Computer-implemented method of invoking functionality

Abstract

A computer-implemented method for activating a function, the method comprising the steps of: determining, based on radio waves, that a mobile user device is located in at least the vicinity of a sales area; investigating whether descriptive data is present that describes, in particular, an advertisement relating to the sales area and / or in particular an advertisement relating to a product offered in connection with the sales area, which advertisement has been transmitted via the Internet to the user device itself or to another device linked to the user device; and automatically activating at least one function that corresponds to the descriptive data.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a computer-implemented method for invoking a function. [Background technology]

[0002] Today, the display of Internet-based content on user devices often involves the provision of advertisements, the content of which is also displayed on the user device as additional information corresponding to the Internet-based content, where it is perceived by the user as an inducement to purchase a product or service. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] International Patent Publication No. 2015 / 124197 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In view of the above background art, an object of the present invention is to improve the usage of such additional information, i.e., advertising, so that it exceeds the usage that simply encourages purchases. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] This problem is solved by a computer-implemented method as set forth in claim 1. The subject of the invention is therefore a computer-implemented method for activating a function, comprising the steps of radio-based determination that a mobile user equipment is at least in the vicinity of a sales area, checking whether descriptive data describing advertisements relating to said sales area and / or advertisements for products offered in particular in connection with said sales area are present and whether said advertisements have been transmitted via the Internet to the user equipment itself or to another device linked to the user equipment, and automatically activating at least one function corresponding to said descriptive data.

[0006] The measures according to the invention have the advantage that, as soon as the user equipment remains at least in the vicinity of a sales area, the display of an advertisement on the user equipment or on another device linked to it can be used for the subsequent fully automatic activation of a function, i.e. the automatic activation of a location-dependent function becomes possible, the location dependency being due to the current location of the user equipment carried by the user equipment. This function itself can be realized in various ways and is a technical function, i.e. a function executed by a technical device, in particular a control function or a communication function.

[0007] A sales area can be understood to be, for example, an outdoor sales area of ​​a market, the interior of a supermarket building or a small shop on the street, i.e. quite generally, a store area or an area within a store area in which the goods for sale are displayed.

[0008] The surroundings of the sales area can be understood to mean, for example, a parking lot, a multi-story car park, a road intersection, a sidewalk, etc., immediately adjacent to the sales area.

[0009] Mobile user devices can be understood to be smartphones, tablet computers, intelligent watches (smartwatches), or other portable location-finding devices (such as the AirTags popularized by Apple).

[0010] Descriptive data can be understood as a digital representation of an advertisement, such as plain text information contained in or constituting the advertisement, plain text information describing the advertisement, or otherwise reduced to its essentials, such as image information and / or audio information describing the advertisement. However, it can also be information encoding the advertisement according to an encoding method, which cannot be decoded without knowledge of the decoding method, thereby making the content of the advertisement anonymous. It can also be data representing the advertisement or metadata provided in connection with the advertisement, i.e., a link allowing data describing the content of the advertisement to be retrieved. In connection with the descriptive data, so-called cookies can also be used, which are stored on the user's device as a result of displaying internet-based content and make the descriptive data available there.

[0011] To interpret the content of the descriptive data, the descriptive data can be automatically analyzed to determine whether it contains plain text information, e.g., the name of a sales area (i.e., the name of each shop / supermarket, etc.), whether it contains image information that allows the location or name of a sales area to be inferred by digital image analysis, or whether it contains links through which the location or name of a sales area can be inferred or whether this information can be obtained. The same applies to products in the same manner. The descriptive data can also represent a combination of a sales area and a product in the above-mentioned format. In this way, the computer can link via the descriptive data to a specific sales area, a specific product, or both.

[0012] The advertisements are served to the user equipment or devices linked thereto from a computer that is not typically the user equipment, via a communications network, particularly the Internet.

[0013] Goods are understood in a broad sense to mean both goods and services that are offered, rented, leased or purchased. The expression "...advertisement and / or goods offered in particular in connection with the sales area" should first be understood to mean advertisements for goods that are not directly related to the sales area. However, in a narrower interpretation, it is advertisements for goods that are related to the sales area. The goods can be goods that are actually in the sales area or that are otherwise only offered there, but do not necessarily have to be physically available there, for example because they are just out of stock.

[0014] Further particularly advantageous embodiments and refinements of the invention emerge from the dependent claims and the following description.

[0015] 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 content on the Internet (e.g., Google, Bing, Yahoo, Baidu, Yandex, etc.), or the like, which can be organized in a centralized manner on a server farm or in a distributed manner. Therefore, the term "computer" should be understood as a synonym for the aforementioned entity or service, and should not be interpreted as a single device only in the narrow sense of the word.

[0016] Furthermore, this computer is not a data processing system used by the operator of the commercial area for its commercial purposes, the logistics of its goods, or otherwise to control the equipment within its sales area, even though this data processing system can be built in a distributed or cloud-based manner.

[0017] Furthermore, this advertising originates from the advertiser or is essentially related to the advertiser or its products. Advertisers can be companies, legal entities, and individuals who advertise their own products or simply the products they sell, or who entrust the advertising of their products. They can be store operators who directly manage a commercial area. However, they can also be producers of goods or service providers who directly advertise their goods or services, even if they are available for purchase in the sales area of ​​a third party (the store operator). That is, the sales area is operated by a natural or legal person different from the producer or service provider. To carry out advertising activities, advertising agencies are often employed, which create the content of the advertisement and realize its implementation in the media, where the advertisement is ultimately made available on the Internet via a computer and presented in the context of the content to be called.

[0018] Particularly advantageously, in the course of determining that a mobile user equipment is at least in the vicinity of a sales area, identification data (user equipment identifier; user identifier) ​​are collected, which identification data identify the user equipment, the user of the user equipment or the relationship between the user and the user equipment, so that the unique identification of the user (via the associated user equipment), or just the user equipment, or both, can be used for further data processing or communication, in particular for automatically activating functions, i.e. functions can be intentionally activated for each user or their user equipment.

