# US 10,373,203 B2 · Smart content delivery using beacons

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- Number: US 10,373,203 B2
- Document ID: US10373203B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 14/663,357
- Filed: 2015-03-19
- Published: 2016-09-22
- Granted: 2019-08-06
- Earliest claimed: 2015-03-19
- Assignees: Verizon Patent and Licensing Inc.
- Applicants: Verizon Patent and Licensing Inc.
- Inventors: Sankar Shanmugam; Amit Mahajan
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10373203B2

## CPC

- G06Q 30/0261: {based on user location}
- G06Q 30/0267: {Wireless devices}
- H04W 4/80: Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
- G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72)

## Abstract

Techniques described herein may allow for the registration of demo devices (e.g., for-sale wireless telephones, tablet computers, etc.), and the presentation of content, such as promotional content, for the demo devices. The demo devices may output a beacon via a short-range protocol, which may include unique identifiers of the demo devices. When a customer device approaches a demo device, the customer device may automatically detect the beacon and obtain promotional content regarding the demo device, and present the promotional content to a customer.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A system, comprising:
a memory device storing:
a plurality of unique identifiers that are each associated with a respective beacon device, of a plurality of beacon devices, wherein the unique identifiers are wirelessly broadcasted by the plurality of beacon devices,
identifying information of a particular device that is approved to be used as a beacon device, and
a set of processor-executable instructions; and
a processor configured to execute the processor-executable instructions, wherein executing the processor-executable instructions causes the system to:
receive, from the particular device, identifying information associated with the particular device, wherein the particular device is a same type of device as a device that is being offered for sale;
determine that the identifying information, received from the particular device, matches the stored identifying information of the particular device;
receive, from the particular device, at least one unique identifier, of the plurality of unique identifiers,
wherein the at least one unique identifier has been wirelessly broadcasted by at least one device, of the plurality of devices, and has been wirelessly detected by the particular device;
determine that the at least one unique identifier, that has been wirelessly detected by the particular device, matches at least one unique identifier of the stored plurality of unique identifiers of the plurality of beacon devices;
validate the particular device based on:
the determination that the identifying information, received from the particular device, matches the stored identifying information of the particular device, and
the determination that the received at least one unique identifier, that was wirelessly detected by the particular device, matches the at least one unique identifier of the stored plurality of unique identifiers of the plurality of beacon devices;
assign, based on validating the particular device, a particular unique identifier to the particular device, the particular unique identifier being unique with respect to the unique identifiers that are associated with the plurality of beacon devices;
determine, based on the identifying information associated with the particular device, locator information for content regarding the particular device; and
output, to the particular device:
the unique identifier associated with the particular device, and
the locator information for the content regarding the particular device, wherein the particular device is configured to:
receive and store the unique identifier assigned by the system to the particular device;
broadcast, via a short-range wireless technology, beacon signals that include the stored unique identifier, associated with the particular device, that was assigned to the particular device by the system,
receive, from a user device and in response to the broadcasting of the beacon signals, a request for the content regarding the particular device, and
provide, to the user device and in response to the request, at least one of:
the content regarding the particular device, or
the locator information for the content regarding the particular device.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the unique identifier is used by the particular device as a particular Bluetooth device name, and
wherein the particular device broadcasts the beacon signals by advertising the particular device as a discoverable Bluetooth device having the particular Bluetooth device name.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the unique identifier is used by the particular device as a particular Wi-Fi Service Set Identifier (“SSID”), and
wherein the particular device broadcasts the beacon signals by creating a Wi-Fi network having the particular SSID as a visible SSID.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the identifying information, regarding the particular device, includes a mobile directory number (“MDN”) associated with the particular device,
wherein the validation of the particular device further includes determining whether the MDN matches one or more MDNs that have been previously approved for beacon devices.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein executing the processor-executable instructions further causes the system to:
obtain the content, using the locator information, from a device that hosts the content; and
establish a connection with the user device, wherein the content is provided to the user device via the established connection.

### Claim 6

A device, comprising:
a memory device storing a set of processor-executable instructions; and
a processor configured to execute the processor-executable instructions, wherein executing the processor-executable instructions causes the device to:
wirelessly detect one or more identifiers that have been broadcasted by one or more beacon-emitting devices;
output, to an admin device, a request to register as a beacon-emitting device, the request including:
identifying information regarding the device, and
the one or more identifiers that have been wirelessly detected by the device,
wherein the admin device validates the request based on the identifying information and the one or more identifiers that have been wirelessly detected by the device;
receive, from the admin device, an indication that the request has been validated, the indication including a unique identifier assigned by the admin device, wherein the unique identifier is unique with respect to identifiers, assigned by the admin device for one or more other beacon-emitting devices;
obtain, based on receiving the indication that the request has been validated, locator information for promotional content that provides information regarding one or more features of the device;
output, based on receiving the indication that the request has been validated, and via a short-range wireless technology, beacon signals that include the unique identifier assigned by the admin device;
receive, from a user device and in response to the beacon signals, a request for the promotional content; and
provide, to the user device and based on the request, at least one of:
the promotional content regarding the one or more features of the device, or
the locator information for the promotional content.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The device of claim 6, wherein outputting the beacon signals includes broadcasting the beacon signals, on a periodic or intermittent basis, via a wireless radio associated with the short-range wireless technology.

