Device and system for providing current information for a geographic point of interest

• US 8,686,832 B2
• Filed: 04/14/2011
• Issued: 04/01/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/2011
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ronin Licensing, LLC
• Original Assignee: Ronin Licensing, LLC
• Inventors: Oliveira, Alexandre H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Benjamin C
• Assistant Examiner(s): CARLSON, ADAM C
• Application Number:
  US13/087,273
• Publication Number:
  US 20120262277A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,083 Days
• Field of Search: 340/485, 340/691.6, 340/5.91, 340/8.1, 705/14.4, 404/48
• US Class Current: 340/8.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9537 Spatial or temporal dependent retrieval, e.g. spatiotemporal queries
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• 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 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

A computer-based system manages and communicates the identity, attributes, and current state of a geographic point of interest. The system includes a beacon device and a distributed data network. The beacon device includes a housing supporting control electronics, a display, and communication electronics. The beacon is placed at a visible location at the geographic point of interest and receives information concerning the geographical point of interest. The display visibly communicates the information while the communication electronics communicates the same information to the distributed data network. A user can query a location-based service and receive the same information from the distributed data network that is being communicated by the display, assuring communication of accurate and consistent information concerning the geographic point of interest.

Claims

1. A computer based method of displaying and providing updated information concerning a geographic place of interest comprising:

providing a beacon device including a housing supporting control electronics, a display, a user interface for receiving information indicative of an operating status of the geographic point of interest, and communication electronics, the housing configured to be suspended in a visible location in the geographic place of interest;

the control electronics receiving the information;

generating an image on the display visibly communicating the information; and

utilizing the communication electronics to transmit the information to a location based service which is one of an online business directory service, an internet search engine database, and an online social media service thereby updating the location based service.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising suspending the housing adjacent to a vertical surface wherein the image is visible within and/or proximate to the geographic place of interest.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the vertical surface is visible proximate to an entrance to the geographic place of interest.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the information includes attribute information indicative of an attribute of the geographic point of interest.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the attribute is one or more of a payment accepted at the geographic point of interest and normal operating hours of the geographic point of interest.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising receiving a request for information through the communication electronics and wherein transmitting the information is in response to the request.

17. The method of claim 1 wherein the information further includes whether certain personnel are present at the geographical point of interest.

18. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

providing a second beacon device;

transmitting the information to the second beacon device whereby the second beacon device displays a second image that communicates the information.

7. A computer based method of providing information concerning a geographic point of interest comprising:

providing a beacon device including control electronics and communication electronics, the beacon device configured to be fixedly located at the geographic point of interest;

the control electronics receiving information concerning the geographic point of interest;

the control electronics receiving a request for the information through the communication electronics;

the control electronics transmitting the information to a location based service which is one of an online business directory service, an internet search engine database, and an online social media service in response to the request;

wherein the information includes;

one of operating status information indicative of an operating status of the geographical point of interest and attribute information indicative of an attribute of the geographic point of interest, the information received through the communication electronics and including global position data; and

a location of the geographic point of interest based upon the global positioning data; and

wherein the beacon device includes a housing configured to be suspended in a visible location in the geographic place of interest and a display that generates an image communicating at least some of the information.

8. The computer based method of claim 7 wherein the beacon device includes a user interface, the information includes operating status information received through the user interface.

19. The method of claim 7 further comprising wherein the request for information originates from a search query received by a location based service and whereby the information provides a real time update to the location based service in response to the search query.

9. A computer based system for displaying and providing reconciled information concerning a geographic point of interest comprising:

a beacon device having a housing configured to be suspended in a visible location relative to the geographic point of interest, the housing supporting control electronics electronically coupled to a display, a user interface, and communication electronics, the beacon device configured to;

receive attribute information indicative of an attribute of the geographic point of interest;

receive operating status information through the user interface indicative of a status related to the geographic point of interest;

generate an image on the display that communicates information including one or more of the attribute information and the operating status information; and

transmit the information to a location based service which is one of an online business directory service, an internet search engine database, and an online social media service thereby updating the location based service.

10. The computer based system of claim 9 wherein the geographic point of interest is a business establishment, the beacon housing is configured to be suspended adjacent to a vertical surface in the business establishment so that the image is visible at a location outside of the business establishment.

11. The computer based system of claim 9 further comprising a distributed data network configured to facilitate and optimize communication between the beacon device and the location based service.

12. The computer based system of claim 9 wherein the beacon device is configured to receive a request from the location based service and wherein transmitting the information is in response to the request.

20. The computer based system of claim 9 wherein the operating status information includes information indicative of whether certain personnel are present at the geographic point of interest.

21. The computer based system of claim 9 wherein the beacon device is a first beacon device and further comprising a second beacon device having a second display and configured to receive the information from the first beacon device and to generate an image on the second display that is indicative of the information.

22. The computer based system of claim 11 wherein the distributed data network is configured to:

receive a query originating from customer querying the location based service;

send a request to the beacon device for updated information;

receive the information from the beacon device in response to the request; and

send the information to the location based service whereby the location based service can display results that are updated in real time.

13. A computer based system for displaying and providing reconciled information concerning a geographic place of interest comprising:

a beacon device having a housing configured to be suspended in a visible location relative to a geographic point of interest, the housing supporting control electronics, a display, and communication electronics, the beacon device configured to;

receive information concerning the geographic point of interest;

receive a request for information concerning the geographic point of interest; and

transmit the information to a location based service which is one of an online business directory service, an internet search engine database, and an online social media service, the information includes one or more of the attribute information and the current state information;

wherein the information includes;

one of operating status information indicative of an operating status of the geographical point of interest and attribute information indicative of an attribute of the geographic point of interest, the information received through the communication electronics and including global position data; and

a location of the geographic point of interest based upon the global positioning data; and

wherein the beacon device is configured to visibly communicate at least some of the information on the display.

14. The computer based system of claim 13 wherein the beacon device includes a user interface, the information includes operating status information received through the user interface.

15. The computer based system of claim 13 further comprising a distributed data network configured to facilitate and optimize communication between the beacon device and the location based service.

16. The computer based system of claim 15 further comprising the location based service, the location based service configured to receive the request from a customer and to provide the information to the customer.