Prioritizing beacon messages for mobile devices

A method comprising:

• receiving, at a mobile device, beacon messages from multiple beacon devices over short-range communication links, the beacon devices being within a vicinity of an establishment, wherein the beacon messages are configured to provide content associated with the establishment;
• determining, at the mobile device, priorities of the beacon messages based on one or more criteria;
• selecting, at the mobile device, a beacon message of the beacon messages based on the priorities to produce a selected beacon message;
• and
• presenting the selected beacon message through the mobile device,
• wherein determining the priorities comprises:
• assigning a first priority to a first beacon message of the beacon messages based on the first beacon message being a duplicate of a previously received beacon message;
• and
• assigning a second priority to a second beacon message of the beacon messages based on the second beacon message not being a duplicate of a previously received beacon message, wherein the second priority is higher than the first priority.

A system comprising:

• a network interface configured to communicate with mobile devices;
• and
• processor electronics configured to store applications, including an application, for download to the mobile devices via the network interface,
• wherein the application comprises instructions to cause a mobile device to perform operations comprising:
• receiving beacon messages from multiple beacon devices over short-range communication links, the beacon devices being within a vicinity of an establishment, wherein the beacon messages are configured to provide content associated with the establishment;
• determining priorities of the beacon messages based on one or more criteria;
• selecting a beacon message of the beacon messages based on the priorities to produce a selected beacon message;
• and
• presenting the selected beacon message through the mobile device,
• wherein determining the priorities comprises (i) determining a reason for a visit by a user of the mobile device to the establishment, and (ii) applying a rule set that is based on the reason to determine the priorities.

A system comprising:

• a network interface configured to communicate with mobile devices;
• and
• processor electronics configured to store applications, including an application, for download to the mobile devices via the network interface,
• wherein the application comprises instructions to cause a mobile device to perform operations comprising:
• receiving beacon messages from multiple beacon devices over short-range communication links, the beacon devices being within a vicinity of an establishment, wherein the beacon messages are configured to provide content associated with the establishment;
• determining priorities of the beacon messages based on one or more criteria;
• selecting a beacon message of the beacon messages based on the priorities to produce a selected beacon message;
• and
• presenting the selected beacon message through the mobile device,
• wherein determining the priorities comprises:
• assigning a first priority to a first beacon message of the beacon messages based on the first beacon message being a duplicate of a previously received beacon message;
• and
• assigning a second priority to a second beacon message of the beacon messages based on the second beacon message not being a duplicate of a previously received beacon message, wherein the second priority is higher than the first priority.

An apparatus comprising:

• circuitry configured to receive beacon messages from multiple beacon devices over short-range communication links, the beacon devices being within a vicinity of an establishment, wherein the beacon messages are configured to provide content associated with the establishment;
• and
• a processor configured to perform operations comprising:
• determining priorities of the beacon messages based on one or more criteria;
• selecting a beacon message of the beacon messages based on the priorities to produce a selected beacon message;
• and
• presenting the selected beacon message through the apparatus,
• wherein determining the priorities comprises (i) determining a reason for a visit by a user of the apparatus to the establishment, and (ii) applying a rule set that is based on the reason to determine the priorities.

An apparatus comprising:

• circuitry configured to receive beacon messages from multiple beacon devices over short-range communication links, the beacon devices being within a vicinity of an establishment, wherein the beacon messages are configured to provide content associated with the establishment and
• a processor configured to perform operations comprising:
• determining priorities of the beacon messages based on one or more criteria;
• selecting a beacon message of the beacon messages based on the priorities to produce a selected beacon message;
• and
• presenting the selected beacon message through the apparatus,
• wherein determining the priorities comprises:
• assigning a first priority to a first beacon message of the beacon messages based on the first beacon message being a duplicate of a previously received beacon message;
• and
• assigning a second priority to a second beacon message of the beacon messages based on the second beacon message not being a duplicate of a previously received beacon message, wherein the second priority is higher than the first priority.