Method of providing digital content for users of physical items

• US 10,432,739 B2
• Filed: 10/17/2018
• Issued: 10/01/2019
• 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:
  US16/163,361
• Publication Number:
  US 20190141151A1
• Time in Patent Office: 349 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 method performed by an application on a mobile device for delivering digital content associated with an item, the method comprising:

receiving an identifier and a uniform resource locator from a smart tag associated with the item;

loading a webpage using the uniform resource locator, wherein the webpage includes an interface to receive user account information;

displaying, on a display of the mobile device, the interface to receive user account information;

retrieving, from a remote computing device, digital content associated with the identifier in response to receiving user account information, wherein the digital content comprises a list of events associated with the item; and

displaying, on the display of the mobile device, the digital content in response to retrieving the digital content.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying, on the display of the mobile device, the list of events in chronological order.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying, on the display of the mobile device, the list of events vertically.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the list of events includes rewards or benefits associated with the user account information.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the list includes links to additional digital content.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the item is a jersey.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the list of events includes information about a player or a team associated with the jersey.

8. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by a computing device, cause the computing device to perform operations comprising:

receive an identifier and a uniform resource locator from a smart tag associated with the item;

load a webpage using the uniform resource locator, wherein the webpage includes an interface to receive user account information;

display, on a display of the computing device, the interface to receive user account information;

retrieve, from a remote computing device, digital content associated with the identifier in response to receiving user account information, wherein the digital content comprises a list of events associated with the item; and

display, on the display of the computing device, the digital content in response to retrieving the digital content.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 8, wherein the instructions further comprise:

displaying, on the display of the computing device, the list of events in chronological order.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 8, wherein the instructions further comprise:

displaying, on the display of the computing device, the list of events vertically.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 8, wherein the list of events includes rewards or benefits associated with the user account information.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 8, wherein the list includes links to additional digital content.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 8, wherein the item is a jersey.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 13, wherein the list of events includes information about a player or a team associated with the jersey.

15. A system for delivering digital content associated with an item, comprising:

a smart tag associated with an item and configured to transmit item information; and

an application configured to be executed by a mobile device, wherein the application, when executed, is configured to cause the mobile device to;

receive an identifier and uniform resource locator from a smart tag associated with the item;

load a webpage using the uniform resource locator, wherein the webpage includes an interface to receive user account information;

display, on a display of the mobile device, the interface to receive user account information;

retrieve, from the remote computing device, digital content associated with the identifier in response to receiving user account information, wherein the digital content comprises a list of events associated with the item; and

display, on the display of the mobile device, the digital content in response to retrieving the digital content.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the list of events is displayed in chronological order.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the list of events is displayed vertically.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the list of events includes rewards or benefits associated with the user account information.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the item is a jersey.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the list of events includes information about a player or a team associated with the jersey.