U.S. patent application number 13/292055 was filed with the patent office on 2012-05-10 for techniques for wireless communication of proximity based marketing.
This patent application is currently assigned to RADEUM, INC. DBA FREELINC. Invention is credited to Douglas Howard Dobyns.
Application Number | 20120116861 13/292055 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 46020499 |
Filed Date | 2012-05-10 |
United States Patent
Application |
20120116861 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Dobyns; Douglas Howard |
May 10, 2012 |
TECHNIQUES FOR WIRELESS COMMUNICATION OF PROXIMITY BASED
MARKETING
Abstract
A system and method for wireless communication of proximity
based marketing is provided. The method includes determining
whether a proximity device and a mobile computing device are within
a first proximity to each other, wherein the proximity device is
associated with at least one of a product and a service, and
communicating information indicating that the proximity device and
the mobile computing device are within the first proximity to each
other, when it is determined that the proximity device and the
mobile computing device are within the first proximity to each
other.
Inventors: |
Dobyns; Douglas Howard;
(Lindon, UT) |
Assignee: |
RADEUM, INC. DBA FREELINC
Orem
UT
|
Family ID: |
46020499 |
Appl. No.: |
13/292055 |
Filed: |
November 8, 2011 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
61411316 |
Nov 8, 2010 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
705/14.34 ;
705/14.36; 705/14.53; 705/14.58 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06Q 30/0236 20130101;
G06Q 30/0261 20130101; G06Q 30/0268 20130101; G06Q 30/0234
20130101; H04W 4/023 20130101; H04W 12/03 20210101; G06Q 30/0224
20130101; H04B 5/0031 20130101; H04W 12/02 20130101; H04B 5/0075
20130101; H04W 4/021 20130101; H04B 7/0404 20130101; G06Q 30/0255
20130101; G06Q 30/0267 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
705/14.34 ;
705/14.58; 705/14.53; 705/14.36 |
International
Class: |
G06Q 30/02 20120101
G06Q030/02 |
Claims
1. A method for wireless communication of proximity based
marketing, the method comprising: setting at least one rule
regarding at least one of a product and a service for a proximity
based communication filter module, which is associated with at
least one of a mobile computing device and a proximity device
associated with the at least one of the product and the service,
the at least one rule identifying one or more actions performed by
the at least one of the proximity device and the mobile computing
device when the proximity device and the mobile computing device
are within a first proximity to each other; determining whether the
proximity device and the mobile computing device are within the
first proximity to each other; and performing at least one action
by the at least one of the proximity device and the mobile
computing device based on the at least one rule set in the
proximity based communication filter module when the proximity
device and the mobile computing device are within the first
proximity to each other.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one action includes
receiving a marketing communication at the mobile computing device
for the at least one of the product and the service associated with
the proximity device.
3. The method of claim 2, further comprising informing a user of
the mobile computing device about the at least one of the product
and the service with the marketing communication.
4. The method of claim 2, wherein the marketing communication is
varied based on at least one of a season, a holiday, a time of day,
an inventory level of the consumer product, a weather forecast, a
history of sales of the at least one of the product and the
service, and a history of purchases of the at least one of the
product and the service.
5. The method of claim 2, wherein the marketing communication is
received at the mobile computing device at least one of directly
from the proximity device and through a mobile communications
network.
6. The method of claim 2, wherein the receiving of the marketing
communication at the mobile computing device comprises receiving
the marketing communication at the mobile computing device through
at least one of an email, a text message, an instant message, a
social networking communication, a wired transmission, and a
wireless transmission.
7. The method of claim 2, further comprising, when the marketing
communication is transmitted, notifying a user of the mobile
computing device about the at least one of the product and the
service associated with the proximity device by displaying at least
one of an image and a video on a display external from the mobile
computing device that is associated with the proximity device.
8. The method of claim 2, wherein the at least one action includes
determining whether to store the marketing communication at the
mobile computing device based on the at least one rule set in the
proximity based communication filter module.
9. The method of claim 2, wherein the marketing communication
includes at least one of an electronic coupon and a rebate.
10. The method of claim 9, wherein the electronic coupon is a third
party coupon that is redeemable at a plurality of selected
locations.
11. The method of claim 9, wherein the electronic coupon includes a
bar code that is displayed on a display of the mobile computing
device.
12. The method of claim 9, wherein at least a portion of the
electronic coupon is stored in a cloud storage facility associated
with the mobile computing device.
13. The method of claim 9, further comprising polling, by a Point
Of Sale (POS) terminal, the mobile computing device for the
electronic coupon when the at least one of the product and service
is purchased at the POS terminal.
14. The method of claim 9, wherein the point of sale terminal
includes a close proximity communication device.
15. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing the at least
one rule for the proximity based communication filter module on the
mobile computing device to increase a user's privacy.
16. The method of claim 1, wherein no information is communicated
from the mobile device to the proximity device to increase a user's
privacy.
17. The method of claim 1, further comprising indicating with the
at least one rule a desire to receive information at the mobile
computing device for the at least one of the product and the
service associated with the proximity device.
18. The method of claim 17, further comprising limiting the
information, received at the mobile computing device based on the
at least one rule set in the proximity based communication filter,
module pertaining to the at least one of the product and the
service associated with the proximity device.
19. The method of claim 1, further comprising updating the at least
one rule regarding the at least one of the product and the service
for the proximity based communication filter module by placing the
mobile computing device within a second proximity to the proximity
device for a predefined amount of time, wherein the second
proximity is smaller than the first proximity.
20. The method of claim 19, further comprising querying a user of
the mobile computing device for approval to update the at least one
rule if the at least one rule is set to ignore the at least one of
the product and the service associated with the proximity
device.
21. The method of claim 1, wherein the performing of the at least
one action further comprises performing coupon scraping to search
for coupons associated with the at least one of the product and the
service to provide to a user of the mobile computing device.
22. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one action includes
notifying a user of the mobile computing device that the at least
one of the product and the service associated with the proximity
device is located within the first proximity.
23. The method of claim 22, wherein the user of the mobile
computing device is notified by at least one of emitting an
illumination, emitting an a sound, emitting an a vibration,
displaying an image, displaying a video, and presenting a
multimedia presentation on at least one of the mobile computing
device and the proximity device.
24. The method of claim 1, further comprising tracking a location
of the mobile computing device based on identification information
communicated by at least one of the mobile computing device and the
proximity device when the proximity device and the mobile computing
device are within the first proximity to each other.
25. The method of claim 24, further comprising: storing a history
of the location of the mobile computing device; storing a history
of purchases associated with the mobile computing device; and
analyzing the history of the location and the history of the
purchases for data trends.
26. The method of claim 24, further comprising: storing a history
of the location of the mobile computing device; and modifying the
at least one rule regarding the at least one of the product and the
service for the proximity based communication filter module based
on the history of the location of the mobile computing device.
27. The method of claim 1, further comprising modifying the at
least one rule regarding the at least one of the product and the
service for the proximity based communication filter when a user of
the mobile computing device purchases the at least one of the
product and the service.
28. The method of claim 1, wherein, if a user of the mobile
computing device purchases the at least one of the product and the
service after the proximity device and the mobile computing device
were within the first proximity to each other, storing the purchase
in a history of purchases.
29. The method of claim 1, further comprising communicating
proximity-related information stored on the mobile computing device
to a second computing device to enable marketing communications on
the second computing device based on the proximity-related
information.
30. The method of claim 29, wherein the second computing device is
a Point Of Sale (POS) terminal.
31. The method of claim 29, wherein the second computing is a Point
Of Sale (POS) terminal that is at a location different from a
location at which at least a portion of the proximity-related
information on the mobile computing device was obtained.
32. The method of claim 29, wherein the second computing device
receives marketing communications associated with the
proximity-related information via at least one of a database, an
interne browser, a search engine, an email application, an on-line
shopping website, and a social networking site.
33. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving
identification information at a selected location regarding the
mobile computing device when the proximity device and the mobile
computing device are within the first proximity to each other.
34. The method of claim 33, further comprising providing the
identification information to a party to determine purchasing
decisions made by a user of the mobile computing device.
35. The method of claim 33, wherein the user of the mobile
computing device receives a financial incentive to allow the
identification information to be shared.
36. The method of claim 1, wherein the setting of the at least one
rule for the proximity based communication filter module comprises
setting product categories on which information on consumer
products related to the product categories are desired to be
received.
37. The method of claim 1, wherein the setting of the at least one
rule for the proximity based communication filter module comprises:
learning the buying preferences of a user of the mobile computing
device; and adjusting the at least one rule for the proximity based
communication filter module based on the learned buying preferences
of the user.
38. The method of claim 1, wherein mobile computing device is one
of a handheld computing device, a smart phone, a multimedia device,
a tablet computing device, a laptop computer, and an embedded
computing device.
39. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining of whether the
proximity device and the mobile computing device are within the
first proximity to each other comprising detecting a short range
communication between the proximity device and the mobile computing
device.
40. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting, by the
mobile computing device, at least a portion of payment information
to a Point Of Sale (POS) terminal to complete a financial
transaction for a purchase of the at least one of the product and
the service associated with the proximity device.
41. The method of claim 40, further comprising transmitting, by the
POS terminal, electronic promotions to the mobile computing device,
wherein the electronic promotions are associated with the at least
one of the product and the service purchased at the POS
terminal.
42. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one action includes
identifying the at least one of the product and the service at the
mobile computing device based on information communicated from the
proximity device.
43. A system for wireless communication of proximity based
marketing, including a proximity device and a mobile computing
device, for performing the method as recited in claim 1.
44. A method for wireless communication of proximity based
marketing, the method comprising: determining whether a proximity
device and a mobile computing device are within a first proximity
to each other, wherein the proximity device is associated with at
least one of a product and a service; and communicating information
indicating that the proximity device and the mobile computing
device are within the first proximity to each other, when it is
determined that the proximity device and the mobile computing
device are within the first proximity to each other.
45. The method of claim 44, further comprising receiving a
marketing communication at the mobile computing device for the at
least one of the product and the service associated with the
proximity device.
46. The method of claim 45, wherein the marketing communication is
received at the mobile computing device at least one of directly
from the proximity device and through a mobile communications
network.
47. The method of claim 45, wherein the receiving of the marketing
communication at the mobile computing device comprises receiving
the marketing communication at the mobile computing device through
at least one of an email, a text message, an instant message, a
social networking communication, a wired transmission, and a
wireless transmission.
48. The method of claim 45, wherein the marketing communication
includes at least one of an electronic coupon and a rebate.
49. The method of claim 48, wherein the electronic coupon is a
third party coupon that is redeemable at a plurality of selected
locations.
50. The method of claim 48, wherein the electronic coupon includes
a bar code that is displayed on a display of the mobile computing
device.
51. The method of claim 48, wherein at least a portion of the
electronic coupon is stored in a cloud storage facility associated
with the mobile computing device.
52. The method of claim 48, further comprising polling, by a Point
Of Sale (POS) terminal, the mobile computing device for the
electronic coupon when the at least one of the product and service
is purchased at the POS terminal.
53. The method of claim 44, further comprising performing coupon
scraping to search for coupons associated with the at least one of
the product and the service to provide to a user of the mobile
computing device.
54. The method of claim 44, wherein the information indicating that
the proximity device and the mobile computing device are within the
first proximity to each other comprises information associated with
a location of the proximity device, and wherein the mobile
computing device stores the information associated with the
location of the proximity device.
55. The method of claim 54, further comprising tracking a location
of the mobile computing device based on the information associated
with a location of the proximity device.
56. The method of claim 55, further comprising: storing a history
of the location of the mobile computing device; storing a history
of purchases associated with the mobile computing device; and
analyzing the history of the location and the history of the
purchases for data trends.
57. The method of claim 55, further comprising: storing a history
of the location of the mobile computing device; storing a history
of purchases associated with the mobile computing device; and
receiving a marketing communication at the mobile computing device,
wherein the contents of the marketing communication are based on
the history of the location of the mobile computing device and the
history of the purchases associated with the mobile computing
device.
58. The method of claim 55, further comprising: storing a history
of the location of the mobile computing device; and receiving a
marketing communication at the mobile computing device, wherein the
contents of the marketing communication are based on the history of
the location of the mobile computing device.
59. The method of claim 44, wherein, if a user of the mobile
computing device purchases the at least one of the product and the
service after the proximity device and the mobile computing device
were within the first proximity to each other, storing the purchase
in a history of purchases.
60. The method of claim 44, further comprising: storing a history
of purchases associated with the mobile computing device; and
receiving a marketing communication at the mobile computing device,
wherein the contents of the marketing communication are based on
the history of the purchases associated with the mobile computing
device.
61. The method of claim 44, wherein the communicating of the
information comprises communicating proximity-related information
stored on one of the mobile computing device and the proximity
device to a second computing device to enable marketing
communications on the second computing device based on the
proximity-related information.
62. The method of claim 61, wherein the second computing device is
a Point Of Sale (POS) terminal.
