Using a mobile computing device camera to trigger state-based actions

• US 10,068,221 B1
• Filed: 10/29/2014
• Issued: 09/04/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Walgreen Co. (Walgreens Boots Alliance Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Walgreen Co. (Walgreens Boots Alliance Incorporated)
• Inventors: Thomas, Gregory B., Eby, Nicholas L., Rago, Joseph M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Johnson, Sonji
• Application Number:
  US14/526,887
• Time in Patent Office: 1,406 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/322 Aspects of commerce using mobile devices [M-devices]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/327 Short range or proximity payments by means of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3278 RFID or NFC payments by means of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72454 according to context-related or environment-related conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72457 according to geographic location
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/52 including functional features of a camera

Abstract

Methods, systems, apparatus, and non-transitory media are disclosed to perform state-based changes on a mobile computing device. A mobile computing device may display one or more images that are indicative of a state of the mobile computing device, such as a barcode. A mobile computing device may measure characteristics of electromagnetic (EM) radiation, such as laser light from a laser scanner, received through its camera. By comparing changes in the intensity of the EM radiation over a time interval and/or a wavelength of the EM radiation to one or more threshold intensities and/or wavelength ranges, one or more trigger conditions may be identified. The one or more trigger conditions may cause the mobile computing device to execute one or more actions, which may be dependent on the present state of the mobile computing device. The actions may include various functions used in conjunction with a retailer-based mobile phone application.

Claims

1. A method in a mobile computing device, comprising:

displaying, by one or more processors of the mobile computing device, a first image indicative of a state of the mobile computing device;

measuring, by one or more processors of the mobile computing device, a change in intensity of electromagnetic (EM) radiation received via a camera of the mobile computing device over a time interval;

identifying, by one or more processors of the mobile computing device, satisfaction of a trigger condition when the change in intensity of the EM radiation over the time interval exceeds a threshold intensity; and

displaying, by one or more processors of the mobile computing device, a second image indicative of a choice presented to a customer regarding a payment-related activity that is based upon the state of the mobile computing device when the trigger condition is satisfied.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the EM radiation includes laser light emitted from a laser scanner.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the act of identifying the satisfaction of the trigger condition further comprises:

identifying, by one or more processors of the mobile computing device, the satisfaction of the trigger condition when a wavelength of the EM radiation is within a predetermined range of wavelengths.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the act of displaying the second image further comprises:

displaying the second image based on a location of the mobile computing device within a retail store.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the payment-related activity includes one or more of:

a promotional offer;

a request for the customer to make a donation to a charity;

use of the customer'"'"'s rewards points; and

selecting a type of payment.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the payment-related activity includes one or more of:

a request for the customer to participate in

a digital-receipt program; and

a request for the customer to participate in a survey regarding the customer'"'"'s in-store experience.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the first image includes a first and a second barcode,

the act of identifying the trigger condition comprises;

identifying a first trigger condition associated with the first barcode that is satisfied when the change in intensity of the EM radiation over the time interval exceeds a first threshold intensity; and

identifying a second trigger condition associated with the second barcode that is satisfied when the change in intensity of the EM radiation exceeds a second threshold intensity that is greater than the first threshold intensity, and

the act of displaying the second image comprises;

displaying the second image when the first trigger condition is satisfied.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

displaying a third image that is different than the second image when the second trigger condition is satisfied.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the first image includes one of a first barcode or a second barcode, and

wherein the act of displaying the second image includes displaying one of two different images based upon whether the first or the second barcode was being displayed when the trigger condition is satisfied.

10. A system, comprising:

a laser scanner configured to generate laser light; and

a mobile computing device configured to (i) display an image indicative of a state of the mobile computing device, (ii) measure a change in an intensity of the laser light over a time interval and a wavelength of the laser light received via a camera associated with the mobile computing device while the image is being displayed, and (iii) execute an action in response to the change in the intensity of the laser light exceeding a threshold intensity over the time interval and the wavelength of the laser light being within a predetermined range of wavelengths.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the mobile computing device is further configured to execute the action based on a location of the mobile computing device.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the mobile computing device is configured to display images in accordance with a default display setting and an adjusted display setting, and to execute the action by displaying the image indicative of the state of the mobile computing device using the adjusted display settings that are different than the default display settings.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the action includes displaying another image indicative of a choice regarding a payment-related activity.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the payment-related activity includes one or more of:

a promotional offer;

a request for a customer to make a donation to a charity;

use of a customer'"'"'s rewards points; and

selecting a type of payment.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein the mobile computing device is further configured to:

display another image indicative of a request for a customer to participate in one or more of;

a digital-receipt program; and

a survey regarding the customer'"'"'s in-store experience.

