Abstract:
The method and apparatus stimulate performance improvement and provide performance recognition. The method and apparatus serve to communicate goals, missions, and objectives; stimulate action that involves interactive communication, organization and reinforcement; and identify and promote performance to individuals, teams, or any other association of people. The customizable apparatus includes a means to stimulate mental and physical action through the defining and tracking of data, psychological reinforcement, and performance feedback. Information pertaining to a goal, mission, and objective of the sponsor is collected and presented to the user via the apparatus. The user is then stimulated toward the goal through a user-determined course of action developed within the apparatus, which allows the user to take action steps toward the desired goal. The user&#39;s performance toward the desired goal is tracked through the apparatus and computer applications. This data is entered into a computer metrics resulting in performance recognition information.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0002]     This invention relates to a method and apparatus for the purpose of stimulating action, performance recognition, goal-achievement, best practice identification and team building. The invention more generally relates to a method and apparatus used by individuals, teams, and other associated people in order to communicate goals, missions, and objectives through an apparatus that serves to innervate and organize a user in order to promote performance, identify best practices, and provide performance recognition.  
         [0003]     2. Description of Related Art  
         [0004]     Individuals, businesses, and other associations have attempted to improve performance and motivate themselves, employees, and members through various modes of discourse and methods. A primary means of improving performance is through the use of inspiration which comes in the form of speakers, books, audio-recordings, and video cassettes. Simply reading or listening to these inspirational methods of motivation represents a short-term and short-sighted method of improving performance and motivating individuals, teams, or other associations of people. Inspiration and motivation are very different. Inspiration is defined by Webster&#39;s Dictionary as “the act or power of moving the intellect or emotions.” Motivation is defined by Webster&#39;s Dictionary as “to provide with a motive,” where motive is defined as “moving to action.” Reading a book or listening to a speaker or audio recording does not provide the consumer with motivation, only inspiration. Motivation is the result of an individual&#39;s own act toward a desired goal which can only be accomplished by the individual taking action. The process of stimulating a person or persons to mental and physical performance has not been fully addressed in prior art.  
         [0005]     Various methodologies and apparatus have been proposed and are publicly available to help people change a behavior. Early approaches have focused on games and mechanical means to influence an individual toward a desired behavior. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,290,796 to Gurda (1966) and U.S. Pat. No. 4,776,799 to Walsh (1988) disclose two apparatus that serve as child-training boards with daily goals and interactive methods leading to a reward. Another child training apparatus that is slightly more complex incorporates a mirror and timing systems. U.S. Pat. No. 5,288,233 to Green (1994) discloses a learning device for attention deficit children where the mirror is non-functional and a timer serves to reward children for completing daily tasks under a specified time. These apparatus supply pre-selected courses of action and fail to allow the user to define actions or identify means to performance. These apparatus are also limited to individual use and fail to provide a means of communication to other users or interested parties.  
         [0006]     Other inventors have chosen to create motivational and behavioral pattern changing products by transforming calendars and books. U.S. Pat. No. 5,090,733 to Bussiere (1992) discloses a motivational calendar which carries a daily desired behavioral “action” and “thought” coupled with an illustration that modifies with use. This product like those discussed above supplies pre-selected courses of action not determined by the user. The product fails to provide a psychological connection with the user and fails to allow the user a means of developing action steps. U.S. Pat. No. 5,387,107 to Gunter and Williams (1995) discloses a personalized interactive storybook and method of teaching a desired behavior by inserting a picture of the user actually reading the book. This storybook, by inserting the picture of the reader in an illustration depicting the desired behavior, offers psychological connection but again supplies only pre-selected courses of action. The drawback is that the user is allowed no feedback or interaction beyond a personalized picture. This product is also limited in use to the one individual using the product.  
