Computer-implemented method for triggering a function

Abstract

A computer-implemented method for triggering a function, the method comprising the following steps: radio-based determination that a mobile user device is located at least in the surroundings of a sales area, checking whether representation data are available that represent advertising, in particular relating to the sales area and / or relating to a product offered in particular with respect to the sales area, which advertising was transmitted via the Internet to the user device itself or to another device linked to the user device, and automatic triggering of at least one function that corresponds to the representation data.

Description

[0001] title

[0002] Computer-implemented method for triggering functions

[0003] Description

[0004] Technical field

[0005] The invention relates to a computer-implemented method for triggering functions

[0006] background

[0007] The display of internet-based content on a user device is often accompanied by the provision of advertising, which is also displayed on the user device as additional information associated with the internet-based content and is perceived by the user as an incentive to purchase products or services.

[0008] Against this background, the invention has set itself the task of elevating the benefit of this additional information, i.e. advertising, beyond that of the pure incentive to buy.

[0009] Summary of the invention

[0010] This object is achieved by a computer-implemented method according to claim 1. The subject matter of the invention is therefore a computer-implemented method for triggering functions, the method comprising the following steps, namely: radio-based determination that a mobile user device is positioned at least in the vicinity of a sales area, checking whether representation data are present which represent advertising, in particular relating to the sales area and / or relating to a product offered, in particular with reference to the sales area, which advertising was transmitted via the Internet to the user device itself or to another device linked to the user device, and automatically triggering at least one function corresponding to the representation data.

[0011] The measures according to the invention have the advantage that the display of the advertisement on the user device or the other device linked to it can be used for later, fully automatic triggering of the function as soon as the user device is at least in the vicinity of the sales area. This enables location-dependent, automatic triggering of the function, with the location dependency resulting from the current location of the user device. The function itself can take many different forms, being a technical function, i.e., a function executed on a technical device, in particular a controlling or communicating function.

[0012] The sales area can be understood as, for example, the outdoor sales area of ​​a market, the interior of a supermarket building, or even a small shop on a street, etc., i.e., in general terms, a business premises or the area in the business premises where products are presented for sale.

[0013] The surroundings of the sales area can be understood as, for example, a parking lot, a parking garage, a street intersection or a sidewalk, etc. in the immediate vicinity of the sales area.

[0014] The mobile user device can be understood as a smartphone, a tablet computer, a smart watch or even a portable tracking device (such as the Air Tag introduced by Apple), etc.

[0015] Representation data can be understood as a digital image of the advertisement, such as plain text information contained in the advertisement or forming the advertisement, or plain text information describing the advertisement, or image information reduced to the essentials of the advertisement and / or audio information that describes the advertisement. However, it can also be information that encodes the advertisement according to a coding scheme that cannot be decoded without knowledge of a decoding scheme. This makes it possible to anonymize the content of the advertisement. It can also be data that provides a link via which the provided advertisement or metadata, i.e. data relating to the advertisement that describes the content, can be accessed.In connection with the representation data, so-called cookies may also be used, which are stored on the user device as a result of displaying internet-based content and make the representation data available there.

[0016] In order to interpret the content of the representation data, it can be automatically analyzed to determine whether it contains plain text information, e.g. the name of the sales area (i.e. the respective shop / supermarket name, etc.), or whether it contains image information that allows the location or name of the sales area to be inferred using digital image analysis, or whether it contains a link so that the location or name of the history area can be inferred via the link, or this information can be obtained, etc. The same applies analogously to the product. The representation data can also specify a combination of sales area and product in the form mentioned. In this way, the representation data can be used computer-based to infer a specific sales area, a specific product, or both.

[0017] The advertising is typically delivered from a computer other than the user's device to the user's device or the device linked to it via a communications network, in particular the Internet.

[0018] In a broad sense, the term "product" refers to both a good and a service that is offered and can be rented, leased, or purchased. The wording "advertising ... and / or relating to a product offered, particularly with reference to the sales area, represents, ..." is to be understood in such a way that it can, in principle, initially refer to an advertisement for a product without a direct reference to a sales area. In a narrower sense, however, it refers to an advertisement for a product with a reference to the sales area. This can refer to a product that is actually located in the sales area or to a product that is merely offered there, but does not necessarily have to be physically available there, for example because it is currently out of stock. Further, particularly advantageous embodiments and developments of the invention arise from the dependent claims and the following description.

[0019] The computer can be a single device, a server farm, a cloud-based service such as a video platform (e.g., YouTube, Vimeo, etc.), a search engine for searching for content on the Internet (e.g., Google, Bing, Yahoo, Baidu, Yandex, etc.), or similar. The cloud-based service can be centrally organized on a server farm or decentralized. The term "computer" is therefore to be understood as a synonym for the aforementioned entities or services and not only in the narrow sense of the word as a single device.

[0020] Furthermore, the computer is not the data processing system used by the operator of the business area for its commercial purposes, its product logistics or its control of equipment in the sales area, although this data processing system may also be organized in a decentralized or cloud-based manner.

[0021] Advertising, in turn, originally originates from an advertiser or essentially relates to them or their products. Advertisers can be companies, corporations, and individuals who advertise their own products or the products they simply sell, or who commission advertising for them. This can be the operator of a store who directly manages the business area. However, it can also be a producer of a product or a service provider who directly advertises their product or service, even though these products or services can be purchased in the sales area of ​​a third party (the shop operator). The sales area is therefore operated by a different natural or legal person who is different from the producer or service provider.Advertising agencies are often used for the operational implementation of advertising. They design the content of the advertisement and carry out the media implementation, whereby the advertisement is ultimately made available via the computer on the Internet and is placed there in the context of the content accessed.

[0022] Particularly preferably, in the course of determining that the mobile user device is positioned at least in the vicinity of the sales area, identification data (a user device identifier; a user identifier) ​​are recorded, which identification data identifies the user device or the user of the user device or the relationship between the user and the user device. This allows for the further data processing or communication, in particular for the automatic triggering of the function, a unique identification of either the user (via the relevant user device) or just the user device, or both. The function can therefore be triggered in a targeted manner in the context of the respective user or their user device.

[0023] For later use, the representation data can also contain identification data to identify the user device on which the advertisement was displayed or the user to whom the advertisement was displayed, or to establish a connection between the displayed advertisement and the user device or user. This connection can also exist across user devices, for example, a user can consume internet-based content at home at their personal computer (PC) while being shown advertisements, whereas they can move around the store, i.e. the sales area, with their smartphone or smartwatch to make purchases. In this typical scenario, the representation data can first be created on the PC and then transmitted to the user's other user devices.This can be done through direct communication between the various user devices or via a cloud-based service in which all of the user's involved devices are registered, i.e., linked to each other. However, the representation data can also be stored in a separate cloud-based service and made available centrally for further use.

[0024] According to one aspect of the invention, it can be provided that the automatic triggering of the function comprises at least one of the following activities, namely: logging the neighborhood relationship that has occurred, automatically transmitting an electronic message to the mobile user device, automatically transmitting an electronic message to a data processing system assigned to the operator of the sales area, wherein the logging and / or the automatic transmission of the electronic message represents an individual event of the neighborhood relationship that has occurred or forms a representation of several such individual events. In this case, the logging can be carried out, for example, in a log file. The log file can be created on the computer, the user device or the data processing system and then stored there.However, the log file may also be created on one of the mentioned entities and stored on another, depending on the respective further processing scenario.

