METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR LOCATION-TRIGGERED REWARDS

• US 20110028160A1
• Filed: 04/19/2010
• Published: 02/03/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: shopkick, Inc. (SK Telecom Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: shopkick, Inc. (SK Telecom Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Roeding, Cyriac, Emigh, Aaron T.
• Granted Patent: US 8,489,112 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/456.1
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/02 using radio waves using satellite radio beacon systems for determining position G01S19/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0257 Hybrid positioning by coordinating position lines of different shape G01S5/12
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0295 Proximity-based methods, e.g. position inferred from reception of particular signals
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/18 using ultrasonic, sonic, or infrasonic waves
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3224 Transactions dependent on location of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/00 Commerce
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0205 Location or geographical consideration
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0207 Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0211 Determining the effectiveness of discounts or incentives
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0214 Referral reward systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0217 involving input on products or services in exchange for incentives or rewards
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0224 based on user history
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0226 Incentive systems for frequent usage, e.g. frequent flyer miles programs or point systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0238 at point-of-sale [POS]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0261 based on user location
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 2201/08 Detecting or categorising vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• 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 4/20 Services signaling; Auxiliary data signalling, i.e. transmitting data via a non-traffic channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/30 : Services specially adapted for particular environments, situations or purposes
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/33 : for indoor environments, e.g. buildings

Abstract

In some embodiments, techniques for rewarding presence include detecting a presence of a mobile phone within an enclosed space, transmitting information relating to the presence of the mobile phone within the enclosed space to a server computer, wherein the server computer processes an award for the presence of the mobile phone within the enclosed space, wherein the award is associated with a user account associated with the mobile phone; and receiving from the server computer information relating to the award.

Claims

1. A method for rewarding presence comprising:

detecting a presence of a mobile phone within an enclosed space;

transmitting information relating to the presence of the mobile within the enclosed space to a server computer, wherein the server computer processes an award for the presence of the mobile phone within the enclosed space, wherein the award is associated with a user account associated with the mobile phone; and

receiving from the server computer information relating to the award.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the enclosed space is a store.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein detecting the presence of the mobile phone within the enclosed space includes receiving a signal, wherein a transmitter generating the signal is within the enclosed space.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the signal is an ultrasonic signal and wherein receiving the signal includes detecting the signal through a microphone.

5. The method of claim 3 wherein the signal is a near field radio signal and wherein receiving the signal includes detecting the near field radio signal through a radio frequency receiver.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein detecting the presence of the mobile phone within the enclosed space receiving a MAC address associated with the mobile phone via a radio frequency receiver.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein detecting the presence of the mobile phone within the enclosed space includes detecting the GPS signal through a GPS receiver and analyzing the GPS signal to determine that the user has entered the enclosed space.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising increasing a status associated with the user account.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising updating the user account to indicate that a badge has been associated with the user account.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

determining a quantity of visits to the enclosed space, wherein the quantity of visits is associated with the user account; and

determining an amount of the reward based on the quantity of visits to the enclosed space.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

determining a set of visits associated with the user account, wherein the set of visits and the enclosed space include a visit corresponding to each of a plurality of stores; and

determining an amount of the reward based on the existence of the visit corresponding to each of the plurality of stores.

12. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

awarding an award to a second user account, wherein a user corresponding to the second user account is a friend of a user corresponding to the user account.

13. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

presenting an offer from a store, wherein the store is associated with the enclosed space.

14. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

providing information relating to the award to a social networking service associated with a user corresponding to the user account.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising:

transmitting an award to user accounts associated with friends of the user who respond to the offer provided to the social networking service.

16. The method of claim 14 further comprising:

transmitting the offer by the server to mobile phones associated with friends of the user.

17. The method of claim 1 wherein the award includes reward points

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the reward points are redeemable as an award of monetary value at a store.

19. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving a selection of a charity; and

providing a monetary contribution to the charity, wherein the monetary contribution corresponds at least in part to the award.

20. The method of claim 1 wherein the award includes a sweepstake entry.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting the presence of the mobile phone within the enclosed space includes detecting a location marker in the enclosed space through an input device of the mobile phone.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein the location marker is at least one of a 1-dimensional barcode and a 2-dimensional barcode.

23. A computer program product, comprising a computer usable storage medium having a computer readable program code embodied therein, the computer readable program code adapted to be executed to implement a method for rewarding presence, the method comprising:

detecting a presence of the mobile phone within an enclosed space;

transmitting information relating to the presence of the mobile phone within the enclosed space to a server computer, wherein the server computer processes an award for the presence of the mobile phone within the enclosed space, wherein the award is associated with a user account associated with the mobile phone; and

receiving from the server computer information relating to the award.

24. The computer program product of claim 23 wherein the enclosed space is a store.

25. The computer program product of claim 23 wherein detecting the presence of the mobile phone within the enclosed space includes receiving a signal, wherein a transmitter generating the signal is within the enclosed space.

26. The computer program product of claim 25 wherein the signal is an ultrasonic signal and wherein receiving the signal includes detecting the signal through a microphone.

27. The computer program product of claim 23 wherein detecting the presence of the mobile phone within the enclosed space includes detecting the GPS signal through a GPS receiver and analyzing the GPS signal to determine that the user has entered the enclosed space.

28. The computer program product of claim 23 wherein the method for rewarding presence further comprises:

presenting an offer from a store, wherein the store is associated with the enclosed space.

29. The computer program product of claim 23 wherein the award includes reward points

30. The computer program product of claim 23, wherein detecting the presence of the mobile phone within the enclosed space includes detecting a location marker in the enclosed space through an input device of the mobile phone, wherein the location marker is at least one of a 1-dimensional barcode and a 2-dimensional barcode.