Consumer reward system

• US 20050278215A1
• Filed: 03/14/2003
• Published: 12/15/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Norvell Douglas Jr. Seele
• Original Assignee: Norvell Douglas Jr. Seele
• Inventors: Seele, Norvell Douglas Jr.
• Application Number:
  US10/491,297
• Publication Number:
  US 20050278215A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14.190
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0217 involving input on products or services in exchange for incentives or rewards
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0235 constrained by time limit or expiration date

Abstract

Reward system and related methods (100) used to compensate people for time spent participating in activities, in particular, time spent in activities (130) that people generally do not enjoy such as standing in line, providing answers to survey questions, and viewing and/or listening to advertisements. Such a reward system (100) may advantageously use a portable user interface device (300) adapted to allow a holder of the device (300) to interact with the reward system. Such a device may be adapted to allow a holder of the device to interact with multiple reward systems. Data relating to activity participation may be stored internally (320) in such a device (300), and/or may be temporarily stored in such a device and later be transmitted by the device to another device.

Claims

1. A method of rewarding a person comprising:

identifying a person to be monitored;

monitoring the identified person within a monitoring area;

recording time and position data for the monitored person as the person moves within the monitoring area;

using the recorded time and position data to select one or more incentives to offer to the person;

offering the one or more selected incentives to the person.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the person is a consumer of goods and/or services and incentives are selected for the purpose of compensating the person for time spent waiting for goods and/or services.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein incentives are selected to encourage the person to spend more time at certain locations within the monitoring area than at other locations.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising instructing the person what the person must do to obtain particular incentives.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the person can control whether he or she is monitored within the monitoring area.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the person is provided with a signaling mechanism adapted to cooperate with a monitoring system such that the person can use the signaling mechanism to signal the monitoring system when to begin monitoring the person and/or when to stop monitoring the person.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the signaling mechanism is adapted to allow the person to send the monitoring system signals in response to stimuli experienced by the person within the monitoring area.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the signals sent to the monitoring system correspond to answers the person gives to a survey.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the time and position data consists essentially of how long the person was within the monitored area.

12. A reward system adapted to implement the method of claim 1, wherein the system comprises:

a monitoring system adapted to monitor a person within the monitoring area;

a recording system adapted to record time and position data for the monitored person as the person moves within the monitoring area;

an incentive system adapted to use the recorded time and position data to offer one or more selected incentives to the person.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein the monitoring system is positioned within the monitoring area.

14. The system of claim 12 wherein the recording system is positioned outside of the monitoring area.

15. The system of claim 12 wherein selected incentives comprise points that can be redeemed for goods, services, and discounts on goods and services.

16. The system of claim 12 further comprising a signaling mechanism adapted to be carried by the person being monitored.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein the signaling mechanism is a cell phone or smart card.

18. The system of claim 16 wherein the signaling mechanism is adapted to inform a holder of the mechanism what points the holder has earned using the mechanism

2. The method of claim I wherein the monitoring area is a portion of a structure, an entire structure, a campus comprising a set of related structures, an area defined by geographic boundaries, or an area defined by political boundaries.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the monitoring area is a store, mall, shopping center, amusement park, or city.

19. A method of rewarding a person comprising notifying the person that they will be compensated for time spent waiting in line, monitoring how long the person spends waiting in line, selecting a form of compensation for the person based on how long they spent in line, and offering the selected compensation to the person.