Systems and methods to attribute real-world visits of physical business locations by a user of a wireless device to targeted digital content or publicly displayed physical content previously viewable by the user

• US 20170061492A1
• Filed: 11/15/2016
• Published: 03/02/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/08/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Enhanced Geographic LLC
• Inventors: Busch, James David
• Granted Patent: US 9,639,858 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9537 Spatial or temporal dependent retrieval, e.g. spatiotemporal queries
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/322 Aspects of commerce using mobile devices [M-devices]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3224 Transactions dependent on location of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/384 using social networks
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0205 Location or geographical consideration
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0224 based on user history
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0233 Method of redeeming a frequent usage reward
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0236 Incentive or reward received by requiring registration or ID from user
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0245 Surveys
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0255 based on user history
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0256 User search
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0261 based on user location
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0267 Wireless devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0282 Rating or review of business operators or products
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/535 Tracking the activity of the user network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/10 including a GPS signal receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/12 including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion telephones including GPS signal receivers H04M2250/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/023 using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/025 : using location based information parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 : Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/30 : Services specially adapted for particular environments, situations or purposes
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/38 : for collecting sensor 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

Methods and systems that record the location of a user and transmit targeted content to a user based upon their current and past location information. A network is configured to include a server programmed with a database of targeted content, a database of location information, a database of user information, a database searching algorithm, and a wireless communication system capable of communicating with the user'"'"'s mobile device. The location of the mobile device is ascertained and recorded. The location information is analyzed to determine the routes taken by the user, businesses visited by the user, and other behaviors of the user. Targeted content is sent to the mobile device of the user or exposure to physical content is tracked. Whether the user visits the physical locations associated with the content is monitored. Detailed conversion tracking is provided to producers of targeted content and business owners.

Claims

1-20. -20. (canceled)

21. A method, used by a location based service system including at least one computer, of identifying a branded establishment visited by a user of a wireless device, the wireless device configured to detect motion and location, comprising the acts of:

a) storing, in a memory of the location based service system, at least two sets of geographic point and radius information associated with the branded establishment;

b) determining a perimeter shape of the branded establishment, using a processing unit of the location based service system, based upon an algorithm that calculates the perimeter shape of the branded establishment based at least in part upon at least two sets of geographic point and radius information associated with the branded establishment;

c) receiving, at a network interface of the location based service system after a determination based on detected motion of the wireless device that the user of the wireless device was substantially stationary for a duration of time sufficient to indicate that the user may have stopped at an establishment, an approximate geographic location of the user'"'"'s wireless device including a geographic point and radius based at least in part on data obtained from a geographic location sensor of the wireless device;

d) analyzing the received approximate location data with reference to the determined perimeter shape of the branded establishment, using the processing unit of the location based service system, to determine that the user is or was located at the branded establishment at the time associated with the received approximate geographic location; and

,

e) storing, in the memory of the location based service system, data indicating that the user of the wireless device was located at the branded establishment at the time associated with the received approximate geographic location.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the perimeter shape is determined at least in part by averaging the at least two sets of geographic point and radius information.

23. The method of claim 21, further comprising the act of:

f) determining, based on detected motion of the wireless device, that the user of the wireless device changed from driving to walking; and

,

g) storing, in a memory, information indicating the geographic location where the user stopped driving and began walking.

24. The method of claim 21, further comprising the acts of:

f) receiving, at the location based service system from the wireless device, data generated from user input that verifies that the user was in fact located at the branded establishment; and

g) storing, in a user location history of the location based service system, data indicating that the user was verified to be located at the branded establishment.

25. The method of claim 21, further comprising the acts of:

f) receiving, at the location based service system from the wireless device, data generated from a commercial transaction with a system registered with the location based service system as being physically located at the branded establishment,

wherein the received data verifies that the user is or was located at the branded establishment; and

,

g) storing, in a user location history of the location based service system, data indicating that the user was verified to be located at the branded establishment.

26. The method of claim 21, further comprising the acts of:

f) causing communication, from the location based service system to the wireless device, of information that indicates the names of at least the branded establishment and an alternative branded establishment, wherein the alternative branded establishment is geographically near the branded establishment and the received approximate geographic location;

g) receiving, at the location based service system from the wireless device, an indicated branded establishment verifying the location visited by the user of the wireless device selected from at least either of the branded establishment or the alternative branded establishment; and

h) storing, in a user location history of the location based service system, data indicating that the user verified that the user is or was located at the indicated branded establishment.

27. The method of claim 21, further comprising the acts of:

f) storing, in the memory of the location based service system, the received approximate geographic location of the user'"'"'s wireless device including the geographic point and radius in a format associated with the branded establishment and using the stored information to refine the accuracy of the location based service system.

28. The method of claim 21, further comprising the acts of:

f) before the determination based on detected motion of the wireless device that the wireless device was substantially stationary for the duration of time sufficient to indicate that the user may have stopped at an establishment;

i) storing, in the memory of the location based service system, data indicating that the user was provided with an item of digital content relating to the branded establishment; and

,

g) after the determination based on detected motion of the wireless device that the wireless device was substantially stationary for the duration of time sufficient to indicate that the user may have stopped at an establishment and the analysis that determined the user is or was located at the branded establishment at the time associated with the received approximate geographic location;

i) storing, in the memory of the location based service system, data indicating that the user of the wireless device visited the branded establishment after being provided with the digital content relating to the branded establishment.

29. The method of claim 28, further comprising:

h) transmitting, to a third-party computer or wireless device, data including analytics information relating to the item of digital content including a measure indicating the number of users that visited the branded establishment after receiving the item of digital content.

30. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

f) transmitting, to a third-party computer or wireless device, data including analytics information in the form of a histogram graph showing a measure of popularity of the branded establishment over time, wherein the histogram graph shows a measure of the relative number of visitors over time, and wherein the histogram graph is generated based on at least the stored data indicating that the user of the wireless device was located at the branded establishment the time associated with the received approximate geographic location.

31. The method of claim 21, further comprising the acts of:

f) storing information representing a physical geographic area from which a physical advertisement associated with the branded establishment is viewable;

g) before the determination based on detected motion of the wireless device that the wireless device was in a geographic area for the duration of time sufficient to indicate that the user stopped at an establishment;

i) determining that the location of the wireless device was within the physical geographic area from which the physical advertisement associated with the branded establishment is viewable by comparing a first geographic location coordinate to the stored information representing the physical geographic area from which the physical advertisement is viewable;

ii) storing, in the memory of the location based service system, data indicating that the user was in the physical geographic area from which the physical advertisement associated with the branded establishment was viewable by the user; and

,

h) after the determination based on detected motion of the wireless device that the wireless device was substantially stationary for the duration of time sufficient to indicate that the user may have stopped at an establishment, and the analysis that determined the user is or was located at the branded establishment at the time associated with the received approximate geographic location;

i) storing, in the memory of the location based service system, data indicating that the user of the wireless device visited the branded establishment after the physical advertisement associated with the branded establishment was viewable by the user.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein:

the stored geographic area from which the physical advertisement associated with the branded establishment is viewable further includes information describing a direction of travel necessary to view the physical advertisement.

33. The method of claim 32, further comprising the act of:

determining that the wireless device was traveling in the direction of travel necessary to view the physical advertisement prior to storing data indicating that the user was located in an area where the user was able to view the physical advertisement associated with the branded establishment.

34. The method of claim 31, further comprising:

i) transmitting, to a third-party computer, analytics relating to the physical advertisement including a measure indicating the number of users that visited the branded establishment subsequent to being in an area where they were able to view the physical advertisement.

35. The method of claim 21, further comprising the acts of:

f) after the determination based on detected motion of the wireless device that the wireless device was substantially stationary for the duration of time sufficient to indicate that the user may have stopped at an establishment, and the analysis that determined the user is or was located at the branded establishment at the time associated with the received approximate geographic location;

i) analyzing a location history associated with the user with reference to the branded establishment, using a processing unit of the location based service system, to determine whether the user has previously visited the branded establishment; and

,

ii) transmitting, from the location based service system to the wireless device, content relating to the branded establishment selected in part based upon whether the user has previously visited the branded establishment.

36. The method of claim 21, further comprising the acts of:

f) analyzing a subsequently received approximate geographic location, from the wireless device with reference to a location history associated with the user, using a processing unit of the location based service system, to determine that the user is or was located at a physical branded establishment that is not stored as having previously been visited by the user;

g) determining, based upon the location history associated with the user, at least one suggested branded establishment in the proximate area of the user; and

,

h) transmitting, from the location based service system to the wireless device, content relating to the at least one suggested branded establishment.

37. A method, used by a location based service system including at least one computer, of identifying a route and mode of travel of a user and identifying a branded establishment visited by a user of a wireless device, the wireless device configured to detect its motion and location, comprising the acts of:

a) storing, in a memory of the location based service system, at least two sets of geographic point and radius information associated with the branded establishment;

b) determining a perimeter shape of the branded establishment, using a processing unit of the location based service system, based upon an algorithm that calculates the perimeter based at least in part upon the at least two sets of geographic point and radius information associated with the branded establishment;

c) receiving, at a network interface of the location based service system a first approximate geographic location of the user'"'"'s wireless device including a geographic point based at least in part on data obtained from a geographic location sensor of the wireless device and information indicating a mode of transportation determined based upon the motion of the wireless device;

d) storing, in the memory of the location based service system, data indicating that the user of the wireless device was located at the first approximate geographic location and the mode of transportation;

e) receiving, at the network interface of the location based service system after a determination based on detected motion of the wireless device that the wireless device was substantially stationary for a duration of time sufficient to indicate that the user may have stopped at an establishment, a second approximate geographic location of the user'"'"'s wireless device including a geographic point and radius based at least in part on data obtained from a geographic location sensor of the wireless device;

f) analyzing the second received approximate location data with reference to the determined perimeter shape of the branded establishment, using a processing unit of the location based service system, to determine that the user is or was located at the branded establishment at the time associated with the second approximate geographic location; and

,

g) storing, in the memory of the location based service system, data indicating that the user of the wireless device was located at the branded establishment at the time associated with the received approximate geographic location.

38. The method of claim 37, further comprising the acts of:

h) receiving, at the location based service system from the wireless device, data generated as a result of user input that verifies that the user was located at the branded establishment; and

i) storing, in a user location history of the location based service system, data indicating that the user was verified to be located at the branded establishment.

39. The method of claim 37, further comprising the acts of:

h) causing communication, from the location based service system to the wireless device, of information that indicates the names of at least the branded establishment and an alternative branded establishment, wherein the alternative branded establishment is geographically near the branded establishment and the second approximate geographic location;

i) receiving, at the location based service system from the wireless device, an indicated branded establishment verifying the location visited by the user of the wireless device selected from at least either of the branded establishment or the alternative branded establishment; and

,

j) storing, in a user location history of the location based service system, data indicating that the user verified that the user was located at the indicated branded establishment.

40. The method of claim 37, further comprising the acts of:

h) determining a likely route of travel of the user based upon the first geographic location and a location history associated with the user;

i) transmitting, to the wireless device, an item of content associated with a suggested branded establishment along the likely route to the user based at least in part upon the location history associated with the user; and

,

j) storing, in the memory of the location based service system, data indicating that the user of the wireless device visited the suggested branded establishment after being provided with the digital content associated with the suggested branded establishment.