63. The method of claim 61, wherein the second computing device
receives marketing communications associated with the
proximity-related information via at least one of a database, an
interne browser, a search engine, an email application, an on-line
shopping website, and a social networking site.
64. The method of claim 44, wherein the communicating of the
information comprises communicating identification information to a
selected location regarding the mobile computing device when the
proximity device and the mobile computing device are within the
first proximity to each other.
65. The method of claim 64, further comprising providing the
identification information to a party to determine purchasing
decisions made by a user of the mobile computing device.
66. The method of claim 64, wherein the user of the mobile
computing device receives a financial incentive to allow the
identification information to be shared.
67. The method of claim 44, wherein mobile computing device is one
of a handheld computing device, a smart phone, a multimedia device,
a tablet computing device, a laptop computer, and an embedded
computing device.
68. The method of claim 44, wherein the determining of whether the
proximity device and the mobile computing device are within the
first proximity to each other comprising detecting a short range
communication between the proximity device and the mobile computing
device.
69. A system for wireless communication of proximity based
marketing, including a proximity device and a mobile computing
device, for performing the method as recited in claim 44.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C.
.sctn.119(e) of a U.S. Provisional application filed on Nov. 8,
2010 in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and assigned Ser. No.
61/411,316, the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated
by reference.
BACKGROUND
[0002] The ability to advertise serves a crucial role for both
sellers and consumers in a market. The continued revolution of the
interne has caused significant changes in the newspaper, magazine,
and television markets. These changes have generally resulted in
decreased viewership and made advertising to large audiences more
difficult. For instance, many people no longer receive a daily
newspaper, thereby limiting advertising in the newspaper. This also
reduces the use of advertisements, such as coupons, that have
traditionally been included with newspapers. Similarly, people
often view television with the assistance of a digital video
recorder that allows them to fast forward through, or altogether
skip the advertisements.
[0003] The increased difficulty in marketing and advertising not
only makes it more complicated for marketers to educate consumers
about new and continuing products, it can also negatively affect
consumers. The reduced viewership of advertising can make it more
difficult on consumers to determine when sales are occurring and to
clip and use coupons for products they are interested in
purchasing.
[0004] In some areas, marketers have sought to overcome the
challenge to advertise through the use of so called "loyalty cards"
or "rewards cards". The cards are used to identify a consumer each
time the consumer purchases a product and to track the purchases of
consumers at a selected store or chain of stores. Coupons are often
printed based on the purchases made by a consumer, as they are
tracked using the consumer's identification. However, the coupons
are often printed after a person has purchased a product. Many
times the coupons expire or consumers loose the coupons before they
are needed. More importantly, a vast amount of information is often
collected by a store about the consumer's purchasing habits. This
immense data collection can be a risk to both the consumer as well
as creating a huge liability for the store. If the information were
to become lost or stolen, the store may be liable for resulting
damages.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0005] Features and advantages of the invention will be apparent
from the detailed description which follows, taken in conjunction
with the accompanying drawings, which together illustrate, by way
of example, features of the invention; and, wherein:
[0006] FIG. 1 is an example illustration of a proximity based
marketing system in accordance with an embodiment of the present
invention;
[0007] FIG. 2 illustrates an example block diagram of a system for
proximity based marketing in accordance with an embodiment of the
present invention;
[0008] FIG. 3 illustrates a block diagram of an example
illustration of a Multi-Mode Magnetic Induction Communication
(MMMIC) device having three mutually orthogonal antennas in
accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;
[0009] FIG. 4 illustrates a block diagram of a MMMIC device
incorporated in a mobile computing device and in communication with
Near Field Communication (NFC) compliant and non-NFC compliant
devices in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;
and
[0010] FIG. 5 depicts a flow chart of a method for wireless
communication of proximity based marketing in accordance with an
embodiment of the present invention.
[0011] Reference will now be made to the exemplary embodiments
illustrated, and specific language will be used herein to describe
the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of
the scope of the invention is thereby intended.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0012] Before the present invention is disclosed and described, it
is to be understood that this invention is not limited to the
particular structures, process steps, or materials disclosed
herein, but is extended to equivalents thereof as would be
recognized by those ordinarily skilled in the relevant arts. It
should also be understood that terminology employed herein is used
for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is
not intended to be limiting. The following definitions are provided
for clarity of the overview and embodiments described below.
DEFINITIONS
[0013] As used herein, the term "substantially" refers to the
complete or nearly complete extent or degree of an action,
characteristic, property, state, structure, item, or result. For
example, an object that is "substantially" enclosed would mean that
the object is either completely enclosed or nearly completely
enclosed. The exact allowable degree of deviation from absolute
completeness may in some cases depend on the specific context.
However, generally speaking the nearness of completion will be so
as to have the same overall result as if absolute and total
completion were obtained. The use of "substantially" is equally
applicable when used in a negative connotation to refer to the
complete or near complete lack of an action, characteristic,
property, state, structure, item, or result.
[0014] As used herein, the term "about" is used to provide
flexibility to a numerical range endpoint by providing that a given
value may be "a little above" or "a little below" the endpoint.
[0015] As used herein, the term "advertisement communication"
includes the delivery of marketing information for a selected
product or group of products, solicitations for the product or
group of products, and coupons, rebates, or other types of
promotional offerings for the product or group of products.
[0016] As used herein, the term "user" and "consumer" are
considered to be synonymous unless explicitly described
otherwise.
[0017] As used herein, the term "product" is intended to refer to a
good or service that is advertised and/or offered for sale.
[0018] As used herein, the term "NFC compliant device" refers to a
wireless communication device that can be compliant with at least
one of the ISO specifications including ISO 14443A, ISO 14443B, ISO
18092, and ISO 15693. At the time of writing, the most current ISO
14443 specification for parts A and B consists of four parts: (1)
the ISO/IEC 14443-1:2008 disclosing physical characteristics
specifications; (2) the ISO/IEC 14443-2:2001 disclosing radio
frequency and signal interference specifications; (3) the ISO/IEC
14443-3:2001 disclosing initialization and anti-collision
specifications; and (4) the ISO/IEC 14443-4:2001 disclosing
transmission protocol specifications. The ISO 15693 specification
consists of three parts: (1) ISO/IEC 15693-1:2000 disclosing
physical characteristics specifications; (2) ISO/IEC 15693-2:2006
disclosing air interface and initialization specifications; and (3)
ISO/IEC 15693-3:2009 disclosing anti-collision and transmission
protocol specifications. An NFC compliant device is considered to
be compliant if the device is substantially compliant, or expected
to be substantially compliant with an accepted version of the ISO
14443, ISO 18092, or ISO 15693 specifications, whether the accepted
date is previous to the versions listed above or consists of a
future accepted version of the specifications, or has evolved from
similar technology over time. The term NFC compliant device can
also refer to other types of close proximity communication devices
that are not compliant with the ISO 14443 specifications but are
configured to communicate at a distance of about 10 cm or less.
[0019] As used herein, the term "close proximity communication
device" is intended to refer to NFC compliant devices, as well as
other types of devices that are configured to communicate only
within a close proximity of less than about 30 centimeters (cm)
from a receiver or transceiver.
[0020] As used herein, discussion of a communication from one
device to another device may be provided as an example
communication between devices but is not intended to be limited to
a unidirectional communication. For example, embodiments where a
first device sends a communication to a second device are
not-limited to a one-directional communication from the first to
the second device, but can also include embodiments where the
communication is sent from the second device to the first device,
or where communications are bi-directionally exchanged from the
first device to the second device and from the second device to the
first device.
[0021] As used herein, the term "mobile computing device" refers to
a device including a digital processor coupled to a digital memory.
The mobile computing device may be a simple device operable to
receive a signal and respond. Alternatively, the mobile computing
device can be a complex device having multiple processors and a
display screen.
[0022] As used herein, the term "cloud based storage" refers to
digital storage at a remote location. The digital storage can be
any type of digital storage including, but not limited to, magnetic
storage, optical storage, and solid state storage devices. The
digital storage may be located on a server. A local device, such as
a mobile computing device or a proximity computing device can
access the digital storage at the remote location via a wireless or
a wired connection through a private or public network including,
but not limited to a local area network, a personal area network, a
wide area network, and an internet connection.
Example Embodiments
[0023] An initial overview of technology embodiments is provided
below and then specific technology embodiments are described in
further detail later. This initial summary is intended to aid
readers in understanding the technology more quickly but is not
intended to identify key features or essential features of the
technology nor is it intended to limit the scope of the claimed
subject matter.
[0024] The wireless communication of proximity based content
enables a user to send or receive content when the user is within a
limited proximity of a location or object. The content may be
related to or associated with the location or the object. Also, the
sending or receiving of the content may be triggered by the user
entering the limited proximity to the location or the object.
[0025] In one embodiment, the wireless communication of the
proximity based content can be accomplished by wirelessly
communicating with a user's mobile computing device, such as a
smart phone. While the mobile computing device is described herein
as being mobile, the mobile computing device may be a fixed device.
The mobile computing device can be a handheld computing device, a
portable multimedia device, a smart phone, a tablet computing
device, a laptop computer, an embedded computing device or similar
device. An embedded computing device is a computing device that is
inlayed in a selected object such as a vehicle, a watch, a key fob,
a ring, a key card, a token, a poker chip, a souvenir, a necklace
amulet, and so forth. A computing device may be embedded in
substantially any type of object. The mobile computing device can
be a device that is user owned, rented, leased, associated with, or
otherwise in the possession of the user. A user owned device can
include mobile computing devices that are actually owned by
relatives, friends, and employers of the user.
[0026] In one embodiment, the wireless communication of the
proximity based content can be accomplished by the user's mobile
computing device wirelessly communicating with a proximity
computing device that is disposed at or near, or otherwise
associated with, a location or object. While the proximity
computing device may be described herein as being fixed, the
proximity computing device may be a mobile device. The proximity
computing device may be another mobile computing device or any
other type of computing device. The proximity computing device may
be owned by the user or another entity.
[0027] The proximity based content that is sent by one of the
mobile computing device and the proximity computing device to the
other of the mobile computing device and the proximity computing
device, may include content that is locally stored, content that is
received through a wired or wireless network from a remote content
storage and/or providing device, or a combination thereof. The
proximity based content may be generated by the user or another
entity either locally or remotely, and in advance or
contemporaneously with the sending of the proximity based content.
The proximity based content that is received by one of the mobile
computing device and the proximity computing device from the other
of the mobile computing device and the proximity computing device
may be at least one of locally stored, locally processed, and
communicated to another entity via a wired or wireless network. One
of the mobile computing device and the proximity computing device
can receive or store a pointer that identifies where the proximity
based content is located.
[0028] The mobile computing device can include a short range
communication (SRC) device configured to communicate with another
SRC device included with the proximity computing device that is
associated with the location or the object. Herein, the SRC device
included in the mobile computing device will be referred to as an
SRC device and the SRC device included in the proximity computing
device will be referred to as a PSRC device. Herein, the SRC device
and the mobile computing device may be interchangeably referred to.
Similarly, the PSRC device and the proximity computing device may
be interchangeably referred to. However, in certain embodiments the
PSRC device may be used without a proximity computing device and
may have one or more of the functions of the proximity computing
device included therein. Herein, the term "proximity device" refers
to a device associated with at least one of an object (e.g., a
product), a location, a service, etc. Herein, the proximity device
may be any one of the PSRC device, the proximity computing device,
any device associated with either the PSRC device or the proximity
computing device, any alternatives of the PSRC device, the
proximity computing device, or any device associated with either
the PSRC device or the proximity computing device, or any
combination thereof.
[0029] In one embodiment, when each PSRC device is associated with
a selected location or object, the PSRC may be located at or
adjacent to the location or object with which the PSRC device is
associated, such as in a store, at a kiosk, at an event, at a point
of entry, and so forth. When the user travels within the limited
proximity of the PSRC device, content can be communicated between
the PSRC device and the user's mobile computing device. The content
may include instructions for the mobile computing device to send a
notification that the user is in the proximity of the associated
location or object. The content may also include more detailed
content, such as one or more of identifying information, a message,
multimedia content, information about the location or object,
advertisement information, etc. The type of content communicated
can depend on an identity of the user. For instance, different
types of content may be communicated depending on one or more
characteristics of the user, such as purchasing behavior, filter
preference settings, personal profile settings, and/or the age and
gender of the user, etc. In addition, the type of content
communicated can depend on one or more of any other types of
conditions, including the time, date, weather, etc.
[0030] The SRC device and the PSRC device can be configured to
enable the user to efficiently communicate within a defined
proximity, while substantially minimizing communication that can
occur outside of the defined proximity. The defined proximity can
be a selected diameter around the location or object, such as a
diameter of about 3 meters. The defined proximity is also referred
to as a proximity boundary. When a user moves within the proximity
boundary (such as +/-1.5 meters from a selected product), the short
range communication transceiver associated with the location or
object can efficiently communicate with the SRC device coupled to
the user's mobile computing device. The relatively small dimension
of the proximity radius may be used to allow the user to
conveniently identify a location or locate an object, which is
located within the defined proximity, when the content is
communicated.
