Methods and apparatus for initiating communication between parties using a bluetooth low energy beacon
AssigneeNice Frog Inc.
InventorJames D. Burchetta
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present disclosure relates to methods and apparatus for safely and securely initiating communication between parties using a Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) beacon. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to utilizing a BLE-enabled tag as an indication of availability and, based on a user's proximity to the BLE tag, as a means for a second party to show interest without requiring an exchange of personal information.
Claims20
A tag capable of facilitating communication between a first party and a second party, wherein the tag comprises:
- a Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) transceiver;
- a power source to provide electrical energy to the BLE transceiver;
- and
- a network access device in logical connection with a communications network to allow communication with a server, wherein the server comprises:
- a server memory;
- a server processor;
- a server network access device in logical connection with the communications network;
- and
- server software executable on demand, wherein the software is operable to:
- receive a first unique identifier from the tag;
- receive a second unique identifier from the first party;
- compare a user profile associated with the first party with a tag profile associated with the second party;
- and
- upon determination of a match between the user profile and the tag profile, transmit a signal to the first party or the second party to initiate a communication between the first party and the second party.
A method for initiating communication between a first party and a second party based on receipt of a BLE transmission, the method comprising the steps of:
- transmitting a tag identifier via a BLE transceiver from a tag to a smart device associated with the first party;
- accessing a server comprising a server memory, wherein the server memory contains a tag profile associated with the second party and a user profile associated with the first party;
- receiving into the tag a user identifier associated with the first party;
- transmitting from the tag the user identifier and the tag identifier;
- comparing the tag profile with the user profile;
- and
- upon confirmation of a match of predefined parameters of the tag profile and the user profile, transmitting information to the smart device.
A method for initiating a product sale communication between a first party and a second party based on receipt of a BLE transmission, the method comprising the steps of:
- affixing a tag to the product;
- configuring a BLE transceiver proximate to the product, wherein the BLE transceiver has a predefined geospatial range, and wherein the BLE transceiver comprises a network access device in logical connection with a server, wherein the sever comprises a memory comprising a tag profile, and wherein the tag profile comprises one or more qualities of the product and contact information associated with the second party;
- based upon receipt into the BLE transceiver of a BLE transmission of a smart device associated with the first party, wherein the BLE transmission comprises a user identifier, transmitting a communication to the server comprising the user identifier;
- and
- based upon receipt into the BLE transceiver of a signal from the server indicating a match between a profile of the first party and the second party, transmitting a signal to the smart device associated with the first party to initiate a communication.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.