Node-enabled order pickup using elements of a wireless node network

A non-transitory computer-readable medium containing instructions which when executed on a processor performs a method for facilitating pickup of an order using a wireless node network having at least a master node associated with a pickup point for the order, a mobile user access device operating as an advertising ID node, and a server disposed remote from the pickup point for the order, the method comprising:

• receiving, by the master node, order information from the server, the order information providing an identification of the order and an identification of the mobile user access device registered for the pickup of the order;
• detecting, by the master node, a signal broadcast from the mobile user access device identified by the order information when the mobile user access device is operating as an advertising ID node in the network and as the mobile user access device approaches the master node, wherein the identification of the mobile user access device appears in header information of the signal broadcast from the mobile user access device operating as the advertising ID node and comprises an electronic address of the mobile user access device;
• associating the master node and the identified mobile user access device operating as the advertising ID node by (a) storing association data on the master node identifying a temporary connection relationship between the master node and the identified mobile user access device and (b) updating the server with the stored association data so the server can track the temporary connection relationship between the master node and the identified mobile user access device;
• notifying, by the master node, a computer-based order management system that is separate from the server, the master node, and the mobile user access device and that is responsible for the order, the notification occurring when the master node determines a location of the identified mobile user access device operating as the advertising ID node to be within a predetermined range of the pickup point, wherein notifying further comprises transmitting a message from the master node to the server, the message causing the server to notify the computer-based order management system that the identified mobile user access device related to the order is approaching the pickup point to receive the order;
• and
• fulfilling the order by the computer-based order management system in response to the notification from the master node.

A master node for facilitating pickup of an order at a pickup point using a wireless node network having at least a server disposed remote from the pickup point for the order and a mobile user access device operating as an advertising ID node, the master node comprising:

• a node processing unit;
• a node memory coupled to the node processing unit, the node memory storage maintaining code for execution by the node processing unit and order information having an identification of the order and an identification of the mobile user access device registered to pick up the order;
• a first communication interface coupled to the node processing unit and operative to communicate with the mobile user access device operating as an advertising ID node over a short-range communication path;
• a second communication interface coupled to the node processing unit and operative to communicate with the server over a longer-range communication path;
• and
• wherein the node processing unit, when executing the code maintained on the node memory, is operative to:
• receive the order information from the server and maintain the order information on the node memory,
• receive a signal detected by the first communication interface and broadcast from the mobile user access device when the mobile user access device is operating as an advertising ID node in the network, the signal being detected when the mobile user access device approaches the first communication interface,
• determine if the signal detected by the first communication interface is from the identified mobile user access device by analyzing header information of the signal broadcast from the mobile user access device operating as the advertising ID node, the header information comprising an electronic address of the mobile user access device,
• associate the master node and the identified mobile user access device operating as the advertising ID node by (a) storing association data identifying a temporary connection relationship between the master node and the identified mobile user access device and (b) updating the server over the second communication interface with the stored association data so the server can track the temporary connection relationship between the master node and the identified mobile user access device,
• determine if a location of the identified mobile user access device operating as the advertising ID node is within a predetermined range of the pickup point, and
• transmit a message over the second communication interface to notify a computer-based order management system that is separate from the server, the master node, and the mobile user access device and that is responsible for the order, the message being transmitted when the identified mobile user access device operating as the advertising ID node is determined to be within a predetermined range of the pickup point, the message causing the computer-based order management system to fulfill the order in response to the message, wherein the node processing unit is further operative to transmit the message over the second communication interface to notify the computer-based order management system by being further operative to transmit an intermediate message to the server to cause the server to notify the computer-based order management system that the identified mobile user access device related to the order is approaching the pickup point to receive the order.