[0031] In order to reduce unwanted wireless communication of
proximity based content, and focus on the proximity based content
the user is interested in, a proximity based communication filter
module can be used with the mobile computing device to filter the
locations and objects for which proximity based content may be
wirelessly communicated. In addition, the proximity based
communication filter module may filter the proximity based content
that may be wirelessly communicated. In one embodiment, the user
may set rules that include at least one of permissions and
restrictions for proximity based communication. The rules can be
stored at the mobile computing device to limit potential
intrusiveness of communicating proximity based content associated
with certain locations or objects. Also, the rules can limit the
undesired communication of certain proximity based content or types
of proximity based content associated with locations or objects. In
addition, the rules may identify actions to be performed by a
user's mobile computing device based on certain communicated
content, the communication of proximity based content associated
with certain locations or objects, or the user's presence within
the proximity of certain locations or objects.
[0032] Similarly, the proximity computing device may be used with a
proximity based communication filter module to filter which mobile
computing devices may be wirelessly communicated. In addition, the
proximity based communication filter module may filter the
proximity based content that may be wirelessly communicated. In one
embodiment, rules may be selected that include at least one of
permissions and restrictions for proximity based wireless
communication. The rules can be stored at the proximity computing
device to limit the communication of proximity based content
associated with certain mobile computing devices. Also, the rules
can limit the undesired communication of certain proximity based
content or types of proximity based content. For example, the rules
can prevent non-authorized mobile devices from accessing content or
communications within the system. In addition, the rules may
identify actions to be performed by the PSRC device based on
certain communicated content, the communication of proximity based
content associated with certain mobile computing devices, or the
presence of a certain mobile computing device within its
proximity.
[0033] The ability to sharply define a desired proximity boundary
can provide a significant advantage for the wireless communication
of proximity based content. If an edge of the proximity boundary is
substantially variable, a user may detect and/or receive content
for locations or objects that may not be visible or easily
discovered by the user. Certain types of ubiquitous wireless
standards may not be useful to sharply define the proximity edge.
Standards such as Wi-Fi, also known by the 802.11 standard from the
Institute of Electronic and Electrical Engineers (IEEE), utilize
Radio Frequency (RF) signals that can have a range of hundreds of
feet. The RF signal may be detected in certain situations well
outside of the desired range. More localized standards, such as
Bluetooth.RTM. can have the same challenge, albeit for a smaller
range. A typical range for a Bluetooth device can be approximately
10 meters or about 30 feet.
[0034] In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention,
one or both of the SRC device and the PSRC device may include short
range transceivers that can be configured to communicate using Near
Field Magnetic Induction (NFMI). Unlike RF signals, which are
created by modulating information onto an electromagnetic plane
wave and transmitting those signals into free space, NFMI signals
are created by modulating information onto a magnetic field. The
magnetic field is localized around the transmitting antenna. The
signal outside of this localized region is typically attenuated
below the noise floor, thereby making it difficult or impossible to
receive the signal. The power roll-off for an electromagnetic
signal is one over the distance squared (1/(dist.sup.2)), meaning
that every time the distance is doubled, the power is one fourth
(1/4) as strong. In contrast, the power roll-off for a NFMI signal
is proportional to one over the distance to the sixth
(1/(dist.sup.6)), meaning that every time the distance is doubled,
the power is one sixty-fourth ( 1/64) as strong. Thus, the use of
NFMI can enable a signal that can be transmitted predictably within
a well defined area or distance.
[0035] However, the edge of the proximity boundary may be variable
even when NFMI is used. One challenge with communicating through
the use of magnetic induction is the polarization of the signals
relative to the transmitter and receiver antennas. Maximum power in
an NFMI signal can be communicated between two NFMI antennas with
axis that are parallel to one another. Minimum power is transmitted
between two antennas with antenna axis that are perpendicular to
one another. The difference in transmitted power can be
significant.
[0036] For instance, at 1 meter, the power received in an NFMI
signal transmitted between two antennas that are substantially
parallel to each other can be 50 decibels (dB) greater than the
power received when one of the antennas is substantially
perpendicular to the other.
[0037] The transmitter typically has no way of knowing the
orientation of the receiver antenna, therefore it must transmit at
the maximum (worse case) power setting of +50 dB to ensure a link
distance of 1 meter when the antennas are perpendicular with one
another.
[0038] In an NFMI system, the power roll-off is 60 dB per decade.
Therefore 50 dB correlates to 0.833 decades (50 dB/60 dB) or an
increased link distance of 6.8 times (10 0.833). Thus, if the
transmitter and receiver antenna are optimally positioned (i.e.,
parallel) while the transmitter is at full power (+50 dB), the link
distance will reach out to 6.8 meters instead of 1 meter. This
means that an NFMI link will have a range from approximately one to
seven meters. This wide range, which depends on the orientation of
the transmitter and receiver antennas, substantially reduces the
ability to sharply define a selected proximity around a location or
object.
[0039] One way of dealing with the challenge of a variable
proximity edge caused by antenna misalignment is to design one or
both of the transmitter and receiver with multiple orthogonal
antennas. This ensures that at least one of the receiving antennas
will be substantially parallel to the transmitting antenna
regardless of the relative alignment between the transmitter and
the receiver. In one embodiment, the signal can be received at a
receiver having multiple orthogonal antennas. A portion of the
signal can be received on each of the orthogonal antennas and
summed, thereby maximizing the signal no matter the orientation.
Alternatively, one or more of the antennas can be selected to
transmit or receive based on strength of the signal.
[0040] The PSRC device associated with the location or object can
also include multiple orthogonal antennas, enabling the device to
receive NFMI signals broadcast from the user's mobile computing
device no matter what the orientation is between the two
transceivers. In one embodiment, the antenna that is used to
receive the signal can also be used to transmit. The antenna may be
used to transmit on the assumption that it is the best aligned
antenna with the antenna on the receiving transceiver, thereby
maximizing the link distance and minimizing the power needed to
communicate between the two transceivers. This, in turn, reduces
the emission levels of the transceiver.
[0041] In one embodiment, the use of multiple antennas to
communicate a signal is referred to as antenna diversity. When the
antennas are used to communicate a magnetic induction signal,
antenna diversity refers to the use of multiple orthogonal antennas
that are directly connected to a single transceiver. This is
different than antenna diversity used in transmission schemes such
as Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO), wherein multiple antennas
are used to perform spatial multiplexing to decrease signal loss
through channel fading. The use of multiple orthogonal antennas to
receive a magnetic induction modulated signal will be referred to
as magnetic induction antenna diversity. In one embodiment, the use
of magnetic induction antenna diversity can be used in combination
with spatial diversity to allow the benefits of both spatial
diversity and magnetic induction antenna diversity to be
accomplished.
[0042] Magnetic induction antenna diversity can be the selection of
the best aligned antenna to receive or transmit with another
transceiver. Alternatively, magnetic induction antenna diversity
can involve summing the signal on two or more antennas. The use of
magnetic induction antenna diversity enables the variability of the
proximity boundary to be substantially reduced. Since, in a system
with multiple receiver antennas positioned in orthogonal planes, a
receive antenna can always be selected that is significantly
aligned (i.e., parallel) with a transmit antenna, it reduces the
need to significantly increase the transmit power to ensure that
the signal can be received at a selected distance independent of
its relative orientation with the transmit antenna, and vice versa.
It should be noted that the use of NFMI transceivers does not, by
itself, constitute magnetic induction antenna diversity.
[0043] The transmit power in each of the NFMI transceivers can be
set at a level to define a desired radius of a proximity boundary.
The transceivers may be designed so that the proximity boundary may
be substantially circular. Alternatively, the antennas on the short
range transceiver associated with the product can be designed to
provide a radiation pattern of a desired shape, such as a narrow
arc or conical pattern, thereby providing additional accuracy for
the user to identify the location or object associated with the
PSRC device.
[0044] In one embodiment, the proximity signal that defines the
proximity boundary can contain information. The information may be
related to the PSRC device, such as a location of the PSRC device
or a product or service associated with the PSRC device. The
information carried on the proximity signal can also be information
that is related to the SRC device such as set user preferences,
filter settings, a user identification value, and so forth. Thus,
the proximity signal can be a bidirectional signal that is used to
both define a boundary and carry unidirectional or bidirectional
information between the SRC device and the PSRC device using near
field magnetic induction (NFMI).
[0045] As described herein, NFMI is ideally suited as a
communications technique for the wireless communication of the
proximity based content, particularly when magnetic induction
antenna diversity is employed. However, the present invention is
not limited thereto as other communications techniques may be
alternatively or additionally be employed. For example, the use of
location determination technologies, such as the Global Positioning
System (GPS), triangulation of RF signals, a correspondence of a
coverage area to a known location, a transmission and/or reception
range, or some combination thereof, may be implemented to determine
if the user is within the limited proximity of the location or the
object. When other communications techniques are alternatively or
additionally be employed, the proximity may be predefined or
adaptively defined based on one or more criteria. Nevertheless, the
description of the example embodiments of the present invention
will be limited to NFMI for conciseness in explanation.
[0046] By limiting the proximity to the location or the object to a
relatively small distance, the resulting characteristics of this
arrangement may be exploited for diverse applications ideally
suited thereto. For example, the wireless communication of
proximity based content may include implementations for proximity
based messaging, proximity based location services, proximity based
security, proximity based marketing, etc.
[0047] However, for conciseness in explanation, example embodiments
of the present invention may be described in the context of
techniques for proximity based marketing. However, the present
invention is not limited thereto and the descriptions thereof may
equally be applicable to other implementations of the present
invention, including, but not limited to, proximity based
messaging, proximity based location services, proximity based
security, proximity based marketing.
[0048] Proximity based marketing is a particularly beneficial
implementation of the wireless communication of proximity based
content because it allows a user to locate, become informed about,
and purchase desired items or services while being located within a
proximity of the product or information regarding a service.
Proximity based marketing can also include the communication of
financial incentives such as coupons or rebates for products. In
order to increase the readability of the description of the
techniques for proximity based marketing, different terms than
those utilized above may be referred to below. For example, the
term "consumer" may be interchangeably used with the term "user".
Also, the language "location or object" may be interchangeably used
with the term "product". In addition, the language "proximity based
content" may be interchangeably used with the term "proximity based
marketing". Still further, the language "proximity based
communication filter module" may be interchangeably used with the
language "proximity solicitation filter module." Also, reference to
the term "coupon" is used as a specific example of content and
examples including a "coupon" can be more broadly construed as
including any desirable type of content. Similarly, reference to a
Point of Sale (POS) terminal is a specific example of a type of
proximity computing device, although many other types of proximity
computing devices may also be used.
[0049] Advertisement communications can be sent to the customer
when he or she is located within the proximity of a selected
product. Herein, the selected product may be described as being
located in the store for convenience of description. However, the
present invention is not limited thereto as the selected product
may be located anywhere. The advertisement communication can inform
the customer of information about a product as well as promotions
that may be offered for the product. A promotion, such as a coupon
or rebate, can be stored on the customer's mobile computing
device.
[0050] A POS terminal is a terminal, typically located at a store
or other type of sales location, which is used to conduct a
financial transaction, such as a sale of goods. A common form of
POS terminal is a cash register. The POS terminal may include
wireless communications capabilities that allow it to communicate
with the SRC device. The coupon or other type of promotion which
has been received by the mobile computing device and stored on the
mobile computing device can then be wirelessly communicated from
the mobile computing device to a Point Of Sale (POS) terminal,
thereby enabling the customer to take advantage of the coupon.
Alternatively, the coupon may be stored on the customer's mobile
computing device for use at a later time. However, the customer
does not need to keep track of the coupon. In one embodiment, the
POS terminal can poll the mobile computing device for any coupons
related to products that are purchased at the POS terminal, thereby
enabling the consumer to take advantage of the coupon for weeks or
even months after it is stored on the mobile computing device. The
polling of the mobile computing device, or the transfer of coupons
from the mobile computing device to the POS terminal, is not
limited to NFMI communications. For example, a coupon may be
transferred via NFMI to the mobile computing device, but once
stored on the mobile computing device, the coupon may be further
transmitted using other communication methods. Some example
communication methods or protocols which may be native to the
mobile computing device may include, for example, NFC, Bluetooth,
WiFi, Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) Long Term
Evolution (LTE), Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access
(WiMAX), optical link, acoustic link, infrared, wired, and so
forth.
[0051] To facilitate compatibly with a conventional POS terminal,
and as one example of an optical communication, the coupon may be
displayed as a barcode on a display of the customer's mobile
computing device that is scanned by a barcode reader of the POS
terminal. The displayed barcode may include information identifying
all of the coupons stored on the customer's mobile computing
device. Also, the coupon may be displayed as an alphanumeric code
that can be manually entered into the POS terminal.
