System for targeting location-based communications

• US 9,858,596 B2
• Filed: 09/16/2015
• Issued: 01/02/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Muzak LLC (MOOD Media Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Muzak LLC (MOOD Media Corporation)
• Inventors: Courtney, III, Gordon Howard, Hammond, Russell John, McAliley, James Hodges
• Primary Examiner(s): Swearingen, Jeffrey R
• Application Number:
  US14/856,289
• Publication Number:
  US 20160005080A1
• Time in Patent Office: 839 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0259 based on store location
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0261 based on user location
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0267 Wireless devices
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 19/018 Audio watermarking, i.e. embedding inaudible data in the audio signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/565 Conversion or adaptation of application format or content adding application control or application functional data H04L67/561

Abstract

Embodiments of the invention are directed to systems, methods and computer program products for providing targeted location-based communications. An exemplary apparatus is configured to receive an encoded signal, decode the encoded signal such that embedded data is retrieved, send the embedded data a remote server; and receive a message based at least partially on sending the embedded data. Another exemplary apparatus is configured to provide the encoded signal by receiving data input, receiving a host signal, embedding the data input within the host signal such that an encoded signal is generated, and transmitting the encoded signal. A third exemplary apparatus is configured to provide the targeted communications by storing one or more messages associated with an entity, receiving data, selecting at least one of the one or more messages based at least partially on the data received, and sending the at least one of the one or more messages selected.

Claims

1. A system for delivering at least one message from a content management system to a mobile device of a user based on the mobile device self-identifying to the content management system that it is present in a transmission area, the system comprising:

at least one broadcast device configured to transmit, without requiring identification of a mobile device or recognition of the presence of a mobile device in the transmission area, a transmission signal including indicator data, where the indicator data is associated with at least one message to be sent to a mobile device present in the transmission area and where the indicator data is readable by a mobile device that has a software application thereon capable of reading and recognizing the indicator data in the transmission signal; and

a content management system comprising the at least one message associated with the indicator data, wherein when a mobile device having the software application reads and recognizes the indicator data, said mobile device transmits a request that includes the indicator data to the content management system, and wherein the content management system is configured to, upon receiving the request signal transmitted by the at least one mobile device, retrieve the at least one message associated with the indicator data and send the at least one message to the at least one mobile device.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the at least one user is present in at least one location of a plurality of locations;

the at least one message is associated with a messaging campaign of a third party entity in the content management system based on instructions received from the third party entity through a messaging campaign interface operatively connected with the content management system;

the system further comprises;

at least one encoding device maintained by a media distribution entity to generate at least one transmission signal comprising the indicator data and based at least in part on instructions from the content management system; and

one or more of the at least one broadcast devices maintained by the media distribution entity to transmit the at least one transmission signal proximate at least one of the plurality of locations based at least in part on the instructions from the content management system.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the third party entity comprises a product supplier that supplies at least one product and the at least one message is associated with the at least one product.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the media distribution entity manages a media distribution network comprising the at least one broadcast device and the at least one encoding device.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein one or more of the at least one encoding devices is operably connected to the one or more of the at least one broadcast devices and wherein each encoding device generates at least one transmission signal based at least in part on the instructions from the content management system.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the instructions from the content management system are received by the content management system from the third party entity through the messaging campaign interface operatively connected with the content management system.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein the instructions from the content management system are received by the content management system from the media distribution entity through a media distribution interface operatively connected with the content management system.

8. A computer program product for delivering at least one message from a content management system to a mobile device of a user based on the mobile device self-identifying to the content management system that it is present in a transmission area, the computer program product comprising:

a non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising a set of codes for causing a computer to;

transmit, using at least one broadcast device, without requiring identification of a mobile device or recognition of the presence of a mobile device in the transmission area, a transmission signal including indicator, where the indicator data is associated with at least one message to be sent to a mobile device present in the transmission area and where the indicator data is readable by a mobile device that has a software application thereon capable of reading and recognizing the indicator data in the transmission signal;

wherein a content management system comprises the at least one message associated with the indicator data, and wherein when a mobile device having the software application reads and recognizes the indicator data, said mobile device transmits a request that includes the indicator data to the content management system;

receive, using the content management system, the request signal transmitted by the at least one mobile device;

retrieve the at least one message associated with the indicator data; and

send, using the content management system, the at least one message to the at least one mobile device.

9. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein:

the at least one user is present in at least one location of a plurality of locations;

the at least one message is associated with a messaging campaign of a third party entity in the content management system based on instructions received from the third party entity through a messaging campaign interface operatively connected with the content management system;

the non-transitory computer-readable medium further comprises a set of codes for causing the computer to;

generate, using at least one encoding device maintained by a media distribution entity, at least one transmission signal comprising the indicator data and based at least in part on instructions from the content management system; and

transmit, using one or more of the at least one broadcast devices maintained by the media distribution entity, the at least one transmission signal proximate at least one of the plurality of locations based at least in part on the instructions from the content management system.

10. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein the third party entity comprises a product supplier that supplies at least one product and the at least one message is associated with the at least one product.

11. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein the media distribution entity manages a media distribution network comprising one or more of the at least one broadcast devices and the at least one encoding device.

12. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein one or more of the at least one encoding devices is operably connected to the one or more of the at least one broadcast devices and wherein each encoding device generates at least one transmission signal based at least in part on the instructions from the content management system.

13. The computer program product of claim 12, wherein the instructions from the content management system are received by the content management server from the third party entity through the messaging campaign interface operatively connected with the content management system.

14. The computer program product of claim 12, wherein the instructions from the content management system are received by the content management server from the media distribution entity through a media distribution interface operatively connected with the content management system.

15. A method for delivering at least one message from a content management system to a mobile device of a user based on the mobile device self-identifying to the content management system that it is present in a transmission area, the method comprising:

transmitting, without requiring identification of a mobile device or recognition of the presence of a mobile device in the transmission area, a transmission signal including indicator data, where the indicator data is associated with at least one message to be sent to a mobile device present in the transmission area and where the indicator data is readable by a mobile device that has a software application thereon capable of reading and recognizing the indicator data in the transmission signal; and

upon receiving, by the content management system, the request signal transmitted by the at least one mobile device, retrieve the at least one message associated with the indicator data; and

sending, by the content management system, the at least one message to the at least one mobile device.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein:

the at least one user is present in at least one location of a plurality of locations;

the at least one message is associated with a messaging campaign of a third party entity in the content management system based on instructions received from the third party entity through a messaging campaign interface operatively connected with the content management system;

the method further comprising;

generating, by at least one encoding device maintained by a media distribution entity, at least one transmission signal comprising the indicator data and based at least in part on instructions from the content management system; and

transmitting, by one or more of the at least one broadcast devices maintained by the media distribution entity, the at least one transmission signal proximate at least one of the plurality of locations based at least in part on the instructions from the content management system.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the third party entity comprises a product supplier that supplies at least one product and the at least one message is associated with the at least one product.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the media distribution entity manages a media distribution network comprising the one or more of the at least one broadcast devices and the at least one encoding device.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein one or more of the at least one encoding device is operably connected to each of the one or more of the at least one broadcast device and wherein each encoding device generates the at least one transmission signal based at least in part on instructions from the content management system.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the instructions from the content management system are received by the content management server from the media distribution entity through a media distribution interface operatively connected with the content management system.