IP Library Granted Patent US 8,781,502
Granted Patent B1
US 8,781,502 · App. 14/100,699 · Granted Jul 15, 2014

Systems and methods for display of supplemental content responsive to location

Inventors: Thomas Middleton (Boston, MA); Robert Todd Boes (Boston, MA)
Assignee: Swirl Networks, Inc.
H04W4/023
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,781,502
App. No.
14/100,699
Granted
Jul 15, 2014
Kind
B1
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 (29)

1. A method for determining a micro-location of a device, the method comprising:

receiving, by a server, a data packet from each of a plurality of beacons, each data packet transmitted to a client device using a first wireless standard and forwarded to the server by the client device using a second wireless standard;

determining, by the server, for each packet, which one of the plurality of beacons generated the respective data packet;

determining, by the server, the micro-location of each of the plurality of beacons responsive to the data packet; and

determining, by the server, the micro-location of the client device responsive to the determined micro-location of each of the plurality of beacons and a ranked list of the received data packets.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining a signal strength of a signal used to transmit the first wireless standard.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising refining the micro-location associated with the client device responsive to the determined signal strength of the signal used to transmit the first wireless standard.

4. The method of claim 2 , further comprising determining if the client device is within a logical radius of the one of the plurality of beacons that generated the data packet responsive to the determined signal strength of the signal used to transmit the first wireless standard.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising transmitting content to the client device using the second wireless standard.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the transmitted content is selected, by the server, responsive to the micro-location associated with the client device.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising transmitting a second data packet to the one of the plurality of beacons that generated the respective data packet, the second data packet transmitted to the client device using the second wireless standard and forwarded to the one of the plurality of beacons that generated the respective data packet by the client device using the first wireless standard.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first wireless standard is the same as the second wireless standard.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first wireless standard is Bluetooth low energy.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second wireless standard is an Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers' (IEEE) 802.11 standard.

11. A system for determining a micro-location of a device, the system comprising:

a processor coupled to a computer readable medium storing processor executable instructions that when executed by the processor causes the processor to:

receive a data packet from each a plurality of beacons, each data packet transmitted to a client device using a first wireless standard and forwarded to the server by the client device using a second wireless standard;

determine, for each packet, which one of the plurality of beacons generated the respective data packet;

determine the micro-location of each of the plurality of beacons responsive to the data packet; and

determine associate the micro-location of the client device responsive to the determined micro-location of each of the plurality of beacons and a ranked list of the received data packets.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein execution of the processor executable instructions further cause the processor to determine a signal strength of a signal used to transmit the first wireless standard.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein execution of the processor executable instructions further cause the processor to refine the micro-location associated with the client device responsive to the determined signal strength of the signal used to transmit the first wireless standard.

14. The system of claim 12 , wherein execution of the processor executable instructions further cause the processor to determine if the client device is within a logical radius of the one of the plurality of beacons that generated the data packet responsive to the determined signal strength of the signal used to transmit the first wireless standard.

15. The system of claim 11 , wherein execution of the processor executable instructions further cause the processor to transmit content to the client device using the second wireless standard.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein execution of the processor executable instructions further cause the processor to select content responsive to the micro-location associated with the client device.

17. The system of claim 11 , wherein execution of the processor executable instructions further cause the processor to transmit a second data packet to the one of the plurality of beacons that generated the respective data packet, the second data packet transmitted to the client device using the second wireless standard and forwarded to the one of the plurality of beacons that generated the respective data packet by the client device using the first wireless standard.

18. The system of claim 11 , wherein the first wireless standard is the same as the second wireless standard.

19. The system of claim 11 , wherein the first wireless standard is Bluetooth low energy.

20. The system of claim 11 , wherein the second wireless standard is an Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers' (IEEE) 802.11 standard.

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 10, 2013
From: MIDDLETON, THOMAS; BOES, ROBERT TODD
To: SWIRL NETWORKS, INC.
Reel/Frame 031749/0119 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 61759641 · Feb 1, 2013
Provisional Application 61822568 · May 13, 2013