[0019] For later use, the descriptive data may also comprise identification data for identifying the user equipment on which the advertisement was displayed or the user to whom the advertisement was displayed, or for establishing a link between the displayed advertisement on the one hand and the user equipment or user on the other hand. However, this link can also be made between user equipment, as a user may, for example, be sitting in front of their personal computer (PC) at home and consuming internet-based content while an advertisement is displayed, while taking their smartphone or smartwatch and traveling to a store area, i.e., a sales area, for shopping. In this typical scenario, the descriptive data may first be generated on the PC and then transmitted to another user equipment of the user. This can be done by direct communication between the different user equipment or via a cloud-based service to which all involved user equipment are registered, i.e., linked to each other. However, the descriptive data can also be stored centrally in a separate cloud-based service and made available there for further use.

[0020] In one aspect of the present invention, the automatic activation of this functionality can be defined as including at least one of the following activities: logging the approach that occurred; automatically transmitting an electronic message to the mobile user device; and automatically transmitting an electronic message to a data processing system belonging to the operator of the sales area, where the logging and / or automatic transmission of the electronic message represents a distinct approach event that occurred or comprises multiple representations of such distinct events. In this case, the logging can be performed, for example, in a log file. The log file can be created and stored on a computer, the user device, or the data processing system. However, the log file can also be created by one of the aforementioned entities and stored on a different entity, depending on the respective processing scenario.

[0021] In this case, individual occurrences of proximity situations can be logged for immediate further processing or forwarding, or a log file can be used to collect multiple occurrences of such proximity situations over a period of time and provide them for further evaluation or forwarding after the period has elapsed.

[0022] In a first embodiment, further processing of the approach situation that has occurred can be performed using the mobile user device to which the log file has been transferred or created.

[0023] In a second embodiment, this 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 the log file was transferred.

[0024] In a third embodiment, the evaluation of this log file may also be performed, for example, using an internet-based service that is already responsible for serving advertisements as well (for example, using an internet-based search engine).

[0025] What these three embodiments have in common is that the resulting log files can be used to analyze advertising strategies. This can be done in near real time, by editing or processing the log files immediately at the time of each approach, or at a later time, so that a larger data stock relating to the occurrence of the approach can be analyzed. In particular, real-time processing offers the advantage of being able to react as quickly as possible to the occurrence of the approach, and in some cases even to provide special "just-in-time" offers. In this case, the type and method of offers can be dynamically adapted to each approach, or to the original advertising. However, evaluating several approaches in common after a certain time has passed since their occurrence can lead to more accurate information about the effectiveness of advertising.

[0026] In another aspect of the present invention, the automatic activation of at least one function corresponding to the descriptive data can be provided by linking the descriptive data to the product location data of the product associated with the descriptive data using a database (which stores product location data for products in a sales area) that provides the basis for further technical assistance measures that can be linked to the purchase of the product. This link subsequently allows for a more precise presentation of the distance or route to the actual location where the product advertised in the advertisement can be purchased. In this way, the user can be provided with or presented with, for example, a comparison scenario in which not only the different prices of the product in different markets in which it is offered can be compared, but also the actual measured distance from the user's current location to the product. Thus, the one-dimensional nature of the initially transmitted advertisement is expanded multidimensionally, thereby generating a powerful basis for decision-making for the user, where the user can access not only the advertisement on the one hand, but also the linked product location or parameters derived therefrom, such as the distance to the product / market or alternatively the travel time to the product / market. Similarly, it is possible to proceed to the market level, i.e., the level of the sales area, where prices, path lengths or acquisition times for comparable types of advertised products become comparable to users of mobile user equipment, i.e., potential customers.

[0027] In another aspect of the invention, it can be provided that the automatic activation of at least one function corresponding to the descriptive data automatically provides a discount for automatic use on the product promoted by the advertisement. This discount can be applied automatically upon purchase of the product, i.e., without further consultation or action by the user. Alternatively, the discount can be used for the purchase only after the user takes further action, such as scanning a verification code with the user device, interacting with an interface on the user device, or performing a manual interaction with another device, such as a payment terminal or electronic display, or via wireless technology or digital interaction.

[0028] In another aspect of the invention, it can be provided that the automatic activation of at least one function corresponding to the descriptive data comprises automatically generating purchase confirmation data as a result of a successful purchase of a product in the sales area, the purchase confirmation data documenting the relationship between the advertisement and the purchased product, and providing the purchase confirmation data for further processing. This relationship ensures that purchases associated with the provided advertisement can be distinguished from other purchases made not in connection with the advertisement, i.e., can be treated differently in further data processing, in particular by different entities ranging from the provision of the advertisement via the mobile user device to data processing systems belonging to the sales area.

[0029] In a first embodiment of the present invention, this radio-based identification is based on receiving location data wirelessly from an internet-enabled computer (wherein the location data represents the location of the mobile user device) and then determining on the spot that the mobile user device is at least in the vicinity of the sales area, in other words, in the vicinity of the sales area, where the computer knows the location of the sales area but is not affiliated with the sales area or its operator.

[0030] This location data may represent GPS coordinates, which are determined in the mobile user equipment, for example, using a GPS receiver, and then transmitted wirelessly (e.g., via an Internet connection such as an LTE, 3G, 4G, 5G connection, or a WLAN connection) from the mobile user equipment to a computer. However, this location data may also be determined by a mobile wireless operator, which may determine the presence and location of a mobile user equipment logged into its mobile wireless network by means of radio cells of the mobile wireless network, for example, by triangulation or other means, and the thus determined (or approximated) location may be transmitted to the mobile user equipment, from which it may be transmitted wirelessly to a computer, as discussed above, or directly to a computer via the mobile wireless network using information about the identity of the user equipment, i.e., a user equipment identifier or user identifier.

[0031] The computer may have the location of the sales area available, for example by storing this location on a digital (terrestrial) map or by having access to such a digital (terrestrial) map, and may use the received location data to determine that the mobile user device, if carried by the user, is in the vicinity of the sales area.

[0032] That is, the radio-based approach to determining the occurrence of a proximity event described herein does not require that the mobile user equipment have a direct radio connection to the wireless infrastructure of the sales area or the operator of the sales area.

[0033] In a second embodiment of the present invention, this radio-based identification is based on the mobile user equipment entering a radio area (which is technically covered by radio equipment belonging to the sales area).

[0034] The wireless device can be a WLAN wireless device or a MESH wireless device based on WLAN technology, as well as a ZigBee wireless device, a Bluetooth wireless device, etc. It can also be a proprietary wireless device.

