Wireless beacon and methods

• US 9,202,245 B2
• Filed: 08/19/2014
• Issued: 12/01/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/19/2013
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Estimote Polska Sp. z o.o.
• Original Assignee: Estimote Polska Sp. z o.o.
• Inventors: Kostka, Lukasz, Krzych, Jakub
• Primary Examiner(s): Torres, Juan A
• Application Number:
  US14/463,582
• Publication Number:
  US 20150079942A1
• Time in Patent Office: 469 Days
• Field of Search: 455/411
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0261 based on user location
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0267 Wireless devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0281 Customer communication at a business location, e.g. providing product or service information, consulting
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0633 Lists, e.g. purchase orders, compilation or processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0639 Item locations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/21 for social networking applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/30 Services specially adapted for particular environments, situations or purposes
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/11 Allocation or use of connection identifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices

Abstract

A method for distributing micro-location-based notifications to a computing device, including: receiving a unique identifier from a first entity, the unique identifier collected from a wireless beacon by a computing device proximal the wireless beacon, the unique identifier generated locally on the wireless beacon according to a rule assigned to the wireless beacon; resolving the unique identifier into an identity of the wireless beacon based on the rule; identifying a second entity affiliated with the wireless beacon based on the identity of the wireless beacon; and in response to agreement between the first entity and the second entity, authorizing delivery of a communication through a native application executing on the computing device responsive to receipt of the unique identifier at the computing device, the communication affiliated with the first entity.

Claims

1. A method for distributing micro-location-based notifications to a computing device, comprising:

receiving a unique identifier from a first entity, the unique identifier collected from a wireless beacon by a computing device proximal the wireless beacon, the unique identifier generated locally on the wireless beacon according to a rule assigned to the wireless beacon;

resolving the unique identifier into an identity of the wireless beacon based on the rule;

identifying a second entity affiliated with the wireless beacon based on the identity of the wireless beacon; and

in response to agreement between the first entity and the second entity, authorizing delivery of a communication through a native application executing on the computing device responsive to receipt of the unique identifier at the computing device, the communication affiliated with the first entity.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein authorizing delivery of the communication through the native application comprises authorizing transmission of the communication, related to a position of the wireless beacon within a space affiliated with the first entity, to the computing device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein authorizing delivery of the communication through the native application comprises:

selecting a database of parties authorized to deliver communications through the native application responsive to data transfer between the wireless beacon and the computing device, the database of parties specified by the second entity;

authorizing delivery of the communication from the first entity to the computing device in response to identification of the first entity in the database of parties.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising, in response to disagreement between the first entity and the second entity, rejecting delivery of a communication through the native application executing on the computing device.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a second unique identifier, the second unique identifier collected from a second wireless beacon by the computing device proximal the second wireless beacon, the second unique identifier generated locally on the second wireless beacon according to the rule;

receiving a first wireless signal strength value of the wireless beacon;

receiving a second wireless signal strength value of the second wireless beacon; and

prioritizing authorization of delivery of the communication affiliated with the wireless beacon over authorization of delivery of a second communication affiliated with the second wireless beacon according to the first wireless signal strength value that exceeds the second wireless signal strength value.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying the second entity affiliated with the wireless beacon comprises confirming ownership of the wireless beacon by the entity based on the identity of the wireless beacon;

and wherein authorizing delivery of the communication through the native application comprises transmitting a notification to the computing device in response to a match between the first entity and the second entity, the notification related to the first entity and designated for visual presentation on the computing device.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting a door open request to a door controller controlling an automated door arranged at an entrance to a physical space in response to agreement between the first entity and the second entity, the first entity affiliated with the native application, and the second entity affiliated with the physical space, wherein authorizing delivery of the communication through the native application comprises authorizing delivery of an access granted communication through the native application.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein transmitting the notification to the computing device comprises generating the notification and specifying delivery of the notification through the native application executing on the computing device responsive to proximity of the computing device to the wireless beacon falling within a threshold distance.

