Location-Based Arrangements Employing Mobile Devices

• US 20100293106A1
• Filed: 04/19/2010
• Published: 11/18/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Digimarc Corporation
• Original Assignee: Digimarc Corporation
• Inventors: Rhoads, Geoffrey B., Rodriguez, Tony F.
• Granted Patent: US 8,447,067 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/330
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/083 Shipping
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising

Abstract

In one arrangement, a first user sends information from a portable device and receives a response that depends, at least in part, on the location of a second user'"'"'s portable device. The information sent from the first portable device may be based on data captured by a sensor in that device. In another arrangement, a user of a portable device sends two types of data, sensor-related data and location-related data, and receives a response that is based on both of these of data. In one particular such embodiment, the user scans a barcode or watermark from a coupon or other printed object, and sends decoded payload data—together with location data (e.g., GPS data)—to a remote server. The remote server routes the information to a vendor near the user who can, e.g., fulfill an order for food delivery to the user.

Claims

1. A process that includes the acts:

receiving first data indicating a first user'"'"'s location, the first data corresponding to location information determined by a portable device conveyed by the first user by reference to radio signals received by said portable device;

sending information to a second user'"'"'s portable device, the second user device being associated with a second user different than the first user;

wherein the information sent to the second user'"'"'s portable device is dependent on the first data indicating the first user'"'"'s location.

2. The process of claim 1 wherein the first data is sent from the first user'"'"'s portable device.

3. The process of claim 1 wherein the location information comprises data from a GPS receiving apparatus.

4. The process of claim 1 wherein the information sent to the second user'"'"'s portable device comprises data obtained from a database record.

5. The process of claim 1 wherein the information sent to the second user'"'"'s portable device comprises a telephone number at which the first user can be reached.

6. The process of claim 1 wherein the information sent to the second user'"'"'s portable device is also dependent on object data.

7. The process of claim 1 wherein the information sent to the second user'"'"'s portable device is also dependent on object data derived by processing object information captured by the second user'"'"'s portable device.

8. The process of claim 1 wherein the information sent to the second user'"'"'s portable device is also dependent on imagery captured by an image sensor in the second user'"'"'s portable device.

9. A process comprising the acts:

from a first user'"'"'s portable device, making a transmission to a remote computer server;

at the first user'"'"'s portable device, receiving information responsive to said transmission; and

presenting a display related to said received information on a screen of the first user'"'"'s portable device;

wherein the received information is dependent on location data indicating the location of a second user'"'"'s portable device, said location information having been determined based on radio signals received by said second user'"'"'s portable device.

10. The process of claim 9 that includes processing signals captured by a sensor in the first user'"'"'s portable device, and transmitting corresponding information to the remote computer server, wherein said information received at the first user'"'"'s portable device is also dependent on said transmitted information.

11. The process of claim 9 that includes receiving location data transmitted from the second user'"'"'s portable device.

12. A process comprising the acts:

using a sensor in a portable device to capture data corresponding to an object;

using a processor in said portable device, processing the captured data to yield processed object data;

determining location information indicating a location of said portable device, based on radio signals received by said portable device;

wirelessly transmitting the processed object data and the location information from said portable device; and

receiving at the portable device, in response to said transmitting, responsive information that is dependent on the transmitted processed object data, and that varies in accordance with the transmitted location information.

13. The process of claim 12 in which the processed object data comprises data serving to identify the object.

14. The process of claim 12 in which the object comprises a physical object.

15. The process of claim 12 that includes capturing optical data from the object, using an image sensor portion of the portable device.

16. The process of claim 12 that includes capturing RFID data from the object.

17. The process of claim 12 that includes using the processor in said portable device to produce identification data corresponding to said object.

18. The process of claim 12 that includes using a processor remote from the portable device to derive identification data corresponding to said object, based on the processed object data transmitted by the portable device.

19. A process comprising the acts:

using an optical sensor in a user'"'"'s portable phone device to capture image data from a machine readable indicia on a physical object;

using a processor in said portable phone device to process the captured image data, yielding an identifier;

determining location data indicating a location of said user, based on radio signals received by said user'"'"'s portable phone device;

wirelessly transmitting both the identifier and the location data from said portable phone device; and

providing a response to the user in accordance with the transmitted identifier and location data.

20. The process of claim 19 in which the indicia comprises a barcode.

21. The process of claim 19 in which the indicia comprises a digital watermark.

22. The process of claim 19 in which the response comprises delivery of a physical item to the user.

23. The process of claim 19 in which the response comprises delivery of a food item to the user.

24. A process comprising the acts:

receiving information from a user'"'"'s portable device, the received information including identification information derived by processing image data captured by the user'"'"'s device, and also comprising location information determined by the user'"'"'s portable device based on received radio signals;

by reference to the received identification information and the received location information, identifying a particular business is suited to provide delivery of a physical item to said user, due to the particular business'"'"'s location, from among many possible businesses; and

forwarding at least some of the received information to said particular business, enabling the business to provide delivery of the physical item to the user.

25. The process of claim 24 that includes determining a physical item desired by the user by reference to the identification information.

26. The process of claim 24 that includes determining a street address for delivery of the physical item by reference to the location information.