METHOD OF PROVIDING DIGITAL CONTENT FOR USERS OF PHYSICAL ITEMS

• US 20150332212A1
• Filed: 05/18/2015
• Published: 11/19/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/12/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Adidas AG
• Original Assignee: Adidas AG
• Inventors: Werner, Jon H., DiBenedetto, Christian, Vaterlaus, Amy Jones, Vincent, Stephen M.
• Granted Patent: US 9,584,610 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2291 User-Defined Types; Storage management thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/235 Update request formulation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24575 using context
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/248 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/40 of multimedia data, e.g. slideshows comprising image and additional audio data retrieval of still image data G06F16/50; retrieval of audio data G06F16/60; retrieval of video data G06F16/70
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/203 Inventory monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/208 Input by product or record sensing, e.g. weighing or scanner processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0251 Targeted advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0261 based on user location
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0269 based on user profile or attribute
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0623 Item investigation
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/72 for local intradevice communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/77 for interrogation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/54 Presence management, e.g. monitoring or registration for receipt of user log-on information, or the connection status of the users
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication

Abstract

Systems, apparatuses, and methods are provided for enhancing users'"'"' overall experiences with physical items by supplementing their physical experiences with digital experiences. According to an embodiment, a user uses an electronic device to scan a smart tag associated with an item to obtain an item identifier of the item. The electronic device sends the item identifier to a server, which selects digital content related to the item.

Claims

1. A method of creating a timeline of information related to one or more items, each of the items being associated with a smart tag encoded with an item identifier that identifies the item, the smart tag configured to transmit the item identifier to a device when the device is positioned proximate to the smart tag, the method comprising:

receiving, at a server from a device, registration information related to one or more of the items, the registration information including for at least some of the items a user identifier of the user, an item identifier that identifies the item, and a date-of-acquisition, the item identifier transmitted from the smart tag to the device upon the device being positioned proximate to the smart tag;

obtaining, by the server, an item description of for at least one or more of the items;

generating an item timeline for the user, the item timeline listing an item description and a date-of-acquisition for at least some of the items; and

displaying the item timeline in a graphical user interface.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the device that receives the item identifier from the smart tag and that sends the item identifier to the server is an electronic device of a user.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein obtaining an item description for the items comprises:

accessing a database of item description information; and

for at least some of the items, using the item identifier to locate in the database an item description for the item.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the item timeline further includes images for at least some of the items.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the item timeline further includes comments related to usage of the item.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the item timeline further includes personal achievements related to usage of the item.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the item timelines further includes a geographical location where the item was purchased.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving usage information related to the items, the usage information including at least one of a user identifier of a user of the item, an item identifier that identifies the item, location information that identifies a location of the usage, the item identifier transmitted from the smart tag to the device upon the device being positioned proximate to the smart tag.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

listing at least some of the usage information on the timeline.

10. A system of creating a timeline of information related to one or more items, each of the items being associated with a smart tag encoded with an item identifier that identifies the item, the smart tag configured to transmit the item identifier to a device when the device is positioned proximate to the smart tag, the system comprising:

a processor; and

a memory device including instruction that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to;

receive from a device, registration information related to one or more of the items, the registration information including for at least some of the items a user identifier of the user, an item identifier that identifies the item, and a date-of-acquisition, the item identifier transmitted from the smart tag to the device upon the device being positioned proximate to the smart tag;

obtain an item description of for at least one or more of the items;

generate an item timeline for the user, the item timeline listing an item description and a date-of-acquisition for at least some of the items; and

display the item timeline in a graphical user interface.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the device that receives the item identifier from the smart tag and that sends the item identifier to the server is an electronic device of a user.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the processor to obtain an item description for the items by:

accessing a database of item description information; and

for at least some of the items, using the item identifier to locate in the database an item description for the item.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the item timeline further includes images for at least some of the items.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the item timeline further includes comments related to usage of the item.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein the item timeline further includes personal achievements related to usage of the item.

16. The system of claim 10, wherein the item timeline further includes a geographical location where the item was purchased.

17. The system of claim 10, wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the processor to:

receive usage information related to the items, the usage information including at least one of a user identifier of a user of the item, an item identifier that identifies the item, location information that identifies a location of the usage, the item identifier transmitted from the smart tag to the device upon the device being positioned proximate to the smart tag.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the processor to:

list at least some of the usage information on the timeline.

19. A method of creating a timeline of events associated with an item, the item being associated with a smart tag encoded with an item identifier that identifies the item, the smart tag configured to transmit the item identifier to a device when the device is positioned proximate to the smart tag, the method comprising:

receiving, at a server from a device, at least one of a user identifier of a user of the item and an item identifier that identifies the item, the item identifier transmitted from the smart tag to the device upon the device being positioned proximate to the smart tag;

obtaining, by the server, an item description of for the item;

obtaining, by the server, a plurality of check-ins of the item;

generating a timeline of events for the item, the timeline of events listing at least some of the check-ins; and

displaying the timeline of events in a graphical user interface.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the device that receives the item identifier from the smart tag and that sends the item identifier to the server is an electronic device of a user.

21. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

receiving usage information related to a plurality of items.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein obtaining an item description for the items comprises:

accessing a database of item description information; and

for at least some of the items, using the item identifier to locate in the database an item description for the item.

23. The method of claim 19, wherein the item description is a name of the item.

24. The method of claim 19, wherein the item timeline further includes images for the item.

25. The method of claim 19, wherein the item timeline further includes comments related to usage of the item.

26. A system of creating a timeline of events associated with an item, the item being associated with a smart tag encoded with an item identifier that identifies the item, the smart tag configured to transmit the item identifier to a device when the device is positioned proximate to the smart tag, the system comprising:

a processor; and

a memory device including instruction that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to;

receive from a device at least one of a user identifier of a user of the item and an item identifier that identifies the item, the item identifier transmitted from the smart tag to the device upon the device being positioned proximate to the smart tag;

obtain an item description of for the item;

obtain a plurality of check-ins of the item;

generate a timeline of events for the item, the timeline of events listing at least some of the check-ins; and

display the timeline of events in a graphical user interface.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein the device that receives the item identifier from the smart tag and that sends the item identifier to the server is an electronic device of a user.

28. The system of claim 26, wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the processor to:

receive usage information related to a plurality of items.

29. The system of claim 26, wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the processor to obtain an item description for the items by:

accessing a database of item description information; and

for at least some of the items, using the item identifier to locate in the database an item description for the item.

30. The system of claim 26, wherein the item description is a name of the item.

31. The system of claim 26, wherein the item timeline further includes images for the item.

32. The system of claim 26, wherein the item timeline further includes comments related to usage of the item.