to an account holder. Each activity unit allows the account holder to temporarily engage in an activity. The method also provides or otherwise presents the user with a graphical user interface having one or more objects. Each of the graphical user interface objects may be associated with a task to be accomplished (e.g., household chores, report cards, job duties, etc.). At least one input may be received from the user selecting one or more of the graphical user interface objects with each selected graphical user interface object indicating that a task has been accomplished. In response to the selected graphical user interface objects, a number of activity units associated with the account holder may be increased.

[0005] The method may also include transmitting a message based on the number of selected graphical user interface objects and identifying the account. Such a message may identify each of the selected graphical user interface objects, or optionally, it may request an increase in activity units associated with the account holder without identifying the selected graphical user interface objects.

[0006] In some variations, oversight by, for example, a supervisor may be adopted such that the method also includes receiving an input verifying the completion of the tasks corresponding to the selected graphical user interface objects. In a workplace setting, the supervisor may be a manager. In a domestic setting, the supervisor may be a parent, caregiver, or other legal guardian.

[0007J Once the activity units have been awarded, the account holder (which may also be the user), may redeem at least a portion of the activity units. Redeeming these activity units allows the account holder to participate in any of a variety of activities. For example, the activity units may be redeemed to enable the account holder to use a mobile phone account (such as a pre-paid mobile phone account). Activity units may also be redeemed to enable the account holder to conduct other activities associated with mobile phones (other than making calls) such as sending or receiving an SMS, sending or receiving an MMS, sending or receiving a ring tone or ring-back tone, sending or receiving a game, purchasing an item at a point of service, accessing the Internet, and other activities that often are charged to a mobile phone user.

[00081 Activity units may also be redeemed for credits to access the Internet, gift certificates, money (via a linked bank account or educational savings account such as a Section 529 plan), credits at service / retail websites, and the like.

[0009] In some variations, the method may further comprise transferring the activity units from the account to a third party in response to a request from the user. The user may opt to swap goods or services for activity units or it may simply gift them to another individual. Such a transfer may be initiated upon the request of the user or a supervisor monitoring and/or approving the selection of the graphical user interface objects (i.e., verifying that the tasks were completed).

[0010] In order to facilitate an easy and user- friendly visualization of the various tasks, the graphical user interface objects may form part of a responsibility chart specifying the tasks and time periods for performing the tasks. Moreover, relatedly, the method may also comprise specifying one or more tasks for inclusion within the responsibility chart (by, for example, a supervisor). In some variations, the method may further comprise associating each graphical user interface object with a priority level such that increasing the number of activity units is based on the priority level of each selected graphical user interface object. In other words, individual tasks may be weighted differently when determining how many activity units to award to the account holder.

[0011] The method may additionally include charging a bank account or a credit card associated with the account based on the number of increased activity units. This banking or credit card information may be specified during an initialization phase by a supervisor. [0012] In another aspect, an apparatus comprises an authentication unit to associate a user with an account, the account specifying a number of activity units available to an account holder, each activity unit allowing the account holder to temporarily engage in an activity, a presentation unit to provide a graphical user interface with one or more objects, each object being associated with a task to be accomplished, an input unit to receive at least one input from the user selecting one or more of the graphical user interface objects, each selected graphical user interface object indicating that a task has been accomplished, and a rewards unit to increase the number of activity units associated with the account holder in response to the selected graphical user interface objects.

[0013] Computer program products, which may be embodied on computer readable-material, are also described. Such computer program products may include executable instructions that cause a computer system to conduct one or more of the method acts described herein. [0014] Similarly, computer systems are also described that may include a processor and a memory coupled to the processor. The memory may encode one or more programs that cause the processor to perform one or more of the method acts described herein. [0015] The subject matter described herein may provide one or more of the following advantages. It provides an arrangement in which a person in a supervisory role may monitor the incentives provided to an individual in response to performing certain tasks. Historical data and the like can be obtained both for the incentives offered as well as the tasks performed. In addition, the subject matter described herein allows a supervisor to set up an automated reward system that may require (depending on the desired configuration) little oversight after the reward program for an individual is initially set up. [0016] The details of one or more variations of the subject matter described herein are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features, objects, and advantages of the subject matter described herein will be apparent from the description and drawings, and from the claims.