[0035] The wireless device may be, for example, a wireless transceiver configured to wirelessly communicate with a mobile user device to enable wireless identification of the mobile user device's entry into the wireless area. Similarly, the wireless device may be a single wireless transmitter used solely to transmit wireless signals for the user device to wirelessly identify the mobile user device's entry into the transmitter's wireless transmission area. Similarly, the wireless device may be a single wireless receiver used solely to receive wireless signals transmitted from the user device for the purpose of wirelessly identifying the mobile user device's entry into the receiver's wireless reception area.

[0036] A single wireless device can be used, for example, when almost the entire sales area can be completely covered by the wireless area of ​​the single wireless device, or when only one sub-area within the sales area is attributed to the wireless area of ​​the wireless device.

[0037] Multiple radio devices can be used, for example, to spread the total radio area covered by them over a large sales area, or to cover sub-areas of a sales area with individual radio areas.

[0038] In this case, the phrase "...the mobile user equipment has entered the wireless area" can also be understood to mean that the wireless area extends slightly beyond the physical boundaries of the sales area, since wireless signals generated within the wireless area certainly do not abruptly disappear at the physical boundaries of the sales area. In this case, the provision "...the wireless equipment belongs to the sales area" means that the wireless equipment is located within the sales area, more or less within the discretion of the sales area operator, and / or is capable of operating in conjunction with, operating via, or transmitting data to the rest of the electronic infrastructure of the sales area.

[0039] The entry into a radio area defined by a radio device belonging to the sales area, as confirmed in this way, forms the basis for the automatic activation of functions within the sales area to be carried out as intended.

[0040] When carrying out automatic activation of functions by a data processing system, it has proven advantageous to transmit the collected identification data to a data processing system belonging to the sales area or to the operator of the sales area.

[0041] In this case, the data processing system is advantageously part of the electronic infrastructure of the sales area or constitutes the electronic data processing technology infrastructure of the sales area, which uses the identification data for further processing.

[0042] In another aspect, a check is then made by the data processing system as to whether the descriptive data is present, and as a result, if the descriptive data is present, the data processing system can automatically activate a function corresponding to the descriptive data. In summary, it should be noted that not only radio-based identification but also automatic activation of functions can occur within the sales area, i.e., an autonomous reaction within the sales area to the entry of a mobile user equipment into the radio area and the presence of descriptive data can also occur.

[0043] In a first variant of the second embodiment, it can be provided that the data processing system contacts the user equipment via the wireless device in order to check whether descriptive data is present, obtains the descriptive data from the user equipment, and further processes the descriptive data. Advantageously, this first variant allows for direct further processing of the descriptive data, in particular without the need for further involvement of the mobile user equipment or even an internet-enabled computer. In this case, the further processing of the descriptive data can be performed by the data processing system in conjunction with the descriptive data from the mobile user equipment fully autonomously, in particular in real time.

[0044] In a second variant of the second embodiment, it can be provided that the data processing system first receives, from a computer different from the user equipment or another device linked to it, that does not belong to the sales area or its operator, a data set containing identification data and associated descriptive data, in particular via the Internet, stores the data for further processing, and, as a result of detecting the user equipment's entry into the wireless area of ​​the wireless device, checks whether the data set was stored together with the identification data transmitted when the user equipment entered the wireless area, and if the check result is positive, further processes the descriptive data of the data set. In this case, the data processing system still essentially processes the descriptive data autonomously. In this case, it is only necessary to communicate with the data processing system, whereby the descriptive data is accessed on the one hand and the identification data of the mobile user equipment on the other hand. However, in the data processing system, an Internet-enabled computer must receive, in advance, i.e., prior to the mobile user equipment's entry into the wireless area, the descriptive data, together with the identification data, that clearly indicates to which user equipment the advertisement was previously transmitted, and temporarily store the descriptive data for further checking. Only after storing one or more data sets can a mobile user equipment enter a radio area belonging to a sales area as a result of which a check can be made to see whether a data set is available for the mobile user equipment and whether the use of the descriptive data is permitted.

[0045] In a third variant of the second embodiment, it can be provided that the user equipment reports its entry into a wireless area to a computer, not belonging to the sales area or its operator, in particular via the Internet, storing descriptive data determined for the user equipment, and that the computer transmits a data set containing identification data and associated descriptive data belonging to the user equipment reporting its entry into the wireless area to a data processing device, which checks whether it has received a data set containing the same identification data as the user equipment that has entered the wireless area and, if the check result is positive, further processes the descriptive data of the data set. Unlike the second variant, the third variant initially requires that the mobile user equipment, upon entry into a wireless area belonging to a sales area, first execute two communications in near real time. That is, on the one hand, the mobile user equipment must identify itself to the data processing system (where this identification data is temporarily stored) using its identification data, and on the other hand, it must contact an Internet-enabled computer using the identification data and provide the identifier (address) of the data processing system, so that this computer can transmit the data set to the data processing system by means of another addressed communication. In this case, two different communications are also required on the part of the data processing system, namely, one to receive the identification data from the mobile user equipment and one to receive the data set from the computer. Only then can the data processing system check whether a data set belonging to the previously identified user equipment exists, and then, if the check result is positive, use the descriptive data.

[0046] Regardless of the selected variant, the descriptive data present in the data processing system is evaluated by the system, and one or more predefined functions are activated in response to the descriptive data. This automatic activation can be, for example, wireless communication with a mobile user device, where, for example, a discount on the purchase, as described above, is predefined, i.e., stored. This process does not necessarily have to proceed in a manner that is immediately apparent to the user. Rather, the discount can be reserved for a subsequent purchase, and the use of this discount becomes apparent to the user only during the course of the purchase.

[0047] In another aspect, the automatic activation of this function can be a human-perceptible playback, which can consist of one of the following playback forms: light signal playback, text playback, audio playback, image playback, and video playback.

[0048] For this purpose, the mobile user equipment can independently, in particular immediately, initiate and perform a playback that is perceptible to a human being as a result of entering a wireless area independently identified by the mobile user equipment.

[0049] Similarly, activation of the functionality in the mobile user device can be accomplished by a computer that is notified or has been notified of the entry into a wireless range, either by the mobile user device itself or by a data processing system.

