Beacon-based device location interface

A machine-implemented method for outputting a user interface to an in-shop merchant device associated with a point-of-sale system, wherein the user interface depicts a plurality of locations of interest, the method comprising:

• associating, by networked circuitry, beacon identifier data that identifies a plurality of communication beacons with a merchant, wherein each communication beacon of the plurality of communication beacons correspond to a different location of interest of the plurality of locations of interest;
• receiving, by the circuitry and from the in-shop merchant device, merchant data comprising a merchant message and a time range during which the merchant message can be sent, wherein the merchant data defines an item value, a particular communication beacon of the plurality of communication beacons associated with the merchant message, and a maximum total of a number of instances of the merchant message across all consumer devices;
• receiving, by the circuitry, consumer presence data and a beacon identifier data from at least one consumer device indicating that the consumer device and at least one communication beacon of the plurality of communication beacons have formed a direct wireless connection;
• associating, by the circuitry, the consumer presence data to a consumer profile;
• determining, by the circuitry, based on the consumer presence data, if the consumer device is located at a particular location of interest of the plurality of locations of interest associated with the at least one communication beacon by:
• (i) obtaining a threshold time period defining a minimum time interval that the consumer device must maintain the direct wireless connection with the at least one communication beacon to register the consumer device as being located at the particular location of interest;
• (ii) determining that the consumer device is located at the particular location of interest of the plurality of locations of interest when the consumer device has maintained the direct wireless connection with the at least one communication beacon for at least the threshold time period;
• and
• (iii) determining that the at least one communication beacon is the particular communication beacon associated with the merchant message based on the merchant data;
• in response to a determination that the consumer device is located at the particular location of interest:
• (i) generating, by the circuitry, visitation data based on the consumer presence data received from the at least one communication beacon;
• (ii) updating, by the circuitry, the consumer profile based on the visitation data, wherein the consumer profile identifies a visitation status that comprises a consumer classification associated with the merchant;
• and
• (iii) outputting to the in-shop merchant device, by the circuitry, the user interface to display (a) an indication of a presence of the consumer device located at the particular location of interest of the plurality of locations of interest, (b) a consumer preference for an item, (c) a consumer item purchase history, (d) a consumer identifier, and (e) the visitation status of the consumer profile;
• determining, by the circuitry, that the consumer device is located at the particular location of interest during the time range;
• determining, by the circuitry, that an available amount of the number of instances of the merchant message has not exceeded the maximum total;
• and
• in response to determining that the consumer device is located at the particular location of interest associated with the particular communication beacon during the time range and determining that the available amount of the number of instances of the merchant message has not exceeded the maximum total, providing, by the circuitry, the merchant message to the consumer device.

A computer program product configured to output a user interface to an in-shop merchant device associated with a point-of-sale system, wherein the user interface depicts a plurality of locations of interest, the computer program product comprising at least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having computer executable program code instructions therein, the computer executable program code instructions comprising program code instructions configured, upon execution, to:

• associate beacon identifier data that identifies a plurality of communication beacons with a merchant, wherein each communication beacon of the plurality of communication beacons correspond to a different location of interest of the plurality of locations of interest;
• receive, from the in-shop merchant device, merchant data comprising a merchant message and a time range during which the merchant message can be sent, wherein the merchant data defines an item value, a particular communication beacon of the plurality of communication beacons associated with the merchant message, and a maximum total of a number of instances of the merchant message across all consumer devices;
• receive consumer presence data and a beacon identifier data from at least one communication beacon indicating that the consumer device and the at least one communication beacon have formed a direct wireless connection;
• associate the consumer presence data to a consumer profile;
• determine, based on the consumer presence data, if the consumer device is located at a particular location of interest of the plurality of locations of interest associated with the at least one communication beacon by:
• (i) obtaining a threshold time period defining a minimum time interval that the consumer device must maintain the direct wireless connection with the at least one communication beacon to register the consumer device as being located at the particular location of interest;
• (ii) determining that the consumer device is located at the particular location of interest of the plurality of locations of interest when the consumer device has maintained the direct wireless connection with the at least one communication beacon for at least the threshold time period;
• and
• (iii) determining that the at least one communication beacon is the particular communication beacon associated with the merchant message based on the merchant data;
• in response to a determination that the consumer device is located at the particular location of interest:
• (i) generate visitation data based on the consumer presence data received from the at least one communication beacon;
• (ii) update the consumer profile based on the visitation data, wherein the consumer profile identifies a visitation status that comprises a consumer classification associated with the merchant;
• and
• (iii) output to the in-shop merchant device the user interface to display (a) an indication of a presence of the consumer device located at the particular location of interest of the plurality of locations of interest, (b) a consumer preference for an item, (c) a consumer item purchase history, (d) a consumer identifier, and (e) the visitation status of the consumer profile;
• determine that the consumer device is located at the particular location of interest during the time range;
• determine that an available amount of the number of instances of the merchant message has not exceeded the maximum total;
• and
• in response to determining that the consumer device is located at the particular location of interest associated with the particular communication beacon during the time range and determining that the available amount of the number of instances of the merchant message has not exceeded the maximum total, provide the merchant message to the consumer device.