[0052] Storing the coupon on the mobile computing device enables
the coupon to be used, even if the consumer no longer remembers the
coupon. Coupons may be used until the date at which they are set to
be expired. The expiration date can be stored with the coupon and
monitored by the mobile computing device or the POS terminal when
the coupon is uploaded to the POS terminal. The mobile computing
device may also be configured to notify the user that a coupon is
about to expire. The notification may be in the form of text,
graphical, sound, vibration, or a combination of these elements.
The notification can be set to remind the user at predefined
intervals prior to the coupon's expiration. When the consumer is
notified, the consumer may set an alarm notification alert to
reappear at a later time, prior to the expiration of the coupon.
The notification can originate from the mobile computing device or
from a third party. For example, stored coupons can be made
available from a third party via a wireless connection (such as by
using cellular based communications such as 3GPP or WiMAX, for
example), and a notification or announcement can be sent to the
user from the third party. The notification/announcement from the
third party can be sent using traditional wireless or cellular
technology (e.g., 3G), or can be sent to the user via text, email,
social networking, and the like. Similarly, the notification can be
sent to a user's cloud based storage where it can be viewed by the
user.
[0053] Moreover, a portion of the coupon may be stored in a "cloud"
storage facility that is associated with the consumer's mobile
computing device. For instance, a multimedia portion of the coupon
may be streamed from a cloud storage facility. The actual data
stored on the mobile computing device regarding the coupon can be a
limited amount of data, such as sufficient data to identify the
coupon to the POS terminal. For example, a numeric or alphanumeric
code may be stored on the mobile computing device for transmission
to the POS terminal, while multimedia related to the coupon may be
stored and/or streamed from a cloud storage facility.
[0054] In addition, the advertisement or solicitation may be stored
locally and triggered by a proximity event at a later time. For
example the coupon may be received via an email, text message,
instant message, social media, etc. and stored on a mobile
computing device. The consumer can be notified when the mobile
computing device is within a proximity of the product associated
with the coupon. Also, the coupon can be entered into the mobile
computing device manually, or by performing an optical scan of a
physical coupon, barcode or the like. In one aspect, coupons can be
received as the result of an electronic subscription, a web search,
etc. In another aspect, coupons can automatically be retrieved from
a database, from the interne, etc. based on a shopping list entered
into the mobile computing device.
[0055] In some examples, coupons, price comparisons, rebates, and
so forth can be searched and/or retrieved via a wireless connection
when the consumer is in proximity to a product. Some or all of the
information can be retrieved from the store or location of the
consumer, while some or all of the information can also be
retrieved via the internet, or other networks or databases. In some
examples, coupons may be pre-loaded into the mobile computing
device. When the consumer is in proximity to a product for which
the consumer has a coupon, an alert can be provided to the consumer
when the consumer is near the desired product.
[0056] Alternatively, coupon scraping and price comparison research
may be conducted by a consumer at a later time based on information
obtained while in the proximity of a product. For instance, a
consumer may receive information that allows the consumer to
determine a price offered for a product. The consumer can then use
his or her mobile device to compare that price with other prices
available on the internet. In addition, the consumer may obtain a
coupon or other type of discount that is available on the internet
for that product.
[0057] In order to reduce unwanted advertisements, and focus the
advertisements on products that the consumer is interested in, the
proximity based communication filter module can be used to enable a
user to identify the products and markets that he or she is
interested in. Hereafter, the proximity based communication filter
module may be referred to as the proximity solicitation filter
module. The consumer can set solicitation rules. These rules can be
stored on the mobile computing device to limit potential
intrusiveness of marketing for unwanted products and markets as the
consumer walks through a store.
[0058] More importantly, the consumer is in control of his or her
own information. The consumer can use his or her own mobile
computing device to store the solicitation rules, and store
information related to advertisements on the mobile computing
device. By storing the information on the user's mobile computing
device, rather than relying on a store or other entity to store the
information, it significantly increases user privacy and reduces
the risk of loss of consumer information for the store and
significantly eliminates the risk of misuse or undesired use of the
consumer's information by another entity.
[0059] The rules can be set for each product or a group of
products. One rule that the user can set is to identify whether the
user wants to receive information on the user's mobile computing
device about a selected product or group of products. Another rule
that may be set is whether the user wants to receive information
related to a discount such as a coupon or rebate. More complex
rules can also be set. This will be discussed more fully below.
[0060] If the rules are setup to ignore a selected product, or
class of products, then the consumer may not be notified and the
consumer's mobile computing device may not be activated. Depending
upon the types of rules setup by the consumer, the consumer may be
notified and/or an advertisement such as a coupon may be received
and stored on the consumer's computing device.
[0061] As described above, the ability to sharply define a desired
proximity boundary can provide a significant advantage, and this is
particularly true for proximity based marketing. If an edge of the
proximity boundary is substantially variable, a consumer may
receive notifications for products that may not be visible or
easily discovered by the consumer. This aspect will be described in
greater detail below with reference to FIG. 1 in the context of a
proximity based marketing system as a specific example of a system
for the wireless communication of proximity based content.
[0062] FIG. 1 is an example illustration of a proximity based
marketing system in accordance with an embodiment of the present
invention. While a proximity based marketing system is illustrated
in FIG. 1 and described herein, the constituent elements and
functions thereof may be equally applicable to other
implementations of the wireless communication of proximity based
content.
[0063] Referring to FIG. 1, an example is illustrated of a PSRC
device 104 located on a store shelf 106 adjacent to a selected
product. The PSRC device 104 may be disposed in a proximity
computing device. The PSRC device 104 is configured to communicate
using NFMI. The PSRC device 104 is configured to transmit a signal
with sufficient power so that the signal is detectable in a
proximity boundary. In this example, the proximity boundary has a
distance of approximately 6 feet from the PSRC device 104. The
radius of the inner circle 108 represents the distance of 6 feet. A
consumer 112 can carry a mobile computing device 110 having an SRC
device configured to receive the NFMI signal broadcast by the PSRC
device 104.
[0064] If both the SRC device on the mobile computing device 110
and the PSRC device 104 include only a single antenna, then the
power of the NFMI signal transmitted from the PSRC device needs to
be sufficient to ensure that the signal can be received at the
mobile computing device 110 at the perimeter of the inner circle
108 even when the antenna of the SRC device at the mobile computing
device 110 and the antenna of the PSRC device 104 are poorly
aligned (i.e., substantially perpendicular). As previously
discussed, the power needs to be increased approximately 50 dB
(i.e., 10,000 to 100,000 times) for this to be achieved.
[0065] However, when the antennas of the SRC device at the mobile
computing device 110 and the PSRC device 104 are better aligned,
then the NFMI signal may be received anywhere within the outer
circle 114, which represents a radius that is seven times greater
than the inner circle 108. A consumer 112 having a mobile computing
device 110 with an antenna that is coaxial to or parallel with the
antenna of the PSRC device 104 may detect the NFMI signal several
rows away from the actual product. In fact, each person illustrated
in FIG. 1 may be able to detect the signal based on the alignment
of the respective antennas.
[0066] If one or both of the PSRC device 104 and the SRC device on
the mobile computing device 110 included multiple orthogonal
antennas that use magnetic induction antenna diversity to receive
and/or transmit the NFMI signal, it can be ensured that the
receiver and transmitter antenna are substantially optimally
aligned, thereby enabling a substantially maximum amount of the
possible power to be received independent of the position of the
SRC antenna at the mobile computing device 110 relative to the
antenna of the PSRC device 104. This enables the uncertainty area
(i.e., the area between the outer circle 114 and the inner circle
108) to be substantially reduced, thereby enabling the PSRC device
to be designed with a desired proximity area with minimal
uncertainty area.
[0067] The size of the proximity boundary 108 and the uncertainty
area outside of the proximity boundary is determined by the
transmit power of either the PSRC device 104 or the SRC device on
mobile computing device 110, the receive sensitivity of either the
PSRC device 104 or the SRC device on mobile computing device 110,
and/or antenna alignment. These factors, individually or in
combination, can facilitate optimal communication coupling which
provides a well defined edge of the proximity boundary.
[0068] In another embodiment, a display external from the user's
mobile computing device can be in communication with the PSRC
device 104. When the consumer passes within the defined proximity,
and the rules on the consumer's mobile computing device are set to
allow the SRC to receive information from the PSRC, the PSRC may
send a request message to the consumer's mobile computing device,
which can respond with an acknowledgement message that the consumer
is interested in the product (based on the set rules). The external
display can then be used to display a selected advertisement and/or
provide promotional information, coupons, rebates, and so forth.
The external display may be located proximate to a desired product.
Alternatively, the external display may be mobile. For example, the
external display may be located on a shopping cart. When a user
comes within proximity of a selected product, as determined by a
communication between the PSRC device 104 and the SRC device on the
mobile computing device, the mobile display can be used to display
desired content related to the selected product. For instance, the
information may be sent from the SRC device, the media
communication device, the PSRC device, or the proximity media
communication device. Alternatively, the information may be
previously stored in the mobile display and displayed on the mobile
display in connection with the user entering the proximity
boundary. Any means may be used to communicate to a display of a
product when the user is identified as entering a defined proximity
boundary by one of the SRC device and the PSRC device.
[0069] In one embodiment, in order to provide additional privacy to
the user, information may be sent from the PSRC and either received
or ignored by the mobile computing device based on preference
settings. This may be a strictly unidirectional link with no
feedback back to the PSRC from the SRC on the mobile computing
device. The PSRC device may not receive any information regarding
whether the information transmitted has been received at the mobile
computing device.
[0070] In another embodiment, the SRC device coupled to the mobile
computing device can transmit a proximity signal. When the mobile
computing device is within a defined proximity boundary associated
with a PSRC device (i.e., the mobile computing device is within a
defined proximity of a product), the proximity signal transmitted
by the SRC device can be received by the PSRC device. The PSRC
device can then transmit information identifying the product with
which it is associated.
[0071] Alternatively, the PSRC device may be a passive device, such
as a passive Radio Frequency IDentification (RFID) device that is
not actively powered (i.e., is not connected to a power source). In
this embodiment, the proximity signal may include information or
may be a null signal configured to activate the passive PSRC device
using energy from the proximity signal. When the proximity signal
is communicated from the SRC device to the PSRC device then a
signal can be reflected from the passive PSRC device and received
at the SRC device. The reflected signal can include information
identifying the product that is associated with the PSRC
device.
[0072] The consumer may be given the option of manually selecting
whether or not to receive information related to the product, such
as a coupon, on his or her mobile computing device. For instance,
the consumer may press a soft key on the external display giving
permission to send the information to the consumer's computing
device. This enables the consumer to receive information about
products according to the rules set by the consumer, while not
requiring the consumer to use his or her mobile computing device,
thereby enabling the consumer to leave the computing device in
their pocket, purse, or other storage location as they walk through
a store.
[0073] An example of a proximity based marketing system as a
specific example of a system for the wireless communication of
proximity based content is described below with reference to FIG.
2.
[0074] FIG. 2 illustrates an example block diagram of a system for
proximity based marketing in accordance with an embodiment of the
present invention. While the proximity based marketing system 200
is illustrated in FIG. 2 and described herein, the constituent
elements and functions thereof may be equally applicable to other
implementations of the wireless communication of proximity based
content.
[0075] Referring to FIG. 2, the proximity based marketing system
comprises a mobile computing device 202. As described above, the
mobile computing device 202 can be a handheld computing device, a
portable multimedia device, a smart phone, a tablet computing
device, a laptop computer, an embedded computing device or similar
device. The mobile computing device 202 can be a mobile computing
device that is owned by, or otherwise associated with, the store in
which it is used. Alternatively, the mobile computing device 202
can be a mobile computing device that is not owned by the store in
which it is used. In other words, the mobile computing device 202
can be a device that is customer owned, rented, leased, associated
with, or otherwise in the possession of the customer. A customer
owned device can include mobile computing devices that are actually
owned by relatives, friends, employers, or other types of
associates of the customer.
[0076] The mobile computing device 202 can include a digital
storage 204. The digital storage 204 may be a magnetic digital
storage such as a hard disk, an optical digital storage such as an
optical disk, a solid state digital storage such as a Dynamic
Random Access Memory (RAM) or a persistent type digital storage
such as a flash RAM. Other types of digital storage may also be
used, as can be appreciated. The digital storage 204 may be
integrated in the mobile computing device 202. Alternatively, the
digital storage 204 may be located in a cloud computing storage
site that is in wireless communication with the mobile computing
device 202. Access to the cloud computing storage site can be
controlled by and limited by the user of the mobile computing
device 202. Access to the cloud computing storage site may be
granted to others by the user. In one example embodiment, the cloud
computing storage site can be accessed via a proximity computing
device 210.
[0077] The mobile computing device 202 can include an SRC device
208 that is coupled to the mobile computing device 202 and enables
the mobile computing device 202 to transmit and receive information
within a defined area. The SRC device 208 can be integrated with
the mobile computing device 202. Alternatively, the short range
communication device may be an external device that can be plugged
into the mobile computing device 202 to enable information to be
sent from and received by the mobile computing device 202.
