Event-based interactive device system

• US 10,499,201 B2
• Filed: 09/04/2018
• Issued: 12/03/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hurdl Inc.
• Original Assignee: Hurdl Inc.
• Inventors: McHugh, Elizabeth
• Primary Examiner(s): Ngo, Chuong A
• Application Number:
  US16/120,655
• Publication Number:
  US 20180376296A1
• Time in Patent Office: 455 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/08 User group management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/11 Allocation or use of connection identifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/186 Processing of subscriber group data

Abstract

A computer system for activating an event-based interactive device can be configured to receive, through a data input API, a unique device identifier. The unique device identifier may be associated with the event-based interactive device. Additionally, the system can be configured to receive user information associated with a user of the event-based interactive device. The system can classify event-based interactive devices into groups based upon the user information. Further, the system can be configured to transmit a command to at least one group of event-based interactive devices.

Claims

1. A computer system for activating an event-based interactive device, comprising:

one or more processors; and

one or more computer-readable media having stored thereon instructions that when executed by the one or more processors configure the computer system to perform at least the following;

receive, from a mobile device, a unique device identifier, wherein;

the unique device identifier is associated with the event-based interactive device,

the mobile device is a separate device from the event-based interactive device, and

the unique device identifier is received through a first communication channel type;

receive user information associated with a user of the event-based interactive device, wherein the user information comprises one or more user attributes associated with the user;

classify multiple event-based interactive devices into discrete groups, wherein at least one group is defined based upon a common user attribute that is shared by users of each event-based interactive device within the at least one group; and

transmit a command to the at least one group, wherein;

the command is communicated through a transmitter, the transmitter being separate from the mobile device and the event-based interactive device,

the transmitter communicates the command through a multicast broadcast, wherein the multicast broadcast is communicated through a second communication channel type that is separate and distinct from the first communication channel type, and

the command is configured to cause each event-based interactive device within the at least one group to activate an indicator that indicates each user within the group shares the common user attribute.

2. The computer system recited in claim 1, wherein receiving a unique device identifier comprises receiving an activation text message with a particular identifier that is associated with the event-based interactive device, wherein the activation text message originated from a particular phone number.

3. The computer system recited in claim 2, wherein receiving user information associated with the user of the event-based interactive device comprises:

accessing an event-specific question database, wherein the event specific question database comprises one or more questions directed towards users at an event;

generate a question text message that recites a question from the one or more questions;

transmit the question text message to the particular phone number;

receive an answer to the question text message; and

store the answer as a particular user attribute within the user information.

4. The computer system recited in claim 2, the instructions further including instructions that when executed configure the computer system to:

search a database for stored user information associated with the particular telephone number; and

identify that the particular telephone number is associated with information already stored within the user information.

5. The computer system recited in claim 4, the instructions further including instructions that when executed configure the computer system to:

determine that the information already stored within the user information provides acceptable answers to a specific question with an event-specific question database; and

classify the event-based interactive device based upon the information already stored within the user information.

6. The computer system recited in claim 1, wherein the user information is received directly from a user mobile device.

7. The computer system recited in claim 1, wherein the unique device identifier comprises a serial number printed on the event-based interactive device.

8. A system for utilizing an event-based interactive device, comprising:

an event-based interactive device comprising;

a unique device identifier,

a first receiver configured to receive multi-cast communications from a transmitter on a first communication channel type, and

a visual display device;

a device activation server configured to receive the unique device identifier and activate the event-based interactive device, the device activation server comprising;

a user information database,

a communication channel with a mobile phone, the mobile phone communicating the unique device identifier through a second communication channel type;

an interactive device control computer in communication with the device activation server and configured to;

receive unique device identifier from the device activation server, and

communicate commands to the event-based interactive device, the commands communicated through a transmitter, the transmitter being separate from the mobile device and the event-based interactive device and the transmitter communicating the commands through a multicast broadcast, wherein the multicast broadcast is communicated through the first communication channel type that is separate and distinct from the second communication channel type.

9. The computer system recited in claim 8, wherein the interactive device control computer is further configured to receive from the device activation server one or more attributes associated with the user of the event-based interactive device.

10. The computer system recited in claim 9, wherein the interactive device control computer is further configured to send a specific command to a group of event-based interactive devices associated with different users based upon the different users having common attributes, which common attribute is indicated by information received from the device activation server.

11. The computer system recited in claim 8, wherein the device activation server receives the unique device identifier through a text message from a mobile phone.

12. The computer system recited in claim 8, wherein the visual display device comprises an LED matrix.

13. The computer system recited in claim 8, wherein the interactive device control computer is further configured to identify groups of unique device identifiers that are associated with users who have particular attributes in common.

14. The computer system recited in claim 13, wherein the interactive device control computer is further configured to transmit commands to a specific group event-based interactive devices.

15. The computer system recited in claim 13, wherein the interactive device control computer is further configured to transmit commands to a specific group event-based interactive devices.

16. The computer system recited in claim 8, wherein the unique device identifier comprises a serial number.

17. The computer system recited in claim 8, wherein the unique device identifier comprises a serial number.

18. A method for utilizing an event-based interactive device, comprising:

receiving, from a mobile device, a unique device identifier, wherein;

the unique device identifier is associated with the event-based interactive device,

the mobile device is a separate device from the event-based interactive device, and

the unique device identifier is received through a first communication channel type;

receiving user information associated with a user of the event-based interactive device, wherein the user information comprises one or more user attributes associated with the user; and

transmitting the unique device identifier to an interactive device control computer, wherein the interactive device control computer is in communication with a transmitter that is configured to transmit commands to the event-based interactive device, the transmitter being separate from the mobile device and the event-based interactive device, and the transmitter communicates a command through a multicast broadcast, wherein the multicast broadcast is communicated through a second communication channel type that is separate and distinct from the first communication channel type.

19. The method as recited in claim 18, wherein receiving the unique device identifier comprises receiving the unique device identifier through a text message from a mobile phone.

20. The computer system recited in claim 18, wherein the interactive device control computer is further configured to identify groups of unique device identifiers that are associated with users who have particular attributes in common.