IP Library Granted Patent US 9,858,596
Granted Patent B2
US 9,858,596 · App. 14/856,289 · Granted Jan 2, 2018

System for targeting location-based communications

Inventors: Gordon Howard Courtney, III (Charlotte, NC); Russell John Hammond (Charlotte, NC); James Hodges McAliley (Rock Hill, SC)
Assignee: Muzak LLC
G06Q30/0261G06Q30/0259G06Q30/0267G10L19/018H04L67/18H04L67/2823
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,858,596
App. No.
14/856,289
Granted
Jan 2, 2018
Kind
B2
Abstract

Embodiments of the invention are directed to systems, methods and computer program products for providing targeted location-based communications. An exemplary apparatus is configured to receive an encoded signal, decode the encoded signal such that embedded data is retrieved, send the embedded data a remote server; and receive a message based at least partially on sending the embedded data. Another exemplary apparatus is configured to provide the encoded signal by receiving data input, receiving a host signal, embedding the data input within the host signal such that an encoded signal is generated, and transmitting the encoded signal. A third exemplary apparatus is configured to provide the targeted communications by storing one or more messages associated with an entity, receiving data, selecting at least one of the one or more messages based at least partially on the data received, and sending the at least one of the one or more messages selected.

Claims (46)

1. A system for delivering at least one message from a content management system to a mobile device of a user based on the mobile device self-identifying to the content management system that it is present in a transmission area, the system comprising:

at least one broadcast device configured to transmit, without requiring identification of a mobile device or recognition of the presence of a mobile device in the transmission area, a transmission signal including indicator data, where the indicator data is associated with at least one message to be sent to a mobile device present in the transmission area and where the indicator data is readable by a mobile device that has a software application thereon capable of reading and recognizing the indicator data in the transmission signal; and

a content management system comprising the at least one message associated with the indicator data, wherein when a mobile device having the software application reads and recognizes the indicator data, said mobile device transmits a request that includes the indicator data to the content management system, and wherein the content management system is configured to, upon receiving the request signal transmitted by the at least one mobile device, retrieve the at least one message associated with the indicator data and send the at least one message to the at least one mobile device.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein:

the at least one user is present in at least one location of a plurality of locations;

the at least one message is associated with a messaging campaign of a third party entity in the content management system based on instructions received from the third party entity through a messaging campaign interface operatively connected with the content management system;

the system further comprises:

at least one encoding device maintained by a media distribution entity to generate at least one transmission signal comprising the indicator data and based at least in part on instructions from the content management system; and

one or more of the at least one broadcast devices maintained by the media distribution entity to transmit the at least one transmission signal proximate at least one of the plurality of locations based at least in part on the instructions from the content management system.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the third party entity comprises a product supplier that supplies at least one product and the at least one message is associated with the at least one product.

4. The system of claim 2 , wherein the media distribution entity manages a media distribution network comprising the at least one broadcast device and the at least one encoding device.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein one or more of the at least one encoding devices is operably connected to the one or more of the at least one broadcast devices and wherein each encoding device generates at least one transmission signal based at least in part on the instructions from the content management system.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the instructions from the content management system are received by the content management system from the third party entity through the messaging campaign interface operatively connected with the content management system.

7. The system of claim 5 , wherein the instructions from the content management system are received by the content management system from the media distribution entity through a media distribution interface operatively connected with the content management system.

8. A computer program product for delivering at least one message from a content management system to a mobile device of a user based on the mobile device self-identifying to the content management system that it is present in a transmission area, the computer program product comprising:

a non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising a set of codes for causing a computer to:

transmit, using at least one broadcast device, without requiring identification of a mobile device or recognition of the presence of a mobile device in the transmission area, a transmission signal including indicator, where the indicator data is associated with at least one message to be sent to a mobile device present in the transmission area and where the indicator data is readable by a mobile device that has a software application thereon capable of reading and recognizing the indicator data in the transmission signal;

wherein a content management system comprises the at least one message associated with the indicator data, and wherein when a mobile device having the software application reads and recognizes the indicator data, said mobile device transmits a request that includes the indicator data to the content management system;

receive, using the content management system, the request signal transmitted by the at least one mobile device;

retrieve the at least one message associated with the indicator data; and

send, using the content management system, the at least one message to the at least one mobile device.

9. The computer program product of claim 8 , wherein:

the at least one user is present in at least one location of a plurality of locations;

the at least one message is associated with a messaging campaign of a third party entity in the content management system based on instructions received from the third party entity through a messaging campaign interface operatively connected with the content management system;

the non-transitory computer-readable medium further comprises a set of codes for causing the computer to:

generate, using at least one encoding device maintained by a media distribution entity, at least one transmission signal comprising the indicator data and based at least in part on instructions from the content management system; and

transmit, using one or more of the at least one broadcast devices maintained by the media distribution entity, the at least one transmission signal proximate at least one of the plurality of locations based at least in part on the instructions from the content management system.