[0025] Individual events for the occurrence of a proximity relationship can be logged and then immediately processed or forwarded. The occurrence of multiple such proximity relationships over time periods can also be recorded using the log file and, after the time period has elapsed, can be further processed or forwarded.

[0026] According to a first embodiment, the further processing of the resulting neighborhood relationships can be carried out, on the one hand, with the help of the mobile user device to which the log file was forwarded or where it was created.

[0027] According to a second variant, further processing may also be carried out using the data processing system of the operator of the sales area where the log file was created or to which it was transmitted.

[0028] According to a third variant, the evaluation of the log file can also be carried out with the help of an internet-based service (e.g. with the help of an internet-based search engine) which was also responsible for providing the advertising, for example.

[0029] What these three variants have in common is that the existing log file can be used to analyze the advertising strategy. This can be done in real time when the respective proximity relationship occurs, if the log file is processed immediately, or at a later point in time to analyze a larger data set relating to the occurrence of the proximity relationship. In particular, real-time processing has the advantage of enabling the most timely response possible to the occurrence of the proximity relationship, and if necessary, even making special offers available "just in time." The type and nature of the offers can be dynamically tailored to the respective proximity relationship or to the original underlying advertising.However, if several neighborhood events are evaluated together, i.e. after the time period in which they occur has elapsed, this can lead to an accurate statement about the advertising effect.

[0030] According to a further aspect of the invention, it can be provided that the automatic triggering of at least one function corresponding to the representation data comprises linking the representation data with the product position data for the product affected by the representation data with the aid of a database which stores the product position for products in the sales area using product position data. This measure forms the basis for further technical support measures which can lead to a purchase of the product. The linking subsequently allows a more precise distance or route to the location where the product in question, which was advertised with the aid of the advertisement, can actually be obtained. In this way, for example, a comparative scenario can be provided ordisplay, which not only allows for the comparison of different prices from different markets for a product, but also for the comparison of the actual distances measured from the user's current location to the product in question between the markets in which the product is offered. The one-dimensionality of the originally transmitted advertisement is thus broken down into multiple dimensions, providing a more meaningful basis for decision-making for the user, who is now provided with access not only to the advertisement but also to the associated product positions and parameters derived from them, such as distance to the product / market or travel time to the product / market.A similar approach can also be taken at the market level, i.e. at the level of the sales area, where prices, distances or even procurement times for advertised products of a comparable type, which are advertised in the advertisement, are made comparable for the user of the mobile device, i.e. for a potential customer.

[0031] According to a further aspect of the invention, it can be provided that the automatic triggering of at least one function corresponding to the representation data comprises automatically providing a discount for the product promoted by the advertisement for automatic use. This discount can be applied automatically when the product in question is purchased, i.e. without requiring further consultation with the user or any further action on the part of the user. On the other hand, this discount can also only be applied to the purchase when the user performs a further action, for example by scanning a confirmation code with their user device or interacting in an interface on their user device or performing a manual or radio or digital interaction on another device, such as a cash register terminal or an electronic display device.

[0032] According to a further aspect of the invention, the automatic triggering of at least one function corresponding to the representation data can include automatically generating purchase confirmation data as a result of a purchase of the product in the sales area, wherein the purchase confirmation data documents a connection between the advertisement and the purchased product, and the purchase confirmation data is provided for further processing. This connection ensures that those purchases related to the provided advertisement remain distinguishable from other purchases made without reference to the advertisement, i.e., that they can be treated differently in further data processing, specifically in various entities that extend from the provision of the advertisement via the mobile user device to the data processing system assigned to the sales area.

[0033] According to a first embodiment of the invention, the radio-based determination is based on position data, which position data represent the position of the mobile user device, being received by radio from the computer accessible via the Internet and there determining that the mobile user device is located at least in the vicinity of the sales area or, in other words, in the vicinity of the sales area, wherein the location of the sales area is known to the computer, but the computer is not assigned to the sales area or its operator.

[0034] The position data can represent GPS coordinates, which are determined, for example, with the help of a GPS receiver in the mobile user device and then transmitted from the mobile user device to the computer wirelessly (via an internet connection, such as an LTE, 3G, 4G, 5G connection or even a WLAN connection). However, the position data can also be determined by a mobile network operator. This can determine the presence of the mobile user device that is logged into its mobile network and its position using the radio cells of the mobile network, for example by means of triangulation or other measures, and transmit the position determined (or approximated) in this way either to the mobile user device, from where this position is transmitted wirelessly to the computer as discussed, or directly, specifying which user device is involved, i.e. using the user device identifier orthe user ID, to the computer via the mobile network.

[0035] Since the computer has the position of the sales area, because it has stored this position, for example, in a digital (land) map or because it can access such a digital (land) map, the computer can use the received position data to determine that the mobile user device, if carried by the user, is in the vicinity of the sales area.

[0036] The measures listed here for the radio-based determination of the existence of a neighborhood relationship therefore do not require a direct radio connection between the mobile user device and a radio infrastructure of the sales area or the operator of the sales area.

[0037] According to a second embodiment of the invention, the radio-based detection is based on the mobile user device entering a radio range that is covered by a radio device assigned to the sales area. The radio device can be a WLAN radio device or a MESH radio device based on WLAN technology. A ZigBee radio device, a Bluetooth radio device, etc., can also be used. Furthermore, it can also be a proprietary radio device.

[0038] The radio device can be implemented, for example, by a radio transceiver configured for bidirectional radio communication with the user device to enable radio-based detection that the mobile user device has entered a radio range. Likewise, only one radio transmitter can be used, which is solely designed to transmit a radio signal for radio-based detection on the user device side that the mobile user device has entered the radio transmission range of the transmitter. Likewise, only one radio receiver can be provided, which is solely designed to receive a radio signal transmitted by the user device, for the purpose of radio-based detection that the mobile user device has entered the radio reception range of the receiver.

[0039] A single radio device can be used, for example, if the essentially entire sales area can be completely covered by the radio range of the single radio device or if only one sub-area in the sales area is to be assigned to the radio range of the radio device.

[0040] Several radio devices can be used, for example, if the entire radio range spanned by them is to extend over a large sales area or if sub-areas of the sales area are to be covered by individual radio ranges.

[0041] In the present case, the wording "that the mobile user device has entered a radio range..." can be understood to mean that the radio range extends slightly beyond the physical boundary of the sales area, because the radio signal generated in the sales area does not abruptly disappear with the physical boundary of the sales area. The specification that "...the radio device is assigned to the sales area" means that the radio device is essentially under the control of the operator of the sales area, is installed in the sales area, and / or cooperates with the remaining electronic infrastructure of the sales area or can be controlled via it or transmit data to it.

[0042] The entry into the radio range, which is defined by a radio device assigned to the sales area, thus determined forms the basis for the targeted, automatic triggering of a function within the sales area.

[0043] If the function is to be triggered automatically by the data processing system, it is advantageous if the recorded identification data are transmitted to the data processing system assigned to the sales area or the operator of the sales area.

[0044] The data processing system is preferably part of the electronic infrastructure of the sales area or forms the electronic data processing infrastructure of the sales area, which uses the identification data for further processing.

[0045] According to a further aspect, the data processing system then checks whether the representation data is present, so that if the representation data is present, the data processing system can also automatically trigger the function corresponding to the representation data. In summary, it can be stated that not only the radio-based detection but also the automatic function triggering takes place within the sales area, meaning that an autonomous reaction can occur in the sales area when the mobile user device enters the radio range and when the representation data is present.