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0017] FIG. 1 is a process flow diagram illustrating a method for distributing activity units; [0018] FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an apparatus for distributing activity units;

[0019] FIG. 3 is a process flow diagram illustrating a sample workflow useful for understanding and implementing the subject matter described herein;

[0020] FIG. 4 is a first sample web browser window useful for understanding and implementing the subject matter described herein;

[0021] FIG. 5 is a second sample web browser window useful for understanding and implementing the subject matter described herein;

[0022] FIG. 6 is a third sample web browser window useful for understanding and implementing the subject matter described herein; and

[0023] FIG. 7 is a fourth sample web browser window useful for understanding and implementing the subject matter described herein.

[0024] Like reference symbols in the various drawings indicate like elements.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0025] With reference to Fig. 1, a process flow diagram illustrates a method 100 that includes, at step 110, associating a user with an account. This account may specify a number of activity units available to an account holder (which may or may not be the user). These activity units may be used or otherwise redeemed or exchanged to allow the user to temporarily engage in an activity. Each activity unit may, for example, allow a user to engage in the activity for a fixed period of time. In other variations, each activity unit allows a user to engage in an activity based on a fixed consumption level (e.g., telephone charges which may fluctuate based on the number called).

[0026] At step 120, the method continues with the provision of a graphical user interface with one or more objects. Each of the graphical user interface objects may be associated with a task to be accomplished. The objects may be any sort of graphical user interface object that may be manipulated such as a radio button and the like. Optionally, the graphical user interface objects may permit a relative activation (i.e., a sliding scale having values ranging from 0 to 10, etc.).

[0027] The method 100 may continue, at step 130, with receiving at least one input from the user selecting one or more of the graphical user interface objects. This input may be from, for example, a user activating a graphical user interface object. Activation of a graphical user interface object indicates that a task has been accomplished. Subsequently, at step 140, the method may continue by increasing the number of activity units associated with the account holder in response to the selected graphical user interface objects. [0028] With reference to Fig. 2, an apparatus 200 is illustrated that includes an authentication unit 210, a presentation unit 220, an input unit 230, and a rewards unit 240. While these units 210-240 are illustrated as directly coupled to each other and within a single device 200, it may be appreciated that different coupling arrangements may be utilized and that one or more of the units 210-240 may be located on different devices (i.e., remote computer systems, terminals, etc.).

[0029] The authentication unit 210 associates a user with an account. This account specifies a number of activity units available to an account holder in which each activity unit allows the account holder to temporarily engage in an activity. The authentication unit 210 may present a standard login prompt in which a username and password are entered. Other techniques for identifying a user may also be used (i.e., IP address, mobile phone number, etc.).

[0030] The presentation unit 220 provides a graphical user interface with one or more objects, each object being associated with a task to be accomplished. This graphical user interface may, for example, be presented on a remote computer associated with the user or any other computing device (e.g., mobile phone, etc.).

[0031] The input unit 230 receives a signal indicating at least one input from the user selecting one or more of the graphical user interface objects thereby indicating that a corresponding task has been accomplished. The rewards unit 240 may increase the number of activity units associated with the account holder in response to the selected graphical user interface objects.

[0032] The following provides optional variations for understanding and implementing the subject matter described herein. These variations may be combined where appropriate or may be added singly to the methods and apparatus described herein. [0033] Fig. 3 is a process flow diagram illustrating a sample workflow 300 in which a supervisor (e.g., a parent), at step 310, may access a website, to set up (i) tasks for which a user (e.g., a child) may receive for activity units; (ii) opportunities to redeem any earned activity units (e.g., mobile phone usage credits, credits to purchase ring tones or ring-back tones, etc.); and (iii) payment information, such as credit card or banking information, which will be charged whenever activity units are redeemed by the user (or at other periodic intervals). At step 320, the user may separately access a website (which may or may not be the same as the website accessed by the supervisor in step 310), and periodically indicate whether certain tasks have been accomplished. For example, the user may on a daily basis access the website and make selections on a responsibility chart indicating whether a certain task was accomplished.

