Hospitality venue navigation, guide, and local based services applications utilizing RF beacons

• US 9,491,584 B1
• Filed: 05/22/2014
• Issued: 11/08/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/12/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gamba Group Holdings LLC
• Original Assignee: Gamba Group Ltd
• Inventors: Mendelson, Ehud
• Primary Examiner(s): Ly, Nghi H
• Application Number:
  US14/285,332
• Time in Patent Office: 901 Days
• Field of Search: 455/456.3, 455/456.1, 455/421, 455/414.1, 455/404.2
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/206 specially adapted for indoor navigation
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3685 the POI's being parking facilities
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/04 Position of source determined by a plurality of spaced direction-finders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/327 Short range or proximity payments by means of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0261 based on user location
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 15/00 Arrangements or apparatus for collecting fares, tolls or entrance fees at one or more control points handling coins or valuable papers, e.g. banknotes, G07D; apparatus for vending or hiring articles or services activated by coins, credit cards, paper currency or the like G07F7/00, G07F17/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 15/02 taking into account a variable factor such as distance or time, e.g. for passenger transport, parking systems or car rental systems G07B15/06 takes precedence; taximeters G07B13/00; parking meters per se G07F17/24; car rental systems per se G07B15/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/246 provided with vehicle proximity-detectors detecting hidden masses, e.g. metal detectors, G01V, e.g. G01V3/00; proximity switches per se H03K17/00; traffic control systems G08G1/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/001 Interfacing with vending machines using mobile or wearable devices
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/009 User recognition or proximity detection
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/14 indicating individual free spaces in parking areas
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/24 for communication between two or more posts wireless communication networks H04W
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/26 at least one of which is mobile
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/024 Guidance services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/025 using location based information parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/006 with additional information processing, e.g. for direction or speed determination
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

A series of RF beacons deployed about a localized area associated with a hospitality venue creating an infrastructure for use with mapping, navigation, marketing of merchants, and local based services (LBS) in the vicinity thereof. An application would utilize the RF beacons to determine a user'"'"'s location respective to a local area and inform the user of their location on an associated map. The application can employ the RF beacons for navigation through the local area. The application can utilize a beacon identifier that would be embedded within the beacon signal. The beacon identifier can be utilized to determine a user'"'"'s location, provide navigation, obtain marketing information for merchants associated with the specific beacon, etc. Receipt of the beacon signal could initiate a feature on the receiving device to activate a process for obtaining information associated with the area located proximate the respective beacon.

Claims

1. A method of guide mapping and navigating of an interior of a hospitality venue, the method comprising steps of:

deploying a series of, wherein each beacon of the series of beacons is located at a known, fixed location about said interior of said hospitality venue and integrated into an existing hospitality system;

encoding information into a device identification portion of a beacon signal, wherein said identifying information identifies each beacon of said series of beacons;

broadcasting said beacon signal from each beacon of said series of beacons;

scanning for any of said broadcast beacon signals using a mobile device,

detecting at least one of said broadcast beacon signals,

receiving at least one of said broadcast beacon signal by said mobile device, wherein said beacon signal is broadcast from a beacon of said series of beacons located proximate said mobile device, and

decoding each received said at least one of said broadcast beacon signal;

automatically initiating an interactive link between said mobile device and a third party application hosted on an existing system based upon the information decoded from said beacon signal, wherein said initiation of said interactive link is triggered from said information decoded from said beacon signal;

automatically initiating a hospitality function, wherein said initiation of said hospitality function is triggered from said information decoded from said beacon signal, said hospitality function being interactive with said third party application hosted on said existing system.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, where the beacon signal is a short range radio frequency being at least one of a Bluetooth signal and a Wi-Fi signal, the method further comprising a step of:

transmitting said beacon signal as at least one of said Bluetooth signal and said Wi-Fi signal.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said hospitality venue is at least one of a hotel, motel, a cruise ship, a resort, a theater, a conference center, a restaurant, and a casino.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising a step of establishing a link between said mobile device and a hospitality system associated with said hospitality venue.

5. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising a step of establishing a link between said mobile device and a hospitality system associated with said hospitality venue, wherein said hospitality system includes access to at least one of:

a hospitality front office,

a hospitality back office,

a food and beverage provider,

room service,

in-room service,

an events and ticketing concierge,

a conference concierge,

a show concierge,

an emergency plan and procedure,

an entertainment system,

an in-room guide and information,

engineering services,

employee control,

security,

room key and access control system,

a payment process,

a website associated with the beacon infrastructure, and

a link to a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) associated with the beacon infrastructure.

6. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising a step of directing said mobile device to transmit a communication notifying a hospitality representative of arrival of the mobile device at a specific location associated with said received beacon signal.

7. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising steps of:

directing said mobile device to transmit a communication to notifying a receiving entity of arrival of the mobile device at a specific location associated with said received beacon signal; and

forwarding information associated with at least one of the hospitality venue, an event, food and beverage services, and billing to said mobile device.

8. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising a step of directing said mobile device to transmit a communication comprising sufficient information to automatically check in to the associated hospitality venue.

9. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising steps of:

initiating a process for obtaining marketing information associated with said beacon identifying information from a remote information provider;

transmitting a request for marketing information associated with said beacon identifying information from said remote information provider;

obtaining said marketing information associated with said beacon identifying information from said remote information provider; and

displaying said obtained marketing information associated with said beacon identifying information on said mobile device.

10. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising a step of utilizing said beacon signal to determine a location of said mobile device.

11. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein within said step of encoding identifying information into a device identification portion of a beacon signal, said identifying information includes information related to a physical location of said beacon.

12. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said local based services (LBS) are obtained through a direct link to an Internet, wherein said link is initiated by said information decoded from said received beacon signal obtained from said beacon of said series of beacons.

13. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said local based services (LBS) includes emitting an emergency locating signal in an emergency condition, wherein said emergency locating signal includes said location of said mobile device, wherein said location of said mobile device is determined using said geographic location information decoded from said received beacon signal.

14. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising a step of providing local mapping to said user, wherein said local mapping is based upon said geographic location information decoded from said received beacon signal.

15. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising a step of providing navigation to a user when the user is located within an indoor environment, wherein said indoor navigation is based upon said geographic location information decoded from said received beacon signal.

16. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said local based services (LBS) includes at least one of:

marketing,

site information,

sales,

product,

events,

specials, and

coupons.

17. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said local based services (LBS) uses the infrastructure deployment to locate the user in at least one of an emergency situation or during an E-911 call wherein said location of said mobile device is determined using said information decoded from said received beacon signal.

18. The method as recited in claim 1, further utilizing a user profile in conjunction with said Bluetooth identifier signal as a secure key for use in conjunction with said local based services (LBS).

19. The method as recited in claim 1, further utilizing a user profile in conjunction with said Bluetooth identifier signal as a key for use in conjunction with an access lock of said associated hospitality venue.

20. The method as recited in claim 1, further utilizing a user profile into said Bluetooth identifier signal as a secure key for use in conjunction with near field communications.

21. The method as recited in claim 1, further utilizing a user profile into said Bluetooth identifier signal as a secure key for use in conjunction with near field communications and payments.

22. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising a step of employing said mobile device as a payment trigger mechanism.

23. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein local based services (LBS) includes at least a contribution to a payment process.

24. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein local based services (LBS) includes at least a contribution to a security portion of a secured payment process.

25. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising a step of employing said mobile device as a digitally secure payment implement.

26. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising a step of employing said mobile device as a digitally secure payment implement by including the identifier information of the mobile device.

27. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising a step of employing said mobile device as a digitally secure payment implement by including the location information obtained from the proximate beacon of the series of beacons and subsequently provided from the mobile device.

28. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising a step of interacting with a social networking environment.

29. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising a step of sharing said mobile device with other mobile devices operating as a local social networking environment.

30. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising a step of including said mobile device into an existing local social networking environment.

31. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising a step of at least one of creating and sustaining a social networking environment based upon said location of each mobile device within proximity of other mobile devices and said beacon.

32. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising a step of at least one of creating and sustaining a social networking environment based upon said location of each mobile device within proximity of other mobile devices and said beacon,

wherein said social networking environment is associated with said hospitality venue.

33. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising a step of informing a second party of a presence of the user within a proximity of one another.

34. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising a step of displaying a circle overlay onto a local map on a display of said mobile device, wherein said circle is associated with one of said location of said mobile device and said location of said proximate beacon of said series of beacons.

35. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said local based services (LBS) associated with said local geographic area is at least one of:

a link to a third party application,

a link to existing software,

a link to a website,

communication using a cloud,

presents location information,

presents marketing information,

presents sales information,

presents specials information,

presents coupon information, and

provides emergency based locating.

36. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said step of automatically initiating said hospitality function includes a step of including user information provided by said mobile device.

37. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said step of automatically initiating said hospitality function includes a step of including user information provided by said mobile device, wherein said information decoded from said received beacon signal in conjunction with said user information provided by said mobile device is provided to a hospitality function service provider.

38. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising a sensor in communication with said beacon, wherein said beacon broadcasts only after activation of said sensor.

39. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising steps of:

downloading at least one of a floor plan and a map; and

storing said at least one of a floor plan and a map in said mobile device for use with said hospitality function independent of network connectivity.

