Interactive rewards system for rewarding drivers

• US 10,360,576 B1
• Filed: 10/09/2014
• Issued: 07/23/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/09/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Allstate Insurance Company (Allstate Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Allstate Insurance Company (Allstate Corporation)
• Inventors: Hsu-Hoffman, Chienlan
• Primary Examiner(s): Cao, Vincent M
• Application Number:
  US14/510,183
• Time in Patent Office: 1,748 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0207 Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0841 Registering performance data recording measured values G01D; information storage G11B

Abstract

Methods, computer-readable media, software, and apparatuses are disclosed for an interactive rewards system for engaging and rewarding drivers. In one aspect, a system comprising a first computing associated with a driver and a second computing device is disclosed, where the second computing device is configured to receive, from the first computing device, driving score information for the driver, assign at least one lottery ticket to the driver based on the driving score information, and send, to the first computing device, a notification indicating that the at least one lottery ticket has been assigned to the driver. In another aspect, the second computing device may be configured to assign, to a driver, a card for a virtual card game. The particular card assigned may be based on the driver'"'"'s driving behavior.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a mobile computing device associated with a driver, the mobile computing device comprising;

a display; and

one or more sensors; and

an application server,

wherein the mobile computing device is configured to;

collect, using the one or more sensors, driving data associated with the driver;

calculate, using the collected driving data, driving score information associated with the driver; and

transmit, to the application server, the driving score information, and

wherein the application server is configured to;

output, to the display of the mobile computing device, a user interface comprising a rewards game;

receive, from the mobile computing device, the driving score information associated with the driver;

identify that the driving score information is greater than previous personal best driving score information associated with the driver;

assign at least one lottery ticket and a plurality of playing cards to the driver based on the driving score information, and at least another lottery ticket based on identifying that the driving score information is greater than the previous personal best driving score information associated with the driver;

send, to the mobile computing device, a notification indicating that the at least one lottery ticket, the plurality of playing cards, and the at least another lottery ticket have been assigned to the driver; and

update the user interface output to the display of the mobile computing device to display, in the rewards game, the plurality of playing cards assigned to the driver.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the driving score information comprises an overall driving score calculated from component scores for each of a plurality of driving factors associated with the driver.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein a predetermined number of lottery tickets is assigned to the driver based on obtained driving score values or component score values that are within one or more predetermined score ranges, and wherein the predetermined number of lottery tickets assigned is different for each of the one or more predetermined score ranges.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein one lottery ticket is assigned for driving score values or component score values within a first score range, wherein two lottery tickets are assigned for driving score values or component score values within a second score range, and wherein three lottery tickets are assigned for driving score values or component score values within a third score range.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein the application server is further configured to:

evaluate effect of change in driving data on the predetermined number of lottery tickets assigned to the driver;

generate, based on the evaluation, one or more suggestions for increasing the predetermined number of lottery tickets assigned to the driver; and

output, to the display of the mobile computing device, the one or more suggestions for increasing the predetermined number of lottery tickets assigned to the driver.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the at least one lottery ticket indicates an entry into a periodic drawing for a prize and a predetermined probability of the driver winning the price in the periodic drawing.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the prize for the periodic drawing includes at least one of the following:

discounts on insurance premiums, rebate checks, discounts or rebates on car services, cash, gas credit cards, concert tickets, sports tickets, free vacations, travel tickets, hotel vouchers, charity contributions, or other rewards.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein a value of the prize increases if not redeemed by a winning driver within a predetermined period of time.

9. An apparatus comprising:

a network interface configured to communicate, via a network, with at least one mobile computing device comprising one or more sensors for collecting driving data associated with a driver for calculating driving score information for the driver based on the collected driving data; and

at least one processor configured to;

output, to a display associated with the at least one mobile computing device, a user interface comprising a rewards game;

receive, from the at least one mobile computing device, the driving score information for the driver;

assign at least a plurality of playing cards to the driver based on the driving score information;

send, to the at least one mobile computing device, a notification indicating that at least the plurality of playing cards have been assigned to the driver; and

update the user interface output to the display associated with the at least one mobile computing device to display, in the rewards game, the plurality of playing cards assigned to the driver.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

identify component score values or overall driving score values for the driver based on the driving score information; and

for each of the plurality of playing cards assigned to the driver;

determine a card value based on the identified component score values or the overall driving score values;

determine a card suit based on a type of driving factor associated with a highest component score value; and

assign the card value and the card suit to that playing card.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the driving score information comprises at least one of component scores or overall driving scores calculated from component scores for each of a plurality of driving factors.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

determine an increase in at least one of the overall driving scores or the component scores that is needed by the driver to earn a reward; and

notify the driver of the increase.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein at least one of the overall driving scores or the component scores are used to determine a winner of an unannounced lottery for drivers to be surprised with rewards.

14. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein at least one game piece is assigned to the driver and is associated with a card game involving the plurality of playing cards, and wherein a winner of the card game is assigned a lottery ticket.

15. A method comprising:

receiving, by an application server and from at least one mobile computing device, driving score information for a driver, wherein the driving score information is calculated using driving data associated with the driver and collected from one or more sensors of the at least one mobile computing device and based on a plurality of driving factors associated with the driver;

outputting, to a display associated with the at least one mobile computing device, a user interface comprising a rewards game;

identifying that the driving score information is greater than previous personal best driving score information associated with the driver;

assigning at least one lottery ticket and a plurality of playing cards to the driver based on the driving score information, and at least another lottery ticket based on identifying that the driving score information is greater than the previous personal best driving score information associated with the driver;

sending, to the at least one mobile computing device, a notification indicating that the at least one lottery ticket, the plurality of playing cards, and the at least another lottery ticket have been assigned to the driver; and

updating the user interface output to the display associated with the at least one mobile computing device to display, in the rewards game, the plurality of playing cards assigned to the driver.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

identifying, based on component score values, the driving score information; and

determining a number of lottery tickets to assign to the driver based on at least one of the identified component score values.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

selecting a winning lottery ticket associated with the driver to win a prize in a drawing;

sending, to the at least one mobile computing device, a prize notification indicating that the winning lottery ticket has been selected for the driver to win the prize in the drawing; and

receiving a message indicating that the driver has redeemed the winning lottery ticket to claim the prize.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising determining whether the driver has redeemed the winning lottery ticket within a predetermined period of time.

19. The method of claim 15, further comprising assigning, to the driver, at least one lottery ticket for winning at least one of a virtual chess game, a virtual football game, a virtual first-person shooter game, or a virtual role-playing game.

20. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

assigning at least one game piece to the driver based on the driving score information; and

sending, to the at least one mobile computing device, a notification indicating that the at least one game piece has been assigned to the driver.