Systems and methods to determine the name of a business location visited by a user of a wireless device and provide suggested destinations

• US 8,626,194 B2
• Filed: 12/04/2012
• Issued: 01/07/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/08/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Enhanced Geographic LLC
• Inventors: Busch, James David
• Primary Examiner(s): Batista, Marcos
• Application Number:
  US13/693,054
• Publication Number:
  US 20130117109A1
• Time in Patent Office: 399 Days
• Field of Search: 455/436, 455/456.1, 370/338
• US Class Current: 455/456.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9537 Spatial or temporal dependent retrieval, e.g. spatiotemporal queries
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/322 Aspects of commerce using mobile devices [M-devices]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3224 Transactions dependent on location of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/384 using social networks
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0205 Location or geographical consideration
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0224 based on user history
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0233 Method of redeeming a frequent usage reward
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0236 Incentive or reward received by requiring registration or ID from user
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0245 Surveys
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0255 based on user history
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0256 User search
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0261 based on user location
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0267 Wireless devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0282 Rating or review of business operators or products
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/535 Tracking the activity of the user network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/10 including a GPS signal receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/12 including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion telephones including GPS signal receivers H04M2250/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/023 using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/025 : using location based information parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 : Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/30 : Services specially adapted for particular environments, situations or purposes
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/38 : for collecting sensor information
• 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

In general, the invention relates to methods and systems that record the location of a user and determine the corresponding physical named location (e.g. business location) visited by the user. The system further provides suggested destinations, routes, and advertisements to the user. A network includes a server programmed with a database of location information, a database of user information, payment account information, and a wireless communication system capable of communicating with the user'"'"'s mobile device. The location of the mobile device is ascertained and recorded. The system determines the physical named location (e.g. business location) visited by the user at a particular time and stores the information in a location history. The system further provides suggested destinations based on the users current location and location history. Routes and advertisements along routes may further be provided based upon information associated with the user.

Claims

1. A method, used by a location based service system including at least one server having at least one network interface, of maintaining a location history of identified physical named locations visited by a user of a wireless device having a wireless communication interface and a geographic location sensor, comprising the acts of:

a) receiving, from the wireless device, geographic location information corresponding to the geographic location of the wireless device determined using the geographic location sensor of the wireless device;

b) storing, in a memory of the location based service system, the geographic location information and a time associated with the geographic location information in a data structure associated with the user;

c) transmitting, to the wireless device, at least one of a plurality of named locations near the received geographic location of the wireless device based on a database including named locations and associated geographic location information;

d) receiving, from the wireless device, an indicated named location, selected from the at least one of a plurality of named locations, corresponding to the physical named location visited by the user of the wireless device to register the physical named location visited by the user of the wireless device; and

,

e) storing information indicating that the user of the wireless device visited the physical named location in a location history associated with the user.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

f) receiving, from the wireless device, geographic location information corresponding to the geographic location of the wireless device determined using the geographic location sensor of the wireless device;

g) comparing the geographic location information to stored information indicating boundaries associated with physical named locations and determining that the device is located within a boundary associated with a particular physical named location, and

h) storing information indicating that the user of the wireless device visited the physical named location in a location history associated with the user.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

f) receiving, from the wireless device at a subsequent time, geographic location information corresponding to the geographic location of the wireless device at the subsequent time determined using the geographic location sensor of the wireless device; and

g) transmitting, to the wireless device a suggested destination based on;

(i) the location of the wireless device at the subsequent time, and (ii) the location history associated with the user.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the suggested destination further includes a suggested route.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

h) transmitting at least one advertisement, to the wireless device, applicable to locations along the suggested route wherein the advertisement is selected based upon information in the user profile.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

f) receiving, from the wireless device at a subsequent time, geographic location information corresponding to the geographic location of the wireless device at the subsequent time determined using the geographic location sensor of the wireless device; and

g) transmitting, to the wireless device at least one suggested destination based on;

(i) the location of the wireless device at the subsequent time, and (ii) the location history associated with the user.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

h) receiving, from the wireless device, an indicated destination, selected from the at least one suggested destination.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the at least one suggested destination further includes a suggested route.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

h) transmitting at least one advertisement, to the wireless device, applicable to locations along the suggested route, wherein the advertisement is selected based upon information in the user profile.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

h) transmitting at least one advertisement, to the wireless device, applicable to locations along the right hand side of the road along the suggested route, wherein the advertisement is further selected based upon information in the user profile.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

f) periodically receiving, from the wireless device, geographic location information corresponding to the location of the wireless device; and

g) transmitting, to the wireless device, at least one of a plurality of possible locations visited by the user of the wireless device based on the geographic location information periodically received from the wireless device.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

h) receiving, from the wireless device, a selection of a named location from the at least one of the plurality of possible locations visited by the user of the wireless device to register at least one location visited by the user of the wireless device.

