System and method for wireless device detection, recognition and visit profiling

A method for providing Wi-Fi network access at any one of multiple Wi-Fi hotspot locations to a wireless device, the method comprising:

• detecting, via a wireless access point (WAP) at a given one of the Wi-Fi hotspot locations, a wireless transmission sent by the wireless device;
• extracting a unique device identifier associated with the wireless device from said wireless transmission;
• wirelessly transmitting an engagement offer to the wireless device via said WAP, said engagement offer requiring user action on the wireless device for implementation, said user action resulting in enhanced communicative access to the wireless device via user contact data associated with a distinct user communication stream;
• recognizing the wireless device in response to subsequent detection of said unique device identifier at any of the hotspot locations in response to a subsequent user visit thereto;
• and
• in response to subsequently recognizing the wireless device via said unique device identifier, using said enhanced communicative access to automatically engage the user of the wireless device without user input via said distinct communication stream;
• wherein said user contact data is at least one of a user e-mail address or Short Message Service (SMS) contact data, and wherein said distinct user communication stream is correspondingly at least one of email or Short Message Service (SMS).

A system for providing Wi-Fi network access at multiple Wi-Fi hotspot locations, the system comprising:

• a network accessible database having stored therein a plurality of device profiles each identifying a respective wireless device by a stored unique device identifier, each said stored unique device identifier indicative of an inherent characteristic of said respective wireless device;
• and
• a wireless access point (WAP), comprising one or more hardware processors, at each of said multiple Wi-Fi hotspot locations and configured to detect at a given location a wireless transmission sent from a given wireless device and having embedded therein a transmitted unique device identifier inherent to said given wireless device, said WAP interfacing with said network accessible database to cross-reference said transmitted unique device identifier with said plurality of device profiles to identify a matching profile and thereby recognize said given wireless device, and otherwise automatically create a new device profile based on said transmitted unique device identifier so to recognize said given wireless device in response to subsequent detection at any of said multiple Wi-Fi hotspot locations;
• wherein the system provides the given wireless device wireless access to an intercept page via said WAP;
• wherein said intercept page displays an opt-in user option for gaining user Wi-Fi network access at the given location via said WAP and input of user contact data, wherein said user contact data is associated with a distinct user communication stream, and wherein said user contact data is received via said intercept page;
• wherein the system is operable to:
• recognize the wireless device in response to subsequent detection of said unique device identifier at any of the Wi-Fi hotspot locations in response to a subsequent user visit thereto;
• and
• push a user message via said distinct user communication stream using said user contact data in response to recognizing the wireless device on said subsequent user visit;
• and
• wherein said user contact data comprises at least one of a user e-mail address or Short Message Service (SMS) contact data, and wherein said user message correspondingly comprises at least one of an e-mail message to said user e-mail address or an SMS message via said SMS contact data.