### Claim 8 (depends on 6)

The device of claim 6, wherein the identifying information includes at least one of:
a mobile device number (“MDN”) associated with the device,
a Stock Keeping Unit (“SKU”) associated with the device, or
a Media Access Control (“MAC”) address associated with the device.

### Claim 9 (depends on 6)

The device of claim 6, wherein the unique identifier, received from the admin device, includes a Bluetooth device name, wherein outputting the beacon signals includes advertising the device as a discoverable Bluetooth device having the particular Bluetooth device name.

### Claim 10 (depends on 6)

The device of claim 6, wherein the unique identifier, received from the admin device, includes a particular Wi-Fi Service Set Identifier (“SSID”), and wherein outputting the beacon signals includes creating a Wi-Fi network having the particular SSID.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the content regarding the particular device includes at least one of:
features associated with the particular device,
discounts associated with the particular device, or
capabilities of the particular device.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein executing the processor-executable instructions further causes the system to:
output, to a display device that is separate from the user device and in response to the request, the content for display via the display device.

### Claim 13

A method, comprising:
storing a plurality of unique identifiers that are each wirelessly broadcasted by a respective beacon device, of a plurality of beacon devices;
receiving, from a particular device, identifying information associated with the particular device;
determining that the identifying information, received from the particular device, matches previously stored identifying information of the particular device;
receiving, from the particular device, at least one unique identifier, of the plurality of unique identifiers, that has been broadcasted by at least one device of the plurality of devices, and has been wirelessly detected by the particular device;
determining that the at least one unique identifier, that has been wirelessly detected by the particular device, matches at least one unique identifier of the stored plurality of unique identifiers of the plurality of beacon devices;
validating the particular device based on:
the determination that the identifying information, received from the particular device, matches the previously stored identifying information of the particular device, and
the determination that the received at least one unique identifier, that was wirelessly detected by the particular device, matches the at least one unique identifier of the stored plurality of unique identifiers of the plurality of beacon devices;
assigning, based on validating the particular device, a particular unique identifier to the particular device, the particular unique identifier being unique with respect to the unique identifiers that are associated with the plurality of beacon devices; and
outputting, to the particular device, the unique identifier associated with the particular device, wherein outputting the unique identifier to the particular device causes the particular device to wirelessly broadcast beacon signals that include the stored unique identifier, associated with the particular device, that was assigned to the particular device by the system.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, wherein the unique identifier is used by the particular device as a particular Bluetooth device name, and
wherein the particular device broadcasts the beacon signals by advertising the particular device as a discoverable Bluetooth device having the particular Bluetooth device name.

### Claim 15 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, wherein the unique identifier is used by the particular device as a particular Wi-Fi Service Set Identifier (“SSID”), and
wherein the particular device broadcasts the beacon signals by creating a Wi-Fi network having the particular SSID as a visible SSID.

### Claim 16 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, wherein the identifying information, regarding the particular device, includes a mobile directory number (“MDN”) associated with the particular device,
wherein the validation of the particular device further includes determining whether the MDN matches one or more MDNs that have been previously approved for beacon devices.

### Claim 17 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, further comprising:
identifying, based on the identifying information associated with the particular device, locator information for content associated with the particular device;
receiving a request, from a user device, for the content associated with the particular device; and
outputting, to the user device and in response to the request, the locator information for the content.

### Claim 18 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, further comprising:
identifying, based on the locator information, content associated with the particular device;
obtaining the content associated with the particular device;
receiving a request, from a user device, for the content associated with the particular device; and
outputting, to the user device and in response to the request, the obtained content.

### Claim 19 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, further comprising:
identifying, based on the identifying information associated with the particular device, content associated with the particular device;
receiving a request, from a user device, for the content associated with the particular device; and
outputting, to a display device that is separate from the user device and in response to the request, the content for display via the display device.

### Claim 20 (depends on 6)

The device of claim 6, wherein executing the processor-executable instructions further causes the device to:
output, to a display device that is separate from the user device and in response to the request, the promotional content for display via the display device.