Method of providing digital content for users of physical items

• US 9,584,610 B2
• Filed: 05/18/2015
• Issued: 02/28/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 02/12/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Adidas AG
• Original Assignee: Adidas AG
• Inventors: Werner, Jon H., DiBenedetto, Christian, Vaterlaus, Amy Jones, Vincent, Stephen M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Brown, Claude J
• Application Number:
  US14/714,931
• Publication Number:
  US 20150332212A1
• Time in Patent Office: 652 Days
• Field of Search: 340/539.11
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2291 User-Defined Types; Storage management thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/235 Update request formulation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24575 using context
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/248 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/40 of multimedia data, e.g. slideshows comprising image and additional audio data retrieval of still image data G06F16/50; retrieval of audio data G06F16/60; retrieval of video data G06F16/70
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/203 Inventory monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/208 Input by product or record sensing, e.g. weighing or scanner processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0251 Targeted advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0261 based on user location
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0269 based on user profile or attribute
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0623 Item investigation
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/72 for local intradevice communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/77 for interrogation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/54 Presence management, e.g. monitoring or registration for receipt of user log-on information, or the connection status of the users
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location 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

Systems, apparatuses, and methods are provided for enhancing users'"'"' overall experiences with physical items by supplementing their physical experiences with digital experiences. According to an embodiment, a user uses an electronic device to scan a smart tag associated with an item to obtain an item identifier of the item. The electronic device sends the item identifier to a server, which selects digital content related to the item.

Claims

1. A method of providing a user with digital content related to an item, the item being associated with a smart tag encoded with an item identifier that identifies the item, the smart tag configured to transmit the item identifier to an electronic device of the user when the electronic device is positioned proximate to the smart tag, the method comprising:

receiving, at a server from an application running on the electronic device of the user, a request to provide the digital content related to the item, the request including a user identifier of the user and the item identifier transmitted from the smart tag to the electronic device upon the user positioning the electronic device proximate to the smart tag;

determining whether the digital content related to the item is available, wherein the digital content related to the item includes information about one or more events associated with the item, wherein the digital content related to item is determined to be available if the item identifier is associated in a data store with information about one or more events;

obtaining, by the server, the digital content related to the item; and

compiling the digital content related to the item into a template so that the application running on the electronic device displays the information about the one or more events associated with the item in a timeline format within a graphical user interface on a display of the electronic device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the electronic device of the user is a mobile device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the digital content related to the item further includes a description of the item, wherein the description is displayed also displayed within the graphical user interface.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the digital content related to the item further includes an image of the item, wherein the image is also displayed within the graphical user interface.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the digital content related to the item further includes information related to usage of the item, wherein the information related to the usage of the item is also displayed within the graphical user interface.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the information related to the usage of the item includes personal achievements related to usage of the item.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein displaying the information related to the usage of the item within the graphical user interface, comprises:

combining in the timeline format the information related to the usage and the information related to the one or more events.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the digital content related to the item further includes information indicating a geographical location where the item was purchased, wherein the information indicating the geographical location where the item was purchased is also displayed within the graphical user interface.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving new digital content to be added to the digital content stored in association with the item and to be provided in response to future requests for the digital content, the new digital content including at least one of the user identifier or the item identifier that identifies the item.

10. A system of creating a timeline of information related to one or more items, each of the items being associated with a smart tag encoded with an item identifier that identifies the item, the smart tag configured to transmit the item identifier to an electronic device of the user when the electronic device is positioned proximate to the smart tag, the system comprising:

a processor; and

a memory device including instruction that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to;

receive from an application running on the electronic device of the user, a request to provide the digital content related to the item, the request including a user identifier of the user and the item identifier transmitted from the smart tag to the electronic device upon the user positioning the electronic device proximate to the smart tag;

determine whether the digital content related to the item is available, wherein the digital content related to the item includes information about one or more events associated with the item, wherein the digital content related to item is determined to be available if the item identifier is associated in a data store with information about one or more events;

obtain the digital content related to the item; and

compile the digital content related to the item into a template so that the application running on the electronic device displays the information about the one or more events associated with the item in a timeline format within a graphical user interface on a display of the electronic device.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the electronic device of the user is a mobile device.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the digital content related to the item further includes a description of the item, wherein the description is displayed also displayed within the graphical user interface.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the digital content related to the item further includes an image of the item, wherein the image is also displayed within the graphical user interface.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the digital content related to the item further includes information related to usage of the item, wherein the information related to the usage of the item is also displayed within the graphical user interface.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the information related to the usage of the item includes personal achievements related to usage of the item.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor to display the information related to the usage of the item within the graphical user interface, further cause the processor to:

combine in the timeline format the information related to the usage and the information related to the one or more events.

17. The system of claim 10, wherein the digital content related to the item further includes information indicating a geographical location where the item was purchased, wherein the information indicating the geographical location where the item was purchased is also displayed within the graphical user interface.

18. The system of claim 10, wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the processor to:

receive new digital content to be added to the digital content stored in association with the item and to be provided in response to future requests for the digital content, the new digital content including at least one of the user identifier or the item identifier that identifies the item.

19. A method, comprising:

receiving, at a server from a user device, an item identifier that identifies an item, the item being associated with a smart tag encoded with an item identifier that identifies the item, the item identifier being transmitted from the smart tag to the user device upon the user device being positioned proximate to the smart tag;

identifying, by the server, a plurality of check-ins for the item, wherein the plurality of check-ins is identified by locating in a data store the check-ins that are associated with the item identifier of the item, wherein each of the check-ins is associated with event information about an event where the item was worn or used; and

compiling the event information into a template so that the user device displays the event information associated with the plurality of check-ins for the item in a timeline format within a graphical user interface on a display of the user device.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the user device is a mobile device.

21. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

identifying and compiling into the template usage information related to the item.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the usage information related to the item includes user-provided comments.

23. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

identifying and compiling into the template a description of the item.

24. The method of claim 19, wherein the description a name of the item.

25. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

identifying and compiling into the template an image of the item.

26. A system, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory device including instruction that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to;

receive from a user device an item identifier that identifies an item, the item being associated with a smart tag encoded with an item identifier that identifies the item, the item identifier being transmitted from the smart tag to the user device upon the user device being positioned proximate to the smart tag;

identify a plurality of check-ins for the item, wherein the plurality of check-ins is identified by locating in a data store the check-ins that are associated with the item identifier of the item, wherein each of the check-ins is associated with event information about an event where the item was worn or used; and

compile the event information into a template so that the user device displays the event information associated with the plurality of check-ins for the item in a timeline format within a graphical user interface on a display of the user device.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein the user device is a mobile device.

28. The system of claim 26, wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the processor to:

identify and compile into the template usage information related to the item.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein the usage information related to the item includes user-provided comments.

30. The system of claim 26, wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the processor to:

identify and compile into the template a description of the item.

31. The system of claim 26, wherein the description a name of the item.

32. The system of claim 26, wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the processor to:

identify and compile into the template an image of the item.