Systems and Methods to Provide Digital Amenities for Local Access

• US 20120246313A1
• Filed: 02/27/2012
• Published: 09/27/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/21/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Iplcontent, LLC
• Original Assignee: Iplcontent, LLC
• Inventors: Ho, Chi Fai, Tong, Peter P.
• Granted Patent: US 10,666,732 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/225
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences

Abstract

One embodiment includes a network apparatus at a store for allowing digital amenities to be accessed at the store by a mobile device of a user. The network apparatus includes a network interface, a storage module to keep digital amenities and a computing module. The network interface can be designed to couple to the mobile device at the store, and to a computing device outside the store. The network interface can be designed to recognize the mobile device at the store based on a piece of software related to the store in the mobile device. The computing module can be designed to help the mobile device to access a first digital amenity from the storage module in view of the piece of software. Based on the access, a second digital amenity from the computing device can be pre-stored at the storage module.

Claims

1. A network apparatus for allowing digital amenities to be accessed at a store by a mobile device of a user, the network apparatus comprising:

a network interface configured to at least couple to the mobile device at the store, and to a computing device outside the store;

a storage module configured to keep at least a first digital amenity; and

a computing module configured to allow the mobile device to access the first digital amenity at the store depending on a piece of software related to the store in the mobile device, wherein a second digital amenity from the computing device is kept at the storage module in view of the access,

wherein the network apparatus is at the store,

wherein the network interface is configured to automatically recognize the mobile device in view of the piece of software in the mobile device, if the mobile device is at the store, and

wherein the second digital amenity in the storage module enhances transmitting the second digital amenity from the network apparatus to the mobile device if the mobile device is at the store.

2. A network apparatus as recited in claim 1,

wherein there is a plurality of categories related to stores, and the store belongs to at least one of the categories, and

wherein both the first and the second digital amenities are tailored to the at least one of the categories.

3. A network apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the computing module is configured to analyze the access of the first digital amenity to determine accessing the second digital amenity from the computing device to be pre-stored at the storage module in anticipation of the second digital amenity to be later accessed at the store.

4. A network apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the computing module is configured to install the piece of software in the mobile device before interface is able to automatically recognize the mobile device.

5. A network apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the computing module is configured to delete the second digital amenity from the storage module in view of a lack of access of the second digital amenity from the storage module by a mobile device at the store.

6. A network apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein both the first and the second digital amenities are tailored to an attribute of the store.

7. A network apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the network apparatus has the dimension of a USB thumb drive.

8. A network apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the network apparatus is also configured to operate as a wireless network access point for mobile devices at the store, in addition to providing services at least via providing digital amenities.

9. A network apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the computing module allows the user to post a piece of information that at least one other user with a mobile device at the store could access from the network apparatus.

10. A network apparatus as recited in claim 9, wherein the first digital amenity includes an e-book and the computing device is configured to link the piece of information to the e-book.

11. A network apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the computing module is configured to recommend the user to access a third digital amenity via the mobile device.

12. A network apparatus as recited in claim 11,

wherein the computing module is configured to recommend the user to access the third digital amenity via the mobile device if the mobile device is at a first location of the store, and

wherein the computing module is configured to recommend the user to access a fourth digital amenity via the mobile device if the mobile device is at a second location of the store.

13. A network apparatus as recited in claim 1,

wherein the network interface is configured to couple at least wirelessly to the computing device, which does not belong to the store, to access a first type of digital amenities, and

wherein the network interface is configured to couple at least wirelessly to another computing device, which belongs to the store, outside the store, to access a second type of digital amenities.

14. A network apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the second digital amenity is automatically transmitted to the mobile device if the mobile device is at the store subsequently.

15. A network apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the network interface is configured to couple to the mobile device via a local area network at the store.

16. A method to help a mobile device of a user access digital amenities via a network apparatus at a store, the network apparatus having a plurality of digital amenities, the method comprising:

recognizing, by the network apparatus, the mobile device at the store at least in view of a piece of software related to the store in the mobile device;

allowing, by the network apparatus, the mobile device to access a first digital amenity from the network apparatus at least in view of the piece of software in the mobile device;

determining, by the network apparatus, if the mobile device has accessed the first digital amenity from the network apparatus;

accessing, by the network apparatus, a second digital amenity from a computing device outside the store to be kept at the network apparatus, in view of the determining that the first digital amenity has been accessed; and

storing, by the network apparatus, the second digital amenity in the network apparatus,

wherein the second digital amenity in the network apparatus enhances transmitting the second digital amenity from the network apparatus to the mobile device if the mobile device is at the store.

17. A method as recited in claim 16 further comprising installing, by the network apparatus, the piece of software in the mobile device.

18. A method as recited in claim 16 further comprising deleting, by the network apparatus, the second digital amenity from the network apparatus in view of a lack of access of the second digital amenity from the storage module by a mobile device at the store.

19. A method as recited in claim 16 further comprising allowing, by the network apparatus, a piece of information to be provided by the user so that one other user with a mobile device at the store could access from the network apparatus.

20. A method as recited in claim 16 further comprising recommending, by the network apparatus, the second digital amenity to the user via the mobile device if the mobile device is at the store.