40. A method of initiating a service based upon an association with information encoded within a beacon identification signal, the method comprising steps of:

deploying a series of beacons, wherein each beacon of the series of beacons is located at a known, fixed location about said interior of said hospitality venue;

encoding information into a device identification portion of a beacon signal, wherein said identifying information identifies each beacon of said series of beacons;

broadcasting said beacon signal from each beacon of said series of beacons;

scanning for any of said broadcast beacon signals using a mobile device, detecting at least one of said broadcast beacon signals,

receiving at least one of said broadcast beacon signal by said mobile device, wherein said beacon signal is broadcast from a beacon of said series of beacons located proximate said mobile device;

decoding each received said at least one of said broadcast beacon signal;

automatically initiating an interactive link between said mobile device and a third party application hosted on an existing system based upon the information decoded from said beacon signal, wherein said initiation of said interactive link is triggered from said information decoded from said beacon signal;

automatically initiating a hospitality function, wherein said initiation of said hospitality function is triggered from said information decoded from said beacon signal, said hospitality function being interactive with said third party application hosted on said existing system,

wherein the hospitality function is a local based services (LBS) application to provide local based services information to the mobile device, wherein said provided local based services information is provided by said third party application hosted on said existing system and wherein said provided local based services information is associated with said beacon identifying information.

41. A method of guide mapping and navigation of an interior of an enclosed structure and implementation of location based services (LBS) associated with the enclosed structure, the method comprising steps of:

deploying a series of beacons, wherein each beacon of the series of beacons is located at a known, fixed location about said interior of said hospitality venue;

encoding identifying information into a device identification portion of a beacon signal, wherein said identifying information identifies each beacon of said series of beacons and information associated with a known physical location of said respective beacon;

broadcasting a beacon signal from each beacon of said series of beacons;

determining a location of a mobile device in accordance with following steps;

scanning for any of said broadcast beacon signals using a mobile device,

detecting at least one of said broadcast beacon signals,

receiving at least one of said beacon signal by said mobile device, wherein said beacon signal is broadcast from a beacon of said series of beacons located proximate said mobile device,

decoding each received said at least one of said broadcast beacon signal;

automatically initiating an interactive link between said mobile device and a third party application hosted on an existing system based upon the information decoded from said beacon signal, wherein said initiation of said interactive link is triggered from said information decoded from said beacon signal;

automatically initiating a hospitality function, wherein said initiation of said hospitality function is triggered from said information decoded from said beacon signal, said hospitality function being interactive with said third party application hosted on said existing system, wherein said hospitality function is a local based service (LBS) to identify a current location of said mobile device within said interior of said hospitality venue;

determining said current location of said mobile device within said interior of said hospitality venue, wherein said current location of said mobile device is determined based upon information associated with a known physical location of said respective beacon collected from said received beacon signal;

determining an indoor map associated with said hospitality venue;

displaying said hospitality venue indoor map; and

displaying said current location of said mobile device on said hospitality venue indoor map.

42. The method as recited in claim 41, where the beacon signal is a short range radio frequency being at least one of a Bluetooth signal and a Wi-Fi signal, the method further comprising a step of:

transmitting said beacon signal as at least one of said Bluetooth signal and said Wi-Fi signal.

43. The method as recited in claim 41, further comprising a step of utilizing said beacon signal to determine a location of said mobile device.

44. The method as recited in claim 41, further comprising a step of:

displaying Points Of Interest (POI) associated with each beacon location on said hospitality venue indoor map.

45. The method as recited in claim 41, further comprising steps of:

displaying Points Of Interest (POI) associated with said beacons, wherein each of said Points Of Interest (POI) would be presented at a respective location on said hospitality venue indoor map;

selecting a beacon location from each displayed beacon location on said hospitality venue indoor map; and

obtaining information associated with said selected beacon.

46. The method as recited in claim 41, further comprising a step of:

utilizing said deployed series of beacons to provide guidance on said mobile device to guide a user to an exit of said hospitality venue during an emergency evacuation procedure.

47. The method as recited in claim 41, wherein at least a portion of said beacons of said series of beacons employ existing Wi-Fi devices deployed throughout said hospitality venue.

48. The method as recited in claim 41, further comprising a step of:

overlaying a series a gradient concentric circles onto said hospitality venue indoor map, wherein said series a gradient concentric circles provide a distance relationship between said mobile device and a secondary object, wherein said secondary object is associated with said beacon.

49. The method as recited in claim 41, further comprising a step of:

displaying Points Of Interest (POI) associated with said beacons, wherein each of said Points Of Interest (POI) would be presented at a respective location on said hospitality venue indoor map.

50. The method as recited in claim 41, further comprising a step of:

automatically initiating a hospitality function, wherein the information decoded from said beacon signal automatically initiates said hospitality function based upon the information decoded from the received beacon signal.

51. The method as recited in claim 41, further comprising steps of:

downloading at least one of a floor plan and a map; and

storing said at least one of a floor plan and a map in said mobile device for use with said hospitality function independent of network connectivity.

52. The method as recited in claim 41, further comprising steps of:

converting said information associated with said known physical location of said respective beacon obtained by said received beacon signal into Global Positioning System (GPS) coordinates and emulate an external GPS data source.