IP Library Granted Patent US 12,200,603
Granted Patent B2
US 12,200,603 · App. 17/521,692 · Granted Jan 14, 2025

Systems and methods for determining network identifiers of user devices

Inventors: Jeffrey Kinsey (San Francisco, CA); Ramsey Rolland Meyer (San Francisco, CA); Stefan Martin (Cleveland, OH)
Assignee: Volta Charging, LLC
H04W48/04B60L53/305B60L53/665H04W8/005H04W8/18H04W60/04
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,200,603
App. No.
17/521,692
Granted
Jan 14, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

The disclosed implementations provide systems and methods for tracking a user device. The method includes receiving, from a respective application running on a first electronic device associated with a user, a request initiated by the user to affiliate with a second electronic device. In response to the request by the user to affiliate with the second electronic device, the method includes determining a wireless identifier of the first electronic device. After determining the wireless identifier of the first electronic device, the method includes receiving an indication that a second wireless access point, distinct from the first wireless access point, is in communication with the first electronic device of the user based on the second wireless access point detecting the wireless identifier of the first electronic device. The method further includes determining that the first electronic device of the user is proximal to the second wireless access point.

Claims (58)

1. A method comprising:

at a computer system that includes one or more processors and memory:

receiving, from a respective application running on a first electronic device associated with a user, a request initiated by the user to affiliate with a second electronic device;

in response to the request by the user to affiliate with the second electronic device, determining a wireless identifier of the first electronic device, wherein:

the wireless identifier is detected using a first wireless access point proximal to the second electronic device,

the respective application is unauthorized to access the wireless identifier directly from the first electronic device;

after determining the wireless identifier of the first electronic device, receiving an indication that a second wireless access point, distinct from the first wireless access point, is in communication with the first electronic device of the user based on the second wireless access point detecting the wireless identifier of the first electronic device; and

based on the indication that the second wireless access point is communicating with the first electronic device, determining a location of the first electronic device, including determining that the first electronic device of the user is proximal to the second wireless access point.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second electronic device is an electric vehicle charging station (EVCS) and the request initiated by the user to affiliate with the second electronic device includes a request to begin charging a vehicle using the EVCS.

3. The method of claim 1 , further including, prior to receiving the request initiated by the user to affiliate with the second electronic device:

receiving a request, from the user, to register for a service provided by the second electronic device;

in response to the request to register for the service provided by the second electronic device, generating a profile for the user that includes an identifier of the user; and

after determining the wireless identifier of the first electronic device, storing the wireless identifier of the first electronic device in the profile for the user.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the wireless identifier of the first electronic device comprises examining a log of network addresses communicating with the first wireless access point.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the wireless identifier includes a media access control (MAC) address.

6. The method of claim 1 , determining the wireless identifier of the first electronic device comprises:

selecting the wireless identifier from a set of wireless identifiers of devices communicating with the first wireless access point based on a direction from which communications from the first electronic device are received by the first wireless access point.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, determining an amount of time that the user is in a geo-fenced region corresponding to the second wireless access point.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the second wireless access point is proximal to a third electronic device that includes a display; and

the method further includes:

selecting media content based on a profile of the user; and

while the second wireless access point is in communication with the first electronic device, displaying, on the display of the third electronic device, the media content selected based on the profile of the user.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the third electronic device is a second EVCS.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving an indication that a third wireless access point, distinct from the first wireless access point and the second wireless access point, is communicating with the first electronic device based on the wireless identifier of the first electronic device; and

based on the indication that the third wireless access point is communicating with the first electronic device, and has previously been in communication with the first wireless access point and the second wireless access point, determining that a path of the first electronic device of the user is proximal to the first wireless access point, followed by the second wireless access point, followed by the third wireless access point.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the user is a first user;

the second wireless access point is associated with a second user; and

the method further includes:

generating a report for the second user indicating that the first user was proximal to the second wireless access point.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the report further includes an indication of an amount of time that the first user was proximal to the second wireless access point.

