Apparatus and Method Using Near Field Communications

• US 20110276511A1
• Filed: 06/14/2011
• Published: 11/10/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tamiras Per Pte Ltd LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Tamiras Per Pte Ltd LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Rosenberg, Einar
• Granted Patent: US 9,082,267 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/345
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/223 based on the use of peer-to-peer networks
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3278 RFID or NFC payments by means of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0281 Customer communication at a business location, e.g. providing product or service information, consulting
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0633 Lists, e.g. purchase orders, compilation or processing
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/009 the reader being an RFID reader

Abstract

A near field communications enabled mobile communication is used to provide or receive information.

Claims

1-11. -11. (canceled)

12. A system for paging a customer, comprising:

a near field communication device configured to communicate with a near field communication enabled mobile communication device associated with a customer and receive contact information for said mobile communication device; and

a computer server system for maintaining and processing a service queue, said computer server system coupled to said near field communication device, said computer server system configured to receive said contact information from said near field communication device, said computer server system configured such that at an appropriate time to cause communication to said mobile communication device of said customer using said contact information.

13. The system for paging a customer of claim 12, wherein said computer server system includes said near field communication device.

14. The system for paging a customer of claim 12, wherein said appropriate time is when said customer would be a next customer to be serviced.

15. The system for paging a customer of claim 12, wherein said appropriate time is when said customer would be a predetermined number of people from a next customer to be serviced.

16. A method of paging a customer in a queue, comprising the steps of:

reading by a near field communication device of a service a near field communication enabled mobile communication device associated with said customer;

receiving by said near field communication device contact information for said mobile communication device;

adding said customer to a queue;

monitoring said queue; and

causing communication at an appropriate time to said mobile communication device of said customer using said contact information of said mobile communication device.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising the step of:

receiving updating information about said queue.

18. The method of claim 16 further comprising the step of:

updating customer'"'"'s place in said queue.

38. The method of claim 16, wherein said appropriate time is when said customer would be a next customer to be serviced.

39. The method of claim 16, wherein said appropriate time is a predetermined advanced notice in advance of the customer being the next customer to be serviced.

19. A system for paging an employee of a business, comprising:

a near field communication device located in said business configured to provide a near field communication enabled mobile communication device associated with a customer with contact information for said business;

said near field communication device configured to provide location information of said near field communication device.

20. The system for paging an employee of a business of claim 19, further comprising:

a computer server system associated with said contact information for said business and associated with said business for maintaining and processing business location and employee information, said computer server system configured to receive a communication from a customer including said location information, said computer server system configured to cause communication to said business based on said location information.

21. (canceled)

22. A method for paging an employee of a business, comprising the step of:

providing, to a near field communication enabled mobile communication device of a customer located near a near field communication device, contact information for said business and location information of said near field communication device.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising the acts of:

receiving, by a computer server system associated with said contact information for said business and associated with said business for maintaining and processing business location and employee information, said contact information from said customer; and

causing, by said computer server system, communication to said business based on said business and location information.

24-37. -37. (canceled)

40. A system for paging an employee of a business, comprising:

a near field communication device located in said business configured to provide a near field communication enabled mobile communication device associated with a customer with contact information for said business.

41. The system for paging an employee of a business of claim 40, wherein said contact information further comprises employee contact information for an employee of said business.

42. The system for paging an employee of a business of claim 40, wherein said contact information further comprises employee contact information for an employee of said business, said employee related to a location of the near field communication device.

43. The system for paging an employee of a business of claim 40, wherein said contact information is characterized by a phone number, mobile phone number email address, instant messaging address of the employee or other electronic, visual, auditory, or communication medium of informing employee.

44. A system for paging a customer, comprising:

a near field communication device configured to communicate with a near field communication enabled mobile communication device associated with a customer and receive contact information for said mobile communication device, wherein said near field communication device is configured to receive said contact information from said mobile communication device, wherein said near field communication device is configured such that at an appropriate time to cause communication to said mobile communication device of said customer using said contact information.

45. The system for paging a customer of claim 44, wherein said appropriate time is when said customer would be a next customer to be serviced.

46. The system for paging a customer of claim 44, wherein said appropriate time is when said customer would be a predetermined number of people from a next customer to be serviced.

47. A system for paging a customer, comprising:

a communication device configured to communicate using a first communication method with a mobile communication device associated with a customer and receive contact information for said mobile communication device; and

a computer server system for maintaining and processing a service queue, said computer server system coupled to said communication device, said computer server system configured to receive said contact information from said communication device, said computer server system configured such that at an appropriate time to cause communication using a second communication method to said mobile communication device of said customer using said contact information, where said first communication method is different from said second communication method.

48. The system for paging a customer of claim 47, where said first communication method utilizes near field communication methods.

49. The system for paging a customer of claim 47, wherein said computer server system includes said communication device.

50. The system for paging a customer of claim 47, wherein said appropriate time is when said customer would be a next customer to be serviced.

51. The system for paging a customer of claim 47, wherein said appropriate time is when said customer would be a predetermined number of people from a next customer to be serviced.

52. The system for paging a customer of claim 47, where said second communication method utilizes cellular phone communication methods.

53. The system for paging a customer of claim 47, where said second communication method utilizes one of email, SMS, and MMS communication methods.