Efficiency of use of a common product

• US 20120150758A1
• Filed: 10/26/2011
• Published: 06/14/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/2010
• Status: Active Application

• Current Assignee: Elwha LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Elwha LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Belady, Christian L., Calvo, Angel Sarmento, Cochrane, Larry, Garms, Jason, Hyde, Roderick A., Levien, Royce A., Lord, Richard T., Lord, Robert W., Malamud, Mark A., Pollard, Jennifer Mame, Rinaldo, John D. Jr., Tegreene, Clarence T., Vega, Rene A., Wood, Lowell L. Jr., Zhao, Feng, Bernard, Rod
• Application Number:
  US13/317,726
• Publication Number:
  US 20120150758A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/317
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/018 Certifying business or products

Abstract

Systems and methods for determining efficiency-of-use scores related to uses of a product by two or more users may implement operations including, but not limited to: computing an efficiency-of-use score associated with a use of a first physical product of a set of products by a first user and an efficiency-of-use score associated with a use of a second physical product of the set of products by a second user; comparing the efficiency-of-use score associated with the use of the first physical product by the first user to the efficiency-of-use score associated with the use of the second physical product by the second user; and providing a notification according to the comparison of an efficiency-of-use score associated with the use of the first product by the first user to an efficiency-of-use score associated with the use of the second product by the second user.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

means for computing an efficiency-of-use score associated with a use of a first physical product of a set of products by a first user and an efficiency-of-use score associated with a use of a second physical product of the set of products by a second user;

means for comparing the efficiency-of-use score associated with the use of the first physical product by the first user to the efficiency-of-use score associated with the use of the second physical product by the second user; and

means for providing a notification according to the comparison of an efficiency-of-use score associated with the use of the first product by the first user to an efficiency-of-use score associated with the use of the second product by the second user.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the means for computing an efficiency-of-use score associated with a use of a first physical product of a set of products by a first user and an efficiency-of-use score associated with a use of a second physical product of the set of products by a second user comprises:

means for computing an efficiency-of-use score from at least information that defines an efficiency-of-use pattern for a physical product.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the means for computing an efficiency-of-use score associated with a use of a first physical product of a set of products by a first user and an efficiency-of-use score associated with a use of a second physical product of the set of products by a second user comprises:

means for computing an efficiency-of-use score using information set by a service provider.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the means for computing an efficiency-of-use score associated with a use of a first physical product of a set of products by a first user and an efficiency-of-use score associated with a use of a second physical product of the set of products by a second user comprises:

means for computing an efficiency-of-use score using information set by a group of users.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the means for computing an efficiency-of-use score associated with a use of a first physical product of a set of products by a first user and an efficiency-of-use score associated with a use of a second physical product of the set of products by a second user further comprises:

means for computing an efficiency-of-use score from at least information associated with at least one use characteristic of a physical product of the set of physical products.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the means for computing an efficiency-of-use score from at least information associated with at least one use characteristic of a physical product of the set of physical products comprises:

means for computing an efficiency-of-use score from at least temperature data generated by a temperature monitoring sensor over the period of time that a user has control of a physical product of the set of physical products.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein the means for computing an efficiency-of-use score from at least information associated with at least one use characteristic of a physical product of the set of physical products comprises:

means for computing an efficiency-of-use score from at least pressure data generated by a pressure monitoring sensor over the period of time that a user has control of a physical product of the set of physical products.

8. The system of claim 5, wherein the means for computing an efficiency-of-use score from at least information associated with at least one use characteristic of a physical product of the set of physical products comprises:

means for computing an efficiency-of-use score from at least information obtained from at least one image over the period of time that a user has control of a physical product of the set of the physical products.

9. The system of claim 5, wherein the means for computing an efficiency-of-use score from at least information associated with at least one use characteristic of a physical product of the set of physical products comprises:

means for computing an efficiency-of-use score from at least information obtained by a laser over the period of time that a user has control of a physical product of the set of the physical products.

10. The system of claim 5, wherein the means for computing an efficiency-of-use score from at least information associated with at least one use characteristic of a physical product of the set of physical products comprises:

means for computing an efficiency-of-use score from at least vibration information generated from a vibration monitoring sensor over the period of time that a user has control of a physical product of the set of the physical products.

11. The system of claim 5, wherein the means for computing an efficiency-of-use score from at least information associated with at least one use characteristic of a physical product of the set of physical products comprises:

means for computing an efficiency-of-use score from at least impact data generated by an impact sensor over the period of time that a user has control of a physical product of the set of the physical products.

