Platform for Providing Customizable User Brand Experiences

Abstract

A computer-readable medium encoded with instructions that, when executed by a server, establish processes, for performing a computer-implemented method of providing customizable brand experiences that include end-user physical world interaction that is defined by a brand using a programmable configuration. The processes include receiving and storing at a given one of at least two modules at the server, each module associated with at least one brand, a programmable pattern defining, on behalf of the at least one of the brands with which the module is associated, conditions upon which a potential set of trigger messages when received would cause a change in end-user data, from one state to another state, pertinent to a specific one of the end-users, such conditions defining customization of the given one of the modules.

1 . A computer-implemented method of operating a communications platform, the method comprising:
 providing a server-based logic engine, wherein the logic engine:   (a) is coupled to a storage system and coupled to a network via a universal event bus, wherein the storage system stores end-user data;   (b) has a trigger message input, coupled to the universal event bus;   (c) includes a module processor operative on a plurality of modules, each module being associated with at least one of a plurality of organizers, wherein at least one distinct module is associated with a distinct one of the organizers, each module storing a distinct programmable pattern defining conditions, upon which a received set of trigger messages would cause a change, from one state to another state, of a targeted end-user's data, the programmable pattern defining at least one trigger event the occurrence of which can be encoded by a trigger message, wherein, for each module being processed, the module processor operates on a distinct instantiation of such module for a corresponding end user having a device sending any one of the trigger messages in the set of trigger messages, the distinct instantiation reflecting the state of the corresponding one of a plurality of end-users with respect to the stored programmable pattern for such module;   receiving, over the universal event bus, at the trigger message input of the logic engine a set of trigger messages, the set of trigger messages including a Physical Trigger message from a device, of a particular one of the end-users, associated with an activity of the particular end-user;   processing, each of the trigger messages in the set of trigger messages to fetch module context information pertinent to such trigger message and transmitting such trigger message with the module context information to the module processor;   evaluating, by the module processor, such received trigger messages, based on the module context information, and in relation to the stored programmable pattern associated with a given module, to determine a corresponding change in state of the given module;   updating, by the module processor, based on the module context information, an instantiation of the given module associated with the particular one of the end-users to reflect this change in state; and   responsive to the change in state, providing automatically by the module processor, an outcome message as an output over the universal event bus to an outcome destination client.   
     
     
         2 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the set of trigger messages includes at least one trigger message, received over the network or as an interprocess communication within the server-based logic engine, in the group consisting of (i) a game event message from an electronically monitored game, (ii) a message, received from an application programming interface or via HTTP POST, pertinent to at least one brands; (iii) a message pertaining to purchase of an item that is distinct from the outcome message itself; and (iv) a message, received from the device of the particular one of the end-users pursuant to an application running on the device associated with the at least one of the organizers. 
     
     
         3 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises receiving and storing at a given one of the modules the programmable pattern includes receiving the programmable pattern through a graphical user interface that is used to define the programmable pattern graphically. 
     
     
         4 . A method according to  claim 3 , wherein instantiating the distinct instantiation of such module includes loading at least a portion of the stored programmable pattern as an input to the given one of the modules. 
     
     
         5 . A method according to  claim 3 , wherein receiving the programmable pattern includes receiving the pattern from a client computer, coupled to the server-based logic engine, operated by a representative of the at least one of the organizers, the client computer having the graphical user interface, wherein distinct graphical elements represent triggers, states, and the output, and manipulation of the graphical elements in relation to one another defines the programmable pattern. 
     
     
         6 . A method according to  claim 5 , wherein the programmable pattern is defined by (i) a set of icons that graphically represent nodes, wherein each node is a potential state, and a transition from one potential state to another potential state is indicated by a directed edge between two node icons; (ii) a set of pebbles, wherein a pebble placed on a selected node icon indicates a change in state of the node corresponding to the selected node icon, and wherein the set of deployed pebbles collectively represents a machine state of the given one of the modules; and (iii) a set of trigger receivers, each trigger receiver representing a distinct trigger message, wherein a given trigger receiver associated with a given directed edge between two node icons causes a pebble to move in the direction of the given directed edge from a first one of the two node icons to a second one of the two node icons on receipt of the trigger message associated with the given trigger receiver. 
     
     
         7 . A method according to  claim 6 , wherein each node is configurable to have 0 or more types and each distinct type of node performs a distinct action when such node changes state, as indicated by placement of a pebble thereon. 
     
     
         8 . A method according to  claim 6 , wherein a plurality of node icons may be arranged graphically in a group, and the group of nodes is deemed to be pebbled when a designated threshold number of node icons have been pebbled. 
     
     
         9 . A method according to  claim 2 , further comprising receiving by the server-based logic engine over the network a stream of sourced trigger messages from a server of a partnering organizer and relaying the stream of sourced trigger messages to an account of a subscribing organizer for use by the subscribing organizer with respect to at least one of the modules. 
     
     
         10 . A method according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 in connection with a trigger-monitorable activity, storing by the server-based logic engine a selection of a sponsoring organizer applicable to a participating end-user;   responsive to the stored sponsor selection, receiving by the server-based logic engine an activity trigger stream pertinent to the trigger-monitorable activity and relaying the received activity trigger stream to the account of the sponsoring organizer.   
     
     
         11 . A method according to  claim 10 , further comprising:
 before storing by the server-based logic engine the selection of a sponsoring organizer applicable to the participating end-user, receiving, by the server-based logic engine, the selection over a network from a device of the participating end-user.   
     
     
         12 . A method according to  claim 10 , further comprising:
 before storing by the server-based logic engine the selection of a sponsoring organizer applicable to the participating end-user, making the selection by the server-based logic engine.   
     
     
         13 . A method according to  claim 12 , wherein making the selection by the server-based logic engine includes evaluating by the server-based logic engine data characterizing bids received from an auction. 
     
     
         14 . A method according to  claim 10 , wherein the activity trigger stream is defined by a default set of triggers applicable to the trigger-monitorable activity. 
     
     
         15 . A method according to  claim 1 , the method further comprising:
 in connection with a trigger-monitorable activity that is a physical activity with respect to which participation can be measured by creating a trigger that, when fired by a specified end-user, indicates that the specified end-user is indeed participating in such activity, storing a selection of a sponsoring organizer applicable to the specified participating end-user; and   responsive to the stored sponsor selection, receiving by the server-based logic engine an activity trigger stream pertinent to the trigger-monitorable activity and relaying the received activity trigger stream to the account of the sponsoring organizer.   
     
     
         16 . A method according to  claim 15 , further comprising:
 before storing by the server-based logic engine the selection of a sponsoring organizer applicable to the specified participating end-user, receiving the selection by the server-based logic engine over a network from a device of the specified participating end-user.   
     
     
         17 . A method according to  claim 15 , further comprising:
 before storing by the server-based logic engine the selection of a sponsoring organizer applicable to the specified participating end-user, making the selection by the server-based logic engine.   
     
     
         18 . A method according to  claim 17 , wherein making the selection by the server-based logic engine includes evaluating by the server-based logic engine data characterizing bids received from an auction.