[0046] According to a first variant of the second embodiment, the data processing system can contact the user device via the radio device to check whether the representation data is present, retrieve the representation data from the user device, and further process this representation data. Advantageously, this first variant enables direct further processing of the representation data, without requiring further involvement of the mobile user device or even the computer accessible via the Internet. In this case, the further processing of the representation data can be carried out completely autonomously by the data processing system, in particular in real time to retrieve the representation data from the mobile user device.

[0047] According to a second variant of the second embodiment, it can be provided that the data processing system first receives a data set comprising the identification data and associated representation data from a computer that is different from the user device or the other device linked to it and that is not assigned to the sales area or its operator, in particular via the Internet, and stores it for later processing. As a result of the user device being detected to have entered the radio range of the radio device, the data processing system checks whether a data set containing the same identification data was stored that was also transmitted when the user device entered the radio range. If the check result is positive, the data processing system further processes the representation data of the data set. In this case, too, the representation data is fundamentally processed autonomously by the data processing system.All that is required is communication with the data processing system, whereby, on the one hand, the representation data and, on the other hand, the identification data of the mobile user device in question are made accessible. However, the representation data, together with the identification data, which specifies the user device to which the advertising was previously transmitted, must be received by the data processing system from the computer accessible via the Internet in advance, i.e., before the mobile user device enters the radio range, and temporarily stored for later checking. Only after one or more data records have been saved, following a mobile user device entering the radio range assigned to the sales area, can a check be carried out to determine whether a data record is available for the mobile user device in question whose representation data may be used.

[0048] According to a third variant of the second embodiment, it can be provided that the user device communicates the entry into the radio range to a computer which is not assigned to the sales area or its operator and which stores the representation data intended for the user device, in particular via the Internet, and this computer transmits a data set comprising the identification data and associated representation data belonging to the user device communicating the entry into the radio range to the data processing device, and the data processing device checks whether a data set with identical identification data has been received for the identification data of the user device entering the radio range, and in the event of a positive check result, further processes the representation data of the data set.In contrast to the second variant, the third variant requires the mobile user device to initially perform two communications, essentially in real time, upon entering the radio range assigned to the sales device. First, the mobile user device must identify itself to the data processing system using its identification data, where this identification data is temporarily stored. Second, it must contact the computer accessible via the Internet using its identification data, specifying the identification (address) of the data processing system, so that the computer can transmit the data set to the data processing system in a further addressed communication.This also requires two different communications from the data processing system side: one in which the identification data is received from the mobile user device, and one in which the data record is received from the computer. Only then can the data processing system check whether a data record exists that belongs to the previously identified user device. If the check result is positive, its representation data is used.

[0049] The representation data now available in the data processing system—regardless of the selected variant—is evaluated by the system, and one or more preset functions are triggered based on the representation data. The automatic triggering of the function can, for example, involve radio-based communication with the mobile user device, whereby, for example, the aforementioned discount for a purchase is preset, i.e., saved. This process does not necessarily have to be immediately transparent to the user. Rather, the discount can be reserved for a later purchase, and the use of the discount only becomes transparent to the user during the purchase.

[0050] According to a further aspect, the automatic triggering of the function can be a human-perceivable display having one of the following display forms, namely: a light signal display, a text display, an audio display, an image display and / or a video display.

[0051] For this purpose, the mobile user device can independently trigger and carry out the human-perceivable playback as a result of the entry into the radio range independently detected by the mobile user device, in particular immediately.

[0052] Likewise, the function can be triggered on the mobile user device by the computer, which is or has been notified of the fact that the device has entered the radio range. This notification can be made by the mobile user device itself or by the data processing system.

[0053] Furthermore, a device assigned to the sales area and / or the mobile user device can be controlled for human-perceivable playback using the data processing system.

[0054] According to a special aspect, the content of the human-perceivable reproduction can be determined by the representation data. In this case, for example, a text, an acoustically perceptible announcement, a still image or even a video can be derived from the representation data or related to the representation data and reproduced via a device designed for the respective reproduction. This device can, for example, be a screen in the sales area, which is positioned in the entrance area of ​​a supermarket, for example, and there, based on the representation data, reproduces information directed at the originally received advertisement or the advertised product. This can remind the user of the advertised product and thus create an incentive to buy. Furthermore, smaller display devices such as electronic labels, in particular electronic shelf labels, can also be used for this type of visually perceptible reproduction.They are particularly suitable for displaying essentially static content, typically represented by text and / or a still image. Video shelf rails, which are installed on the front of a shelf and used to display videos, can also be used. This device can also be a supermarket's loudspeaker system, where an announcement, preferably automatically generated, is played, tailored to the original advertisement or the product being advertised.

[0055] In order to provide information directed to the user of the mobile device, even when the user moves freely within the sales area, it has proven particularly advantageous to trigger the human-perceivable playback on the user device.

[0056] However, in order to provide information directed to the user of the mobile device, which is particularly location-specific, it has proven advantageous for the human-perceivable display to be triggered on an electronic display device, for example an LCD panel, flat screen, etc., in particular on an electronic shelf label. This enables a targeted initiation of attention to the location where the electronic display device is located, whereby the product usually positioned there also moves into the attention area of ​​the user of the mobile device.

[0057] It should be mentioned at this point that the human-perceivable reproduction can also be combined, i.e. on both the mobile user device and the electronic display device.

[0058] It has proven particularly advantageous if the automatic triggering of the human-perceptible reproduction occurs selectively only for the electronic display device(s) whose content is / are affected by the representation data or by the advertisement represented with the help of the representation data. With this measure, precisely the electronic display device belonging to the product for which the advertisement was placed can be selectively selected in relation to the entirety of the electronic display devices for human-perceptible reproduction. This way, for example, the placed advertisement can be specifically referred to at the location of the advertised product, i.e. a reminder can be provided. In the context of the placed advertisement, several such display devices can of course also be affected if the advertisement relates to a group of products or a class of products.The selection of the relevant electronic display device(s) is carried out using the aforementioned database, which stores the product positions in the sales area. This database can also store the electronic display devices linked to the respective products (more precisely, their identity or address), so that the relevant product and, subsequently, the associated electronic display device can be retrieved via the advertising or the representation data in the database. The control of the electronic display device with the intended human-perceptible display is then carried out via the data processing system – possibly involving a wireless network in the sales area – in a well-known manner.

[0059] Particularly preferably, the automatic triggering of the human-perceptible playback takes place depending on the position of the user device in the sales area. This has the advantage that, on the one hand, energy-saving operation of the electronic display devices is ensured, since these are often battery-operated and thus a situation in which they would have to flash continuously, for example, is avoided. Furthermore, it can be ensured that the human-perceptible playback only actually takes place when the user device in question is located in an area in which it can be assumed that the user can actually perceive the human-perceptible playback. The limitation of the area within which the presentation of the human-perceptible playback should take place can be achieved, for example, by evaluating radio signals.For example, switching the user device within the sales area from one radio range to a neighboring radio range can be used to activate human-perceivable playback. In this context, it should be mentioned as an example that a first radio range covers, for example, the entrance area of ​​a supermarket, where a relatively large flat screen is installed that displays advertising identified by the representation data. In this context, it should also be mentioned as an example that a second radio range covers an aisle where a smaller flat screen is installed at the entrance and displays advertising identified by the representation data. Depending on the presence of the mobile user device in the first or second radio range, the larger or smaller flat screen is used and presents selective information to the respective user of the mobile user device.However, this exemplary system can even be scaled down to the level of shelves or shelf rails, where electronic display devices are used selectively in groups or individually to present the human-perceivable display. This only requires that the radio signals used to locate the user device's position are evaluated with a corresponding positional reference to the electronic display devices to be activated or deactivated, or even controlled in a situation-specific manner.

