Method and system for constructing an internet-based imaging system

Abstract

A system and method is presented that uses software logic (executing in one or more servers) to inter-connect mobile devices and location-deriving signal generating devices to collectively act as an Imaging System that outputs a periodic succession of images containing information about the preferences and purchase and transaction history of consumers. The Imaging System so constructed is called a SoftCamera in a fashion analogous to a conventional light-based camera. Images output by the SoftCamera may be transmitted to third-party providers or used to send information and recommendations to consumers. The SoftCamera thus may be used as a Recommender System in certain embodiments.

1 .- 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A method of producing a first sequence of images of a first demarcated geographic area, comprising:
 A. generating a first image in the first sequence by
 (i) enhancing a first dataset associated with the first demarcated geographic area with a second dataset, the second dataset obtained from location-derivable information received over a network connection from two or more transmitting elements located in the first demarcated geographic area, the location-derivable information in the second dataset being obtained during a first time-interval determined by a system clock; 
 (ii) configuring the first time-interval based on a system policy or parameter; 
   B. generating a second image in the first sequence by
 (i) enhancing the first dataset associated with the first demarcated geographic area with a third dataset, the third dataset obtained from second location-derivable information received over the network connection from at least one transmitting element located in the first demarcated geographic area, the second location-derivable information in the second dataset being obtained during a second time-interval determined by the system clock; and 
 (ii) configuring the second time-interval based on a system policy or parameter; and 
   C. rendering the first and second images in the first sequence of images.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21  wherein at least one of the transmitting elements is incorporated in a mobile communication device. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 21  further comprising enhancing the first and second datasets with a third dataset, the third dataset including trend analysis data. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 21  further comprising enhancing the first and second datasets with a third dataset, the third dataset being selected from the group consisting of customer relationship management data and purchase history data. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 21  further comprising enhancing the first and second datasets with a third dataset and obtaining the third dataset from an analysis of one or more online data feeds. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 21  further comprising enhancing the first and second datasets with an inference obtained from an analysis of a third dataset. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 21  wherein the first dataset includes a planogram. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 26  wherein the analysis is performed using machine-learning techniques. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 21  wherein each of the transmitting elements is located in a mobile communication device and further comprising predicting a number of mobile communication devices that will be in a specified portion of the first demarcated geographic area at a future time based on the first and second images. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 21  wherein each of the transmitting elements is located in a mobile communication device and further comprising associating at least one of the mobile communication devices with a user identifier that identifies the user of the respective mobile device. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 30  further comprising sending an electronic message to the identified user 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 31  further comprising sending the electronic message after the identified user has exited the first demarcated geographic area. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 31  wherein content of the electronic message is determined based on the first and second images. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 21  wherein the mobile communication device includes an orchestration script that is operable when the mobile communication device is in the first demarcated geographic area and the network connection is unavailable, the orchestration script causing specified actions to be performed upon specified conditions being satisfied by a location of the mobile communication device obtained from the location-derivable information available to the mobile communication device. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 21  further comprising producing a second sequence of images of a second demarcated geographic area by:
 D. generating a first image in the second sequence by
 (i) enhancing a third dataset associated with the second demarcated geographic area with a fourth dataset, the fourth dataset obtained from location-derivable information received over a network connection from two or more transmitting elements located in the second demarcated geographic area, the location-derivable information in the fourth dataset being obtained during a third configured time-interval determined by the system clock; 
 (ii) configuring the third time-interval based on a system policy or parameter; 
 
 E. generating a second image in the second sequence by
 (i) enhancing the third dataset associated with the second demarcated geographic area with a fifth dataset, the fifth dataset obtained from second location-derivable information received over the network connection from at least one of the transmitting elements located in the second demarcated geographic area, the second location-derivable information in the fifth dataset being obtained during a fourth time-interval determined by the system clock; and 
 (ii) configuring the fourth time-interval based on a system policy or parameter; and 
 
 F. rendering the first and second images in the second sequence of images. 
 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 35  wherein each of the transmitting elements is located in a mobile communication device and further comprising identifying a common user of a mobile communication device that is rendered in one of the images in the first sequence of images of the first demarcated geographic area and in one of the images in the second sequence of images of the second demarcated geographic area. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 35  further comprising examining behavior of the common user based on the images in the first sequence of images of the first demarcated geographic area and in the second sequence of images of the second demarcated geographic area. 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 37  further comprising inferring an intent of the common user based on the behavior. 
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 35  wherein the first sequence of images in the first demarcated geographic area and the second sequence of images in the second demarcated geographic area are produced in parallel with one another. 
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 35  wherein the third dataset includes a second planogram.