[0050] Furthermore, the devices belonging to the sales area and / or the mobile user devices can be driven with the data processing system for human-perceptible reproduction.

[0051] In a particular aspect, the content of the human-perceptible playback can be determined by the descriptive data. In this case, text, acoustically perceptible information, still images, or video, for example, derived from or obtained via the descriptive data, can be played back via equipment configured for the respective playback. This equipment can be, for example, a display in the sales area located in the entrance area of ​​a supermarket, which plays information tailored to the originally received advertisement or advertised product based on the descriptive data. This can draw the user's attention to the advertised product and thus stimulate a purchase. Furthermore, small display devices such as electronic labels, especially electronic shelf labels, can also be used for this type of optically perceptible playback. These are particularly suitable for playing back nearly static content, usually provided by text and / or still images. Furthermore, so-called video rack rails, installed in front of the bottom of the rack and used for video playback, can also be used. This equipment can also be the supermarket's speaker system, which plays announcements, preferably automatically generated, tailored to the originally received advertisement or advertised product.

[0052] It has proven particularly advantageous for providing information to users of mobile user equipment, particularly when they are moving freely within a sales area, for a human-perceptible playback to be activated on the user equipment.

[0053] However, in order to provide location-related information, particularly to users of mobile user devices, it has proven advantageous for human-perceptible reproduction to be activated on electronic display devices, such as LCD panels, flat displays, and in particular on electronic shelf labels, also known as "Electronic Shelf Labels" in English, which allows for targeted attention to be drawn to the location where the electronic display device is located, so that the products normally located there are also within the area of ​​interest of users of mobile user devices.

[0054] It should be noted here that human perceptible playback can also be performed in a combined form, i.e., on both the mobile user device and the electronic display device.

[0055] It has proven particularly advantageous to selectively activate the automatic human-perceivable playback only on those electronic display devices associated with the descriptive data or the content of the advertisement described using the descriptive data. This measure allows for the selection of electronic display devices corresponding to the product for which the advertisement has just been presented, rather than the entire set of electronic display devices, for the human-perceivable playback. For example, the presented advertisement can be specifically addressed, i.e., drawn to the advertised product, in a location-specific manner. In this case, it is of course also possible to involve several such display devices if, in the context of the presented advertisement, the advertisement relates to a group or class of products. The selection of the relevant electronic display devices is carried out using the aforementioned database storing the locations of the products in the sales area. This database can also store the electronic display devices linked to each product (specifically, their identifiers or addresses), so that the product, and therefore the associated electronic display devices, can be called up via the advertisement or descriptive data in the database. The driving of the electronic display device for the human-perceptible reproduction defined therein is then effected in a well-known manner via a data processing system, possibly including a wireless network within the sales area.

[0056] Particularly advantageously, automatic activation of the human-perceivable playback is dependent on the user device's location within the sales area. This has the advantage of ensuring energy-saving operation of the electronic display device, since electronic display devices often operate on batteries and therefore, for example, must avoid situations where they have to constantly flash. Furthermore, it is guaranteed that the human-perceivable playback is actually performed only if the user device is located within an area where the user can expect to actually perceive the human-perceivable playback. The area in which the human-perceivable playback should be displayed can be limited, for example, by evaluating radio signals. In this way, for example, the user device's switch from one radio area to an adjacent radio area within the sales area can be used to activate the human-perceivable playback. In this context, it should be noted that, for example, a first radio area covers the entrance area of ​​a supermarket, where a relatively large flat display is installed, which plays the advertisement identified by the descriptive data. In this context, it may be further noted that, for example, the second wireless area covers a rack aisle having a smaller flat display at the entrance thereof, which displays the advertisement identified by the descriptive data. Depending on whether the mobile user device is located within the first or second wireless area, the larger or smaller flat display is used to selectively present information to the user of the mobile user device. However, this example scheme may also be applied down to the rack or rack rail level, where electronic display devices are selectively used in groups or individually to present a human-perceptible display. This requires only that the wireless signals used to determine the location of the user device be evaluated using the corresponding positional relationship of the electronic display devices to be activated, deactivated, or activated in a situation-specific manner.

[0057] In this regard, it has proven particularly advantageous to use Bluetooth beacons to determine whether a threshold distance between the electronic display device and the user device has been exceeded, which serves as a criterion for triggering a human-perceptible playback.

[0058] Thus, for example, signal strength or RSSI values ​​(RSSI stands for Received Signal Strength Indication) determined by a wireless device or radio during wireless signal processing can be used to estimate the separation between a mobile user device on the one hand and an electronic display device on the other hand, and drive the electronic display device to present a human-perceptible playback when this separation threshold is exceeded.

[0059] In this case, the RSSI value can be evaluated by a mobile user device, which detects that the interval threshold has been exceeded and reports this situation to the sales area's wireless network, which then triggers the electronic display device via a data processing system. For this purpose, Bluetooth beacons can be installed anywhere within the sales area. Preferably, however, multiple Bluetooth beacons are positioned at different locations within the sales area, transmitting individual beacon radio signals that uniquely represent the location. These different locations can be, for example, store areas, rack aisles, individual racks, or even rack compartments or rack rails. It can also be provided that the electronic display device itself is equipped with a Bluetooth beacon, which further improves the location resolution within the sales area.

[0060] Next, from the mobile user device that receives the beacon radio signal, the Bluetooth radio signal signature used to identify the respective interval is also transmitted to the data processing device, and from the signature, location information regarding the location of the mobile user device is obtained, and this information can be used to determine whether the mobile user device is near an electronic display device that should be activated for human-perceptible reproduction based on the descriptive data.

[0061] Similarly, it may be provided that the mobile user device has a beacon, in particular a Bluetooth beacon, whose radio signal is received by receivers distributed throughout the sales area, thereby enabling the receivers to determine, limit, or estimate the distance to the mobile user device. The location of the receiver can be selected similarly to the location of the Bluetooth beacon, in particular integrated into the electronic display. This allows the distance determination to be applied down to the level of the distance between the mobile user device and the electronic display, specifically in as energy-efficient a manner as possible. The rechargeable battery of the mobile user device can be easily charged by the user himself as frequently as needed, thereby minimizing the energy requirements for transmitting the beacon radio signal. At the same time, however, in the case of a battery-powered electronic display, the energy requirements for receiving the beacon radio signal in the receiving mode are relatively low compared to the energy requirements for transmitting the beacon radio signal in the transmitting mode.