[0060] In this context, it has proven particularly advantageous to use a Bluetooth beacon to decide whether a distance threshold between the electronic display device and the user device has been exceeded, which serves as a criterion for triggering the human-perceivable playback.

[0061] For example, the signal strength or an RSSI value, where RSSI stands for Received Signal Strength Indication, which is determined in a radio device or radio equipment during radio signal processing, can be used to estimate the distance between the mobile user device on the one hand and the electronic display device on the other hand. If the distance threshold is undershot, the relevant electronic display device can be controlled to present the human-perceivable reproduction.

[0062] The RSSI value can be evaluated in the mobile user device, where the distance falling below the threshold is detected and this fact is communicated in the sales area's radio network so that the relevant electronic display device is controlled via the data processing system. The Bluetooth beacon can be installed anywhere in the sales area for this purpose. Preferably, however, several Bluetooth beacons are positioned at different locations in the sales area and send out individual beacon radio signals from there, which uniquely identify them. These different positions can, for example, identify business areas, aisles, individual shelves or even shelf compartments or shelf rails. It can also be provided that the electronic display devices themselves have the Bluetooth beacons, which further increases the spatial resolution in the sales area.

[0063] The mobile user device receiving the beacon radio signal(s) subsequently also transmits the identifier of the Bluetooth radio signal used to determine the distance to the data processing device, resulting in spatial information regarding the position of the mobile user device, with the aid of which it can be determined whether the mobile user device in question is located in the vicinity of the electronic display device which is to be controlled on the basis of the representation data for human-perceivable reproduction.

[0064] Similarly, the mobile user device can also include a beacon, in particular a Bluetooth beacon, whose beacon radio signal can be received by receivers distributed throughout the sales area, so that the distance to the mobile user device can be determined, narrowed down, or estimated at these receivers. The positions of these receivers can be selected in the same way as those of the aforementioned Bluetooth beacons, in particular by being integrated into the electronic displays. This allows distance determinations to be broken down to the level of the distance between the mobile user device and the electronic display devices, in the most energy-efficient manner possible. The rechargeable batteries of mobile user devices can be easily recharged by their users themselves as often as necessary, thus negating the energy requirement for transmitting the beacon radio signal.At the same time, however, in the case of battery-operated electronic display devices, the receive mode for receiving the beacon radio signal requires only a relatively low energy consumption compared to what would be required for a transmit mode for transmitting the beacon radio signal.

[0065] Regardless of the method used to determine the distance, it has proven extremely advantageous for the electronic display device to have at least one light-emitting diode (LED) that is controlled to display a flashing light signal. LEDs can be operated very energy-efficiently, which, analogous to the case of battery-operated electronic display devices discussed in the previous paragraph, also has a positive effect on battery life. Furthermore, point-emitting light sources are extremely easily perceived by the human eye, thus aiding human orientation. They therefore attract the desired attention of the user of the mobile device with the least possible effort and visually guide them to the product promoted by the advertisement previously displayed on their device.In particular, it is no longer necessary for the user to cognitively process textual or visual information that can be perceived by humans, which could distract him from perceiving the advertised product or service or could even be perceived as disturbing.

[0066] In addition to directly displaying the product located in the immediate vicinity of the user device so that it can be visually perceived by the user, human-perceptible rendering can be used to navigate to the position in the sales area dedicated to the product affected by the advertisement. The user can therefore also be guided over a distance from where they cannot initially see the advertised product at all to the area of ​​the sales area from which they can see the advertised product or from where they can be made aware of the product in question using the measures in the previous paragraph.

[0067] Since the data processing system knows the positions of the product in the sales area and also their associated electronic display devices, the data processing system can, after transmitting the representation data or using the representation data, plan a route to the relevant product or service for the relevant mobile user device as soon as it enters the radio range. This route can then be made accessible to the relevant mobile user device in the sales area in a human-perceptible manner using the aforementioned technical visualization devices, such as the flat screens and, in particular, the numerous electronic display devices.It can also be provided that the screen and / or the audio output device of the mobile user device is used for navigation, whereby the aforementioned measures using a beacon radio signal are again applied to locate the mobile user device. This allows dynamic, particularly location-dependent, navigation information to be provided or displayed in the sales area, which is determined by the representation data.

[0068] In order to measure the success of the provided advertising, it is advantageous according to a further aspect if, after the mobile user device has entered the radio range assigned to the sales area, the mobile user device and / or the data processing system assigned to the sales area checks whether the representation data has a reference to the sales area. This measure allows the behavior of the user using the mobile user device, i.e., the potential customer, to be processed and interpreted in the context of the provided advertising. Thus, the success of a placed advertisement can be determined.

[0069] According to a further aspect, it has proven advantageous if the reference to the sales area is determined by the representation data displaying the sales area as such as advertised.

[0070] For example, the representation data shows that the advertisement relates to a specific supermarket or supermarket chain. If the mobile user device enters the radio range of the sales area of ​​the said supermarket, it is determined that the corresponding advertisement was consumed using the user device or a device linked to the user device, which is determined using the representation data. Furthermore, it is possible to record how many people in total enter the sales area. This can be done using the measures mentioned or using different measures, such as a visitor counting system that is not based on radio signals. This makes it possible to determine the success of the advertisement. In particular, it is possible to determine which proportion of visitors to the sales area were shown the corresponding advertisement, i.e. what effect the advertisement had on visitor numbers.the relevant visitor share.

[0071] According to a further aspect, it has proven advantageous if the reference to the sales area is determined by the representation data indicating a product that is offered in the sales area as advertised.

[0072] Using the available representation data, it is possible to verify whether the product advertised by the representation data is actually offered in the portfolio of the store in question. The aforementioned database, which lists the products, can serve as the basis for this. This aspect can cover two situations: first, the situation in which the product is actually available in the sales area, or second, the situation in which the product is generally offered in the sales area but is currently out of stock. This measure therefore makes it possible to verify whether the visit to the sales area could have occurred because the product generally available in the sales area was advertised via the placed advertisement.

[0073] These measures therefore make it possible to capture and, if necessary, even measure the success of the advertising, regardless of whether the reference to the sales area concerns the sales area itself or a product offered there. It has proven advantageous for this purpose that, if a reference to the sales area is established—that is, to the sales area itself or to the product offered in the sales area—the mobile user device and / or the data processing system generates advertising success data.

[0074] In principle, the advertising success data can be generated exclusively by the mobile user device or exclusively by the data processing system and made available by the respective entity for further processing.

[0075] However, the advertising success data can also be generated by the user device and the data processing system for the same incident. This creates redundancy that counteracts data loss or data manipulation, because the advertising success data is generated both on the customer side (i.e., on the mobile user device) and on the seller side (i.e., on the data processing system). This data is then subsequently made available by the respective entity for further processing and can be compared with each other to secure the incident.

