Method of providing digital content for users of physical items

• US 10,389,829 B2
• Filed: 10/17/2018
• Issued: 08/20/2019
• 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): Le, Thien M
• Application Number:
  US16/163,351
• Publication Number:
  US 20190141150A1
• Time in Patent Office: 307 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, a user uses an electronic device to scan a smart tag associated with an item to obtain an item identifier of the item. The electronic device sends the item identifier to a server, which selects digital content related to the item and sends the selected digital content to the user'"'"'s electronic device for display.

Claims

1. A system for delivering digital content related to an article of apparel, the system comprising:

an article of apparel;

an NFC chip affixed to the article of apparel, wherein the NFC chip stores identifying information of the article of apparel;

a remote computing device storing digital content related to the article of apparel;

an application configured to be executed by an NFC-enabled mobile computing device, wherein the application, when executed, causes the NFC-enabled mobile computing device to;

receive, from the NFC chip embedded in the apparel tag, the identifying information of the article of apparel;

request, from the remote computing device, first digital content related to the article of apparel using the identifying information of the article of apparel;

receive, from the remote computing device, the first digital content related to the article of apparel;

display, on a display of the NFC-enabled mobile computing device, the first digital content related to the article of apparel;

request, from the remote computing device, second digital content related to the article of apparel;

receive, from the remote computing device, the second digital content related to the article of apparel; and

display, on the display of the NFC-enabled mobile computing device, the second digital content related to the article of apparel, wherein the first digital content and the second digital content are different.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the article of apparel is a shoe.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the NFC chip is embedded in the shoe.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the article of apparel is an athletic shirt or a jersey.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising an apparel tag affixed to the article of apparel, wherein the NFC chip is embedded in the apparel tag.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the article of apparel is an athletic shirt or a jersey.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein the NFC chip is stitched into the athletic shirt or the jersey.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first digital content and the second digital content includes a list of events related to the article of apparel.

9. A system for delivering digital content related to an article of apparel, the system comprising:

an item;

a smart tag associated with the item, wherein the smart tag stores identifying information of the item;

a remote computing device storing digital content related to the item;

an application configured to be executed by a mobile computing device, wherein the application, when executed, causes the mobile computing device to;

receive, from the smart tag, the identifying information of the item;

request, from the remote computing device, first digital content related to the item using the identifying information of the item;

receive, from the remote computing device, the first digital content related to the item;

display, on a display of the mobile computing device, the first digital content related to the item;

request, from the remote computing device, second digital content related to the item;

receive, from the remote computing device, the second digital content related to the item; and

display, on the display of the NFC-enabled mobile computing device, the second digital content related to the item, wherein the first digital content and the second digital content are different.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the smart tag is an NFC chip.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the smart tag is an RFID chip.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the smart tag is disposed in the item.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the item is an athletic shirt or a jersey.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the item is a shoe.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein at least one of the first digital content and the second digital content includes a list of events related to the item.

16. A system for delivering digital content related to an article of apparel, the system comprising:

an item comprising a smart tag, wherein smart tag stores identifying information of the item; and

an application configured to be executed by a mobile computing device, wherein the application, when executed, causes the mobile computing device to;

receive, from the smart tag, the identifying information of the item;

request, from a remote computing device, first digital content related to the item using the identifying information of the item;

receive, from a remote computing device, the first digital content related to the item;

display, on a display of the mobile computing device, the first digital content related to the item;

request, from the remote computing device, second digital content related to the item;

receive, from the remote computing device, the second digital content related to the item; and

display, on the display of the NFC-enabled mobile computing device, the second digital content related to the item, wherein the first digital content and the second digital content are different.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the smart tag is an NFC chip.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the smart tag is an RFID chip.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein the smart tag is disposed in the item.

20. The system of claim 16, wherein the item is an athletic shirt or a jersey.

21. The system of claim 16, wherein the item is a shoe.

22. The system of claim 16, further comprising an tag affixed to the item, wherein the smart tag is embedded in the tag.

23. The system of claim 16, wherein at least one of the first digital content and the second digital content includes a list of events related to the item.