# US 2014/0155091 A1 · Device and system for providing current information for a geographic point of interest > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0155091 A1 - Document ID: US20140155091A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/174,745 - Filed: 2014-02-06 - Published: 2014-06-05 - Earliest claimed: 2011-04-14 - Assignees: Ronin Licensing, LLC - Applicants: Ronin Licensing, LLC - Inventors: Alexandre H. Oliveira - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140155091A1 ## CPC - H04W 4/02: Services making use of location information - H04W 4/029: Location-based management or tracking services - G06F 16/9537: Spatial or temporal dependent retrieval, e.g. spatiotemporal queries - G06Q 10/10: Office automation; Time management - H04L 67/52: specially adapted for the location of the user terminal - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - 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 - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) ## Abstract A computer-based system manages and communicates the identity, attributes, and current state of a geographic point of interest. The system includes a beacon device and a distributed data network. The beacon device includes a housing supporting control electronics, a display, and communication electronics. The beacon is placed at a visible location at the geographic point of interest and receives information concerning the geographical point of interest. The display visibly communicates the information while the communication electronics communicates the same information to the distributed data network. A user can query a location-based service and receive the same information from the distributed data network that is being communicated by the display, assuring communication of accurate and consistent information concerning the geographic point of interest. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system for providing information concerning a geographic point of reference to a user comprising: a system including a beacon device connected to a distributed data network, the beacon device providing an authoritative layer over the distributed data network, the beacon device under control of an operator of the geographic point of interest and located at the geographic point of interest, the system configured to: receive identity information; store the identity information; receive new information at the geographic point of interest into the beacon device the new information including one or more of attribute information and operating status information; transfer the new information from the beacon device to the distributed data network; and transfer the new information from the distributed data network to a location based service which is one of an online directory service, a search engine, a social media service, and a navigation service; wherein as the authoritative layer the beacon device stores both the identity information and the new information while the distributed data network relies on the beacon device in order to provide the new information to the distributed data network. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1 wherein the beacon device is configured to visibly display the same new information that is transferred to the location based service. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1 wherein the new information is transferred from the beacon device to the distributed data network in response to a user query received from the location based service. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1 wherein at least some of the new information is received by and transferred from the beacon device to the location based service in response to a periodic trigger generated in the beacon device. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1 further comprising a data feed module configured to transfer the new information from the distributed data network to the location based service. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1 wherein the new information includes information received by the beacon device from a sensor. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The system of claim 6 wherein the sensor includes one or more of a web camera, a motion sensor, a microphone, and a temperature sensor. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1 wherein the identity information is stored in at least one data field including one or more of a business name, a tax identification code, and a business address. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1 wherein the attribute information includes one or more of operating times, payment types received, product lines carried, services provided, GPS coordinates, and associated businesses. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1 wherein the operating status information includes one or more of whether or not the geographic point of interest is open or closed, whether or not there is access to an entrance, whether certain personnel are present, access road conditions, local weather conditions, services immediately available, and whether certain products are in stock. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1 wherein the location based service is a distributed location based service that obtains the new information by directly accessing the distributed data network to obtain the new information from the beacon device. ### Claim 12 A method of providing information concerning a geographic point of reference to a user comprising: providing a system which includes a beacon device connected to a distributed data network, the beacon device providing an authoritative layer over the distributed data network within the system, the beacon device under control of an operator of the geographic point of interest and located at the geographic point of interest during a provision of new information, the method comprising: the system receiving identity information concerning the geographic place of interest; the system storing the identity information; the beacon device receiving new information including one or more of attribute information and operating status information; and transferring the new information to a location based service which is one of an online directory service, a search engine, a social media service, and a navigation system; wherein as the authoritative layer the beacon device stores both the identity information and the new information while the distributed data network relies on data from the beacon device in order to transfer the new information to the location based service. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12 further comprising visibly displaying the new information upon the beacon device. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12 wherein transferring the identity information and the new information is in response to one of: a query received from the location based service and a periodic trigger generated in the beacon device. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12 wherein the new information includes information received from a sensor. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15 wherein the sensor includes one or more of a web camera, a motion sensor, a microphone, and a temperature sensor. ### Claim 17 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12 wherein the identity information is stored in at least one data field including one or more of a business name, a tax identification code, and a business address. ### Claim 18 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12 wherein the new information includes one or more of operating times, payment types received, product lines carried, services provided, GPS coordinates, associated businesses, whether or not the geographic point of interest is open or closed, whether or not there is access to an entrance, whether certain personnel are present, access road conditions, local weather conditions, services immediately available, and whether certain products are in stock. ### Claim 19 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12 wherein as the authoritative layer the beacon device stores at least some new information that is not available to a user of the location based service without being transferred from the beacon device to the location based service in response to a query from the user. ### Claim 20 A method of providing information concerning a geographic point of reference to a user comprising: providing an electronic publishing system which includes a beacon device connected to a distributed data network, the beacon device under control of an operator of the geographic point of interest and located at the geographic point of interest during a provision of new information, the method comprising: receiving identity information concerning the geographic point of interest; storing the identity information; the beacon device receiving the new information; storing the new information within the beacon device; receiving a query at the beacon device that originates from a location based service which is one of an online directory service, a search engine, a social media service, and a navigation system; and transferring the new information from the beacon device to the location based service in response to the query originally received by the location based service.