Service providing method using a beacon and electronic apparatus thereof

• US 10,075,896 B2
• Filed: 06/10/2016
• Issued: 09/11/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Kim, Yongwook, Kim, Dong-Hoon, Kim, Byoung-Joo, Moon, Dongouk, Choi, Tai Ho
• Primary Examiner(s): Butt, Walli
• Application Number:
  US15/178,655
• Publication Number:
  US 20160381621A1
• Time in Patent Office: 823 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0241 Advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/303 Terminal profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72469 for operating the device by selecting functions from two or more displayed items, e.g. menus or icons
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/244 using a network of reference devices, e.g. beaconing

Abstract

A method for use in an electronic device includes: receiving, from a server, beacon information including a first function information. The first function information is associated with a first function, and the first function is executed in response to detecting that a beacon signal that is received from a beacon transmitter matches beacon information.

Claims

1. A method for use in an electronic device, comprising:

receiving, by at least one processor of the electronic device, from a server, first beacon information including information on a first service identity (ID) and a first function to be performed in the electronic device, through a communication interface of the electronic device;

storing, by the at least one processor, the first beacon information in a memory of the electronic device, wherein the first service ID is stored in association with the first function;

after storing the first beacon information, receiving, by the at least one processor, a beacon signal including a second service ID from an external beacon transmitter, through the communication interface;

identifying, by the at least one processor, whether the second service ID corresponds the first service ID;

in response to identifying that the first service ID corresponds the second service ID, performing the first function;

identifying, based on a validation date included in the first beacon information, whether the first service ID is valid; and

transmitting the first service ID to the server to update the first beacon information in response to identifying that the first service ID is invalid and the first service ID corresponds the second service ID.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the beacon signal further comprises at least one of a company identifier (ID), a version, a beacon ID, and service specific data.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the first beacon information comprises:

transmitting, to the server, the first service ID; and

in response to transmitting the first service ID, receiving the first beacon information corresponding to the first service ID.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first beacon information further comprises at least one of a version, a validation date, a beacon ID, a beacon name, and display information.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

in response to identifying that the first service ID does not correspond the second service ID, transmitting the second service ID to the server; and

receiving a second beacon information corresponding to the second service ID from the server.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising updating at least one of the first beacon information by the electronic device.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying, based on a validation date included in the first beacon information, whether the first service ID is valid,

wherein performing the first function comprises;

performing the first function in response to identifying that the first service ID is valid and the first service ID corresponds the second service ID.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising

storing user control information in the electronic device;

and

restricting the first function based on the user control information.

9. An electronic device comprising:

a communication interface;

a memory; and

at least one processor operatively coupled to the communication interface and the memory, the at least one processor configured to;

receive, from a server, first beacon information including information on a first service identity (ID) and a first function to be performed in the electronic device, through the communication interface;

storing the first beacon information in the memory, wherein the first service ID is stored in association with the first function;

after storing the first beacon information, receive a beacon signal including a second service ID from an external beacon transmitter through the communication interface;

identify whether the second service ID corresponds the first service ID;

in response to identifying that the first service ID corresponds the second service ID, perform the first function;

identify, based on a validation date included in the first beacon information, whether the first service ID is valid; and

transmit the first service ID to the server to update the first beacon information in response to identifying that the first service ID is invalid and the first service ID corresponds the second service ID.

10. The electronic device of claim 9, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

in response to identifying that the first service ID does not correspond the second service ID, transmit the second service ID to the server; and

receive a second beacon information corresponding to the second service ID from the server.

11. The electronic device of claim 9, wherein the beacon signal further comprises at least one of a company ID, a version, a beacon ID, and service-specific data.

12. The electronic device of claim 9, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

transmit, to the server, the first service ID; and

in response to transmitting the first service ID, receive the first beacon information corresponding to the first service ID.

13. The electronic device of claim 9, wherein the first beacon information further comprises at least one of a version, a validation date, a beacon ID, a beacon name, action information, and display information, and the validation date is updated by at least one of the server and the electronic device.

14. The electronic device of claim 9, wherein, when the second service ID is not stored in the memory, the at least one processor is further configured to cause the communication interface to request a second beacon information corresponding to the second service ID to the server.

15. The electronic device of claim 9, wherein the at least one processor is configured to update the first beacon information based on at least one of a version and a validation date of the first beacon information.

16. The electronic device of claim 9, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to store user control information in the memory, and restrict the first function based on the user control information.

17. The electronic device of claim 9, wherein, the at least one processor is further configured to:

identify, based on a validation date included in the first beacon information, whether the first service ID is valid,

perform the first function in response to identifying that the first service ID is valid and the first service ID corresponds the second service ID.

18. The electronic device of claim 9, wherein the first service ID is unrelated to a current location of the electronic device.