Device for reducing infections by rewarding infected individuals upon infection
A group agreement system with self-tests and rewards addresses inefficiencies in private infection prevention, enhancing compliance and reducing economic and health risks through voluntary participation and incentives.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- DE202025003389
- Authority / Receiving Office
- DE · DE
- Patent Type
- Utility models
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2025-11-07
- Publication Date
- 2026-01-08
- Estimated Expiration
- 2035-11-30
AI Technical Summary
Existing infection prevention measures are inefficient in private settings, as most infections occur there, and mandatory protocols like lockdowns and curfews are burdensome and ineffective, while reward systems are impractical due to cost and scope, leading to low compliance and high economic and health risks.
A group agreement system with video-documented self-tests and rewards for participants who adhere to quarantine and testing protocols, optimizing infection prevention by incentivizing voluntary participation and reducing the need for widespread mandatory measures.
Enhances infection prevention efficiency, reduces sick leave and economic damage, and motivates participants to comply with measures, potentially eliminating the need for mandatory vaccination by providing clear guidelines and cost-effective incentives.
Smart Images
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Abstract
Description
[0001] A pandemic, epidemic, or other period requiring measures to reduce the spread of infection can last for many months or even years, causing numerous deaths and significant economic damage. To mitigate the spread of infection, the government implements and offers many sensible measures, including the wearing of medical masks, social distancing, hygiene protocols, and vaccination programs.
[0002] Nevertheless, it is a scientifically confirmed fact that most infections occur in private settings, a problem that measures primarily affecting the public cannot solve. This leads to the complication that the average effectiveness in preventing infection is extremely low. Another problem is that with conventional infection prevention measures using long-term protocols, many people do not come into contact with infectious individuals at all, since, for example, with 10,000 infections per day nationally—that is, an infection rate of 80,000—statistically only one in every thousand contacts poses a risk of infection. Because many people do not have many contacts per day, they undertake burdensome infection prevention measures without ever encountering an infectious person.Another proven problem is that purely mandated measures like lockdowns and curfews do not significantly reduce infection rates, as demonstrated by the measures implemented in December 2020. The problem is that existing methods are based on burdens that are unattractive to users. Furthermore, a reward system for pandemics seems impossible, as rewarding all 83 million people would be too expensive. Ideally, only infected individuals and their household members would implement infection prevention measures, while the vast majority of other people would not.
[0003] All these problems are solved by the features listed in claim 1.
[0004] Provided that a sufficient number of effective testing or self-testing products—that is, any means of detecting infection—are already available during the respective pandemic, the group of people (ANW) using the device, which consists of several system components, enters into a binding agreement (V) guided by the invention. This agreement stipulates that, upon reaching a certain number of infections (M) on a common starting day (S) at the precise time of notification (VI), all participants are obligated to perform up to two consecutive video-documented self-tests (T1, T2)—or alternatively, (self-)tests with other forms of personal identification. Furthermore, the agreement (V) specifies the reward to be distributed on a case-by-case basis. The data collection (D) records each participant comprehensively, and, with the consent of the other residents, also the data of the residents, who can likewise participate.Each participant receives a request (VI) to perform this test (T1) immediately before the first test time (T1), which is determined unpredictably by a RANDOM function.
[0005] If a participant tests positive on the first test (T1), the system informs this participant to implement a measure such as personal quarantine (Q1) or personal lockdown for the duration (I+ANS) - i.e., the time of infectivity during the incubation period plus the infectious time during the illness - including the participating housemates, which is optionally verified by sporadic requests for a joint selfie in the living environment, by GPS, connection between devices or device connection to the human body.
[0006] If test (T1) is positive, participants must perform a second video-documented self-test (T2) after the time interval (I+ANS-Si) – or alternatively, (self-)tests with other forms of personal identification. If this test (T2) is also positive, the participant and any participating housemates will receive the agreed-upon reward, provided the system cannot detect a violation of the quarantine rules.
[0007] After the infection rate (INF) has decreased, the group can live their daily lives more freely for a period of time (FREE) than with burdensome long-term measures. If the previously agreed-upon infection rate (VM) is reached again within the group, the group receives information about a new, similar measure with a new, randomly calculated start date (S).
[0008] This approach elegantly prevents any deliberate self-infections to obtain unjustified rewards.
