METHOD OF DETERMINING THE ATTENDANCE OF AN INDIVIDUAL AT A LOCATION AND A SYSTEM THEREFOR

• US 20140180710A1
• Filed: 12/20/2013
• Published: 06/26/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vitality Group International, Inc. (Discovery Limited)
• Original Assignee: Destiny Health, Inc. (Discovery Limited)
• Inventors: MITCHLEY, Stephen Ronald
• Granted Patent: US 10,157,267 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/2
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/30 relating to physical therapies or activities, e.g. physiotherapy, acupressure or exercising
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/40 relating to mechanical, radiation or invasive therapies, e.g. surgery, laser therapy, dialysis or acupuncture
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/21 for social networking applications

Abstract

A computer and mobile computing devices are used to determine participation in a health improvement plan. Data is stored pertaining to the identification of a members of the health improvement plan, as well as data pertaining to the identification of a mobile computing devices associated with the members. Additionally, data is stored pertaining to a set of locations each pertaining to a predetermined health improvement facility. As members use the health related facilities, information is received from a member'"'"'s mobile computing device pertaining to a location of the mobile computing device within a predetermined distance with respect to a location within the set of locations. The time at which a location of the mobile computing device is within the predetermined distance, at a plurality of different times is stored, and then the stored time is analyzed to determine a level of participation of the member with the wellness program.

Claims

1. A system for determining participation in a wellness plan, comprising:

at least one computer executing software stored on non-transitory media, the software configured for;

storing data pertaining to the identification of a member of the wellness plan;

storing data pertaining to the identification of a mobile computing device associated with the member;

storing data pertaining to a set of locations each pertaining to a predetermined wellness facility;

receiving information sent from the mobile computing device pertaining to a location of the mobile computing device within a predetermined distance with respect to a location within the set of locations;

storing a time at which a location of the mobile computing device is within the predetermined distance, at a plurality of different times;

analyzing the stored time to determine a level of participation of the member with the wellness program; and

causing an award for the member based upon participation in the wellness plan.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein a session is defined by the continuous presence of the mobile computing device at a wellness facility for a period of time, and the stored plurality of times corresponds to time information received from the mobile computing device during a single session.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein analyzing the stored time includes determining a length of a session based upon the plurality of different times.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein a session is defined by the presence of the mobile computing device at a wellness facility for a period of time;

and

wherein analyzing includes determining a level of participation of the member in a plurality of sessions; and

wherein the plurality of stored times corresponds to time information received from the mobile computing device during a single session, and for a plurality of sessions.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the wellness facility provides a service selected from the group consisting of smoking cessation, weight loss, medical practitioner, and gym.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the award has the form of points.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the receiving, storing, analyzing, and communication are carried out for a plurality of members of the wellness plan.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the set of stored locations are obtained from a data source external to the at least one computer.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the mobile computing device executes software stored on non-transitory media, the mobile software configured to notify at least one of the member and the at least one computer, when the mobile device is within a predetermined distance with respect to a location within the set of locations.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the award is communicated to a partner of the wellness plan to enable direct integration.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the mobile computing device obtains location information using at least one of network location services, a global satellite network, and WiFi locations services.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the location information is GPS coordinates.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein analyzing includes comparing location data received by the mobile computing device and the stored plurality of times to determine if the mobile computing device was likely at the same location throughout the session.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the user signals to the mobile computing device when the user is leaving a predetermined wellness facility, and the mobile computing device communicates the signal to the at least one computer.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the mobile computing device sends location information to the at least one computer when the user signals to the mobile computing device.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the software is further configured to determine an award based upon the determined level of participation.

17. A method for determining participation in a wellness plan, comprising:

using at least one computer executing software stored on non-transitory media, the software configured for;

storing data pertaining to the identification of a member of the wellness plan;

storing data pertaining to the identification of a mobile computing device associated with the member;

storing data pertaining to a set of locations each pertaining to a predetermined wellness facility;

receiving information sent from the mobile computing device pertaining to a location of the mobile computing device within a predetermined distance with respect to a location within the set of locations;

storing a time at which a location of the mobile computing device is within the predetermined distance, at a plurality of different times;

analyzing the stored time to determine a level of participation of the member with the wellness program; and

causing an award for the member based upon participation in the wellness plan.

18. A method for determining participation in a health improvement plan, comprising:

using at least one computer executing software stored on non-transitory media, the software configured for;

storing data pertaining to the identification of members of the health improvement plan;

storing data pertaining to the identification of mobile computing devices associated with the members;

storing data pertaining to a set of locations each pertaining to a predetermined health improvement facility;

receiving information sent from mobile computing devices pertaining to locations of individual mobile computing devices within a predetermined distance with respect to a location within the set of locations;

storing a time at which a location of the individual mobile computing devices are within the predetermined distance, at a plurality of different times;

analyzing the stored time to determine lengths of sessions and a number of sessions, a session defined by the continuous presence of the mobile computing device at a predetermined health improvement facility during a period of time;

determining a level of participation of individual members using the analyzed stored times and the association of mobile computing devices and members; and

causing an award for the member based upon participation in the health improvement plan.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the member can designate, using the mobile computing device, when location information can be sent.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein analyzing includes comparing location data received by the individual mobile computing devices and the stored plurality of times to determine if the individual mobile computing devices were each at their same respective location throughout their respective sessions.