Methods for Developing Customer Loyalty Programs and Related Systems and Devices

Abstract

In some aspects, methods for measuring a level of usage of one or more replaceable consumable components within a material processing system can include detecting a type of consumable component in use within a processing device of the material processing system; determining, using a computing system, if the type of consumable component in use is a specific type of consumable component; and determining, using the computing system, a usage ratio of the specific type of consumable component used relative to other types of consumable components used within the processing device during a cumulative time period of use of the material processing system.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A method for validating customer characteristics associated with a user's usage of one or more replaceable consumable components within a material processing system, the method comprising:
 detecting, using a computing system, a usage of the one or more replaceable consumable components within the material processing system;   obtaining, over a communication network, a usage metric for the material processing system from the computing system, the usage metric for the material processing system being associated with the one or more replaceable consumable components used within the material processing system and based on identification of the consumable components installed in the material processing system during operation;   comparing, using the computing system, the usage metric to a threshold usage metric; and   determining, based on the comparing the usage metric to a threshold usage metric, if the user's usage indicates a selected level of customer usage.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the obtaining the usage metric includes determining a frequency of use of a particular type of consumable. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the comparing the usage metric includes determining a ratio that the particular type of consumable component is used relative to a total usage of the material processing system. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the comparing the usage metric includes determining whether or not a consumable component of a predetermined type is installed in the material processing system during usage. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4  wherein the determining whether or not a consumable component of the predetermined type is installed within the material processing system during usage includes identifying the consumable component installed in the material processing system by communicating with a signal device disposed in or on the consumable component. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the obtaining the usage metric includes communicating with the consumable component during use. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6  wherein the communicating with the consumable component during use includes obtaining system operating parameters of one or more uses of the material processing system. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising, responsive to determining that the user's usage indicates a predetermined level of customer usage, providing a user with one or more benefits. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising receiving information relating to usage of the processing device during one or more previous operation sequences. 
     
     
         10 . A method for measuring a level of usage of one or more replaceable consumable components within a material processing system, the method comprising:
 detecting a type of consumable component in use within a processing device of the material processing system;   determining, using a computing system, if the type of consumable component in use is a specific type of consumable component; and   determining, using the computing system, a usage ratio of the specific type of consumable component used relative to other types of consumable components used within the processing device during a cumulative time period of use of the material processing system.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10  wherein the determining the usage ratio includes transferring information regarding the type of consumable component in use to an external computing device that is configured to determine the usage ratio. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10  wherein the detecting the type of consumable component comprises communicating with a signal device disposed in or on the consumable component. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10  wherein the specific type of consumable component comprises a particular manufacturer or OEM type or channel source. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10  wherein the determining the usage ratio comprises determining a frequency of use of the specific type of consumable component relative to a frequency of use of consumable components that are not of the specific type. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 10  wherein the determining the usage ratio comprises repeatedly determining whether or not a consumable component of the specific type is installed in the material processing system during usage. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15  wherein the determining whether or not a consumable component of the specific type is installed in the material processing system during usage comprises communicating with a signal device disposed in or on the consumable component. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 10  further comprising supplying information relating to usage of the processing device to the material processing system. 
     
     
         18 . A material processing system comprising:
 a material processing system control unit configured to be operably connected to a processing device;   a consumable identification module in communication with the control unit, the consumable identification module being configured to detect a type of consumable component in use within a processing device of the material processing system;   a usage tracking module in communication with the control unit, the usage tracking module configured to determine a usage ratio of a predetermined type of consumable component used within the processing device relative to other types of consumable components used within the processing device during a cumulative time period of use of the material processing system; and   a communication module in communication with the control unit, the communication module being configured to provide over a communication network information regarding a usage ratio of the predetermined type of consumable component used within the material processing system.   
     
     
         19 . The material processing system of  claim 18  wherein the consumable identification module comprises a communication device configured to communicate with a consumable component during use. 
     
     
         20 . The material processing system of  claim 19  wherein the consumable identification module is disposed within the material processing device and is configured to communicate with a data tag disposed in or on the consumable component, the data tag comprising identifying information relating to the consumable component. 
     
     
         21 . The material processing system of  claim 20  wherein the communication module is configured to transmit information relating to the consumable component to the communication network. 
     
     
         22 . The material processing system of  claim 18  wherein the communication network comprises an Internet based cloud system configured to transmit material processing system usage information relating to the type of consumable components used to the third party. 
     
     
         23 . The material processing system of  claim 18  wherein the communication network comprises a mobile telecommunication system configured to transmit material processing system usage information relating to the type of consumable components used to the third party.