[0078] A PSRC device 214 can be disposed in a proximity computing
device 210 that is located at a product location. The product
location may be a store shelf, a location in a factory or
warehouse, a kiosk, a toll booth, an attraction at an event, a
booth at a tradeshow, a point of entry, and so forth. The system is
configured to establish a short range wireless communication link
218 between the PSRC device 214 and the SRC device 208 coupled to
the mobile computing device 202 when the mobile computing device
202 is within a selected distance 220 of the proximity computing
device 210. In one embodiment, the short range wireless
communication channel may only communicate using near field
magnetic induction communication. The short range wireless
communication channel can be referred to as a proximity
communication channel. At least one of the SRC device 208 and the
PSRC device 214 may have a plurality of antennas and use magnetic
induction antenna diversity to identify the best antenna to
transmit and/or receive a signal. In one embodiment, the selected
distance 220 between the two devices may be less than or equal to
approximately a wavelength of the carrier signal (.lamda.) divided
by 2pi (.lamda./2.pi.). This will be discussed more fully
below.
[0079] The system 200 further comprises a proximity based
communication filter module 212 that is configured to enable a user
to set rules for the mobile computing device 202 to act on a
communication received from the PSRC device 214. The proximity
based communication filter module 212 may be referred to as a
proximity solicitation filter module. The rules set by the user are
dependent on the type of product associated with the PSRC device
214. For instance, a wireless communication from the PSRC device
214 can be received by the SRC device 208 coupled to the mobile
computing device 202. The wireless communication can include
information identifying the type of product associated with the
PSRC device 214. The rules set using the proximity based
communication filter module 212 can identify whether the mobile
computing device 202 will respond to the wireless communication. If
the user has set the rules to identify that he or she is not
interested in the product, or the line of products associated with
the PSRC device 214, then no action may be taken by the mobile
computing device 202 and the wireless communication may be ignored.
Alternatively, if the user has set rules to receive an
advertisement communication for a product or line of products
associated with the PSRC device 214, then the mobile computing
device 202 can respond based on the set rules and the information
can be viewed and/or saved using the mobile computing device 202 or
one or more external viewing devices.
[0080] In one embodiment, the proximity based communication filter
module 212 can be configured to enable the user to select product
categories, rather than identify each particular product that he or
she is interested in. For instance, the consumer may identify that
he or she is interested in categories such as fruit, meat, or
vegetables. Other categories that the user may select include the
manufacturer, such as Post.RTM. brand cereals. The consumer may
identify that he or she is interested in the "manager's special" of
the day. The consumer may also select a predefined set of
preferences based on the consumer's interests, such as a sportsman,
a cat lover, a mother of a large family with small children, and so
forth. A predefined preference may also be obtained from friends,
relatives, or peers. For instance, a predefined preference may be
obtained from a social networking group. Other categories can be
applied as well, as can be appreciated.
[0081] In one embodiment, the proximity based communication filter
module 212 can be configured to provide learned preferences to help
guide or narrow the rules for the consumer. The proximity based
communication filter module 212 may use data from items that were
actually purchased to help focus the learning algorithm or process.
For instance, the frequent purchase of certain products can weight
the learning process based on the type of product(s) purchased.
[0082] In another embodiment, the proximity based communication
filter module 212 can be configured to learn the buying preferences
of the consumer. For instance, the consumer using the mobile
computing device 202 can turn on the learning feature in the
proximity based communication filter module 212. As the consumer
purchases products, the rules for the products can be set so that
the user can receive advertisement communications for the purchased
products, or for categories of products related to the purchased
products. For instance, if the consumer purchases bananas and the
learning feature is enabled, the proximity based communication
filter module 212 may set the rules for products related to
bananas, such as other fruits or ice cream and hot fudge to be set
to receive advertisement communications at the mobile computing
device 202. Similarly, when a consumer purchases a breakfast
cereal, the rules for related products may be set by the module to
receive advertisement communications.
[0083] In one aspect, the proximity based communication filter
module 212 rules can be overridden or updated in real time, for
example, by bringing the mobile computing device 202 within a very
close range of a close proximity communication device for a product
or location, such as within 10 centimeters to allow the SRC device
to communicate with the PSRC device in accordance with an NFC
standard implementation. The rules can be automatically overridden
and/or updated when brought within a specified range.
Alternatively, when the devices are brought within an NFC range of
less than 10 cm, a prompt may be displayed on the mobile computing
device asking the user whether to override the rule(s).
[0084] In one embodiment, a location of the user in a store may be
tracked based on an interaction between the short range
communication device in the mobile computing device 202 and each
PSRC device that is located within a proximity of a selected
product in the store. A history of the user's location in the store
may be stored on the mobile computing device. The location and
track of the person through the store may be used by the proximity
based communication filter module 212 to identify selected products
and set the related rules for the products to enable the products
to be identified by the mobile computing device 202. For instance,
if a consumer spends a significant amount of time in a baby
products section of a store, the proximity based communication
filter module 212 can be configured to adjust settings for baby
products. The consumer may be queried to accept selected changes
based on the history. Alternatively, these changes may be made
automatically.
[0085] The settings in the proximity based communication filter
module 212 may also be updated based on the consumer's purchase
history. For instance, if the consumer purchases water nearly every
time the consumer shops at a store, the consumer may be queried
concerning settings for water related products sold at the store,
or other stores.
[0086] In one embodiment, information about the user, such as the
user's location, purchasing history, and so forth, can be shared
with a store or location in exchange for coupons, loyalty points,
membership rewards, contest registrations, and so forth. Tracking
user information and sharing the information with the store or
location can allow the store/location to improve features such as
display location, product placement, and so forth based on the
user's walk path, behavior patterns, etc.
[0087] In another embodiment, proximity-related stored information
including the user's tracked location at selected places such as
stores, businesses, or other public or private locations, along
with the user's purchasing history at that location and other
information stored in the mobile computing device such as custom
filter preferences, user settings, social network profiles, and so
forth can be shared with another computing device. The other
computing device may be connected to the internet. When the user
approaches a computing device, such as a tablet computer, a laptop
computer, a desktop computer, a point of sale terminal, or another
type of mobile computing device such as a mobile phone, the
information stored on the mobile computing device can be
communicated. The information can then be used at the second
computing device to influence the advertisements and marketing
promotions received on the computing device. Advertisements and
marketing promotions that are associated with the proximity-related
stored information can be received at the second computing device
through any type of wired or wireless connection. For example,
advertisements and marketing promotions may be received via an
internet browser, a search engine, an email application, an on-line
shopping website, a social networking site, and so forth.
Alternatively, the advertisements and marketing promotions may
already be stored on the second computing device. They can then be
communicated from the second computing device based on the
proximity-related stored information received from the mobile
computing device.
[0088] In one example embodiment, the second computing device may
operate on a cloud based operating system such as Google
Chrome.RTM.. The cloud based operating system may offer advertising
on the second computing device. The type of advertisements
communicated by the second computing device can be selected based
on the user's purchasing history, location history, and so forth
that is stored on, or associated with the user's mobile computing
device and shared with the second computing device.
[0089] Similarly, a computing device with a local operating system
can provide advertisements through an internet browser. The
advertisements can be specialized to the needs of the user based on
the user's purchasing history and location history that is
communicated from the mobile computing device.
[0090] In one embodiment, the use of the historical information
available on the mobile computing device can be limited to the
store or location at which the information was gathered. For
instance, the user may shop at Costco.RTM.. The user's purchasing
history and shopping route through the store may be accessed when
the user is shopping on a Costco.RTM. website, or a website with an
affiliation with Costco.RTM.. This information can then be used to
provide the user with relevant advertisements based on the user's
purchasing history and behavior in the Costco.RTM. store.
[0091] In another embodiment, the historical information, including
the user's filter preferences, purchasing history, and location
history, is not limited to the store or location at which the
information was gathered. For instance, the historical information
gathered at a store such as Costco.RTM. in the example above may be
used at another location such as Wal-Mart.RTM. or another type of
business or location entirely, such as a movie theater or hotel.
The historical information can be used to provide the user with
relevant advertisements or discounts at the other locations.
[0092] In another embodiment, the user's purchasing history and
location history can be used to influence the results that are
provided in an internet search. If the user purchases specific
brands, the owners of those brands may pay the search engine
provider to list their websites near the top of the search.
Advertisements are not just provided within the construct of a web
browser or an operating system. They can also be provided in
association with a user's email, social networking sites,
applications, and so forth.
[0093] In another embodiment, advertisement information can be
communicated to the mobile computing device by a point of sale
(POS) terminal, kiosk, advertisement terminal, or the like. The
advertisement information that is communicated can be determined by
the user's proximity-related stored information that is available
on the mobile computing device. The information may be passively
communicated with no action needed by the user. Alternatively, the
user may be queried to determine if the user is interested in
receiving information about a selected product or service and
information will only be sent upon authorization by the user. The
user may also pre-authorize the receipt of advertisement
information related to the user's purchases and/or interactions
with a PSRC device associated with a product.
[0094] In addition, the user's purchasing history can also be used
to assist the user in making purchases through a store's website.
For example, when the user opens a website for a store which uses
PSRC devices to communicate with an SRC device on the user's mobile
computing device, the user's purchasing history can be communicated
and analyzed. The website can allow the user to purchase those same
items without needing to individually locate each item on the
website. This can allow the user to quickly purchase every day
items without the hassle of locating each item on the interne.
[0095] The ability to use historical information located on the
mobile computing device to personalize advertising provides
significant benefits. The advertisements can be of greater interest
to the user since they are directed to products or services
actually purchased by the user, or to products or services related
to the user's purchases. In addition, the historical information
can be communicated to substantially any type of computing device.
This allows the personalized advertisements to be displayed on
computing devices that the user has never used before. Moreover,
the historical information can be more accurate than information
that is obtained about the user in other ways, such as the user's
web surfing habits. Since the historical information pertains to
actual purchases, and not just web sites and web searches, the
historical information can be substantially more accurate and
therefore valuable to an advertiser.
[0096] While it is possible to communicate the user's purchasing
history, location history, and other information from the mobile
computing device using magnetic induction, it is not necessary to
do so. The information may be communicated using a standardized
communication protocol or communication means such as NFC,
Bluetooth, IEEE 802.11, IEEE 802.15, IEEE 802.16, 3GPP LTE, an
optical link, an acoustic link, a wired link, and so forth. In
addition, the mobile computing device itself may include a cloud
based operating system or be connected with the interne. Thus,
advertisements displayed on the mobile computing device can be
based on the user's purchasing history and location history,
without the need to communicate the history to another computing
device.
[0097] In one embodiment, the proximity based communication filter
module 212 may be located on the mobile computing device 202. The
user can interact with the proximity based communication filter
module 212 through a user interface on the mobile computing device
202. Alternatively, the proximity based communication filter module
212 may be located on a separate computing device, such as a user's
home computer or a cloud computing location that is accessible
through a network or the internet. In one embodiment, the proximity
based communication filter module 212 may be a computer program
operating on the user's home computer or at a location accessible
through the internet to assist the user in identifying desired
products and/or product lines in which the user is interested in
receiving advertisements. The user's identifications can be
translated by the proximity based communication filter module 212
to set rules for selected products. The set rules can then be
communicated to the mobile computing device 202 and stored in the
digital storage 204.
[0098] In one embodiment, when a proximity communication is
received from the PSRC device 214 (i.e., when proximity is detected
via the proximity communication link 218) and one or more rules are
set in the mobile computing device 202 to receive an advertisement
communication for a product or line of products associated with the
PSRC device 214, the advertisement communication can be
communicated to the mobile computing device 202 over the proximity
communication link 218.
[0099] In one embodiment, the system 200 further comprises a
proximity based communication filter module 212 that is configured
to enable a user to set rules for the proximity computing device
210 to act on a communication received from the mobile computing
device 202. In one aspect, the communication filter module 212 can
also enable a user to control what information is transmitted over
an extended range or to what devices the information can be
transmitted.
[0100] In another example embodiment, a separate wireless channel
may be established with the mobile computing device 202 to receive
the advertisement communication. For instance, the mobile computing
device 202 can include a media communication device 206 that can be
configured to communicate with wireless devices using one or more
types of wireless communication standards, such as Bluetooth.RTM.,
Wi-Fi, Zigbee.RTM., WIMAX.RTM., IEEE 802.16, 3GPP, 3GPP2, 3GPP LTE,
GSM, CDMA, UHF, VHF, UWB, or another type of wireless communication
standard capable of transmitting data, text, audio, and/or video
images. When the proximity communication is received at the SRC
device 208 from the PSRC device 214 via the proximity communication
link 218 and proximity has been established, then the mobile
computing device 202 may send an acknowledgement signal to the PSRC
device 214 via the SRC device. Alternatively, the acknowledgment
may be sent via another wireless device such as the media
communication device 206 to the proximity media communication
device 226, giving permission to send the advertisement
communication over a media wireless communication link 230 from the
proximity computing device 226 to the media communication device
206 using the selected wireless communication standard. The
advertisement communication can then be transmitted to the media
communication device 206 operating on the mobile computing device
202 through the media wireless communication link 230.
