Secure method of and system for rewarding customer

• US 20030200140A1
• Filed: 04/18/2002
• Published: 10/23/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Hars, Laszlo
• Application Number:
  US10/125,703
• Publication Number:
  US 20030200140A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0231 Awarding of a frequent usage incentive independent of the monetary value of a good or service purchased, or distance travelled
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0235 constrained by time limit or expiration date

Abstract

A method of and system for granting points to a user for time spent in a locale is provided. The method includes the steps of: detecting time of entry of the user to the locale; transmitting at least one pseudo random bit stream to a portable device associated with the user, the bit stream being transmitted at a rate sufficient to prevent the bit stream from being recorded by the portable device; calculating a hash value for the bit stream transmitted to the portable device; detecting time of exit of the user from the locale; recording information in a memory of the portable device, the recorded information including at least the calculated hash value, the time of entry and the time of exit; storing data in a database associated with the locale, the stored data including enough information to re-generate the bit stream at any time interval and the number of customers in the locale at any time; verifying time of the user at the locale by comparing the stored information and the recorded data; and granting points for the user based on the verified time at the locale.

Claims

1. A method of granting points to a user for time in a locale, the method comprising the steps of:

detecting time of entry of the user to the locale;

transmitting at least one pseudo random bit stream to a portable device associated with the user, the bit stream being transmitted at a rate sufficient to prevent the bit stream from being recorded by the portable device;

calculating a hash value for the bit stream transmitted to the portable device;

detecting time of exit of the user from the locale;

recording information in a memory of the portable device, the recorded information including at least the calculated hash value, the time of entry and the time of exit;

storing data in a database associated with the locale, the stored data including enough information to re-generate the bit stream at any time interval and the number of customers in the locale at any time;

verifying time of the user at the locale by comparing the stored information and the recorded data; and

granting points for the user based on the verified time at the locale.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmitting step includes at least periodically using a random seed for bit stream creation.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmitting step includes transmitting a plurality of pseudo random bit streams;

and further wherein the calculating step is performed using an iterated hash function to calculate the hash value of the plurality of the bits in the transmitted streams.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the storing step includes indexing the stored data by time of day and by the date.

5. The method of claim 1, further including the step of determining the number of users at the locale at any given time;

the storing step including storing as stored data the number of users determined to be at the locale; and

further wherein the verifying step includes ensuring that points are not granted to more users than the number of users determined to be at the locale for the given time.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein each detecting step is capable of distinguishing between two separate users at a given time;

and further wherein the verifying step includes ensuring that points are not granted when each user cannot be distinguished for the given time.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the points granted by the granting step are positive rewards.

8. A system of granting points to a user for time in a locale, the system comprising:

a portable device associated with the user, the portable device having a calculator for calculating a hash value of a bit stream, and a memory for recording information; and

a verification system for verifying time of the user at the locale, the verification system including

means for verifying requested time of entry of the user to the locale and time of exit of the user from the locale,

a source for transmitting at least one pseudo random bit stream to the portable device, the bit stream being transmitted at a rate sufficient to prevent the bit stream from being recorded by the portable device,

a calculator for calculating the hash value of the bit stream,

a database for storing data, such as random number generator seeds and their activation time, which allows the calculation of data including at least the hash value of the bit stream between any time of entry and time of exit,

means for comparing the generated values based on the stored data from the database and the recorded information from the portable device, wherein the recorded information includes at least the calculated hash value, the time of entry and the time of exit, to verify time of the user at the locale, and

means for granting points to the user based on the verified time at the locale.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the source periodically using a random seed for bit stream creation.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the source transmits a plurality of pseudo random bit streams;

and further wherein the calculator uses an iterated hash function to calculate the hash value of a plurality of bits from bit streams.

11. The system of claim 8 further including means for determining the number of users at the locale at any given time;

and means for ensuring that points are not granted to more users than the number of users determined to be at the locale for the given time.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the detecting means is capable of distinguishing between two separate users at a given time;

and further wherein the verification system includes means for ensuring that points are not granted when each user cannot be distinguished for the given time.

13. A method of granting points to a user for time in a locale, the method comprising the steps of:

detecting time of entry of the user to the locale;

transmitting pseudo random bit streams to a portable device associated with the user, the bit streams constantly being transmitted at a rate sufficient to prevent the bit stream from being recorded by the portable device;

calculating a hash value for the bit streams transmitted to the portable device using an iterated hash function;

detecting time of exit of the user from the locale;

recording information in a memory of the portable device, the recorded information including at least the time of entry, the time of exit, the calculated hash value between the time of entry and the time of exit;

storing data in a database associated with the locale, the stored data including enough information, such as the seed values and their activation time, which allows generating the hash value of the bit stream between any time of entry and time of exit;

verifying time of the user at the locale by comparing newly generated data based on the stored information and claimed entry and exit times and the recorded data of the mobile device; and

granting points for the user based on the verified time at the locale.

14. The method of claim 13, further including the step of determining the number of users at the locale at any given time, the storing step further including storing as stored data the number of users determined to be at the locale;

and further wherein the verifying step includes ensuring that points are not granted to more users than the number of users determined to be at the locale for any part of the given time.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein each detecting step is capable of distinguishing between two separate users at a given time;

and further wherein the verifying step includes ensuring that points are not granted when each user cannot be distinguished for the given time.