Method and apparatus for time-aware and location-aware marketing

Abstract

Methods and systems for communicating inferred information to a wireless device user are disclosed. A method comprises determining a location of the wireless device and a time of day at the location of the wireless device inferring an interest of the wireless device user and transmitting data to said device; wherein said data is related to the inferred interest of the wireless device user. A method also comprises inferring the interest of the wireless device user based upon the devices vicinity to at least one business entity. Another method comprises transmitting information to the wireless device user that is related to the business in which the wireless device user is in the vicinity.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of communicating inferred information to a wireless device user, comprising:
 determining a location of a wireless device and a time of day at the location of the wireless device;   inferring an interest of the wireless device user;   and transmitting data to said wireless device; wherein said data is related to the inferred interest of the wireless device user.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said inferring the interest of the wireless device user comprises inferring the interest of the wireless device user from the time and day at the location. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said inferring the interest of the wireless device user comprises using a profile of wireless device user preferences. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein said inferring the interest of the wireless device user further comprises identifying trends in selections made by the wireless device user in order to ascertain said interest. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein inferring the interest of the user comprises inferring information of interest to the wireless device user based upon information received from at least one other wireless device user. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the at least one other wireless device user is at a substantially similar location as the wireless device user. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the wireless device comprises a cellular phone. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein data related to the inferred interest is transmitted using Short Message Service (SMS). 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein additional information associated with the data related to the inferred interest is transmitted sequentially to the wireless device responsive to at least one wireless device action. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the at least one wireless device action comprises making a selection on the wireless device. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the data related to the inferred interest transmitted to the wireless devices comprises an identity and a location of at least one entity. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the at least one wireless device action comprises moving the wireless device within a distance of at least one entity associated with the data related to the inferred interest. 
     
     
         13 . A system of communicating inferred information to at least one wireless device, comprising:
 at least one information originating entity configured to communicate with the at least one wireless device; and   at least one database storing wireless device information, the at least one database being operably connected to the at least one information originating entity and storing wireless device information;   wherein the at least one information originating entity is configured to infer at least one interest of a user of the at least one wireless device based on a location associated with the wireless device, a time of day associated with the wireless device, and at least one user preference associated with the wireless device;   wherein the at least one information originating entity automatically transmits data related to the inferred interest to the at least one wireless device.   
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the at least one wireless device comprises a cellular phone. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the information originating entity transmits data related to the inferred interest using Short Message Service (SMS). 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein additional information associated with the data related to the inferred interest is transmitted sequentially to the at least one wireless device responsive to at least one wireless device action. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the at least one wireless device action comprises making a selection on the wireless device. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 16  wherein the at least one wireless device action comprises moving the wireless device within the vicinity of at least one entity associated with the data related to the at least one interest. 
     
     
         19 . A program product comprising:
 a storage device having program code embodied therewith, the program code comprising:   program code configured to interact with at least one information originating entity configured to communicate with at least one wireless device; and   program code configured to receive data related to at least one inferred interest of a user of the at least one wireless device automatically transmitted by the information originating entity, wherein the at least one inferred interest is based on a location associated with the wireless device, a time of day associated with the wireless device, and at least one user preference associated with the wireless device.