System and Method for Advertising to a Wi-Fi Device

• US 20100217661A1
• Filed: 04/16/2010
• Published: 08/26/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/13/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Walter, Edward
• Granted Patent: US 8,165,600 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14.380
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0875 Itemisation or classification of parts, supplies or services, e.g. bill of materials
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0238 at point-of-sale [POS]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0623 Item investigation

Abstract

A method is disclosed for providing information related to goods available for purchase in a building. The method includes establishing a plurality of boundary zones where each of the plurality of boundary zones corresponding to a physical boundary zone within a wireless fidelity (Wi-Fi) network. The method also includes storing product information related to the goods available for purchase that are located within at least one boundary zone of the plurality of boundary zones.

Claims

1. A method of providing information related to goods available for purchase in a building, the method comprising:

establishing a plurality of boundary zones, each of the plurality of boundary zones corresponding to a physical boundary zone within a wireless fidelity (Wi-Fi) network; and

storing product information related to the goods available for purchase that are located within at least one boundary zone of the plurality of boundary zones.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing a first set of product information to a Wi-Fi device.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising providing the first set of product information specific to goods located in the same boundary zone as the Wi-Fi device.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

monitoring a location of the Wi-Fi device;

detecting movement of the Wi-Fi device between a first boundary zone and a second boundary zone; and

providing a second set of product information to the Wi-Fi device after detecting that the Wi-Fi device moved to the second boundary zone.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the product information is provided to the Wi-Fi device via a graphical user interface at a display of the Wi-Fi device.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the graphical user interface comprises:

an outer boundary representing a perimeter of the building;

at least one graphical representation of a product shelf; and

a plurality of virtual boundary zones adjacent to the at least one graphical representation of the product shelf.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising providing product information to the Wi-Fi device as a cursor is moved between the virtual boundary zones, the product information corresponding to products available in boundary zones corresponding to the plurality of virtual boundary zones.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

detecting movement of the cursor between a first virtual boundary zone and a second virtual boundary zone; and

providing a second set of product information to the Wi-Fi device after detecting the cursor movement to the second virtual boundary zone.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the product information includes at least one of:

a price of a product, a location of a product, a route to find a product, an availability of a product, a coupon for a product, a promotion for a product, and an advertisement for a product.

10. A system comprising:

a wireless fidelity (Wi-Fi) network, the Wi-Fi network being divided into a plurality of boundary zones, each of the plurality of boundary zones corresponding to a distinct geographic coverage area within the Wi-Fi network; and

at least one server, the at least one server including product data related to one or more products available within at least one boundary zone of the plurality of boundary zones.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the at least one server further comprises instructions to provide a virtual retail building corresponding to an actual building in which the Wi-Fi network is deployed.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the at least one server further comprises instructions to provide at least one virtual product shelf corresponding to an actual product shelf within the actual building.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the at least one server further comprises instructions to provide at least one virtual boundary zone corresponding to at least one of the plurality of boundary zones within the Wi-Fi network.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the at least one server further comprises instructions to provide at least one virtual product corresponding to an actual product located within at least one of the plurality of boundary zones within the Wi-Fi network.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the at least one server further comprises instructions to provide at least one of the at least one virtual product shelf, the at least one virtual boundary zone, and the at least one virtual product to a display of a Wi-Fi device.

16. The system of claim 10, wherein the at least one server further comprises:

instructions to detect a Wi-Fi device within a predetermined region of the Wi-Fi network;

instructions to transmit the product data related to the one or more products available within the at least one boundary zone to the Wi-Fi device; and

instructions to monitor the Wi-Fi device as it moves within the Wi-Fi network.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the product data includes at least one of:

a price of a product, a location of a product, a route to find a product, an availability of a product, a coupon for a product, a promotion for a product, and an advertisement for a product.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the at least one server further comprises instructions to send the boundary zone specific product data to the Wi-Fi device as the Wi-Fi device moves within the Wi-Fi network.

19. A computer readable medium comprising:

instructions to establish a plurality of boundary zones, each of the plurality of boundary zones corresponding to a physical boundary zone within a wireless fidelity (Wi-Fi) network; and

instructions to store product information related to the goods available for purchase that are located within at least one boundary zone of the plurality of boundary zones.

20. The computer readable medium of claim 19, further comprising instructions to transmit the product information to a Wi-Fi device based on a determination that the Wi-Fi device is within the at least one boundary zone of the Wi-Fi network.