Alternatively, the establishment of proximity may be determined at
the proximity computing device 210 and an acknowledgment may be
communicated to the mobile computing device 200 via a desired
communication path such as the proximity communication link
218.
[0101] The proximity media communication device 226 may be located
adjacent the proximity computing device 210 at the product
location. Alternatively, the proximity media communication device
226 may be used to transmit multiple advertisement communications
for a plurality of products and can be located in a separate part
of a store or building from the product location. The proximity
media communication device 226 may even be located outside of a
store or building in which the products are located. For instance,
the media communication device may be a cell tower radio configured
to communicate with the mobile computing device 202.
[0102] In one embodiment, the mobile computing device 202 and/or
the PSRC device 214 can communicate an identification of the
product associated with the PSRC device 214 to the proximity media
communication device 226. The communication can be defined as a
proximity event. The proximity event can allow the mobile
communication device 200 to establish communication with, and/or
allow a communication from a proximity computing device 210. The
proximity event can initiate and/or authorize the transfer of
proximity information about a selected product such as coupon
information to the mobile computing device. The proximity computing
device may make a request to a remote storage location. The
proximity computing device may receive the information from the
remote storage location and then transfer the information directly
to the mobile computing device. Alternatively, the information may
be transferred directly from the remote storage location to the
mobile computing device. In one embodiment, the advertisement
communications from the proximity media communication device can be
provided by a third party, a product manufacturer, a promoter, a
marketing group, or the like. In one embodiment, the proximity
media communication device 226 can communicate the advertisement
communication for the selected product or line of products to the
mobile computing device 202 over the media wireless communication
link 230, as previously discussed. The proximity media
communication device 226 can be configured to broadcast or stream a
plurality of media communications simultaneously to a plurality of
different consumers.
[0103] In one embodiment the advertisement communication for a
product associated with the PSRC device 214 can be displayed on a
graphic display 209 of the mobile computing device 202. The product
advertisement can deliver information to the consumer about the
product. The advertisement can also include financial incentives to
the consumer to purchase the product, such as a coupon, rebate,
membership or contest entry, or other type of financial incentive,
as previously discussed.
[0104] The advertisement communication may be interactive, thereby
giving the consumer the opportunity to accept or reject the
financial incentive. For instance, the consumer may be queried as
to whether they would like to receive a coupon for the product. The
consumer can respond using hardware and/or software on the mobile
computing device 202 to interact with the graphic display 209, as
can be appreciated. When the consumer selects the affirmative in
response to the query, the coupon can be saved in the digital
storage 204 associated with the mobile computing device 202.
[0105] In one embodiment, the coupon may comprise a bar code that
is displayed on the graphic display 209 of the mobile computing
device 202. Alternatively, the coupon may be identified through a
numeric or alphanumeric code stored in the digital storage 204. The
coupon may be from the store in which the product is sold.
Alternatively, it may be a coupon produced by the manufacturer of
the product or a 3rd party. The coupon may only be redeemable in
the store in which the product is sold and the coupon is received.
Alternatively, it may be redeemable in any store at which the
product is sold.
[0106] In one embodiment, a proximity event, or the detection of
proximity between the mobile computing device and the proximity
computing device, can trigger coupon scraping to occur. Coupon
scraping comprises a search of the Internet, an intranet, or an
accessible database for coupons or information related to the
product or to similar products. These coupons or information can be
accessible and viewed via the mobile computing device. These
coupons or information may be stored locally on the mobile
computing device. The coupons or other type of information can be
communicated to the POS terminal using at least one of the
proximity communication link 218 or the wireless communication link
230 or methods previously described.
[0107] In one embodiment, the advertisement communication that is
displayed on the graphic display 209 or an external display 224 can
be varied based on the season, an upcoming holiday, a time of day,
an inventory level of the product, a weather forecast, and so
forth. For instance, a user may set the proximity based
communication filter module 212 to inform the user when a sale of
at least 10% off is occurring on products that the consumer would
not normally choose to be informed about. The 10% off sale may
occur when the season is ending, or when there is excess inventory
on a perishable product.
[0108] In another embodiment, an external display device 224 may be
used to display the advertisement communication when the proximity
based communication filter module 212 includes the set rules to
receive the advertisement communication for the associated product
or line of products and the SRC device 208 has received a signal
from the PSRC device 214, signifying that the consumer is within
the distance 220 of the product. The use of an external device or
user interface to display the advertisement enables the mobile
computing device 202 to remain stored in the consumer's pocket,
purse, or other desired storage area to allow the user to passively
participate in the promotion.
[0109] In one embodiment, the external display device 224 can be
interactive. For instance, after displaying an advertisement
communication, the external display device 224 can query the
consumer as to whether the consumer would like to receive
additional information on his or her mobile computing device 202.
The additional information may include coupons, rebates, or other
types of information that may be of interest to the consumer such
as nutritional information, product catalogs, trailers for a movie,
an associated TV commercial, and so forth. Selected information,
such as coupons or rebates, can be stored in the digital storage
204 at the mobile computing device 202. The digital storage 204 at
the mobile computing device 202 can include the cloud computing
storage site. The additional information can be communicated to the
mobile computing device 202 using the proximity communication link
218 and/or the media wireless communication link 230. In one
aspect, the proximity communication link 218 may be used to both
validate proximity and to communicate content. In one aspect, a
proximity event can be determined using magnetic induction antenna
diversity, receive sensitivity, and power level. Once proximity has
been determined, the proximity communication link 218 or the
wireless communication link 230 may be used. After the
communication channel has been established, the mobile computing
device and the PSRC device can exchange coupons or any other type
of information.
[0110] In one embodiment, the mobile computing device 202 can
include a proximity location module 216. The proximity location
module 216 can be used to assist a consumer in locating a product
for which the consumer has received a communicated advertisement.
The proximity location module 216 can operate based on a signal
strength of the proximity communication link 218 between the SRC
device 208 and the PSRC device 214. A relative change in signal
strength of the channel, as the mobile computing device 202 is
moved, can be displayed on the mobile computing device 202 using
graphic display 209. The graphic display 209 can be configured to
orient and direct the consumer towards the product associated with
the PSRC device 214. In addition, the proximity location module may
use information from the media wireless communication link 230 to
assist a consumer in locating a product.
[0111] In one embodiment, the SRC device 208 operating on the
mobile computing device 202 can be configured to receive selected
identification information from each PSRC device 214 with which the
SRC device 208 communicates at a certain area or location, such as
a store. The selected identification information may be an
identification code or another type of value used to associate the
PSRC device with a product or area. This information may then be
shared by the user of the mobile computing device to allow the
store to determine various types of information about the user,
such as the path that the user traveled through the store and the
user's shopping habits. Information shared with the PSRC device
from the mobile computing device can be stored on the PSRC device
or in a database accessible by the PSRC device. The PSRC device can
also share information with the mobile computing device, such as
sales, suggested purchases, and the like based on previous
purchasing habits. Also, the PSRC device can share information with
the mobile computing device, such as a location of a product within
the store and/or how to get to that location from the current
location.
[0112] The identification information can also be used to determine
successful marketing displays or promotions made within the store.
For instance, the user's purchases at a point of sale terminal at
the store can be compared with the PSRC devices that the user
passed. This information can be aggregated for a plurality of users
shopping at a store and analyzed for data trends, such as a large
number of users purchasing a selected product after a display was
erected. Alternatively, another type of display may be installed at
a store and it can be determined that, while users passed the
display, they did not purchase the product.
[0113] The collection and sharing of the identification information
may be approved of by the user. The user may receive financial
incentives to share this information or allow this information to
be gathered. For instance, a store, a marketer, or another
interested party may offer the user financial incentives to allow a
store to receive the identification information from the user's
mobile computing device at the point of sale terminal. Financial
incentives may include coupons, rebates, a percentage off of total
purchases, loyalty points, membership benefits, contest entries, or
other types of financial or other incentives that may motivate a
user to share such information.
Short Range Communication Channel
[0114] In one embodiment, the PSRC device 214 can be configured to
operate based on the Near Field Communication (NFC) standard or
another type of standard for a close proximity communication
device. While examples are given for the NFC standard, the same
examples can apply to other types of close proximity communication
devices that may be configured to communicate as far as about 20
centimeters, as can be appreciated. Some non-limiting examples of
other communication standards include optical and acoustic link
communication technologies, and other standards which are described
herein.
[0115] The NFC standard enables the exchange of data between
devices over about a 10 centimeter (around 4 inches) distance. The
technology is a simple extension of the ISO/IEC 14443
proximity-card standard (proximity card, RFID) that combines the
interface of a smartcard and a reader into a single device. An NFC
device can communicate with both existing ISO/IEC 14443 smartcards
and readers, as well as with other NFC devices, and is thereby
compatible with existing contactless infrastructure already in use
for public transportation and payment.
[0116] The relatively short communication range of approximately 4
inches for NFC compliant devices is convenient for security
purposes since signals transmitted by the NFC device will typically
not be received by other NFC compliant devices that are further
than 10 cm away. However, the relatively short range significantly
reduces the usefulness of NFC for activities such as marketing
since it would be tedious for a consumer to traverse a store while
travelling within a distance of less than 4 inches from products,
or continually and repeatedly touching a device to each product to
see if the product is on sale or offering a coupon.
[0117] The signals transmitted by NFC compliant devices cannot be
received reliably by other NFC compliant devices outside of an
approximately 10 cm radius due to inherent limitations placed in
the ISO 1443 specification. For example, the specification provides
for the use of only a single antenna. Signals that are transmitted
using NFC rely on magnetic induction. The magnetic induction signal
is optimally received by an antenna having an axis that is parallel
with the transmitting antenna. When the transmit antenna and the
receive antenna are orthogonal to each other then the signal
received has a minimum power. When two devices are relatively
close, such as the 10 cm maximum range prescribed in the ISO 1443
specification, then the angular displacement between the two
antennas is not as important. Particularly if the distance between
the transmitter and receiver is small relative to the diameter of
the transmitter antenna coil. However, as the distance between the
transmitter and receiver increases compared to the diameter of the
transmitter coil, the angular displacement between the receiver and
transmitter antennas becomes increasingly important.
[0118] One technique for increasing the distance at which a device
can receive a signal transmitted by an NFC compliant device, or
another type of close proximity communication device, is through
the use of multiple antennas that are mutually orthogonal to one
another, as previously discussed. Through the use of magnetic
induction antenna diversity, wherein an antenna is selected based
on its ability to receive or transmit a signal, the use of multiple
antennas can significantly improve the ability to detect a signal
transmitted by an NFC compliant device at distances outside the
normal NFC range by ensuring optimal inductive coupling by
maintaining the most efficient angular displacement between the
transmit and receive antenna.
[0119] The use of magnetic induction antenna diversity enables an
NFMI transceiver to be configured that can communicate in multiple
modes. For instance, the transceiver can communicate in an NFC
compliant mode by operating using a single antenna with no
diversity. If it is desired to communicate with an increased
distance (i.e., greater than 10 cm), then magnetic induction
antenna diversity can be used to increase the distance over which a
near field signal can be reliably received. Such a device that is
configured to change modes to communicate over a selected distance,
or between different devices with different communication
protocols, is referred to as a Multi-Mode Magnetic Induction
Communication (MMMIC) device. An example of a MMMIC device
implementing magnetic induction antenna diversity is described
below with reference to FIG. 3.
[0120] FIG. 3 illustrates a block diagram of an example
illustration of a MMMIC device having a plurality of antennas in
accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. While the
MMMIC device illustrated in FIG. 3 and described herein may be
described in the context of the marketing system described herein,
it is equally applicable to other implementations of the wireless
communication of proximity based content.
[0121] Referring to FIG. 3, a MMMIC device 302 is shown having
three mutually orthogonal antennas 304-308 that are located in the
X, Y, and Z axes respectively. The MMMIC device 302 is separated
from a close proximity communication device 310, such as an NFC
compliant device, by a distance 320. When the distance 320 is
greater than 10 centimeters (cm) then other NFC compliant devices
typically cannot detect the signal reliably.
[0122] In accordance with one example embodiment of the present
invention, magnetic induction antenna diversity can be used to
increase the distance 320 over which a signal from a close
proximity communication device can be received. A relatively low
power signal transmitted by a close proximity communication device
310 can be detected through the use of multiple orthogonal antennas
304-308. In one embodiment, the signal detected by each of the
orthogonal antennas can be summed to provide a maximum strength
detected signal, thereby maximizing the distance over which the
signal can be detected. Alternatively, a selection metric of the
received signal can be measured at each antenna.
[0123] For instance, the PSRC device 214 disposed in the proximity
computing device 210 that is located adjacent to the product
location, as illustrated in the example provided in FIG. 2, may be
an NFC compliant transceiver that transmits a signal from a single
antenna. The SRC device 208 at the consumer's mobile computing
device 202 may include multiple orthogonal antennas and operate as
an MMMIC device 302. A selection metric of the received signal can
be measured at each antenna of the MMMIC device 302 to select an
optimal antenna on which to receive a signal from the close
proximity communication device 310. The same antenna can, in some
examples, be selected to both receive and transmit the signal(s).
