Promotion Using Geopositioning Technology

Abstract

Promotional items can be geocached at desired locations as part of a geocaching promotion in which geocachers attempt to locate the promotional items using clues, solving puzzles, or otherwise obtaining GPS coordinates and other information used to determine the geolocation of the geocached promotional items. Some or all of the information needed to identify the geolocation can be encoded into an electronic format and delivered directly to mobile devices including GPS receivers via radio broadcasts or the Internet. GPS coordinates can also be pre-loaded into mobile devices awarded to particular geocachers. Additionally, tracking devices can be attached to the promotional items to permit evaluation of the marketing effort.

1 . A method comprising:
 encoding information associated with a geolocation of a geocache in an electromagnetic medium; and   transmitting the information to a mobile device including a GPS receiver.   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 selecting a geolocation at which to geocache a promotional item based on anticipated sales of a product offered for sale at the selected geolocation; and   geocaching the promotional item at the geolocation.   
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 attaching a tracking device to a plurality of promotional items;   geocaching the plurality of promotional items, at least one of the plurality of promotional items being geocached at the geolocation; and   tracking the plurality of promotional items to obtain information related to an effectiveness of an advertising campaign.   
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein transmitting the information comprises:
 broadcasting the information to a plurality of mobile devices including GPS receivers.   
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein transmitting the information comprises:
 embedding the information in a commercial radio transmission.   
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 storing the information in a memory of the mobile device prior to the mobile device being provided to a geocacher.   
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 providing additional information required to fully identify the geolocation of the geocache via a web site.   
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein providing the additional information further comprises:
 providing the additional information to the mobile device via a browser plug-in.   
   
   
       9 . A system comprising:
 memory storing information associated with a geolocation of a geocache;   a processor coupled to the memory and configured to format the information for use by a mobile device including a GPS receiver; and   a transmitter configured to transmit the information via an electromagnetic medium.   
   
   
       10 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the transmitter is further configured to broadcast the information to a plurality of mobile devices including GPS receivers via a commercial radio broadcast. 
   
   
       11 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
 provide additional information required to fully identify the geolocation of the geocache in conjunction with a web site.   
   
   
       12 . The system of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 a database configured to store information associated with the movements of an item removed from the geocache; and   wherein the processor is configured to evaluate an effectiveness of   an advertising campaign based on the movements of the item removed from the geocache.   
   
   
       13 . A method comprising:
 placing a promotional good in a geocache at a geolocation;   broadcasting information associated with the geolocation of the geocache via a radio station; and   determining an effectiveness of a marketing campaign based on information related to movement of the promotional good after the promotional good has been removed from the geocache.   
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 attaching tracking devices to a plurality of promotional goods;   geocaching the plurality of promotional goods, at least one of the plurality of promotional goods being geocached at the geolocation; and   tracking movements of the promotional goods using the tracking devices.   
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein:
 at least one of the tracking devices is an RFID transmitter, and   tracking movements comprises obtaining information from an RFID reader indicating that one or more promotional goods have passed within range of the RFID reader.   
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 receiving computer readable information transferred from at least one of the tracking devices via a communication network.   
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 selecting a geolocation at which to geocache the promotional items based on anticipated sales of a product offered for sale at the selected geolocation.   
   
   
       18 . A mobile device to be used by a geocacher in finding a geocached promotional item, the mobile device comprising:
 a GPS receiver;   at least one processor coupled to the GPS receiver; and   a memory operably associated with the at least one processor, the memory pre-loaded with at least a portion of a geolocation of a geocache before the mobile communication device is provided to the geocacher.   
   
   
       19 . The mobile of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 a wireless transceiver coupled to the at least one processor; and   a program of executable instructions stored in the memory, the program of executable instructions including at least one instruction to use the wireless transceiver to obtain additional information related to the geolocation of the geocache via the wireless transceiver.   
   
   
       20 . The mobile of  claim 19 , further comprising:
 a program of executable instructions stored in the memory, the program of executable instructions including at least one instruction to connect to a web site to obtain additional information related to the geolocation of the geocache.