WO2010042968A1

WO2010042968A1 - Wireless information gathering method and system

Info

Publication number: WO2010042968A1
Application number: PCT/AU2008/001533
Authority: WO
Inventors: Qingfeng Wang
Original assignee: Qingfeng Wang
Priority date: 2008-10-16
Filing date: 2008-10-16
Publication date: 2010-04-22

Abstract

The present invention provides wireless information gathering method and system and a transceiver apparatus. The present invention comprises a plurality of base stations and a server system. The base stations includes at least an information base station, each information base station corresponds to at least one message information, wherein when any base station receives an apparatus information, it transmits the apparatus information comprising at least an identification information, each identification information corresponding to a sifting condition and at least one attribute data. In addition, the server system is used for receiving the apparatus information and pre-storing the at least one message information, the plurality of identification information, and sifting condition and at least one attribute data corresponding to each identification information, wherein upon receiving the apparatus information, the server system determines whether there is at least one matching message information. When there is at least one matching message information, the server system transmits the at least one matching message information through the base station that transmitted the apparatus information.

Description

WIRELESS INFORMATION GATHERING METHOD AND SYSTEM

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to data gathering method and system, more particularly to a data gathering method and system achieved via wireless communication.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Retail companies and manufactories spend billions of dollars each year trying to understand consumers and their behaviors. These are traditionally done via exit interview or large online tracking study. Exit interview is now rarely conducted as people do not like been interrupted, online tracking study on the other hand sometimes can be very costly and not conducted in real-time.

When it comes to marketing and promotion, traditionally is to distribute flyers to nearby consumers. Over the past few years more and more businesses are adopting the SMS marketing. Distributing flyers is a very resource consuming approach and environment unfriendly. Not only that, SMS marketing is not a very consumer friendly approach, it is under heavy regulation.

None of the above mentioned and the existing approaches for consumer behavior analysis or products/services promotion is effective, efficient and accurate enough for a business to adopt. Though a large amount of data for the analysis or promotion can be collected by computers automatically, these data are generally from multiple sources. Therefore, what is needed for businesses is a solution for collecting useful data concerning consumer behaviors, preferable from a single source, and promoting products/services in real time to the right targets under his/her preferences and in a much more effective, efficient and accurate manner.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a wireless information gathering system, comprising: a plurality of base stations comprising at least an information base station, each information base station corresponds to at least one message information, wherein when any base station receives an apparatus information, it transmits the apparatus information comprising at least an identification information, each identification information corresponding to a sifting condition and at least one attribute data; and a server system for receiving the apparatus information and pre-storing the at least one message information, the plurality of identification information, and sifting condition and at least one attribute data corresponding to each identification information, wherein upon receiving the apparatus information, the server system determines whether there is at least one matching message information. When there is at least one matching message information, the server system transmits the at least one matching message information through the base station that transmitted the apparatus information.

In addition, the present invention provides a wireless information gathering method, which comprises: receiving the apparatus information transmitted from the plurality of base stations; upon receiving the apparatus information, determining whether there is at least one matching message information based on the sifting condition corresponding to the identification information of the apparatus information and the base station that transmitted the apparatus information; and when there is at least one matching message information, the base station that transmitted the apparatus information sending out the at least one matching message information.

Moreover, the present invention further provides a wireless information transceiver apparatus, comprising: a storage device for storing an identification information and at least one sifting rule; a wireless transceiver device for transmitting an apparatus information comprising the identification information in accordance with a wireless communication protocol, and receiving at least one message information; a sifting device for finding at least one matching message information based on the at least one sifting rule; and a rendering device for rendering the at least one message information matching the at least one sifting rule.

The server system further includes recording the apparatus information and identification information and gather statistics of the attribute data. In addition, when a plurality of base station receive the same apparatus information, the server system regards the base station receiving the apparatus information with the strongest strength as the base station that transmits the apparatus information. Alternatively, the server system may calculate the source location based on the geographical locations of the base stations and the signal strength of the apparatus information received by each base station.