[0034] Optionally, at step 330, the supervisor may be asked to confirm whether the user actually performed the tasks he or she indicated. This confirmation may take place in a variety of ways including via a website, e-mail, SMS, MMS, and the like. Finally, at step 340, the user may access a website (or use other communication mechanisms such as e-mail, SMS, MMS, instant messaging, etc.) and redeem any accumulated activity units for any of a plurality of activities. In some variations, the supervisor need not establish the activities beforehand and the user is presented with a set of default activities. In addition, with such variations, there may be a further optional step in which the supervisor approves any requested redemptions.

[0035] With reference to Fig. 4, a user may access a website using, for example, a browser 410 in a browser window 400. After entering a login identification (e.g., user name, e-mail address, mobile phone number, etc.) and password into a prompt (which may form part of the browser window 400 or it may open up a separate window, the user may be presented with a web page including a graphical user interface comprising a responsibility chart 420. The responsibility chart 420 includes one or more columns 440 corresponding to days of the week (although other measurements of time may be used), and one or more rows 430 that correspond to tasks to be performed. As illustrated, the tasks in the responsibility chart might be, for example, clean room, brush teeth, pick-up clothes, make bed, finish homework, wash dishes, and the like.

[0036] If the user would like to indicate that one or more of these tasks have been completed, he or she may activate (using, for example, a keyboard, mouse, or other input device) a graphical user interface object 450, such as a radio button or box, corresponding to the tasks and the day of the week in which the task was accomplished. After activation, the status of the graphical user interface object 450 may change. For example, the graphical user interface objects 450 may change appearance to have a gold star in the middle. Other indications may be used depending on the desired configuration. In addition, it will be appreciated that there may not be a graphical user interface object 450 at each row / column intersection if a particular task is not required on a certain day of the week. Once the user has indicated that each task has been accomplished, then he or she may activate a graphical user interface button 460 that may include a label such as SUBMIT, FINISHED, or the like. [0037] Completion of the responsibility chart 420 may result in a host computer sending a message notifying a rewards unit or other internal or external (e.g., a remote computer) module based on the selection of the graphical user interface objects 450 as well as the identification of the user. Such a message may identify the graphical user interface objects 450 selected, the underlying tasks that were to be performed, or it may simply provide a single value that is used to calculate the number of activity units available for redemption. An external rewards unit may be used in those cases in which the redemption of activity units is administered by a third party agent / intermediary.

[0038] After submission of the accomplished tasks (or at periodical intervals such as weekly, monthly, end of school semester, etc.), a third party supervisor, for example a parent of a young user, may optionally be required to confirm that the tasks have indeed been accomplished. Such confirmation may be initiated in a variety of ways including sending a message to a supervisor (i) requiring a reply or other confirmation (in whole or in part) of the selected tasks; or (ii) notifying that the tasks had been entered and providing a URL to access a website. In the latter case, with reference to Fig. 5, after a supervisor is identified (by logging in or other identification techniques), a window 500 may include a web browser 510 having a responsibility chart 520 with rows 530, columns 540, and graphical user interface objects 550 corresponding to the responsibility chart 420 filled out by the user. The supervisor may de-activate any graphical user interface objects 550 indicating that the user has not accomplished a task if he or she does not believe that the task was accomplished or satisfactorily finished. Once the supervisor is satisfied with the activated graphical user interface objects 550, a first graphical user interface button 560, which may have a label of CONFIRM, may be activated. Otherwise, if the supervisor is not satisfied with the activated graphical user interface objects 550, a second graphical user interface button 570, which may have a label of REJECT, may be activated.

[0039] Once the submission of a user has been finalized (which may have optionally included the confirmation by a supervisor), the user may be able to find out their balance of activity units. For example, with reference to Fig. 6, the user may log into a website resulting via a browser 610 operating in a window 600. The website may include a total of the current activity units 620 for the account. The website may also present the user with one or more options for the user to spend any accumulated activity units 630. The options may include any activity which requires periodic payment or other credit to continue such as mobile phone usage, Internet access, adding to an education savings account, shopping credits, etc. Other activities not coupled to a computer system may also be included such as watching television, playing with friends, and the like. [0040] The redemption and distribution of the activity units can then be confirmed by the user by activating a graphical user interface button 640 which may, for example, be labeled CONFIRM. In most cases, the ultimate application of the activity units is left to the discretion of the user. However, in some variations, the redemption / application of the activity units may require approval by a supervisor. Options may also be incorporated which would allow a user to transfer any activity units to third parties (for swapping / card trading any other activities).

