METHODS AND SYSTEMS TO FACILITATE MESSAGING TO CUSTOMERS

• US 20150066802A1
• Filed: 08/30/2013
• Published: 03/05/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Walmart Apollo, LLC (WalMart Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Wal Mart Stores Inc (WalMart Inc.)
• Inventors: Goulart, Valerie, Li, Stefan
• Granted Patent: US 10,318,999 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/346
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2205/02 Indoor
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/02 using radio waves using satellite radio beacon systems for determining position G01S19/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/35 communicating wirelessly
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2101 Auditing as a secondary aspect
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0281 Customer communication at a business location, e.g. providing product or service information, consulting
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/08 Testing, supervising or monitoring using real traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/21 for social networking applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/30 Services specially adapted for particular environments, situations or purposes
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/33 for indoor environments, e.g. buildings
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 68/00 User notification, e.g. alerting and paging, for incoming communication, change of service or the like
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]

Abstract

Techniques for providing notifications to a customer shopping at a brick and mortar store are disclosed. The techniques include providing a wireless network in a brick and mortar store, using a customer mobile electronic device to detect network identification data of the wireless network, and using a communications module to determine, from the network identification data, the location of the mobile electronic device within the brick and mortar store. The techniques also include a server selecting, based on the location of the mobile electronic device within the brick and mortar store, a notification which is related to a location within the brick and mortar store and transmitting the notification to the mobile electronic device.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method comprising:

providing a wireless network in a brick and mortar store;

a customer mobile electronic device detecting network identification data of the wireless network;

a communications module determining, from the network identification data, a location of the mobile electronic device within the brick and mortar store;

a server selecting, based on the location of the mobile electronic device within the brick and mortar store, a notification which is related to a location within the brick and mortar store; and

the server transmitting the notification to the mobile electronic device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the wireless network is a WIFI network that comprises a WIFI beacon which broadcasts a unique network identification signal and which does not permit customer WIFI access.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein a communications module determining a location of the mobile electronic device within the brick and mortar store comprises the communications module determining proximity of the mobile electronic device to the WIFI beacon from an identified network signal strength of the WIFI beacon.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the WIFI network further comprises a WIFI access point which provides WIFI access to the mobile electronic device.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the method more specifically comprises the server transmitting the notification to the mobile electronic device via the WIFI access point.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the wireless network is a WIFI network that comprises multiple WIFI beacons each of which broadcasts a unique network identification signal and does not permit customer WIFI access.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein each of the multiple WIFI beacons has a broadcast range which does not cover the entire store and wherein the method more specifically comprises the communications module determining a location of the mobile electronic device within the brick and mortar store based on detection of some but not all of the multiple WIFI beacons by the mobile electronic device.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the method more specifically comprises the communications module determining a location of the mobile electronic device within the brick and mortar store based on signal strength of the multiple WIFI beacons.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the method comprises the server storing a customer profile associated with the mobile electronic device, wherein the customer profile includes customer purchase history, and wherein the notification comprises information regarding products previously purchased by a customer associated with the mobile electronic device.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the notification comprises information regarding sale items at a location in the brick and mortar store which is near the mobile electronic device.

11. A computer system comprising:

a wireless network in a brick and mortar store;

a customer mobile electronic device programmed to detect network identification data of the wireless network;

a communications module programmed to determine, from the network identification data, a location of the mobile electronic device within the brick and mortar store;

a server programmed to;

select, based on the location of the mobile electronic device within the brick and mortar store, a notification which is related to a location within the brick and mortar store; and

transmit the notification to the mobile electronic device.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the wireless network is a WIFI network that comprises a WIFI beacon which broadcasts a unique network identification signal and which does not permit customer WIFI access.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the communications module is programmed to determine proximity of the mobile electronic device to the WIFI beacon from an identified network signal strength of the WIFI beacon.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the WIFI network further comprises a WIFI access point which provides WIFI access to the mobile electronic device.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the server is programmed to transmit the notification to the mobile electronic device via the WIFI access point.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the wireless network is a WIFI network that comprises multiple WIFI beacons each of which broadcasts a unique network identification signal and does not permit customer WIFI access.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein each of the multiple WIFI beacons has a broadcast range which does not cover the entire store and wherein the communications module is programmed to determine a location of the mobile electronic device within the brick and mortar store based on detection of some but not all of the multiple WIFI beacons by the mobile electronic device.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the communications module is programmed to determine a location of the mobile electronic device within the brick and mortar store based on signal strength of the multiple WIFI beacons.

19. The system of claim 11, wherein the server is programmed to store a customer profile associated with the mobile electronic device, wherein the customer profile includes customer purchase history, and wherein the notification comprises information regarding products previously purchased by a customer associated with the mobile electronic device.

20. The system of claim 11, wherein the notification comprises information regarding sale items at a location in the brick and mortar store which is near the mobile electronic device.