WO2019034940A1

WO2019034940A1 - Time management system for providing benefits and method employed thereof

Info

Publication number: WO2019034940A1
Application number: PCT/IB2018/054223
Authority: WO
Inventors: Jaganath Rao Kulkarni; Sharath Chandra Javaji
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2017-08-14
Filing date: 2018-06-12
Publication date: 2019-02-21
Anticipated expiration: 2020-02-14

Abstract

Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure are directed towards a time management system and method for contributing benefits. The time management system comprising a service platform configured to contribute a plurality of benefits to a plurality of consumers for spending time with a plurality of merchants based on specified time intervals, the plurality of consumers are permitted to provide a plurality of credentials to the service platform. The time management system further comprising a plurality of computing devices configured to allow a plurality of actions with the plurality of merchants on the service platform by the plurality of consumers. The service platform is configured to generate a plurality of notifications to the plurality of computing devices for spending time with the plurality of merchants based on the specified time intervals. The plurality computing devices comprising the plurality merchant computing devices and the plurality of consumer computing devices.

Description

"TIME MANAGEMENT SYSTEM FOR PROVIDING BENEFITS AND METHOD

EMPLOYED THEREOF"

TECHNICAL FIELD

[001] The present disclosure generally relates to the field of system and methods employed for data processing and management. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to system and method for providing benefits to the consumers based on management of time during peak and non-peak hours.

BACKGROUND

[002] In today's competitive business world every merchant is trying to provide benefits for purchasing their products and/or availing their services. The benefits include discounts for the purchase made, cash back, gift cards, cash back to digital wallet, digital wallet money, etc. The consumer gets the ameliorating benefits depending on the purchased product and/or service. The merchants are constantly seeking new promotional benefits for attracting new consumers, moving them through the purchasing process more efficiently, and increasing revenues.

[003] . Solutions offered by the restaurant are generally limited to seating, scheduling, food presentation, kitchen management, wait time calculations, etc. There are no factors to motivate the consumer to make use of the time properly with the merchant and also no valuable solutions to the merchant to make use of their space properly in peak and non-peak hours.

[004] In the light of aforementioned discussion there exists need for a system and method that would overcome or ameliorate the above mentioned disadvantages.

BRIEF SUMMARY

[005] The following presents a simplified summary of the disclosure in order to provide a basic understanding to the reader. This summary is not an extensive overview of the disclosure and it does not identify key/critical elements of the invention or delineate the scope of the invention. Its sole purpose is to present some concepts disclosed herein in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description that is presented later.

[006] An objective of the present disclosure is directed towards contributing more benefits to the consumers for spending time with the merchant based on the specified time intervals.

[007] Another objective of the present disclosure is directed towards allowing the merchants to make use of their space properly in peak and non-peak hours.

[008] Yet another objective of the present disclosure is directed towards increasing sales to the merchants and improving the service levels to the consumers.

[009] Another objective of the present disclosure is directed towards providing minimum assured bills to the merchant.

[0010] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, a time management system includes a service platform configured to contribute a plurality of benefits to a plurality of consumers for spending time with a plurality of merchants based on specified time intervals, the plurality of consumers are permitted to provide a plurality of credentials to the service platform.

[0011] In another embodiment of the present disclosure, the time management system further includes a plurality of computing devices configured to allow a plurality of actions with the plurality of merchants on the service platform by the plurality of consumers.

[0012] In another embodiment of the present disclosure, the service platform is configured to generate a plurality of notifications to the plurality of computing devices for spending time with the plurality of merchants based on the specified time intervals. The plurality computing devices comprising the plurality merchant computing devices and the plurality of consumer computing devices. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0013] Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments, in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals have been used to designate like elements, and wherein:

[0014] FIG. 1 is a diagram depicting a system for providing benefits based on management of time, according to exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0015] FIG. 2 is a diagram depicting service platform shown in FIG. 1, according to exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0016] FIG. 3 is a flow diagram depicting method for providing benefits based on the management of time, in one or more exemplary embodiments.

[0017] FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating the details of a digital processing system in which various aspects of the present disclosure are operative by execution of appropriate software instructions.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0018] It is to be understood that the present disclosure is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangement of components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The present disclosure is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or of being carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.

[0019] The use of "including", "comprising" or "having" and variations thereof herein is meant to encompass the items listed thereafter and equivalents thereof as well as additional items. The terms "a" and "an" herein do not denote a limitation of quantity, but rather denote the presence of at least one of the referenced item. Further, the use of terms "first", "second", and "third", and the like, herein do not denote any order, quantity, or importance, but rather are used to distinguish one element from another.