[0041] It will be appreciated that activity units are analogous to any form of measure that allows a user to participate in an activity. On one extreme, the activity units may be money (or gift certificates) which can be used for traditional retail / service activities and the like, and on the other extreme, the activity units may be redeemable for household privileges such as watching television. It will also be appreciated that a rewards unit may be coupled to any number of external activity operators. For example, if activity units are redeemed for mobile phone usage credits, then the rewards unit would send a message to the mobile phone operator requesting an increase in the credit balance of the mobile phone account associated with the user. These credits may be used for making local, long distance calls, purchasing ring tones or ring-back tones, downloading games, Internet access, as well as any other activities associated with mobile phone usage (including purchasing items at a point of service via Bluetooth, infrared, etc.).

[0042] With reference to Fig. 7, in order to establish the tasks required by the user and the redemption opportunities to be presented to the user, a supervisor must access a website via a browser 710 operating in a window 700. The website may include a first graphical user interface portion 720 which allows the supervisor to enter in one or more column indicators (such as days of the week) and one or more tasks to be accomplished. [0043] A second graphical user interface portion 730 may allow the supervisor to select among pre-existing redemption opportunities for earned activity units and/or to enter in new redemption opportunities (e.g., trip to ice cream shop, weekend movie, etc.). In addition to selecting or designating the redemption opportunities in the second graphical user interface portion 730, a supervisor will need to set the number of activity units that are needed for a certain level for each activity. For example, the supervisor might determine that 50 activity units may be redeemed into $10 of mobile phone usage credit, or perhaps 25 activity units may be redeemed into 30 minutes of Internet usage or television viewing. [0044] A third graphical user interface portion 740 provides payment information required for any of the underlying activities. In this portion 740, the supervisor may enter in credit card or other banking information which will automatically be charged when a user redeems activity units. Pre-set spending limits and other protective mechanisms may be initiated to ensure that excessive charges are not incurred.

[0045] Various implementations of the subject matter described herein may be realized in digital electronic circuitry, integrated circuitry, specially designed ASICs (application specific integrated circuits), computer hardware, firmware, software, and/or combinations thereof. These various implementations may include implementation in one or more computer programs that are executable and/or interpretable on a programmable system including at least one programmable processor, which may be special or general purpose, coupled to receive data and instructions from, and to transmit data and instructions to, a storage system, at least one input device, and at least one output device.

[0046] These computer programs (also known as programs, software, software applications or code) include machine instructions for a programmable processor, and may be implemented in a high-level procedural and/or object-oriented programming language, and/or in assembly/machine language. As used herein, the term "machine-readable medium" refers to any computer program product, apparatus and/or device (e.g., magnetic discs, optical disks, memory, Programmable Logic Devices (PLDs)) used to provide machine instructions and/or data to a programmable processor, including a machine-readable medium that receives machine instructions as a machine -readable signal. The term "machine-readable signal" refers to any signal used to provide machine instructions and/or data to a programmable processor.

[0047] To provide for interaction with a user, the subject matter described herein may be implemented on a computer having a display device (e.g., a CRT (cathode ray tube) or LCD (liquid crystal display) monitor) for displaying information to the user and a keyboard and a pointing device (e.g., a mouse or a trackball) by which the user may provide input to the computer. Other kinds of devices may be used to provide for interaction with a user as well; for example, feedback provided to the user may be any form of sensory feedback (e.g., visual feedback, auditory feedback, or tactile feedback); and input from the user may be received in any form, including acoustic, speech, or tactile input.

[0048] The subject matter described herein may be implemented in a computing system that includes a back-end component (e.g., as a data server), or that includes a middleware component (e.g., an application server), or that includes a front-end component (e.g., a client computer having a graphical user interface or a Web browser through which a user may interact with an implementation of the subject matter described herein), or any combination of such back-end, middleware, or front-end components. The components of the system may be interconnected by any form or medium of digital data communication (e.g., a communication network). Examples of communication networks include a local area network ("LAN"), a wide area network ("WAN"), and the Internet. [0049] The computing system may include clients and servers. A client and server are generally remote from each other and typically interact through a communication network. The relationship of client and server arises by virtue of computer programs running on the respective computers and having a client-server relationship to each other. [0050] Although a few variations have been described in detail above, other modifications are possible. For example, the logic flow depicted in the accompanying figures and described herein do not require the particular order shown, or sequential order, to achieve desirable results. In addition, the subject matter described herein may be applied to any of a variety of situations in which the performance of tasks is both monitored and rewarded (including corporate workplace settings). Other embodiments may be within the scope of the following claims.

