Method and system for integrating location based services into retail applications
First Claim
1. A portable device comprising:
- a network communication interface;
a processing unit;
data storage;
a display screen;
a user interface to input user-selections;
correlation-data stored in the data storage, wherein the correlation-data defines a plurality of latitude and longitude coordinate ranges, wherein each respective latitude and longitude coordinate range consists of two latitude coordinates and two longitude coordinates, wherein the correlation-data comprises a plurality of network addresses, wherein each respective latitude and longitude coordinate range is associated with a respective network address of the plurality of network addresses, and wherein each respective latitude and longitude coordinate range has been designated by a user of the portable device as a geographic location where the portable device requests information from a respective merchant server; and
request-trigger logic stored in the data storage, wherein the request-trigger logic is executable by the processing unit (i) to determine a current latitude and longitude of the portable device, (ii) to determine that the current latitude and longitude of the portable device are within a given latitude and longitude coordinate range defined by the correlation-data, and (iii) prior to the network communication interface receiving any information from a first merchant server after the processing unit determines that the current latitude and longitude of the portable device are within the given latitude and longitude coordinate range, to prompt a user of the portable device for permission to request redeemable merchant offers from the first merchant server via the network address corresponding to the given latitude and longitude coordinate range,wherein the processing unit is operable to receive permission from the user to request the redeemable merchant offers and, in response to receipt of permission from the user, cause the network communication interface to send to the first merchant server, via the network address corresponding to the given latitude and longitude coordinate range, an information-request so as to request redeemable merchant offers from the first merchant server,wherein the display screen is operable to display a list of a plurality of merchant identifiers received from the first merchant server,wherein the user interface is operable to select a merchant identifier from the displayed list of the plurality of user-selectable merchant identifiers,wherein selection of the merchant identifier from the displayed list of a plurality of user-selectable merchant identifiers received from the first merchant server causes the network communication interface to request merchant information from a second merchant server at a second network address, the second network address being associated with the merchant identifier selected from the displayed list of the plurality of user-selectable merchant identifiers, andwherein the display screen is operable to display a redeemable merchant offer received from the second merchant server in response to the request for merchant information from the second merchant server.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and system for integrating location based services into retail applications. Correlation-data and request-trigger logic are stored in data storage of a portable device. The correlation-data defines geographic locations and corresponding network addresses. The portable device determines its geographic location (i.e. by using a GPS receiver device). In response to determining its location, the portable device uses the request-trigger logic to determine if its present location is within a geographic area defined in the correlation-data. When the request-trigger logic finds that the location is within a defined area, the portable device responsively sends an information-request to a network address pre-correlated with the given location. In response to the information-request, the portable device receives merchant-information (i.e. coupons, special offers, etc.) from a merchant-server. The portable device displays the merchant information for viewing by a user. Advantageously, the invention can help avoid having merchants “spam” the device with unwanted information.
52 Citations
32 Claims
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1. A portable device comprising:
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a network communication interface; a processing unit; data storage; a display screen; a user interface to input user-selections; correlation-data stored in the data storage, wherein the correlation-data defines a plurality of latitude and longitude coordinate ranges, wherein each respective latitude and longitude coordinate range consists of two latitude coordinates and two longitude coordinates, wherein the correlation-data comprises a plurality of network addresses, wherein each respective latitude and longitude coordinate range is associated with a respective network address of the plurality of network addresses, and wherein each respective latitude and longitude coordinate range has been designated by a user of the portable device as a geographic location where the portable device requests information from a respective merchant server; and request-trigger logic stored in the data storage, wherein the request-trigger logic is executable by the processing unit (i) to determine a current latitude and longitude of the portable device, (ii) to determine that the current latitude and longitude of the portable device are within a given latitude and longitude coordinate range defined by the correlation-data, and (iii) prior to the network communication interface receiving any information from a first merchant server after the processing unit determines that the current latitude and longitude of the portable device are within the given latitude and longitude coordinate range, to prompt a user of the portable device for permission to request redeemable merchant offers from the first merchant server via the network address corresponding to the given latitude and longitude coordinate range, wherein the processing unit is operable to receive permission from the user to request the redeemable merchant offers and, in response to receipt of permission from the user, cause the network communication interface to send to the first merchant server, via the network address corresponding to the given latitude