         [0007]     The mirror has longed been used for a variety of purposes. The mirror serves a psychological purpose by having the user associate himself or herself with the desired behavior patterns or goals that the user is seeking to achieve. U.S. Pat. No. 4,743,047 to Baer (1988) discloses a book that is combined with a mirror. The device lacks a motivational purpose and provides no means of interaction with the user other than for visual use. U.S. Pat. No. 5,169,316 to Lorman &amp; Jones (1992) discloses a Speech Therapy device that provides direct visual feedback. This device is made up of a mirror surrounded by illustrated lip positions and words to say. The illustrations and words on the device are made of inexpensive material and are disposable after use, which lacks the durability necessary for extended use. This device is not used for a motivational purpose in the sense of interactive goal achievement or improving performance. The user of this device is again supplied with a pre-selected course of action without a means to develop the necessary actions steps to the desired goal. U.S. Pat Application No. 2004/0131996 to Ortiz-Valero discloses a method for selection of individualized personal care products. The device includes a mirror with a plurality of attribute selection sites used as a diagnostic for personal care products. The product fails to consider interaction with other users and is again positioned as only offering pre-selected courses of action within defined product areas. The device is not used to improve performance and or communicate best practices as identified by the user of the device.  
         [0008]     The development of computers has led inventors to create methodologies of interactive systems as well as several different methods of learning and goal-achievement involving data collection and analysis. U.S. Pat. No. 5,954,510 to Merril (1999) discloses a method for goal-achievement and learning that assists people in achieving and learning to achieve self-determined measurable goals over time. The user enters data, and metrics are computed which gauge the user&#39;s progress towards achieving goals and provide the user with performance feedback. This system fails to acknowledge a stand alone apparatus including an interactive method, a mirror, a timer, and a recorder. This system also lacks a means of communication and feedback based on more than one user, which is necessary for performance improvement by teams and other associations of people. The system also does not consider the desire for competitive analysis between different users and their previous performance.  
         [0009]     U.S. Pat. No. 5,967,789 to Segal (1999) discloses a method and system for stopping or modifying undesirable health-related behavior habits or maintaining desirable health-related behavior habits. This method involves a computer and a series of customized visually perceptible messages which establishes a customized regimen. The system lacks an apparatus including an interactive method, a mirror, a communication surface, a timer, and a recorder. The system also fails to recognize the need or desire of the user to develop daily goals and actions, which move the user toward the desired goal and identifies areas of best practices toward performance. This system provides a pre-selected course of action without user definability and interaction.  
         [0010]     U.S. Pat. No. 6,565,504 to Blementhal (2003) discloses a method and apparatus to create and induce self-created hypnosis. The user of this method enters preferences into a computer resulting in a customized hypnosis script that is listened to by the user. This system provides only pre-selected courses of interaction where the user is limited to what is suggested by the system. The system lacks an apparatus including a communication medium and a visual medium. The method requires the use of a computer program in order to experience the hypnosis which fails to consider a means of use where a computer would not be necessary.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0011]     In view of the foregoing, it is clear that a method and apparatus is needed whereby an individual, team, or other association of people are provided with a method and apparatus which functions to allow the user/users to stimulate mental and physical action resulting in desired performance. The method and apparatus stimulates mental and physical action through a process where users define and identify action steps toward a plurality of goals and are motivated and reinforced to performing action steps resulting in an ability to recognize performance, give feedback, and identify best practices.  
         [0012]     The invention in its broadest sense preferably includes an apparatus, which in simplest form provides a means to present visual imagery and behavioral suggestions, a means that stimulates the user to create action steps and define goals, a means that stimulates the user to take action steps toward goals, a means to track action steps and goals and finally, a means to recognize performance. The apparatus preferably provides a means through which a sponsor, which could be an individual, business entity, team leader, or any other association of people customizes the method and apparatus according to the desired performance of a particular goal, mission, or objective. The customized method and apparatus stimulate mental and physical action by the user which is an individual, team, or other association of people sharing a desire of performance toward a particular goal, mission, or objective.  
         [0013]     The method using this apparatus preferably includes communicating customized data and information from the sponsor of the apparatus to the user or users. The user or users are then preferably stimulated to develop their own course of action toward the desired goal. Once a course of action is developed the user is stimulated to take the action steps through a visual platform provided through the apparatus that communicates, organizes, and reinforces the course of action. The user is stimulated to action through a series of psychological techniques including a mirror, timer, recorder, and calendar. The action steps taken are preferably entered and tracked through the apparatus resulting in recognized previous performance that further stimulates the user toward the desired performance. The user&#39;s designed course of action and action steps taken are preferably compiled via the apparatus and accompanying computer application. The data held in the computer application is preferably transferred to a server that compiles the data from the user and other users, which are then, enter in a computer metrics that provides performance recognition.  
