Adaptive location branding

• US 10,555,121 B2
• Filed: 01/22/2018
• Issued: 02/04/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 11/23/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CollegeNET Incorporated
• Original Assignee: CollegeNET Incorporated
• Inventors: Bolton, Jeff Michael, Wolfston, James H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Htun, San
• Application Number:
  US15/876,297
• Publication Number:
  US 20180227710A1
• Time in Patent Office: 743 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/53 using third party service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/025 using location based information parameters
• 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

A method and system for providing location-specific information to users, wherein this information is directly maintained and supplied by the provider of the service. This information is supplied by means of an application running on a personal communication device, where the application is developed and provided by a third-party servicer (e.g., CollegeNET) and the third party servicer makes various program options/APIs of the application available to and selectable by its customers (e.g., various universities). This way, the organization wanting to supply the information, such as a university, does not have to develop their own unique applications to provide a unique user experience tied to the university, and the users don'"'"'t have to download an application for each school they visit.

Claims

1. A method for changing the appearance and/or functionality of a location-aware application on a portable communication device based on a detected location, the method comprising the steps of:

detecting a location of the portable communications device by receiving a location signal from a location-defining device, the location-defining device comprising at least one of;

a multiplicity of GPS satellites, a Wi-Fi local network, a near-field communication (NFC) device, an iBeacon, geo-fencing with locational beacons, a Bluetooth device, a radio-frequency identification (RFID) device, and a mobile cellular network device;

interrogating a web-based service for information pertaining to an organization located at the detected location;

receiving the information from the web-based service pertaining to the organization located at the detected location; and

modifying one or more graphical user interface elements of the location-aware application of the portable communication device using the information received from the web-based service such that a graphical user interface of the location-aware application displays an appearance showing affiliation with the organization at the detected location;

wherein modifying the one or more graphical user interface elements of the location-aware application does not include modifying an icon used to launch the location-aware application or any other application; and

wherein modifying one or more graphical user interface elements of the location-aware application includes changing characteristics of the screen display on the portable communication device so that the location-aware application shows location-specific branding information associated with the organization at the detected location, said location-specific branding information including one or more selections from a group consisting of;

trademarks associated with the organization at the detected location, service marks associated with the organization at the detected location, logos associated with the organization at the detected location, slogans associated with the organization at the detected location, colors associated with the organization at the detected location, mascots associated with the organization at the detected location, banners associated with the organization at the detected location, crests associated with the organization at the detected location, seals associated with the organization at the detected location, and emblems associated with the organization at the detected location.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the location-defining device comprises a multiplicity of GPS satellites.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the first location-definition devices interrogated for the location of the portable communication device are the GPS satellites.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the location-defining device comprises a Wi-Fi local network.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the location-defining device comprises a near-field communication (NFC) device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the location-defining device comprises an iBeacon.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the location-defining device comprises geo-fencing with locational beacons.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the location-defining device comprises a Bluetooth device.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the location-defining device comprises a radio-frequency identification (RFID) device.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the location-defining device comprises a mobile cellular network device.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the information to be provided to the user comprises location-specific notifications;

and wherein the information displayed to the user comprises the location-specific notifications.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the location-specific notifications comprise information about upcoming events scheduled for the detected location.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the information to be provided to the user comprises scheduling options;

and wherein the information displayed to the user comprises the scheduling options.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein if there is a change in the detected location from the location-defining device, then the steps of interrogating, receiving and displaying are repeated.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein after a pre-determined period of time has elapsed, then the steps of interrogating, receiving and displaying are repeated.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting a second location of the portable communications device by receiving a location signal from a second location-defining device, the second location-defining device comprising at least one of;

a multiplicity of GPS satellites, a Wi-Fi local network, a near-field communication (NFC) device, an iBeacon, geo-fencing with locational beacons, a Bluetooth device, a radio-frequency identification (RFID) device, and a mobile cellular network device;

interrogating the web-based service for information pertaining to an organization located at the second detected location;

receiving the information from the web-based service pertaining to the organization located at the second detected location; and

modifying one or more graphical user interface elements of the location-aware application of the portable communication device using the information received from the web-based service such that a graphical user interface of the location-aware application displays an appearance showing affiliation with the organization at the second detected location.

19. A non-transitory, computer-readable medium encoded with computer-executable instructions that, when executed by a computer processor of a portable communications device, cause the portable communications device to perform the method of claim 1.

17. A method for changing the appearance and/or functionality of a location-aware application on a portable communication device based on a detected location, the method comprising the steps of:

detecting a location of the portable communications device by receiving a location signal from a location-defining device, the location-defining device comprising at least one of;

a multiplicity of GPS satellites, a Wi-Fi local network, a near-field communication (NFC) device, an iBeacon, eco-fencing with locational beacons, a Bluetooth device, a radio-frequency identification (RFID) device, and a mobile cellular network device;

interrogating a web-based service for information pertaining to an organization located at the detected location;

receiving the information from the web-based service pertaining to the organization located at the detected location; and

modifying one or more graphical user interface elements of the location-aware application of the portable communication device using the information received from the web-based service such that a graphical user interface of the location-aware application displays an appearance showing affiliation with the organization at the detected location;

wherein modifying the one or more graphical user interface elements of the location-aware application does not include modifying an icon used to launch the location-aware application or any other application;

wherein the location-defining device comprises a radio-frequency identification (RFID) device; and

wherein the scheduling options comprise class assignments for the detected location.

18. A portable communications device comprising:

a computer processor coupled to a bus;

a receiver coupled to the bus, the receiver adapted for receiving a location signal from a location-defining device;

a display screen coupled to the bus, the display screen adapted for displaying the information to the user of the portable communication device; and

a non-transitory, computer-readable medium coupled to the bus, the computer-readable medium encoded with computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the computer processor, cause the device to perform the steps of;

detecting, by the computer processor, a location of the portable communications device by receiving a location signal, using the receiver, from a location-defining device, the location-defining device comprising at least one of;

a multiplicity of GPS satellites, a Wi-Fi local network, a near-field communication (NFC) device, an iBeacon, geo-fencing with locational beacons, a Bluetooth device, a radio-frequency identification (RFID) device, and a mobile cellular network device;

interrogating, by the computer processor, a web-based service for information pertaining to an organization located at the detected location;

receiving, by the computer processor and the receiver, the information from the web-based service pertaining to the organization located at the detected location; and

modifying, by the computer processor, one or more graphical user interface elements of the location-aware application of the portable communication device using the information received from the web-based service such that a graphical user interface of the location-aware application is displayed on the display screen with an appearance showing affiliation with the organization at the detected location;

wherein modifying the one or more graphical user interface elements of the location-aware application does not include modifying an icon used to launch the location-aware application or any other application; and

wherein modifying one or more graphical user interface elements of the location-aware application includes changing characteristics of the screen display on the portable communication device so that the location-aware application shows location-specific branding information associated with the organization at the detected location, said location-specific branding information including one or more selections from a group consisting of;

trademarks associated with the organization at the detected location, service marks associated with the organization at the detected location, logos associated with the organization at the detected location, slogans associated with the organization at the detected location, colors associated with the organization at the detected location, mascots associated with the organization at the detected location, banners associated with the organization at the detected location, crests associated with the organization at the detected location, seals associated with the organization at the detected location, and emblems associated with the organization at the detected location.