Furthermore, the wireless information transceiver apparatus or the wireless transceiver device may switch from an idle/sleep mode to a wakeup mode, upon receiving a request signal, and transmits the apparatus information; if no request signal is received after a predetermined period of time, it switches back to the idle/sleep mode, or if no request signal or message information is received after a predetermined period of time, it switches back to the idle/sleep mode. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings incorporated in and forming a part of the specification illustrate several aspects of the present invention, and together with the description serve to explain the principles of the disclosure. In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram depicting a wireless information gathering system according to one embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating the functional blocks of a wireless information gathering system of the present invention;

Fig. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating the flowchart of the wireless information gathering method of the present invention. Fig. 4 is a schematic diagram depicting a wireless information transceiver apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention; and

Fig. 5 is a schematic diagram depicting a wireless information gather system according to another embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring to Fig. 1 in conjunction with Fig. 2, Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram depicting a wireless information gathering system according to an embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating the functional blocks of the wireless information gathering system. The wireless information gathering system of the present invention includes a plurality of base stations 20 and a server system 10. The plurality of base stations 20 and the server system 10 establishes a communication link via wired network, wireless network or a hybrid of the above networks. In the cases that communication link is established via a wireless network, the communication link communicates in compliance with at least one wireless communication protocol, such as a radio communication protocol (e.g. WiFi, WiMax, or Bluetooth etc.), a mobile phone communication protocol, an infrared communication protocol, a satellite communication protocol, or a microwave communication protocol. Other wireless communication network known to those skilled in the art can be equally applicable to the present invention.

When a base station 20 receives an apparatus information 31 transmitted by a wireless information transceiver apparatus 30, the base station 20 forwards the apparatus information 31 to the server system 10. The apparatus information 31 includes an identification information 11 , which can be one of a plurality of identification information 11 stored in the server system 10. Each identification information 11 corresponds to a sifting condition 13 and at least one attribute data 12. Since the apparatus information 31 is related to the identification information 11 , the sifting condition 13 and the attribute data 12 corresponding to the identification information 11 also corresponds to the apparatus information 31. In addition, the server system 10 may include a storage device 15 for storing relevant data.

Moreover, the plurality of base stations 20 include at least one information base station, where each information base station 20 corresponds to at least one message information 14 pre-stored in the storage device 15 of the server system 10. When the server system 10 receives an apparatus information 31 , the server system 10 will try to find at least one matching message information based on the sifting condition 13 that corresponds to the identification information 11 in the apparatus information 31 and the base station 20 that transmits the apparatus information 31. When the server system 10 indeed finds at least one matching message information 16, the server system 10 sends the matching message information 16 to the base station 20 that transmits the apparatus information 31. Accordingly, upon receiving an apparatus information 31 , the server system 10 will know, for example, the apparatus information 31 , the identification information 11 , the base station 20 that transmits the apparatus information 31 , and record all or portions of these relevant data in the server system 10, such that the server system 10 may obtain and gather statistics of attribute data 12 based on the corresponding apparatus information 31 or identification information 11. The above attribute data 12 can, for example, be personal information, such as name, favorite, address, age, sex, work....etc. Other personal or non- personal information that are known to those skilled in the art are applicable to the present invention. Therefore, the server system 10 can gather statistics and analysis of a single base station 20 or across various base stations based on the time the apparatus information is received, the base station 20 that transmits the apparatus information 31 , the attribute data 12 and sifting condition 13 corresponding to the identification information, the matching message information(s) 16, for example. As can be appreciated by one skilled in the art that the server system 10 can constitute one independent server, a plurality of independent servers (e.g. a server cluster) or ranked servers, for example, the base station may transmit an apparatus information 31 to a lower-rank server, then this lower-rank server then sends the apparatus information 31 to a higher-rank server or server clusters, wherein the number of lower-rank server may be plural. In addition, an apparatus information 31 may be an independent information or part of information included in an information set. In one preferred embodiment, the apparatus information 31 includes the above identification information 11 as well as packet information related to packet identification information that would be transmitted to the server system 10. The apparatus information 31 may be modified during transmission according to different transmitting medium or with information added thereto or subtracted therefrom, which is not limited by the present invention.