12. The system of claim 5, wherein the means for computing an efficiency-of-use score from at least information associated with at least one use characteristic of a physical product of the set of physical products comprises:

means for computing an efficiency-of-use score from at least corrosion data generated by a corrosion sensor over the period of time that a user has control of a physical product of the set of the physical products.

13. The system of claim 5, wherein the means for computing an efficiency-of-use score from at least information associated with at least one use characteristic of a physical product of the set of physical products comprises:

means for computing an efficiency-of-use score from at least an output of a sensor configured to measure concentrations of metallic elements in a lubricant over the period of time that a user has control of a physical product of the set of the physical products.

14. The system of claim 5, wherein the means for computing an efficiency-of-use score from at least information associated with at least one use characteristic of a physical product of the set of physical products comprises:

means for computing an efficiency-of-use score from information obtained by a diagnostic computing device associated with the physical product over the period of time that a user has control of a physical product of the set of the physical products.

15. The system of claim 5, wherein the means for computing an efficiency-of-use score from at least information associated with at least one use characteristic of a physical product of the set of physical products comprises:

means for computing an efficiency-of-use score from at least revolutions per minute data generated by a tachometer over the period of time that a user has control of a physical product of the set of the physical products.

16. The system of claim 5, wherein the means for computing an efficiency-of-use score from at least information associated with at least one use characteristic of a physical product of the set of physical products comprises:

means for computing an efficiency-of-use score from at least status information associated with a battery over the period of time that a user has control of a physical product of the set of the physical products.

17. The system of claim 5, wherein the means for computing an efficiency-of-use score from at least information associated with at least one use characteristic of a physical product of the set of physical products comprises:

means for computing an efficiency-of-use score from at least information associated with processor utilization over the period of time that a user has control of a physical product of the set of the physical products.

18. The system of claim 5, wherein the means for computing an efficiency-of-use score from at least information associated with at least one use characteristic of a physical product of the set of physical products comprises:

means for computing an efficiency-of-use score from at least information associated with an amount of energy consumed over the period of time that a user has control of a physical product of the set of the physical products.

19. The system of claim 5, wherein the means for computing an efficiency-of-use score from at least information associated with at least one use characteristic of a physical product of the set of physical products comprises:

means for computing an efficiency-of-use score from at least information associated with an estimated amount of work per unit of fuel achieved by the physical product over the period of time that a user has control of a physical product of the set of the physical products.

20. The system of claim 5, wherein the means for computing an efficiency-of-use score from at least information associated with at least one use characteristic of a physical product of the set of physical products comprises:

means for computing an efficiency-of-use score from at least information associated with an estimated amount of miles per gallon of gasoline achieved by the physical product over the period of time that a user has control of a physical product of the set of the physical products.

21. The system of claim 5, wherein the means for computing an efficiency-of-use score from at least information associated with at least one use characteristic of a physical product of the set of physical products comprises:

means for computing an efficiency-of-use score from at least information associated with mileage driven over the period of time that a user has control of a physical product of the set of the physical products.

22. The system of claim 5, wherein the means for computing an efficiency-of-use score from at least information associated with at least one use characteristic of a physical product of the set of physical products comprises:

means for computing an efficiency-of-use score from at least sound information for the physical product generated by a microphone over the period of time that a user has control of a physical product of the set of the physical products.

23. The system of claim 5, wherein the means for computing an efficiency-of-use score from at least information associated with at least one use characteristic of a physical product of the set of physical products comprises:

means for computing an efficiency-of-use score from at least information associated with an amount of light reflected by the physical product over the period of time that a user has control of a physical product of the set of the physical products.

24. The system of claim 5, wherein the means for computing an efficiency-of-use score from at least information associated with at least one use characteristic of a physical product of the set of physical products comprises:

means for computing an efficiency-of-use score from at least information associated with an amount of bandwidth used by the physical product over the period of time that a user has control of a physical product of the set of physical products.

25. The system of claim 5, wherein the means for computing an efficiency-of-use score from at least information associated with at least one use characteristic of a physical product of the set of physical products comprises:

means for computing an efficiency-of-use score from at least information associated with an amount of physical damage to the physical product that occurred over the period of time that a user has control of a physical product of the set of physical products.

26. The system of claim 5, wherein the means for computing an efficiency-of-use score from at least information associated with at least one use characteristic of a physical product of the set of physical products comprises:

means for computing an efficiency-of-use score from at least information associated with a product control element.

27. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of means for computing an efficiency-of-use score associated with a use of a first physical product of a set of products by a first user and an efficiency-of-use score associated with a use of a second physical product of the set of products by a second user comprises:

means for computing at least one efficiency-of-use score with the physical product.

28. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of means for computing an efficiency-of-use score associated with a use of a first physical product of a set of products by a first user and an efficiency-of-use score associated with a use of a second physical product of the set of products by a second user comprises:

means for computing an efficiency-of-use score with a device operably coupled to the physical product.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein the means for computing an efficiency-of-use score with a device operably coupled to the physical product comprises:

means for computing at least one efficiency-of-use score with a device wirelessly coupled to a physical product of the set of physical products.

30. The system of claim 1, wherein the means for providing a notification according to the comparison of an efficiency-of-use score associated with the use of the first product by the first user to an efficiency-of-use score associated with the use of the second product by the second user comprises:

means for providing an e-mail notification to an e-mail account associated with at least one of the first user and the second user.

31. The system of claim 1, wherein the means for providing a notification according to the comparison of an efficiency-of-use score associated with the use of the first product by the first user to an efficiency-of-use score associated with the use of the second product by the second user comprises:

means for providing a text messaging notification to a device associated with at least one of the first user and the second user.

32. The system of claim 1, wherein the means for providing a notification according to the comparison of an efficiency-of-use score associated with the use of the first product by the first user to an efficiency-of-use score associated with the use of the second product by the second user comprises:

means for providing a notification to a social media database account associated with at least one of the first user and the second user.

33. The system of claim 1, wherein the means for providing a notification according to the comparison of an efficiency-of-use score associated with the use of the first product by the first user to an efficiency-of-use score associated with the use of the second product by the second user comprises:

means for visually displaying the notification on the product.

34. The system of claim 1, wherein the means for providing a notification according to the comparison of an efficiency-of-use score associated with the use of the first product by the first user to an efficiency-of-use score associated with the use of the second product by the second user comprises:

means for visually displaying the notification on a device operably coupled to the product.

35. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

means for associating a physical product of the set of products with a user in response to a signal indicating that the user has control of the physical product.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein the means for associating a physical product of the set of products with a user in response to a signal indicating that the user has control of the physical product comprises:

means for associating a physical product with a user in response to receiving a device-readable indicator associated with the physical product.

37. The method of claim 35, wherein the means for associating a physical product of the set of products with a user in response to a signal indicating that the user has control of the physical product comprises:

means for associating a physical product with a user in response to a user-input.

38. The method of claim 35, wherein the means for associating a physical product of the set of products with a user in response to a signal indicating that the user has control of the physical product comprises:

means for associating a physical product with a user in response to a signal indicative of a user.

39. The method of claim 35, wherein at least one of the means for associating a physical product with a user in response to a signal indicative of a user comprises:

means for associating a physical product with a user in response to a signal indicative of a presence of a user in proximity to the product.

40. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

means for displaying at least one efficiency-of-use score on a physical product of the set of physical products.

41. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

means for displaying at least one efficiency-of-use score on a device operably coupled to a physical product of the set of physical products.

42. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

means for transmitting a device-readable indicator associated with a physical product of the set of physical products.

43. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

means for receiving a device-readable indicator associated with a physical product of the set of physical products.

44. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

means for transmitting at least one of an efficiency-of-use score to a secondary device via a device operably coupled to a physical product of the set of physical products.

45. A method comprising:

computing an efficiency-of-use score associated with a use of a first physical product of a set of products by a first user and an efficiency-of-use score associated with a use of a second physical product of the set of products by a second user;

comparing the efficiency-of-use score associated with the use of the first physical product by the first user to the efficiency-of-use score associated with the use of the second physical product by the second user; and

providing a notification according to the comparison of an efficiency-of-use score associated with the use of the first product by the first user to an efficiency-of-use score associated with the use of the second product by the second user.

46. A system comprising:

circuitry for computing an efficiency-of-use score associated with a use of a first physical product of a set of products by a first user and an efficiency-of-use score associated with a use of a second physical product of the set of products by a second user;

circuitry for comparing the efficiency-of-use score associated with the use of the first physical product by the first user to the efficiency-of-use score associated with the use of the second physical product by the second user; and

circuitry for providing a notification according to the comparison of an efficiency-of-use score associated with the use of the first product by the first user to an efficiency-of-use score associated with the use of the second product by the second user.