System and method for intelligently distributing content to a mobile device based on a detected location of the mobile device and context data defining characteristics of the location at a particular date and time

• US 8,903,940 B2
• Filed: 09/10/2009
• Issued: 12/02/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tribal Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Tribal Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Martin, John Jeffrey, Hales, Steve, Vierra, Joseph, Han, Eugene, Moriondo, Alberto
• Primary Examiner(s): Lazaro, David
• Assistant Examiner(s): KOROBOV, VITALI A
• Application Number:
  US12/557,324
• Publication Number:
  US 20110060808A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,909 Days
• Field of Search: 382/190, 705/5, 705/14, 705/14.66, 705/75, 709/217, 709/219, 709/223, 726/1
• US Class Current: 709/217
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9537 Spatial or temporal dependent retrieval, e.g. spatiotemporal queries

Abstract

A system and method are described for intelligently distributing content to an end user based on both a particular location of the user and a date/time at which the user is at, or scheduled to be at, the particular location. For example, a system is described for intelligently distributing content to a mobile device based on context comprising: a location database to store a plurality of different locations including event facilities and points of interest, the location database associating each of the different locations with a Global Positioning System (GPS) location or range of GPS locations; a context database to store context data for particular locations within the location database, the context data specifying event information for the particular locations including a date, time, and event information for each of the particular locations; a user database to store a set of user preferences; and a content selection module for selecting a set of targeted content to be distributed to a user'"'"'s mobile device based on the user'"'"'s location, the date and time of an event at the location, the event information, and the user preferences, the content selection module detecting a current location of the user and causing the selected set of targeted content to be distributed to the user'"'"'s mobile device when the user arrives at the location of the event at the specified date and time.

Claims

1. A system for intelligently distributing content to a mobile device based on context comprising:

a location database to store a plurality of different locations including event facilities and points of interest, the location database associating each of the different locations with a Global Positioning System (GPS) location or range of GPS locations, and the location database being continually updated within current conditions associated with each of the different locations including traffic information and wireless service coverage;

a context database to store context data for particular locations within the location database, the context data specifying event information for the particular locations including an event date, event time, and event information for each of the particular locations;

a user database to store a set of user preferences;

a content selection module for selecting a set of targeted content to be distributed to a user'"'"'s mobile device based on the user'"'"'s location, the date and time of an event occurring at the location, the event information, and the user preferences, the content selection module detecting a current location of the user and causing the selected set of targeted content to be distributed to the user'"'"'s mobile device automatically, without requiring user input when the user arrives at the location of the event at the specified date and time;

a data collection module for collecting user location data over a period of time, user location data specifying a user'"'"'s mobile device'"'"'s location throughout the period of time, the data collection module to store the user location data within a database; and

a predictive scheduler module to analyze the user location data over the period of time and responsively schedule content distributions to the user'"'"'s mobile device based on the analysis of the user location data, including one or more events stored within the context database.

2. The system as in claim 1 wherein the content selection module selects a first set of targeted content to be distributed to a user'"'"'s mobile device for a first event at a first location and wherein the content selection module selects a second set of targeted content to be distributed to the user'"'"'s mobile device for a second event at the first location.

3. The system as in claim 1 wherein the targeted content comprises a coupon which may be redeemed by the end user at a venue for the event.

4. The system as in claim 1 wherein the targeted content comprises a map of the event venue.

5. The system as in claim 1 wherein the data collection module additionally collects user activity data indicating user activity on the mobile device at the various locations specified by the location data, wherein the predictive scheduler module analyzes both the user activity and the user location data to responsively schedule the content distributions to the user'"'"'s mobile device.

6. The system as in claim 1 wherein the scheduling of content distributions comprises:

determining based on the user location data that the user will be at a particular location at a particular time during the day; and

pre-caching the user'"'"'s mobile device with content based on the determination.

7. The system as in claim 6 further comprising:

triggering logic to trigger the pre-cached content when the user is predicted to be at the particular location.

8. The system as in claim 1 wherein the predictive scheduler module further analyzes personal user data to determine whether the user will be at a particular location at a particular time and responsively schedules content distributions to the user'"'"'s mobile device based on the analysis of the user location data and the personal user data.

9. The system as in claim 8 wherein the personal user data comprises the user'"'"'s calendar data specifying the user'"'"'s schedule.

10. The system as in claim 8 wherein the personal user data comprises the user'"'"'s preferences, determined by monitoring user activity over a period of time.

11. The system as in claim 6 wherein if wireless signal strength indicates a poor signal strength at a particular event location at which the user is predicted to be, then the predictive scheduler module responsively schedules pre-caching of content to the user'"'"'s mobile device prior to arrival at the event location.

12. The system as in claim 11 wherein the pre-caching schedule indicates that the content will be transmitted to the mobile device a specified amount of time prior to the predicted time that the user will be at the event location.

13. The system as in claim 11 wherein the pre-caching schedule indicates that the content will be transmitted to the mobile device when the mobile device is within a specified range of the event location.