[0020] Referring to FIG. 1 is a diagram 100 depicting a system for providing benefits based on management of time, according to exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure. The system 100 includes a service platform 102, a consumer's computing device 104, a merchant's computing device 106, a network 108, and a cloud server 110. The network 108 may include, but not limited to, an Ethernet, a wireless local area network (WLAN), or a wide area network (WAN), a WIFI communication network e.g., the wireless high speed internet, or a combination of networks, a cellular service such as a 4G (e.g., LTE, mobile WIMAX) or 5G cellular data service, a RFID (radio frequency identification) reader network, and Internet Of Things (IoT). The network 108 may provide a web/mobile interface employing transmission control protocol, hypertext transfer protocol, simple object access protocol or any other internet communication protocol.

[0021] The consumer's computing device 104 and the merchant's computing device 106 may include, but not limited to, a computer workstation, an interactive kiosk, and a personal mobile computing device such as a digital assistant, a mobile phone, a laptop, and storage devices, backend servers hosting database and other software, or the like. The service platform 102 may be accessed as a mobile application, a web application or other software application known in the art or future implemented, without limiting the scope of the present disclosure. The cloud server 110 may be configured to receive actions from the merchant's computing device 106 and send response to the consumer's computing device 104. The service platform 102 acknowledgements may be accepted by the consumer's computing device 104 and the merchant's computing device 106. The accepted acknowledgments may be saved in the cloud server 110. The cloud server 110 may also be configured to receive actions from the consumer's computing device 104 and send response to the merchant's computing device 106. The actions may include, but not limited to, selecting things (for example products or services), offering benefits, performing payment transactions, and the like. The payments may be done in different modes, which are cash, digital wallets, card swiping, and the like. [0022] According to non-limiting exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, the service platform 102 may be configured to contribute benefits to the consumer by the merchant's computing device 106 for managing time with merchants. The service platform 102 may be configured to contribute benefits to the consumer for spending time with the merchant/merchant location/merchant website or merchant mobile application based on specified time intervals. The specified time intervals may include, but not limited to, spending less time, spending more time, slab time, and the like. The consumer's computing device 104 may be configured to permit the consumer by providing credentials to the service platform 102. The credentials may include, but not limited to, mail identity, phone number, name, address, password, and the like. The consumer's computing device 104 may be configured to allow the actions with the merchant on the service platform 102 by the consumer. The service platform 102 may be configured to generate notifications to the consumer's computing device 104, the merchant's computing device 106 for spending time with the merchant by the consumer based on the specified time intervals. The notifications may include, but not limited to, benefits offered for purchasing things, and the like. The service platform 102 may be configured to contribute benefits to the consumer based on the categories, and time slab in minutes explained in below table.

[0023] According to non-limiting exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, the service platform 102 may be configured to utilize by the consumer and the merchant, which includes service providers, business organizations, offline physical retail outlets, online shopping stores, dealers, brokers, users, customers, and the like. The service platform 102 may be configured to provide merchant details based on the consumer's vicinity. [0024] Referring to FIG. 2 is a diagram depicting service platform shown in FIG. 1, according to exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure. The service platform 102 further includes a registration module 112, an access module 114, a display module 116, an identity generating module 118, a time measuring module 120, and a notification generating module 122. The registration module 112 may be configured to allow registration of the consumer using the credentials. Once, the registration process completed, a communication may be sent to the consumer's computing device 104. The communication may include, but not limited to, a text message (e.g., one time password), an email, and the like. The access module 114 may be configured to allow access to the consumer based on the received communication to the consumer's computing device 104. The display module 116 may be configured to display the home page. The home page may include, but not limited to, merchant details along with benefits, and the like. Here, displaying the merchant details may be done based on the consumer's locations and/or performing a particular search by the consumer.

[0025] The consumer's computing device 104 may be configured to allow the consumer to select things from a list provided by the merchant. The consumer may place an order for the selected things in the consumer's computing device 104. The identity generating module 118 may be configured to generate identities after placing the order. The order details may be monitored by the merchant and/or consumer in the merchant's computing device 106 and the consumer's computing device 104. The order details may include, but not limited to, cost, quantity, and the like. The time measuring module 120 may be configured to measure time to be spent by the consumer with the merchant. The time may be measured from the consumer's entering at the merchant location to taking time to pay bills for the selected things. The notification generating module 122 may be configured to generate notifications based on the measured time. The notification generating module 122 may be configured to send notifications to the consumer's computing device 104 and the merchant's computing device 106.

