Dynamic Presentation of Location-Specific Information

• US 20090063293A1
• Filed: 09/04/2007
• Published: 03/05/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/04/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Miller, Mark, Verosub, Ellis M., Mirrashidi, Payam, Hwang, Yoon Sub, Strand, Tyler A.
• Granted Patent: US 9,569,806 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/26
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0619 Neutral agent
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0621 Item configuration or customization
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0633 Lists, e.g. purchase orders, compilation or processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/12 Hotels or restaurants

Abstract

Improved approaches to allow a portable electronic device to dynamically present location-specific information while the portable electronic device is at a predetermined location are disclosed. In one embodiment, the portable electronic device has a display that can display the location-specific information and has wireless capabilities for use in receiving the location-specific information from the server. The location-specific information can, for example, augment other information that is to be presented on the display. In one embodiment, the location-specific information can be information pertaining to a media item being played in an establishment, such as a store, where the portable electronic device is located.

Claims

1. A method for presenting customized data to a patron of an establishment, the patron operating a portable electronic device at the establishment and having wireless network access, said method comprising:

determining whether the portable electronic device associated with the patron is located at a predetermined establishment; and

sending a data request from the portable electronic device associated with the patron located at the predetermined establishment to a remote data server;

wherein at least a portion of the data being requested by the data request is dependent on whether the patron is determined to be located at the predetermined establishment.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the data being requested by the data request is dependent on the predetermined establishment.

3. A method as recited in claim 2, wherein the data request includes or is associated with a establishment identifier for the predetermined establishment.

4. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein said receiving comprises:

receiving, at the portable electronic device, a data response from the remote data server via the wireless network, wherein the data response includes or references establishment-based information pertaining to the predetermined establishment.

5. A method as recited in claim 4, wherein the establishment-based information includes at least information on at least one media item being played by a media play system at the establishment.

6. A method for provide customized data to patrons of a store, said method comprising:

receiving a data request initiated from a requesting electronic device associated with a patron located at a store;

obtaining a store identifier for the store, the store identifier being provided with or associated to the data request;

retrieving store-based information associated with the store based on the store identifier;

forming a data response that includes at least the requested store-based information; and

sending the data response to the requesting electronic device associated with the patron.

7. A method as recited in claim 6, wherein said retrieving comprises:

requesting store-based information associated with the store, the store identifier being provided or associated with the store-based information request; and

receiving the requested store-based information associated with the store.

8. A method as recited in claim 7, wherein said requesting of the store-based information requests the store-based information from a remote server that stores store-based information for a plurality of stores.

9. A method as recited in claim 6, wherein a media play system is also provided at the store to play media items at the store, and

wherein the store-based information includes at least media playing information by the media play system at the store.

10. A method as recited in claim 9, wherein the media playing information includes descriptive information on a media item currently playing at the store or a list of media items recently played at the store.

11. A method as recited in claim 6, wherein the data request is a request to an online media store for an online store media data page, and wherein the data response includes the requested store-based information and information on one or more media items available for purchase from the online media store.

12. A method as recited in claim 11, wherein a media play system is also provided at the store to play media items at the store, and

wherein the store-based information includes at least media playing information by the media play system at the store.

13. A method for provide customized information to patrons of a store, said method comprising:

receiving a data request initiated from a requesting electronic device associated with a patron located at a store;

determining whether the patron is located at the store; and

transmitting a data response to the requesting electronic device, wherein the data response includes or references store-based information pertaining to the store if it is determined that the patron is located at the store.

14. A method as recited in claim 13, wherein a media play system is also provided at the store to play media items at the store, and

wherein the store-based information includes at least media playing information by the media play system at the store.

15. A method as recited in claim 14, wherein the media playing information includes descriptive information on a media item currently playing at the store or a list of media items recently played at the store.

16. A method as recited in claim 13, wherein the data request is a request to an online media store for an online store media page, and wherein the data response includes information on one or more media items available for purchase from the online media store.

17. A method as recited in claim 13, wherein said transmitting comprises:

forming a page responsive to the data request; and

augmenting the page to include or associate with the store-based information when the patron is determined to be located at the store.

18. A method as recited in claim 13, wherein said determining of whether the patron is located at the store comprises examining the data request to determine whether the patron is located at the store.

19. A method as recited in claim 13, wherein said determining of whether the patron is located at the store comprises determining whether the data request includes or references a particular store identifier for the store.

20. A method for presenting a dynamic page on a network accessible electronic device associate with a user at a store location, the store location having a local wireless network that provides access to a global network, said method comprising:

(a) wirelessly connecting the device at the store location to the local wireless network;

(b) obtaining a store identifier for the store location;

(c) requesting, from the device, a page from an online media store using a page request, the page request including or referencing the store identifier;

(d) receiving the page request at an online media store server;

(e) determining whether the page request includes a store identifier;

(f) retrieving the request page and sending the requested page to the device when the page request does not include a store identifier;

(g) requesting store relevant information from a remote server based on the store identifier when the page request does include a store identifier;

(h) receiving the store relevant information in response to said requesting (g); and

(i) retrieving the requested page, modifying the requested page in view of the store relevant information and sending the modified requested page to the device when the requested page does include a store identifier.

21. A portable electronic device, comprising:

a display;

wireless communication circuitry; and

a processor configured to determine whether the portable electronic device is located at an establishment, and to display information concerning the establishment on the display when the portable electronic device is located at the establishment.

22. A portable electronic device as recited in claim 21, wherein the portable electronic device operates in a first mode when not located at an establishment and operates in a second mode when located in an establishment.

23. A portable electronic device as recited in claim 22, wherein in the second mode the display presents establishment-based information and wherein in the first mode the display does not present establishment-based information.

24. A portable electronic device as recited in claim 21, wherein the establishment-based information is received at the portable electronic device via the wireless communication circuitry.

25. A portable electronic device as recited in claim 21, wherein the establishment-based information is information concerning media items now or recently being played at the establishment.

26. A computer readable medium including at least executable computer program code tangibly stored thereon for provide dynamic data to patrons of an establishment, said computer readable medium comprising:

computer program code for receiving a data request initiated from a requesting electronic device associated with a patron located at an establishment;

computer program code for obtaining an identifier for the establishment, the identifier being provided with or associated to the data request;

computer program code for retrieving establishment-based information associated with the establishment based on the identifier;

computer program code for forming a data response that includes at least the requested establishment-based information; and

computer program code for sending the data response to the requesting electronic device associated with the patron.