[0009] The advantages of this device are that it optimizes the efficiency of infection prevention, reduces sick leave, deaths, and economic damage during the pandemic because the participating group perceives the incentive of a reward and acts with high motivation, particularly by voluntarily participating. Ultimately, the device is beneficial for the state, the citizens, and the economy simultaneously, provided a large group participates. The device can also be integrated into a state or legal measure, with the state acting as the organizer. Due to its clear guidelines and the limited resources required (primarily video-documented self-tests and the information / documentation materials already included), the device offers a high degree of simplicity and cost-effectiveness. Furthermore, the use of the device ensures the shortest possible duration.Furthermore, widespread participation may eliminate the need for mandatory vaccination.
[0010] One variant of the device (claim 2) is that, for reasons of economy, the second test is omitted during the process, and the resulting reduced safety is accepted.
[0011] Another variant of the device (claim 3) is that safety durations can be added to or subtracted from the “infectious part of the incubation period” (I) and the “duration of infectivity during illness” (ANS) or other parameters.
[0012] Another variant of the device (claim 4) is that instead of quarantine periods (Q1 / Q2), a so-called "testing out" can also take place. Fig. Section 1 describes the functional structure of the invention. Fig.Figure 2 illustrates the advantage of the invention: intentional self-infection (CHEAT1) at the initial announcement time (VI) cannot result in a positive test result at T1—and thus no reward—because the latency to infectivity (GAP) is too long. Intentional self-infection after T1 (CHEAT2) is therefore equally ineffective. Intentional self-infection (CHEAT3) based on suspicion before T1 usually fails due to the randomly calculated start date and the simultaneously required positive test at T2, making intentional self-infection unpredictable. Reference symbol list V Agreement / Convention on Rules and Rewards VI Request for immediate test T1 I Infectious part of the incubation period Duration of infectiousness during illness ANW Total users, the participating group S Start day with exact start time for test T1 T1 / T2 test, if necessary video-documented self-test or other authenticated test to detect infection Q1 Timeframe for occasional quarantine / lockdown R Feedback on test result and instructions to ANW K Camera for conducting the video-documented self-test or other unit for verifying an authenticated self-test VOR device (sum of devices) including camera(s) K and including functional algorithms VER organizers of the joint measure FREE Period of time in which no or only conventional, non-burdensome pandemic measures apply VM infection status that leads to the announcement of further implementation of the procedure M Reporting level, which infection volume triggers a new RANDOM calculation of a start day S I+ANS Effective period of infectivity Si optional safety interval Data collection CHEAT1-3 Intentional self-infection at different times TIME Timeline 8 days of infectivity: Contagious period using COVID as an example GAP Time period from attempted fraud to infectivity RAN time window with random function for defining VI B Banking Module
Claims
[1] Device for reducing infections by rewarding infected individuals upon infection characterized bythat this invention, available to every participant and consisting of various system components – as well as its logical, physical, and data-related interconnections – autonomously regulates and controls the procedures of a participating group of people in such a way that, as a result of registration, authentication, binding commitment to performance, and personal identification of the household, each participant is individually controlled in such a way that the random function contained in the invention generates a time-specific advance notification and informs each participant of the obligation to immediately perform a first video-documented self-test – which enables the camera on the device or a first (self-)test with other personal identification – whereupon, if the test result is positive, the test result is registered and the instruction is triggered for this participant – and their registered housemates.For the duration of the contagiousness of the disease, plus optional safety intervals, a personal quarantine is to be carried out, which the invention optionally verifies through sporadic requests for a joint selfie in the living environment and its data registration, via GPS, connection between the end devices, or device connection to the human body. The invention then calculates the time for the second test and transmits it to the participant, namely after the period of contagiousness of the disease – adjusted for an optional safety interval – after which the participant receives instructions from the system to carry out the second test using the same procedure as the first test. If both tests are positive – and no violation of the quarantine regulations has been proven – the system sends a notification of a reward to the participant and any housemates.whereupon an optional banking module distributes the monetary compensation, after which, according to this joint procedure, the infection rate is extremely low, allowing for a greater degree of freedom regarding pandemic measures in the coming weeks, until an agreed high infection rate necessitates repeating the procedure, whereby optionally all video-documented self-tests - and their execution - can be analyzed and evaluated using AI. [2] Device according to claim 1, characterized by , that for reasons of economy the second test is omitted during the process, and the resulting reduced safety is accepted. [3] Device according to claim 1, characterized by , that safety periods can be added to or subtracted from the “infectious part of the incubation period” (I) and the “duration of infectiousness during illness” (ANS) or other parameters. [4] Device according to claim 1, characterized by , that instead of the quarantine periods (Q1 / Q2), a so-called "testing out" is also possible.