COMMUNICATION NODE FOR VENUE-ORIENTED COMMUNICATIONS
Methods and systems for providing a communication node for venue-oriented communications are presented. An example system may include a network interface, at least one processor, and memory storing modules including instructions for execution by the processor. The network interface may be communicatively coupled with a wireless access device in communication with a mobile communication device. The wireless access device and the mobile communication device are located at a venue. At least one of the modules provides a venue-oriented service to the mobile communication device via the wireless access device.
1 . A communication node comprising:
a network interface to communicatively couple the communication node with a wireless access device, the wireless access device being in communication with a mobile communication device, the wireless access device and the mobile communication device located at a venue;
at least one processor; and
a memory storing modules comprising instructions for execution by the at least one processor, at least one of the modules providing a venue-oriented service to the mobile communication device via the wireless access device.
2 . The communication node of claim 1 , the at least one of the modules comprising an audio distribution service module to distribute, via the wireless access device, a plurality of audio streams to a user of the mobile communication device, each of the plurality of audio streams corresponding to video content being presented to the user at the venue.
3 . The communication node of claim 1 , the at least one of the modules comprising a commerce module to offer, via the wireless access device, a product for purchase by a commercial entity related to the venue to a user of the mobile communication device.
4 . The communication node of claim 3 , the purchases comprising at least one of point-of-sale transactions and mobile commerce transactions.
5 . The communication node of claim 1 , the at least one of the modules comprising a customer loyalty service module to provide a user of the mobile communication device, via the wireless access device, access to a customer loyalty program maintained by a commercial entity associated with the venue.
6 . The communication node of claim 1 , the at least one of the modules comprising a social network service module to provide a user of the mobile communication device, via the wireless access device, access to an external social network via an application programming interface provided by the external social network.
7 . The communication node of claim 1 , the at least one of the modules comprising a social network service module to provide a user of the mobile communication device, via the wireless access device, access to a social network associated with the venue.
8 . The communication node of claim 7 , the communication node to receive at least one of a location and a current status of the user from the mobile communication device via the wireless access device, the communication node to forward the at least one of the location and the current status of the user to other mobile communication devices located at the venue via the wireless access device.
9 . The communication node of claim 1 , the at least one of the modules comprising a social network service module to provide a user of the mobile communication device, via the wireless access device, access to chat rooms associated with the venue.
10 . The communication node of claim 1 , the at least one of the modules comprising a gaming service module to provide a user of the mobile communication device, via the wireless access device, access to a gaming service corresponding to a gaming establishment located at the venue.
11 . The communication node of claim 1 , the at least one of the modules comprising a gaming service module to provide a user of the mobile communication device, via the wireless access device, access to a gaming service corresponding to a commercial entity located at the venue.
12 . The communication node of claim 1 , the modules comprising a venue subscription module to maintain a subscription for a commercial entity associated with the venue, the subscription allowing the commercial entity to provide the venue-oriented service to the user of the mobile communication device.
13 . The communication node of claim 1 , the modules further comprising a user administration module to register the user of the mobile communication device with the communication node, the registering of the user comprising storing information identifying the user.
14 . The communication node of claim 13 , the user administration module to recognize the user of the mobile communication device while the mobile communication device is coupled to a second wireless access device located at a second venue communicatively coupled with the communication node based on the information identifying the user.
15 . The communication node of claim 1 , the modules comprising a user analytics module to monitor connections of the mobile communication device to the wireless access device.
16 . The communication node of claim 15 , the user analytics module to determine a type of the venue-oriented service provided to the user of the mobile communication device based on the monitoring of the connections of the mobile communication device to the wireless access device.
17 . The communication node of claim 16 , the user analytics module to cause advertising to be directed to the mobile communication device via the wireless access device based on the type of the venue-oriented service provided to the user.
18 . The communication node of claim 15 , the user analytics module to configure the wireless access device based on the monitoring of the connections of the mobile communication device to the wireless access device.
19 . The communication node of claim 1 , the modules comprising an advertising subscription module to maintain a subscription of an advertiser with the communication node, the advertising subscription module allowing the advertiser to provide advertising to the mobile communication device via the communication node and the wireless access node.
20 . The communication node of claim 19 , the advertiser being a commercial entity associated with the venue.
21 . The communication node of claim 19 , the advertiser being a regional or national commercial entity not associated with the venue.
22 . The communication node of claim 1 , the modules comprising an advertising content module to receive advertising content from an advertising subscriber of the communication node, to store the advertising content, and to transmit the advertising content to the mobile communication device via the wireless access device.
23 . The communication node of claim 22 , the advertising subscriber comprising a commercial entity associated with the venue.
24 . The communication node of claim 22 , the advertising content comprising an instruction to open a web page representing the advertising subscriber in response to the user of the mobile communication device activating the advertising content on the mobile communication device.
25 . The communication node of claim 1 , the modules comprising an advertising audience report module to generate a report including information describing the user of the mobile communication device and to provide the report to an advertiser subscribed to the communication node.
26 . The communication node of claim 25 , the report including information comprising at least one of demographic information, personal interest information, survey response information, and point-of-sale transaction information.
27 . The communication node of claim 1 , the modules comprising a user session profile module to control access of the user to the wireless access device and the communication node.
28 . A method comprising:
establishing a communication connection with a wireless access device located at a venue, the wireless access device in communication with a mobile communication device located at the venue;
transmitting information describing a service related to the venue to the mobile communication device via the wireless access device;
receiving a reply to the information from the wireless access device;
establishing a secure connection with the mobile communication device using the communication connection in response to receiving the reply; and
providing, using at least one processor of a machine, the service to the mobile communication device using the secure connection.
29 . The method of claim 28 , the service comprising at least one of an audio-distribution service, a commercial service, and a social networking service.
30 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed by at least one process of a machine, cause the machine to perform operations comprising:
establishing a communication connection with a wireless access device located at a venue, the wireless access device in communication with a mobile communication device located at the venue;
transmitting information describing a service related to the venue to the mobile communication device via the wireless access device;
receiving a reply to the information from the wireless access device;
establishing a secure connection with the mobile communication device using the communication connection in response to receiving the reply; and
providing the service to the mobile communication device using the secure connection.