16. The system of claim 10, wherein the image includes a first and a second barcode, and wherein the mobile computing device is further configured to:

identify a first trigger condition associated with the first barcode that is satisfied when the change in laser light intensity exceeds a first threshold intensity and the wavelength of the laser light is within the predetermined range of wavelengths;

identify a second trigger condition associated with the second barcode that is satisfied when the change in laser light intensity exceeds a second threshold intensity that is greater than the first threshold intensity and the wavelength of the laser light is within the predetermined range of wavelengths; and

execute the action and another action, respectively, when the first and the second trigger conditions are satisfied.

17. A non-transitory computer readable media having instructions stored thereon in a mobile computing device, that when executed by a processor cause the processor to:

display a first image indicative of a state of the mobile computing device;

measure electromagnetic (EM) radiation received via a camera of the mobile computing device;

identify satisfaction of a trigger condition when a change in an intensity of the EM radiation over a time interval exceeds a threshold intensity; and

display a second image indicative of a choice presented to a customer regarding a payment-related activity that is based upon the state of the mobile computing device when the trigger condition is satisfied.

18. The non-transitory computer readable media of claim 17, wherein the EM radiation includes laser light emitted from a laser scanner.

19. The non-transitory computer readable media of claim 17, wherein the instructions to identify the trigger condition further cause the processor to:

identify the satisfaction of the trigger condition when a wavelength of the EM radiation is within a predetermined range of wavelengths.

20. The non-transitory computer readable media of claim 17, wherein the instructions to display the second image further cause the processor to:

display the second image based on a location of the mobile computing device.

21. The non-transitory computer readable media of claim 17, wherein the payment-related activity includes one or more of:

a promotional offer;

a request for the customer to make a donation to a charity;

use of the customer'"'"'s rewards points; and

selecting a type of payment.

22. The non-transitory computer readable media of claim 17, wherein the payment-related activity includes one or more of:

a request for the customer to participate in a digital-receipt program; and

a request for the customer to participate in a survey regarding the customer'"'"'s in-store experience.

23. The non-transitory computer readable media of claim 17, wherein the first image includes a first and a second barcode, and

wherein the instructions to identify the trigger condition further cause the processor to:

identify a first trigger condition associated with the first barcode that is satisfied when the change in the intensity of the EM radiation exceeds a first threshold intensity;

identify a second trigger condition associated with the second barcode that is satisfied when the change in the intensity of the EM radiation exceeds a second threshold intensity that is greater than the first threshold intensity, and

wherein the instructions to display the second image further cause the processor to;

display the second image when the first trigger condition is satisfied.

24. The non-transitory computer readable media of claim 23, further including instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:

display a third image that is different than the second image when the second trigger condition is satisfied.

25. The non-transitory computer readable media of claim 17, wherein the first image includes one of a first barcode or a second barcode, and

wherein the instructions to display the second image further cause the processor to display one of two different images based upon whether the first or the second barcode was being displayed when the trigger condition is satisfied.

26. A mobile computing device, comprising:

a display unit configured to display a first image indicative of a state of the mobile computing device;

a camera unit configured to receive electromagnetic (EM) radiation; and

a central processing unit (CPU) configured to;

measure a change in intensity of the received electromagnetic (EM) radiation over a time interval;

identify satisfaction of a trigger condition when the change in intensity of the EM radiation over the time interval exceeds a threshold intensity; and

display a second image indicative of a choice presented to a customer regarding a payment-related activity that is based upon the state of the mobile computing device when the trigger condition is satisfied.