and longitude coordinate range, an information-request so as to request redeemable merchant offers from the first merchant server, wherein the display screen is operable to display a list of a plurality of merchant identifiers received from the first merchant server, wherein the user interface is operable to select a merchant identifier from the displayed list of the plurality of user-selectable merchant identifiers, wherein selection of the merchant identifier from the displayed list of a plurality of user-selectable merchant identifiers received from the first merchant server causes the network communication interface to request merchant information from a second merchant server at a second network address, the second network address being associated with the merchant identifier selected from the displayed list of the plurality of user-selectable merchant identifiers, and wherein the display screen is operable to display a redeemable merchant offer received from the second merchant server in response to the request for merchant information from the second merchant server. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. An information-distribution system comprising:
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a portable device having (i) a network communication interface arranged to provide connectivity with a network, (ii) a location-determination module that is operable to determine a geographic location of the portable device, (iii) a processing unit, (iv) data storage containing request trigger logic executable by the processing unit, and a set of correlation-data that defines geographic locations and, for each defined geographic location, a corresponding network address, wherein each geographic location defined by the correlation-data has been designated by a user of the portable device as a geographic location where the portable device requests information, (v) a display screen, and (vi) a user interface to input user-selections; and a first merchant server that is accessible via a first network address that is defined by the set of correlation-data and that corresponds to a given geographic location defined by the correlation data, wherein the processing unit executes the request-trigger logic to make a determination that the geographic location of the portable device matches the given geographic location defined by the correlation-data, and prior to the network communication interface receiving any information from the first merchant server after the processing unit determines that the geographic location of the portable device matches the given geographic location defined by the correlation-data, to prompt a user of the portable device for permission to request redeemable merchant offers from the first merchant server via the first network address, wherein the portable device is operable to receive permission from the user to request redeemable merchant offers and, in response to receipt of the permission from the user, cause the network communication interface to send a first information-request to the first merchant server via the first network address, wherein, in response to receiving the first information-request, the first merchant server generates and transmits, for delivery to a merchant'"'"'s store, a notification indicating that the user is at the geographic location of the portable device, wherein the first information-request comprises information about a user of the portable device, and wherein, in response to the first information-request sent to the first merchant server, the first merchant server is operable to tailor merchant information based on information about the user of the portable device and to send the tailored merchant information to the portable device. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. A method of distributing merchant information to a portable device, the method comprising:
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the portable device maintaining correlation-data that defines a plurality of latitude and longitude coordinate ranges, wherein each respective latitude and longitude coordinate range consists of two latitude coordinates and two longitude coordinates, wherein the correlation-data comprises a plurality of network addresses, wherein each respective latitude and longitude coordinate range is associated with a respective network address of the plurality of network addresses, and wherein each respective latitude and longitude coordinate range has been designated by a user of the portable device as a geographic location where the portable device requests information from a respective merchant server; the portable device monitoring a current latitude and longitude of the portable device; the portable device determining that the current latitude and longitude of the portable device are within a given latitude and longitude coordinate range defined by the correlation-data; prior to the portable device receiving information from a first given merchant server after the portable device determining that the current latitude and longitude of the portable device are within the given latitude and longitude coordinate range, prompting a user of the portable device for permission to send an information-request to the first given merchant server via the network address associated with the given latitude and longitude coordinate range, the portable device sending an information request to the first given merchant server via the network address associated with the given latitude and longitude coordinate range, wherein sending the information-request occurs in response to the portable device receiving permission from the user to send the information-request; and the portable device displaying a list of a plurality of merchant identifiers received from the first merchant server, the portable device receiving a selection of a merchant identifier from the displayed list of the plurality of user-selectable merchant identifiers and the portable device responsively requesting merchant information from a second merchant server at a second network address via a second information-request, the second network address being associated with the merchant identifier selected from the displayed list of the plurality of user-selectable merchant identifiers, and the portable device receiving merchant-information in response to the second information-request. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32)
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Specification