13. A server system, comprising:

a computer system having one or more processors and memory storing one or more programs, the computer system configured to:

receive, from a respective application running on a first electronic device associated with a user, a request initiated by the user to affiliate with a second electronic device;

in response to the request by the user to affiliate with the second electronic device, determine a wireless identifier of the first electronic device, wherein:

the wireless identifier is detected using a first wireless access point proximal to the second electronic device,

the respective application is unauthorized to access the wireless identifier directly from the first electronic device;

after determining the wireless identifier of the first electronic device, receive an indication that a second wireless access point, distinct from the first wireless access point, is in communication with the first electronic device of the user based on the second wireless access point detecting the wireless identifier of the first electronic device; and

based on the indication that the second wireless access point is communicating with the first electronic device, determine a location of the first electronic device, including determining that the first electronic device of the user is proximal to the second wireless access point.

14. The server system of claim 13 , wherein the second electronic device is an electric vehicle charging station (EVCS) and the request initiated by the user to affiliate with the second electronic device includes a request to begin charging a vehicle using the EVCS.

15. The server system of claim 13 , wherein prior to receiving the request initiated by the user to affiliate with the second electronic device, the computer system is further configured to:

receive a request, from the user, to register for a service provided by the second electronic device;

in response to the request to register for the service provided by the second electronic device, generate a profile for the user that includes an identifier of the user; and

after determining the wireless identifier of the first electronic device, store the wireless identifier of the first electronic device in the profile for the user.

16. The server system of claim 13 , wherein determining the wireless identifier of the first electronic device includes examining a log of network addresses communicating with the first wireless access point.

17. The server system of claim 13 , wherein the wireless identifier includes a media access control (MAC) address.

18. The server system of claim 13 , wherein determining the wireless identifier of the first electronic device includes:

selecting the wireless identifier from a set of wireless identifiers of devices communicating with the first wireless access point based on a direction from which communications from the first electronic device are received by the first wireless access point.

19. The server system of claim 13 , wherein the computer system is further configured to determine an amount of time that the user is in a geo-fenced region corresponding to the second wireless access point.

20. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed by a computer system having one or more processors, cause the computer system to:

receiving, from a respective application running on a first electronic device associated with a user, a request initiated by the user to affiliate with a second electronic device;

in response to the request by the user to affiliate with the second electronic device, determining a wireless identifier of the first electronic device, wherein:

the wireless identifier is detected using a first wireless access point proximal to the second electronic device,

the respective application is unauthorized to access the wireless identifier directly from the first electronic device;

after determining the wireless identifier of the first electronic device, receiving an indication that a second wireless access point, distinct from the first wireless access point, is in communication with the first electronic device of the user based on the second wireless access point detecting the wireless identifier of the first electronic device; and

based on the indication that the second wireless access point is communicating with the first electronic device, determining a location of the first electronic device, including determining that the first electronic device of the user is proximal to the second wireless access point.

Assignments (6)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 24, 2025
From: VOLTA CHARGING, LLC
To: ZECO SYSTEMS, INC.
Reel/Frame 071034/0172 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Apr 3, 2023
From: EQUILON ENTERPRISES LLC D/B/A SHELL OIL PRODUCTS US
To: VOLTA INC.; VOLTA CHARGING, LLC; VOLTA MEDIA LLC; VOLTA CHARGING SERVICES LLC; VOLTA CHARGING INDUSTRIES, LLC
Reel/Frame 063239/0742 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Apr 3, 2023
From: EICF AGENT LLC AS AGENT
To: VOLTA CHARGING LLC
Reel/Frame 063239/0812 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Feb 3, 2023
From: VOLTA INC.; VOLTA CHARGING, LLC; VOLTA MEDIA LLC; VOLTA CHARGING SERVICES LLC; VOLTA CHARGING INDUSTRIES, LLC
To: EQUILON ENTERPRISES LLC D/B/A SHELL OIL PRODUCTS US
Reel/Frame 062739/0662 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Oct 5, 2022
From: VOLTA CHARGING, LLC
To: EICF AGENT LLC
Reel/Frame 061606/0053 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 20, 2022
From: KINSEY, JEFFREY; MEYER, RAMSEY ROLLAND; MARTIN, STEFAN
To: VOLTA CHARGING, LLC
Reel/Frame 058714/0694 →