9. A method for distributing micro-location-based notifications to a computing device, comprising:

receiving a unique identifier, the unique identifier collected from a wireless beacon by a computing device proximal the wireless beacon, the unique identifier generated locally on the wireless beacon according to a rule assigned to the wireless beacon;

resolving the unique identifier into an identity of the wireless beacon based on the rule;

identifying an entity affiliated with the wireless beacon based on the identity of the wireless beacon;

receiving a designator of a native application executing on the computing device; and

in response to agreement between the entity and the designator, authorizing delivery of a communication through the native application executing on the computing device responsive to receipt of the unique identifier at the computing device, the communication affiliated with the wireless beacon.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein receiving the unique identifier comprises receiving the unique identifier from an application server, the unique identifier routed from the wireless beacon to the computing device to the application server, the application server affiliated with the native application;

wherein receiving the designator of the native application comprises receiving the designator from the application server; and

wherein authorizing delivery of the communication through the native application comprises transmitting an authorization confirmation for the communication to the application server.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein receiving the unique identifier comprises receiving the unique identifier and a time code indicating to a local time interval on the computing device correspond to the unique identifier;

and wherein resolving the unique identifier into the identity of the wireless beacon comprises translating the unique identifier into the identity of the wireless beacon based on the time code.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein resolving the unique identifier into the identity of the wireless beacon comprises, remotely from the computing device, translating a series of symbols generated at the wireless beacon into a serial number of the wireless beacon based on the rule;

and wherein identifying the entity affiliated with the wireless beacon comprises passing the serial number of the wireless beacon into a database of wireless beacon serial numbers to identify the entity in possession of wireless beacon.

13. The method of claim 9:

wherein receiving the unique identifier comprises downloading the unique identifier from the wireless beacon in response to a wireless signal from the wireless beacon exceeding a threshold wireless signal;

wherein resolving the unique identifier into the identity of the wireless beacon comprises resolving the unique identifier into the identity of the wireless beacon locally based on the rule and a time of receipt of the unique identifier from wireless beacon;

wherein receiving the designator of the native application comprises detecting the native application installed on the computing device and related to the entity; and

wherein authorizing delivery of the communication through the native application comprises, in response to detecting the native application installed on the computing device and related to the entity, queuing a notification for presentation on the computing device responsive to receipt of the unique identifier from wireless beacon.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein identifying the entity affiliated with the wireless beacon comprises identifying a product affiliated with the wireless beacon based on the identity of the wireless beacon, the product sold by a retailer;

wherein receiving the designator of the native application comprises identifying an affiliation between the native application executing on the computing device and the retailer; and

wherein authorizing delivery of the communication through the native application comprises authorizing delivery of a notification related to the product through the native application.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein identifying the entity affiliated with the wireless beacon comprises identifying a retail location affiliated with the wireless beacon based on the identity of the wireless beacon;

and wherein authorizing delivery of the communication through the native application comprises authorizing delivery of a notification related to a product in inventory at the retail location, through the native application, in response to identification of an affiliation between the retail location and the native application executing on the computing device.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein authorizing delivery of the communication through the native application comprises:

based on the entity, selecting a database of parties authorized to deliver communications through the native application responsive to data transfer between the wireless beacon and the computing device;

based on the designator, identifying a party, in the database of parties, associated with the native application; and

transmitting, to the party, an authorization for the communication to the computing device.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein queuing the notification for presentation on the computing device comprises downloading the notification from a remote database to the computing device, the remote database containing a set of notifications affiliated with the entity and the wireless beacon.

18. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

estimating a proximity of the computing device to the wireless beacon; and

displaying the notification on the computing device based on the proximity of the computing device to the wireless beacon.

19. The method of claim 14, authorizing delivery of a notification comprises authorizing delivery of the notification specifying a limited discount price of the product for a user associated with the computing device.

20. The method of claim 15, further comprising receiving an estimated distance between the computing device and the wireless beacon with the retail location, wherein authorizing delivery of the notification related to the product in inventory at the retail location comprises selecting the product for advertisement to the user based on the estimated distance between the computing device and the wireless beacon.

21. A method for distributing micro-location-based notifications to a computing device, comprising:

receiving a unique identifier from a first entity, the unique identifier collected from a wireless beacon by a computing device proximal the wireless beacon, the unique identifier generated locally on the wireless beacon according to a rule assigned to the wireless beacon;

resolving the unique identifier into an identity of the wireless beacon based on the rule;

identifying a second entity affiliated with the wireless beacon based on the identity of the wireless beacon; and

in response to disagreement between the first entity and the second entity, rejecting delivery of a communication through a native application executing on the computing device responsive to receipt of the unique identifier at the computing device, the communication affiliated with the first entity.

22. The method of claim 21, in response to agreement between the first entity and the second entity, authorizing delivery of a communication through the native application executing on the computing device responsive to receipt of the unique identifier at the computing device, the communication affiliated with the first entity.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein rejecting delivery of the communication through the native application comprises:

based on the second entity, selecting a database of parties authorized to deliver communications through the native application responsive to data transfer between the wireless beacon and the computing device; and

transmitting a communication rejection for the communication in response to omission of the first entity from the database of parties.