Systems and methods of task cues

• US 7,970,649 B2
• Filed: 06/07/2007
• Issued: 06/28/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Christopher Jay Wu
• Original Assignee: Christopher Jay Wu
• Inventors: Wu, Christopher Jay
• Primary Examiner(s): Weiss; John G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHORNESKY, ADAM B
• Application Number:
  US11/759,820
• Publication Number:
  US 20080306946A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,482 Days
• Field of Search: 705/14, 705/14.11, 705/14.54, 705/14.64, 705/14.69, 705/14.73, 707/E17.111, 707/999.006 E17001, 715/205, 1/1
• US Class Current: 705/14.53
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0207 Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0226 Incentive systems for frequent usage, e.g. frequent flyer miles programs or point systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0233 Method of redeeming a frequent usage reward
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0255 based on user history
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99936 Pattern matching access

Abstract

A computing system for encouraging the performance of a task comprises association data, a proxy module, a display module, and a reward module. The association data associates tags with stimuli related to performing tasks. The proxy module is configured to receive encoded data, to identify tags in the encoded data that have associated stimuli in the association data, and to generate modified encoded data that includes data representative of at least one of the stimuli. The display module is configured to receive the modified encoded data, to display information based at least in part on the modified encoded data, and to provide at least one mechanism for a user to perform a task related to at least one of the stimuli. The reward module is configured to reward a user for performing tasks related to the stimuli.

Claims

1. A computer-based advertising method comprising:

accessing a first computer program that comprises computer-executable instructions stored in at least one computer-readable medium; and

executing the first computer program on at least one computer processor, thereby causing computer hardware to perform operations comprising;

analyzing output generated, in response to a user request, by a second computer program that comprises computer-executable instructions stored in at least one computer-readable medium, to make a determination of user interest in at least one subject matter;

identifying a tag within the output of the second computer program; and

accessing a database of associations between tags and task cues to select at least one task cue that is associated with the tag and with advertisement data, wherein the advertisement data is related to the at least one subject matter for which a determination of user interest was made and wherein the advertisement data is not part of the output of the second computer program;

causing the selected task cue to be displayed along with the output of the second computer program, wherein the selected task cue provides an indication to the user that the task cue can be selected by the user for a reward to the user;

transmitting the advertisement data, for display of the advertisement data to the user upon user selection of the task cue; and

updating a reward account of the user upon transmitting the advertisement data.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying a tag comprises locating at least a portion of a text string.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying a tag comprises locating at least a portion of an image.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the information representative of the task cue is based, at least in part, on a ranking of the tag.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying a second task cue when the advertisement data are transmitted.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein updating the reward account upon transmitting the advertisement data further comprises determining how many task cues were selected by the user.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising offering a reward to the user based at least in part upon a value associated with the reward account.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising updating the reward account upon user acceptance of the offered reward.

9. Computer-executable instructions that are part of a first computer program, are stored on a computer-readable medium, and are configured, when executed by a computer, to:

identify, within output generated by a second computer program, data related to an occurrence of an event by a user;

identify, based at least in part upon the occurrence of the event by the user, a task that is predicted to be of interest to the user;

display a task cue that is related to the event and that can be selected by the user, wherein the task cue provides an indication to the user that the user will receive a reward for executing the task predicted to be of interest to the user;

execute the task associated with the task cue upon selection of the task cue;

generate first reward data to update a reward account of the user when the task is executed;

transmit second reward data responsive to a purchase transaction of the user;

offer a reward to the user based at least in part on the second reward data; and

generate third reward data to update the reward account when the user accepts the offered reward.

10. The instructions of claim 9, wherein the instructions configured to identify data related to an occurrence of an event are part of a proxy browser application configured to interpret data to be displayed in an internet browser application.

11. The instructions of claim 9, wherein the instructions configured to identify data related to an occurrence of an event are part of a pattern recognition application.

12. instructions of claim 9, further configured such that the task cue is displayed at a predetermined location.

13. The instructions of claim 9, wherein the task cue is configured to encourage viewing and responding to visual stimuli.

14. The instructions of claim 9, wherein the task comprises downloading an object.

15. The instructions of claim 9, wherein the data related to the occurrence of an event is related to an inquiry, the task cue provides information related to the inquiry, and the executed task corresponds to opening a communications channel in order to resolve the inquiry.

16. The instructions of claim 9, wherein the event corresponds to an attempt to access content.

17. The instructions of claim 16, wherein the content comprises a media file.

18. The instructions of claim 16, wherein the content comprises a software application.

19. The instructions of claim 16, wherein the reward corresponds to granting access privileges for the content.

20. A system of computer executable instructions stored on a computer readable medium for encouraging the performance of a task on a computer, the system comprising:

association data, stored in computer-readable storage, that associates one or more tags with stimuli related to performing tasks;

a proxy module stored in computer-readable storage and configured to be executed on a computer processor to cause computer hardware to receive encoded data representative of information to be displayed to a user in response to a request from the user for the information, wherein the information is output generated by a computer program separate from the proxy module, to determine, based at least in part on the information, at least one subject matter of interest to the user, to identify tags in the encoded data that have associated stimuli in the association data, and to generate modified encoded data that includes data representative of at least one of the stimuli, wherein the data representative of at least one of the stimuli provides an indication to the user that the user can perform one or more tasks for a reward to the user, and wherein the one or more tasks are related to the at least one subject matter that is determined to be of interest to the user;

a display module stored in computer-readable storage and configured to be executed on a computer processor to cause computer hardware to receive the modified encoded data, to display information based at least in part on the modified encoded data, and to provide at least one mechanism for a user to perform a task related to at least one of the stimuli; and

a reward module stored in computer-readable storage and configured to be executed on a computer processor to cause computer hardware to reward a user for performing tasks related to the stimuli.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the reward module is configured to reward a user at least in part by communicating with an online service that keeps track of reward points associated with the user and to cause the online service to increase the user reward points.

22. The system of claim 20, wherein the reward module is further configured to determine when a task has been completed and the reward module rewards a user for performing tasks related to the stimuli upon determining that a task has been completed.

23. The system of claim 20, wherein the mechanism provided by the display module for a user to perform a task comprises a selectable link.