System and method for managing content delivery and measuring engagement

Abstract

A system, method and apparatus are provided to combine a casino or lottery player club with a system that provides a unified platform and middleware for the production, delivery, management and measurement of consumer engagement across multiple delivery mechanisms, networks, applications, platforms and marketing channels. The gambling establishment is thereby able to gather valuable player engagement data, build player profiles, and determine how to most effectively cost effectively reach, entertain and influence the behavior of their most valuable consumers.

1 . A computer implemented method for managing interactive user engagement, the method comprising the acts of:
 registering, over a computer network, a user for a user account;   associating, by a computer system, an external account with the user account;   determining, by the computer system, eligibility of the user to receive content;   identifying, by the computer system, at least one delivery channel, wherein the delivery channel conveys a communication configured to provide the content in a perceptible form to the user;   delivering the content to the user over the at least one delivery channel; and   tracking, by the computer system, content associated activity.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the external account comprises a third party service, and further requires user identification to access the third party service. 
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the act of associating, by the computer system, the external account with the user account includes an act of generating the external account on behalf of the user. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 3 , wherein the external account comprises a user reward account. 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising an act of establishing a user profile associated with a user account. 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising an act of permitting a user to define preference information associated with the at least one delivery channel. 
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising an act of establishing preference information associated with the at least one delivery channel. 
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 7 , further comprising an act of recording preference information associated with the at least one delivery channel with a user profile. 
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the act of registering, over a computer network, the user for the user account includes an act of providing for generation of an external account for the user. 
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 9 , wherein the act of providing for generation of an external account for the user includes transmitting user information to an external account generation system. 
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 10 , wherein the external account generation system includes at least one of a casino management system and a lottery management system. 
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising an act of requesting the user to identify external accounts during registration. 
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 5 , further comprising an act of scoring the user based at least in part of information associated with the user account. 
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising an act of updating the user account with information associated with the user. 
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 5 , further comprising an act of updating the user profile with information associated with the user, wherein the information associated with the user includes at least one of demographic information, user activity occurring at a gambling location, user activity occurring at an affiliated location, user activity occurring at a redemption location, user online activity, and user offline activity. 
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the act of identifying, by the computer system, the at least one delivery channel includes an act of determining a preferred delivery channel. 
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein the preferred delivery channel is assigned by the computer system. 
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein the preferred delivery channel is defined according to the content delivered. 
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein the preferred delivery channel is determined dynamically. 
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein the preferred delivery channel is determined dynamically based at least in part on at least one of a calculation of return, a prediction of return, the user profile, and user profile and user behavior. 
     
     
         21 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the act of identifying, by the computer system, the at least one delivery channel includes determining at least one of a jurisdictional limitation, a user preference, a scoring based on user associated information, a selection based on content associated information, a probability of engagement, and a prediction of engagement. 
     
     
         22 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising an act of associating a delivery channel with the user. 
     
     
         23 . The method according to  claim 22 , further comprising an act of creating a unique identifier for the delivery channel. 
     
     
         24 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising an act of classifying the delivery channel. 
     
     
         25 . The method according to  claim 20 , further comprising an act of creating a channel profile. 
     
     
         26 . The method according to  claim 24 , wherein the act of classifying the delivery channel includes an act of storing historical activity information associated with delivered content. 
     
     
         27 . The method according to  claim 26 , wherein the historical activity information includes information on success of delivery of the content, timing of access to the content, and timing of redemption of the content. 
     
     
         28 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising an act of classifying the content. 
     
     
         29 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising an act of associating the content with the at least one delivery channel. 
     
     
         30 . The method according to  claim 29 , wherein the act of associating the content with the at least one delivery channel includes an act of identifying a delivery channel used with the content. 
     
     
         31 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the act of delivering the content to the user over the at least one delivery channel includes an act of packing the content for delivery. 
     
     
         32 . The method according to  claim 31 , wherein the act of packing the content for delivery includes an act of scaling the content. 
     
     
         33 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the act of tracking, by the computer system, content associated activity includes tracking metrics associated with successful delivery of the content. 
     
     
         34 . The method according to  claim 33 , wherein the act of tracking, by the computer system, content associated activity includes tracking a success as access to the content by the user. 
     
     
         35 . The method according to  claim 33 , wherein the act of tracking, by the computer system, content associated activity includes tracking a success as redemption of the content by the user. 
     
     
         36 . The method according to  claim 33 , wherein the act of tracking, by the computer system, content associated activity includes accepting information from external accounts. 
     
     
         37 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising an act of generating an optimal engagement path for a user. 
     
     
         38 . The method according to  claim 20 , wherein the calculation of return includes a determination of cost of delivery, probability of redemption, and value of redemption. 
     
     
         39 . The method according to  claim 20 , wherein the prediction of return includes a prediction of cost of delivery, of redemption, and value of redemption. 
     
     
         40 . A method for determining an optimal engagement path for content delivery to at least one user, the method comprising:
 establishing at least one delivery channel for communicating with the at least one user;   delivery content to the at least one user over the at least one delivery channel;   tracking successful delivery to the at least one user over the at least one delivery channel; and   determining an optimal delivery path for any content.   
     
     
         41 . A system for managing interactive user engagement, the system comprising:
 a registration component configured to register a user for a user account;   an association component configured to associated an external account with the user account;   an eligibility component configured to determine eligibility of the user to receive content;   a selection component configured to identify at least one delivery channel, wherein the delivery channel conveys a communication configured to provide the content in a perceptible form to the user;   a transmission component configured to deliver the content to the user over the at least one delivery channel; and   a tracking component configured to track content associated activity.   
     
     
         42 . A system for determining an optimal engagement path for content delivery to at least one user, the system comprising:
 a registration component configured to establish at least one delivery channel for communicating with the at least one user;   a transmission component configured to deliver content to the at least one user over the at least one delivery channel;   a tracking component for identifying successful delivery to the at least one user over the at least one delivery channel; and   an optimization component configured to determine an optimal delivery path for any content.