Attention economy for attention to messages, tasks and resources

US7918388B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Seriosity, Inc. · US

Inventors

• David Abecassis · Huntington, US
• Helen Cheng · Palo Alto, US
• Mark Phillips · Winchester, GB
• Leighton Read · Palo Alto, US
• Byron Reeves · Stanford, US
• Simon Roy · Los Altos, US
• Daniel Rubin · Somerville, US

Key dates

• Filing date: May 18, 2007
• Grant date: Apr 5, 2011
• Expiry date: Feb 2, 2030

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G06Q40/12
• WIPO field: IT methods for management
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

A centrally tracked artificial currency is provided within the context of an enterprise. This currency serves as a unit of account, medium of exchange, and store of value in a corporate “attention economy.” Users (typically coworkers) in the enterprise are allotted a base number of currency units, which they can earn, exchange, and spend in a variety of ways to signal importance and “purchase” attention of others, or priority for other organization resources. In one aspect, senders of messages can specify an amount of currency to be associated with the message, so that recipients can see the specified amount before deciding whether to read the message. Once such a system is in use, it facilitates exchange of value based on user-created transactions regarding behavior, communication, resources, incentives, and priorities.