METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR REWARD POINTS REDEMPTION FOR COMPUTER-BASED ACTIVITY
A system and method for operating a reward points accumulation and redemption program wherein a user earns reward points from a plurality of reward points issuing entities, each of the reward points issuing entities tracking the user's earned reward points in a user reward point account stored on a rewards server. A trading server accumulates the user's earned reward points from each of the reward servers interconnected over a network in association with consideration provided by the reward servers to the trading server and credits the accumulated points into a reward exchange account associated with the user. The user may then select an item for purchase from a merchant computer interconnected to the network. The merchant computer provides the item to the user in exchange for consideration received from said trading server, and the trading server reduces the number of points in the user's reward exchange account in accordance with the consideration provided to the merchant computer.
1 - 29 . (canceled)
30 . A method of using reward points to pay for services comprising the steps of:
a. maintaining a reward point account on behalf of a user;
b. the user engaging in a computer-based activity;
c. enabling the user to have access to said computer-based activity in exchange for automatic redemption of at least some of the user's reward points from the reward point account.
31 . The method of claim 30 wherein the user engages in a computer-based activity during a flight provided by an airline, wherein access to said computer-based activity is controlled by the airline.
32 . The method of claim 30 wherein said computer-based activity comprises access to the Internet
33 . The method of claim 30 wherein said computer-based activity comprises playing a game.
34 . The method of claim 30 wherein said computer-based activity comprises access to email services.
35 . The method of claim 30 wherein said computer-based activity comprises entertainment services.
36 . The method of claim 30 wherein said computer-based activity comprises connection of a stand-alone computing device to an interface port.
37 . The method of claim 30 wherein said computer-based activity comprises wireless access to external services.
38 . The method of claim 30 wherein said computer-based activity comprises access to a fax machine.
39 . The method of claim 30 wherein said computer-based activity comprises access to a printer.
40 . The method of claim 30 wherein the step of enabling the user to have access to said computer-based activity in exchange for automatic redemption of at least some of the user's reward points comprises reducing the number of reward points in the reward point account based on the type of computer-based activity engaged by the user.
41 . The method of claim 30 wherein the step of enabling the user to have access to said computer-based activity in exchange for automatic redemption of at least some of the user's reward points comprises reducing the number of reward points in the reward point account based on the duration of use of the computer-based activity engaged by the user.
42 . The method of claim 30 wherein the step of enabling the user to have access to said computer-based activity in exchange for automatic redemption of at least some of the user's reward points comprises periodically reducing the number of reward points in the reward point account in real time as the user engages in the computer-based activity.
43 . The method of claim 31 wherein the step of enabling the user to have access to said computer-based activity in exchange for automatic redemption of at least some of the user's reward points comprises the step of transferring, prior to the flight, the balance of the reward point account to a local controller.
44 . The method of claim 43 further comprising the steps of:
reconnecting, after landing the flight, the local controller to the reward point account, and
modifying the reward point account based on the computer-based activity engaged by the user,
whereby the user is able to continue to acquire and redeem reward points with the reward point account after the flight has been completed.
45 . The method of claim 30 wherein reward points are deposited into the reward point account by a reward point issuer based on transactions incurred by the user with the rewards point issuer.
46 . The method of claim 30 wherein the reward points comprise frequent flyer miles.
47 . The method of claim 30 wherein different types of computer-based activities are available to the user as a function of the number of reward points redeemed.
48 . The method of claim 30 wherein reward points are exchanged into the reward point account from a plurality of different reward point accounts.
49 . The method of claim 30 wherein payment for the computer-based activity is partially with reward points redemption and partially with other consideration.
50 . The method of claim 30 further comprising the steps of the user logging in to enable engaging in the computer-based activity and cause the automatic redemption of at least some of the user's reward points from the reward point account.
51 . A computer-based reward point system comprising:
a. a reward point account server computer comprising means for storing a reward point account maintained on behalf of a user;
b. means for allowing a user to engage in a computer-based activity;
c. means for enabling the user to have access to said computer-based activity in exchange for automatic redemption of at least some of the user's reward points from the reward point account.
52 . The system of claim 51 wherein said means for allowing a user to engage in a computer-based activity are comprised on an airplane and wherein access to said computer-based activity occurs during a flight and is controlled by the airline.
53 . The system of claim 51 wherein said computer-based activity comprises access to the Internet.
54 . The system of claim 51 wherein said computer-based activity comprises playing a video game.
55 . The system of claim 51 wherein said computer-based activity comprises access to email services.
56 . The system of claim 51 wherein said computer-based activity comprises entertainment services.
57 . The system of claim 51 wherein said computer-based activity comprises connection of a stand-alone computing device to an interface port of the aircraft.
58 . The system of claim 51 wherein said computer-based activity comprises wireless access to external services.
59 . The system of claim 51 wherein said computer-based activity comprises access to a fax machine.
60 . The system of claim 51 wherein said computer-based activity comprises access to a printer.
61 . The system of claim 51 wherein the means for enabling the user to have access to said computer-based activity in exchange for automatic redemption of at least some of the user's reward points from the reward point account comprises means for reducing the number of reward points in the reward point account based on the type of computer-based activity engaged by the user.
62 . The system of claim 51 wherein the means for enabling the user to have access to said computer-based activity in exchange for automatic redemption of at least some of the user's reward points from the reward point account comprises means for reducing the number of reward points in the reward point account based on the duration of use of the computer-based activity engaged by the user.
63 . The system of claim 51 wherein the means for enabling the user to have access to said computer-based activity in exchange for automatic redemption of at least some of the user's reward points from the reward point account comprises means for periodically reducing the number of reward points in the reward point account in real time as the user engages in the computer-based activity.
64 . The system of claim 52 wherein the means for enabling the user to have access to said computer-based activity in exchange for automatic redemption of at least some of the user's reward points from the reward point account comprises means for transferring, prior to the flight, the balance of the user account to a local controller.
65 . The system of claim 64 further comprising means for
reconnecting, after the flight, the local controller to the reward point account, and
modifying the reward point account based on the computer-based activity engaged by the user,
whereby the user is able to continue to acquire and redeem reward points with the reward point account after the flight has been completed.
66 . The system of claim 51 wherein reward points are deposited into the reward point account by a reward point issuer based on transactions incurred by the user with the rewards point issuer.
67 . The system of claim 51 wherein the reward points comprise frequent flyer miles.
68 . The system of claim 51 wherein different types of computer-based activities are available to the user as a function of the number of reward points redeemed.
69 . The system of claim 51 wherein reward points are exchanged into the reward point account from a plurality of different reward point accounts.
70 . The system of claim 51 wherein payment for the computer-based activity is partially with reward points redemption and partially with other consideration.
71 . The system of claim 51 further comprising means for the user to log in to enable engaging in the computer-based activity and cause the automatic redemption of at least some of the user's reward points from the reward point account.