P2P Currency Patent Dec 2005 59508 LP

8/13/2019 P2P Currency Patent Dec 2005 59508 LP

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A SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ENCOURAGING ACTIVITY

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to a system

and method for encouraging activity, such as physical or

mental activity encouraging the connection of net-enabled

devices to online communities via a loyalty/rewards

program.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The popular uptake of television, electronic and

video games, and the Internet has encouraged a sedentary

lifestyle. This in turn has resulted in a large increase

in the incidence of obesity and associated medical

conditions.

In particular, with the more very recent advent of

online communities, where people with similar interests

share ideas, thoughts andor converse with others in real

time, from the comfort of their own home, it has become

increasingly difficult to motivate people to undertake

traditional physical activities, such as sport.

!any children, in particular, are very computer savvy

and avidly participate in online communities. "nline

communities can provide many benefits, such as e#posure to

new and challenging ideas and a relatively safe

environment in which to be e#posed to such ideas. $owever,

over-usage of the Internet can encourage a sedentary

lifestyle and the attendant problem of childhood obesity.

"ver-usage may also result in a decrease in

socialisation skills, as most socialisation, which

previously occurred on the sporting field or in

playgrounds in a face-to-face manner, now occurs through

the impersonal and anonymous interface of a computing

system.

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SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In a first aspect, the present invention provides a

system for promoting an activity, comprising a computing

system arranged to receive information from a device

arranged to monitor the activity, wherein the monitoring

data may be utilised to redeem tangible rewards.

The computing system may include a database arranged

to store the monitoring data.

The computing system may further include a software

application arranged to convert the monitoring information

to an integer value. The integer value may be redeemable

for tangible rewards.

In one embodiment, the system includes identification

means arranged to identify the user of the device. The

identification means may be an identification string

capable of being transferred by the device to the

computing system or it may be an alphanumeric string

provided by a user on transferring monitoring data to the

computing system.

In one embodiment, the computing system is accessible

by a user via a web interface and further includes a

messenger application arranged to allow a plurality of

users to communicate with each other.

The computing system may further include a forum

arranged to post information provided by a plurality of

users.

In a second aspect, the present invention provides adevice for monitoring the activity of a user, comprising

means to measure at least one parameter pertaining to the

physical e#ertion of the user, wherein the at least one

parameter may be stored in the device, for transfer to a

system in accordance with a first aspect of the invention.

The device may be a multi-function device such as a

mobile telephone or a children)s toy.

The monitoring may be performed by a pedometer andor

a heart rate monitor.

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DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

+otwithstanding any other forms which may fall withinthe scope of the present invention, a preferred embodiment

will now be described, by way of e#ample only, with

reference to the accompanying drawings in which

igure & depicts a system in accordance with an

embodiment of the present invention and

igure 2 is a diagram depicting the interaction

between users of a system in accordance with an embodiment

of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF A SPECIFIC EMBODIMENT

The present invention, in a specific embodiment,

provides a system and method for encouraging physical

activity in individuals, and particularly children.

The last few years have seen an e#ponential growth of

the Internet and a corresponding growth in an Internet

based culture, where social interaction, learning and

consumption occur largely via the Internet. This

phenomenon has been aided by the development of

sophisticated web browsers, instant messengerchat

software, online bulletin and forum sites, interactive and

networked games, blogs and the more recent convergence of

mobile telephone and Internet technologies.

/s such, children have not only enthusiastically

embraced Internet technology, but have also become

increasingly reliant on Internet technology as a source of

education and social interaction. In effect, many children

now live a significant proportion of their lives in an

online world.

The attraction of the online world is its relative

anonymity, coupled with the ability to access large

amounts of information and interact with thousands, if not

millions, of other people.

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This in turn has led to an increasingly sedentary

lifestyle. /dult and childhood obesity is approaching

epidemic proportions in many western countries, including

the 01 and /ustralia. onventional attempts to encourageadults and children to participate in traditional sporting

and social activities has had mi#ed results. or e#ample,

it has been found that children now spend less time

watching television programs, and more time on the

Internet. This in turn has decreased the effectiveness and

usefulness of traditional media 3television and radio4

advertising campaigns.

The embodiment of the invention described herein

provides a system which utilises elements of the online

world coupled with elements of the offline world in

order to encourage children to take part in physical and

mental activities.

5roadly speaking, the embodiment comprises a portable

device arranged to monitor a specific 3or a number of

specific4 activities performed by the child. or e#ample,

in the embodiment described herein, the device is a

pedometer 3which may be incorporated into another device,

such as a Tamagotchi, a wrist watch, a personal diary, a

mobile phone or any other suitable electronic device4

which is arranged to monitor the number of steps walked by

the child in a given period of time. This monitoring

information is then saved in a suitable electronic format,

such as in volatile memory, or a persistent memory store.