[0076] The advertising success data essentially represents, as mentioned above, that the visit to a sales area is attributable to an advertisement previously presented to the user. Specifically, the advertising success data may include, on the one hand, the representation data or a reference thereto, and the identification data, as well as at least one piece of information identifying the sales area in which the reference to the sales area was established. This triplet of data enables the computer responsible for placing the advertisement to determine that the placed advertisement has achieved the desired result, such as the user's presence in the sales area. In a broader sense, this serves as the basis for calculating what is known in technical jargon as a "conversion rate," which indicates how effective the placed advertisement actually was.However, this triplet of data also enables the computer responsible for placing the advertisement to determine in which of the sales areas the advertising has had an effect, and thus forms the basis for a business model for billing the advertising effectiveness.

[0077] However, the topic discussed above can also be further refined. According to this refinement of the topic, it can be provided that the advertising success data is generated when a distance between the mobile user device and the advertised product, determined based on at least one radio signal – this can be the aforementioned beacon radio signal – determined according to the previous discussions, has fallen below a distance threshold. In this case, the aforementioned sub-areas in the sales area can be marked by different beacon radio signals, and individual products or product groups can be assigned to individual radio areas of these beacon radio signals.However, according to a preferred embodiment, electronic display devices are used which in turn emit beacon radio signals which are then evaluated by the mobile user device, or which receive and evaluate beacon radio signals emitted by the mobile user device.

[0078] The advertising success data generated based on the distance threshold can replace previously generated advertising success data based on the presence detection in the sales area, or supplement it to form an advertising success data group. This allows for more nuanced and precise statements about advertising success to be made and, if necessary, incorporated into the business model.

[0079] According to a further aspect, it can also be provided that the advertising success data is generated when an electronic interaction has taken place between the mobile user device and the electronic display device associated with the advertised product or an interaction device - such as a checkout terminal - preferably an electronic interaction concluding a purchase has taken place, in particular the electronic interaction has taken place as a near-field communication (NFC for short) based interaction.

[0080] Near-field communication refers to a technology that is known, for example, in the context of the ISO / IEC 14443 or ISO / IEC 15693 standards.

[0081] This measure allows for further clarification regarding the answer to the question of whether an advertisement achieved the desired effect—in this context, the effect of booking the product for subsequent purchase or even the purchase itself. As previously discussed, the interaction-triggered advertising success data can replace the previously generated (or discussed) advertising success data or supplement the advertising success data group. In this case, the advertising success data can be the previously discussed purchase confirmation data, or the advertising success data can contain the purchase confirmation data or a reference to the purchase confirmation data.

[0082] The advertising success data generated in this way is transmitted via a computer network, in particular the Internet, from the mobile user device or the data processing system to the computer from which the advertisement was provided, which is not assigned to the sales area or its operator. This forms the basis for a wide variety of optimization measures regarding the delivery of the advertisement and its content on the computer side, as well as any billing of the advertising measures that may be carried out, taking into account the advertising impact indicated by the advertising success data. For example, the billing model can be differentiated according to whether users of the mobile user device simply visited a shop, i.e., were present there, which can impact the generation of sales regardless of the advertised product.However, the billing model can also differentiate in the sense that the user moved within the sales area close to the advertised product and did not purchase it for unspecified reasons, but their presence in the vicinity of the product may have led to sales related to neighboring products. Ultimately, the billing model can also differentiate in the sense that actual purchases of products that were specifically advertised are taken into account.

[0083] To capture further depth in the value chain, it can also be provided that, in addition to the aforementioned circumstances leading to the generation of advertising success data, the registration of a purchased product with a manufacturer of the product or a service partner of the manufacturer or distributor of the product, which is usually done via their website, also leads to the generation of advertising success data. This registration process can be performed, for example, via the user's mobile device or other device linked to it, or directly in the shop using the shop's data processing system, since—depending on the implementation of the method according to the invention—the representation data is available at the respective entity used.During registration, the representation data, along with the identification data, can also be transmitted to the data processing facility contacted online for registration, so that advertising success data can be generated there. This measure can also be incorporated into the optimization mentioned in the previous paragraph and / or the billing model mentioned, because the conversion rate can now also include the market participants involved in the product registration.

[0084] Finally, it should be generally mentioned that the electronic devices discussed (ESLs, smartphones, tablet computers, video shelf rails, etc.) naturally contain electronics. The electronics can be discrete or integrated, or even a combination of both. Microcomputers, microcontrollers, and Application Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs) can also be used, possibly in combination with analog or digital electronic peripheral components. Many of the device functionalities mentioned above are implemented—possibly in conjunction with hardware components—with the help of software running on an electronic processor. Devices designed for radio communication usually have an antenna configuration for transmitting and receiving radio signals as part of a transceiver module.The electronic devices can also have an internal electrical power supply, which can be implemented, for example, with a replaceable or rechargeable battery. The devices can also be powered wired, either via an external power supply or via "Power over LAN."

[0085] These and other aspects of the invention are apparent from the figures discussed below.

[0086] Short character description

[0087] The invention will be explained in more detail below with reference to the accompanying figures using exemplary embodiments, to which, however, the invention is not limited. In the various figures, identical components are provided with identical reference numerals. They show schematically: Fig. 1 shows an application scenario of a computer-implemented

[0088] Procedure for triggering the function,

[0089] Fig. 2 - 4 three data flow diagrams for discussing different aspects of the method according to the invention.

[0090] Description of the embodiments

[0091] Figure 1 shows a top view of a sales area 4 located inside a supermarket. A WLAN radio network is established in the sales area 4 in a known manner by first radio devices (not shown), which span a WLAN radio area 40 that essentially covers the sales area 4. Routers and / or WI-AN access points mounted on the ceiling of the sales area 4 are used as the first radio devices.

[0092] In the sales area 4, there are three shelves 6, shown viewed from above. Mounted on each shelf 6 are several electronic display units, which are designed as (in technical jargon) so-called "Electronic Shelf Labels," abbreviated to ESLs 5A to 5L. The ESLs 5A to 5L are shown prominently at the front edges of the shelves 6 to explain the invention.

[0093] In this case, the ESLs 5A to 5L are battery-operated and each have an energy-saving display 8 (see ESL 5F, where this reference symbol is used to represent all other ESLs) and a light-emitting diode (LED) 7 (see ESL 5C, where this reference symbol is used to represent all other ESLs).

[0094] The screen 8 can be implemented, in particular, as an electrophoretic screen using a generally known technology marketed, for example, under the terms "electronic paper" or "e ink" (which stands for electronic ink), and is intended (among other things) to display product and / or price information for a product (not shown) corresponding to the respective ESL 5A to 5L, which is located on the corresponding shelf 6 in the vicinity of the respective ESL 5A to 5L. The LED 7 is intended to draw the attention of a person, in particular a potential customer (but also, for example, an employee), to the corresponding ESL 5A to 5L and thus to the corresponding product.For this purpose, the LED 7, which is designed to emit a human-perceivable light signal 70 in the visible wavelength range, such as a flashing red light, is controlled accordingly by the electronics (not shown) of the ESL 5A - 5L.

[0095] Furthermore, the ESLs 5A to 5L are configured for bidirectional communication via an ESL radio network established via second radio devices (not shown) in the sales area 4. For this purpose, the ESLs 5A to 5L may include a known transceiver (not shown) with an antenna configuration tuned to the ESL radio network.

[0096] Routers and / or ESL access points are used as second radio devices, which are also mounted on the ceiling of sales area 4. They operate in a different frequency band than the Wi-Fi radio network to avoid interference. Optionally, they can also be operated in the same frequency band, but measures must be taken to ensure that ESL-related radio traffic is not interfered with by Wi-Fi-related radio traffic.

