System and method for scanning a mobile computing device for installed applications

Abstract

Systems, methods, and computer-readable storage media for scanning a mobile computing device for applications produced by partnered entities and providing benefits when those applications are found. An exemplary system does this by accessing a list of applications and associating each application with a respective entity which has a rewards program linked to a specific entity. The system issues a request for application information of the applications which are installed on the mobile computing device, identifies applications that match the list of applications in the data record, and generates at least one notification based on the identified applications and the rewards program. The system then displays the at least one notification.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A method comprising:
 accessing, via an application on a mobile computing device installed on the mobile computing device, a data record stored on a database, the data record including a list of applications, and associating each application within the list of applications with a respective entity, the respective entity having a rewards program linked to a specific entity;   on a periodic basis via a processor of the mobile computing device:
 retrieving, from a Real Time Clock (RTC) within the mobile computing device, a current time and date; 
 comparing, via the processor, the current time and date to a previous time and date of a most recent search execution, resulting in a time since last search; and 
 when the time since last search exceeds a threshold amount of time associated with the periodic basis, replacing, within a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of the mobile computing device, the list of applications with an updated list of applications; 
   issuing a request, from the application to an operating system of the mobile computing device, for application information of applications installed on the mobile computing device;   analyzing the application information received from the operating system to identify applications that match the list of applications in the data record resulting in identified applications;   generating, via the processor, at least one notification based on the identified applications and the rewards program; and   displaying, via a display of the mobile computing device, the at least one notification.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the threshold amount of time is one of a day, a week, or a month. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the list of applications is limited to a maximum number of possible applications. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the maximum number of possible applications is fifty. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 prior to receiving the list of applications and executing the search, displaying a prompt via a display of the mobile computing device, the prompt requesting permission to download the list of applications and execute the search.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the executing of the search occurs when the application is updated. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the list of applications comprises URL (Uniform Resource Locator) prefixes associated with known applications. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 comparing the application information to the list of applications, resulting in found applications and missing applications;   identifying, via the processor based on the found applications, a category of applications found on the mobile computing device;   identifying, via the processor based on the list of applications, the missing applications, and the category, potential rewards associated with a missing application belonging to the category; and   generating, via the processor, a message regarding the potential rewards.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 comparing the application information to the list of applications, resulting in found applications and missing applications;   identifying, via the processor based on the found applications, a category of applications found on the mobile computing device;   retrieving, via the processor, a payment mechanism associated with an owner of the mobile computing device;   identifying, via the processor based the category and the payment mechanism, potential rewards associated with a different payment mechanism; and   generating, via the processor, a message regarding the potential rewards.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving, at the processor, a list of rewards provided by the rewards program, wherein the list of rewards is periodically updated.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 modifying, via the processor modifying instructions stored within the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, at least one of the executing of the search, the generating of the at least one notification, or the displaying of the at least one notification, based on behavior of at least one user to at least one previous notification.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the database stores:
 the list of applications;   a current list of entities respectively associated with each application in the list of applications; and   the rewards program, wherein each entity in the list of entities has specific rewards offered for using the application associated with the respective entity.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein:
 each entity in the list of entities is categorized into at least one category within a plurality of categories; and   wherein the rewards program rewards for each entity in the list of entities are based, at least in part, on the at least one category to which each entity is categorized.   
     
     
         14 . A system comprising:
 a processor;   a display; and   a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having instructions stored which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:
 downloading, from a remotely located computer, a list of applications, wherein each application within the list of applications is a separately operating a computer algorithm which can be stored within the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, and wherein each application within the list of applications is associated with a shared a rewards program linked to a given entity; 
 identifying, within the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, installed applications from the list of applications, resulting in found applications and missing applications; 
 generating at least one message based on at least one of the found applications and the missing applications; and 
 displaying, via the display, the at least one message. 
   
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 a Real Time Clock (RTC), and   wherein the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having additional instructions stored which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:   retrieving, via the RTC a current time; and   periodically replacing, within the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, the list of applications with an updated list of applications based on the current time.   
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the list of applications is limited to fifty possible applications. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 14 , the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having additional instructions stored which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:
 prior to executing the downloading of the list of applications and the identifying of the installed applications, requesting permission, via the display, to download the list of applications and identify the installed applications.   
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 14 , the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having additional instructions stored which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:
 identifying, based on the found applications, categories of applications found;   identifying, via the processor based on the list of applications, the missing applications, and the categories of applications found, unclaimed rewards associated with a missing application, the missing application falling within at least one of the categories of applications found; and   generating a notification regarding the unclaimed rewards.   
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 14 , the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having additional instructions stored which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:
 modifying instructions stored within the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, at least one of the downloading, the identifying, or the generating of the at least one message based on machine learning results from at least one previous message.   
     
     
         20 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having instructions stored which, when executed by a computing device, cause the computing device to perform operations comprising:
 downloading, from a server, a list of applications, wherein each application within the list of applications is a separately operating a computer algorithm which can be stored within the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, and wherein each application within the list of applications is associated with a shared a rewards program linked to a given entity;   detecting, within the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, installed applications from the list of applications, resulting in the installed applications and not-installed applications;   generating at least one message based on at least one of the installed applications and the not-installed applications; and   displaying the at least one message.