System and method for providing content using beacon systems

Abstract

A method and system for broadcasting a beacon identifier identifying the beacon system from the beacon system to a user device, receiving the beacon identifier at a content determination system from the user device, determining contextual content at the content determination system based on the beacon identifier, transmitting the contextual content from the content determination system to the user device, where the user device automatically transmits the contextual content to the first beacon system in response to receiving the contextual content, receiving the contextual content at the beacon system from the user device, and controlling the output display with the beacon system to present the contextual content.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A method comprising:
 while a beacon system is communicably coupled to an output display:   a) receiving, at a content determination system, a beacon identifier identifying the beacon system from an endpoint, wherein the beacon identifier was broadcast from the beacon system to the endpoint;   b) determining contextual content at the content determination system based on the beacon identifier; and   c) transmitting the contextual content to the endpoint, wherein the contextual content is transmitted from the endpoint to the beacon system and presented on the output display.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the beacon identifier is continuously broadcast, contemporaneously with a) through c), by the beacon system for receipt by a second endpoint. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising, in response to the detection of an action at the endpoint:
 determining updated contextual content at the content determination system; and   transmitting the updated contextual content to the endpoint, wherein the updated contextual content is transmitted from the endpoint to the beacon system and presented on the output display.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the endpoint comprises a user device, the method further comprising:
 determining endpoint content at the content determination system based on the beacon identifier; and   in response to the detection of the action at the endpoint, transmitting the endpoint content to the endpoint, wherein the endpoint content is presented at the endpoint.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the beacon system is a first beacon system and the beacon identifier is a first beacon identifier, and further comprising:
 receiving, at the content determination system, a second beacon identifier identifying a second beacon system from the endpoint, wherein the second beacon identifier was broadcast from the second beacon system to the endpoint;   determining a location parameter for the endpoint; and   selecting, based on the location parameter, one of the first or second beacon systems to control presentation of the contextual content, wherein c) is performed when the first beacon system is selected.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the location parameter is determined based on a first known location associated with the first beacon identifier and a second known location associated with the second beacon identifier. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the first beacon system is selected in response to a determination, based on the location parameter, that the endpoint is closer to the first beacon system than to the second beacon system. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein selecting one of the first or second beacon systems is further based on an availability parameter for the second beacon system. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein, after a determination that the endpoint is closer to the second beacon system than the first beacon system, the first beacon is selected in response to a determination that the second beacon system is unavailable based on the availability parameter. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising receiving, at the content determination system, a supplementary beacon identifier identifying a supplementary beacon, wherein the contextual content is determined based on the supplementary beacon identifier and the beacon identifier. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the first beacon system is operated in a master mode comprising:
 monitoring for the supplementary beacon identifier;   receiving the supplementary beacon identifier at the first beacon system from the supplementary beacon; and   transmitting the supplementary beacon identifier from the first beacon system to the content determination system.   
     
     
         12 . A method comprising:
 while a beacon system is communicably coupled to an output display:   a) determining a device parameter of a device;   b) after determining the device parameter, receiving, at a content determination system, a device identifier identifying the device;   c) determining contextual content with the content determination system based on the device identifier; and   d) transmitting the contextual content to the beacon system, wherein the contextual content is sent from the beacon system to the output display.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the device is a user device. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein determining the device parameter comprises determining whether a location of the device is within a predetermined threshold distance from the beacon system. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the device parameter comprises device motion determined based on accelerometer data sampled at an accelerometer of the device. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the beacon system controls the output display to present standby content during a)-c). 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the beacon system is a first beacon system communicably coupled to a first output display and wherein a second beacon system is communicably coupled to a second output display, the method further comprising:
 selecting one of the first or second beacon systems based on the device parameter.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein determining the device parameter further comprises receiving, at the content determination system, a first beacon identifier identifying the first beacon system and a second beacon identifier identifying the second beacon system, and wherein the device parameter comprises a location parameter determined based on the first beacon identifier and the second beacon identifier. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the first beacon system is selected in response to a determination, based on the device parameter, that the device is closer to the first beacon system than to the second beacon system. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein, after a determination that the device is closer to the second beacon system than the first beacon system, the first beacon is selected in response to a determination that the second beacon system is unavailable.