10. The computer program product of claim 9 , wherein the third party entity comprises a product supplier that supplies at least one product and the at least one message is associated with the at least one product.

11. The computer program product of claim 9 , wherein the media distribution entity manages a media distribution network comprising one or more of the at least one broadcast devices and the at least one encoding device.

12. The computer program product of claim 11 , wherein one or more of the at least one encoding devices is operably connected to the one or more of the at least one broadcast devices and wherein each encoding device generates at least one transmission signal based at least in part on the instructions from the content management system.

13. The computer program product of claim 12 , wherein the instructions from the content management system are received by the content management server from the third party entity through the messaging campaign interface operatively connected with the content management system.

14. The computer program product of claim 12 , wherein the instructions from the content management system are received by the content management server from the media distribution entity through a media distribution interface operatively connected with the content management system.

15. A method for delivering at least one message from a content management system to a mobile device of a user based on the mobile device self-identifying to the content management system that it is present in a transmission area, the method comprising:

transmitting, without requiring identification of a mobile device or recognition of the presence of a mobile device in the transmission area, a transmission signal including indicator data, where the indicator data is associated with at least one message to be sent to a mobile device present in the transmission area and where the indicator data is readable by a mobile device that has a software application thereon capable of reading and recognizing the indicator data in the transmission signal; and

upon receiving, by the content management system, the request signal transmitted by the at least one mobile device, retrieve the at least one message associated with the indicator data; and

sending, by the content management system, the at least one message to the at least one mobile device.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein:

the at least one user is present in at least one location of a plurality of locations;

the at least one message is associated with a messaging campaign of a third party entity in the content management system based on instructions received from the third party entity through a messaging campaign interface operatively connected with the content management system;

the method further comprising:

generating, by at least one encoding device maintained by a media distribution entity, at least one transmission signal comprising the indicator data and based at least in part on instructions from the content management system; and

transmitting, by one or more of the at least one broadcast devices maintained by the media distribution entity, the at least one transmission signal proximate at least one of the plurality of locations based at least in part on the instructions from the content management system.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the third party entity comprises a product supplier that supplies at least one product and the at least one message is associated with the at least one product.

18. The method of claim 16 , wherein the media distribution entity manages a media distribution network comprising the one or more of the at least one broadcast devices and the at least one encoding device.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein one or more of the at least one encoding device is operably connected to each of the one or more of the at least one broadcast device and wherein each encoding device generates the at least one transmission signal based at least in part on instructions from the content management system.

20. The method of claim 18 , wherein the instructions from the content management system are received by the content management server from the media distribution entity through a media distribution interface operatively connected with the content management system.

Assignments (10)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS, RECORDED ON AUGUST 3, 2020 AT REEL/FRAME 053388/0570 Recorded Jun 26, 2025
From: HPS INVESTMENT PARTNERS, LLC, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: MUZAK LLC
Reel/Frame 071742/0089 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded May 30, 2025
From: MUZAK LLC; VIBENOMICS, LLC
To: KENNEDY LEWIS AGENCY PARTNERS LLC, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 071473/0975 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Aug 3, 2020
From: HPS INVESTMENT PARTNERS, LLC, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: MUZAK LLC
Reel/Frame 053388/0576 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Aug 3, 2020
From: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: MUZAK LLC
Reel/Frame 053388/0581 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Aug 3, 2020
From: MUZAK LLC
To: HPS INVESTMENT PARTNERS, LLC, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 053388/0570 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 28, 2019
From: MUZAK LLC
To: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON
Reel/Frame 049626/0945 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 28, 2019
From: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON
To: MUZAK LLC
Reel/Frame 049626/0817 →
SHORT-FORM PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jun 29, 2017
From: MUZAK LLC, THE GRANTOR
To: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 043038/0817 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 28, 2017
From: MUZAK LLC
To: HPS INVESTMENT PARTNERS, LLC
Reel/Frame 042852/0607 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 16, 2015
From: COURTNEY, GORDON HOWARD, III; HAMMOND, RUSSELL JOHN; MCALILEY, JAMES HODGES
To: MUZAK LLC
Reel/Frame 036583/0206 →
Continuity (7)
Continuation 14798020 · Jul 13, 2015
Continuation 13933007 · Jul 1, 2013
Continuation 14856289
Continuation 13933013 · Jul 1, 2013
Provisional Application 61761577 · Feb 6, 2013
Provisional Application 61838766 · Jun 24, 2013
Related Publication 20160005080A1 · Jan 7, 2016