[0062] Regardless of how this interval is determined, it has proven highly advantageous for the electronic display device to include at least one light-emitting diode (LED) that is activated to generate a flashing light signal. LEDs can be operated in a very energy-efficient manner, which also has a positive effect on battery life, as in the case of battery-powered electronic display devices discussed in the previous paragraph. Furthermore, point-emitting light sources are very easily perceptible to the human eye and the associated human orientation. Thus, they specifically attract the attention of the user of the mobile user device with as little effort as possible and visually guide that attention to the product advertised by the advertisement previously displayed on the user device. In particular, it is no longer necessary for the user to process perceptible textual or visual information, which could distract the user from perceiving the advertised product or service or even be perceived as an annoyance.

[0063] Apart from the direct display of the product in the user's device's immediate vicinity so that it can be visually perceived by the user, the human-perceptible playback can be used to navigate to a location within the sales area determined for each product associated with the advertisement, i.e., the user can be guided to an area of ​​the sales area where the advertised product can be seen or noticed using the measures in the previous paragraph, even from a more distant location where the advertised product was initially not visible at all.

[0064] Since the data processing system knows the location of the goods in the sales area and the associated electronic display devices, the data processing system can plan a route to the goods or services after transmission of the descriptive data or as soon as the mobile user device enters the radio area using the descriptive data. Within the sales area, the route is then made accessible to the mobile user device in a human-perceptible manner using the aforementioned technical imaging devices, such as flat screen displays or, in particular, multiple electronic display devices. Similarly, it can be provided that the display and / or audio output devices of the mobile user device are used for this navigation, with the aforementioned measures using beacon radio signals being used to determine the location of the mobile user device. Thus, within the sales area, navigation information defined by the descriptive data can be provided or displayed dynamically, i.e., in particular, in a location-dependent manner.

[0065] In another aspect, in order to be able to collect the results of the advertisements that have been served, it is advantageous to check, after detecting the entry of a mobile user device into a radio area that belongs to a sales area, whether descriptive data is associated with the sales area by a data processing system that belongs to the mobile user device and / or the sales area. This measure makes it possible to process and interpret the behavior of users of the mobile user device, i.e. potential customers, in relation to the served advertisements, so that the results of the presented advertisements can be determined.

[0066] In another aspect, it has proven advantageous to identify an association with a sales area by having the descriptive data describe the sales area and advertise as being associated with that area.

[0067] Thus, the descriptive data may, for example, describe that an advertisement is associated with a certain supermarket or supermarket chain. When a mobile user device enters the wireless area of ​​a sales area of ​​the supermarket, it is confirmed that the corresponding advertisement was consumed by the user device or a device linked to the user device, and this is determined via the descriptive data. Furthermore, it is possible to collect information on the total number of people who entered the sales area. This can also be done, for example, by the aforementioned measures or by other measures, such as a visitor counting system not based on wireless signals. This allows the effectiveness of the advertisement to be determined. In particular, it can be determined in this way what proportion of visitors to the sales area received the corresponding advertisement, i.e., what effect the advertisement had on the increase in visitors or on this proportion.

[0068] In another respect, it has proven advantageous for the descriptive data to describe the products offered in the sales area and identify an association with the sales area by having promoted it.

[0069] In this case, it is possible to use the available descriptive data to investigate whether the product described and advertised by the descriptive data was actually offered in the store's portfolio. The aforementioned database listing the products serves as the basis for this. This aspect can cover two situations: first, when the product was actually available in the sales area; and second, when the product was indeed essentially offered in the sales area but was out of stock at the time. This measure therefore makes it possible to investigate whether a product that was essentially present in the sales area was advertised via the displayed advertisement and therefore allowed a stay in the sales area.

[0070] These measures thus make it possible to collect and, in some cases, even measure the performance of advertising, regardless of whether the association with a sales area relates to the sales area itself or to the products offered in the sales area. To this end, it has proven advantageous for the mobile user equipment and / or the data processing system to generate advertising performance data when an association with a sales area, i.e., an association with the sales area itself or with the products offered in the sales area, is identified.

[0071] Essentially, these ad performance data may be generated solely by the mobile user device or solely by the data processing system and provided for further processing by the respective entity.

[0072] However, these ad performance data can also be generated by the user equipment and the data processing system, respectively, for one and the same event, so that after ad performance data is generated on both the customer side, i.e., the mobile user equipment side, and the merchant side, i.e., the data processing system side, the data can then be provided for further processing by each entity and compared with each other to confirm the event, thereby achieving redundancy against data loss or data tampering.

[0073] As mentioned above, advertising performance data essentially indicates that a stay in a sales area is attributable to an advertisement previously presented to the user. Specifically, advertising performance data may comprise, on the one hand, descriptive data or a reference thereto, identification data, and at least one piece of information identifying a sales area whose association with the sales area has been confirmed. This triplet of data, on the one hand, allows the computer responsible for presenting the advertisement to determine whether the presented advertisement achieved a desired outcome, such as the user's presence in the sales area. In the broadest sense, this serves as the basis for calculating what is technically called a "conversion rate," which indicates how effective the presented advertisement actually was. However, on the other hand, this triplet of data also allows the computer responsible for presenting the advertisement to determine in which sales areas the advertisement's effect occurred, thus forming the basis for a business model for calculating the effectiveness of the advertisement.

[0074] However, the previously discussed subject matter can also be further improved. In this improvement, it can be provided that advertising performance data is generated when the distance between the mobile user device and the advertised product, determined based on at least one radio signal determined based on the previous discussion (which can be the aforementioned beacon radio signal), falls below a distance threshold. In this case, the aforementioned sub-areas within the sales area can be identified by different beacon radio signals, and individual radio areas of these beacon radio signals can be attributed to individual products or groups of products. In this case, however, an advantageous implementation uses an electronic display device that itself emits beacon radio signals that are then evaluated by the mobile user device or that receives and evaluates beacon radio signals transmitted from the mobile user device.

[0075] This interval threshold-based advertising performance data can replace or complement pre-generated advertising performance data generated based on presence within a sales area into a set of advertising performance data, thereby creating incremental and more accurate information regarding advertising performance that can potentially be incorporated into business models.

