Information processing system for consumers at a store using personal mobile wireless devices and related methods

1. An information processing system for consumers at a store, at least some of the consumers carrying personal mobile wireless devices and each personal wireless mobile device transmitting signals for identifying the respective consumer, the information processing system comprising:

at least one RF receiver device arranged about the store for receiving communications from the personal mobile wireless devices;

a wireless access terminal at the store;

a product database configured for storing product position data for different products throughout the store; and

a processor coupled to said at least one RF receiver device, said wireless access terminal and said product database, and configured for

cooperating with said wireless access terminal to cause the personal mobile wireless devices when in range thereof to transmit signals for identifying the respective consumers,

generating consumer position data of the consumers during movement about the store based upon communications from the respective personal mobile wireless devices to the at least one RF receiver device,

associating the consumer position data with respective identities of the consumers,

cooperating with the product database to associate the consumer identities with respective products potentially viewable by the consumers based upon the consumer position data and product position data, and estimating consumer interest in respective products based upon a duration the consumers spend in a given product area, and

initiating consumer-specific advertisements based upon the consumer position data, respective identities of the consumers, and the estimated consumer interest as an electronic message to the respective personal mobile wireless devices.

2. The information processing system of claim 1 further comprising a consumer profile database configured for storing consumer profiles associated with respective consumers; and wherein said processor is configured to initiate the consumer-specific advertisements based upon the respective products potentially viewable by the consumers and their respective consumer profiles.

3. The information processing system of claim 2 wherein the consumer profiles comprise at least one of consumer payment account profiles and consumer reward program profiles.

4. The information processing system of claim 1 wherein said at least one RF receiver comprises a plurality thereof spaced throughout the store; and wherein said processor is operable to determine the positions of the personal mobile wireless devices based upon at least one of an angle of arrival calculation, a time of arrival calculation, and a time difference of arrival calculation.

5. The information processing system of claim 1 wherein said processor is operable to cause the personal mobile wireless devices to transmit at a faster rate when in range.

6. The information processing system of claim 1 wherein said wireless access terminal comprises a wireless local area network (WLAN) access point.

7. The information processing system of claim 1 wherein said wireless access terminal comprises a cellular base station.

8. An information processing system for consumers at a store, at least some of the consumers carrying personal mobile wireless devices and each personal wireless mobile device transmitting signals for identifying the respective consumer, the information processing system comprising:

a plurality of RF receiver devices arranged about the store for receiving communications from the personal mobile wireless devices;

a wireless access terminal at the store;

a product database configured for storing product position data for different products throughout the store; and

a processor coupled to said plurality of RF receiver devices, said wireless access terminal and said product database, and configured for

cooperating with said wireless access terminal to cause the personal mobile wireless devices when in range thereof to transmit signals for identifying the respective consumers,

generating consumer position data of the consumers during movement about the store based upon communications from the respective personal mobile wireless devices to the plurality of RF receiver devices using at least one of an angle of arrival calculation, a time of arrival calculation, and a time difference of arrival calculation,

associating the consumer position data with respective identities of the consumers,

cooperating with the product database to associate the consumer identities with respective products potentially viewable by the consumers based upon the consumer position data and product position data, and estimating consumer interest in respective products based upon a duration the consumers spend in a given product area, and

initiating consumer-specific advertisements based upon the consumer position data, respective identities of the consumers, and the estimated consumer interest as an electronic message to the respective personal mobile wireless devices.

9. The information processing system of claim 8 further comprising a consumer profile database configured for storing consumer profiles associated with respective consumers; and wherein said processor is configured to initiate the consumer-specific advertisements based upon the respective products potentially viewable by the consumers and their respective consumer profiles.

10. The information processing system of claim 9 wherein the consumer profiles comprise at least one of consumer payment account profiles and consumer reward program profiles.

11. An information processing method for consumers at a store, at least some of the consumers carrying personal mobile wireless devices and each personal wireless mobile device transmitting signals for identifying the respective consumer, the method comprising:

arranging at least one radio frequency (RF) receiver device about the store;

positioning a wireless access terminal at the store to cause the personal mobile wireless devices when in range thereof to transmit signals for identifying the respective consumers;

storing product position data for different products throughout the store in a product database;

receive communications from the personal mobile wireless devices using the at least one RF receiver device;

generating consumer position data of the consumers during movement about the store based upon communications from the respective personal mobile wireless devices to the at least one RF receiver device;

associating the consumer position data with respective identities of the consumers;

associating the consumer identities with respective products potentially viewable by the consumers based upon the consumer position data and product position data;

estimating consumer interest in respective products based upon a duration the consumers spend in a given product area; and

initiating consumer-specific advertisements based upon the consumer position data, respective identities of the consumers, and the estimated consumer interest as an electronic message to the respective personal mobile wireless devices.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising associating respective consumers with consumer profiles; and wherein initiating comprises initiating the consumer-specific advertisements based upon the products potentially viewed by the consumers and their respective consumer profiles.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the consumer profiles comprise at least one of consumer payment account profiles and consumer reward program profiles.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein the at least one RF receiver comprises a plurality thereof spaced throughout the store; and wherein generating consumer position data comprises determining the positions of the RF identification devices based upon at least one of an angle of arrival calculation, a time of arrival calculation, and a time difference of arrival calculation.