METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR REWARDING USER ACTIVITY IN LINKED SERVICES

• US 20100274617A1
• Filed: 04/22/2009
• Published: 10/28/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/22/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: RPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: SUOMELA, RIKU, Huhtala, Yka, Kaasinen, Jussi
• Application Number:
  US12/428,407
• Publication Number:
  US 20100274617A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/9
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063114 Status monitoring or status determination for a person or group
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72427 for supporting games or graphical animations

Abstract

An approach is provided for rewarding user activity in linked services. A linked services enabler initiates synchronization of information related to one or more tasks and corresponding status of completion between a first service and a second service, determines whether the user has completed the one or more tasks based on the synchronized information, and initiates providing one or more rewards to the user within the first service based on the determination. The one or more tasks are created in the first service for the user to complete in the second service.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

initiating synchronization of information related to one or more tasks and corresponding status of completion between a first service and a second service, wherein the one or more tasks are created in the first service for a user to complete in the second service;

determining whether the user has completed the one or more tasks based on the synchronized information; and

initiating providing one or more rewards to the user within the first service based on the determination.

2. A method of claim 1, further comprising:

tracking a number of times the completion of the one or more tasks has been used to provide a reward to the user; and

limiting the number of times the completion of the one or more tasks can be used to provide a reward to the user.

3. A method of claim 1, wherein either the first service or the second service includes a game, sports service, mapping application, media application, media content, messaging application, or a combination thereof.

4. A method of claim 1, wherein the one or more rewards include in-service currency, reputation, character improvement, items, additional game levels, additional service time, user interface improvements, media content, additional services, or a combination thereof.

5. A method of claim 4, wherein the additional service time includes additional subscribed service time, additional right to use either the first service or the second service, or a combination thereof.

6. A method of claim 1, wherein the synchronized information includes information related to the one or more rewards associated with completion of the one or more tasks, the method further comprising:

alerting the user to availability of the one or more rewards before the user has completed the one or more tasks.

7. A method of claim 1, wherein the value of the one or more rewards increases with a difficulty level associated with the one or more tasks.

8. A method of claim 1, wherein the first service and the second service are individual components of a single service platform, and wherein a third party provides either the first service, the second service, or both.

9. An apparatus comprising:

at least one memory including computer program code,

the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to perform at least the following,

initiate synchronization of information related to one or more tasks and corresponding status of completion between a first service and a second service, wherein the one or more tasks are created in the first service for a user to complete in the second service,

determine whether the user has completed the one or more tasks based on the synchronized information, and

initiate providing one or more rewards to the user within the first service based on the determination.

10. An apparatus of claim 9, wherein the synchronized information includes information related to the one or more rewards associated with completion of the one or more tasks, and wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

alert the user to availability of the one or more rewards before the user has completed the one or more tasks,

track a number of times the completion of the one or more tasks has been used to provide the one or more rewards to the user; and

limit the number of times the completion of the one or more tasks can be used to provide the one ore more rewards to the user.

11. An apparatus of claim 9, wherein either the first service or the second service includes a game, sports service, mapping application, media application, media content, messaging application, or a combination thereof, and wherein the one or more rewards include in-service currency, reputation, character improvement, items, additional game levels, additional service time, user interface improvements, media content, additional services, or a combination thereof

12. An apparatus of claim 9, wherein the apparatus is a mobile phone further comprising:

user interface circuitry and user interface software configured to facilitate user control of at least some functions of the mobile phone through use of a display and configured to respond to user input; and

a display and display circuitry configured to display at least a portion of a user interface of the mobile phone, the display and display circuitry configured to facilitate user control of at least some functions of the mobile phone.

13. An apparatus of claim 12, wherein the mobile phone downloads the first service, the second service, or both over a wireless communication network.

14. A computer-readable storage medium carrying one or more sequences of one or more instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause an apparatus to perform at least the following:

initiating synchronization of information related to one or more tasks and corresponding status of completion between a first service and a second service, wherein the one or more tasks are created in the first service for a user to complete in the second service;

determining whether the user has completed the one or more tasks based on the synchronized information; and

initiating providing one or more rewards to the user within the first service based on the determination.

15. A computer-readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein the apparatus is caused to further perform:

tracking a number of times the completion of the one or more tasks has been used to provide a reward to the user; and

limiting the number of times the completion of the one or more tasks can be used to provide a reward to the user.

16. A computer-readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein either the first service or the second service includes a game, sports service, mapping application, media application, media content, messaging application, or a combination thereof, and wherein the one or more rewards include in-service currency, reputation, character improvement, items, additional game levels, additional service time, user interface improvements, media content, additional services, or a combination thereof

17. A computer-readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein the synchronized information includes information related to the one or more rewards associated with completion of the one or more tasks, and wherein the apparatus is caused to further perform:

alerting the user to availability of the one or more rewards before the user has completed the one or more tasks.

18. A method comprising:

providing access for initiating synchronization of information related to one or more tasks and corresponding status of completion between a first service and a second service, determining whether a user has completed the one or more tasks based on the synchronized information, and initiating providing one or more rewards to the user within the first service based on the determination,

wherein the one or more tasks are created in the first service for the user to complete in the second service.

19. A method of claim 18, further comprising:

providing access for tracking a number of times the completion of the one or more tasks has been used to provide a reward to the user and limiting the number of times the completion of the one or more tasks can be used to provide a reward to the user.

20. A method of claim 19, wherein either the first service or the second service includes a game, sports service, mapping application, media application, media content, messaging application, or a combination thereof, and wherein the one or more rewards include in-service currency, reputation, character improvement, items, additional game levels, additional service time, user interface improvements, media content, additional services, or a combination thereof.