System and method for providing locally applicable internet content with secure action requests and item condition alerts

• US 10,264,398 B2
• Filed: 07/31/2017
• Issued: 04/16/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 08/12/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Innovation Sciences, LLC
• Original Assignee: Innovation Sciences Incorporated
• Inventors: Wang, Tiehong, Wang, Ximing, Wang, Tiejun
• Primary Examiner(s): Ngo, Chuong A
• Application Number:
  US15/664,097
• Publication Number:
  US 20180132063A1
• Time in Patent Office: 624 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0225 Avoiding frauds
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0261 based on user location
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0283 via a telephone network, e.g. cellular GSM
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0492 by using a location-limited connection, e.g. near-field communication or limited proximity of entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/612 for unicast
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/80 Responding to QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/289 Intermediate processing functionally located close to the data consumer application, e.g. in same machine, in same home or in same sub-network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/564 Enhancement of application control based on intercepted application data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/568 Storing data temporarily at an intermediate stage, e.g. caching
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/61 taking into account QoS or priority requirements
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/222 Secondary servers, e.g. proxy server, cable television Head-end provisioning of proxy services in data packet switching networks H04L67/56
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/234327 by decomposing into layers, e.g. base layer and one or more enhancement layers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41407 embedded in a portable device, e.g. video client on a mobile phone, PDA, laptop constructional details of equipment or arrangements specially adapted for portable computer application G06F1/1626; arrangements specially adapted for mobile receivers in broadcast systems H04H20/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4784 receiving rewards
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 : involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 : Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/08 : Testing, supervising or monitoring using real traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 : Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/023 : using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 : Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99935 : Query augmenting and refining, e.g. inexact access

Abstract

Optimized delivery of locally applicable Internet content to users. A cache of locally applicable Internet content is maintained in a local content server, based upon a monitoring of locations of users requesting Internet content. Requests for Internet content are received from user equipment through a wireless network base station, and served from the local content server, which is logically proximate to the wireless network base station. The caching of locally applicable Internet content may be maintained on a layered basis. Secure action request receipt and corresponding performance, and item condition alerts are also described.

Claims

1. A HUB system comprising:

a memory configured to store an identifier of a sensing device;

a wireless receiver configured to receive a wireless signal from the sensing device, the wireless signal comprising information of the identifier of the sensing device, the wireless signal being associated with a status update;

a network interface configured to communicate regarding the status update; and

a processor coupled to the memory and configured to;

identify the sensing device based on the identifier; and

initiate a communication regarding the status update through the network interface;

wherein the wireless signal is received through a wireless communication channel;

wherein a network communication channel is separate from the wireless communication channel;

wherein the HUB system is configured to notify a user of the status update according to a configuration setting, information regarding the status update being communicated through the network communication channel;

wherein the configuration setting specifies when or how to notify the user of the status update;

wherein information content in a content server and relevant to the status update is communicated to a user device;

wherein the information content is logically proximate to the user device;

and

wherein the information content is determined as being logically proximate to the user device based on at least one of the following;

a bandwidth resource for sending the information content;

a location associated with the user device;

a network address associated with the user device;

a location of a base station associated with the user device;

a location of a base station through which the information content is routed;

a dedicated resource for transmitting the information content;

a location of a base station through which a request for the information content is transmitted;

or

comparison of a location of the user device with a location identified for the information content.

2. The HUB system of claim 1, wherein the sensing device is associated with an item;

and wherein the status update is about the item.

3. The HUB system of claim 2, wherein the sensing device is designated to transmit the wireless signal based on a detection of a status change of the item.

4. The HUB system of claim 2, wherein the wireless signal is automatically triggered by a detection of a status change of the item by the sensing device.

5. The HUB system of claim 2, wherein a replenishment of an inventory of the item is initiated based on the status update.

6. The HUB system of claim 5, wherein the HUB system is configured to store payment information and a shipping address for the replenishment.

7. The HUB system of claim 6, wherein the HUB system is configured to send the payment information to a payment gateway and receive a payment resolution from the payment gateway.

8. The HUB system of claim 6, wherein the memory is further configured to store information about the inventory of the item and information about a requirement of the item to facilitate the replenishment.

9. The HUB system of claim 5, wherein the HUB system is configured to send a request for the replenishment to an external server through the network interface and receive a payment confirmation from the external server.

10. The HUB system of claim 5, wherein the HUB system is configured to send, to the user device, merchant information relevant to the replenishment of the inventory of the item.

11. The HUB system of claim 5, wherein the HUB system is configured to determine a need to replenish the inventory of the item based on the status update;

and wherein merchant information relevant to the need is communicated to the user device.

12. The HUB system of claim 1, wherein the wireless signal is transmitted based on a detection of a status change by the sensing device.

13. The HUB system of claim 1, wherein the configuration setting specifies when and how to notify the user of the status update.

14. The HUB system of claim 1, wherein the HUB system is a security monitoring device.

15. The HUB system of claim 1, wherein the HUB system is configured to receive a purchase request and process the purchase request.