         [0014]     The purpose of the method and apparatus is to continually stimulate mental and physical action toward a desired level of performance and intended goal. This results in a motivated user throughout the different stages toward the achievement of the goal, mission, or objective. Further, the purpose of the method and apparatus is to allow for the identification of performance and how it was achieved. The objective of the method and apparatus is being able to allow sponsors, users, team leaders, business managers, or any other association of people a means to stimulate mental and physical action in order to improve performance and identify performance in any one of a plurality of potential goals, mission, or objectives.  
         [0015]     In a first embodiment, the method motivates a user to achieve a primary objective using a goal tablet including a changeable goal display area and a mirror. The method includes the steps of generating the primary objective for the user, displaying the primary objective in the changeable goal display area, and displaying at least one motivational item on the goal tablet. The method further includes psychologically reinforcing a desire to achieve the primary objective by the user viewing himself or herself in the mirror while viewing, reading, or speaking the primary objective or the motivational item.  
         [0016]     In a second embodiment, the apparatus motivates a user to achieve a primary objective. The apparatus includes a goal tablet. The goal tablet includes a mirror positioned on the goal tablet for the user to view himself or herself and a plurality of changeable display areas positioned around the mirror for displaying a plurality of images to be viewed by the user while viewing herself or himself in the mirror. At least one of the changeable display areas is a goal display area for displaying the primary objective:  
         [0017]     In a third embodiment, the method motivates each of a plurality of users to achieve a user objective. The method includes the steps of collecting user data from each of the users and collecting sponsor data from at least one sponsor of the users. The method also includes identifying the user objective for each of the users based on the user data and the sponsor data and identifying a plurality of tasks for each of the users toward achieving each of the user objectives. The method further includes tracking completion of the tasks and collecting task completion data from the users for the sponsor and tracking a success rate for each of the users toward achieving the user objective. The method also includes comparing the success rate to the task completion data to identify the tasks correlated with producing success as a plurality of focus tasks. The method further includes the steps of providing the focus tasks to the users, providing the focus tasks to the sponsor, and tracking completion of the focus tasks and collecting focus task completion data from the users for the sponsor. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0018]      FIG. 1  illustrates a motivational system in an embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0019]      FIG. 2  illustrates a method in an embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0020]      FIG. 3  illustrates a goal tablet, a goal card, and a goal sheet in an embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0021]      FIG. 4  illustrates a goal tablet in an embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0022]      FIG. 5  illustrates a goal sheet in an embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0023]      FIG. 6  illustrates a goal card in an embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0024]      FIG. 7  illustrates a goal tablet in another embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0025]      FIG. 8  illustrates a goal tablet with software and computer capabilities in yet another embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0026]     Referring now to the drawings of a system, method, and apparatus of the present invention, the invention provides a method for stimulating mental and physical action toward a goal, mission, or objective resulting in improved and recognized performance. The method and apparatus stimulate a user to develop a course of action toward a desirable goal, mission, or objective and then stimulate the user to reach the desired goal, mission, or objective through reinforcement and performance feedback.  
         [0027]      FIG. 1  shows a block diagram of a system including a method and an apparatus in an embodiment of the present invention.  FIG. 2  shows method steps, which explain the method sequence from the development of the method and apparatus through its execution. First, sponsor data is collected  101  as specified by the sponsor  114  or the user  112 . The apparatus  102  is referred to as a goal tablet  102  throughout the rest of the disclosure. Using a computer  100 , the apparatus is designed according to the sponsor data and user needs  103 , resulting in a customized the goal tablet  102  and program to be used by the primary user  112  and a secondary user  116 .  
         [0028]     The user/users are provided a means to stimulate mental and physical action  105 A-D through the goal tablet  102 . First, the user identifies individual courses of action by establishing individual goals  105 A. The user frames action steps and develops to the desired goal  105 B. Then, the user tracks actions steps accomplished toward desired goal  105 C. Finally, the user is stimulated toward action through psychological reinforcement  105 D.  FIG. 3  is a diagram of the goal tablet  102  illustrating the goal sheet  300  and goal card  400 .  
