Methods and systems for dynamic detection of consumer venue walk-ins

• US 9,674,655 B2
• Filed: 01/02/2014
• Issued: 06/06/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/03/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cinarra Systems Pte., Ltd. (Cinarra Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cinarra Systems
• Inventors: Korotin, Dmitry, Zinin, Alexey Dmitriyevich
• Primary Examiner(s): Kasraian, Allahyar
• Application Number:
  US14/146,569
• Publication Number:
  US 20140187270A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,251 Days
• Field of Search: 455409-516, 4551611, 4551613
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/00 Commerce
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/318 Received signal strength
• 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 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management

Abstract

Methods and systems for detection of venue walk-in events by consumers in possession of wireless mobile devices. Received signal strength indication (RSSI) information is received from a plurality of wireless base stations. The RSSI information relates to mobile devices that communicate with the wireless base stations. Based on the RSSI information, it is determined whether a venue walk-in event has occurred for a particular mobile device.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving, from a plurality of wireless base stations, received signal strength indication (RSSI) information relating to mobile devices that communicate with the wireless base stations, wherein the RSSI information comprises a cluster of inside-venue data values representing probable inside-venue RSSI readings and a cluster of outside-venue data values representing probable outside-venue RSSI readings;

calculating, for each of the wireless base stations, an inside-venue RSSI threshold comprising a value substantially between the inside-venue data values and the outside-venue data values received from the wireless base station; and

determining whether a venue walk-in event has occurred for a particular mobile device based on a particular inside-venue RSSI threshold and RSSI information relating to the particular mobile device, wherein determining whether a venue walk-in event has occurred comprises;

identifying within a first time window a first cluster of inside-venue RSSI readings for the particular mobile device based on the particular inside-venue RSSI threshold;

identifying within a second time window a second cluster of inside-venue RSSI readings for the particular mobile device based on the particular inside-venue RSSI threshold; and

determining that a venue walk-in event has occurred for the particular mobile device based on a plurality of inside-venue RSSI clusters including the first and second clusters being observed within a third time window encompassing the first and second time windows.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein updated RSSI information is periodically received from the wireless base stations, and wherein the inside-venue RSSI thresholds are periodically recalculated based on the updated RSSI information.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein calculating the inside-venue RSSI threshold comprises disregarding RSSI information older than a certain age.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein calculating the inside-venue RSSI threshold comprises disregarding RSSI information relating to mobile devices for which there are fewer than a threshold number of RSSI readings.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein calculating the inside-venue RSSI threshold comprises applying a corrective function to at least one of the inside-venue cluster and the outside-venue cluster.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether a venue walk-in event has occurred further comprises filtering out false positive venue walk-in events.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising notifying an applications server of the venue walk-in event.

8. A system comprising:

one or more computers programmed to perform operations comprising;

receiving, from a plurality of wireless base stations, received signal strength indication (RSSI) information relating to mobile devices that communicate with the wireless base stations, wherein the RSSI information comprises a cluster of inside-venue data values representing probable inside-venue RSSI readings and a cluster of outside-venue data values representing probable outside-venue RSSI readings;

calculating, for each of the wireless base stations, an inside-venue RSSI threshold comprising a value substantially between the inside-venue data values and the outside-venue data values received from the wireless base station; and

determining whether a venue walk-in event has occurred for a particular mobile device based on a particular inside-venue RSSI threshold and RSSI information relating to the particular mobile device, wherein determining whether a venue walk-in event has occurred comprises;

identifying within a first time window a first cluster of inside-venue RSSI readings for the particular mobile device based on the particular inside-venue RSSI threshold;

identifying within a second time window a second cluster of inside-venue RSSI readings for the particular mobile device based on the particular inside-venue RSSI threshold; and

determining that a venue walk-in event has occurred for the particular mobile device based on a plurality of inside-venue RSSI clusters including the first and second clusters being observed within a third time window encompassing the first and second time windows.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein updated RSSI information is periodically received from the wireless base stations, and wherein the inside-venue RSSI thresholds are periodically recalculated based on the updated RSSI information.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein calculating the inside-venue RSSI threshold comprises disregarding RSSI information older than a certain age.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein calculating the inside-venue RSSI threshold comprises disregarding RSSI information relating to mobile devices for which there are fewer than a threshold number of RSSI readings.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein calculating the inside-venue RSSI threshold comprises applying a corrective function to at least one of the inside-venue cluster and the outside-venue cluster.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein determining whether a venue walk-in event has occurred further comprises filtering out false positive venue walk-in events.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein the operations further comprise notifying an applications server of the venue walk-in event.