Moreover, the information base station 20 corresponds to a base station 20 having at least one message information 14. There may be a plurality of message information 14 stored in the server system 10, different information base station 20 may correspond to portions or all of the message information 14. The correlation between the information base station 20 and the message information 14 can be dynamically modified. Once corresponding to at least one message information 14, the base station is being regarded as an information base station 20. On the contrary, an information base station 20 may become an ordinary base station 20 once it does not correspond to any information. Thus, the information base station 20 is a base station that corresponds to at least one message information 14, and is capable of sending the at least one message information.

Furthermore, when a plurality of base stations 20 receives an same apparatus information 31 simultaneously, these base stations 20 may send information indicating the signal strength of the apparatus information 31 received in addition to or along with the apparatus information 31. As a result, the server system 10 can then select at least one base station 20 as the base station(s) 20 that transmit(s) the apparatus information 31 based on the signal strengths. For example, in one embodiment of the present invention, when a plurality of base stations receives an identical apparatus information 31 at the same time, the server system 10 may treat all those base stations as the base stations 20 that transmit the apparatus information 31. In an alternative embodiment of the present invention, when a plurality of base stations receives an identical apparatus information 31 at the same time, the server system 10 may treat the base station that receives the apparatus information 31 with the strongest signal strength as the base station 20 that transmits the apparatus information 31. In an alternative embodiment of the present invention, when a plurality of base stations receives an identical apparatus information 31 at the same time, the server system 10 may calculate the source location based on geographical locations of those base stations 20 and the signal strength of the apparatus information received by the base stations 20, and select the base station that is closest to the source as the base station that transmits the apparatus information 31.

Therefore, another embodiment of the present invention provides a wireless information gathering method. A plurality of base stations 20 transmit the apparatus information described before, wherein the plurality of base stations 20 include at least one information base station 20 that respectively corresponds to at least one message information 14, wherein when any base station 20 receives an apparatus information 31 , it then transmits this apparatus information 31. Additionally, the apparatus information 31 includes an identification information 11 , each identification information respectively corresponding to a sifting condition 13 and at least one attribute data 12.

Fig. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating the flowchart of the wireless information gathering method of the present invention. First, as shown in step 310, receiving apparatus information 31 transmitted by a plurality of base stations in accordance with at least one wireless communication protocol. Next, as shown in step 320, at least a message information 14 and a plurality of identification information 11 each corresponding to a sifting condition 13 and at least one attribute data 12 are provided. When an apparatus information 31 is received, as shown in step 330, based on the sifting condition 13 corresponding to the identification information 11 included in the received apparatus information 31 and the base station 20 that transmits the apparatus information 31 , at least one matching message information 16 is searched. When at least one matching message information 16 is found, as shown in step 340, the at least one matching information 16 is sent through the base station 20 that transmits the apparatus information 31. Other relevant details of this embodiment have been disclosed above and will not be further described.

Moreover, the apparatus information 31 can be sent by a wireless

1 information transmitting apparatus or a wireless information transceiver apparatus 30 in accordance with a wireless communication protocol described above. The manner of transmission may be continuous, intermittent or actuated (e.g. by an actuating signal coming from the base station 20).

Accordingly, another embodiment of the present invention provides a wireless information transceiver apparatus 30 as shown in Fig. 4, which includes a storage device 32, a wireless transceiver device 34, a sifting device 36 and a rendering device 38. The storage device 32 may store at least one identification information 11 (included in the apparatus information 31 ) and at least one sifting rule 33. Each storage device 32 may store an unique identification information 11 or a plurality of different identification information 11. Alternatively, the storage devices 32 in different sets of wireless information transceiver apparatuses 30 may, respectively, store different identification information 11. In one preferred embodiment of the present invention, the storage device 32 in each wireless information transceiver apparatus 30 stores an unique identification information 11.

