TECHNIQUES TO VERIFY LOCATION FOR LOCATION BASED SERVICES

• US 20110311094A1
• Filed: 06/17/2010
• Published: 12/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/17/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Herzog, Shai, Kimchi, Gur
• Granted Patent: US 9,626,696 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/100
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2111 Location-sensitive, e.g. geographical location, GPS
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0225 Avoiding frauds
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0259 based on store location
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0261 based on user location
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/06 for supporting key management in a packet data network cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key management H04L9/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication

Abstract

Techniques to verify a participant'"'"'s visit to a specific location are described. An embodiment may provide a system that generates a pattern that is unique to the location, and that may further be unique to a date or time, a transaction, or other criteria. Participants may capture the pattern, for example, using a mobile device, and transmit the pattern to a verification system. The verification system may decode, translate, decrypt or otherwise obtain information from the pattern. The information obtained from the pattern may be used to verify that the pattern came from the location. The participant may then receive credit for the visit. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

providing a non-static pattern generator to a location owner;

receiving a visit proof from a participant of a location based service, wherein the visit proof is a captured pattern from the pattern generator;

verifying the visit proof; and

confirming a visit status for the participant.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein providing a pattern generator comprises:

providing software that, when operated on a computing device at a location of the location owner, generates and displays a unique, non-static pattern that is specific to the location.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein providing a pattern generator comprises:

providing a hardware device that generates and displays a unique, non-static pattern that is specific to a location of the location owner.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving a visit proof from a participant comprises receiving at least one of:

a machine-readable image of a visual pattern;

a machine-readable recorded sound of an audio pattern;

a machine-readable alphanumeric string;

or

a wireless signal exchange.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein verifying the visit proof comprises:

extracting location information from the visit proof;

identifying a location owner key using the location information;

decrypting the visit proof with the location owner key; and

decoding the visit proof to retrieve visit data.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein confirming the visit status comprises:

verifying that the visit proof is not an unauthorized duplicate of a previously received visit proof.

7. The method of claim 1, comprising:

sending a visit receipt to an application server that provides the location based service;

or

sending a visit receipt to the participant.

8. The method of claim 1, comprising:

storing the verified visit proof.

9. The method of claim 8, comprising:

providing data from the stored verified visit proofs to at least one of the location owner or the participant.

10. An article comprising a storage medium containing instructions that if executed enable a system to:

receive a visit proof from a participant of a location based service, wherein the visit proof is a unique non-static pattern captured from a pattern generator at a location;

verify the visit proof; and

confirm a visit status for the participant.

11. The article of claim 10, further comprising instructions that if executed enable the system to:

decrypt the visit proof.

12. The article of claim 10, wherein the instructions to verify the visit proof comprise instructions that if executed enable the system to:

extract location information from the visit proof;

identify a location owner key using the location information;

decrypt the visit proof with the location owner key; and

decode the visit proof to retrieve visit data; and

determine whether the visit data meets criteria for a visit to the location of the location owner.

13. The article of claim 12, wherein the instructions to decode the visit proof comprise instructions that if executed enable the system to decode at least one of:

a machine-readable image of a visual pattern;

a machine-readable recorded sound of an audio pattern;

a machine-readable alphanumeric string;

or

a wireless signal exchange.

14. The article of claim 10, further comprising instructions that if executed enable the system to:

send a visit receipt to at least one of;

the participant or an application server that provides the location based service.

15. The article of claim 10, further comprising instructions that if executed enable the system to:

create pattern generator instructions for the location owner specific to the location.

16. An apparatus, comprising:

a pattern generator to generate a pattern unique for a location and unique for each visit to the location by a participant of a location based service; and

a display to display the unique pattern.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the pattern generator comprises pattern generating machine-readable instructions and a processor operative to execute the machine-readable instructions to generate the pattern.

18. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the display comprises at least one of:

a visual display to display a visual pattern;

a speaker to display an audio pattern; and

a transmitter to transmit a signal comprising a wireless electronic pattern.

19. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the pattern generator further generates the unique pattern according to at least one of:

a time, a date, a transaction, a visit condition, or a data collection requirement.

20. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the pattern generator encrypts the unique pattern.