Some examples of selection metrics that may be used to select an
antenna to receive the signal are listed below:
[0124] Receive Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI), wherein the
antenna having the greatest RSSI is selected to receive the
signal;
[0125] Decoder output Bit Error Rate (BER), wherein the antenna
with the received signal having the lowest BER at the decoder is
selected to receive the signal;
[0126] Round-robin strategy (i.e., try each possible selection in
turn and choose the best); and
[0127] Shannon capacity, wherein the antenna providing a received
signal with the highest Shannon capacity or highest instantaneous
link capacity is selected.
[0128] Additional techniques can also be used as a selection
metric, such as Eigenvalue selection of an antenna and selection
based on the detection of cyclic redundancy codes used with forward
error correction. Moreover, the signals of multiple antennas can be
selected and summed. For example, the best two antennas can be
selected and summed based on the selection metrics. Any metric
capable of prioritizing the antennas based on the received and/or
transmitted signals between two magnetic induction communication
devices is considered to be within the scope of the present
invention. It should be understood that both the PSRC device 214
and the SRC device 208 at the consumer's mobile computing device
202 can be configured as transceivers capable of full duplex
communication (i.e., transmission and reception).
[0129] Similarly, a metric, such as the metrics previously listed,
may be used to select a transmit antenna. Typically, the antenna
with a greatest selection metric (i.e. receiving the most data) can
also be used to transmit the most efficiently. Any metric capable
of prioritizing the antennas based on the received and/or
transmitted signals between at least two magnetic induction
communication devices is considered to be within the scope of the
present invention.
[0130] Returning to FIG. 3, the antenna(s) 304-308 of the MMMIC
device 302 with the desired selection metric can be selected as the
receive antenna. Antenna selection may be performed at a regular
rate, such as several times per second. Antenna selection may be
performed as often as every data packet that is received at the
MMMIC device 302. As each packet is received, the antenna(s) having
the desired metric can be selected. Thus, as a mobile MMMIC device
302 is moved and rotated, the antenna(s) that are most closely
parallel to the transmit antenna in the close proximity
communication device 310 can be used to receive the signal
transmitted from the close proximity communication device 310. This
allows the MMMIC device 302 to be moved and rotated with
substantially any type of angular displacement relative to the
close proximity communication device 310 without significantly
reducing the power of the received signal, thereby enabling the
MMMIC device 302 to receive the transmitted signal from the close
proximity communication device 310 at greater distances than a
standard device, such as an NFC compliant device having a single
antenna would allow, while requiring no increase in the transmit
power for an NFC compliant device. In some examples, the NFC
compliant device can be located in the mobile computing device and
the PSRC device can be a MMMIC device. Likewise, in some examples,
the NFC compliant device can be the PSRC and the SRC device in the
mobile computing device can be a MMMIC device.
[0131] In some examples, the mobile computing device can provide
user-enabled options, where NFC, Bluetooth, and other communication
modes can be selectively enabled, disabled, etc. For example, one
option may include "all off" where all communication modes are
disabled. Another option may be "NFC only". Another option may be
an "NFC plus sniff" option wherein NFC is enabled and the MMMIC
device checks for a signal occurring at a distance of greater than
10 cm at predetermined periodic intervals (e.g., 1 second, 5
seconds, etc.). Another option may be "all on" to enable all
communication modes to be active. In some examples, certain
communication modes may be enabled and provide auto-connect
capabilities based on preferences, or may prompt a user to select
whether to connect. In a more detailed example, a user can select,
for instance, to enable NFMI (i.e. extended range mode) and connect
to a wireless network when the user has entered a specific
building.
[0132] The operational mode of the mobile computing device can also
be location dependent. For instance, a user can, when entering a
store or a specific location, set the mobile computing device to
use the MMMIC capability to communicate over an extended distance
when the mobile computing device is at that location. The location
may be determined based on an identification value that is used to
identify the location, or via a location determination means such
as via a global positioning system detector or another type of
radio frequency triangulation scheme. The mobile communication
device may prompt to place the device in an extended communication
range. Alternatively, the mobile communication device may
automatically enter an extended communication range mode at a
selected location when the device has been set to be in this mode
is at the selected location.
[0133] In addition, the MMMIC device 302 may include features that
further increase the ability of the MMMIC device 302 to receive the
relatively low power signal transmitted by the close proximity
communication device 310. For example, one or more of the plurality
of antennas 304-308 in the MMMIC device 302 may be larger than the
antenna design disclosed in the ISO 14443 specification for an NFC
compliant device. The ISO 14443 specification requires that a
compliant antenna consist of a Proximity Integrated Circuit Card
(PICC) antenna having dimensions of less than 81 millimeters (mm)
by 49 mm.
[0134] The MMMIC device 302 can include larger antennas, or
antennas having non planar shapes that are designed to have an
increased gain relative to the PICC antenna disclosed in the ISO
14443 specification. The increased gain of the antenna(s) in the
MMMIC device 302 enables receive signals to be detected that have a
lower power than can be received with an ISO 14443 compliant PICC
antenna.
[0135] Additional components comprising the RF front end of the
MMMIC device 302 may also be selected to be more sensitive than
those used in an NFC compliant device. For example, a Low Noise
Amplifier (LNA) in the MMMIC device 302 may have a lower noise
figure than the LNA used in an NFC compliant device.
[0136] In one embodiment, the MMMIC device 302 can be a dual mode
device configured with the ability to change communication
protocols to communicate with multiple inductively coupled
communication devices having different communication protocols. For
instance, the MMMIC device 302 can be configured to communicate
with the NFMI device 310 using Gaussian Minimum Shift Keying (GMSK)
at a carrier wave frequency of F1. Other types of modulation may be
used as well.
[0137] NFC compliant devices are typically configured to use
Amplitude Shift Keying (ASK) modulation on a carrier wave frequency
of F2, which is typically 13.56 Megahertz (MHz). The frequency F1
may be the same as, or different from F2 depending on the type of
application for which the NFMI device 310 is applied.
[0138] An example a MMMIC device in communication with NFC
compliant and non-NFC compliant devices is described below with
reference to FIG. 4. While an NFC compliant device is described,
the MMMIC device can be configured to communicate with other types
of close proximity communication devices, as can be
appreciated.
[0139] FIG. 4 illustrates a block diagram of a MMMIC device
incorporated in a mobile computing device and in communication with
NFC compliant and non-NFC compliant devices in accordance with an
embodiment of the present invention. While the MMMIC device
illustrated in FIG. 4 and described herein may be described in the
context of the marketing system described herein, it is equally
applicable equally applicable to other implementations of the
wireless communication of proximity based content.
[0140] Regarding FIG. 4, the MMMIC device 401 may be incorporated
in a cell phone or other type of mobile computing device 402. The
MMMIC device 401 incorporated in the mobile computing device 402
can be used to communicate with other NFMI devices 404. For
example, other NFMI devices 404 may pass audio to and from a
wireless headset, exchange data to and from a computer or at a toll
both, or work as a passive keyless entry for an automobile or
electronic security entrance lock. The MMMIC device 401 contained
in the mobile computing device 402 can also be configured to
communicate with NFC compliant devices, such as an NFC compliant
POS terminal 408 or an NFC compliant PSRC device 414.
[0141] MMMIC device 401 (and MMMIC device 302 of FIG. 3) may be
capable of receiving a signal that was transmitted within a
distance of the receiver that is approximately equal to a
wavelength of the carrier signal divided by 2pi (.lamda./2.pi.).
When the carrier signal frequency of the MMMIC device 401 (and
MMMIC device 302 of FIG. 3) is 13.56 MHz, then the maximum
communication distance is approximately 3.5 meters. The MMMIC
device 401 (and MMMIC device 302 of FIG. 3) can be configured to
communicate with NFC compliant device 404 or other types of devices
configured to communicate using NFMI within a desired distance,
such as 6 feet. As previously discussed, the use of magnetic
induction antenna diversity enables the size of the proximity
boundary to be set within a relatively tight tolerance.
[0142] For instance, returning to FIG. 2, when a user carrying the
mobile computing device 202 passes within a distance 220 of
approximately six feet from a desired product (and PSRC 214), the
user can be notified through his or her mobile computing device 202
(or external device 224) that the product is within approximately
+/-3 feet of the user. Additional information, such as a picture of
the product and/or a coupon, may be displayed on the graphic
display 209 of the user's mobile computing device 202 to
incentivize the user to find and purchase the product. The user can
then locate the product on the shelf and determine whether or not
to purchase the product.
[0143] Returning back to FIG. 4, the user's mobile computing device
402 containing the MMMIC device 401 can also be configured to
detect the position of the PSRC device 414, thereby assisting the
user to locate the desired product on the store shelves. The use of
an NFMI device to detect the position of another NFMI device on
store shelves is more fully disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,532,901,
which is herein incorporated by reference.
[0144] The user can continue through the store to purchase other
desired products. When the user approaches the checkout stand, the
user's mobile computing device 402 containing MMMIC device 401 can
be configured to detect an NFC compliant POS terminal at the
checkout stand. The NFC compliant POS terminal 408 is configured to
transmit a signal at 13.56 MHz. As previously discussed, this
signal is intended for other NFC compliant devices and is not
typically detectable by NFC compliant devices at a distance of
greater than 10 centimeters (cm).
[0145] However, the MMMIC device 401 may be configured to detect
the signal from the NFC POS terminal 408, which is an NFC compliant
device, at a distance of over 10 cm or up to about 6 feet. When the
MMMIC device 401 uses magnetic induction antenna diversity and/or
other methods previously described such as power, sensitivity,
antenna size, and antenna position to detect an NFC signal at a
distance of greater than 10 cm, it can be considered to be in an
extended NFC mode.
[0146] When the user's mobile computing device 402 containing an
MMMIC device 401 detects a signal from an NFC compliant POS device
408, the mobile computing device 402 can be configured to query the
user to determine if the user wants to switch the MMMIC device 401
into an NFC compliant mode. By switching the MMMIC device 401 into
an NFC compliant mode, the security level can be increased by
reducing the size of the communication "boundary" in which a
transmitted near field signal is detectable. Alternatively, the
mobile computing device may be configured to automatically change
to an NFC compliant device mode when the NFC device is identified
as a POS terminal or other NFC device. The identification of the
NFC device as a POS terminal can occur automatically by
transmitting the information from the NFC POS terminal to the MMMIC
device 401.
[0147] When the MMMIC device 401 is in an NFC compliant state, the
MMMIC device can be configured to transmit and receive signals
based on the ISO 14443 specification, thereby reducing the signal
detection boundary to a radius of approximately 10 cm. The user can
then transmit information with the MMMIC device 401, such as credit
card information or other types of financial information that
enables the retailer to obtain electronic funding for the user's
purchase. The information may be information such as credit card
information to conduct an electronic transaction using his or her
mobile computing device.
[0148] In one embodiment, the MMMIC device 401 can communicate
simultaneously in both NFC compliant mode and in a non-NFC
compliant mode, such as to other NFMI devices. For instance, the
MMMIC device 401 in the mobile computing device 402 may be coupled
to another NFMI device 404 while also conducting NFC compliant
communication with the NFC compliant POS terminal 408. For example,
the mobile computing device 402 can communicate in an NFC compliant
mode with the POS terminal 408 to transmit secure information such
as a credit card number or other banking information, while
simultaneously communicating with an NFMI radio transceiver 404
such as a headset used for voice communication. In another
embodiment, the mobile computing device can communicate in NFC
compliant mode with the POS terminal 408 while simultaneously
communicating in an extended range mode with a PSRC device 414.
[0149] In one embodiment, the NFC compliant POS terminal can
communicate one or more electronic promotions such as coupons,
loyalty points, survey forms, rebates, etc. to the MMMIC device 401
in the mobile computing device when the sales transaction occurs.
The promotions communicated to the mobile computing device can be
selected based on the products purchased at the POS terminal. The
promotions can be stored in digital storage at the mobile computing
device. The promotion information can be communicated to the POS
terminal. In one embodiment, promotions that are already stored on
the mobile computing device can be communicated to the POS terminal
via NFC or extended NFC even though no payment transaction takes
place between the mobile computing device and the POS terminal.
This allows the user to pay by cash or credit card but remotely
send coupons from the mobile computing device with no action from
the user.
[0150] When a user wishes to purchase a product at an NFC compliant
POS terminal 408, it may take some time to transfer large amounts
of information, such as information related to coupons or other
types of discounts or advertising material and the like via NFC.
The data rate in an NFC compliant mode can be relatively low,
thereby requiring the user to keep the mobile computing device in
close proximity with the POS terminal for an extended period of
time. The user may not wish to hold the mobile computing device
near the POS terminal for a period that is sufficiently long for
additional information, such as coupon information to be
transferred. Furthermore, the coupon information may typically be
less sensitive than payment information. Therefore, in one example,
payment information, such as bank routing information, bank account
number, and so forth can be exchanged at the beginning of a
transaction using NFC, and other lower priority or lower security
information can be sent toward the end of a transaction to or from
the mobile computing device using another means of communication,
such as extended range NFMI, or other multimedia communications
technologies using the media wireless communication link 230 (FIG.