The device may be utilised to monitor any physical

characteristic which may be an indicator of increased

physical activity. or e#ample, the device may be a heart

rate monitor instead of a pedometer.

The device preferably has an interface 3such as a

015, serial, infra-red or 5luetoothT!interface4 arranged to

allow upload of the monitoring information from the memory

to a computing system, and ultimately to an online

community.

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It will be understood that in other embodiments, thedevice may upload through a communications network. or

e#ample, if the device is built into a mobile phone, the

results may be sent via a short message 31!14 to a

computing system, which then routes the message to the

online community.

It will be understood that in the present conte#t,

the phrase online community is used to describe a

computer server which allows users to interact with each

other. This may take any one of a number of forms,

including but not limited to, a website with a bulletin

board, a website with a series of forums, an Instant

!essaging application arranged to connect with other

users, a peer to peer network, a computing system

connected to a conventional communications network 3such

as a mobile or fi#ed telephone network4 andor any

combination of the above.

"nce the information is received by the online

community, it may be stored in a database and may be

converted into a measure that is more easily

understandable to a user. or e#ample, the number of steps

taken in a day may be named points, given them an image

of being a valuable, tradeable commodity. There may also

be provided an algorithm or formula for converting the

collected information into points 3or some other measure4.

or e#ample, it may be decided that &'' steps taken 3as

measured by a pedometer4 e7uals & point.

The points are associated with a login or

identification number, which uni7uely identifies the

child.

It will be understood that conventional

identification or login protocols may be utilised to

control access to the online community. or e#ample, a

child may be asked to provide a login I8 and a password./lternatively, the device may incorporate a uni7ue I8,

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which is uploaded with the collected information each time

an upload is initiated.

In an alternative embodiment, the collected

information andor points may not be stored in a database.This may be done to ensure that a child can only utilise

the points on a daily basis, thereby encouraging daily

activity.

The information, once uploaded, can be used for any

one of a number of purposes. or e#ample, the online

community may be operated and overseen by a school, which

uses the online community as a vehicle for publishing

results and comparing students. /s such, children can

compete for the title of the most activity in a day, a

week, etc.

/lternatively, a health organisation 3such as the

8iabetes /ssociation or the $eart oundation4 may wish to

operate a rewards scheme, where points accumulated over a

period of time can be redeemed for rewards, such as

pri:es, cash rewards, downloadable content such as music,

movies and ring-tones, etc.

In a particular embodiment, aimed at children,

accumulated points may be e#changed for ring-tones,

pi#els, or other electronic products. These may be

downloaded onto the child)s computing system, or their

device, depending on the type of device utilised.

It will also be understood that embodiments of the

present invention may be incorporated into a larger online

community 3such as part of the !1+ service or the ;ahoo -

have their e#ercise regimes monitored, in return for

substantive pri:es or cash rewards.

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THE CLAIMS DEFINING THE INVENTION ARE AS FOLLOWS6

&. / system for promoting an activity, comprising a

computing system arranged to receive information froma device arranged to monitor the activity, wherein

the monitoring data may be utilised to redeem

tangible rewards.

2. / system in accordance with claim &, wherein the

computing system includes a database arranged to

store the monitoring data.

(. / system in accordance with claim & or claim 2,

wherein the computing system further includes a

software application arranged to convert the

monitoring information to an integer value.

*. / system in accordance with claim (, wherein the

integer value is redeemable for tangible rewards.

%. / system in accordance with any one of claims & to *,

further including identification means arranged to

identify the user of the device.

6. / system in accordance with claim %, wherein the

identification means is an identification string

capable of being transferred by the device to the

computing system

9. / system in accordance with claim %, wherein the

identification means is an alphanumeric string

provided by a user on transferring monitoring data to

the computing system.

=. / system in accordance with any one of the preceding

claims, wherein the computing system is accessible by

a user via a web interface.

>. / system in accordance with any one of the preceding

claims, wherein the computing system further includes

a messenger application arranged to allow a plurality

of users to communicate with each other.

&'. / system in accordance with any one of the preceding

claims, wherein the computing system further includes

a forum arranged to post information provided by aplurality of users.

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&&. / device for monitoring the activity of a user,

comprising means to measure at least one parameter

pertaining to the physical e#ertion of the user,

wherein the at least one parameter may be stored inthe device, for transfer to a system in accordance

with any one of claims & to &'.

&2. / device in accordance with claim &&, wherein the

device is a multi-function device.

&(. / system in accordance with claim &&, wherein the

device is a mobile telephone.

&*. / device in accordance with claim &&, wherein the

device is a children)s toy.

&%. / system in accordance with any one of claims && to

&*, wherein the monitoring is performed by a

pedometer.

&6. / system in accordance with any one of claims && to

&*, wherein the monitoring is performed by a heart

rate monitor.

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Documents

P2P Currency Patent Dec 2005 59508 LP