Presence detection based on crowd surfing signal strength
A method includes receiving wireless signals from consumer devices that are in communicable range of the merchant device. The wireless signals each include a unique identifier associated with one of the consumer devices. The method further comprises generating signal strength data that includes one signal strength value associated with the unique identifier of each of the wireless signals, storing the signal strength data in a data storage device, analyzing the signal strength data to determine how many of the consumer devices achieved various signal strength levels, determining a threshold signal strength value based on the analysis, determining a consumer device is present within a physical area when a subsequent wireless signal from a subsequent consumer device is greater than the threshold signal strength value.
1. An apparatus, comprising:
processing circuitry configured to:
determine signal strength data that includes signal strength values associated with wireless signals from consumer devices that are in communicable range of a merchant device;
determine presence data associated with at least a portion of the consumer devices detected by the merchant device, wherein the presence data is independent of the signal strength data and indicates that the at least a portion of the consumer devices are within a physical area;
determine a threshold signal strength value based, at least in part, on the signal strength data and the presence data;
determine second signal strength data that includes second signal strength values associated with a subsequent wireless signal from a consumer device; and
determine the consumer device present with the physical area when the subsequent wireless signal from the consumer device is greater than the threshold signal strength value.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the processing circuitry configured to determine the threshold signal strength value based, at least in part, on the signal strength data and presence data includes the processing circuitry being configured to determine signal strength levels of wireless signals from the at least a portion of the consumer devices as indicating consumer device presence within the physical area.
3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein signal strength levels of wireless signals from a second consumer device of the at least a portion of the consumer devices are received by the merchant device within a session with presence data associated with the second consumer device.
4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the processing circuitry configured to determine the threshold signal strength value based, at least in part, on the presence data includes the processing circuitry being configured to determine a signal strength signature indicating consumer device presence within the physical area.
5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the processing circuitry configured to determine the presence data associated with the at least a portion of the consumer devices detected by the merchant device includes the processing circuitry being configured to receive the presence data generated via near field communications between the merchant device and the at least a portion of the consumer devices.
6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the processing circuitry configured to determine the presence data associated with the at least a portion of the consumer devices detected by the merchant device includes the processing circuitry being configured to receive the presence data generated via a personal area network connection between the merchant device and the at least a portion of the consumer devices.
7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the processing circuitry configured to determine the presence data associated with the at least a portion of the consumer devices detected by the merchant device includes the processing circuitry being configured to receive the presence data including promotion redemption data indicating redemption of promotions.
8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:
the apparatus is different from the merchant device and remote from the merchant device;
the processing circuitry configured to determine the signal strength data includes the processing circuitry configured to receive the signal strength data from the merchant device via a network; and
the processing circuitry configured to determine the presence data includes the processing circuitry configured to receive the presence data from the merchant device via the network.
9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to determine that a second consumer device is outside the physical area when a second subsequent wireless signal from the second consumer device is less than the threshold signal strength value.
10. The apparatus of claim 1 , the processing circuitry configured to determine the threshold signal strength value based, at least in part, on the signal strength data includes the processing circuitry being configured to analyze the signal strength data to determine how many of the consumer devices achieved various signal strength levels.
11. A method comprising:
determining, by processing circuitry of an apparatus, signal strength data that includes signal strength values associated with wireless signals from consumer devices that are in communicable range of a merchant device;
determining, by the processing circuitry, presence data associated with at least a portion of the consumer devices detected by the merchant device, wherein the presence data is independent of the signal strength data and indicates that the at least a portion of the consumer devices are within a physical area;
determining, by the processing circuitry, a threshold signal strength value based, at least in part, on the signal strength data and the presence data;
determine, by the processing circuitry, second signal strength data that includes second signal strength values associated with a subsequent wireless signal from a consumer device; and
determining, by the processing circuitry, the consumer device present with the physical area when the subsequent wireless signal from the consumer device is greater than the threshold signal strength value.
12. The method of claim 11 , wherein determining the threshold signal strength value based, at least in part, on the presence data includes determining, based on the signal strength data, signal strength levels of wireless signals from the at least a portion of the consumer devices as indicating consumer device presence within the physical area.
13. The method of claim 12 , wherein signal strength levels of wireless signals from a second consumer device of the at least a portion of the consumer devices are received by the merchant device within a session with presence data associated with the second consumer device.
14. The method of claim 11 , wherein determining the threshold signal strength value based, at least in part, on the presence data includes determining a signal strength signature indicating consumer device presence within the physical area.
15. The method of claim 11 , wherein determining the presence data associated with the at least a portion of the consumer devices detected by the merchant device includes establishing near field communications between the merchant device and the at least a portion of the consumer devices.
16. The method of claim 11 , wherein determining the presence data associated with the at least a portion of the consumer devices detected by the merchant device includes establishing a personal area network connection between the merchant device and the at least a portion of the consumer devices.
17. The method of claim 11 , wherein determining the presence data associated with the at least a portion of the consumer devices detected by the merchant device includes receiving promotion redemption data indicating redemption of promotions.
18. The method of claim 11 , wherein:
the apparatus is different from the merchant device and remote from the merchant device;
determining the signal strength data includes receiving, by the processing circuitry, the signal strength data from the merchant device via a network; and
determining the presence data includes receiving, by the processing circuitry, the presence data from the merchant device via the network.
19. The method of claim 11 further comprising determining, by the processing circuitry, a second consumer device is outside the physical area when a second subsequent wireless signal from the second consumer device is less than the threshold signal strength value.
20. The method of claim 11 , wherein determining the threshold signal strength value based, at least in part, on the signal strength data includes analyzing the signal strength data to determine how many of the consumer devices achieved various signal strength levels.