Ad-hoc user and device engagement platform

• US 8,974,303 B2
• Filed: 12/20/2011
• Issued: 03/10/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Mercuri, Marc E., Tisdale, James O.
• Primary Examiner(s): Elhag, Magdi
• Application Number:
  US13/330,679
• Publication Number:
  US 20130157693A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,176 Days
• Field of Search: 455/456.1, 455/456.2, 455/456.3, 463/1, 463/29, 463/40, 463/42
• US Class Current: 463/40
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/21 for social networking applications

Abstract

A local engagement system is described herein that leverages devices people commonly carry with them to dynamically engage them based on their locations and/or activities. One goal of the above referenced system is to leverage the power of the various devices present while providing the audience with a chance to better engage and participate with each other. A side benefit is additional opportunities to market products and services in new and exciting ways. The system includes a presentation component at the event or venue that links to existing systems, a web interface, and optional individual client applications for the devices. Thus, the local engagement system provides a highly engaging experience to people that might otherwise be idle and provides an enhanced opportunity for advertisers or educators to reach the people and give them something entertaining to do.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method to host an activity dynamically among devices at the same location, the method comprising:

starting a selected activity based on a start time or event associated with the activity;

detecting one or more devices that can potentially participate in the activity;

sending an invitation to participate in the activity to multiple users of a system that are located in an identified location associated with the activity, and wherein the invitation is sent to those of the multiple users whose profiles meet a determined criteria for the activity and not sent to those users whose profiles do not meet the determined criteria for the activity;

receiving an acceptance of the invitation from one or more invited users and adding the accepting users to a list of participants in the activity, the acceptance comprising receiving an indication that the one or more users ran a particular downloaded application, and performing a handshake to identify users and ensure eligibility by asking the users to sign into a user profile to verify that the user'"'"'s user profile meets the determined criteria for the activity;

delivering activity content to the participants in the activity by communicating with each user'"'"'s mobile device;

receiving user input from each of multiple users related to participation in the activity;

aggregating input from participating users and determining an outcome of the activity; and

presenting the outcome of the activity using communally accessible output equipment to each of the participating users,

wherein the preceding steps are performed by at least one processor.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein starting the selected activity comprises displaying predefined user engagement content defined by an event sponsor.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein starting the selected activity comprises starting a trivia-based quiz.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein starting the selected activity comprises starting the activity at a pre-appointed time and running the activity until a specified duration expires.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein detecting devices comprises determining via a defined proximity that any device in the area can participate.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein detecting devices comprises identifying potential users so that only users meeting certain criteria can be invited to join the activity.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving the acceptance further comprises receiving an indication that a user visited a web page.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein delivering activity content comprises delivering at least one of questions, answer input controls, instructions, images, and audiovisual information.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein delivering activity content comprises delivering one or more advertisements to each user'"'"'s device.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving user input comprises measuring speed, correctness, or other qualities or characteristics of each user'"'"'s input to determine a score or other measurement of success with respect to the activity.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein aggregating input comprises invoking custom software logic provided by a creator of the activity that runs in a cloud-based datacenter to perform custom aggregation of user input related to the activity.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein aggregating input comprises associating points with each user'"'"'s response and update the user'"'"'s profile so that the user can earn rewards for participating in the activity.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein presenting the outcome comprises presenting a correct answer, a list of users that answered correctly, a winning or fastest answer, and other information related to the outcome of the particular activity.

14. A computer system for providing an ad-hoc user and device engagement platform, the system comprising:

a processor and memory configured to execute software instructions embodied within the following components;

an engagement data store that stores one or more interactive activities to dynamically engage users at an identified location;

a user profile component that stores user profile information that identifies particular users, leverages at least one third party data store having user profile information for creating a user'"'"'s profile, and their historical engagement with the system;

an activity input component that receives information for creating a new interactive activity in the engagement data store, the activity input component further receiving information defining eligibility requirements for participating in the interactive activity;

a user location component that detects a user'"'"'s location and eligibility for participating in a selected activity, and receives a code from the user indicating that the user is at a determined location;

an activity delivery component that delivers an interactive activity to a user'"'"'s mobile device for which the user is eligible;

a user input component that receives input from each user participating in an interactive activity, wherein the input is the user'"'"'s participation in the interactive activity and wherein the user input component collects the input and communicates the input to a device aggregation component via a network associated with the user'"'"'s mobile device;

a device aggregation component that aggregates user input from multiple user devices and applies the input to an activity being hosted by the system and in which each of the users is participating; and

a presentation component that uses equipment available at a location of multiple users to communally output information related to the hosted activity, and further presents to the multiple users the code indicating that the user is at the determined location.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein the user profile component stores at least one of demographic information, authentication information, information about a type of mobile device the user owns, historical interaction with the system, and points earned by the user for participating in activities.

16. The system of claim 14 wherein the activity input component provides a graphical user interface through which administrative users associated with a particular sponsor or activity host enter information describing a particular activity.

17. The system of claim 14 wherein the device aggregation component applies a set of steps determined by an activity definition to host the activity and carry out any processing defined to the activity input component.

18. The system of claim 14 wherein the presentation component displays information on a movie screen, projector, jumboTron, sporting event scoreboard, television, or other display located at a venue and visible to each of the participants.