{
  "patent_number": "US 12431234",
  "country": "US",
  "title": "How Apps Use Timed Content to Enforce Health Behavior Changes",
  "original_title": "Enforced content interaction timing for lifestyle and health related behavior change",
  "summary": "A system for health apps that locks users out of missed daily lessons and forces them to move forward to the next scheduled module instead of catching up.",
  "what_it_does": "This patent describes a software mechanism that forces users to follow a strict chronological schedule for health-related content, such as smoking cessation programs. If a user fails to access a specific module during its designated 'active' window, the system locks that content permanently. When the user tries to access the missed content later, an 'enforcement module' blocks them and notifies them that the module is no longer available. The system then directs the user to wait for the next scheduled module, ensuring the user stays on a predefined path rather than skipping or delaying lessons.",
  "what_it_does_not_cover": [
    "Does not cover systems that allow users to access missed content at any time (on-demand learning).",
    "Does not cover health behavior programs that do not use a time-locked enforcement mechanism.",
    "Does not cover manual overrides where a user can unlock previous modules by contacting support.",
    "Does not cover general notification systems that simply remind users to complete a task without blocking access."
  ],
  "filed": "2021-12-20",
  "granted": "2025-09-30",
  "expires": null,
  "status": "active",
  "holder": "McNeil AB",
  "holder_url": "https://patentbrief.org/company/mcneil-ab",
  "inventors": [
    {
      "name": "Danielle Giuseffi",
      "url": "https://patentbrief.org/inventor/danielle-giuseffi"
    },
    {
      "name": "Sophie Edgar",
      "url": "https://patentbrief.org/inventor/sophie-edgar"
    },
    {
      "name": "Desislava Ivanova",
      "url": "https://patentbrief.org/inventor/desislava-ivanova"
    },
    {
      "name": "Ming Dong",
      "url": "https://patentbrief.org/inventor/ming-dong"
    },
    {
      "name": "Kevin J. Wildenhaus",
      "url": "https://patentbrief.org/inventor/kevin-j-wildenhaus"
    },
    {
      "name": "Justin Mellinger",
      "url": "https://patentbrief.org/inventor/justin-mellinger"
    }
  ],
  "times_cited": 1,
  "tags": [
    "software",
    "ai_ml",
    "consumer_electronics"
  ],
  "abstract": "A computing device may be configured for user interaction with specific timing mechanisms and access rules that may improve a user's preparedness for and ultimate success with a behavior change effort, such as smoking cessation, healthy eating, and/or behaviors to promote a healthy pregnancy. The computing device may include a processor that executes an enforcement module on the condition that both a user attempts to access a first content-interaction module between the first end time on a first scheduled date and a second start time on a second scheduled date and the user did not attempt to access the first content-interaction module between the first start time on the first scheduled date and the first end time on the first scheduled date. The enforcement module may indicate that the first content-interaction module is no longer available and that a second content-interaction module will become available on the second scheduled date.",
  "url": "https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/12431234/raptor-cost",
  "markdown_url": "https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/12431234/raptor-cost/md",
  "google_patents_url": "https://patents.google.com/patent/US12431234",
  "relatedPatents": []
}