Icebreaker activities using an intelligent beverage container

• US 9,647,777 B2
• Filed: 08/21/2013
• Issued: 05/09/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/21/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV
• Original Assignee: Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV
• Inventors: Wang, Winston
• Primary Examiner(s): Palavecino, Kathleen
• Assistant Examiner(s): Whitaker, Andrew
• Application Number:
  US13/972,679
• Publication Number:
  US 20140059133A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,357 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: B67C 3/007 Applications of control, warning or safety devices in filling machinery flow-control B67C3/28
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/0005 the apparatus comprising means for automatically controlling the amount to be dispensed
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/0872 Aesthetics, advertising
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/0888 Means comprising electronic circuitry (e.g. control panels, switching or controlling means)
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/0894 for the vessel to be filled
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 2001/0811 provided with coded information
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 2001/0812 Bottles, cartridges or similar containers
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 2210/00083 Access code recognition means
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 2210/00089 Remote control means, e.g. by electromagnetic signals
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 2210/00091 Bar management means
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 7/348 by interrogating an information transmitter, e.g. a transponder B67D7/145 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/145 Payments according to the detected use or quantity
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 13/02 by volume
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 13/025 wherein the volume is determined during delivery
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/0609 by fluid containers, e.g. bottles, cups, gas containers
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/63 to plural spots in a confined site, e.g. MATV [Master Antenna Television]
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/33 Arrangements for monitoring the users' behaviour or opinions
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/535 Tracking the activity of the user network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34

Abstract

Systems, devices, and methods are provided for conducting a social interaction. A first user account may be associated with a first beverage container. A second beverage container may be detected as being proximate to the first beverage container. A second user account associated with the second beverage container may be accessed to identify a commonality between the first and second user accounts. The commonality may be objective and/or subjective information or data about the users of the first and second beverage containers. Information indicative of the commonality may be displayed on an electronic display of at least one of the beverage containers. The electronic display may be flexible such that it conforms to a curvature of the beverage container.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

detecting, using at least one accelerometer of a first beverage container associated with a first user account, that a two-party triggering action has been performed by the first beverage container and a second beverage container associated with a second user account, the two-party triggering action occurring while the second beverage container is within a threshold distance of the first beverage container;

transmitting, by the first beverage container and based on the detected two-party triggering action, a first user identifier associated with the first beverage container to the second beverage container over a direct wireless connection between the first beverage container and the second beverage container;

receiving, by the first beverage container and based on the detected two-party triggering action, a second user identifier associated with the second beverage container over the direct wireless connection; and

transmitting, by the first beverage container and based on the detected two-party triggering action, a connection request comprising the received second user identifier to a server to establish a social media connection between the first user account and the second user account.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting that the two-party triggering action has been performed by the first beverage container and the second beverage container comprises:

detecting the first and second beverage containers being in substantial physical contact with each other.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the connection request is a friend request via an online social network.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

receiving a limited portion of information about a second user associated with the second user account.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second user accounts are associated with one or more online social networks.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying information indicative of at least one of the additional commonalities on at least the first beverage container.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the information indicative of the additional commonalities is displayed after a predetermined time period of the first and second beverage containers being within the threshold distance of each other.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

updating the display of information indicative of the additional commonalities to illustrate a different commonality after a predetermined time period.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the commonality comprises one or more of a home town, a visited location, an acquaintance, a school, a sports team, a present or former employer, an organization membership, an interest, a common activity, a membership in an online social network, a beverage choice, or a purchase history.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting that the two-party triggering action has been performed comprises detecting the second beverage container via a wireless signal.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the wireless signal is transmitted via a wireless communications module in each of the first and second beverage containers.

12. A first beverage container apparatus comprising:

at least one accelerometer;

a wireless transceiver;

a processor;

a memory in electronic communication with the processor; and

instructions being executable by the processor to,

detect, using the at least one accelerometer, that a two-party triggering action has been performed by the first beverage container and a second beverage container associated with a second user account, the two-party triggering action occurring while the second beverage container is within a threshold distance of the first beverage container, wherein the first beverage container is associated with a first user account;

transmit, based on the detected two-party triggering action, a first user identifier associated with the first beverage container to the second beverage container using the wireless transceiver over a direct wireless connection between the first beverage container and the second beverage container;

receive, based on the detected two-party triggering action, a second user identifier associated with the second beverage container over the direct wireless connection using the wireless transceiver; and

transmit, based on the detected two-party triggering action, a connection request comprising the received second user identifier to a server using the wireless transceiver to establish a social media connection between the first user account and the second user account.

13. The first beverage container of claim 12, wherein detecting that the two-party triggering action has been performed by the first beverage container and the second beverage container comprises:

detecting the first and second beverage containers being in substantial physical contact with each other.

14. The first beverage container of claim 13, wherein connecting the second user account with the first user account shares a limited portion of information about a first user associated with the first user account with a second user associated with the second user account.

15. The first beverage container of claim 12, wherein the first and second user accounts are associated with one or more online social networks.

16. The first beverage container of claim 12, further comprising:

a display communicatively coupled with the processor;

wherein the instructions are further executable by the processor to;

display information indicative of at least one of the additional commonalities on the display.