System for Providing Conditional User Awards

A long term goal oriented commercial promotion system is disclosed. A user is enabled to set up a trust account on the system to accumulate the financial incentives under the condition of a long term goal. The long term goal includes supporting college education, supporting retirement, staring a business, or patenting an innovation. A user performance includes various commercial activities required by a merchant.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF SAMPLE EMBODIMENTS

The numerous innovative teachings of the present application will be described with particular reference to presently preferred embodiments (by way of example, and not of limitation). The present application describes several embodiments, and none of the statements below should be taken as limiting the claims generally.

For simplicity and clarity of illustration, the drawing figures illustrate the general manner of construction, and description and details of well-known features and techniques may be omitted to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the invention. Additionally, elements in the drawing figures are not necessarily drawn to scale, some areas or elements may be expanded to help improve understanding of embodiments of the invention.

The terms “first,” “second,” “third,” “fourth,” and the like in the description and the claims, if any, may be used for distinguishing between similar elements and not necessarily for describing a particular sequential or chronological order. It is to be understood that the terms so used are interchangeable. Furthermore, the terms “comprise,” “include,” “have,” and any variations thereof, are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusions, such that a process, method, article, apparatus, or composition that comprises a list of elements is not necessarily limited to those elements, but may include other elements not expressly listed or inherent to such process, method, article, apparatus, or composition.

A “Component” is physical replacement part of the system that conforms to and provides an actual realization through a set of interfaces. It includes automated software virtualization interfaces that comprise all the source files, binary codes, executables, scripts that are packaged for performing the intended functions.

A “Subsystem” represents a combination of a package and a class. The package contains all the elements, including unique id elements, models, source files, html files, etc. that has one class that realizes these interfaces to the one unique package. For instance, in IT design terms; a subsystem is an interface user class represented as an actor symbol that (can) “extend” or “include” the live streaming media and data communication hub package.

“Engine” term in this application means a computer functional modular set of instructions programmed to complete a specific task, solve a problem, by instructing a computer processor.

“Method(s)” term means a method for object oriented programming code whereas it performs a subroutine and is exclusively associated with a class or an object. Normally, consists of a sequence of programming statements to perform an action, a set of parameters to customize those actions, and possibly an output value.

“Web-Service” is an application layer service that executes via a public internet interface and doesn't necessarily imply to a web site. A web service is one that can be located, discovered, and published via a network channel. Additionally, a web service can also act as an intermediary business application service agent that is an encapsulated service provider, but can also be a service requestor. This business service requestor can be a standalone piece of functionality. Normally, this type of service-agent acts as lightweight program executable that has a small memory footprint and can be custom developed. A “Web Service” generally means Services that are application oriented and encapsulate a business logic that executes an application as a business service.

For “Network Services”, there are two types. One type of “Network Services” mean file sharing services, file services, collaboration services, and messaging. They can also be located, discovered, and published. Another type of Network Service, taking the form of a Network Interface, implements a standard connection protocol, such as Ethernet, Wireless, etc.

A “User Performance” is a task-oriented performance required by a merchant, such activities may include an activity of purchasing.

A “Trust Account” is an account that is created by a trust agreement, with trustees and beneficiaries.

Similarly, the software elements of the present invention may be implemented with any programming or scripting language such as C, C++, Java, COBOL, assembler, PERL, or the like, with the various algorithms being implemented with any combination of data structures, objects, processes, routines, or other programming elements. Further, it should be noted that the present invention may employ any number of conventional techniques for data transmission, signaling, data processing, network control, and the like.

In reference toFIG. 1, a Conditional Award System (CAS)100includes a Search Engine component101, a Merchant Conditional Award Program Database103for Conditional Award programs offered by various merchants, a Transaction Engine component105that includes a Merchant Management component107and a User Management component111. Merchant Management component107provides management functions over a Merchant Account Database109and the Merchant Conditional Award Program database103. User Management component111provides management functions to User Account Database113and User Piggy Bank Account Management115that in turn interacts with User Piggy Bank database117. User Piggy Bank Account may be set up as a real bank account for real money, may be setup and managed by a bank or financial entity with such license or permits under any law and regulations. A Piggy Bank Account is a goal oriented Trust Account, payable for the purpose of achieving pre-set goals. Such goals may include for example paying college educations or retirement, financing a vacation, providing seed money for starting a business, and paying for patenting innovative ideas. Non-goal use of the account will encounter a penalty severe enough to discourage such use (for example, a 10% fee). Under circumstances, the Conditional Award System100can act as co-trustee for the Piggy Bank Accounts.

