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System and method for wireless device detection, recognition and visit profiling

  • US 10,602,309 B2
  • Filed: 01/12/2018
  • Issued: 03/24/2020
  • Est. Priority Date: 11/01/2012
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A method for automatically characterizing a visit of a wireless device at or near a wireless hotspot location via a receiver operated within the location, comprising:

  • detecting one or more wireless transmissions from the wireless device via the receiver operated at the wireless hotspot location;

    extracting a unique device identifier from each of said one or more wireless transmissions;

    tracking a visit profile of the wireless device via said unique device identifier;

    processing said visit profile against one or more preset visit characterization criteria defined for the wireless hotspot location to discriminate between two or more designated visit classifications; and

    characterizing the visit as being consistent with one of said designated visit classifications based on said processing;

    wherein said one or more visit characterization criteria comprise a device proximity criteria defined so to discriminate between walk-in visitors and walk-by visitors;

    the method further comprising;

    processing a signal strength of said one or more wireless transmissions against a preset signal strength signature of the hotspot location defined by a set of signal strengths associated with a set of multiple previous wireless transmissions received from multiple wireless devices via the receiver at the hotspot location so to discriminate between wireless devices operated from within a physical boundary of the location, from those operated outside the physical boundary; and

    characterizing the visit as representative of one of a walk-in visitor and a walk-by visitor as a function of said signal strength processing;

    wherein establishment of said preset signal strength signature comprises;

    recording said set of signal strengths from said multiple previous wireless transmissions detected by the receiver at the location;

    producing a signal strength distribution for the wireless location based on said set;

    identifying, from said distribution, signal strengths predominantly associated with devices operated from within the physical boundary; and

    defining said preset signal strength signature as a function of said identified signal strengths; and

    wherein said identifying comprises;

    comparing said produced signal strength distribution with a designated free-space baseline distribution to identify a deviation therefrom characteristic of the location, said designated free-space baseline distribution consisting of an estimated unobstructed signal strength distribution, and wherein said deviation is representative of at least one of a physical layout at the location and the physical boundary; and

    identifying from said deviation said signal strengths predominantly associated with devices operated from within the physical boundary.

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