Claims

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

1. A computer-implemented method comprising: associating a user with an account, the account specifying a number of activity units available to an account holder, each activity unit allowing the account holder to temporarily engage in an activity; providing a graphical user interface with one or more objects, each graphical user interface object being associated with a task to be accomplished; receiving at least one input from the user selecting one or more of the graphical user interface objects, each selected graphical user interface object indicating that a task has been accomplished; and increasing the number of activity units associated with the account holder in response to the selected graphical user interface objects.

2. A method as in claim 1, further comprising transmitting a message based on the number of selected graphical user interface objects and identifying the account.

3. A method as in claim 2, wherein the message identifies each of the selected graphical user interface objects.

4. A method as in claim 2, wherein the message requests an increase in activity units associated with the account holder.

5. A method as in claim 1, further comprising receiving an input verifying the completion of the tasks corresponding to the selected graphical user interface objects.

6. A method as in claim 1 , further comprising redeeming at least a portion of the activity units to enable the account holder to use a mobile phone account.

7. A method as in claim 6, further comprising redeeming at least a portion of the activity units to enable the account holder to conduct at least one of the actions on a mobile phone chosen from the group comprising: sending or receiving an SMS, sending or receiving an MMS, sending or receiving a ring tone or ring-back tone, sending or receiving a game, purchasing an item at a point of service, and accessing the Internet.

8. A method as in claim 1, further comprising redeeming at least a portion of the activity units to enable the account holder to access the Internet.

9. A method as in claim 1, wherein the activity units may be exchanged for a gift certificate or other monetary unit.

10. A method as in claim 1, wherein the activity units enable the account holder to make purchases at one or more websites.

1 1. A method as in claim 1, wherein the account is a bank account and the activity units are monetary units credited to a balance of the bank account.

12. A method as in claim 11, wherein the account is an educational savings account.

13. A method as in claim 1, further comprising transferring the activity units from the account to a third party in response to a request from the user.

14. A method as in claim 1, wherein the graphical user interface objects are part of a responsibility chart specifying the tasks and the time period for performing the tasks.

15. A method as in claim 14, further comprising specifying one or more tasks for inclusion within the responsibility chart.

16. A method as in claim 1, further comprising associating each graphical user interface object with a priority level and wherein the increasing the number of activity units is based on the priority level of each selected graphical user interface object.

17. A method as in claim 1, further comprising charging a bank account or a credit card associated with the account based on the number of increased activity units.

18. An apparatus comprising: an authentication unit to associate a user with an account, the account specifying a number of activity units available to an account holder, each activity unit allowing the account holder to temporarily engage in an activity; a presentation unit to provide a graphical user interface with one or more objects, each object being associated with a task to be accomplished; an input unit to receive at least one input from the user selecting one or more of the graphical user interface objects, each selected graphical user interface object indicating that a task has been accomplished; and a rewards unit to increase the number of activity units associated with the account holder in response to the selected graphical user interface objects.

19. A computer program product, embodied on computer readable-material, that includes executable instructions for causing a computer system to: associate a user with an account, the account specifying a number of activity units available to an account holder, each activity unit allowing the account holder to temporarily engage in an activity; provide a graphical user interface with one or more objects, each object being associated with a task to be accomplished; receive at least one input from the user selecting one or more of the graphical user interface objects, each selected graphical user interface object indicating that a task has been accomplished; and increase the number of activity units associated with the account holder in response to the selected graphical user interface objects.

20. A computer system comprising a processor and a memory coupled to the processor, the memory encoding one or more programs that cause the processor to: associate a user with an account, the account specifying a number of activity units available to an account holder, each activity unit allowing the account holder to temporarily engage in an activity; provide a graphical user interface with one or more objects, each object being associated with a task to be accomplished; receive at least one input from the user selecting one or more of the graphical user interface objects, each selected graphical user interface object indicating that a task has been accomplished; and increase the number of activity units associated with the account holder in response to the selected graphical user interface objects.