ICEBREAKER ACTIVITIES USING AN INTELLIGENT BEVERAGE CONTAINER

• US 20140059133A1
• Filed: 08/21/2013
• Published: 02/27/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/21/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV
• Original Assignee: Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV
• Inventors: Wang, Winston
• Granted Patent: US 9,647,777 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/204
• CPC Class Codes: B67C 3/007 Applications of control, warning or safety devices in filling machinery flow-control B67C3/28
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/0005 the apparatus comprising means for automatically controlling the amount to be dispensed
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/0872 Aesthetics, advertising
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/0888 Means comprising electronic circuitry (e.g. control panels, switching or controlling means)
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/0894 for the vessel to be filled
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 2001/0811 provided with coded information
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 2001/0812 Bottles, cartridges or similar containers
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 2210/00083 Access code recognition means
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 2210/00089 Remote control means, e.g. by electromagnetic signals
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 2210/00091 Bar management means
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 7/348 by interrogating an information transmitter, e.g. a transponder B67D7/145 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/145 Payments according to the detected use or quantity
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 13/02 by volume
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 13/025 wherein the volume is determined during delivery
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/0609 by fluid containers, e.g. bottles, cups, gas containers
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/63 to plural spots in a confined site, e.g. MATV [Master Antenna Television]
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/33 Arrangements for monitoring the users' behaviour or opinions
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/535 Tracking the activity of the user network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34

Abstract

Systems, devices, and methods are provided for conducting a social interaction. A first user account may be associated with a first beverage container. A second beverage container may be detected as being proximate to the first beverage container. A second user account associated with the second beverage container may be accessed to identify a commonality between the first and second user accounts. The commonality may be objective and/or subjective information or data about the users of the first and second beverage containers. Information indicative of the commonality may be displayed on an electronic display of at least one of the beverage containers. The electronic display may be flexible such that it conforms to a curvature of the beverage container.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

associating a first user account with a first beverage container;

detecting a second beverage container being in proximity with the first beverage container;

accessing a second user account associated with the second beverage container to identify a commonality between the first and second user accounts; and

displaying information indicative of the commonality on at least one of the first or second beverage containers.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting the first and second beverage containers being in substantial physical contact with each other; and

transmitting, based on the substantial physical contact, a connection request to the second user account to connect the second user account with the first user account.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the connection request is a friend request via an online social network.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein connecting the second user account with the first user account shares a limited portion of information about a first user associated with the first user account with a second user associated with the second user account.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second user accounts are associated with one or more online social networks.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

accessing the first and second user accounts to identify additional commonalities; and

displaying information indicative of at least one of the additional commonalities on at least one of the beverage containers.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the information indicative of the additional commonalities is displayed after a predetermined time period of the first and second beverage containers being in proximity.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

updating the display of information indicative of the additional commonalities to illustrate a different commonality after a predetermined time period.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the commonality comprises one or more of a home town, a visited location, an acquaintance, a school, a sports team, a present or former employer, an organization membership, an interest, a common activity, a membership in an online social network, a beverage choice, or a purchase history.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting the proximity comprises detecting the second beverage container via a wireless signal.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the wireless signal is transmitted via a wireless communications module in each of the first and second beverage containers.

12. An apparatus for conducting a polling event comprising:

a processor;

a memory in electronic communication with the processor; and

instructions being executable by the processor to,

associate a first user account with a first beverage container;

detect a second beverage container being in proximity with the first beverage container;

access a second user account associated with the second beverage container to identify a commonality between the first and second user accounts; and

display information indicative of the commonality on at least one of the first or second beverage containers.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the instructions are further executable by the processor to:

detect the first and second beverage containers being in substantial physical contact with each other; and

transmit, based on the substantial physical contact, a connection request to the second user account to connect the second user account with the first user account.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein connecting the second user account with the first user account shares a limited portion of information about a first user associated with the first user account with a second user associated with the second user account.

15. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the first and second user accounts are associated with one or more online social networks.

16. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the instructions are further executable by the processor to:

access the first and second user accounts to identify additional commonalities; and

display information indicative of at least one of the additional commonalities on at least one of the beverage containers.

17. A central server computer system configured for conducting a social interactivity comprising:

a user mapping module configured to associate a first beverage container with a first user account and a second beverage container with a second user account, the user mapping module further configured to determine whether the first and second beverage containers are in proximity;

a social network interface module configured to retrieve information related to the first and second user accounts based on the first and second beverage containers being in proximity; and

a user comparison module configured to compare the information related to the first and second user accounts to determine at least one commonality.

18. The central server computer system of claim 17, further comprising:

a communications module in wireless communications with the first and second beverage containers and configured to transmit a message to the beverage containers to cause an electronic display integrated into the beverage containers to display information indicative of the at least one commonality.

19. The central server computer system of claim 17, further comprising:

a connection module configured to transmit a connection request to the first and second user accounts based on a determination that the first and second beverage containers being in substantial physical contact.

20. The central server computer system of claim 19, wherein the connection request is a friend request via an online social network.

21. The central server computer system of claim 17, wherein the first and second user accounts are associated with one or more online social networks.

22. The central server computer system of claim 17, wherein the social network interface module is further configured to access the first and second user accounts to identify additional commonalities and the user comparison module is further configured to cause information indicative of at least one of the additional commonalities to be displayed on at least one of the beverage containers.

23. The central server computer system of claim 22, wherein the information indicative of the additional commonalities is displayed after a predetermined time period of the first and second beverage containers being in proximity.