SYSTEMS AND METHODS OF TASK CUES

• US 20080306946A1
• Filed: 06/07/2007
• Published: 12/11/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Christopher Jay Wu
• Original Assignee: Christopher Jay Wu
• Inventors: Wu, Christopher Jay
• Granted Patent: US 7,970,649 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/6
• 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:

identifying a tag within a set of data that represents information to be displayed;

determining a task cue that is associated with the tag and with advertisement data;

providing information representative of the task cue indicating that the task cue can be selected by a user;

presenting the advertisement data upon selection of the task cue; and

updating a reward account upon presenting 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 presented.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein updating the reward account upon presenting 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. The method of claim 1, wherein the reward account is associated with the user.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the steps of identifying a task, determining a task cue, and providing information are performed on a user computing device, the user computing device having a display;

and

the step of presenting advertisement data comprises presenting advertisement data on the display of the user computing device.

11. Computer-executable instructions stored on a computer-readable medium and configured, when executed by a computer, to:

identify, within a set of data, data related to an occurrence of an event;

display a task cue that is related to the event and that can be selected by a user;

execute a 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 a 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.

12. The instructions of claim 11, 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.

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

14. The instructions of claim 11, further configured such that the task cue is displayed at a predetermined location.

15. The instructions of claim 11, wherein the task cue is configured to encourage viewing and responding to visual stimuli.

16. The instructions of claim 11, wherein the task comprises downloading an object.

17. The instructions of claim 11, 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.

18. The instructions of claim 11, wherein the event corresponds to an attempt to access content.

19. The instructions of claim 18, wherein the content comprises a media file.

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

21. The instructions of claim 18, wherein the reward corresponds to granting access privileges for the content.

22. 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 that associates one or more tags with stimuli related to performing tasks;

a proxy module 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;

a display module 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; and

a reward module configured to reward a user for performing tasks related to the stimuli.

23. The system of claim 22, 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.

24. The system of claim 22, 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.

25. The system of claim 22, wherein the mechanism provided by the display module for a user to perform a task comprises a selectable link.

26. A computer-based advertising method comprising:

receiving tag associations from advertisers, the tag associations relating data with the advertisers so as to facilitate generation of reward-based advertising for the advertisers;

receiving reward information corresponding to rewards to be given to users for performing tasks associated with the tags;

associating the task cues with the tags, the task cues configured to encourage users to perform one or more tasks;

processing payment from the advertisers; and

processing reward redemption by users who have received rewards for performing tasks associated with the tags.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein associating task cues with the tags comprises embedding data representative of the task cues within data related to the associated tags such that both tag data and task cue data is provided to a user.

28. The method of claim 26, wherein processing payment from the advertisers includes assessing fees for associating task cues with tags.

29. The method of claim 26, wherein processing payment from the advertisers includes assessing fees for sales in which one of the users makes a reward redemption.

30. The method of claim 26, wherein processing payment from the advertisers includes assessing fees for tasks performed by users.

31. A content display system comprising:

means for locating a tag within a set of data that represents information to be displayed;

means for determining a task cue that is associated with the tag and with related content;

means for displaying the task cue such that the task cue can be selected by a user and for displaying the related content upon selection of the task cue; and

means for updating a reward account upon display of the content.

32. The system of claim 31, wherein the means for updating a reward account is further configured to provide information about the reward account to a merchant such that the merchant can offer a reward to the user based on the information about the reward account.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein the means for updating a reward account updates the reward account upon user acceptance of the offered reward.

34. A computer-based advertising method comprising:

a step for identifying, within a set of data, data related to an occurrence of an event;

a step for displaying a task cue that is related to the event and that can be selected by a user;

a step for executing a task associated with the task cue upon selection of the task cue;

a step for transmitting reward data to a merchant as part of a purchase transaction of the user such that the merchant can offer a reward to the user; and

a step for updating a reward account of the user to increase stored rewards when a task is executed and to decrease stored rewards when the user accepts an offered reward.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein the step for displaying a task cue includes displaying the task cue at a predetermined location.

36. The method of claim 34, wherein the displayed task cue is configured to encourage viewing and responding to visual stimuli.

37. The method of claim 34, wherein the step for executing a task comprises downloading an object.