In reference toFIG. 2, an example registration process is shown, by which various functioning components of the CAS system are created and saved into the databases. For Merchants201, at the system merchants web page, Merchant201goes through a Registration process205that inquires a number of information about the merchants identity, and creates a Merchant Agreement207and Merchant ID209. Merchant Agreement207may require a merchant to promise or commit to set up an escrow account for financing the incentives it promises to provide through the program. The agreement allows the CAS system to act as a trustee to the Merchants escrow account to have the right to transfer the promised awards or incentives directly from a Merchant's escrow account to a user's Piggy Bank.

After receiving a Merchant ID, the merchant is prompted to create a Conditional Award Program at step211in the system that specifies the terms for receiving an award, for example, 10 cents for submitting a survey, 2 cents for a correct answer to a question, or a bonus 5 dollars for purchasing a product; 1 dollar for submitting a feedback for a product, 2 dollars for watching an advertisement, etc. The award can only be awarded after a user's successfully performing the specific tasks specified in the Conditional Award Program. In other wards, a user must earn the conditional award by performing a required task.

With a Conditional Award ID and a Merchant ID, the system then prompts the merchant to set up an escrow account or account information at step215to authorize the direct access by the CAS system, and link together the Award ID with the escrow account information. The system also prompts the merchant to link its Merchant's User Performance Web Page to the Conditional Award ID and CAS system at step217and Merchant Conditional Award Database219, allowing a user to enter the Merchant's User Performance Page with a simple click in the CAS system. All the information is then saved into the Merchant Conditional Award Database103, and also the Merchant Account Database109to track and record all the incentive based programs offered by a Provider.

A Merchant's User Performance Page may not be provided by the CAS system, may be implemented on the merchant's own internet service site using other content creating programs. While this arrangement would provide the maximum control to the Merchant to manage the content and the data that it wishes to collect, and that it is most suited to analyze, alternatively for the merchants who do not operate their own internet site, they may directly implement a User Performance Page on the CAS system using a Content Creating Engine provided by the CAS system.

For a User203, it also goes through the general registration process of205by providing the identity information. A User Agreement221and a User ID223are then generated to authorize the system to be a trustee/co-trustee to set up a Piggy Bank Account for the user with a bank at step225. The user is prompted to select a long term goal or aim for the Piggy Bank Account, among the example choices are: paying college educations or retirement, financing a vacation, providing seed money for starting a business, and paying for patenting innovative ideas. However, once a goal is set for a given Piggy Bank Account, the goal may not be changed without a penalty. Alternatively, the goal set for the Piggy Bank Account may be changed by paying a surcharge fee, such as 10-20% of the account amount. The user information and the associated Piggy Bank information are then saved into a User Account Database at step227for management by the system.

In reference toFIG. 3, for a registered Merchant, a process is shown to register a new Conditional Award Program under this merchant. A merchant is prompted to use its Merchant ID to login to the CAS system at step301to its merchant home page in the system. At step303, a merchant can create a new Conditional Award Program by clicking on a New Program button on its home page. The program specifies the hierarchy of awards and the conditions for such awards. A Conditional Award Program ID is then provided at step305, and the associated Escrow Account Information is provided and linked with the Program ID and accessing authorization is granted to the system at step307. The merchant can also specify a number of filtering criteria for filtering the accesses to the Escrow Account by demanding upon certain satisfactions from a user's performance at step309. And the information are saved to both Conditional Award Database and Provider Account Database at step311.

In reference toFIG. 4, a functional flow chart about the transactions400associated with a Merchant side. At step401, a merchant that has set up a Conditional Award program with the CAS system may either set up a user performance requirement on its own service site or on the CAS system under the Conditional Award Program ID. At step403, this requirement is then linked to the Merchant's User Performance Page on the Merchant's service site, or created on CAS system for the merchants who do not operate an internet site themselves. The User Performance Page provides details about the content and data that the merchant is requiring a User to perform.

Once a User performs and submits its performance from the User Performance Page at step405, the User Performance Page at the Merchant site inquires the CAS system about the User's registration status at step407by prompting the User for User ID, and verifies from its User Account Database. If a User ID is not validated, the performance is temporally saved and the User is prompted to go to CAS registration to register for a User ID and to create a Piggy Bank Account. Once the User ID is validated at step409, either the CAS system, or alternatively, the Merchant's User Performance Page checks whether the user has performed as required at step411, and if the result is yes, the performance result is used to calculate the award at step415using the Award Program ID and the program. Then the Program ID, Merchant ID, and User ID are used to access the User Piggy Bank management engine at step419, also the linked Escrow Account and the user Piggy Bank Account, and to authorize the transfer of the calculated award amount from the linked Escrow Account to the User Piggy Bank Account at step421and423.