16. The HUB system of claim 15, wherein the HUB system is configured to store payment information and a shipping address for processing the purchase request.

17. The HUB system of claim 15, wherein the HUB system is configured to authenticate a purchaser for processing the purchase request.

18. The HUB system of claim 15, wherein the HUB system is configured to send the payment information to a payment gateway and receive a payment resolution from the payment gateway regarding the purchase request.

19. The HUB system of claim 15, wherein the HUB system is configured to send the purchase request to an external server through the network interface and receive a payment confirmation from the external server.

20. The HUB system of claim 1, wherein the wireless communication channel is a Bluetooth channel.

21. The HUB system of claim 1, wherein the user device is a cellular phone;

and wherein the wireless communication channel is through a local area wireless network.

22. The HUB system of claim 1, wherein the network communication channel is through a wireless local area network.

23. The HUB system of claim 1, wherein the wireless communication channel is a Zigbee channel.

24. The HUB system of claim 1, wherein one or more of the following is triggered to notify the user of the status update:

1) a sound,

2) a light, or

3) a text.

25. The HUB system of claim 1, the network communication channel is through a cellular network.

26. The HUB system of claim 1, wherein the HUB system is configured to:

receive a request for a particular information content;

monitor the request for the particular information content; and

store the particular information content that is determined to be locally applicable based upon monitoring of the request.

27. The HUB system of claim 26, wherein the HUB system is configured to refresh stored information content based on an updated monitoring of the request.

28. The HUB system of claim 1, wherein the HUB system is configured to receive a request for a particular information content and communicate the particular information content that is logically proximate to the HUB system.

29. The HUB system of claim 28, wherein the particular information content is determined as being logically proximate to the HUB system based on at least one of the following:

a bandwidth resource for sending the particular information content;

a home location associated with the HUB system;

a location of a base station through which the particular information content is routed;

a location of a base station associated with the HUB system;

a network address associated with the HUB system;

a dedicated resource for transmitting the particular information content;

a location of a base station through which the request for the particular information content is transmitted;

or

comparing a location of the HUB system with a location identified for the particular information content.

30. The HUB system of claim 28, wherein the HUB system is configured to send commercial incentive information to the user device based at least in part on a relevance of the commercial incentive information with the particular information content requested.

31. A central controller for inventory management comprising:

a memory configured to store an identifier associated with an item;

a network interface configured to provide a network connection; and

a processor coupled to the memory and configured to;

receive information regarding transmission of a signal from a wireless transmitter, the signal being transmitted through a wireless transmission channel in connection with an initiation of a replenishment of an inventory of the item, the signal being transmitted in response to a status update of the item, the information regarding the transmission of the signal including information of the identifier associated with the item;

identify the item based on the information of the identifier;

communicate information through the network connection to accommodate the replenishment of the inventory of the item; and

communicate confirmation information about the replenishment of the inventory,

wherein the memory is further configured to store information about the inventory of the item and information about a requirement of the item;

wherein the memory is further configured to store a shipping address and payment information for the replenishment;

wherein the information communicated through the network connection includes the shipping address;

wherein the network connection is separate from the wireless transmission channel for the transmission of the signal;

wherein the configuration setting specifies when or how to notify the user of the status update;

wherein information content in a content server and relevant to the replenishment of the inventory of the item is communicated to a user device;

wherein the information content is logically proximate to the user device;

and

wherein the information content in is determined as being logically proximate to the user device based on at least one of the following;

a bandwidth resource for sending the information content;

a location associated with the user device;

a network address associated with the user device;

a location of a base station associated with the user device;

a location of a base station through which the information content is routed;

a dedicated resource for transmitting the information content;

a location of a base station through which a request for the information content is transmitted;

or

comparison of a location of the user device with a location identified for the information content.

32. The central controller of claim 31, wherein the central controller is configured to send merchant information relevant to the replenishment of the inventory of the item to the user device.

33. The central controller of claim 31, wherein the configuration setting specifies when and how to send the status update.

34. A method comprising:

storing an identifier of a sensing device in a memory;

receiving a wireless signal from the sensing device through a wireless communication channel, the wireless signal including information about the identifier of the sensing device, the wireless signal being associated with a status update;

identifying the sensing device based on the identifier;

notifying a user of the status update according to a configuration setting, information regarding the status update being communicated through a network communication channel; and

communicating information content in a content server and relevant to the status update to a user device, the information content being logically proximate to the user device,

wherein the network communication channel is separate from the wireless communication channel;

wherein the information content in is determined as being logically proximate to the user device based on at least one of the following;

a bandwidth resource for sending the information content;

a location associated with the user device;

a network address associated with the user device;

a location of a base station associated with the user device;

a location of a base station through which the information content is routed;

a dedicated resource for transmitting the information content;

a location of a base station through which a request for the information content is transmitted;

comparison of a location of the user device with a location identified for the information content;

and

wherein the configuration setting specifies when or how to notify the user of the status update.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein the network communication channel is through a cellular communication network.