GEO-FENCED PREMIUM CONTENT

• US 20160057571A1
• Filed: 08/19/2014
• Published: 02/25/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/19/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Florins, Evgenia Jane, Brackett, Kerry E., Forgues, Allison M.
• Granted Patent: US 9,445,231 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences

Abstract

A method includes receiving, via a network, first location information associated with a location of a mobile user device; determining that the first location information corresponds to a first area that is within a perimeter of one or more geo-fenced locations associated with a service provider; identifying media content associated with the one or more geo-fenced locations; obtaining an identifier associated with the mobile user device; determining whether user-specific criteria is associated with the identifier; providing, by the service provider and while the mobile user device is located within the perimeter, access to the identified media content responsive to determining that no user-specific criteria is associated with the identifier; applying, responsive to determining that user-specific criteria is associated with the identifier, the user-specific criteria to the identified media content to generate personalized media content; and providing, by the service provider, access to the personalized media content while the mobile user device is present within the perimeter.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving, via a network, first location information associated with a location of a mobile user device;

determining that the first location information corresponds to a first area that is within a perimeter of one or more geo-fenced locations associated with a service provider;

identifying media content associated with the one or more geo-fenced locations;

obtaining an identifier associated with the mobile user device;

determining whether user-specific criteria is associated with the identifier;

providing, by the service provider and while the mobile user device is located within the perimeter, access to the identified media content responsive to determining that no user-specific criteria is associated with the identifier;

applying, responsive to determining that user-specific criteria is associated with the identifier, the user-specific criteria to the identified media content to generate personalized media content; and

providing, by the service provider, access to the personalized media content while the mobile user device is present within the perimeter.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining that the first location information corresponds to a first area that is within a perimeter of one or more geo-fenced locations comprises determining that the first location information corresponds to a first area that is within a perimeter of multiple geo-fenced locations, the method further comprising:

sending, via the network and to the mobile user device, a request for second location information associated with the location of the mobile user device; and

determining that the second location information corresponds to a second area that is within the perimeter of at least one of the multiple geo-fenced locations,

wherein identifying media content comprises identifying media content for which access is provided to user devices present within the perimeter of the at least one of the multiple geo-fenced locations.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein determining that the second location information corresponds to a second area that is within a perimeter of at least one of the multiple geo-fenced locations comprises determining that the second location information corresponds to a second area that is within a perimeter of two or more of the multiple geo-fenced locations, the method further comprising:

sending, via the network and to the mobile user device, a prompt to a user of the mobile user device to input third location information associated with the location of the mobile user device; and

determining that the third location information corresponds to a third area that is within the perimeter of only a first one of the multiple geo-fenced locations,

wherein identifying media content comprises identifying media content for which access is provided to user devices located within the perimeter of the first geo-fenced location.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining that mobile user device has been relocated to outside the perimeter; and

terminating the access to the identified media content or the personalized media content.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying the user-specific criteria based on at least one of services subscribed to by a user of the mobile user device, products purchased by the user, media content consumed by the user, and demographic information associated with the user.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing a user interface to the mobile user device, wherein the user interface is configured to;

present categories of the identified media content or the personalized media content for selection by a user, and

receive a user selection of one or more of the categories.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the user interface is further configured to:

present a plurality of items of the identified media content or the personalized media content corresponding to the selected one or more categories, and

provide, responsive to selection of one of the items, the identified media content or the personalized media content to the mobile user device.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining that a sponsor is associated with the one or more geo-fenced locations, wherein providing access to the identified media content or the personalized media content comprises;

providing, toll free to a user of the mobile user device, access to the identified media content or the personalized media content.

