METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR WIRELESS TRACKING OF A PORTABLE DEVICE THROUGHOUT A PREMISES
A system and method for operating a reward points accumulation and redemption program wherein a user earns reward points from a plurality of independent reward points issuing entities, with each tracking the user's earned reward points in a user reward point account stored on a multi-function card (such as a frequent flyer account or a credit card loyalty account). The multi-function card is adapted to aggregate some or all of the user's earned reward points from the reward accounts and credit the aggregated points into a single reward exchange account on the multi-function card. The user may then select an item for purchase with the accumulated reward points from the multi-function card. The item is provided to the user in exchange for a subset or all of the reward points from the multi-function card.
1 - 34 . (canceled)
35 . A combination portable hand-held multi-function device and tracking system comprising:
a portable hand-held multi-function device comprising radio frequency circuitry adapted to transmit a radio frequency signal comprising an identification of the portable hand-held multi-function device; and
a tracking system interoperable with the portable hand-held multi-function device, the tracking system comprising:
a computer network;
a plurality of radio frequency transponders interconnected to the computer network, each of the transponders strategically located throughout a premises, each of the transponders comprising circuitry for reading the identification of the portable hand-held multi-function device transmitted by the radio frequency circuitry of the portable hand-held multi-function device; and
a tracking server computer interconnected to the computer network, the tracking server computer programmed to
communicate with each of the plurality of radio frequency transponders;
generate tracking information by determining if the portable hand-held multi-function device is within a predetermined proximity to at least one of the radio frequency transponders; and
analyze the tracking information to track a path of the portable hand-held multi-function device throughout the premises.
36 . The combination portable hand-held multi-function device and tracking system of claim 35 wherein the radio frequency circuitry comprises RFID circuitry and the radio frequency transponders comprise an RFID transponder.
37 . The combination portable hand-held multi-function device and tracking system of claim 35 wherein at least one of the plurality of radio frequency transponders is located at an entry point of the premises.
38 . The combination portable hand-held multi-function device and tracking system of claim 35 wherein the plurality of radio frequency transponders are strategically located throughout a plurality of aisles of the premises.
39 . The combination portable hand-held multi-function device and tracking system of claim 35 wherein at least one of the plurality of radio frequency transponders is located at a point of sale terminal in the premises.
40 . The combination portable hand-held multi-function device and tracking system of claim 37 wherein the tracking server computer is further programmed to determine when the portable hand-held multi-function device has entered the premises.
41 . The combination portable hand-held multi-function device and tracking system of claim 38 wherein the tracking server computer is further programmed to determine in which of the plurality of aisles the portable hand-held multi-function device has been in proximity of.
42 . The combination portable hand-held multi-function device and tracking system of claim 41 wherein the tracking server computer is further programmed to determine for how long the portable hand-held multi-function device has been in proximity of each of the aisles.
43 . The combination portable hand-held multi-function device and tracking system of claim 42 wherein the tracking server computer is further programmed to generate a purchase incentive based on an analysis of
in which of the plurality of aisles the portable hand-held multi-function device has been in proximity of, and
how long the portable hand-held multi-function device has been in proximity of each of the aisles.
44 . The combination portable hand-held multi-function device and tracking system of claim 43 wherein the purchase incentive comprises a coupon.
45 . The combination portable hand-held multi-function device and tracking system of claim 43 wherein the purchase incentive comprises reward points.
46 . The combination portable hand-held multi-function device and tracking system of claim 45 wherein the portable hand-held multi-function device comprises memory for storing a reward account, and wherein the reward points are loaded into the reward account in the memory of the portable hand-held multi-function device by a point of sale terminal interconnected to the computer network and in communication with the tracking server computer.
47 . The combination portable hand-held multi-function device and tracking system of claim 43 wherein the tracking server computer is further programmed to analyze a product purchase made with the portable hand-held multi-function device and generate the purchase incentive based on the analysis of the product purchase history.
48 . The combination portable hand-held multi-function device and tracking system of claim 35 wherein the tracking server computer is further programmed to generate a purchase incentive as a function of a user profile accessed by the tracking server computer based on the identification of the portable hand-held multi-function device.
49 . The combination portable hand-held multi-function device and tracking system of claim 48 wherein the user profile comprises prior product purchase information.
50 . The combination portable hand-held multi-function device and tracking system of claim 35 wherein the portable hand-held multi-function device comprises a smart card.
51 . The combination portable hand-held multi-function device and tracking system of claim 35 wherein the portable hand-held multi-function device comprises a peripheral device.
52 . A tracking system interoperable with a portable hand-held multi-function device, the tracking system comprising:
a computer network;
a plurality of radio frequency transponders interconnected to the computer network, each of the transponders strategically located throughout a premises, each of the transponders comprising circuitry for reading an identification of a portable hand-held multi-function device transmitted by the portable hand-held multi-function device; and
a tracking server computer interconnected to the computer network, the tracking server computer programmed to
communicate with each of the plurality of radio frequency transponders;
generate tracking information by determining if the portable hand-held multi-function device is within a predetermined proximity to at least one of the radio frequency transponders; and
analyze the tracking information to track a path of the portable hand-held multi-function device throughout the premises.