[0076] In another aspect, it may be provided that advertising performance data is generated when an electronic interaction takes place between a mobile user device and an interactive device, such as an electronic display device or checkout terminal, belonging to the advertised product, advantageously when the electronic interaction completes a purchase, and in particular when the electronic interaction takes place as a Near Field Communication (NFC) based interaction.

[0077] In this case, short range communication relates to techniques known in the art, for example in connection with the ISO / IEC 14443 or ISO / IEC 15693 standards.

[0078] This measure allows for further clarification as to whether the advertisement had the desired effect, in the context of the present invention, i.e., whether the effect of advertising the product on a subsequent purchase or even the purchase itself. As previously discussed, the advertising performance data triggered by these interactions may replace or complement previously generated (or discussed) advertising performance data in an advertising performance data group. That is, in this case, the advertising performance data may be the previously discussed purchase confirmation data, or the advertising performance data may have a reference to the purchase confirmation data.

[0079] The advertising performance data thus generated is transmitted via a computer network, in particular the Internet, from the mobile user device or a data processing system to a computer that does not belong to the sales area or its operator that provided the advertisement. This serves as the basis for various optimization measures, related to the computer's provision of the advertisement and its content, and possibly also to the charging of advertising measures, based on the effectiveness of the advertisement indicated by the advertising performance data. For example, a charging model can be distinguished based on the mobile user device's mere visit, i.e., presence, of a single store (which may affect the generation of sales independently of the advertised product). However, a charging model can also be distinguished based on the user's mere presence in a single store, which may result in sales regardless of the advertised product. However, a charging model can also be distinguished based on the user's proximity to an advertised product within the sales area, even if the user did not purchase the product due to the fact that the user had traveled close to the advertised product within the sales area, which may lead to sales of the adjacent product. Finally, a charging model can also be distinguished based on the actual purchase of the advertised product as intended.

[0080] To gather information deeper in the value chain, in addition to the aforementioned circumstances that lead to the generation of advertising performance data, the registration of purchased products (usually via a website) with the product manufacturer, its service partner, or the product distributor can also be considered to lead to the generation of advertising performance data. Indeed, depending on the implementation of the method according to the present invention, the descriptive data can be obtained at the respective entity involved, so that this registration process can take place directly in the store, for example, via the mobile user device or another device linked to it, or using the store's data processing system. Within this registration, the descriptive data, together with the identification data, can also be output to the data processing device contacted via the Internet for registration, so that the advertising performance data can be generated there. Here, the conversion rate can also include the market participants involved in the product registration, so that this measure can also be incorporated into the optimization and / or billing model described in the previous paragraph.

[0081] Finally, it should be noted that the electronic devices discussed herein (e.g., ESLs, smartphones, tablet computers, video rack rails, etc.) generally include electronics. This electronic device can be constructed with discrete, integrated electronics, or a combination thereof. In some cases, microcomputers, microcontrollers, and application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs) can be used, in combination with analog or digital electronic peripheral modules. Many of the aforementioned functions of these devices are implemented using software running on the electronic device's processor, possibly in cooperation with hardware components. Devices configured for wireless communication typically include an antenna arrangement for transmitting and receiving wireless signals, typically as part of a transceiver module. Furthermore, these electronic devices can include an internal power source, which can be implemented, for example, using a replaceable or rechargeable battery. These devices can also be powered in a wired manner, via an external power grid or by "Power over LAN."

[0082] The above and other aspects of the present invention will become apparent from the drawings considered below.

[0083] The invention will now be explained in more detail again on the basis of examples with reference to the attached drawings, without the invention being limited to these examples, in which the same elements in the different drawings are provided with the same reference numerals. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0084] [Figure 1] Schematic diagram of an application scenario for a computer-implemented method for invoking a function [Figure 2] FIG. 1 is a data flow diagram illustrating one aspect of the method according to the present invention. [Figure 3] FIG. 1 is a data flow diagram for examining another aspect of the method according to the present invention. [Figure 4] 1 is a data flow diagram for illustrating further aspects of the method according to the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0085] 1 shows a plan view of a sales area 4 that occupies the interior space of a supermarket. Within the sales area 4, a WLAN wireless network that extends within a WLAN wireless area 40 that substantially covers the sales area 4 is established in a well-known manner by a first wireless device (not shown). In this case, the first wireless device is a router and / or a WLAN access point attached to the ceiling of the sales area 4.

[0086] Within the sales area 4 there are three racks 6, shown in a top view. Each rack 6 is fitted with a number of electronic display units, realised (in technical terms) as so-called "electronic shelf labels", ESLs 5A to 5L for short. For the purposes of discussing the present invention, ESLs 5A to 5L are preferentially shown at the front end of the rack 6.

[0087] In this case, ESLs 5A to 5L are configured to be battery-powered, and each includes an energy-saving display 8 (see ESL 5F, where this symbol is used to represent all other ESLs) and a light-emitting diode ("Light Emitting Diode" in English, or LED for short, see ESL 5C, where this symbol is used to represent all other ESLs).

[0088] This display 8 can be realized, in particular as an electrophoretic display, using essentially known technology, for example commercially available under the terms "electronic paper" (in English "Electronic Paper") or "e-ink" (which stands for electronic ink), and is arranged (in particular) to display product and / or price information about products (not shown) corresponding to each ESL 5A-5L, which products are located around each ESL 5A-5L on the corresponding rack 6.

[0089] The LEDs 7 are arranged to draw the attention of people, in particular potential customers (or alternatively, for example, employees) to the corresponding ESLs 5A-5L and thus to the corresponding merchandise, and for that purpose, the LEDs 7 are accordingly driven by electronics (not shown) of the ESLs 5A-5L, configured to output a human-perceivable light signal 70 in the visible wavelength band, for example, a flashing red light.

[0090] Furthermore, the ESLs 5A-5L are configured for two-way communication via an ESL wireless network established by a second wireless device (not shown) within the sales area 4. To this end, the ESLs 5A-5L may be equipped with a known transceiver (not shown) with an antenna configuration compatible with the ESL wireless network.

