Patents by Inventor Heather Cornwell Gray

Heather Cornwell Gray has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 8694370
    Abstract: Embodiments in accordance with the present invention relate to incentive programs awarding loyalty points based at least in part upon the number of miles driven in a motor vehicle. Reward points may be earned by having the vehicle serviced at authorized locations. At the time of servicing, the authorized location notes a current vehicle odometer reading, and the odometer reading is communicated to an administrator of the loyalty program. The odometer reading is used to calculate a number of miles driven since the last authorized servicing, and the number of mile driven is then converted into loyalty points to be credited to a consumer of the vehicle. Thus, incentives for servicing only at authorized locations are provided to the consumer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2014
    Assignee: Visa U.S.A. Inc.
    Inventors: Frank R. Pender, Heather Cornwell Gray, Douglas C. Leighton
  • Publication number: 20120245992
    Abstract: Embodiments in accordance with the present invention relate to incentive programs awarding loyalty points based at least in part upon the number of miles driven in a motor vehicle. Reward points may be earned by having the vehicle serviced at authorized locations. At the time of servicing, the authorized location notes a current vehicle odometer reading, and the odometer reading is communicated to an administrator of the loyalty program. The odometer reading is used to calculate a number of miles driven since the last authorized servicing, and the number of mile driven is then converted into loyalty points to be credited to a consumer of the vehicle. Thus, incentives for servicing only at authorized locations are provided to the consumer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2012
    Publication date: September 27, 2012
    Inventors: Frank R. Pender, Heather Cornwell Gray, Douglas C. Leighton
  • Patent number: 8170911
    Abstract: Embodiments in accordance with the present invention relate to incentive programs awarding loyalty points based at least in part upon the number of miles driven in a motor vehicle. In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, reward points can be earned by having the vehicle serviced at authorized locations, such as a dealership. At the time of servicing, the authorized location notes the current vehicle odometer reading, and this odometer reading is communicated to an administrator of the loyalty program. The odometer reading in turn serves as the basis for calculating the number of miles driven since the last authorized servicing, and for conversion of this mileage figure into loyalty points to be credited to the owner, lessor, or renter of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2012
    Assignee: Visa U.S.A. Inc.
    Inventors: Frank R. Pender, Heather Cornwell Gray, Douglas C. Leighton