Presence detection based on crowd surfing signal strength

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

receiving, by a merchant device, wireless signals from consumer devices that are in a communicable range of the merchant device, wherein each of the wireless signals includes an unique identifier from a plurality of unique identifiers associated with the consumer devices;

generating, by a processor, signal strength data including at least one signal strength value and a corresponding signal type indicator for each of the at least one signal strength value, wherein each of the at least one signal strength value is associated with one of the plurality of unique identifiers;

determining a threshold signal strength value based, at least in part, on the at least one signal strength value and the corresponding signal type indicator of each of the at least one signal strength value;

determining a first wireless signal strength value associated with a first unique identifier satisfying the threshold signal strength value;

generating a first electronic indication that a first consumer device associated with the first unique identifier is present within a physical area;

determining a second wireless signal strength value associated with a second unique identifier not satisfying the threshold signal strength value; and

generating a second electronic indication that a second consumer device associated with the second unique identifier is not present within the physical area.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:

storing the signal strength data in a data storage device, including the corresponding signal type indicator; and

accessing the signal strength data from the data storage device.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein determining a signal strength value is based, at least in part, on time durations associated with the wireless signals.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 3 , further comprising:

determining a third signal strength value of a third wireless signal from a third consumer device;

determining a pre-determined time period;

determining a fourth signal strength value of a fourth wireless signal from the third consumer device after the pre-determined time period;

determining that the fourth signal strength value is different from the third signal strength value; and

determining a time duration based on the third signal strength value and the pre-determined time period.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising determining the threshold signal strength value based, at least in part, on presence data indicating that one or more of the consumer devices that are in communicable range of the merchant device are within the physical area.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 5 , wherein the presence data comprises at least one of: completion of payment transaction data, global positioning information, and familiarity.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the physical area is an interior of a merchant's premises associated with the merchant device.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the physical area is within a predetermined distance from a point of sale device.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising updating the threshold signal strength value after the merchant device is relocated.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising updating the threshold signal strength value at a predetermined time after determining the threshold signal strength value.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining a third signal strength value of a third wireless signal from a third consumer device;

determining a fourth signal strength value of a fourth wireless signal from a fourth consumer device;

comparing the third signal strength value to the fourth signal strength value to determine a maximum signal strength value; and

recording the maximum signal strength value.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein receiving the wireless signals from the consumer devices that are in communicable range of the merchant device further comprises receiving the wireless signals at a predetermined polling frequency.

13. A merchant device comprising:

a wireless receiver, configured to:

receiving wireless signals from consumer devices that are in a communicable range of the merchant device, wherein each of the wireless signals includes an unique identifier from a plurality of unique identifiers; and

a processor configured to:

generate signal strength data that includes at least one signal strength value and a corresponding signal type indicator of each of the at least one signal strength value, wherein each of the at least one signal strength value is associated with one of the plurality of unique identifiers;

determine a threshold signal strength value based, at least in part, on the at least one signal strength value and the corresponding signal type indicator of each of the at least one signal strength value;

determine a first wireless signal strength value associated with a first unique identifier satisfying the threshold signal strength value;

generate a first electronic indication that a first consumer device associated with the first unique identifier is present within a physical area;

determine a second wireless signal strength value associated with a second unique identifier not satisfying the threshold signal strength value; and

generate a second electronic indication that a second consumer device associated with the second unique identifier is not present within the physical area.

14. The merchant device of claim 13 , wherein a memory storage device is configured to storing signal strength data, including the corresponding signal type indicator, wherein the corresponding signal type indicator indicates a wireless signal type.

15. The merchant device of claim 13 , wherein the processor is further configured to determine a signal strength value based, at least in part, on time durations associated with the wireless signals.

16. The merchant device of claim 15 , wherein the processor is further configured to:

determine a third signal strength value of a third wireless signal from a third consumer device;

determining a pre-determined time period;

determine a fourth signal strength value of a fourth wireless signal from the third consumer device;

determining that the fourth signal strength value is different from the third signal strength value; and

determining a time duration based on the third signal strength value and the pre-determined time period.

17. The merchant device of claim 13 , wherein the processor is further configured to determine the threshold signal strength value based, at least in part, on presence data indicating that one or more of the consumer devices that are in communicable range of the merchant device are within the physical area.

18. The merchant device of claim 17 , wherein the presence data comprises at least one of: completion of payment transaction data, global positioning information, and familiarity.

19. The merchant device of claim 13 , wherein the physical area is an interior of a merchant's premises associated with the merchant device.

20. The merchant device of claim 13 , wherein the physical area is within a predetermined distance from a point of sale device.

21. The merchant device of claim 13 , wherein the processor is further configured to update the threshold signal strength value after the merchant device is relocated.

22. The merchant device of claim 13 , wherein the processor is further configured to update the threshold signal strength value at a predetermined time after determining the threshold signal strength value.

23. The merchant device of claim 13 , wherein the processor is further configured to:

determine a third signal strength value of a third wireless signal from a third consumer device;

determine a fourth signal strength value of a fourth wireless signal from a fourth consumer device;

compare the third signal strength value to the fourth signal strength value to determine a maximum signal strength value; and

record the maximum signal strength value.

24. The merchant device of claim 13 , wherein the wireless receiver being configured to receive the wireless signals from the consumer devices that are in the communicable range of the merchant device further comprise receiving the wireless signals at a predetermined polling frequency.

25. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer readable storage medium and computer program instructions stored therein, the computer program instructions comprising program instructions executable by a processor and configured to:

receive, by a merchant device, wireless signals from consumer devices that are in a communicable range of the merchant device, wherein each of the wireless signals includes an unique identifier from a plurality of unique identifiers associated with the consumer devices;

generate, by a processor, signal strength data including at least one signal strength value and a corresponding signal type indicator for each of the at least one signal strength value, wherein each of the at least one signal strength value is associated with one of the plurality of unique identifiers;

determine a threshold signal strength value based, at least in part, on the at least one signal strength value and the corresponding signal type indicator of each of the at least one signal strength value;

determine a first wireless signal strength value associated with a first unique identifier satisfying the threshold signal strength value;

generate a first electronic indication that a first consumer device associated with the first unique identifier is present within a physical area;

determine a second wireless signal strength value associated with a second unique identifier not satisfying the threshold signal strength value; and

generate a second electronic indication that a second consumer device associated with the second unique identifier is not present within the physical area.