Consensual service registration and delivery

• US 20030045280A1
• Filed: 08/06/2002
• Published: 03/06/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/06/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Simons, Paul R.
• Granted Patent: US 7,835,732 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/422.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1859 adapted to provide push services, e.g. data channels
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/189 in combination with wireless systems selective distribution or broadcast in wireless communication networks H04W4/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/24 Cell structures
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences

Abstract

A communications system is described wherein consensual push of services from radio beacons (30, 32, 33) to a user'"'"'s portable device (14) is enabled. The consent process comprises a user registering the portable device (14) at a registration beacon (30) to consent to data delivery from other relevant beacons (32,33) in a network. The registration beacon 30 has a broadcast range which is constrained within, and highlighted to a user as, an indicated interaction zone (16). The range is preferably constrained and highlighted using electromagnetic shielding (18), or by using a directional antenna, or a combination of both. In use, the user must position their portable device (14) within the indicated interaction zone (16) to register for service delivery.

Claims

1. A communications system comprising a beacon device for providing interactive services, the beacon device capable of wireless transmissions according to a communications protocol over a broadcast range, and at least one portable device capable of receiving said transmissions according to said protocol, wherein said beacon broadcast range is constrained substantially within an indicated interaction zone and where in use said portable device is required to be positioned within said indicated interaction zone of said beacon to receive said transmissions.

2. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the broadcast range is constrained by electromagnetic shielding within, or at the boundaries of, the indicated interaction zone.

3. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the beacon has an adjustable broadcast range and said range is adjusted to provide a constrained range substantially within the indicated interaction zone.

4. A system as claimed in claim 1, comprising at least one directional antenna to constrain the broadcast range substantially in at least one direction within the interaction zone.

5. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the broadcast range is constrained by electromagnetic shielding within, or at the boundaries of, the indicated interaction zone and further comprising at least one directional antenna to constrain the broadcast range substantially in at least one direction within the interaction zone.

6. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the system includes visual or physical indicator means to identify the limits of the interaction zone to a user.

7. A system as claimed in claim 6, wherein the interaction zone comprises a portion of a walkway, said portion being coloured to identify the limits of the interaction zone to a user.

8. A system as claimed in claim 6, wherein the interaction zone comprises a kiosk or booth, the walls and floor of said kiosk or said booth being coloured to identify the limits of the interaction zone to a user.

9. A system as claimed in claim 8, wherein the indicator means further comprises a surface within said kiosk or booth, the surface shaped or visually labelled to indicate the interaction zone to a user and where in use, the portable device is placed on, or moved across said surface to interact with said beacon.

10. A system as claimed in claim 6 wherein the indicator means further comprises an audible alert.

11. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said beacon is configured for infrared communications and the communications conform to a predetermined infra-red protocol.

12. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said beacon is configured for radio communications and the communications conform to a predetermined radio protocol.

13. A communications system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the beacon transmissions constrained within the indicated interaction zone comprise service registration offers, the offers being accepted by said portable device when placed within said indicated interaction zone.

14. A communications system as claimed in claim 13, comprising a service delivery beacon device operable to deliver services wirelessly to said portable device over a delivery broadcast range, wherein the delivery of services to said portable device requires prior registration of said portable device within said indicated interaction zone and wherein the delivery of services is triggered by the detection of said registered portable device within the broadcast range of said service delivery beacon.

15. A communications system as claimed in claim 14, wherein the portable device accepts registration offers by transmitting a portable device identifier to said service interaction beacon following receipt of said transmissions, and wherein the delivery beacon receives the portable device identifier from said service interaction beacon via an interconnection therebetween, and wherein the delivery of said services is triggered by the detection of said portable device having matching portable device identifier within the delivery broadcast range.

16. A communication infrastructure for use in the communications system of claim 15, the infrastructure comprising a plurality of beacons, at least one of which has a constrained broadcast range substantially within an indicated interaction zone.

17. A beacon for use with the communication system of claim 1, the beacon having a broadcast range constrained substantially within an indicated interaction zone.

18. A beacon for use with the communication infrastructure of claim 16, the beacon having a broadcast range constrained substantially within an indicated interaction zone.

19. A method for enabling a user of a portable device to perform service interaction with a communications system, the system comprising a service interaction beacon operable to broadcast services wirelessly over a broadcast range, wherein:

the broadcast range of the beacon is constrained and indicated as an interaction zone to a user of a portable device;

the beacon broadcasts services wirelessly over said indicated interaction zone;

the user'"'"'s portable device detects said broadcasts and enables service interaction when positioned within said indicated interaction zone.

20. A method as claimed in claim 19, wherein a plurality of different service interactions between the portable device and the beacon are supported, and the step of enabling service interaction comprises exchanging an identifier between the portable device and the beacon thereby registering said portable device for registration to one or more of said service interactions.

21. A method as claimed in claim 20, further comprising the step of making available to a user a menu of the different service interactions available from which menu the user selection for registration may be made.