[0097] The ESL wireless network can be implemented using, for example, the well-known ZigBee protocol or the Bluetooth protocol, or even a proprietary protocol, such as that described in WO 2015 / 124197 A1. The ESL wireless network is used to provide and transmit product and / or price information to the ESLs 5A to 5L, and / or to retrieve status information from them.

[0098] To control the radio traffic as well as to control the internal signal and / or data processing and to control the screen 8 as well as the LED 7, the ESLs 5A to 5L also have a processor unit which is a component of the electronics of the ESLs 5A to 5L.

[0099] In this case, the ESLs 5A to 5L are configured to communicate with the ESL access point via a Bluetooth protocol and therefore also to receive Bluetooth beacon radio signals from other devices. In the present context, this is a mobile user device 2, for example, a smartphone, which is designed to transmit the Bluetooth beacon radio signal as a Bluetooth beacon. The transmission of the Bluetooth beacon radio signal is symbolized by the circle 20.

[0100] Furthermore, a data processing system 3 is provided in the sales area 4, which manages and controls communication in both the WLAN radio network and the ESL radio network and is designed to communicate with devices within the radio range 40 via the WI_AN radio network and with the ESLs 5A to 5L via the ELS radio network. Communication via the WI_AN radio network here relates to devices that enter the radio range 40 of the sales area 4 and are designed for corresponding radio communication. The permanently installed components of the WLAN radio network (routers and / or WLAN access points) as well as the permanently installed components of the ESL radio network (routers and / or ESL access points) are preferably connected to the data processing system 3 via a wired connection.

[0101] If, for example, a mobile user device 2 forming the device moves from a first position 2A outside the sales area 4 to a second position 2B within the radio range 40 and subsequently within the sales area 4, radio-based communication can be established between the mobile user device 2 and the data processing system 3. The mobile user device 2 is a smartphone used by a user (not shown) who is a potential customer of the supermarket.

[0102] On the mobile user device 2, a shop application provided by the supermarket operator is installed, which allows the user to query information about products, reserve products for purchase, and ultimately make and pay for purchases.

[0103] Figure 1 also shows a cloud-based computer 1 which is spatially independent of the sales area 4 and symbolizes an internet search engine. The cloud-based computer 1 is designed or programmed to communicate via the internet with the data processing system 3 and / or with the mobile user device 2, which will be discussed further below. The infrastructure discussed in Figure 1 is used, as described below, to determine the success of an advertisement. It is assumed that the user of the mobile user device 2 was presented with an advertisement provided by the computer 1 for a product of the supermarket shown in Figure 1 on the mobile user device 2 when they visited a website using their user device 2 while they were outside the sales area 4 at position 2A. In this case, representation data which represent the search results entered by the user orthe user device 2 represent advertising consumed, e.g. with the help of so-called cookies.

[0104] The user then decided to visit the supermarket and moved the mobile user device 2 from the first position 2A to the second position 2B. He thus took his smartphone into the sales area 4 of the supermarket.

[0105] In the following, two embodiments are demonstrated how a function can be triggered by means of the method presented here as a result of the mobile user device 2 entering the sales area 4 or the radio area 40.

[0106] According to one embodiment, the function is triggered by the data processing system 3, as discussed below.

[0107] If the mobile user device 2 enters the radio range 40 of the sales area 4, the mobile user device 2 is recognized by the data processing system 3 because it logs into the WLAN network and transmits its identification data. The shop application, which enables communication with the data processing system 3, is executed on the user device 2. With the help of the shop application, the representation data is transmitted to the data processing system 3 in addition to the identification data. However, it can also be provided that the identification data is only transmitted to the data processing system 3 together with the representation data during the use of the shop application.

[0108] The data processing system 3 checks the representation data to determine whether it relates to a product offered in the sales area 4. In this case, the advertisement concerns green socks offered in the sales area 4 on the right shelf 6, which are advertised with the ESL 5C because the ESL 5C is logically linked in a database hosted by the data processing system 3. The product and / or price information corresponding to the advertised product is thus displayed by the ESL 5C.

[0109] After determining that the advertised product is located at the position of the ESL 5C, a function corresponding to the representation data is automatically triggered, wherein in the present case, route description data is generated by the data processing system 3 and transmitted from the data processing system 3 to the mobile user device 2, where, with the help of the shop application, a human-perceivable route description is displayed on the screen of the mobile user device 2, which the user only has to follow in order to get to the green socks.

[0110] Subsequently, the data processing system 3 generates initial advertising success data, which confirms that the user who was previously presented with the advertisement has now also entered the sales area 4 corresponding to the advertisement. The initial advertising success data is transmitted from the data processing system 3 to the computer 1 and identifies the sales area 4 (i.e., the shop) in which the advertising success was determined, the respective user or their user device 2 (e.g., using the identification data), and, if applicable, also the advertisement presumably responsible for the advertising success (e.g., using the representation data).Computer 1 can then generate a conversion rate that indicates how many users who were presented with the advertisement visited the supermarket, which can be used as a starting point for billing for the provision of the advertisement or for billing that takes into account the actual advertising success.

[0111] Furthermore, the mobile user device 2 is instructed by the data processing system 3 (with the help of the shop application) to transmit Bluetooth beacon radio signals. According to a first embodiment, the Bluetooth beacon radio signal can contain a control code. The control code can, for example, be individually preset or preprogrammed in the system with the help of the data processing system 3 for each ESL 5A to 5L, i.e., it can be individually known to all ESLs 5A to 5L. In the simplest embodiment, the control code can also be provided by the unique ESL identification code (e.g., the individual MAC address of the respective ESL 5A to 5L), which each ESL 5A to 5L knows itself, so that no programming of each individual ESL 5A to 5L is necessary.

[0112] According to the first training variant, the ESLs 5A to 5L are designed to decode the control code received via Bluetooth beacon radio signal and to react to it upon receipt of the appropriate, individual control code, i.e. to control LED 7 upon receipt.

[0113] If the user moves together with the user device 2, whereby the user now knows in which shelf 6 he has to look for the green socks, towards the corresponding ESL 5C, the LED 7 on the ESL 5C only starts to light up (flash) when the ESL 5C receives the Bluetooth beacon radio signal of the mobile user device 2 with the control code intended for it.

[0114] If the Bluetooth beacon radio signal is transmitted with a relatively limited transmission power, it can only be received when the user device 2 is positioned relatively close to the relevant ESL 5C. On the other hand, the entry of the user device 2 into the vicinity of the ESL 5C can also be determined by the fact that the RSSI (Received Signal Strength Indication) value for the received beacon radio signal is evaluated at the ESL 5C, and the LED is only triggered to flash when this value exceeds a certain threshold, i.e., when this threshold criterion is met.

[0115] As soon as this "neighborhood relationship," which is characterized by the threshold criterion being met, has occurred between the mobile user device 2 and the ESL 5C, which, for example, applies at a position 2C to which the mobile user device 2 was moved from position 2B, this circumstance is communicated by the ESL 5C to the data processing system 3 and recorded there as another advertising success. Subsequently, the data processing system 3 generates second advertising success data, which confirms that the user to whom the advertisement was previously provided has now also taken the path to the advertised product within the sales area 4.In addition to the information mentioned in connection with the first advertising success data, the second advertising success data now also contain information regarding the occurrence of the aforementioned "neighborhood relationship" and are transmitted to computer 1 for further processing there, as discussed in connection with the first advertising success data.