In reference toFIG. 5A, an example of User side transaction chains500is shown. A User at step501can search with the Search Engine of the CAS system, either online through the Internet, or with a cell phone application of the system, for an Award Program, according to its interest. The search may be conducted with key words, locations, hottest award programs, etc. At step503, the User then selects a program of interest from the displayed Program lists with links and enters the Merchant's User Performance Page by clicking on the link at step505. When the User submits the performance from the Merchant's User Performance Page, it automatically enters into the Conditional Award Program of the CAS system linked with the User Performance Page at step507, and its registration status is then checked and validated through the Registration component at steps509and511. If the User is not registered, it is prompted for registration. If it is a registered user, then the User ID is retained and the system checks the performance submission to see if it is performed as instructed. The performance results are then converted into Award amount which, together with the Merchant ID, Award Program ID and the User ID, are sent to Transaction Engine105to authorize a transfer and deposit of the Award amount into the User's Piggy Bank Account at step515and step519. A confirmation message is then sent to the User about the completion of this transaction at step517.

In reference toFIG. 5B, an in door map service from INDOORALTAS is shown. A merchant may sign up an indoor map service from INDOORALTAS, which provides an API program to the merchant at step550. The merchant then through the API sends its geo-magnetic fields data information to the INDOORALTAS through a sensor process at step553, which creates a correlation between the data and an indoor map of the merchants at step560, then links and cross-maps/indexes such geo-magnetic fields data information to the indoor map of the merchant's store. A user's cell phone or other gadgets that are installed with an INDOORALTAS API program for sensing geo-magnetic field data at the user's location can then obtain the user's location information in the merchant's store through the pre-indexed data and map correlation.

In reference toFIG. 6, an example set of inputs may be input by a user at its User Interface600. For example, User's GPS location information601, INDOORATLAS location information603can be input automatically or typed into the search box at step605, and the system then searches the registered Award programs at step607. The search results of the relevant available Conditional Award Programs are then displayed at step609. The display may also be arranged according to keywords relevance611, most up-to-date613, the hottest program (most popular)615or the highest offers615or the highest incentives per performance617etc.

In reference toFIG. 7, if a user is inside a merchant's store at step701, the user's smart phone or other personal gadget703senses the geo-magnetic field of his/her location, and sends it to the INDOORATLAS service at step705which sends back the mapped location information back to the user, at step707, the location information is automatically used for User Award Alert program about a product at the location. The location information may be the aisle numbers in the store or shelf location, compartment location. If the User buys the promoted product at step709together with a User ID, the merchant store may authorize an award be transferred to the User's Piggy Bank Account at step711through the Transaction Engine713.

In reference toFIG. 8, if a user is outside any store at step801, the user's smart phone or other personal gadget receives a GPS location at step803. The CAS system alternatively allows the user to choose the location information from INDOORALTAS at step805. The location information is automatically used for User Award Alert program about a product at the location at step807, and the search results are displayed according to distance at step809, according to hottest award offers at step811and/or the most up to dates offers.

In reference toFIG. 9, an example functional flow chart900of Transaction Engine105is shown. When the Transaction Engine105receives request and an authorization code from a Merchant's User Performance Page, together with a User ID, Merchant ID, Award Program ID and the award amount at step901, it conducts a verification step at step903by accessing Merchant Account Database905, Conditional Award Database907, and User Account Database909. After positive validation, with the authorization code, the Transaction Engine105then directly access the Merchant's Escrow Account to transfer the award amount to the User's Piggy Bank Account under the User ID at step911. Then the User Account913and Merchant Account915are updated and recorded with this transaction information. Transaction Status is tracked and updated accordingly at step917.

In reference toFIG. 10A, an example CAS interface1010for a cell phone. On cell phone, the application Icon is easily located on the top of the phone. With one click on Icon, the application is activated and a search input box is displayed. With the input of keywords, or other information, such as location information, the search results are displayed as hyperlinked listings. One click on one of those hyperlinked listing items, the User is directly shown with the Merchant's User Performance Page with submission buttons as shown inFIG. 10B.

In reference toFIG. 11, an example functional flow chart1100for a Conditional Award Program interface is shown. Once a User Performance is submitted, the Transaction Engine105enters the functions of the associated Conditional Award Program at step1103, gathers the results of a user's performance from the Merchant's User Performance page, which may require a User, for example, to provide a feedback, answer a survey, referring a friend, and retrieves the information from the Conditional Award Program Database about the pre-set incentives for these performances at step1105, then calculates and concludes an award for this performance at1107.

In reference toFIG. 12, an example flow chart1200for setting a User Piggy Bank Account is shown. At the User Piggy Bank set up page, a User agrees to the terms on a Trust Agreement at step1203, and then proceeds to select the long terms goals provided by the system at step1205. The purported long term use choices may include paying for college educations, a retirement fund, a benefit fund for donating to a charity, an account for a third party beneficiary, providing seed money for starting a business, providing funds for patenting innovations. At step1209, the length of time for the account to mature is specified, and with the selection of the length of time, a penalty for early withdrawal is also set at step1211. The penalty may be severe, such as a 10-20% surcharge on the total amount of the account, to encourage a User to stick to its pre-set goal.