ROUTE REWARD AUGMENTATION

• US 20090210302A1
• Filed: 02/19/2008
• Published: 08/20/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/19/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Black, Neil W., Panabaker, Ruston, Krumm, John C., Couckuyt, Jeffrey D., Seltzer, Michael Lewis, Tashev, Ivan J.
• Application Number:
  US12/033,652
• Publication Number:
  US 20090210302A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14.690
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/047 Optimisation of routes or paths, e.g. travelling salesman problem
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0273 Determination of fees for advertising

Abstract

Different incentives can be provided to a user for the user to take different routes. Information related to a user'"'"'s specific situation can be gathered and a reward can be associated with a route. A user can input an intended destination and different routes can be taken, where the routes have various characteristics. The route can be analyzed and a determination can be made as to what routes can be associated with a user taking a particular route. Commonly, different companies can supply rewards such that the user travels past their advertisement or makes a stop at their store.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

an obtainment component that collects route information, reward data, contextual detail, or a combination thereof, and

an association component that links a reward to a route based upon at least a portion of the collection of the obtainment component.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising an artificial intelligence component that performs at least one inference or at least one determination that concerns collection of information, collection of data, collection of a detail, reward linkage, or a combination thereof.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising a disclosure component that presents the linked route to a user.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising a transaction component that performs a financial operation that relates to collection of information, collection of data, collection of a detail, reward linkage, or a combination thereof.

5. The system of claim 4, the financial operation includes transfer of the linked reward based upon a user following at least a part of the route, the user following about all of the route, the user taking a designated action upon the route, or a combination thereof.

6. The system of claim 5, further comprising a check component that concludes if a user performed in a manner consistent with earning the reward, transfer of the linked reward occurs upon a positive conclusion.

7. The system of claim 6, further comprising an analysis component that evaluates material collected by the obtainment component, a result of the evaluation is used to choose the reward for linkage upon the route.

8. The system of claim 7, further comprising a summary component that maintains a profile of a user, profile information is collected by the obtainment component, evaluated by the analysis component, and used to choose a reward.

9. The system of claim 8, further comprising a modernization component that updates the profile of the user.

10. The system of claim 1, the association component links at least two rewards to a route based upon at least a portion of the collection of the obtainment component, a first reward is linked to a first user and a subsequent reward is linked to a subsequent user.

11. The system of claim 1, further comprising a selection component that chooses the reward for linkage upon the route.

12. A method, comprising:

correlating a reward with a route; and

establishing at least one criterion that a user follows to earn the reward, where the criterion includes at least one action taken upon the route.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising constructing the route.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising presenting the route and reward metadata to the user.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising determining if the user has followed the criteria.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising implementing the reward if it is determined that the user has followed the criteria.

17. The method of claim 12, further comprising determining a reward to correlate with the route, the reward is tailored to at least one user.

18. A system, comprising:

means for collecting route information, reward data, contextual detail, or a combination thereof;

means for analyzing at least a portion of the collected material;

means for selecting a reward, the selection is based upon a result of the analysis;

means for choosing at least one action for a user to follow upon a route in order to gain a reward, the choice is based upon a result of the analysis;

means for linking the selected reward with the route;

means for monitoring the user;

means for determining if the user followed the chosen action based upon a result of the monitoring; and

means for assigning the reward to the user.

19. The system of claim 18, further comprising means for disclosing the route to the user.

20. The system of claim 19, further comprising means for generating the route.