[0116] According to a second embodiment, the Bluetooth beacon radio signal can contain a control code which, when received by the ESL 5c, triggers the flashing of the LED 7. In the present case, however, this is a control code that uniquely identifies the mobile user device 2. The control code can therefore be the unique code that identifies the Bluetooth beacon, which is detected upon entry into the WLAN radio network and transmitted to the relevant ESL (here the ESL 5c) with the aid of the data processing system 3 depending on the representation data. However, the control code can also be the identification data detected upon entry into the WLAN radio network or upon execution of the shop application, which is transmitted to the relevant ESL (here the ESL 5c) with the aid of the data processing system 3 depending on the representation data.

[0117] The detected control code is thus transmitted with the aid of the data processing system 3 to the ESL 5C corresponding to the representation data, so that only this ESL 5C responds to the Bluetooth beacon radio signal of the mobile user device 2, whereas all other ESLs 5A, 5B, 5D to 5L ignore the Bluetooth beacon radio signal of the mobile user device 2.

[0118] All further processes leading to the submission of the second advertising success data are carried out analogously to the description in accordance with the first training variant.

[0119] If a purchase of the advertised product is subsequently recorded by the data processing system 3, wherein the purchase is made directly at the ESL 5C, for example, through NFC communication (i.e., an NFC-based interaction), as discussed in the general description, or the purchase is made at a point-of-sale terminal, third advertising success data can be generated by the data processing system 3, which confirms that the user to whom the advertisement was previously provided has purchased the product advertised by the advertisement. In addition to the information mentioned in connection with the first and / or second advertising success data, the third advertising success data now also contains information regarding the occurrence of a purchase and is transmitted to the computer 1 for further processing there, as discussed in connection with the first and / or second advertising success data.

[0120] Even though in the present exemplary embodiment the occurrence of the first, second and third advertising success data in a temporal sequence of events was discussed, it should be mentioned at this point that these individual advertising success data can of course also occur independently of one another, i.e. in isolation, and therefore not in the temporal sequence described.

[0121] According to a further embodiment, the ESLs 5A to 5L can be equipped with Bluetooth beacons or their Bluetooth radio system can be configured to transmit a Bluetooth beacon radio signal. This is symbolized by the circles 50A to 50C. In this embodiment, the mobile user device 2 is configured to receive and evaluate the received Bluetooth beacon radio signals in order to determine that the proximity relationship has occurred, which qualifies as an advertising success. This is made possible in the present embodiment by the data processing system 3 transmitting the Bluetooth beacon code identifying the respective ESL (here, the ESL 5C) to the mobile user device 2 upon entering the sales area 4, so that an autonomous evaluation of the received Bluetooth beacon radio signals can take place there.For the sake of completeness, it should be mentioned here that the data processing system 3 not only knows the pairing between the product and the ESL 5A to 5L but also the Bluetooth beacon code identifying the respective ESL 5A to 5L, so that the product in question, based on this, the ESL in question (ESL 5C) and, based on this, the Bluetooth beacon code to be used can be retrieved via the representation data and transmitted to the mobile user device 2.

[0122] Once the proximity relationship has been established at the mobile user device 2, it communicates this fact to the data processing system 3, where all further processing steps are executed as discussed. The proximity relationship is also established at the mobile user device 2 by receiving a Bluetooth beacon radio signal containing the Bluetooth beacon code previously received from the data processing system 3, which corresponds to the ESL 5A to 5L (in this case, ESL 5C) paired with the product promoted in the advertisement.

[0123] Although the previous discussion focused on detecting the entry of mobile user device 2 into a WLAN radio range of the first radio device, it should be noted at this point that this is not absolutely necessary. Rather, according to an optional configuration, it can also be determined radio-based that mobile user device 2 has entered a radio range of the second radio device, which is intended for communication with the ESLs. The previously discussed aspects also apply analogously to this optional configuration. The WLAN radio network can even be dispensed with.

[0124] The basic concept of the invention is discussed below in Figures 2 to 4 using three data flow diagrams in which the data flow between the three entities, namely the computer 1, the mobile user device 2 and the data processing system 3, is described.

[0125] Figure 2 shows the computer 1, which is accessible via the Internet, outside the sales area 4, and the mobile user device 2 at position 2A while querying a website, which is visualized by an arrow PI, wherein the identification data ID of the mobile user device 2 is also transmitted to the computer 1. During the display of the website, the computer 1 also transmits an advertisement to the user device 2, which is visualized by an arrow P2. The advertisement is represented by the representation data RD, which in this case is also provided by the computer 1. However, the representation data RD can also be created directly on the mobile user device 2 based on the received advertisement and, for the purpose of traceability, linked to the identification data ID, transmitted to the computer 1.

[0126] Figure 2 further shows how the mobile user device 2 is moved from position 2A to position 2B so that it is located within the sales area 4, in particular within the WLAN radio range 40. There, the mobile user device 2 transmits the identification data ID to the data processing system 3. Equipped with this, the data processing system 3 checks, via its connected WLAN radio network, whether the mobile user device 2 identified by the identification data ID has the representation data RD on the basis of which the previously discussed generation of the first advertising success data WD1 is to take place, i.e., whether the advertising relates to the sales area 4 (shop / supermarket, etc.) in which the user device 2 is currently located. If this is the case, i.e., if the check yields a positive result, this is communicated from the data processing system 3 to the computer 1 according to a fourth arrow P4.

[0127] It should be mentioned in this context that the check can also be carried out without knowledge of the identification data ID or further processing of the identification data ID, for example if a completely anonymized result is to be obtained.

[0128] Figure 3 shows, in contrast to Figure 2, that only the identification data ID is transmitted from the mobile user device 3 located in the sales area 4 to the data processing system 3. Equipped with this, the data processing system 3 checks, by means of a query to the computer 1 (symbolized by an arrow P5), with the identification data ID being transmitted to the computer 1, whether the computer 1 has representation data RD associated with the identification data ID. If such representation data RD exists, these are transmitted together with the identification data ID according to an arrow P6 from the computer 1 to the data processing system 3, where it is checked whether the previously discussed generation of the first advertising success data WD1, i.e. whether the advertisement reaches that sales area 4 (shop / supermarket, etc.), can be based on these data.) in which the user device 2 is currently located, after which the procedure is as discussed in connection with Figure 2.

[0129] Figure 4 shows, in contrast to Figure 3, that the mobile user device 2 that has entered the sales area 4 transmits its identification data ID (together with an identifier that uniquely identifies the sales area 4 or its data processing system 3 in order to be able to address it from the computer 1) to the computer 1 according to the arrow P5, whereupon the computer 1 transmits the representation data RD corresponding to the identification data ID to the data processing system 3 addressed with the aid of the identifier, together with the identification data ID in a data record according to the arrow P6.Equipped with the identification data ID previously received from the mobile user device 2, the data processing system 3 checks whether a data set matching the mobile user device 2 has been received (identity of the identification data ID), on the basis of which the generation of the first advertising success data WD1 is to take place, whereupon the procedure is as discussed in connection with Figure 2.

[0130] Even though the previously discussed data flow diagrams are limited to the first advertising success data WD1, it should be mentioned at this point that the same also applies to the second advertising success data WD2 and the third advertising success data WD3, which can be generated within sales area 4 depending on the implementation.