         [0029]     Data is collected  107  from the goal tablet  102  and entered into a computer software application  104 . The user  112  is able to save and track data collected through computer software application  104 . The data in the computer software application  104  is sent  109  using internet/intranet  106 . A server  108  receives data of the users  112 . This process may be repeated by many users  112  resulting in the server  108  having multiple data from different users using goal tablet  102 . The server  108  processes data in a computer metrics  111  resulting in performance feedback data  110 . The computer metrics  111  determines performance recognition and best practices of the user/users  112  resulting in performance feedback data  110 . The performance feedback data  110  is provided  113  to the user/users  112 . The performance feedback data  110  is also provided to the secondary user  116  if a secondary user is necessary  117 . The performance feedback data  110  is also provided  115  to the sponsor  114 .  
         [0030]     In an embodiment of the present invention, a college athletic director sponsor  114  designs  101 ,  103  the goal tablet  102  for the user/users of the invention a college basketball where a coach is the secondary user  116  and a basketball player is the primary user  112 . The coach  116  in this embodiment may use the goal tablet  102  in conjunction with each individual player on the basketball team. FIGS.  4  to  6  illustrates a goal tablet  102  designed for use by a basketball team.  
         [0031]     The goal tablet  102  shown in  FIG. 4  may be created by the college athletic director  114 . The goal tablet  102  includes means for stimulating the users  112  and  116  to mental and physical action in developing and communicating courses of action toward goals; completing action steps to reaching goals; and receiving reinforcement and feedback along the way  105 D. The goal tablet  102  shown in  FIG. 3  is made of a suitable material such as plastic, wood, or metal which can be mounted on a wall or other suitable surface. The goal sheet  300  and goal card  400  of the goal tablet  102  also illustrated in the diagram are made of suitable materials that can be written on and erased by the user and as well as printed on permanently according to sponsor requirements.  
         [0032]     The embodiment of  FIG. 4  shows a goal tablet  102 A according to the design of the college athletic director  114  to be used to create team unity, stimulate mental and physical action toward team and individual goals, and improve the overall performance of the college basketball team. In logo area  200 , the team name is printed in order to identify the school sponsor  114  and use of the goal tablet  102 A. Printable areas such as printable area  206  identify and frame what is to be written in the writeable areas as designed by the sponsor  114 . Printable areas are present when a writeable area is present. Writeable areas  204 ,  212 ,  214 ,  216 ,  218  are made of a suitable material that can be written on and removed by the user including, but not limited to, a chalk board material, dry-erase board material, or multi-sheets of removal paper.  
         [0033]     The coach  116  identifies the team goal and communicates the team goal  105 A through writeable area  204 . The basketball player  112  identifies an individual goal and communicates it  105 A through writable area  218 . The writeable areas  204 ,  212 ,  214 ,  216 ,  218  and the printable areas accompanying them stimulate mental action in users  112  and  116  by having them identify goals and visually communicate them. The basketball player write and visually communicate actions steps  105 B for the day, week, and month in writable areas  212 ,  214  and  216  respectively. The number of writable areas present on the goal tablet  102 A can encompass any number of writeable areas determined by the needs of the sponsor. One aspect of reinforcement provided is mirror surface  208  where the basketball player can view his own face and repeat the goals written in writeable areas  204  and  212  to  218  providing psychological reinforcement  105 D. The athletic director sponsor  114  may choose to print motivational items or other information in area  202 ,  220 ,  222 ,  224  if desired, as a source of reinforcement for the player. Motivational items include, but are not limited to, motivational phrases, mission statements, company goals, and motivational images.  
