IP Library Granted Patent US 12,101,682
Granted Patent B2
US 12,101,682 · App. 18/225,140 · Granted Sep 24, 2024

Geo-based information provision, search and access method and software system

Inventors: Alfred X. Xin (Cincinnati, OH); Sherry X. Sun (Cincinnati, OH)
H04W4/021H04W60/04
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,101,682
App. No.
18/225,140
Granted
Sep 24, 2024
Kind
B2
Abstract

Method and system consist of a mobile application installed on a mobile device with internet connection and a geographical positioning device; a remote hosting server configured with software and database; an onsite wireless communication hosting apparatus. The mobile application communicates with the remote hosting server and the onsite wireless communication apparatus. The remote hosting server and onsite wireless communication apparatus communicate and transfer data to one another, the remote hosting server communicates with third party databases via secured access and retrieves location related information requested by onsite users of the mobile device. Web users at anywhere may select a location displayed on a digital map over interface of a web application configured to the remote hosting server; access the same as onsite users; including data entered by location owners, received from third-party databases via secured connection, and uploaded from onsite wireless communication apparatus.

Claims (41)

1. An automated onsite information search method for implementation on a mobile device comprising the steps of:

transmitting a user request for identifying a merchandise location submitted from a software application on the mobile device, the mobile device including an integrated display, wherein the user request includes information identifying the merchandise;

transmitting data indicative of a location of the user from a geo-location device in the mobile device;

receiving information of a floor layout of the facility and data provided by the facility to identify a plurality of merchandise within the same category of the requested merchandise and a corresponding location thereof with respect to the floor layout;

receiving data associated with the requested merchandise category from the database with an identifier to identify the location of the requested merchandises category; and

displaying the location identifier on the integrated display of the mobile application on the mobile device.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the user request further comprises a text entry.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the user request further comprises a voice entry.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the requested merchandise comprises a merchandise category including a plurality of different items falling under said merchandise category.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the requested merchandise comprises a specific item.

6. An automated onsite information search method for implementation at a server comprising the steps of:

receiving at the server a user request for identifying a merchandise location submitted, wherein the user request includes information identifying the merchandise and geo-location data;

identifying a location associated with the geo-location data, and from said location, identifying the facility associated with the user's location;

searching a database for the merchandise identified in the user request, the database including information indicative of a floor layout of the facility and data provided by the facility to identify a plurality of merchandise within the same category of the requested merchandise and a corresponding location thereof with respect to the floor layout, wherein the database includes a floor layout and location information for merchandise for each of a plurality of facilities;

selecting data associated with the requested merchandise category from the database with an identifier to identify the location of the requested merchandises category;

transmitting the identifier to identify the location of the requested merchandise category.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the server is further configured to receive and process a request in a text or a voice entry format.

8. The method of claim 6 , wherein the server is further configured to receive data of the floor layout and item locations of each of the facilities.

9. The method of claim 6 , wherein the database server is further configured to store merchandise items information including a plurality of different items falling under a plurality of merchandise categories.

10. The method of claim 6 , wherein the database is further configured to store data indicative of merchandise locations in the same category assigned to a location on a retail shelving in an aisle on the floor layout.

11. The method of claim 6 , wherein the server database stores data and is configured to generate merchandise layout map mapping information indicative of a layout of each of the retail stores; wherein the identifiers of merchandise locations are stored and transferred in a plurality of data formats.

12. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising:

one or more instructions that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform a method comprising the steps of:

transmitting a user request for identifying a merchandise location submitted from a software application on a mobile device, the mobile device including an integrated display, wherein the user request includes information identifying the merchandise;

transmitting data indicative of a location of the user from a geo-location device in the mobile device;

receiving information of a floor layout of the facility and data provided by the facility to identify a plurality of merchandise within the same category of the requested merchandise and a corresponding location thereof with respect to the floor layout;

receiving data associated with the requested merchandise category from the database with an identifier to identify the location of the requested merchandises category; and

displaying the location identifier on the integrated display of the mobile application on the mobile device.

13. The medium of claim 12 , wherein the user request further comprises a text entry.

14. The medium of claim 12 , wherein the user request further comprises a voice entry.

15. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising: one or more instructions that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform a method comprising the steps of:

receiving at the server a user request for identifying a merchandise location submitted, wherein the user request includes information identifying the merchandise and geo-location information;

identifying a location associated with the geo-location data, and from said location, identifying the facility associated with the user's location;

searching a database for the merchandise identified in the user request, the database including information indicative of a floor layout of the facility and data provided by the facility to identify a plurality of merchandise within the same category of the requested merchandise and a corresponding location thereof with respect to the floor layout, wherein the database includes a floor layout and location information for merchandise for each of a plurality of facilities;

selecting data associated with the requested merchandise category from the database with an identifier to identify the location of the requested merchandises category;

transmitting the identifier to identify the location of the requested merchandise category.

16. The medium of claim 15 , wherein the server is further configured to receive and process a request in a text or a voice entry format.

17. The medium of claim 15 , wherein the server is further configured to receive the floor layout and item locations of each of the facilities.

18. The medium of claim 15 , wherein the database server is further configured to store merchandise items information including a plurality of different items falling under a plurality of merchandise categories.

19. The medium of claim 15 , wherein the database is further configured to store information indicative of merchandise locations in the same category assigned to a location on a retail shelving in an aisle on the floor layout.

20. The medium of claim 15 , wherein the server database stores data and is configured to generate merchandise layout mapping information indicative of a layout of each of the retail stores; wherein the identifiers of merchandise locations are stored and transferred in a plurality of data formats.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 11, 2025
From: XIN, ALFRED X., MR.; SUN, SHERRY X., MS.
To: CLEAR WATER ASSETS HOLDING LLP
Reel/Frame 070179/0046 →
Continuity (11)
Continuation 18105236 · Feb 2, 2023
Continuation 17574377 · Jan 12, 2022
Continuation 16874483 · May 14, 2020
Continuation 16600482 · Oct 12, 2019
Continuation 15710955 · Sep 21, 2017
Continuation 14752993 · Jun 28, 2015
Continuation 14665791 · Mar 23, 2015
Continuation 14630212 · Feb 24, 2015
Continuation 14599459 · Jan 17, 2015
Continuation 14566116 · Dec 10, 2014
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