The wireless transceiver device 34 can transmit the device information 31 including the identification information 11 based one at least one wireless communication protocol described above, and receive at least one message information 14. The sifting device 36 determines whether there is a matched message information 35 that matched with the message information 14 based on the sifting rule 33. If so, then the rendering device 38 renders the matched message information 35. The rendering device 38 may be a text, sound, image (including pictures and video) or indication (e.g. light display or flash) rendering device or a multimedia device having a combination of all or portions of the above functionalities. The message information 14 and the matched message information 35 may be selected from a group consisting of: sound, image, text, signal, command or a combination of the above. Other forms of message information recognized by those skilled in the art are also applicable to the present invention.

The wireless transceiver device 34 transmits the device information 31 in accordance with a wireless communication protocol described above. The manner of transmission may be continuous, intermittent or actuated. In one preferred embodiment, the wireless transceiver device 34 may send the device information 31 upon receiving a requesting signal. In an example, the requesting signal can be sent by at least one base station 20 or inputted via a human- machine interface on the wireless information transceiver apparatus 30, such as a manually actuated button or a touch sensor. Thus, there can be two modes in the wireless information transceiver apparatus 30 or the wireless transceiver device 34: an idle (or sleep) mode and a wakeup mode. For example, the apparatus or device may operate in a power mode that is lower than the wakeup mode to save power, if the requesting signal or message information 14 is not received within a predetermined period of time, and switch into the wakeup mode once the requesting signal or the message information 14 is received. In one example of the present invention, the wireless information transceiver apparatus 30 or the wireless transceiver device 34 switches from the idle mode to the wakeup mode upon receiving a requesting signal, and sends a device information 31. If the requesting signal or a message information 14 is not received in a predetermined period of time, it switches back to the idle mode. Additionally, the sifting rule 33 can be updated dynamically. For example, if the wireless transceiver device 34 receives an update information, then the sifting rule 33 is updated based on the update information. In one example of the present invention, the update information may be sent from a base station 20 or other devices, or input from a human-machine interface (e.g. keyboard, button or touch sensor) or connecting interface on or outside of the wireless information transceiver apparatus 30. For example, the owner of the wireless information transceiver apparatus 30 may modify his/her personal attribute data 12, the sifting condition 13 or the sifting rule 33 through a website or other web services via a personal computer or other electronic device. The modified sifting rule 33 can be transmitted from the base station to the wireless information transceiver apparatus 30 for update. Similarly, relevant attribute data 12, the sifting condition 13 or the sifting rule 33 can be downloaded from the server system 10 and stored in the wireless information transceiver apparatus 30.

In addition, the wireless information transceiver apparatus 30 may further include a function of hiding the identification information 11. The on/off setting of the identification information can be controlled by the owner of the wireless information transceiver apparatus 30 through a website or other web services via a computer, and transmitted by the server system 10 to the wireless information transceiver apparatus 30 via the base station 20 to turn on/off the function of hiding the identification information 11.

In an example of the present invention, the wireless information transceiver apparatus 30 may send messages, such as the apparatus information 31 , to other wireless information transceiver apparatus 30 within the transmitting range of the wireless transceiver device 34. Alternatively, a wireless information transceiver apparatus 30 may request the server system 10 through a base station 20 to send messages to other wireless information transceiver apparatus 30. Thus, the wireless information transceiver apparatus 30 can also be applicable to information sharing between different users.

As an example, when a user carrying a wireless information transceiver apparatus 30 is near a shop, a restaurant, or a bookstore, for example, the base stations 20 near these sites may receive apparatus information 31 from the wireless information transceiver apparatus 30, the server system 10 may then analyze where these users have been to and their favorites, for example. If a base station 20 receiving the apparatus information 31 is an information base station, then the server system 10 may screen through the message information 14, such as an advertisement or discount information, to find one that matches the likes of this user using the sifting condition. Then, the information base station sends this matching message information 16 to the wireless information transceiver apparatus 30 within the transmitting range of the information base station. However, in the same transmitting range, there may be other wireless information transceiver apparatuses 30 around, the matching message information 16 may not suite the characteristics of these users. In this case, the sifting rule 33 in the respective wireless information transceiver apparatus 30 may be applied to screen out and find a suitable (matched) message information 35, before rendered by the rendering device in the wireless information transceiver apparatus 30.

