IP Library Granted Patent US 9,715,698
Granted Patent B2
US 9,715,698 · App. 14/107,873 · Granted Jul 25, 2017

Systems and methods for encrypting location broadcasts

Inventors: Thomas Middleton (Boston, MA); Robert Todd Boes (Boston, MA)
Assignee: Swirl Networks, Inc.
G06Q30/0261G06Q30/0601H04L9/0819H04W4/023
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,715,698
App. No.
14/107,873
Granted
Jul 25, 2017
Kind
B2
Abstract

The present disclosure provides a system and method for providing a user with supplemental content based on the user's preferences and location. The disclosure provides a computer program that allows users to discover and organize content from a platform that is accessible from a mobile device or computer. Additionally, the disclosure provides a system for determining a user's location while indoors. The system can associate the user's location with specific content or items in a store and provide the user with supplemental content related to those items.

Claims (39)

1. A system for delivering supplemental content, the system comprising:

a server comprising at least one processor and a non-transitory computer readable medium storing processor executable instructions thereon that when executed by the at least one processor cause the server to:

receive data including an encrypted data packet, a non-unique key hint shared by two or more beacons, and an indication of a beacon position;

select a plurality of keys based to the non-unique key hint;

select, from the plurality of keys, a key associated with the indication of the beacon position;

decrypt the encrypted data packet with the selected key;

retrieve a beacon identification corresponding to one of the two or more beacons from the decrypted data packet;

determine a micro-location of the client responsive to the beacon identification; and

transmit, to the client, a supplemental content item responsive to the determined micro-location of the client.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the indication of the beacon position is one of a geo-hash of a global positioning coordinate, a global positioning coordinate, or a network service set identifier (SSID).

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the encrypted data packet is encrypted with a 16 byte AES key.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the encrypted data packed is one block of AES data.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the non-unique key hint is a truncated copy of the key to decrypt the encrypted data packet.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the server is configured to determine the microlocation of the client by generating a hash with the beacon identification and using the hash to retrieve the micro-location from a hash table.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the server is further configured to to decrypt the encrypted data packet with a rolling password.

8. A method for delivering supplemental content, the method comprising:

receiving, by a server, data including an encrypted data packet, a non-unique key hint shared by two or more beacons, and an indication of a beacon position;

selecting a plurality of keys based to the non-unique key hint;

selecting from the plurality of keys, by the server, a key associated with the indication of the beacon position;

decrypting, by the server, the encrypted data packet with the selected key;

retrieving, by the server, a beacon identification corresponding to one of the two or more beacons from the decrypted data packet;

determining, by the server, a micro-location of the client responsive to the beacon identification; and

transmitting, by the server, a supplemental content item responsive to the determined micro-location of the client.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the indication of the beacon position is one of a geo-hash of a global positioning coordinate, a global positioning coordinate, or a network service set identifier (SSID).

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the encrypted data packet is encrypted with a 16 byte AES key.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the encrypted data packed is one block of AES data.

12. The method of claim 8 , wherein the non-unique key hint is a truncated copy of the key to decrypt the encrypted data packet.

13. The method of claim 8 , wherein determining the micro-location of the client further comprises generating a hash with the beacon identification and using the hash to retrieve the micro-location from a hash table.

14. The method of claim 8 , further comprising decrypting the encrypted data packet with a rolling password.

15. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing processor executable instructions thereon, the instructions, when executed by a processor cause the processor to:

receive data including an encrypted data packet, a non-unique key hint shared by two or more beacons, and an indication of a beacon position;

select a plurality of keys based to the non-unique key hint;

select, from the plurality of keys, a key associated with the indication of the beacon position;

decrypt the encrypted data packet with the selected key;

retrieve a beacon identification corresponding to one of the two or more beacons from the decrypted data packet;

determine a micro-location of the client responsive to the beacon identification; and

transmit a supplemental content item responsive to the determined microlocation of the client.

16. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the indication of the beacon position is one of a geo-hash of a global positioning coordinate, a global positioning coordinate, or a network service set identifier (SSID).

17. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the non-unique key hint is a truncated copy of the key to decrypt the encrypted data packet.

Assignments (5)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 14, 2019
From: BEST BUY CO., INC.
To: BBY SOLUTIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 049168/0913 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 1, 2019
From: SWIRL NETWORKS, INC.
To: BEST BUY CO., INC.
Reel/Frame 049052/0560 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jan 24, 2019
From: SILICON VALLEY BANK
To: SWIRL NETWORKS, INC.
Reel/Frame 048123/0347 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Aug 9, 2018
From: SWIRL NETWORKS, INC.
To: SILICON VALLEY BANK
Reel/Frame 046592/0821 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 17, 2013
From: MIDDLETON, THOMAS; BOES, ROBERT TODD
To: SWIRL NETWORKS, INC
Reel/Frame 031800/0154 →
Continuity (3)
Provisional Application 61759641 · Feb 1, 2013
Provisional Application 61822568 · May 13, 2013
Related Publication 20140222685A1 · Aug 7, 2014