Method and system for wayfinding at a venue

• US 9,380,417 B1
• Filed: 05/26/2014
• Issued: 06/28/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NRT Technology Corp.
• Original Assignee: Joingo, LLC (NRT Technology Corp.)
• Inventors: Boyle, Stephen S., Greer, Russell S., Dao, Thang, Bigall, Evan
• Primary Examiner(s): Mapa, Michael
• Application Number:
  US14/287,161
• Time in Patent Office: 764 Days
• Field of Search: 455 411- 412, 455/404.2, 4554141-4142, 455/421, 4554561-457, 340/539.13
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2205/02 Indoor
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/02 using radio waves using satellite radio beacon systems for determining position G01S19/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• 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 4/023 using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/026 using orientation information, e.g. compass
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/027 using movement velocity, acceleration information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• 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 52/0251 using monitoring of local events, e.g. events related to user activity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/006 with additional information processing, e.g. for direction or speed determination
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A system and method for wayfinding at a venue is disclosed herein. The system includes a mobile communication device and a venue. The mobile communication device includes an application for wayfinding at the venue and a plurality of sensors. The mobile communication device is configured to track a path of the mobile communication device from the first fixed geographical location utilizing a plurality of sensors of the mobile communication device.

Claims

1. A method for wayfinding at a venue, the method comprising:

launching a mobile application on a mobile communication device within a venue, the mobile application for wayfinding at the venue;

receiving a beacon signal from a first BLUETOOTH low energy beacon at the mobile application;

transmitting a first message from the mobile application to a wayfinding server, the first message comprising an identifier for the first BLUETOOTH low energy beacon and an identifier for the mobile application;

determining a first fixed geographical location for the mobile communication device at the wayfinding server based on the first message;

transmitting the first fixed geographical location from the wayfinding server to the mobile application;

tracking a path of the mobile communication device from the first fixed geographical location utilizing a plurality of sensors of the mobile communication device, wherein the plurality of sensors of the mobile communication device comprises an accelerometer, a magnetometer and a gyroscope, wherein the accelerometer is configured to determine a movement of the mobile communication device and an orientation of the movement, wherein the magnetometer is configured to determine a true north heading of the mobile communication device, and wherein the gyroscope is configured to determine an orientation of the mobile communication device; and

receiving a beacon signal from a second BLUETOOTH low energy beacon at the mobile application;

transmitting a second message from the mobile application to the wayfinding server, the second message comprising an identifier for the second BLUETOOTH low energy beacon and the identifier for the mobile application;

determining a second fixed geographical location for the mobile communication device at the wayfinding server based on the second message;

transmitting the second fixed geographical location from the wayfinding server to the mobile application;

utilizing the accelerometer of the mobile communication device to adjust a location of the mobile communication device from the first fixed geographical location;

requesting a supplemental first fixed geographical location for the mobile communication device; and

calculating an error factor for the tracking the path of the mobile communication device from the first fixed geographical location for the mobile communication device to the supplemental first fixed geographical location for the mobile communication device, wherein the error factor is utilized for the tracking the path of the mobile communication device.

2. The method according to claim 1 further comprising transmitting venue content to the mobile communication device based on the path of the mobile communication from the first fixed geographical location to the second fixed geographical location.

3. The method according to claim 2 wherein the venue is a casino resort and the venue content is an offer from a bank of slot machines along the path of the mobile communication device, the venue is a retail shopping mall and the venue content is an offer from a retail store along the path of the mobile communication device, or the venue is a retail mall and the venue content is an electronic gift card for purchases at the retail mall.

4. The method according to claim 1 wherein the mobile application transmits the first message and the second message to the wayfinding server over a cellular network.

5. The method according to claim 1 wherein the mobile application transmits the first message and the second message to the wayfinding server over a venue network comprising a plurality of wireless access points within the venue.

6. The method according to claim 1 further comprising guiding an end-user through the venue from the first fixed geographical location to the second fixed geographical location.

7. The method according to claim 1 further comprising transmitting a request from the mobile application to a venue server to transmit a venue content based on based on the path of the mobile communication from the first fixed geographical location to the second fixed geographical location.

