US 12,086,741 B2
Incentivized crowd funding system for internal innovation by an organization
Audrey A. Sherman, Woodbury, MN (US); Robert R. Kieschke, Woodbury, MN (US); Frank J. Sherman, Woodbury, MN (US); Mario A. Perez, Burnsville, MN (US); Raymond P. Johnston, Lake Elmo, MN (US); and Kandyce M. Bohannon, White Bear Lake, MN (US)
Assigned to Solventum Intellectual Properties Company, Maplewood, MN (US)
Filed by Solventum Intellectual Properties Company, Maplewood, MN (US)
Filed on Dec. 14, 2020, as Appl. No. 17/120,651.
Application 17/120,651 is a division of application No. 15/151,676, filed on May 11, 2016, granted, now 10,896,391.
Prior Publication US 2021/0097460 A1, Apr. 1, 2021
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. G06Q 40/00 (2023.01); G06Q 10/0631 (2023.01); G06Q 30/0207 (2023.01); G06Q 30/0279 (2023.01)
CPC G06Q 10/06311 (2013.01) [G06Q 30/0239 (2013.01); G06Q 30/0279 (2013.01)] 17 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A computer-implemented method of presenting gauges for use in crowd funding for innovation, comprising steps of:
presenting a user interface on an electronic display device, the user interface displaying an identification of a proposal for a project;
displaying within the user interface a time gauge visually indicating an amount of time remaining to obtain a requested amount of funds for the project;
displaying within the user interface a funds gauge visually indicating a total amount of funds contributed by one or more contributors at a particular time for funding the project;
displaying within the user interface a bank gauge visually indicating an amount of funds available from a bank to the one or more contributors that are eligible to make contributions to fund the project, wherein the bank gauge also displays the amount of funds available as provided by an entity that is entitled to received transfer of ownership of the project;
receiving from the bank one or more contributions by contributors eligible to make contributions to fund the project;
displaying changes in the funds gauge and the bank gauge responsive to the receiving of the one or more contributions during the amount of time remaining to obtain the requested amount of funds, where the displayed changes in the funds gauge and the bank gauge correspond with the received contributions;
converting the contributions to coin according to first conversion rates based on types of currencies and second conversion rates based on a country where each of the contributors is based, wherein the coin is an artificial monetary amount representing an actual amount of money;
displaying the funds gauge visually indicating the converted contributions;
when the amount of time remaining to obtain a requested amount of funds for the project has concluded:
determining whether the project has been successfully funded based on criteria specific to the project;
when it is determined that the project has been successfully funded and funded in part by contributions converted to coin:
converting received contributions from coin to each of the contributor's respective currencies using at least one of the first and second conversion rates; and
disbursing funds to each of the contributors in the contributor's respective currencies using an electronic transfer of funds.