Method of providing digital content for users of physical items

• US 10,244,064 B2
• Filed: 10/21/2016
• Issued: 03/26/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 02/12/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Adidas AG
• Original Assignee: Adidas AG
• Inventors: Werner, Jon H., DiBenedetto, Christian, Vaterlaus, Amy Jones, Vincent, Stephen M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Brown, Claude J
• Application Number:
  US15/331,496
• Publication Number:
  US 20170041412A1
• Time in Patent Office: 886 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2291 User-Defined Types; Storage management thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/235 Update request formulation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24575 using context
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/248 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/40 of multimedia data, e.g. slideshows comprising image and additional audio data retrieval of still image data G06F16/50; retrieval of audio data G06F16/60; retrieval of video data G06F16/70
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/203 Inventory monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/208 Input by product or record sensing, e.g. weighing or scanner processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0251 Targeted advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0261 based on user location
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0269 based on user profile or attribute
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0623 Item investigation
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/72 for local intradevice communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/77 for interrogation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/54 Presence management, e.g. monitoring or registration for receipt of user log-on information, or the connection status of the users
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• 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

Abstract

Systems, apparatuses, and methods are provided for enhancing users'"'"' overall experiences with physical items by supplementing their physical experiences with digital experiences. According to an embodiment, an electronic device scans a smart tag associated with an item to obtain an item identifier of the item, and sends the item identifier to a server, which selects digital content to be made available to a user of the item.

Claims

1. A method of providing digital content related to an item, the item associated with a smart tag encoded with an item identifier that identifies the item, the smart tag configured to transmit the item identifier to an electronic device when the electronic device is positioned proximate to the smart tag, the method comprising:

receiving, at a server from the electronic device, the item identifier transmitted from the smart tag to the electronic device upon positioning of the electronic device proximate to the smart tag;

determining, by the server, a menu comprising an option based at least in part on whether a user identifier associated with the electronic device corresponds with a registered owner of the item;

transmitting, from the server to the electronic device, the menu comprising the option;

receiving, at the server from the electronic device, a selection of the option;

identifying, by the server, digital content associated with the item identifier and related to the item;

selecting, by the server, a subset of the identified digital content to provide to the electronic device, the subset of the identified digital content based at least in part on the selection of the option; and

transmitting, from the server to the electronic device, the subset of the identified digital content.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein selecting the subset of the identified digital content comprises:

determining a geo-location of the electronic device; and

assessing a relevance of the identified digital content to the geo-location of the electronic device.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein assessing the relevance of the identified digital content to the geo-location involves determining whether a language spoken in the geo-location of the electronic device matches a language in which the digital content is presented.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein assessing the relevance of the identified digital content to the geo-location involves assessing a popularity in the geo-location of a subject matter of the identified digital content.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the subject matter of the identified digital content is related to at least one of:

a sport, a sporting event, a team, a venue, an article of apparel, type of apparel, a style of apparel, or a brand of apparel.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein the geo-location of the electronic device is determined based at least in part on at least one of:

a language setting of the electronic device, a country setting of the electronic device, a time zone setting of the electronic device, location data provided by a GPS receiver of the electronic device, cell tower information obtained from the electronic device, or a WiFi location obtained from the electronic device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the user identifier does not correspond with the registered owner of the item, and wherein selecting the subset of the identified digital content comprises:

determining a location of the electronic device in a store where the item is being offered for sale; and

assessing a relevance of the identified digital content to the location of the electronic device.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the location of the electronic device in the store is determined based at least in part on at least one of:

a product category to which the item belongs, a floor plan of the store, location data provided by a GPS receiver of the electronic device, or a WiFi location information obtained from the electronic device.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein selecting the subset of the identified digital content comprises:

determining a time that at least one of the item identifier or the selection of the option was received at the server from the electronic device; and

identifying which of the identified digital content is relevant to the time.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the time is at least one of:

a time of day, a time of week, a time of month, a time of year, a time that coincides with a sporting event, or a calendar season.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, by the server from the electronic device, the user identifier.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

searching a database comprising user profile data to identify user profile data corresponding to the user identifier; and

wherein the subset of the identified digital content is selected based at least in part on the identified user profile data.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the identified user profile data comprises at least one of:

a home location, a number of purchases, a number of product recommendations, or a number of converted product recommendations.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, by the server from the electronic device, a language setting, wherein the subset of the identified digital content is selected based at least in part on the language setting.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein selecting the subset of the identified digital content comprises:

obtaining, by the server from the electronic device, at least one of a web cookie or a browser cache file; and

identifying, by the server, which of the identified digital content is relevant to the at least one of the cookie or the browser cache file.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the smart tag is a Near Field Communication (NFC) tag that transmits the item identifier to the electronic device via NFC.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the user identifier does not correspond with the registered owner of the item and the option allows purchasing of the item at a price unique to the user identifier.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the user identifier does not correspond with the registered owner of the item and the user identifier corresponds with an unregistered user, and wherein the option is further based at least in part on whether the unregistered user is a friend of the registered owner.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the user identifier corresponds with the registered owner of the item and the option allows reassigning of the item to a new owner.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the user identifier corresponds with the registered owner of the item and the option provides training statistics corresponding to registered owner.

21. A system providing digital content related to an item, the item associated with a smart tag encoded with an item identifier that identifies the item, the smart tag configured to transmit the item identifier to an electronic device when the electronic device is positioned proximate to the smart tag, the system comprising:

a processor; and

a memory device including instruction that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to;

receive from the electronic device the item identifier transmitted from the smart tag to the electronic device upon positioning of the electronic device proximate to the smart tag;

determine a menu comprising an option based at least in part on whether a user identifier associated with the electronic device corresponds with a registered owner of the item;

transmit to the electronic device the menu comprising the option;

receive from the electronic device a selection of the option;

identify digital content associated with the item identifier and related to the item;

select a subset of the identified digital content to provide to the electronic device, the subset of the identified digital content based at least in part on the selection of the option; and

transmit to the electronic device the subset of the identified digital content.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the processor to select the subset of the identified digital content by:

determining a geo-location of the electronic device; and

assessing a relevance of the identified digital content to the geo-location of the electronic device.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein assessing the relevance of the identified digital content to the geo-location involves determining whether a language spoken in the geo-location of the electronic device matches a language in which the digital content is presented.

24. The system of claim 22, wherein assessing the relevance of the identified digital content to the geo-location involves assessing a popularity in the geo-location of a subject matter of the identified digital content.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the subject matter of the identified digital content is related to at least one of:

a sport, a sporting event, a team, a venue, an article of apparel, type of apparel, a style of apparel, or a brand of apparel.

26. The system of claim 22, wherein the geo-location of the electronic device is determined based at least in part on at least one of:

a language setting of the electronic device, a country setting of the electronic device, a time zone setting of the electronic device, location data provided by a GPS receiver of the electronic device, cell tower information obtained from the electronic device, or a WiFi location obtained from the electronic device.

27. The system of claim 21, wherein the user identifier does not correspond with the registered owner of the item, and wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the processor to select the subset of the identified digital content by:

determining a location of the electronic device in a store where the item is being offered for sale; and

assessing a relevance of the identified digital content to the location of the electronic device.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein the location of the electronic device in the store is determined based at least in part on at least one of:

a product category to which the item belongs, a floor plan of the store, location data provided by a GPS receiver of the electronic device, or a WiFi location information obtained from the electronic device.

29. The system of claim 22, wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the processor to select the subset of the identified digital content by:

determining a time that at least one of the item identifier or the selection of the option was received from the electronic device of the electronic device; and

identifying which of the identified digital content is relevant to the time.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein the time is at least one of:

a time of day, a time of week, a time of month, a time of year, a time that coincides with a sporting event, or a calendar season.

31. The system of claim 22, wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the processor to:

receive from the electronic device the user identifier.

32. The system of claim 31, wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the processor to:

search a database comprising user profile data to identify user profile data corresponding to the user identifier; and

wherein the subset of the identified digital content is selected based at least in part on the identified user profile data.

33. The system of claim 32, wherein the identified user profile data comprises at least one of:

a home location, a number of purchases, a number of product recommendations, or a number of converted product recommendations.

34. The system of claim 22, wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the processor to:

receive from the electronic device a language setting, wherein the subset of the identified digital content is selected based at least in part on the language setting.

35. The system of claim 22, wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the processor to select the subset of the identified digital content by:

obtaining from the electronic device at least one of a web cookie or a browser cache file; and

identifying which of the identified digital content is relevant to the at least one of the cookie or the browser cache file.

36. The system of claim 22, wherein the smart tag is a Near Field Communication (NFC) tag that transmits the item identifier to the electronic device via NFC.