[0026] Referring to FIG. 3 is a flow diagram 300 depicting method for providing benefits based on the management of time, in one or more exemplary embodiments. Method 300 may be carried out in the context of the details of FIG. 1 and FIG. 2. However, method 300 may also be carried out in any desired environment. Further, the aforementioned definitions may equally apply to the description below.

[0027] The method commences at step 302, the registration of consumer may allow by the registration module. Here, the registration module may permit the registration by credentials provided by the consumer. According to preferred embodiment, a registration confirmation communication may send to the consumer's computing device is performed at step 304. According to another embodiment, the consumer may determine whether the registered credentials indicates that the accessed by the accessing module is performed at step 306, such as by performing a determination based on the described above. If it is determined that the registered credentials indicates that the consumer has not accessed, the registering module may request for the registration confirmation communication is performed at step 308. If it is determined that the registered credentials indicates that the consumer has accessed, the accessing module may display home page is performed at step 310. According to another embodiment, the merchants along with benefits may display by the displaying module based on consumer's locations, merchant's locations and performing search by the consumer on the consumer's computing device is performed at step 312. Here, the merchant's locations may include restaurant locations. Yet another embodiment, the things of merchant may select by the consumer is performed at step 314. Here, the yet another embodiment, the order may place for selected things is performed at step 316. The identities may generate by the identity generating module after placing the order is performed at step 318. The time to be spent by the consumer with the merchant may measure by the time measuring module based on the specified time intervals is performed at step 320. Here, the time may be measured from the consumer's entering at the merchant location to taking time to pay bills for the selected things. The notifications on benefits may send to the consumer's computing device based on the measured time is performed at step 322.

[0028] Referring to FIG. 4, FIG. 4 is a block diagram 400 illustrating the details of a digital processing system 400 in which various aspects of the present disclosure are operative by execution of appropriate software instructions. The Digital processing system 400 may correspond to computing devices 104-106 (or any other system in which the various features disclosed above can be implemented). [0029] Digital processing system 400 may contain one or more processors such as a central processing unit (CPU) 410, random access memory (RAM) 420, secondary memory 427, graphics controller 460, display unit 470, network interface 480, and input interface 490. All the components except display unit 470 may communicate with each other over communication path 450, which may contain several buses as is well known in the relevant arts. The components of Figure 4 are described below in further detail.

[0030] CPU 410 may execute instructions stored in RAM 420 to provide several features of the present disclosure. CPU 410 may contain multiple processing units, with each processing unit potentially being designed for a specific task. Alternatively, CPU 410 may contain only a single general-purpose processing unit.

[0031] RAM 420 may receive instructions from secondary memory 430 using communication path 450. RAM 420 is shown currently containing software instructions, such as those used in threads and stacks, constituting shared environment 425 and/or user programs 426. Shared environment 425 includes operating systems, device drivers, virtual machines, etc., which provide a (common) run time environment for execution of user programs 426.

[0032] Graphics controller 460 generates display signals (e.g., in RGB format) to display unit 470 based on data/instructions received from CPU 410. Display unit 470 contains a display screen to display the images defined by the display signals. Input interface 490 may correspond to a keyboard and a pointing device (e.g., touch-pad, mouse) and may be used to provide inputs. Network interface 480 provides connectivity to a network (e.g., using Internet Protocol), and may be used to communicate with other systems (such as those shown in Figure 1, network 108) connected to the network.

[0033] Secondary memory 430 may contain hard drive 435, flash memory 436, and removable storage drive 437. Secondary memory 430 may store the data software instructions (e.g., for performing the actions noted above with respect to the Figures), which enable digital processing system 400 to provide several features in accordance with the present disclosure. [0034] Some or all of the data and instructions may be provided on removable storage unit 440, and the data and instructions may be read and provided by removable storage drive 437 to CPU 410. Floppy drive, magnetic tape drive, CD-ROM drive, DVD Drive, Flash memory, removable memory chip (PCMCIA Card, EEPROM) are examples of such removable storage drive 437.

[0035] Removable storage unit 440 may be implemented using medium and storage format compatible with removable storage drive 437 such that removable storage drive 437 can read the data and instructions. Thus, removable storage unit 440 includes a computer readable (storage) medium having stored therein computer software and/or data. However, the computer (or machine, in general) readable medium can be in other forms (e.g., non-removable, random access, etc.).

[0036] In this document, the term "computer program product" is used to generally refer to removable storage unit 440 or hard disk installed in hard drive 435. These computer program products are means for providing software to digital processing system 400. CPU 410 may retrieve the software instructions, and execute the instructions to provide various features of the present disclosure described above.

