Beacon-Triggered Code Redemption for Mobile Devices

• US 20150339694A1
• Filed: 05/21/2014
• Published: 11/26/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Robbin, Gregory S., Krevet, Oliver, Norberg, Jeremy C., Nygren, Claes S.
• Granted Patent: US 10,664,856 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0207 Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication

Abstract

Techniques and systems for beacon triggered code redemption are disclosed. Such a technique can include causing a mobile device to listen for beacon messages broadcast by a beacon device over a short-range communication link; receiving a beacon message from the beacon device; and exchanging information with a content provider to retrieve a redemption code associated with the beacon message. A beacon message can include a beacon identifier and an activity parameter specifying a code redemption action. The beacon identifier can be associated with an event that will occur, is occurring, or has occurred in the vicinity of the beacon device. The technique can further include displaying on a screen of the mobile device, a notification in regard to redeeming the redemption code configured for redeeming content associated with the event.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

causing a mobile device to listen for beacon messages broadcast by a beacon device over a short-range communication link;

receiving, at the mobile device, a beacon message from the beacon device, the beacon message including a beacon identifier and an activity parameter, the activity parameter specifying a code redemption action, wherein the beacon identifier is associated with an event that will occur, is occurring, or has occurred in the vicinity of the beacon device;

sending a request to a content provider to retrieve a redemption code associated with the code redemption action, the request including the beacon identifier; and

receiving a response from the content provider, the response including the redemption code.

2. The method of claim 1, comprising:

displaying on a screen of the mobile device, a notification that is based on the response.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the response includes a link to a website for redeeming the redemption code.

4. The method of claim 3, comprising:

receiving user input selecting a user-selectable redeem mechanism associated with the notification; and

responsive to the user input, causing an application on the mobile device to obtain content from the content provider using the link and the redemption code.

5. The method of claim 1, comprising:

receiving the content from the content provider over a communication link that is different from the short-range communication link.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the content is related to an author or artist who generated the content and who is performing or has performed live at the event.

7. The method of claim 1, comprising:

obtaining a location of the mobile device; and

including the location in the request.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the short-range communication link is based on Bluetooth radio technology.

9. The method of claim 1, comprising:

launching an application that is configured to respond to the beacon message; and

forwarding at least a portion of the beacon message to the application.

10. The method of claim 1, comprising:

determining whether an application for handling the beacon message is installed on the mobile device;

selectively downloading the application; and

forwarding at least a portion of the beacon message to the application.

11. The method of claim 1, comprising:

providing an indication on the mobile device that the redemption code is ready to be redeem, wherein the indication includes force feedback, audio indication, visual indication, or a combination thereof.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the redemption code is a barcode.

13. The method of claim 1, comprising:

broadcasting a signal that is based on the redemption code in order for the redemption code to be redeemed by a radio frequency scanner.

14. The method of claim 1, comprising:

broadcasting, from the mobile device, a version of the beacon message such that the beacon message is propagated to other mobile devices within a communication range of the mobile device.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the response includes information regarding one or more redemption criteria, wherein the one or more redemption criteria include a time period during which the redemption code is redeemable.

16. A method comprising:

causing a mobile device to listen for beacon messages broadcast by beacon devices over a first short-range communication link;

receiving, at the mobile device, a first beacon message from a first beacon device of the beacon devices, the beacon message including a beacon identifier and an activity parameter, the activity parameter specifying a code redemption action, where the beacon identifier is associated with an event that will occur, is occurring, or has occurred in the vicinity of the beacon device;

exchanging information with a content provider to retrieve a redemption code associated with the beacon identifier, wherein the redemption code is redeemable based on satisfying one or more redemption criteria;

receiving, at the mobile device, a second beacon message from a second beacon device of the beacon devices over a second short-range communication link;

determining that the one or more redemption criteria are satisfied based on the second beacon message; and

providing a redemption mechanism for redeeming the redemption code.

17. The method of claim 16, comprising:

displaying a first notification on a screen of the mobile device, the first notification including information regarding the one or more redemption criteria,

displaying a second notification on the screen of the mobile device, the second notification indicating that the redemption code is redeemable, the second notification being associated with the redemption mechanism.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the determining comprises sending at least a portion of the second beacon message to the content provider.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the determining comprises receiving the redemption code from the content provider if the one or more redemption criteria are satisfied.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the short-range communication link is based on Bluetooth radio technology.

21. A system comprising:

a beacon device configured to broadcast a beacon message over a short-range communication link to a mobile device, the beacon message comprising a beacon identifier and an activity parameter, the activity parameter specifying a code redemption action, wherein the beacon identifier is associated with an event that will occur, is occurring or has occurred in the vicinity of the beacon device; and

a server configured to receive a request from the mobile device, the request including the beacon identifier, obtain a redemption code based on the beacon identifier, and send a response to the mobile device, the response comprising the redemption code, wherein the redemption code is configured for redeeming content associated with the event.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the response includes a link to a website for redeeming the redemption code.

23. The system of claim 21, wherein the server is configured to communicate with the mobile device via a communication link that is different from the short-range communication link.

24. The system of claim 21, wherein the content is related to an author or artist who generated the content and who is performing or has performed live at the event.

25. The system of claim 21, wherein the request includes a location of the mobile device, and wherein the server is configured to determine whether the location satisfies one or more redemption criteria.

26. The system of claim 21, wherein the short-range communication link is based on Bluetooth radio technology.

27. The system of claim 21, comprising:

a server configured to provide an application to the mobile device, the application being configured to handle the beacon message, cause the mobile device to send the request in response to receiving the beacon message, and display one or more notifications on a screen of the mobile device in regard to the beacon message, redemption code, or both.

28. The system of claim 21, wherein the redemption code is displayable as a barcode on a screen on the mobile device.

29. The system of claim 21, wherein the redemption code is transmittable as a radio frequency code by the mobile device.

30. The system of claim 21, wherein the response includes information regarding one or more redemption criteria, wherein the one or more redemption criteria include a time period during which the redemption code is redeemable.