         [0034]     The embodiment of  FIG. 5  shows the goal sheet  300  part of the goal tablet  102 . In designing  101  the athletic director  114  determines the use and specifics of the goal sheet  300 . In this embodiment the athletic director  114  determined the goal sheet  300  would allow the basketball coach  116  and the player  112  to plan courses of action for the season. The goal sheet  300  has writable areas  304  and  306  where the user frames and writes the action steps  105 B to be completed to reach the coach&#39;s and individual goals written in writeable areas  204  and  218 . The goal sheet  300  serves as a planning mechanism for stimulating the mental or physical action steps toward a defined goal, mission, or objective. The action steps written in writeable area  306  are then written in writeable areas  212 ,  214 , and  216 . The goal sheet  300  has writeable areas  308 ,  310  and  312  where the user tracks completed action steps and goals  105 C. The goal sheet  300  serves to stimulate the development of a plan toward the goal. The goal sheet  300  reinforces and gives feedback by visually communicating the plan and tracking the results, all of which stimulate action. In the embodiment of the basketball team writable area  306  identifies the basketball player&#39;s  112  goal that is also communicated through writable areas  302  and  218 . Writable area  310  identifies the coach&#39;s  116  team goal that is also communicated in writable areas  314  and  204 . Writable area  312  identifies  105 B and tracks  105 C actions steps completed by the basketball player  112  resulting in the stimulation of action.  
         [0035]     The embodiment of  FIG. 6  shows the goal card  400  part of the goal tablet  102 . The goal card  400  is used to reinforce the basketball player user  112 . The goal card  400  can be removed from the goal tablet  102  and carried on the basketball player  112 . In logo area  402  the basketball team logo is printed to identify the sponsor and create team unity. The basketball player  112  writes the goal from  204  in writable area  404  representing further reinforcement  105 D. The basketball player  112  carries the goal card  400  with him when away from the physical goal tablet  102 . The college athletic director sponsor  114  prints inspiration or other information in printable area  406  as a source of reinforcement to stimulate action.  
         [0036]     The embodiment of  FIG. 7  shows the goal tablet  102  with further embodiments to provide reinforcement  105 D. The user records on voice recorder and speakers  502  information that is played back to reinforce the intended goal. The basketball player  112  records on recorder  502  inspirational sayings or other relevant information that reinforces the basketball goals. In an alternate embodiment, information is prerecorded as determined by the sponsor to serve as reinforcement. Advice from alumni basketball players on team goals would be recorded on recorder  502  which serves as a reinforcement stimulating action. The timer  504  introduces a time element including a clock or calendar that tracks the number of days, hours, or other specified time increments until a goal is to be reached or an action step is to be completed. The timer  504  reinforces the goal  105 D which stimulates action. In this embodiment, the device establishes time lines for the user to accomplish certain action steps or goals. The basketball team may choose to have a timer in preseason counting down the number of days until the first game which reinforces desired goals and stimulates the basketball team to immediate action.  
         [0037]     In an embodiment of a full cycle of the invention, the basketball players  112  enter their goals and action steps  107  from goal tablet  102  into computer application  104 . The data entered is sent to a host  109  and performance comparisons are computed  111  resulting in performance feedback  110 . In the basketball team embodiment, the performance feedback  110  identifies what each player accomplished during the season as related to their goals and action steps taken  105 A-D. The performance feedback  110  identifies the players with the highest shooting percentage and their common goals and action steps. This performance feedback allows the coach  116  to identify the best practices of those players  112  with high shooting percentages. The resulting performance feedback information  110  stimulates other players  112  to take similar action steps in order to reach the same results.  
         [0038]     Although the description has been directed to a sports team where the sponsor is an athletic director and the coach and players are the secondary and primary users, it is understood that the system and apparatus are useful in other situations as well. For example, the sponsor may be the National Institute of Health and the primary user may be a person at risk for diabetes. In another embodiment, the sponsor is rehabilitation clinic, the secondary user is a drug counselor, and the primary user is a recovering addict. Alternately, the sponsor may be a consultant, where the human resources manager is the secondary user, and the engineers are the primary users. The goal for the consultant is to introduce, reinforce, and gather feedback on a total quality management program where the users are stimulated to mentally and physically take action to implement the new program.  
