Method and system for embedding a portable and customizable incentive application on a website

Abstract

An embodiment of the present invention is described that includes an incentive application for providing incentives to a visitor of a site. The incentive application is both portable onto other sites and is customizable on each site to the information provided on the site.

1 . A computer system connected to a data network comprising:
 a processor;   a memory;   an incentive application logic resident in the memory and executed by the processor configured to:
 provide an incentive application to be embedded in a first network site and viewed by a first user; 
 provide a second network site to be accessed by a second user; 
 receive customization information from the second user; 
 update the incentive application embedded in the first network site based on the customization information received; 
 wherein the customization information includes:
 one or more incentive components to be included in the embedded incentive application; and 
 one or more actions by the first user to be incentivized. 
 
   
     
     
         2 . The computer system of  claim 1 , wherein the second user is a privileged user. 
     
     
         3 . The computer system of  claim 2 , wherein the second user uses a password to authenticate itself as a privileged user. 
     
     
         4 . The computer system of  claim 2 , wherein the first user is not a privileged user. 
     
     
         5 . The computer system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more incentive components can include one or more of the following: points, leaderboards, levels, achievements, avatars, virtual rooms, friend-lists, structure profiles, games, access codes, friend invitations, notifications, blogs, message boards, catalogs, chat rooms, and media sharing. 
     
     
         6 . The computer system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more user actions to be incentivized include one or more of visiting the first network site, purchasing goods on the first network site, purchasing services on the first network site, and viewing information on a first network site. 
     
     
         7 . The computer system of  claim 1 , wherein the incentive application logic is configured to provide the second user with a list of incentive components for customization. 
     
     
         8 . The computer system of  claim 1 , wherein the list of incentive components for customization includes one or more of points, leaderboards, levels, achievements, avatars, virtual rooms, friend-lists, structure profiles, games, access codes, friend invitations, notifications, blogs, message boards, catalogs, chat rooms, and media sharing. 
     
     
         9 . The computer system of  claim 1  wherein the incentive application logic is configured to provide the second user with a list of actions to be incentivized for customization. 
     
     
         10 . The computer system of  claim 10 , wherein the list of actions to be incentivized includes one of more of visiting the first network site, purchasing goods on the first network site, purchasing services on the first network site, and viewing information on a first network site. 
     
     
         11 . A computer system configured to provide:
 a first incentive screen located on a first site;   a second incentive screen located on a second site;   a third site comprising a portable incentive application that generates content for the incentive screens on the first and second sites;   wherein the first incentive screen on the first site provide incentives to viewers of the first site for visiting and interacting with the first site and the second incentive screen on the second site provides incentives to viewers of the second site for visiting and interacting with the second site.   
     
     
         12 . The computer system of  claim 11 , wherein the first and second incentive screens can be independently customized by a user of the third site. 
     
     
         13 . The computer system of  claim 11 , wherein the first incentive screen is embedded on the first site. 
     
     
         14 . The computer system of  claim 11 , wherein the first incentive screen includes a game. 
     
     
         15 . The computer system of  claim 11 , wherein the first incentive screen includes a leaderboard. 
     
     
         16 . The computer system of  claim 11 , wherein the first incentive screen includes points earn by the viewer of the first site. 
     
     
         17 . The computer system of  claim 11 , wherein the first incentive screen includes achievements accomplished by the viewers of the first site. 
     
     
         18 . The computer system of  claim 11 , wherein the first incentive screen includes an avatar of the viewers of the first site. 
     
     
         19 . The computer system of  claim 11 , wherein the first incentive screen includes a progress bar. 
     
     
         20 . The computer system of  claim 11 , wherein the first incentive screen includes a quest list.