Specific methods that improve the functionality of a location based service system by determining and verifying the branded name of an establishment visited by a user of a wireless device based on approximate geographic location coordinate data received by the system from the wireless device

• US 9,521,524 B2
• Filed: 08/11/2015
• Issued: 12/13/2016
• 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:
  US14/823,562
• Publication Number:
  US 20150348117A1
• Time in Patent Office: 490 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 telephones including GPS signal receivers H04M2250/10
• 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

Methods and systems that record the location of a user and transmit targeted content to a user based upon their current and past location information. A network is configured to include a server programmed with a database of targeted content, a database of location information, a database of user information, a database searching algorithm, 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 location information is analyzed to determine the routes taken by the user, businesses visited by the user, and other behaviors of the user. Targeted content is sent to the mobile device of the user and whether the user visits the physical locations associated with the targeted content is monitored. Payment systems, phone exchange systems, and other features may also be integrated to provide detailed conversion tracking to content producers and business owners.

Claims

1. A method, used by a location based service system including at least one computer, of identifying a branded establishment visited by a user of a cell phone, the cell phone configured to detect its location comprising the acts of:

a) receiving, with a network interface of the location based service system, an approximate geographic location of the user'"'"'s cell phone based at least in part on data obtained from a geographic location sensor of the cell phone;

b) causing the received approximate geographic location to be compared, using a central processing unit of the location based service system, to the locations of a plurality of physical branded establishments stored in a database of the location based service system and, from the comparison, determining a selection from the database of at least two branded establishments, at least one of which the user is likely visiting or has likely visited, and which are both in the geographic vicinity of the received approximate geographic location;

c) causing communication, from the location based service system to the cell phone, of information that indicates the names of the at least two branded establishments, at least one of which the user is likely visiting or has likely visited, and which are both in the geographic vicinity of the received approximate geographic location;

d) receiving, at the location based service system from the cell phone, data confirming one indicated branded establishment that was chosen from among the at least two branded establishments as having been visited by the user; and

e) storing, in a memory of the location based service system, the received branded establishment visited by the user in a location history of indicated branded establishments corresponding to the user.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the act of determining a selection from the database of the at least two branded establishments is further based upon the location history of indicated branded establishments corresponding to the user.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving data indicating the geographic path the user took to arrive at the indicated branded establishment.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the geographic location sensor includes at least one of:

a Global Positioning System (GPS) radio or a Wi-Fi radio.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising the act of receiving periodically new approximate geographic location information.

6. The method of claim 5, where the new approximate geographic location information is received in substantially real time.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the approximate geographic location is received via the Internet.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving data indicating the user visited a second branded establishment after visiting the indicated branded establishment that was chosen by the user as having been visited.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the information communicated to the cell phone further includes geographic coordinate information associated with at least one of the at least two branded establishments.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the information communicated to the cell phone further indicates a business type of at least one of the at least two branded establishments, the business type being a restaurant, bar, coffee shop, club, movie theater, airport, or bus stop.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the information communicated to the cell phone further includes an advertisement associated with at least one of the at least two branded establishments.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the information communicated to the cell phone further includes a postal address associated with at least one of the at least two branded establishments.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the information communicated to the cell phone further includes a number of visitors associated with at least one of the at least two branded establishments.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the information communicated to the cell phone further includes information specifying a friend of the user that is visiting or has visited at least one of the at least two branded establishments.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the information communicated to the cell phone further includes information specifying a measure of popularity that is associated with at least one of the at least two branded establishments.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the information communicated to the cell phone further includes information specifying a measure of the number of users that have indicated that they are physically present at one of the at least two branded establishments.

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising updating data in the database describing the number of visits associated with the indicated branded establishment.

18. The method of claim 1, further comprising updating data in the database describing the number of return visits associated with the indicated branded establishment.

19. A method, used by a location based service system including at least one computer, of identifying a branded establishment visited by a user of a cell phone, the cell phone configured to detect its location, comprising the acts of:

a) receiving, with a network interface of the location based service system, an approximate geographic location of the user'"'"'s cell phone based at least in part on data obtained from a geographic location sensor in the cell phone;

b) comparing the received approximate geographic location, using a central processing unit of the location based service system, to the locations of a plurality of branded establishments stored in a database accessible by the location based service system and, from the comparison, selecting at least two branded establishments, at least one of which the user is likely visiting or has likely visited, and which are both in the geographic vicinity of the received approximate geographic location;

c) communicating, from the location based service system to the cell phone, information that indicates the names of the at least two branded establishments, at least one of which the user is likely visiting or has likely visited, and which are both in the geographic vicinity of the received approximate geographic location;

d) receiving, at the location based service system from the cell phone, data confirming one indicated branded establishment that was chosen as being visited or having been visited from among the at least two branded establishments; and

e) storing, in a memory of the location based service system, the received branded establishment visited by the user in a location history of indicated branded establishments corresponding to the user.

20. A method, used by a location based service system including at least one computer, of identifying a branded establishment visited by a user of a cell phone, the cell phone configured to detect its location comprising the acts of:

a) receiving, with a network interface of the location based service system, an approximate geographic location of the user'"'"'s cell phone based at least in part on data obtained from a geographic location sensor in the cell phone;

b) causing the received approximate geographic location to be compared to the locations of a plurality of branded establishments stored in a database in the one or more computers and, from the comparison, selecting from the database at least two branded establishments that the location based service system determines the user could likely be visiting or could likely have previously visited and which are in the vicinity of the received approximate geographic location;

c) causing communication, to the cell phone, of information that indicates the names of the at least two branded establishments;

d) receiving, from the cell phone, data confirming one indicated branded establishment that was chosen as currently being visited or having been previously visited from among the at least two branded establishments; and

e) storing, in a memory of the location based service system, the received branded establishment visited by the user in a location history of indicated branded establishments corresponding to the user.