27. The mobile computing device of claim 26, wherein the EM radiation includes laser light emitted from a laser scanner.

28. The mobile computing device of claim 26, wherein the CPU is further configured to identify the satisfaction of the trigger condition when a wavelength of the EM radiation is within a predetermined range of wavelengths.

29. The mobile computing device of claim 26, wherein the CPU is further configured to display the second image based on a location of the mobile computing device within a retail store.

30. The mobile computing device of claim 26, wherein the payment-related activity includes one or more of:

a promotional offer;

a request for the customer to make a donation to a charity;

use of the customer'"'"'s rewards points; and

selecting a type of payment.

31. The mobile computing device of claim 26, wherein the payment-related activity includes one or more of:

a request for a customer to participate in one or more of;

a digital-receipt program; and

a request for the customer to participate in a survey regarding the customer'"'"'s in-store experience.

32. The mobile computing device of claim 26, wherein:

the first image includes a first and a second barcode, and

the CPU is further configured to (i) identify a first trigger condition associated with the first barcode that is satisfied when the change in intensity of the EM radiation exceeds a first threshold intensity, (ii) identify a second trigger condition associated with the second barcode that is satisfied when the change in intensity of the EM radiation exceeds a second threshold intensity that is greater than the first threshold intensity, and (iii) display the second image when the first trigger condition is satisfied.

33. The mobile computing device of claim 32, wherein the CPU is further configured to display a third image that is different than the second image when the second trigger condition is satisfied.

34. The mobile computing device of claim 26, wherein the first image includes one of a first barcode or a second barcode, and

wherein the CPU is further configured to display the second image as one of two different images based upon whether the first or the second barcode was being displayed when the trigger condition is satisfied.

35. A method for facilitating state-based changes on a web-enabled mobile computing device with an application executed on the web-enabled mobile computing device, comprising:

causing a display unit of the web-enabled mobile computing device to display a first image indicative of a state of the mobile computing device;

receiving electromagnetic (EM) radiation at the web-enabled mobile computing device via a camera of the mobile computing device;

causing a processor of the web-enabled mobile computing device to measure a change in intensity of EM radiation over a time interval;

causing a processor of the web-enabled mobile computing device to identify satisfaction of a trigger condition when the change in intensity of the EM radiation over the time interval exceeds a threshold intensity; and

causing a processor of the web-enabled mobile computing device to display a second image indicative of a choice presented to a customer regarding a payment-related activity that is based upon the state of the web-enabled mobile computing device when the trigger condition is satisfied.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein the EM radiation includes laser light emitted from a laser scanner.

37. The method of claim 35, further comprising:

causing the processor to identify the satisfaction of the trigger condition when a wavelength of the EM radiation is within a predetermined range of wavelengths.

38. The method of claim 35, further comprising:

causing the processor to display the second image based on a location of the web-enabled mobile computing device within a retail store.

39. The method of claim 35, wherein the payment-related activity includes one or more of:

a promotional offer;

a request for the customer to make a donation to a charity;

use of the customer'"'"'s rewards points; and

selecting a type of payment.

40. The method of claim 35, wherein the payment-related activity includes one or more of:

a request for a customer to participate in a digital-receipt program; and

a request for a customer to participate in a survey regarding the customer'"'"'s in-store experience.

41. The method of claim 35, wherein the first image includes a first and a second barcode, and further comprising:

causing the processor to (i) identify a first trigger condition associated with the first barcode that is satisfied when the change in intensity of the EM radiation exceeds a first threshold intensity, (ii) identify a second trigger condition associated with the second barcode that is satisfied when the change in intensity of the EM radiation exceeds a second threshold intensity that is greater than the first threshold intensity, and (iii) display the second image when the first trigger condition is satisfied.

42. The method of claim 41, further comprising:

causing a processor of the web-enabled mobile computing device to display a third image that is different than the second image when the second trigger condition is satisfied.

43. The method of claim 35, wherein the first image includes one of a first barcode or a second barcode, and

wherein the act of causing the processor to display the second image includes displaying one of two different images based upon whether the first or the second barcode was being displayed when the trigger condition is satisfied.