System and method for tracking and rewarding users and enhancing user experiences

• US 9,953,337 B2
• Filed: 07/23/2014
• Issued: 04/24/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 01/08/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mazen A. Skaf
• Original Assignee: Mazen A. Skaf
• Inventors: Skaf, Mazen A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mofiz, Apu
• Assistant Examiner(s): HOLLAND, SHERYL L
• Application Number:
  US14/339,261
• Publication Number:
  US 20140337115A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,371 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/954 Navigation, e.g. using categorised browsing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0231 Awarding of a frequent usage incentive independent of the monetary value of a good or service purchased, or distance travelled

Abstract

Systems and methods of tracking and rewarding users of any of a variety of content hosting systems, such as search engines. In one embodiment, a method of rewarding a user of a search engine includes receiving secure identification information identifying a user, retrieving user account information using the secure identification information, receiving a search query associated with the user account information, crediting the user account with a reward that is directly related to providing the search query, and returning search results in response to the received search query.

Claims

1. A method of rewarding a user of a search engine using a search engine server system, wherein the search engine server system comprises at least one search engine server and at least one rewards management server, the method comprising:

receiving secure identification information identifying a user from a user client device comprising a processor and a memory readable by the processor using a at least one rewards management server comprising a processor and a memory readable by the processor;

retrieving user account information based on the secure identification information using the at least one rewards management server;

accessing user profile information from the retrieved user account information, where the user profile data includes personal interests;

receiving a search query associated with the user account information using the at least one search engine server, where the search query comprises a set of search keywords utilized by the at least one search engine server to generate search results;

storing historical data concerning the search query in a record of past search queries performed by the user using the at least one rewards management server in a user profile, wherein the stored historical data concerning the search query comprises historical locations of the user;

crediting the user account with a reward that is directly related to providing the search query provided by the at least one search engine server using the at least one rewards management server;

generating search results based on the search query using the at least one search engine server by;

identifying a set of search result data retrieved based on the search keywords;

refining the set of search result data by assigning relevance weighting to search results based on at least one historical data of the user obtained from the user profile;

obtaining advertising data based on the search keywords and the user account information; and

combining the refined set of search result data and the advertising data to create the search results;

updating the user profile based on the search results generated;

returning search results to the user client device in response to the received search query using the at least one search engine server; and

tracking the activity of the user using the at least one rewards management server, the tracked activity comprising search queries and browsing history; and

updating the user profile information using the at least one rewards management server based on information specified by the user and information inferred from the tracked user activity.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the reward is directly related to providing the search query, which is one of a predetermined set of search queries.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the reward is directly related to providing the search query, which is the final in a predetermined sequence of search queries.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising verifying the authenticity of the search query.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the user'"'"'s account is credited for authenticated searches only.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the user receives a higher credit for authenticated search queries.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein credits are deducted from the user account in response to a search query that could not be authenticated.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the reward credited to the user account is selected from one of a plurality of different types of rewards based upon the record of past search queries performed by the user;

and

wherein the at least one historical data utilized in refining the set of search result data is a historical location data of the user.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising receiving an authorization from the user to track information concerning the search query.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising receiving authorization from the user to track at least one type of information from a plurality of categories of information.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the plurality of categories of information include submitted search queries and selections from search results.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the plurality of categories of information further include browsing activity.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising creating a user account using personal information received from the user.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the reward credited to the user account is selected from one of a plurality of different types of rewards based upon information contained within the user profile.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the personal information received from the user includes information that links the user account to an account of a different user.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the reward credited to the account of the different user is selected from one of a plurality of different types of rewards based upon rewards programs linked to the account of the different user.

17. The method of claim 13, further comprising updating the user account in response to browsing activity of the user.

18. The method of claim 13, further comprising updating the user account in response to search queries submitted by the user.

19. The method of claim 13, further comprising updating the user account with information obtained from other accounts linked to the user account.

20. The method of claim 13, wherein the personal information received from the user includes information that links the user account to another user account of the same user.

21. The method of claim 13, further comprising updating the user profile in response to browsing activity of the user.

22. The method of claim 13, further comprising updating the user profile in response to search queries submitted by the user.

23. The method of claim 13, further comprising updating the user profile with information obtained from other account profiles linked to the user account.

24. The method of claim 13, wherein the personal information received from the user includes information that links the user profile to another user profile of the same user.

25. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying advertisements based on the received search query; and

returning the identified advertisements in addition to the search results.

26. The method of claim 1, wherein a mobile phone is associated with the user account information, the electronic network is the Internet.

27. The method of claim 1, wherein the reward credited to the user account is selected from a plurality of offers from vendors based on the user profile information.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the user profile information includes information selected from the group consisting of the user'"'"'s interests, hobbies, and preferences.

29. The method of claim 1, wherein the reward credited to the user account is an offer from a third party based on the location of the user at the time the search query is received.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the reward is further credited to the user account based on the user profile information.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the user profile information includes information selected from the group consisting of the user'"'"'s interests, hobbies, and preferences.

32. The method of claim 1 further comprising updating the user account information based on the set of search keywords, wherein the search keywords are specific search terms associated with a target advertisement audience.

33. The method of claim 1 further comprising updating the user account information based on information specified by the user.

34. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

tracking activity of the user, the tracked activity comprising search queries and browsing history; and

updating the user account information with information inferred from the tracked user activity.

35. The method of claim 1, further comprising creating a user profile using personal information received from the user.

36. The method of claim 1 further comprising updating the user profile information based on the stored information concerning the search query.

37. The method of claim 1, wherein the user profile data further includes information selected from the group consisting of the user'"'"'s education, work history, languages spoken, preferred activities, favorite websites, favorite books, favorite music, favorite movies, favorite television shows, favorite blogs, favorite venders, travel destinations, and memberships on other sites.

38. The method of claim 1, wherein the refining the set search also includes the use of information obtained from the user profile and any current state of the user.

39. A search engine server system, comprising:

at least one search engine server; and

at least one rewards management server comprising;

a processor; and

a memory readable by the processor and storing a reward application;

wherein the reward application, when read by the processor, directs the processor to;

receive secure identification information describing a user;

retrieve user account information based on the secure identification;

access user profile information from the retrieved user account information, where the user profile data includes personal interests;

store historical data concerning the search query in a record of past search queries performed by the user in a user profile, wherein the stored historical data comprises historical locations of the user;

receive a search query associated with the user account information from the at least one search engine server where the search query comprises a set of search keywords utilized by the at least one search engine server to generate search results;

credit the user account with a reward that is directly related to providing the search query;

generate search results based on the search query by;

identifying a set of search result data retrieved based on the search keywords;

refining the set of search result data by assigning relevance weighting to search results based on at least one historical data of the user obtained from the user profile;

refining the set of search result data by assigning relevance weighting to search results based on a plurality of user profile data of the user;

obtaining advertising data based on the search keywords, user profile data, and the user account information; and

combining the refined set of search result data and the advertising data to create the search results; and

updating the user profile based on the search results generated;

return search results in response to the received search query;

track the activity of the user, the tracked activity comprising search queries and browsing history; and

update the user profile information based on information specified by the user and information inferred from the tracked user activity.

40. The search engine server system of claim 39, wherein the reward application further configures the processor to store a user authorization to:

track user activity;

store the tracked user activity in the user account profile; and

wherein the at least one historical data utilized in refining the set of search result data is a tracked historical location data of the user.