HARVEST CUSTOMER TRACKING INFORMATION

• US 20150324814A1
• Filed: 07/09/2015
• Published: 11/12/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/10/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PayPal, Inc. (PayPal Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: PayPal, Inc. (PayPal Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Hamachi, Gordon Taro
• Granted Patent: US 11,107,058 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3224 Transactions dependent on location of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0201 Market modelling; Market analysis; Collecting market data

Abstract

An embodiment of a system comprises one or more processors; and one or more memories adapted to store machine-readable instructions which when executed by the processor(s) cause the system to: receive tracked user device information from a distributed network of sensors configured for tracking user device information associated with one or more user devices of corresponding users in a proximity of the distributed network of sensors, wherein the user device information is tracked even when the corresponding users have not opted in the one or more user devices to be tracked by the distributed network of sensors; store the tracked user device information in a tracking database, wherein the tracked user device information is stored even for corresponding users that have not been identified and is for later use when such corresponding users are identified; and analyze the tracked user device information to infer interests of the corresponding users.

Claims

1. A mobile device comprising:

one or more detectors or sensors;

one or more processors; and

one or more memories in communication with the one or more processors and adapted to store a plurality of machine-readable instructions which when executed by the one or more processors are configured to cause the system to;

store an application downloaded by a user of the mobile device;

upon the user turning on the application, enable detection and tracking, via the one or more detectors or sensors, of other nearby user devices that do not have the application and come into proximity of the mobile device; and

upload tracked user device information associated with the other nearby user devices to a tracking database, wherein the tracked user device information is stored for corresponding users that have not been identified.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of machine-readable instructions are further adapted to cause the system to augment user device information detected from one or more fixed sensors located at a place of business using the uploaded tracked user device information.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the application operates on its own without in-store sensors.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of machine-readable instructions are further adapted to cause the system to receive one or more incentives for running the application and uploading the user device information.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the tracked user device information further comprises locations of the other nearby user devices.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the detector(s) or sensor(s) use at least one of WiFi packet sniffing, Bluetooth, or near field communication (NFC).

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the mobile device further comprises a wireless phone, a smart phone, a tablet, a personal computer or a personal digital assistant.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of machine-readable instructions are further adapted to cause the system to download the application from a service provider server or a merchant server.