[0091] In this case, a router and / or ESL access point, also mounted on the ceiling of sales area 4, is used as the second wireless device. These operate in a different frequency band than the Wi-Fi wireless network to avoid interference. Optionally, they can also operate in the same frequency band, in which case measures should be taken to ensure that ESL-related wireless traffic is not interfered with by WLAN-related wireless traffic.

[0092] To realize the ESL wireless network, for example, the well-known ZigBee protocol, the Bluetooth protocol or a proprietary protocol as known for example from Patent Document 1 can be used. Via the ESL wireless network, product information and / or price information regarding the ESLs 5A to 5L is provided and transmitted to them, and status information is retrieved therefrom.

[0093] For one or more of controlling radio traffic, controlling internal signal and / or data processing, and driving the display 8 and the LED 7, the ESLs 5A to 5L further comprise a processor unit which is a constituent part of the electronics of the ESLs 5A to 5L.

[0094] In this case, the ESLs 5A-5L are configured to communicate with the ESL access points via the Bluetooth protocol and thus also to receive Bluetooth beacon radio signals from another device, which in the sense of the present invention is a mobile user device 2, for example a smartphone, configured to transmit Bluetooth beacon radio signals as Bluetooth beacons. The transmission of this Bluetooth beacon radio signal is indicated by a circle 20.

[0095] Furthermore, the sales area 4 is equipped with a data processing system 3 that manages or controls communications in both the WLAN wireless network and the ESL wireless network, and is configured to communicate with devices in the wireless area 40 via the WLAN wireless network and with the ESLs 5A to 5L via the ELS wireless network. Here, communications via the WLAN wireless network refer to communications with devices that have entered the wireless area 40 of the sales area 4 and are configured to communicate wirelessly accordingly. Both the fixedly installed components of the WLAN wireless network (routers and / or WLAN access points) and the fixedly installed components of the ESL wireless network (routers and / or ESL access points) are preferably connected to the data processing system 3 by wired connections.

[0096] Here, for example, when a mobile user device 2 constituting the device moves from a first position 2A outside the sales area 4 to a second position 2B within the wireless area 40, and consequently within the sales area 4, wireless-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.

[0097] A shop application provided by the supermarket operator is installed on the mobile user equipment 2, which allows the user to query information about products, note down products for purchase, and finally perform and pay for the purchase.

[0098] 1 also illustrates a cloud-based computer 1, which represents an internet search engine and is geographically independent of the sales area 4. This cloud-based computer 1 is configured or programmed to communicate with data processing systems 3 and / or mobile user devices 2 over the internet, as will be discussed further below.

[0099] The infrastructure considered within the scope of Fig. 1 is used to determine the success of an advertisement, as explained below. Let us now assume that an advertisement for the supermarket products depicted in Fig. 1 is provided by computer 1 to a user of mobile user equipment 2 and displayed on mobile user equipment 2 when the user browses an internet site with his / her user equipment 2 while in a location 2A outside the sales area 4. In this case, descriptive data describing the advertisement consumed by the user or user equipment 2 is stored on user equipment 2, for example by means of so-called cookies.

[0100] Subsequently, the user decides to look for a supermarket and to do so moves the mobile user device 2 from the first location 2A to a second location 2B, i.e. the user takes the smartphone into the sales area 4 of the supermarket.

[0101] In the following, two examples will now be described how the method presented here can be used to activate functions as a result of the mobile user equipment 2 entering a sales area 4 or a radio area 40.

[0102] In one embodiment, the functionality is initiated using data processing system 3, as discussed below.

[0103] When the mobile user equipment 2 enters the wireless area 40 of the sales area 4, it is detected by the data processing system 3 because it logs into the WLAN network and thereby transmits identification data. A shop application is executed on the user equipment 2, which enables communication with the data processing system 3. Now, by means of this shop application, in addition to the identification data, descriptive data is also transmitted to the data processing system 3. However, it can also be provided that the identification data is transmitted to the data processing system 3 together with the descriptive data only when using the shop application.

[0104] The data processing system 3 examines the descriptive data to determine whether it relates to an item offered in the sales area 4. In this case, the advertisement relates to green socks offered in the sales area 4 on the right-hand rack 6, and since the ESL5C is logically linked to a database hosted using the data processing system 3, the socks are prominently displayed by the ESL5C, i.e., product information and / or price information corresponding to the advertised item is displayed by the ESL5C.

[0105] After confirmation that the advertised product is located at the ESL5C, an automatic activation of a function corresponding to the description data occurs, in this case, route description data is generated by the data processing system 3 and transmitted from the data processing system 3 to the mobile user equipment 2, where, using the shop application, a human-perceptible route description is played on the display of the mobile user equipment 2, and the user simply follows it to reach the green socks.

[0106] Subsequently, first advertising performance data is generated by the data processing system 3, which also proves that the user who was previously shown the advertisement has now entered the sales area 4 corresponding to that advertisement. This first advertising performance data is transmitted from the data processing system 3 to the computer 1, and identifies the sales area 4 (i.e. the shop) where the advertisement performance was confirmed, the user or their user equipment 2 (e.g. using identification information), and possibly also the advertisement that is presumed to be the basis for the advertisement performance (e.g. using descriptive data). A conversion rate can then be generated in the computer 1, which indicates how many of the users who were shown the advertisement were persuaded by the advertisement to visit the supermarket, and this can be used as a basis for initiating a charge for the provision of the advertisement or a charge taking into account the actual advertising performance that occurred.

[0107] Additionally, the mobile user equipment 2 is instructed by the data processing system 3 (using the shop application) to transmit a Bluetooth beacon radio signal.

[0108] In a first variation, the Bluetooth beacon radio signal may include a control code. This control code may be individually preset or preprogrammed for each of the ESLs 5A-5L within the system, for example, using the data processing system 3, i.e., all of the ESLs 5A-5L may be individually detected. In the simplest variation, this control code may be provided by a unique ESL identification code (e.g., the individual MAC address of each ESL 5A-5L) for detecting each ESL 5A-5L itself, thereby eliminating the need for programming each of the ESLs 5A-5L.

[0109] In this first variation configuration, the ESLs 5A to 5L are configured to decode the received control code for each Bluetooth beacon wireless signal, and when a corresponding individual control code is received, they react to it, i.e., drive the LED 7 when it is received.