13. A system that maintains a history of identified physical named locations visited by a user of a wireless device, comprising:

a) at least one server including a central processing unit, network interface, and memory;

b) a memory containing information associated with a plurality of named locations including the name and geographic location information;

c) the system configured to use a network interface to receive data corresponding to the geographic location of the wireless device;

d) the system configured to store, in a data structure associated with the user in a memory of the system, the geographic location information and a time associated with the geographic location information;

e) a central processing unit of the system configured to generate data containing at least one named location corresponding to physical named locations near the geographic location of the wireless device;

f) the system configured to use a network interface to transmit the data containing at least one named location to the wireless device;

g) the system configured to use a network interface to receive an indicated named location from the data including at least one named location, the indicated named location corresponding to the physical named location visited by the user of the wireless device; and

h) the system configured to store the indicated named location as the physical named location visited by a user of a wireless device in a location history associated with the user in a memory of the system.

14. The system of claim 13, further comprising:

i) a network interface of the system configured to receive, from the wireless device, geographic location information corresponding to the geographic location of the wireless device determined using the geographic location sensor of the wireless device;

j) a central processing unit of the system configured to compare the geographic location information to stored information indicating boundaries associated with physical named locations and determining that the device is located within a boundary associated with a particular physical named location, and

k) a memory of the system configured to store information indicating that the user of the wireless device visited the physical named location in a location history associated with the user.

15. The system of claim 13, further comprising:

i) a network interface of the system configured to receive, from the wireless device at a subsequent time, geographic location information corresponding to the geographic location of the wireless device at the subsequent time determined using the geographic location sensor of the wireless device; and

j) a network interface of the system configured to transmit, to the wireless device a suggested destination based on;

(i) the location of the wireless device at the subsequent time, and (ii) the location history associated with the user.

16. The system of claim 15, further configured to transmit a suggested route to the wireless device.

17. The system of claim 16, further comprising:

k) a central processing unit of the system further configured to use a network interface of the system to transmit at least one advertisement, to the wireless device, corresponding to locations along the suggested route wherein the advertisement is selected based upon information in the user profile.

18. The system of claim 13, further comprising:

i) a network interface of the system configured to receive, from the wireless device at a subsequent time, geographic location information corresponding to the geographic location of the wireless device at the subsequent time determined using the geographic location sensor of the wireless device; and

j) a network interface of the system configured to transmit, to the wireless device at least one suggested destination determined by a central processing unit of the system based on;

(i) the location of the wireless device as received by the system at the subsequent time, and (ii) the location history associated with the user stored in a memory of the system.

19. The system of claim 18, further comprising:

k) receiving, from the wireless device, an indicated destination, selected from the at least one suggested destination.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the system is further configured to use a network interface to transmit a suggested route to the wireless device.

21. The system of claim 20, further comprising:

k) a network interface of the system configured to transmit at least one advertisement, to the wireless device, corresponding to locations along the suggested route, wherein the advertisement is selected using a central processing unit of the system based upon information stored in a memory of the system including the user'"'"'s profile.

22. The system of claim 20, further comprising:

h) a network interface of the system configured to transmit at least one advertisement, to the wireless device, corresponding to locations along the right hand side of the road along the suggested route, wherein the advertisement is further selected based upon information in the user profile.

23. The system of claim 13, further comprising:

i) a central processing unit of the system configured to use a network interface of the system to periodically receive, from the wireless device, geographic location information corresponding to the location of the wireless device; and

j) a central processing unit of the system configured to use a network interface of the system to transmit, to the wireless device, at least one of a plurality of possible locations visited by the user of the wireless device based on the geographic location information periodically received from the wireless device.

24. The system of claim 23, further comprising:

k) a central processing unit of the system configured to use a network interface of the system to receive, from the wireless device, a selection of a named location from the at least one of the plurality of possible locations visited by the user of the wireless device to register at least one location visited by the user of the wireless device.