53 . The tracking system of claim 52 wherein the radio frequency transponders comprise an RFID transponder.
54 . The tracking system of claim 52 wherein at least one of the plurality of radio frequency transponders is located at an entry point of the premises.
55 . The tracking system of claim 52 wherein the plurality of radio frequency transponders are strategically located throughout a plurality of aisles of the premises.
56 . The tracking system of claim 52 wherein at least one of the plurality of radio frequency transponders is located at a point of sale terminal in the premises.
57 . The tracking system of claim 54 wherein the tracking server computer is further programmed to determine when the portable hand-held multi-function device has entered the premises.
58 . The tracking system of claim 55 wherein the tracking server computer is further programmed to determine in which of the plurality of aisles the portable hand-held multi-function device has been in proximity of.
59 . The tracking system of claim 58 wherein the tracking server computer is further programmed to determine for how long the portable hand-held multi-function device has been in proximity of each of the aisles.
60 . The tracking system of claim 59 wherein the tracking server computer is further programmed to generate a purchase incentive based on an analysis of
in which of the plurality of aisles the portable hand-held multi-function device has been in proximity of, and
how long the portable hand-held multi-function device has been in proximity of each of the aisles.
61 . The tracking system of claim 60 wherein the purchase incentive comprises a coupon.
62 . The tracking system of claim 60 wherein the purchase incentive comprises reward points.
63 . The tracking system of claim 60 wherein the tracking server computer is further programmed to analyze a product purchase made with the portable hand-held multi-function device and generate the purchase incentive based on the analysis of the product purchase history.
64 . The tracking system of claim 52 wherein the tracking server computer is further programmed to generate a purchase incentive as a function of a user profile accessed by the tracking server computer based on the identification of the portable hand-held multi-function device.
65 . The tracking system of claim 64 wherein the user profile comprises prior product purchase information.
66 . A computer-implemented method of operating a combination portable hand-held multi-function device and tracking system
comprising:
a portable hand-held multi-function device transmitting a radio frequency signal comprising an identification of the portable hand-held multi-function device;
at least one of a plurality of radio frequency transponders interconnected to a computer network and strategically located throughout a premises reading the identification of the portable hand-held multi-function device transmitted by the portable hand-held multi-function device; and
a tracking server computer interconnected to the computer network
communicating with each of the plurality of radio frequency transponders;
generating tracking information by determining if the portable hand-held multi-function device is within a predetermined proximity to at least one of the radio frequency transponders; and
analyzing the tracking information to track a path of the portable hand-held multi-function device throughout the premises.
67 . The method of claim 66 wherein the portable hand-held multi-function device transmits a radio frequency signal comprising an identification of the portable hand-held multi-function device radio frequency circuitry with RFID circuitry.
68 . The method of claim 66 wherein at least one of the plurality of radio frequency transponders is located at an entry point of the premises.
69 . The method of claim 66 wherein the plurality of radio frequency transponders are strategically located throughout a plurality of aisles of the premises.
70 . The method of claim 66 wherein at least one of the plurality of radio frequency transponders is located at a point of sale terminal in the premises.
71 . The method of claim 68 further comprising the step of the tracking server computer determining when the portable hand-held multi-function device has entered the premises.
72 . The method of claim 69 further comprising the step of the tracking server computer determining in which of the plurality of aisles the portable hand-held multi-function device has been in proximity of.
73 . The method of claim 72 further comprising the step of the tracking server computer determining how long the portable hand-held multi-function device has been in proximity of each of the aisles.
74 . The method of claim 73 further comprising the steps of the tracking server computer generating a purchase incentive based on an analysis of
in which of the plurality of aisles the portable hand-held multi-function device has been in proximity of, and
how long the portable hand-held multi-function device has been in proximity of each of the aisles.
75 . The method of claim 74 wherein the purchase incentive comprises a coupon.
76 . The method of claim 74 wherein the purchase incentive comprises reward points.
77 . The method of claim 76 further comprising the step of loading the reward points into a reward account in a memory of the portable hand-held multi-function device by a point of sale terminal interconnected to the computer network and in communication with the tracking server computer.
78 . The method of claim 74 further comprising the step of analyzing a product purchase made with the portable hand-held multi-function device and generate the purchase incentive based on the analysis of the product purchase history.
79 . The method of claim 66 further comprising the step of the tracking server computer generating a purchase incentive as a function of a user profile accessed by the tracking server computer based on the identification of the portable hand-held multi-function device.
80 . The method of claim 79 wherein the user profile comprises prior product purchase information.