System and Method for Identification Triggered By Beacons

• US 20150294514A1
• Filed: 04/15/2014
• Published: 10/15/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Disney Enterprises Incorporated (The Walt Disney Company)
• Original Assignee: Disney Enterprises Incorporated (The Walt Disney Company)
• Inventors: Katz, Nitzan, Makofsky, Steven, McCollum, Jordan
• Granted Patent: US 9,875,588 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2011/02 related to amusement parks
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/28 the pass enabling tracking or indicating presence

Abstract

There is provided systems and methods of identification and automation of devices using a beacon. A system includes a beacon, an automation device, and a server. The beacon is configured to transmit a signal to the automation device in response to entering a defined geographic zone. The automation device is configured to receive the signal from the beacon, transmit, in response to receiving the signal, the signal to the server, receive an identification of a person possessing the beacon from the server, and activate an automation feature, wherein the automation feature uses the identification of the person possessing the beacon. An automation feature may include, but is not limited to, a video camera, a display device, or a stereo.

Claims

1. An automation device comprising:

a processor configured to;

receive a signal from a beacon;

determine, using the signal, an identification of a person possessing the beacon; and

activate, in response to receiving the signal, an automation feature, wherein the automation feature uses the identification of the person possessing the beacon.

2. The automation device of claim 1 further comprising a camera, and wherein activating the automation feature includes taking a picture of the person possessing the beacon.

3. The automation device of claim 2, wherein before activating the automation feature the processor is further configured to:

determine a location of the beacon; and

configure the camera by adjusting an orientation and camera configuration of the camera based on the location.

4. The automation device of claim 2, wherein the processor is further configured to:

add metadata to the picture, the metadata including the identification of the person possessing the beacon;

store the picture with the metadata in a memory; and

transmit a notification to the person possessing the beacon, the notification including an identity of the picture.

5. The automation device of claim 1 further comprising a drone with a camera, wherein activating the automation feature includes following the beacon while taking pictures of the person possessing the beacon.

6. The automation device of claim 1 further comprising a display device, and wherein activating the automation feature includes displaying a targeted program based on the identification of the person possessing the beacon.

7. The automation device of claim 1 further comprising a radio, and wherein activating the automation feature includes playing a targeted song based on the identification of the person possessing the beacon.

8. The automation device of claim 1, wherein to determine the identification of the person possessing the beacon, the processor is further configured to:

transmit the signal to a server in response to receiving the signal from the beacon; and

receive the identification from the server.

9. The automation system of claim 1, wherein the beacon transmits the signal to the automation device in response to the beacon entering a defined geographic zone.

10. A system comprising

a beacon;

an automation device; and

a server;

the beacon configured to;

transmit a signal to the automation device in response to entering a defined geographic zone;

the automation device configured to;

receive the signal from the beacon;

transmit, in response to receiving the signal, the signal to the server;

receive an identification of a person possessing the beacon from the server; and

activate an automation feature, wherein the automation feature uses the identification of the person possessing the beacon.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the automation device includes a camera, and wherein activating the automation feature includes taking a picture of the person possessing the beacon.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein before the activating of the automation feature the automation device is further configured to:

determine a location of the beacon; and

configure the camera by adjusting an orientation and camera configuration of the camera based on the location.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the automation device is further configured to:

add metadata to the picture, the metadata including the identification of the person possessing the beacon;

store the picture with the metadata in a memory; and

transmit a notification to the person possessing the beacon, the notification including an identity of the picture.

14. The system of claim 11 further comprising a kiosk, wherein the automation device is further configured to transmit the picture to the kiosk, and wherein the kiosk is configured to display the picture to the person possessing the beacon.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein the automation device includes a display device, and wherein the automation feature includes displaying a targeted program based on the identification of the person possessing the beacon.

16. The system of claim 10, wherein the automation device includes a radio, and wherein the automation feature includes playing a targeted song based on the identification of the person possessing the beacon.

17. A method of activating an automation device, the method comprising:

receiving a signal from a beacon;

determining, using the signal, an identification of a person possessing the beacon; and

activating, in response to receiving the signal, an automation feature, wherein the automation feature uses the identification of the person possessing the beacon.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein activating the automation feature includes taking a picture of the person possessing the beacon using a camera.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein before the activating the automation feature the method further comprises:

determining a location of the beacon; and

configuring the camera by adjusting an orientation and camera configuration of the camera based on the location.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

adding metadata to the picture, the metadata including the identification of the person possessing the beacon;

storing the picture with the metadata in a memory; and

transmitting a notification to the person possessing the beacon, the notification including an identity of the picture.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein activating the automation feature includes displaying a targeted program based on the identification of the person possessing the beacon on a display device.

22. The method of claim 17, wherein activating the automation feature includes playing a targeted song based on the identification of the person possessing the beacon on a radio.

23. The method of claim 17, wherein to determine the identification of the person possessing the beacon includes:

transmitting the signal to a server in response to receiving the signal from the beacon; and

receiving the identification from the server.

24. The method of claim 17, wherein the beacon transmits the signal to the automation device in response to the beacon entering a defined geographic zone.