Consumer electronics (CE) device and related method for providing stadium services

• US 9,900,748 B2
• Filed: 07/16/2014
• Issued: 02/20/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/16/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Milne, James R., Carlsson, Gregory Peter, Zustak, Frederick J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Allen, William J
• Application Number:
  US14/332,849
• Publication Number:
  US 20160021510A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,315 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0635 Processing of requisition or of purchase orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0639 Item locations
• 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 4/33 for indoor environments, e.g. buildings
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

Mesh node modules are associated with stadium seats and companion nodes such as fan CE devices can dynamically form a mesh network which uploads information of the nodes to a network. Sporting information may be downloaded to a fan'"'"'s CE device or services provided to the fan while in a seat based on information sent through the node modules in the stadium.

Claims

1. Consumer electronics (CE) device, comprising:

at least one audio and/or visual display;

at least one wireless transceiver;

at least one computer readable storage medium bearing instructions executable by a processor; and

at least one processor configured for accessing the computer readable storage medium to execute the instructions, the instructions configured to cause the processor to;

upload first location information of the CE device to a network;

present on the display an indication indicating a current location of the CE device and a location of an arena seat assigned to a user of the CE device;

upload second location information of the CE device;

responsive to uploading second location information indicating that the CE device has arrived at the arena seat, prompt a user to engage the CE device with a dock associated with the arena seat, wherein the prompt is presented on the display; and

responsive to engaging the CE device with the dock, receive power and/or information from the dock by the CE device.

2. The CE device of claim 1, wherein the instructions are executable to:

present on the display a map graphically showing the uploaded current location and the location of the arena seat.

3. The CE device of claim 2, wherein the instructions are configured to further cause the processor to:

present on the display a message indicating whether a user of the CE device is in a correct seat.

4. The CE device of claim 2, wherein the instructions are configured to further cause the processor to:

present on the display a prompt to connect to a video feed of an event in an arena in which the arena seat is located.

5. The CE device of claim 2, wherein the instructions are configured to further cause the processor to:

present on the display a prompt to obtain information related to a live event in an arena in which the arena seat is located.

9. The CE device of claim 2, wherein the instructions are configured to further cause the processor to:

present on the display a message indicating whether a user of the CE device is in a correct seat.

6. An apparatus comprising:

at least one processor;

at least one computer memory that is not a transitory signal and that comprises instructions executable by at least one processor, the instructions configured to cause the at least one processor to;

upload first location information of consumer electronics (CE) device to a network;

present on an audio and/or visual display of the CE device an indication indicating the current location of the CE device and a location of an arena seat assigned to a user of the CE device;

upload second location information of the CE device;

responsive to uploading second location information indicating that the CE device has arrived at the arena seat, prompt a user to engage the CE device with a dock associated with the arena seat, wherein the prompt is presented on the display; and

responsive to engaging the CE device with the dock, receive power and/or information from the dock by the CE device.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, further comprising at least one wireless transceiver.

8. The apparatus of claim 6,

wherein the indication includes a map graphically showing the current location and the location of the arena seat.

10. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the instructions are executable to:

present on the display a prompt to obtain information related to a live event in an arena in which the arena seat is located.

11. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the instructions are executable to:

present on the display a prompt to connect to a video feed of an event in an arena in which the arena seat is located.

12. A method comprising:

uploading, by at least one processor of a consumer electronics (CE) device, current location information of the CE device to a mesh network associated with an arena;

presenting, by the at least one processor of the CE device on an audio and/or visual display of the CE device, a user interface (UI) indicating the current location of the CE device and a location of an arena seat assigned to a user of the CE device;

uploading, by the at least one processor of the CE device, updated location information of the CE device;

responsive to uploading updated location information that indicates that the CE device has arrived at the arena seat, prompting, by the at least one processor of the CE device, a user to engage the CE device with a dock associated with the arena seat, wherein the prompt is presented on the display;

responsive to engaging the CE device with the dock, receiving power and/or information from the dock by the CE device.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the UI includes a map graphically showing the uploaded current location and the location of the arena seat.

14. The method of claim 12, comprising:

presenting on the display a message indicating whether a user of the CE device is in a correct seat.

15. The method of claim 12, comprising:

presenting on the display a prompt to obtain information related to a live event in an arena in which the arena seat is located.

16. The method of claim 12, comprising:

presenting on the display a prompt to connect to a video feed of an event in an arena in which the arena seat is located.