IP Library Granted Patent US 9,648,652
Granted Patent B2
US 9,648,652 · App. 14/248,273 · Granted May 9, 2017

Facilitating wireless connections using a BLE beacon

View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,648,652
App. No.
14/248,273
Granted
May 9, 2017
Kind
B2
Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for facilitating wireless connections using a Bluetooth® low energy (BLE) beacon installed at a location. In particular, the provided systems and methods may facilitate wireless connections by providing credentials for accessing a wireless network at the location when a user checks in to the location using a user device in communication with the BLE beacon. The provided systems and methods may further facilitate wireless connections by establishing a Wi-Fi Direct connection with the user device to quickly provide content to the user device while at the location.

Claims (48)

1. A system comprising:

one or more wireless transceivers;

a network interface component;

a non-transitory memory; and

one or more hardware processors coupled to the one or more wireless transceivers, the network interface component, and the non-transitory memory, the one or more hardware processors being configured to read instructions from the non-transitory memory to cause the system to perform operations comprising:

determining whether content received from a remote server via the network interface component includes video or audio content; and

in response to a determination that the content includes the video or audio content:

sending credentials, for establishing a peer-to-peer Wi-Fi connection between the system and a user device on a first wireless network, to the user device using the one or more wireless transceivers and a Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) communications protocol on a second wireless network, the second wireless network being different from the first wireless network, the credentials comprising a Service Set Identifier (SSID) and a password for establishing the peer-to-peer Wi-Fi connection;

establishing the peer-to-peer Wi-Fi connection with the user device on the first wireless network using the credentials; and

sending the content to the user device using the peer-to-peer Wi-Fi connection on the first wireless network.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise:

broadcasting a broadcast identifier using the one or more wireless transceivers and the BLE communications protocol on the second wireless network; and

sending, using the one or more wireless transceivers and the BLE communications protocol on the second wireless network, metadata, a beacon token, and a digital signature in response to receiving, from a user device, a request to communicate with the user device, the metadata, beacon token, and digital signature being used to complete a check in at a location.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the operations further comprise sending, using the one or more wireless transceivers and the BLE communications protocol on the second wireless network, the credentials for accessing the first wireless network in the metadata.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein sending the credentials for establishing the peer-to-peer Wi-Fi connection occurs after a check in at a location is completed.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the credentials for establishing the peer-to-peer Wi-Fi connection further comprise a user name.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the peer-to-peer Wi-Fi connection is a Wi-Fi Direct connection.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the content comprises at least one of a video advertisement or an audio advertisement.

8. A non-transitory machine-readable medium having stored thereon machine-readable instructions executable to cause a machine to perform operations comprising:

receiving content from a remote server;

determining whether the content includes video or audio content;

in response to a determination that the content includes the video or audio content:

sending credentials, for establishing a peer-to-peer Wi-Fi connection with a user device on a first wireless network, to the user device using a Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) communications protocol on a second wireless network, the credentials comprising a Service Set Identifier (SSID) and a password for establishing the peer-to-peer Wi-Fi connection;

establishing the peer-to-peer Wi-Fi connection with the user device on the first wireless network using the credentials, the second wireless network being different from the first wireless network; and

sending the content to the user device using the peer-to-peer Wi-Fi connection on the first wireless network.

9. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the operations further comprise:

broadcasting a broadcast identifier on the second wireless network; and

sending metadata, a beacon token, and a digital signature in response to receiving a request to communicate with the user device, wherein the metadata, beacon token, and digital signature are for performing a check in at a location.

10. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 9 , wherein sending the credentials for establishing the peer-to-peer Wi-Fi connection comprises sending the credentials for establishing the peer-to-peer Wi-Fi connection in the metadata.

11. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the credentials for establishing the peer-to-peer Wi-Fi connection further comprise a user name.

12. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the peer-to-peer Wi-Fi connection is a Wi-Fi Direct connection.

13. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 8 , wherein sending the content comprises sending at least one of a video advertisement or an audio advertisement.

14. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 8 , wherein sending the credentials for establishing the peer-to-peer Wi-Fi connection occurs after a check in at a location is completed.

15. A method for sending content to a user device, the method comprising:

receiving, via a network interface component, the content from a remote server;

determining, using one or more hardware processors, whether the content includes video or audio content; and

in response to a determination that the content includes the video or audio content:

sending credentials, for establishing a peer-to-peer Wi-Fi connection with the user device on a first wireless network, to the user device using a Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) communications protocol on a second wireless network, the second wireless network being different from the first wireless network, the credentials comprising a Service Set Identifier (SSID) and a password for establishing the peer-to-peer Wi-Fi connection;

establishing the peer-to-peer Wi-Fi connection with the user device on the first wireless network; and

sending the content to the user device using the peer-to-peer Wi-Fi connection on the first wireless network.

16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:

broadcasting, using the BLE communications protocol on the second wireless network, a broadcast identifier; and

sending, using the BLE communications protocol on the second wireless network, metadata, a beacon token, and a digital signature in response to receiving a request to communicate with the user device, the metadata, beacon token, and digital signature being used to complete a check in at a location.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein sending the credentials for establishing the first wireless network comprises sending the credentials for accessing the first wireless network in the metadata.

18. The method of claim 15 , wherein sending the credentials for establishing the peer-to-peer Wi-Fi connection occurs after a check in at a location is completed.

19. The method of claim 15 , wherein the credentials for establishing the peer-to-peer Wi-Fi connection comprises sending a user name.

20. The method of claim 15 , wherein the peer-to-peer Wi-Fi connection is a Wi-Fi Direct connection.

21. The method of claim 15 , wherein sending the content comprises sending at least one of a video advertisement or an audio advertisement.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 23, 2015
From: EBAY INC.
To: PAYPAL, INC.
Reel/Frame 036171/0194 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 19, 2015
From: GRANBERY, JOHN HASTINGS
To: EBAY INC.
Reel/Frame 035210/0442 →