         [0039]     The goal tablet  102  shown in  FIG. 8  has electronic and networking capabilities. The data transfer device  600  represents a network connection through an analog, ISDN (Integrated Services Digital Network), DSL (Digital Subscribers Line), cable, or any other form that accomplishes similar tasks. The data input connection  602  represents a connection for data entry through a keyboard, SmartQuil, or other similar input device. Digital display screens  604 ,  606 ,  608  and  610  replace the writing areas  204 ,  218 ,  212  and  216 . The display screens  604 ,  606 ,  608  and  610  may be utilized through data connection  602  or a handwriting recognition technology. The digital display screens  604 ,  606 ,  608  and  610  serve the same purpose as the writing areas with the added capabilities to communicate information and data directly to the computer  104  as well as the capability for performance feedback  110  to be presented via the digital display screens  604 ,  606 ,  608  and  610  on goal tablet  102  in the forms of text, videos, multimedia graphs, and other visual analytical tools.  
         [0040]     The following describes an embodiment of this invention illustrating one design of the goal tablet  102  shown in  FIG. 8 . In this embodiment, the goal tablet  102  with electronic and networking capabilities is sponsored by a business executive  114  to be used by members of the sales force  112 .  
         [0041]     Data is collected  101  from the business  114 , using a computer  100 . A performance feedback program  110  and goal tablet  102  are designed according to the business  114  needs  103 . The business  114  in this embodiment has designed the goal tablet  102  determining the need for the computer screens  604 ,  606 ,  608  to be used as the medium of communication to transfer goals, missions, and data. The computer screens  604 ,  606 ,  608  communicate and transfer data from a business executive  114  to an employee  112  to a computer  104  to a server  108  then back to business executive  114  and employee  112 . In this embodiment the first computer screen  604  provides data to the salesman  112  from the business executive  114  on the immediate mission of the sales force, which is to “Increase new customer acquisition by 5% for the month”, as presented on computer screen  604 . The second computer screen  606  is used by the employee  112  to enter and present an individual goal to obtain “5 new face to face meetings a week”  105 A. The third computer screen  608  communicates the daily action step taken by the employee  112 , which for this day is to make “15 cold calls to new customers” process step  105 B. This information is transferred by a data transfer device  600  to computer  104  and moving data to computer  104 . The employee  112  could use data input connection  602  or handwriting recognition technology on the computer screen  610  to enter data on customer acquisitions. If entered through data input  602  the employee  112  would type in the information on the new customer. If entered through the computer screen  610  the employee  112  would electronically write on the screen the new customer information. This data would be transferred to computer  104 . The electronic capabilities of the goal tablet  102  allows for the elimination of the goal sheet  300 . The user planning, framing, and entering action steps  105 B and the user tracking completed action steps, goals, and tasks  105 C may take place through the goal tablet  102 . In this embodiment, the goal sheet  300  and goal card  400 , if used, may be designed in accordance with the mission of increasing new customer acquisitions by 5% as established by business executive  114 . The mirror  208  is used to reinforce the individuality of the employee  112  by allowing the employee to view herself in the mirror while viewing and repeating executive and individual goals, which provides psychological reinforcement process step  105 D. The business executive  114  may also provide inspirational or other information in printing areas  202 ,  220 ,  222  and  224  resulting in reinforcement  105 D. The steps of establishing a goal  105 A, planning actions  105 B, tracking actions  105 C, and receiving reinforcement  105 D all serve to stimulate the user to mental and physical action toward the desired goal.  
         [0042]     The data and information collected through the goal tablet  102  as a result of establishing a goal  105 A, planning actions  105 B, and tracking actions  105 C is now held and organized in computer  104 . The data is communicated  109  through the internet  106  to server  108 . At that point the data and information are compiled in a computer metrics  111  resulting in performance feedback  110 . In this embodiment, the performance feedback  110  gives the business executive  114  detailed information on the sales people who met the goal for new customer acquisitions, identifying the action steps they completed compared to the other sales people that failed to meet the goal. This performance feedback  110  highlights top performers and best practices. The employee  112  receives performance feedback throughout the process to the business goal via graphs on her computer screen  610  illustrating her performance relative to other sales people. The communication of the performance information is not limited to the goal tablet  112 . It may be provided via the use of any output device such a as a facsimile machine, cell phone, blackberry, computer, etc.  
         [0043]     Accordingly, it is to be understood that the embodiments of the invention herein described are merely illustrative of the application of the principles of the invention. Reference herein to details of the illustrated embodiments is not intended to limit the scope of the claims, which themselves recite those features regarded as essential to the invention.