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. A merchant device comprising:
a wireless receiver, configured to:
receive wireless signals from consumer devices that are in communicable range of the merchant device, wherein the wireless signals are configured to transmit a plurality of unique identifiers, each unique identifier being respectively associated with a consumer device; and
a processor and a memory, the memory including computer program instructions which when executed, cause the processor to:
generate signal strength data comprising at least one signal strength value and a signal strength duration value associated with each unique identifier of the plurality of unique identifiers;
determine average signal strength durations based on the signal strength duration values for the signal strength values associated with each unique identifier of the plurality of unique identifiers;
generate a first threshold value based at least in part on the average signal strength durations;
determine presence data associated with at least a subset of the consumer devices, wherein the presence data is independent of the signal strength data and indicates that the subset of the consumer devices is within a physical area;
generate a second threshold value based at least in part on the signal strength data and presence data;
generate a calibrated threshold signal strength value based at least in part on analyzing the first and second threshold values;
determine a first selected consumer device is present within the physical area when a first selected signal strength value associated with the unique identifier of the first selected consumer device satisfies the calibrated threshold signal strength value; and
determine a second selected consumer device is outside the physical area when a second selected signal strength value associated with the unique identifier of the second selected consumer device does not satisfy the calibrated threshold signal strength value.
2. The merchant device of claim 1 , wherein analyzing the first and second threshold values includes averaging the first and second threshold values.
3. The merchant device of claim 1 , wherein analyzing the first and second threshold values includes:
determining whether one of the first and the second threshold values is unreliable; and
disregarding the threshold value determined to be unreliable upon determination that one of the first and the second threshold values is unreliable.
4. The merchant device of claim 1 , wherein the signal strength data includes at least two signal strength values associated with each unique identifier of the plurality of unique identifiers.
5. The merchant device of claim 4 , wherein generating a first threshold value includes:
generating a first signal strength signature based at least in part on the at least two signal strength values associated with each unique identifier of the plurality of unique identifiers; and
associating the first generated signal strength signature with the first threshold value.
6. The merchant device of claim 5 , wherein generating a second threshold value includes:
generating a second signal strength signature based at least in part on the at least two signal strength values associated with each unique identifier of the plurality of unique identifiers; and
associating the second generated signal strength signature with the second threshold value.
7. The merchant device of claim 6 , wherein analyzing the first and second threshold values includes averaging the first and second generated signal strength signatures.
8. The merchant device of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
initiate an in-area service in response to determining a first selected consumer device is present within the physical area.
9. The merchant device of claim 8 , wherein initiating an in-area service comprises at least one of: placing a consumer associated with the first selected consumer device on a seating wait list, assigning a consumer associated with the first selected consumer device to a table, and transmitting a promotion to the first selected consumer device.
10. The merchant device of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
transmit a promotion to the second selected consumer device in response to determining the second selected consumer device is outside the physical area.
11. A computer-implemented method comprising:
receiving, by a merchant device, wireless signals from consumer devices that are in communicable range of the merchant device, wherein the wireless signals are configured to transmit a plurality of unique identifiers, each unique identifier being respectively associated with a consumer device;
generating, by a processor, signal strength data comprising at least one signal strength value and a signal strength duration value associated with each unique identifier of the plurality of unique identifiers;
determining average signal strength durations based on the signal strength duration values for the signal strength values associated with each unique identifier of the plurality of unique identifiers;
generating a first threshold value based at least in part on the average signal strength durations;
determining presence data associated with at least a subset of the consumer devices, wherein the presence data is independent of the signal strength data and indicates that the subset of the consumer devices is within a physical area;
generating a second threshold value based at least in part on the signal strength data and presence data;
generating a calibrated threshold signal strength value based at least in part on analyzing the first and second threshold values;
determining a first selected consumer device is present within the physical area when a first selected signal strength value associated with the unique identifier of the first selected consumer device satisfies the calibrated threshold signal strength value; and
determining a second selected consumer device is outside the physical area when a second selected signal strength value associated with the unique identifier of the second selected consumer device does not satisfy the calibrated threshold signal strength value.
12. The computer-implemented method of claim 11 , wherein analyzing the first and second threshold values includes averaging the first and second threshold values.
13. The computer-implemented method of claim 11 , wherein analyzing the first and second threshold values includes:
determining whether one of the first and the second threshold values is unreliable; and
disregarding the threshold value determined to be unreliable upon determination that one of the first and the second threshold values is unreliable.
14. The computer-implemented method of claim 11 , wherein the signal strength data includes at least two signal strength values associated with each unique identifier of the plurality of unique identifiers.
15. The computer-implemented method of claim 14 , wherein generating a first threshold value includes:
generating a first signal strength signature based at least in part on the at least two signal strength values associated with each unique identifier of the plurality of unique identifiers; and
associating the first generated signal strength signature with the first threshold value.
16. The computer-implemented method of claim 15 , wherein generating a second threshold value includes:
generating a second signal strength signature based at least in part on the at least two signal strength values associated with each unique identifier of the plurality of unique identifiers; and
associating the second generated signal strength signature with the second threshold value.
17. The computer-implemented method of claim 16 , wherein analyzing the first and second threshold values includes averaging the first and second generated signal strength signatures.
18. The computer-implemented method of claim 11 , further comprising:
initiating an in-area service in response to determining a first selected consumer device is present within the physical area.
19. The computer-implemented method of claim 18 , wherein initiating an in-area service comprises at least one of: placing a consumer associated with the first selected consumer device on a seating wait list, assigning a consumer associated with the first selected consumer device to a table, and transmitting a promotion to the first selected consumer device.
20. The computer-implemented method of claim 11 , further comprising:
transmitting a promotion to the second selected consumer device in response to determining the second selected consumer device is outside the physical area.