Systems and methods to determine a position within a physical location visited by a user of a wireless device using Bluetooth® transmitters configured to transmit identification numbers and transmitter identification data

• US 9,277,366 B2
• Filed: 06/27/2015
• Issued: 03/01/2016
• 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:
  US14/752,840
• Publication Number:
  US 20150304819A1
• Time in Patent Office: 248 Days
• Field of Search: 4554561-4563, 370/338
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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
• 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. 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. Bluetooth, wireless transceivers are placed throughout the business location. The mobile device connects to the wireless transceivers with the best signal (e.g., the closest one), or is scanned by a wireless scanner, and the user'"'"'s location in the store is determined. Targeted content based upon the location of the user in the store is sent to the user.

Claims

1. A method, used by a system including at least one server, at least one processor, at least one storage device, and at least one network interface, of identifying a location of a user of a wireless device within a physical named location comprising the acts of:

storing, in the at least one storage device of the system, information pertaining to;

(i) a first positional coordinate within the physical named location associated with a first set of transmitter identification data that identifies a first Bluetooth radio transmitter as physically situated within the physical named location, and

(ii) a second positional coordinate within the physical named location associated with a second set of transmitter identification data that identifies a second Bluetooth radio transmitter; and

,

receiving, using the at least one network interface of the system via the Internet, a communication from the wireless device including at least a portion of the first set of transmitter identification data that is selected for inclusion in the communication based upon a relative signal strength reading associated with the first Bluetooth radio transmitter;

determining, using at least one processor of the system that is configured to compare at least a portion of the stored information with at least a portion of the received communication, that the wireless device is, or was, physically located proximate to the first Bluetooth radio transmitter within the physical named location;

transmitting the first and second positional coordinates to the wireless device via the Internet using the at least one network interface of the system; and

,

receiving from the wireless device, using the at least one network interface of the system, a calculated position of the wireless device within the physical named location that is based upon the first and second positional coordinates and the relative signal strength readings of the first Bluetooth radio transmitter and the second Bluetooth radio transmitter.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the acts of:

selecting, using at least one processor of the system, at least one item of content based upon at least the calculated position of the wireless device within the physical named location; and

,

transmitting, using the at least one network interface of the system, the selected content to the wireless device.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising providing, to the wireless device, navigational information from the calculated position of the wireless device within the physical named location to a different position within the physical named location associated with the selected content.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the content is further selected based upon a search query received from the wireless device.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein providing navigational information comprises:

determining, at the at least one server of the system, a route between the calculated position of the wireless device within the physical named location and the different position within the physical named location; and

transmitting the route to the wireless device.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the route is calculated to take the user past areas of potential interest to the user, based upon a location history associated with the user of the wireless device.

7. The method of claim 3 wherein the different position is associated with the selected content.

8. The method of claim 2 wherein the selected content relates an area of the store associated with the calculated position.

9. The method of claim 2 wherein the selected content is a coupon that contains textual information and information defining a bar code that is configured to be scanned by a different device associated with the physical named location.

10. The method of claim 2 wherein the content is selected by the at least one processor of the system based on a location history of the user.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising the acts of:

receiving a request for assistance from the wireless device, and

transmitting information, to a different device that is associated with a customer service system at the physical named location, indicating that the user of the wireless device has requested assistance and is located at the calculated position of the wireless device within the physical named location.

12. The method of claim 1 further comprising the acts of:

transmitting, from the first Bluetooth radio, at least an identification number that is associated with the system at the physical named location, and also transmitting the first set of transmitter identification data, and

transmitting, from the second Bluetooth radio, at least the identification number that is associated with the system at the physical named location, and also transmitting the second set of transmitter identification data.

13. A system comprising:

a storage device configured to store information pertaining to;

(i) a first positional coordinate within a physical named location associated with a first set of transmitter identification data that identifies a first Bluetooth radio transmitter as physically situated within the physical named location, and

(ii) a second positional coordinate within the physical named location associated with a second set of transmitter identification data that identifies a second Bluetooth radio transmitter; and

,

at least one network interface configured to receive, via the Internet, a communication from a wireless device;

at least one processor configured to parse the communication to ascertain at least a portion of the first set of transmitter identification data that was selected for inclusion in the communication by the wireless device based upon a relative signal strength reading associated with the first Bluetooth radio transmitter;

wherein the at least one processor is further configured to determine, by comparing at least a portion of the stored information with at least a portion of the received communication, that the wireless device is, or was, physically located proximate to the first Bluetooth radio transmitter within the physical named location;

wherein the at least one network interface is further configured to transmit the first and second positional coordinates to the wireless device via the Internet; and

,

wherein the at least one network interface of the system is further configured to receive, from the wireless device, a calculated position of the wireless device within the physical named location that is based upon the first and second positional coordinates and the relative signal strength readings of the first Bluetooth radio transmitter and the second Bluetooth radio transmitter.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein:

the at least one processor is further configured to select at least one item of content based upon at least the calculated position of the wireless device within the physical named location; and

,

the at least one network interface of the system is further configured to transmit the selected content to the wireless device.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein the at least one processor is further configured to use the at least one network interface to provide, to the wireless device, navigational information from the calculated position of the wireless device within the physical named location to a different position within the physical named location associated with the selected content.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein the at least one processor is further configured to select content is based upon a search query received by the at least one network interface, via the Internet, from the wireless device.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the system is configured to provide navigational information using:

the at least one processor of the system configured to determine a route between the calculated position of the wireless device within the physical named location and the different position within the physical named location; and

the at least one network interface configured to transmit the route to the wireless device.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to calculate the route such that it guides the user past areas of potential interest to the user, based upon a location history associated with the user of the wireless device.

19. The system of claim 13, wherein:

the at least one network interface of the system is further configured to receive a request for assistance from the wireless device via the Internet, and

the at least one network interface of the system is further configured to transmit information to a different device that is associated with a customer service system at the physical named location, the information indicating that the user of the wireless device has requested assistance and is located at the calculated position of the wireless device within the physical named location.

20. The system of claim 13 further comprising:

the first Bluetooth radio transmitter configured to transmit at least an identification number that is associated with the system at the physical named location, and also transmit the first set of transmitter identification data, and

the second Bluetooth radio transmitter configured to transmit at least the identification number that is associated with the system at the physical named location, and also transmit the second set of transmitter identification data.