As a result, shopkeepers may specify an information base station and its corresponding message information 14 to be provided by the server system 10. In this way, consumers can be targeted more accurately in terms of marketing, while data related to consumer behaviors can be easily obtained, for example, the number, age, sex of consumers around a particular shop. Effectiveness of the promotion can also be monitored by including some kind of tracking data into the message information. For example, an advertisement information may include a one-time-only bar code that can be read by the retailers upon purchase. In addition, two strangers that have just met each other may exchange information through their wireless information transceiver apparatuses 30, such as a code or a telephone number. Thus, for example, after two people exchange codes, they may obtain authorization with each other through a mainframe ( e.g. in the form of a website) and get the contact information of the other person. Of course, after exchanging codes, one may change his/her mind by denying authorization of the other person.

In another embodiment of the present invention, as shown in Fig. 5, the base station 20 may communication with the server system 10 through a local server 40. One or more base station 20 may be connected to the local server 40, which in turn connect with the server system 10 through wired or wireless network, such as Internet.

Thus, the base station 20 can be a low-cost low-power wireless communication apparatus. Although coverage is smaller, but the lower cost of the base station 20 enables more base station 20 to be deployed, thus providing better communication quality and more accurate location of the wireless information transceiver apparatuses 30. Moreover, if there are too many base stations 20 directly connecting with the server system 10, it may cause the server system 10 to be overloaded. Thus, the use of a local server 40 may enable integration of information from base stations 20 in its locality. Then, the integrated information are then sent to the server system 10 and/or further forwarded to a specific base station 20. In other words, each local server 40 may be connected to at least one base station, wherein the apparatus information 31 is sent to the server system 10 via one of the local servers 40, and the message information 14 is sent to the base station 20 that transmits the apparatus information 31 via one of the local servers 40.

As described above, the server system 10 can constitute a plurality of servers. In an example of the present invention, the local servers 40 are servers that constitute the server system 10. In another embodiment of the present invention, the local servers 40 are servers that are independent of the servers constituting the server system.

The foregoing description is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed. Obvious modifications or variations are possible in light of the above teachings. In this regard, the embodiment or embodiments discussed were chosen and described to provide the best illustration of the principles of the invention and its practical application to thereby enable one of ordinary skill in the art to utilize the invention in various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. All such modifications and variations are within the scope of the inventions as determined by the appended claims when interpreted in accordance with the breath to which they are fairly and legally entitled.

It is understood that several modifications, changes, and substitutions are intended in the foregoing disclosure and in some instances some features of the invention will be employed without a corresponding use of other features. Accordingly, it is appropriate that the appended claims be construed broadly and in a manner consistent with the scope of the invention.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A wireless information gathering method, an apparatus information being transmitted by a plurality of base stations comprising at least an information base station, each information base station corresponding to at least one message information, wherein when any base station receives said apparatus information according to a wireless communication protocol, the base station transmits the apparatus information which comprising at least an identification information, each identification information corresponding to a sifting condition and at least one attribute data, the wireless information gathering method comprising: receiving the apparatus information transmitted from the plurality of base stations; upon receiving the apparatus information, determining whether there is at least one matching message information based on the sifting condition corresponding to the identification information of the apparatus information and the base station that transmitted the apparatus information; and when there is at least one matching message information, the base station that transmitted the apparatus information sending out the at least one matching message information.

2. A wireless information gathering method of claim 1 , further comprising: upon receiving the apparatus information, recording the identification information of the apparatus information; and gathering statistics of the attribute data based on the apparatus information transmitted by the plurality of base stations.

3. A wireless information gathering method of claim 1, wherein when a plurality of base stations receives the same apparatus information, the base station that receives the apparatus information with the strongest signal is regarded as the base station that transmits the apparatus information.

4. A wireless information gathering method of claim 1 , further comprising when a plurality of base stations receives the same apparatus information, calculating the signal source location based on the geographical locations of the plurality of base stations and the signal strengths of the apparatus information received by the plurality of base stations, and the base station nearest to the signal source location being regarded as the base station that transmits the apparatus information.

