Geofenced event-based fan networking: systems

• US 9,336,534 B2
• Filed: 02/10/2015
• Issued: 05/10/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bleacher LLC
• Original Assignee: Bleacher LLC
• Inventors: Geer, Bradley C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ho, Huy C
• Application Number:
  US14/618,488
• Publication Number:
  US 20150264533A1
• Time in Patent Office: 455 Days
• Field of Search: 455/456.3
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0212 Chance discounts or incentives
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0226 Incentive systems for frequent usage, e.g. frequent flyer miles programs or point systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0258 Registration
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking
• 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 4/08 User group management

Abstract

The present invention is a fan networking system (FNS), available through a software application, executing on fans'"'"' portable smart devices for an event to be held in a venue. A FNS may offer event-customized services to fans, such as messaging, fan groups, mementos, coupons, “friends”, and contests. The level of services might depend on whether a fan is attending; timing (pre-, during, post-performance); for a competitive event, whether the fan affiliates with the home or away team; and the category of fan (e.g., audience, management, performer). Determination of whether a fan is attending may be done with geolocation services, e.g., through GPS. A fan might need to remain within the venue for some period of time to qualify as attending. Services to attending fans may extend for a period beyond the event itself.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a) a portable smart device (PSD), which includes

(i) a processing system, which includes a processor,

(ii) at least one wireless communication system, implemented at least partially in hardware, through which the processing system can communicate externally, and

(iii) computer-accessible tangible storage, including data and software instructions used by the processing system,

(iv) a user interface (UI) that includes a hardware display, and

(v) a geolocation system that tracks geolocations of the PSD; and

b) a fan software application (FSA), which is saved in the storage and is executed by the processing system, that

(i) transmits a sequence of the geolocations through a first of the wireless communication systems, directed to a first fan network management system (FNMS),

(ii) based upon the sequence of transmitted geolocations, qualifies the PSD as attending a first event,

(iii) receives a communication, from the first FNMS over one of the wireless communication systems, metadata that describes an item of digital content,

(iv) receives through the UI a user communication that directs the FSA to obtain the item,

(v) makes a determination by polling whether some second PSD, which has qualified with the first FNMS as attending the first event, contains the item and is accessible directly by one of the wireless communication systems of the first PSD, and

(vi) requests and obtains the item directly from such a second PSD if possible based on the determination, and otherwise requests and obtains the item from the first FNMS.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the FSA further

(vii) receives, through the first wireless communication system, a registration acknowledgement from the first FNMS for the PSD to receive event networking services at events where the first FNMS provides them.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the FSA further

(viii) receives, through the UI, registration data, and

(ix) transmits the registration data through the first wireless communication system, directed to the first FNMS, and

(x) receives the registration acknowledgement in response to transmitting the registration data.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the FSA further

(vii) through the UI, receives digital content and a fan selection to receive the digital content, the FSA limiting recipients to fans identified with PSDs that have qualified to receive event networking services from the first FNMS at the first event.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the FSA further

(vii) receives through the wireless communication interface address information of fans identified with PSDs that have qualified to receive event networking services from the first FNMS at the first event.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the FSA further

(vii) tracks geolocations of the PSD as it moves, and transmits such geolocations through the wireless communication interface, directed to a second FNMS,

(viii) qualifies the PSD as a first fan device to receive event networking services from the second FNMS at a second event, in a second venue, by satisfying geolocation and time constraints associated with the second venue and the second event, and

(ix) receives event networking services through the wireless communication interface from the second FNMS during the second event while in the second venue.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the FSA further

(vii) qualifies the PSD as a first fan device to receive event networking services from the first FNMS at a second event, in the first venue, by satisfying geolocation and time constraints associated with the first venue and the second event, and

(viii) receives event networking services through the wireless communication interface from the first FNMS during the second event while in the first venue.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the FSA further

(vii) qualifies the PSD as a first fan device to receive event networking services from the first FNMS at a second event, in a second venue, by satisfying geolocation and time constraints associated with the second venue and the second event, and

(viii) receives ENSs through the wireless communication interface from the first FNMS during the second event while in the second venue.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the FSA uses GPS technology to track geolocations of the PSD.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the FSA uses beacon technology to track geolocations of the PSD.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the FSA switches between GPS technology and beacon technology to track geolocations of the PSD, depending upon geolocation of the PSD as the PSD moves, relative to the first venue.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the first event has an event period, including a starting date and time and an ending date and time, the event period defined by the first FNMS.

13. The system of claim 12, the constraints for participating include a requirement that the PSD be continuously geolocated for a specified period of time within a bounded geographical area that includes at least a portion of the first venue.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the specified period of time is within the event period.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the FSA receives event networking services from the first FNMS during a super-event period, which includes and extends the event period.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the specified period of time to qualify must occur between a starting time and an ending time specified by the first FNMS.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein the event networking services include exchanging computer-readable content with other fan devices at the first event.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein the computer-readable content is a text message, an image, a video segment, or an audio segment.

19. The system of claim 1, wherein the event networking services allow the first fan device to create, through the FNMS, a new social group associated with fan devices attending the event.

20. The system of claim 1, wherein the event networking services allow the first fan device, through the FNMS, to exchange computer-readable content with fan devices associated with existing social groups and attending the event.

21. The system of claim 1, wherein the event networking services allow the first fan device to identify and text message through the FNMS with fan devices of social networking Friends corresponding to the first fan device and receiving event networking services from the first FNMS during the first event.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the FSA receives a list of social networking Friends through the wireless communication interface from the FNMS.

23. The system of claim 21, wherein the list includes a Friend that was identified to the FNMS from a social network that is not managed by the FNMS.

24. The system of claim 21, wherein upon selection through the user interface of an entry from the list and specification through the user interface of digital content, the FSA transmits the digital content through the wireless communication interface, directed to a PSD corresponding to the selected entry.

25. The system of claim 1, wherein the FSA further

(vii) upon receipt of a request or demand from the FNS, changes how it tracks geolocations of the PSD.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the request or demand from the FNS causes the FSA to change to a coarser or to a finer resolution tracking method.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein the PSD further includes

(vi) a rechargeable battery, whose rate of electricity consumption depends upon whether the tracking method uses the coarser or the finer resolution.

28. The system of claim 26, wherein the request or demand from the FNS occurs when the tracking determines that the PSD has moved to inside the outer boundary but outside the inner boundary.

29. The system of claim 1, wherein the FSA further

(vii) offers an event networking service to a plurality of PSDs that have qualified as attending the first event, in a first venue, which is not offered to a plurality of PSDs that have not so qualified,

(viii) receives event networking services through the first wireless communication system from the first FNMS during the first event while in the first venue,

(ix) tracks geolocations of the PSD as it moves, and transmits such geolocations through the wireless communication interface, directed to a first fan network management system (FNMS), wherein the tracking determines

(A) whether the PSD is outside an outer boundary, inside the outer boundary, or inside an inner boundary, wherein the outer boundary and the inner boundary are defined within the storage and are specific to a first venue, and

(B) whether the PSD has qualified as a first fan device at the first event in the first venue by remaining within the inner boundary for a qualified time interval, wherein the qualifying time interval is defined in the storage.

30. The system of claim 1, wherein the FSA further

(vii) displays through the user interface an interactive game or contest,

(viii) receives user input regarding the game or contest through the user interface,

(ix) transmits the user input regarding the game or contest through one of the wireless communication systems to the FNMS, and

(x) receives from the FNMS through one of the wireless communication systems an indication that the user has won a memento, reward, prize, or points as a result of the transmitted user input.