[0131] Finally, it should be mentioned at this point that the invention can also be applied to electronic display devices that are supplied with both communication and power via a cable.

[0132] Finally, it should be noted once again that the figures described in detail above are merely exemplary embodiments that can be modified in a variety of ways by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention. For the sake of completeness, it should also be noted that the use of the indefinite articles "a" or "an" does not exclude the possibility that the relevant features may be present multiple times.

Claims

Claims 1. A computer-implemented method for triggering a function, the method comprising the following steps, namely: - radio-based determination that a mobile user device (2) is positioned at least in the vicinity of a sales area (4), - Checking whether representation data (RD) are available that represent advertising, in particular relating to the sales area (4) and / or relating to a product offered, in particular with reference to the sales area (4), which advertising was transmitted via the Internet to the user device (2) itself or to another device linked to the user device (2), and - automatic triggering of at least one function corresponding to the representation data (RD).

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein in the course of determining that the mobile user device (2) is positioned at least in the vicinity of the sales area (4), identification data (ID) are recorded, which identification data (ID) identify the user device (2) or the user of the user device (2).

3. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the automatic triggering of the function comprises at least one of the following activities, namely: - a record of the resulting neighborly relationship, - an automated transmission of an electronic message to the mobile user device (2), - an automatic transmission of an electronic message to a data processing system (3) assigned to the operator of the sales area (4), wherein the logging and / or the automatic transmission of the electronic message represents an individual event of the neighborhood relationship that has occurred or forms a representation of several such individual events.

4. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the automatic triggering of at least one function corresponding to the representation data (RD) comprises linking the representation data (RD) to the product position data for the product affected by the representation data (RD) on the basis of a database which stores the product position of products in the sales area (4) with the aid of product position data.

5. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the automatic triggering of at least one function corresponding to the representation data (RD) comprises automatically providing a discount for the product promoted by the advertisement for automatic use.

6. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the automatic triggering of at least one function corresponding to the representation data (RD) comprises that, as a result of the conclusion of a purchase of the product in the sales area (4), purchase confirmation data are automatically generated, wherein the purchase confirmation data document a connection between the advertisement and the purchased product, and the purchase confirmation data are provided for further processing.

7. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the radio-based determination is based on position data, which position data represent the position of the mobile user device (2), being received by radio from a computer (1) available via the Internet and there it being determined that the mobile user device (2) is located at least in the vicinity of the sales area (4), wherein the location of the sales area (4) is known to the computer (1), but the computer (1) is not assigned to the sales area (4) or its operator.

8. Method according to one of the preceding claims 1 to 6, wherein the radio-based determination is based on the mobile user device (2) has entered a radio area (40; 50A - 50C), which radio area (40; 50A - 50C) is covered by a radio device assigned to the sales area (4).

9. Method according to claim 2 in combination with claim 8, wherein the recorded identification data (ID) are transmitted to a data processing system (3) associated with the sales area (4) or the operator of the sales area (4).

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the checking as to whether the representation data (RD) is present is carried out by the data processing system (3).

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the data processing system (3) contacts the user device (2) via the radio device in order to check whether the representation data (RD) are present and obtains the representation data (RD) from the user device (2) and further processes this representation data (RD).

12. The method according to claim 10, wherein the data processing system (3) first receives a data set comprising the identification data (ID) and associated representation data (RD) from a computer (1) which is different from the user device (2) or the other device linked thereto and which is not assigned to the sales area (4) or its operator, in particular via the Internet, and stores it for later processing and, as a result of the detected entry of the user device (2) into the radio range (40; 50A - 50C) of the radio device, checks whether a data set with those identification data (ID) has been stored which were also transmitted when the user device (2) entered the radio range (40; 50A - 50C), and, in the case of a positive check result, further processes the representation data (RD) of the data set.

13. The method according to claim 10, wherein the user device (2) signals entry into the radio range (40; 50A - 50C) to a computer (1) which is not assigned to the sales area (4) or its operator and which stores the representation data (RD) intended for the user device (2), in particular via the Internet, and this computer (1) transmits a data set comprising the identification data (ID) and associated representation data (RD) belonging to the user device (2) communicating entry into the radio range (40; 50A - 50C) to the data processing device (3), and the data processing device (3) checks whether a data set with identical identification data (ID) has been received for the identification data (ID) of the user device (2) entering the radio range (40; 50A - 50C), and in the event of a positive check result, further processes the representation data (RD) of the data set.

14. Method according to one of the preceding claims 8 to 13, wherein the automatic triggering of the function is a human-perceivable reproduction which has one of the following reproduction forms, namely: - a light signal display, - a text reproduction, - an audio playback, - an image display, - a video playback.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the human-perceivable reproduction is determined in terms of content by the representation data (RD).

16. Method according to one of claims 14 to 15, wherein the human-perceivable playback is triggered on the user device (2).

17. Method according to one of claims 14 to 15, wherein the human-perceivable reproduction is triggered on an electronic display device (5A - 5L), in particular on an electronic shelf label.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein the automatic triggering of the human-perceivable reproduction is carried out selectively only for that electronic display device(s) (5C) which is / are affected in terms of content by the representation data (RD) or by the advertising represented with the aid of the representation data (RD).

19. Method according to one of claims 17 to 18, wherein the automatic triggering of the human-perceivable playback takes place depending on the position of the user device (2) in the sales area (4).

20. The method according to claim 19, wherein a Bluetooth beacon is used to decide whether a distance threshold between the electronic display device (5A - 5C) and the user device (2) has been undershot, which serves as a criterion for triggering the human-perceivable playback.

21. The method according to claim 20, wherein the electronic display device (5A - 5C) has at least one LED (7) which is controlled to display a flashing light signal.

22. Method according to one of the preceding claims 14 to 21, wherein the human-perceivable reproduction is used for navigation to that position in the sales area (4) which is intended for that product affected by the advertisement.

23. Method according to one of the preceding claims 8 to 22, wherein, after the mobile user device (2) has detected entry into the radio range (40; 50A - 50C) assigned to the sales area (4), the mobile user device (2) and / or a data processing system (3) assigned to the sales area (4) checks whether the representation data (RD) have a reference to the sales area (4).

24. Method according to one of claims 23, wherein the reference to the sales area (4) is determined by the representation data (RD) indicating the sales area (4) as such as being advertised.

25. Method according to one of claims 23 to 24, wherein the reference to the sales area (4) is determined by the representation data (RD) indicating a product offered in the sales area (4) as advertised.

26. Method according to one of claims 23 to 25, wherein, upon detection of a reference to the sales area (4), the mobile user device (2) and / or the data processing system (3) generates advertising success data (WD1 -WD3).

27. The method according to claim 26, wherein the advertising success data (WD2) are generated when a distance between the mobile user device (2) and the advertised product, determined on the basis of at least one radio signal, has fallen below a distance threshold value.

28. The method according to one of claims 26 to 27, wherein the advertising success data (WD3) are generated when an electronic interaction has taken place between the mobile user device (2) and that electronic display device (5A - 5L) which is assigned to the advertised product or an interaction device, preferably an interaction concluding a purchase has taken place, in particular the electronic interaction has taken place as a near-field communication (NFC for short) based interaction.

29. Method according to one of claims 26 to 28, wherein the advertising success data (WD1 - WD3) are transmitted from the mobile user device (2) or the data processing system (3) to a computer (1) from which the advertising was provided and which is not assigned to the sales area (4) or its operator.

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