[0037] The term "storage media/medium" as used herein refers to any non-transitory media that store data and/or instructions that cause a machine to operate in a specific fashion. Such storage media may comprise non-volatile media and/or volatile media. Non-volatile media includes, for example, optical disks, magnetic disks, or solid-state drives, such as storage memory 430. Volatile media includes dynamic memory, such as RAM 430. Common forms of storage media include, for example, a floppy disk, a flexible disk, hard disk, solid-state drive, magnetic tape, or any other magnetic data storage medium, a CD-ROM, any other optical data storage medium, any physical medium with patterns of holes, a RAM, a PROM, and EPROM, a FLASH-EPROM, NVRAM, any other memory chip or cartridge.

[0038] Storage media is distinct from but may be used in conjunction with transmission media. Transmission media participates in transferring information between storage media. For example, transmission media includes coaxial cables, copper wire and fiber optics, including the wires that comprise bus 450. Transmission media can also take the form of acoustic or light waves, such as those generated during radio-wave and infra-red data communications.

[0039] Reference throughout this specification to "one embodiment", "an embodiment", or similar language means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present disclosure. Thus, appearances of the phrases "in one embodiment", "in an embodiment" and similar language throughout this specification may, but do not necessarily, all refer to the same embodiment.

[0040] Furthermore, the described features, structures, or characteristics of the disclosure may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. In the above description, numerous specific details are provided such as examples of programming, software modules, user selections, network transactions, database queries, database structures, hardware modules, hardware circuits, hardware chips, etc., to provide a thorough understanding of embodiments of the disclosure.

[0041] Although the present disclosure has been described in terms of certain preferred embodiments and illustrations thereof, other embodiments and modifications to preferred embodiments may be possible that are within the principles and spirit of the invention. The above descriptions and figures are therefore to be regarded as illustrative and not restrictive.

[0042] Thus the scope of the present disclosure is defined by the appended claims and includes both combinations and sub combinations of the various features described herein above as well as variations and modifications thereof, which would occur to persons skilled in the art upon reading the foregoing description.

Claims

CLAIMS What is claimed is:

1. A time management system for providing benefits, comprising: a service platform configured to contribute a plurality of benefits to a plurality of consumers for spending time with a plurality of merchants based on specified time intervals, wherein the plurality of consumers permitted to provide a plurality of credentials to the service platform; a plurality of computing devices configured to allow a plurality of actions with the plurality of merchants on the service platform by the plurality of consumers, whereby the service platform configured to generate a plurality of notifications to the plurality of computing devices for spending time with the plurality of merchants based on the specified time intervals; wherein the plurality computing devices comprising the plurality merchant computing devices and the plurality of consumer computing devices.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of notifications comprises the plurality of benefits.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the service platform further comprises a registration module configured to allow a plurality of registrations by providing the plurality of credentials.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the service platform further comprises an access module configured to access the plurality of consumers based on a plurality of received registration communications to the plurality of computing devices.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the service platform further comprises a display module configured to display the plurality of merchants along with the plurality of benefits based on a plurality of locations and performing search by the plurality of consumers.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of consumers are allowed to select a plurality of things on the service platform from a plurality of lists offered by the plurality of merchants.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the service platform further comprises an identity generating module configured to generate a plurality of identities for the selected plurality of things.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the service platform further comprises a time measuring module configured to measure the spending time of the plurality of consumers with the plurality of merchants based on the specified time intervals.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the service platform further comprises a notification generating module configured to generate the plurality of notifications to the plurality of consumers and the plurality of merchants for spending time with the plurality of merchants based on the specified time intervals.

10. A method for contributing benefits, comprising: allowing a plurality of registrations of a plurality of consumers by a registration module, wherein the registration module permitting the plurality of registrations by a plurality of credentials provided by the plurality of consumers; accessing the plurality of consumers by an accessing module based on a plurality of received registration communications to a plurality of computing devices; displaying a plurality of merchants along with benefits based on a plurality of locations and performing search by a displaying module on the plurality of computing devices; selecting a plurality of things after selecting the plurality of merchants; generating a plurality of identities for the selected plurality of things by the identity generating module; measuring the spending time of the plurality of consumers with the plurality of merchants based on the specified time intervals by the time measuring module; and generating a plurality of notifications to the plurality of consumers for spending time with the plurality of merchants based on the specified time intervals, wherein the specified time intervals determining a plurality of benefits in the plurality of notifications to the plurality of consumers.