2), which preferably can allow the user to move the mobile
computing device away from the POS terminal while transmitting the
information. Thus, the MMMIC device 401 can be more convenient for
transmitting both sensitive and non-sensitive data relative to an
NFC only communication device.
[0151] When the MMMIC device 401 is placed in an NFC compliant
mode, it can be determined which antenna 304-308 (FIG. 3) to use in
the MMMIC device to conduct the NFC compliant communication. In one
embodiment, a non-optimal antenna can be used, thereby freeing up
the optimal antenna to conduct communication with a non-NFC
compliant device, such as such as a headphone or ear piece
configured to communicate using NFMI.
[0152] For instance, the user may be using the MMMIC device 401 to
transmit the voice signal of a phone call from the user's mobile
computing device to an earpiece worn by the user (not shown) while
the user is shopping. In one embodiment, the antenna with the best
selection metric can always be used to receive and transmit the
voice communication to the ear piece. Alternatively, two or more
mutually orthogonal antennas may be used to receive a signal and
the signal from each antenna can be summed. One of the remaining
antennas in the MMMIC device 401 can be used to transmit and
receive signals to the NFC compliant POS device 408 to conduct the
financial transaction.
[0153] In one embodiment, the plurality of antennas in the MMMIC
device 401 can be ranked based on the selection metric measured for
an antenna. The ranking can be conducted based on a communication
with a transceiver in an extended NFC mode. Since the need to
guarantee proper alignment and/or polarization between two NFC
compliant devices is significantly reduced, due to the close
proximity of the devices when communication occurs (typically less
than 10 cm), then the antenna with the lowest rank on the MMMIC
device 401 in extended NFC mode may be assigned to communicate with
the NFC compliant device when the MMMIC device 401 is placed in an
NFC compliant mode with a selected NFC compliant device.
Alternatively, any antenna other than the top ranked antenna (which
may be reserved for communication with NFMI devices or over an
extended distance with other NFC compliant devices) may be used to
communicate with the NFC complaint device.
[0154] In another embodiment, the user may determine that the
additional privacy provided by the reduced communication distance
is not needed. In this case, the user may be able to conduct the
transaction within a distance of about .lamda./2.pi. (3.5 meters at
a frequency of 13.56 MHz) from the NFC compliant device 308, as
previously discussed. In addition, the data transmitted and
received by the MMMIC device 401 can be scrambled and/or encrypted,
thereby making it difficult to intercept.
[0155] Returning to FIG. 4, in one embodiment, the user may use his
or her mobile computing device 402 to establish predefined limits,
such as financial limits, in which the MMMIC enabled mobile
computing device can be used to conduct a financial transaction at
the greater distance (i.e., when it is not in NFC compliant mode).
The user can control when information is sent via an extended
range. In one embodiment, the user can set up the mobile computing
devices so that financial transactions that involve communicating
sensitive data, such as account information, can only be conducted
at a short distance, such as when using an NFC compliant
communication from the mobile computing device. The mobile
computing device can also be configured to allow the communication
of information that does not include sensitive information, such as
marketing information, coupon information, rebate information, and
so forth, to be communicated at a longer range, such as greater
than the NFC range of 10 cm.
[0156] In one embodiment the user may determine that for purchases
for products costing less than $20.00, the financial transaction
between the MMMIC enabled mobile computing device 402 and the NFC
compliant POS terminal 408 can be conducted at a distance of up to
3 meters from the NFC compliant terminal 408. The user will
typically enter information, such as a pass code, at the POS
terminal to complete the purchase. However, this may not be
necessary in all situations. For inexpensive purchases, the user
may simply pass within the predefined distance of the NFC compliant
POS terminal and receive a notification, such as a chime or
graphical indication on a display, that the purchase was
completed.
[0157] For instance, at a library the user can pass the checkout
stand, hear a chime, and know that all of the books the user has
selected are checked out to the user. The NFC compliant POS
terminal 408 can display information related to the purchase,
rental, lease, or other type of transaction. For example, the POS
terminal can display information such as what was purchased and the
amount, and provide a receipt if desired.
[0158] In one embodiment, preferences selected by the consumer can
be overridden based on a distance of the mobile computing device to
the PSRC device. For instance, with reference to FIG. 2, when the
SRC device 208 in the mobile computing device 202 is a MMMIC device
that is operating in an NFC mode and is within a distance of 10 cm
from the PSRC device 214, then the rules set in the proximity based
communication filter module 212 may be automatically overridden to
enable marketing information to be received from the PSRC device
(or the proximity media communication device 226).
[0159] When the MMMIC device 401 is configured to operate at two
separate frequencies, such as 13.92 MHz with NFMI devices and 13.56
MHz with NFC compliant devices, a separate RF front end may be used
to detect and demodulate the NFMI signal and the NFC compliant
signal. The NFMI device can be configured to route received signals
to the appropriate front end through detection, filtering, and
switching. Each front end can include the appropriate matching
filters, band pass filters, low noise amplifier, and downconverter
for the selected frequency. The MMMIC device can be configured to
share the same antenna and communicate using multiple protocols
simultaneously. When the same operating frequency is used by both
types of devices then the NFMI device may use a single front end to
receive both NFC compliant signals and non-compliant signals from
other NFMI devices. A different demodulator may be used depending
on the type of modulation scheme used by each device.
[0160] An example of a method for proximity based marketing is
described below with reference to FIG. 5 as a specific example of a
method for the wireless communication of proximity based content is
described.
[0161] FIG. 5 depicts a flow chart of a method for proximity based
marketing in accordance with an embodiment of the present
invention. While a method for proximity based marketing is
illustrated in FIG. 5 and described herein, the constituent steps
thereof may be equally applicable to other implementations of the
wireless communication of proximity based content.
[0162] Referring to FIG. 5, a method 500 for the wireless
communication of proximity based marketing is shown. The method
includes the operation 510 of defining a proximity boundary with
dimensions defined by at least one of a communication range of one
of the Short Range Communication (SRC) device and a Proximity Short
Range Communication (PSRC) device, and a receive sensitivity of one
of the SRC device and the PSRC device.
[0163] In operation 520, the SRC device and the PSRC device are
each configured to communicate using magnetic induction. In
operation 530, at least one of the SRC device and the PSRC device
include at least two substantially orthogonal antennas to provide
magnetic induction antenna diversity. In operation 540 the SRC
device is coupled to a mobile computing device. In operation 550,
the PSRC device is associated with at least one of a product and a
service.
[0164] In operation 560, the method further comprises communicating
a proximity signal in the proximity boundary from the at least one
selected antenna between the SRC device and the PSRC device. In
operation 570, at least one action is performed by at least one of
the PSRC device and the mobile computing device when the proximity
signal is detected between the SRC device and the PSRC device.
[0165] In one embodiment, the SRC device and the PSRC device can
have substantially similar communication ranges and receive
sensitivities to enable them to communicate with each other at any
location within the proximity boundary. Alternatively, one of the
devices can have a greater communication range and/or receive
sensitivity. For instance, the SRC device may have a plurality of
orthogonal antennas while the PSRC device may be configured to be
NFC compliant and may only have a single antenna. This would enable
the SRC device to receive signals at a greater distance than the
NFC device. However, the SRC device may also have a greater
communication range, enabling it to transmit at a higher power to
allow the PSRC device to receive signals communicated when the SRC
device is located at distances greater than 10 cm, the designed
outer range of an NFC compliant device. Other design variations are
also possible based on different configurations, as can be
appreciated. The communication ranges and receive sensitivities can
define the maximum dimension of the proximity boundary.
[0166] In one embodiment, the selected action performed at the
mobile computing device involves storing information related to an
advertisement communication at the mobile computing device when the
advertisement communication is related to the desired product
having the set rules to receive information regarding the
product.
[0167] In another embodiment, the selected action performed at the
mobile computing device involves alerting the customer that the
product is within a proximity of the customer through an alert
output by the mobile computing device. The alert may be an audio
alert, a vibration alert, a visual alert, and the like. For
instance, an image of the product or a coupon for the product may
be displayed. An advertisement communication, such as a video or
other type of multimedia presentation may also be displayed that
relates to the product. Alternatively, no alert may be output to
the user by the mobile computing device.
[0168] The advertisement communication may be communicated to the
mobile computing device through a communication means such as, for
example, email, texting, instant messaging, using a wired
transmission, or a wireless transmission. This example is not
intended to be limiting. Other types of communication means can be
used as well, as can be appreciated.
[0169] The SRC device associated with a selected product can be NFC
compliant, as previously discussed. Alternatively, the PSRC device
may communicate using a non-NFC compliant form of communication.
For instance, a power of the signal or a size of the antenna may be
outside allowed specifications in the NFC standards.
[0170] While various embodiments described herein refer to
communications between a mobile computing device and a PSRC device,
the communications may be between any type of suitable device. For
example, the communications may be between devices selected from
the following types of devices: phone, personal computer, car,
appliance, payment device, access control device, and so forth. The
devices can be a same or different type. In one embodiment, a
communication between a phone and a personal computer (PC) may be
accomplished via a proximity communication link 218 (FIG. 2).
Proximity information can be stored on the phone, or may be
accessible by the phone or the pc (e.g., the information may be
stored in the cloud). The proximity information can be used to
define a user profile for applications outside of the proximity
area. For example, a user may approach a computing device such as,
a tablet computer, a portable computer, or a desktop computer with
the mobile computing device 200. Using the proximity information
available from the mobile computing device, advertisements on the
computing device can be tailored to the user, even if the user has
not previously used the particular computing device. Similarly, a
car may have various settings, such as favorite radio stations,
seat positions, steering wheel height, favorite global positioning
satellite system (GPS) points of interest, and the like which can
be retrieved based on an identification of the user via a proximity
communication link 218 from a mobile computing device 200 and
automatically set according to the user preferences.
[0171] It should be understood that many of the functional units
described in this specification have been labeled as modules, in
order to more particularly emphasize their implementation
independence. For example, a module may be implemented as a
hardware circuit comprising custom Very-Large-Scale Integration
(VLSI) circuits or gate arrays, a custom Application-Specific
Integrated Circuit (ASIC), off-the-shelf semiconductors such as
logic chips, transistors, or other discrete components. A module
may also be implemented in programmable hardware devices such as
field programmable gate arrays, programmable array logic,
programmable logic devices or the like.
[0172] Modules may also be implemented in software for execution by
various types of processors. An identified module of executable
code may, for instance, comprise one or more physical or logical
blocks of computer instructions, which may, for instance, be
organized as an object, procedure, or function. Nevertheless, the
executables of an identified module need not be physically located
together, but may comprise disparate instructions stored in
different locations which, when joined logically together, comprise
the module and achieve the stated purpose for the module.
[0173] Indeed, a module of executable code may be a single
instruction, or many instructions, and may even be distributed over
several different code segments, among different programs, and
across several memory devices. Similarly, operational data may be
identified and illustrated herein within modules, and may be
embodied in any suitable form and organized within any suitable
type of data structure. The operational data may be collected as a
single data set, or may be distributed over different locations
including over different storage devices, and may exist, at least
partially, merely as electronic signals on a system or network. The
modules may be passive or active, including agents operable to
perform desired functions.
[0174] Reference throughout this specification to "one embodiment"
or "an embodiment" means that a particular feature, structure, or
characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is
included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus,
appearances of the phrases "in one embodiment" or "in an
embodiment" in various places throughout this specification are not
necessarily all referring to the same embodiment.
[0175] As used herein, a plurality of items, structural elements,
compositional elements, and/or materials may be presented in a
common list for convenience. However, these lists should be
construed as though each member of the list is individually
identified as a separate and unique member. Thus, no individual
member of such list should be construed as a de facto equivalent of
any other member of the same list solely based on their
presentation in a common group without indications to the contrary.
In addition, various embodiments and example of the present
invention may be referred to herein along with alternatives for the
various components thereof. It is understood that such embodiments,
examples, and alternatives are not to be construed as defacto
equivalents of one another, but are to be considered as separate
and autonomous representations of the present invention.
[0176] Furthermore, the described features, structures, or
characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or
more embodiments. In the following description, numerous specific
details are provided, such as examples of materials, fasteners,
sizes, lengths, widths, shapes, etc., to provide a thorough
understanding of embodiments of the invention. One skilled in the
relevant art will recognize, however, that the invention can be
practiced without one or more of the specific details, or with
other methods, components, materials, etc. In other instances,
well-known structures, materials, or operations are not shown or
described in detail to avoid obscuring aspects of the
invention.
[0177] While the forgoing examples are illustrative of the
principles of the present invention in one or more particular
applications, it will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the
art that numerous modifications in form, usage and details of
implementation can be made without the exercise of inventive
faculty, and without departing from the principles and concepts of
the invention. Accordingly, it is not intended that the invention
be limited, except as by the claims set forth below.
* * * * *