5. A wireless information gathering method of claim 1 , wherein when the base station transmitting the apparatus information is one of the information base station, then determining whether there is at least one matching message information based on the sifting condition corresponding to the identification information of the apparatus information.

6. A wireless information gathering method of claim 1, wherein the message information comprises one selected from the group consisting of or the combination: voice, image, text, signal and command.

7. A wireless information gathering method of claim 1 , wherein the apparatus information transmitted from the plurality of base stations is received and transmitted by a local server.

8. A wireless information gathering system, comprising: a plurality of base stations comprising at least an information base station, each information base station corresponds to at least one message information, wherein when any base station receives an apparatus information, the base station transmits the apparatus information comprising at least an identification information, each identification information corresponding to a sifting condition and at least one attribute data; and a server system for receiving the apparatus information and pre-storing the at least one message information, the plurality of identification information, and sifting condition and at least one attribute data corresponding to each identification information, wherein upon receiving the apparatus information, the server system determines whether there is at least one matching message information.

9. A wireless information gathering system of claim 8, wherein upon receiving the apparatus information, the server system recording the identification information of the apparatus information, wherein the server system gathering statistics of the attribute data based on the apparatus information transmitted by the plurality of base stations.

10. A wireless information gathering system of claim 8, wherein when a plurality of base stations receives the same apparatus information, the server system regards the base station that receives the apparatus information with the strongest signal as the base station that transmits the apparatus information.

11. A wireless information gathering system of claim 8, wherein when a plurality of base stations receives the same apparatus information, the server system calculates the signal source location based on the geographical locations of the plurality of base stations and the signal strengths of the apparatus information received by the plurality of base stations, and regards the base station nearest to the signal source location being as the base station that transmits the apparatus information.

12. A wireless information gathering system of claim 8, wherein upon receiving the apparatus information, the server system determines whether there is at least one matching message information based on the sifting condition corresponding to the identification information of the received apparatus information and the base station transmitting the apparatus information, and when there is at least one matching message information, the server system transmits the at least one matching message information through the base station transmitting the apparatus information.

13. A wireless information gathering system of claim 8, further comprising at least one wireless information transceiver apparatus, which comprises: a storage device for storing the identification information and at least one sifting rule; wireless transceiver device for transmitting the apparatus information comprising the identification information in accordance with a wireless communication protocol, and receiving the at least one message information; a sifting device for finding at least one matching message information based on the at least one sifting rule; and a rendering device for rendering the at least one message information matching the at least one sifting rule.

14. A wireless information gathering system of claim 13, wherein upon receiving a request signal from at least one base station, the wireless transceiver device transmits the apparatus information.

15. A wireless information gathering system of claim 13, wherein upon receiving an update information from said at least one base station by the wireless transceiver device, the at least one sifting rule is updated based on the update information.

16. A wireless information gathering system of claim 13, wherein the message information comprises one selected from the group consisting of or the combination: voice, image, text, signal and command.

17. A wireless information gathering system of claim 8, further comprising a plurality of local servers, each connected to at least one base station, wherein the apparatus information is transmitted to the server system through one of the local servers, and the message information is transmitted to the base station transmitting the apparatus information through one of the local servers.

18. A wireless information transceiver apparatus, comprising: a storage device for storing an identification information and at least one sifting rule; wireless transceiver device for transmitting a apparatus information comprising the identification information in accordance with a wireless communication protocol, and receiving at least one message information; a sifting device for finding at least one matching message information based on the at least one sifting rule; and a rendering device for rendering the at least one message information matching the at least one sifting rule.

19. A wireless information transceiver apparatus of claim 18, wherein upon receiving a request signal from at least one base station, the wireless transceiver device transmits the apparatus information.

20. A wireless information transceiver apparatus of claim 18, wherein upon receiving an update information from at least one base station by the wireless transceiver device, the at least one sifting rule is updated based on the update information.

21. A wireless information transceiver apparatus of claim 18, wherein the message information comprises one selected from the group consisting of or the combination: voice, image, text, signal and command.