9. A system, comprising:

a service provider device configured to provide access to media content to a mobile user device; and

at least one logic device configured to;

receive, via a network, first location information associated with a location of the mobile user device,

determine that the first location information corresponds to a first area that is within the one or more geo-fenced locations associated with the service provider device,

identify media content associated with the one or more geo-fenced locations,

obtain an identifier associated with the mobile user device,

determine whether user-specific criteria is associated with the identifier,

provide, while the mobile user device is present within the one or more geo-fenced locations, access to the identified media content responsive to a determination that no user-specific criteria is associated with the identifier,

apply, responsive to a determination that user-specific criteria is associated with the identifier, the user-specific criteria to the identified media content to generate personalized media content, and

provide access to the personalized media content while the mobile user device is present within the one or more geo-fenced locations.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the first area is within a perimeter of multiple geo-fenced locations, the at least one logic device being further configured to:

send, via the network and to the mobile user device, a request for second location information associated with the location of the mobile user device, and

determine that the second location information corresponds to a second area that is within the perimeter of at least one of the multiple geo-fenced locations,

wherein identifying media content comprises identifying media content for which access is provided to user devices present within the perimeter of the at least one of the multiple geo-fenced locations.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the second area is within a perimeter of two or more of the multiple geo-fenced locations, the at least one logic device being further configured to:

send, via the network and to the mobile user device, a prompt to a user of the mobile user device to input third location information associated with the location of the mobile user device, and

determine that the third location information corresponds to a third area that is within the perimeter of only a first one of the multiple geo-fenced locations,

wherein identifying media content comprises identifying media content for which access is provided to user devices present within the perimeter of the first multiple geo-fenced location.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the service provider device is further configured to:

identify the user-specific criteria based on at least one of services subscribed to by a user of the mobile user device, products purchased by the user, media content consumed by the user, and demographic information associated with the user.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the service provider device is further configured to:

provide a user interface to the mobile user device, wherein the user interface is configured to;

present categories of the identified media content or the personalized media content for selection by a user, and

receive a user selection of one or more of the categories.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the user interface is further configured to:

present a plurality of items of the identified media content or the personalized media content corresponding to the selected one or more categories, and

stream, responsive to selection of one of the items, the identified media content or the personalized media content to the mobile user device.

15. A mobile user device, comprising:

a communication interface configured to communicate to a service provider device via a network; and

logic configured to;

send, via the network, first location information associated with a location of the mobile user device,

receive, via the network and from the service provider device, information associated with one or more geo-fenced locations corresponding to the first location information,

determine whether user-specific criteria is associated with a user of the mobile user device,

receive, from the service provider device and while the mobile user device is present within the one or more geo-fenced locations, access to the identified media content responsive to a determination that no user-specific criteria is associated with the user,

apply, responsive to a determination that user-specific criteria is associated with the user, the user-specific criteria to the identified media content to identify personalized media content, and

receive, from the service provider device, access to the personalized media content while the mobile user device is present within the perimeter.

16. The mobile user device of claim 15, wherein the location of the user device is within a perimeter of multiple geo-fenced locations, the logic being further configured to:

receive, via the network and from the service provider device, a request for second location information associated with the location of the mobile user device, and

receive, from the service provider device, an indication that the second location information corresponds to a second area that is within the perimeter of at least one of the multiple geo-fenced locations,

wherein the identified media content comprises identified media content for which access is provided to user devices present within the perimeter of the at least one of the multiple geo-fenced locations.

17. The mobile user device of claim 16, wherein the second area is within a perimeter of two or more of the multiple geo-fenced locations, the logic being further configured to:

present, via a user interface of the mobile user device, a prompt to the user to input third location information associated with the location of the mobile user device, and

receive, from the service provider device, an indication that that the third location information corresponds to a third area that is within the perimeter of only a first one of the multiple geo-fenced locations,

wherein the identified media content comprises identified media content for which access is provided to user devices present within the perimeter of the first multiple geo-fenced location.

18. The mobile user device of claim 15, wherein the logic is further configured to:

identify the user-specific criteria based on at least one of services subscribed to by the user, products purchased by the user, media content consumed by the user, and demographic information associated with the user.

19. The mobile user device of claim 15, wherein the logic is further configured to:

display a user interface configured to;

present categories of the identified media content or the personalized media content for selection by the user, and

receive a user selection of one or more of the categories.

20. The mobile user device of claim 19, wherein the user interface is further configured to:

present a plurality of items of the identified media content or the personalized media content corresponding to the selected one or more categories, and

access, responsive to selection of one of the items, the identified media content or the personalized media content from the service provider device.