8. A system for wayfinding at a venue, the system comprising:

a mobile communication device comprising a mobile native application for wayfinding at the venue and a plurality of sensors, wherein the mobile native application resides within a memory of the mobile communication device, wherein the plurality of sensors of the mobile communication device comprises an accelerometer, a magnetometer and a gyroscope, wherein the accelerometer is configured to determine a movement of the mobile communication device and an orientation of the movement, wherein the magnetometer is configured to determine a true north heading of the mobile communication device, and wherein the gyroscope is configured to determine an orientation of the mobile communication device; and

a venue comprising a plurality of BLUETOOTH low energy beacons positioned within the venue with a first BLUETOOTH low energy beacon positioned at an entrance to the venue;

a wayfinding server;

wherein the mobile native application is configured to receiving a beacon signal from the first BLUETOOTH low energy beacon and transmit a first message to the wayfinding server, the first message comprising an identifier for the first BLUETOOTH low energy beacon and an identifier for the mobile application;

wherein the wayfinding server is configured to receive the first message, determine a first fixed geographical location for the mobile device, and transmit the first fixed geographical location to the mobile native application;

wherein the mobile native application is configured to track a path of the mobile communication device from the first fixed geographical location utilizing the plurality of sensors of the mobile communication device;

wherein the mobile native application is configured to receive a beacon signal from a second BLUETOOTH low energy beacon of the plurality of BLUETOOTH low energy beacons, and transmit a second message to the wayfinding server, the second message comprising an identifier for the second BLUETOOTH low energy beacon and the identifier for the mobile application;

wherein the wayfinding server is configured to receive the second message, determine a second fixed geographical location for the mobile device, and transmit the second fixed geographical location to the mobile native application;

wherein the mobile native application is configured to request a supplemental first fixed geographical location for the mobile communication device within a meter of the first fixed geographical location for the mobile communication device, and the mobile communication device is configured to calculate an error factor for the tracking the path of the mobile communication device from the first fixed geographical location for the mobile communication device to the supplemental first fixed geographical location for the mobile communication device, wherein the error factor is utilized for the tracking the path of the mobile communication device.

9. The system according to claim 8 further comprising a venue network comprising a plurality of wireless access points and a venue server comprising a HTTP proxy, wherein the mobile native application is configured to communicate with the wayfinding server over the venue network.

10. The system according to claim 8 wherein the mobile native application transmits the first message and the second message to the wayfinding server over a cellular network.

11. The system according to claim 8 wherein the mobile native application is configured to transmit to a venue server to transmit a venue content based on based on the path of the mobile communication from the first fixed geographical location to the second fixed geographical location.

12. A system for wayfinding at a venue utilizing a mobile communication device, the system comprising:

a mobile communication device comprising a mobile application for wayfinding at the venue, a plurality of sensors and a battery, wherein the plurality of sensors of the mobile communication device comprises an accelerometer, a magnetometer and a gyroscope, wherein the accelerometer is configured to determine a movement of the mobile communication device and an orientation of the movement, wherein the magnetometer is configured to determine a true north heading of the mobile communication device, and wherein the gyroscope is configured to determine an orientation of the mobile communication device;

and a venue comprising a plurality of BLUETOOTH low energy beacons positioned within the venue;

a wayfinding server;

wherein the mobile application is configured to receiving beacon signals from the plurality of BLUETOOTH low energy beacons and transmit a message to the wayfinding server for each of the beacon signals, the message comprising an identifier for a BLUETOOTH low energy beacon and an identifier for the mobile application;

wherein the wayfinding server is configured to receive the message, determine a first fixed geographical location for the mobile device, and transmit the first fixed geographical location to the mobile application;

wherein the mobile application is configured to track a path of the mobile communication device from the first fixed geographical location utilizing the plurality of sensors of the mobile communication device;

wherein the mobile application is configured to request a supplemental first fixed geographical location for the mobile communication device within a meter of the first fixed geographical location for the mobile communication device, and the mobile application is configured to calculate an error factor for guidance of the mobile communication device from the first fixed geographical location for the mobile communication device to the supplemental first fixed geographical location for the mobile communication device, wherein the error factor is utilized for the guidance of the mobile communication device to a second fixed geographical location within the venue.

13. The system according to claim 12 wherein the guidance is a plurality of tactile signals.

14. The system according to claim 12 wherein the mobile communication device is configured to receive a term associated with a second fixed geographical location to activate guidance from a first fixed geographical location to the second fixed geographical location in the venue.

15. The system according to claim 14 wherein:

the venue is a retail mall and term is a name of a store;

the venue is a casino resort and the term is a card game;

the venue is a hospital and the term is a medical department;

the venue is an airport and the term is a gate number;

the venue is an amusement park and the term is a ride;

the venue is a convention center and the term is a conference room;

the venue is a hotel and the term is a recreational facility;

the venue is a municipality and the term is a government office; and

the venue is a school and the term is a library.