[0110] Now, if the user knows which rack 6 he needs to look for the green socks on and moves towards the corresponding ESL5C together with the user device 2, the LED 7 on the ESL5C will start to light up (blink) only when the ESL5C receives a Bluetooth beacon radio signal from the mobile user device 2 that includes a control code designated for it.

[0111] If a Bluetooth beacon radio signal is transmitted only with a relatively limited transmission power, the signal can only be received by the user equipment 2 when it is relatively close to the ESL5C. On the other hand, the entry of the user equipment 2 into the surrounding area of ​​the ESL5C can also be confirmed by the ESL5C evaluating the RSSI (Received Signal Strength Indicator) value of the received beacon radio signal, and only when this value exceeds a predetermined threshold, i.e., when this threshold criterion is met, will the LED be activated to flash.

[0112] When this "proximity event" (indicated by the threshold criterion being met) occurs between mobile user device 2 and ESL 5C (for example, as mobile user device 2 moves from location 2B to location 2C), this event is reported by ESL 5C to data processing system 3, where it is collected as further advertising performance. Second advertising performance data is then generated by data processing system 3, demonstrating that the user who was previously served with the advertisement has now also taken a route toward the advertised product in sales area 4. In addition to the information discussed in connection with the first advertising performance data, this second advertising performance data now also includes information regarding the occurrence of the aforementioned "proximity event," and is transmitted to computer 1 for further processing therein, as discussed in connection with the first advertising performance data.

[0113] In a second variant, the Bluetooth beacon radio signal may include a control code which, when received by the ESL 5C, activates the flashing of the LED 7. In this case, however, it is a control code which uniquely identifies the mobile user equipment 2. That is, this control code may be a code which uniquely identifies the Bluetooth beacon, which is collected upon entry into a WLAN radio network and transmitted to the ESL (here, the ESL 5C) in response to descriptive data by means of the data processing system 3. However, this control code may also be identification data collected upon entry into a WLAN radio network or when a shop application is executed, which is transmitted to the ESL (here, the ESL 5C) in response to descriptive data by means of the data processing system 3.

[0114] That is, the collected control code is transmitted to the ESL 5C corresponding to the description data using the data processing system 3, so that only this ESL 5C responds to the Bluetooth beacon radio signal of the mobile user equipment 2, while all other ESLs 5A, 5B, 5D to 5L ignore the Bluetooth beacon radio signal of the mobile user equipment 2.

[0115] All other processes leading to the output of the second advertising performance data proceed in the same manner as described in the first variation configuration.

[0116] A subsequent purchase of the advertised product is collected by data processing system 3, and the purchase is made either directly at the ESL5C, for example, by NFC communication (i.e., an NFC-based interaction), as discussed in the general description, or, if the purchase is made at a payment terminal, third advertising performance data can be generated by data processing system 3 verifying that the user was previously presented with an advertisement and purchased the product advertised by the advertisement. Here, in addition to the information described in connection with the first and / or second advertising performance data, the third advertising performance data also includes information regarding the occurrence of a purchase, and is transmitted to computer 1 for further processing therein, as discussed in connection with the first and / or second advertising performance data.

[0117] It should be noted here that even though in this embodiment the occurrence of the first, second and third advertising performance data is considered in terms of a temporal sequence of events, these individual advertising performance data are, of course, independent of each other, i.e., isolated, and therefore may not occur in the temporal sequence just described.

[0118] In another variant, it can be provided that the ESLs 5A-5L are equipped with Bluetooth beacons or that their Bluetooth radio systems are configured to transmit Bluetooth beacon radio signals. This is indicated by the circles 50A-50C. In this variant, the mobile user equipment 2 is configured to receive and evaluate the Bluetooth beacon radio signals to determine whether a proximity event has occurred that should be recognized as an advertising success. This is made possible by the fact that, upon entry into the sales area 4, a Bluetooth beacon code identifying the respective ESL (here, ESL 5C) is transmitted from the data processing system 3 to the mobile user equipment 2, which can then perform an autonomous evaluation of the received Bluetooth beacon radio signals. For the sake of completeness, it should be mentioned here that the data processing system 3 knows not only the pairing between the product and the ESL5A-5L, but also the Bluetooth beacon code identifying each ESL5A-5L, so that the descriptive data allows firstly the product in question, and based on that the ESL (ESL5C) in question, and based on that the Bluetooth beacon code to be applied, to be queried and transmitted to the mobile user equipment 2.

[0119] Now, once the proximity situation is confirmed in the mobile user device 2, it reports this situation to the data processing system 3, where all further processing steps are carried out as discussed. Alternatively, this proximity situation is confirmed in the mobile user device 2 by receiving a Bluetooth beacon radio signal having a Bluetooth beacon code previously obtained from the data processing system 3, which belongs to the ESL5A-5L (in this case, ESL5C) that is paired with the product advertised by the advertisement.

[0120] It should be noted here that, although the above discussion considered that the mobile user equipment 2 entered the WLAN radio area of ​​the first radio device, this is not necessarily required. Rather, in an optional configuration, the mobile user equipment 2's entry into the radio area of ​​a second radio device deployed for communication with the ESL can be determined based on radio signals as well. The above-discussed aspects also apply to this optional configuration. In fact, the WLAN radio network can be omitted.

[0121] In the following, the basic idea of ​​the invention will be considered based on three data flow diagrams in FIGS. 2 to 4, which describe the data flow between three entities: a computer 1, a mobile user device 2 and a data processing system 3.

[0122] 2 shows an internet-enabled computer 1 outside a sales area 4 and a mobile user device 2 at a location 2A querying a website (this is indicated by arrow P1, in which case identification data ID of the mobile user device 2 is also transmitted to computer 1). In the course of displaying the website, an advertisement is also transmitted from computer 1 to user device 2, this is indicated by arrow P2. Here, the advertisement is described by description data RD, which in this case is also provided by computer 1. However, the description data RD can also be created directly by mobile user device 2 based on the advertisement received and transmitted to computer 1, linked to identification data ID for traceability purposes.

[0123] 2 further illustrates how the mobile user equipment 2 is moved from position 2A to position 2B and is therefore located in a sales area 4, in particular in a WLAN radio area 40. There, the identification data ID is output from the mobile user equipment 2 to the data processing system 3. The data processing system 3 then checks, via the WLAN radio network connected to it, whether descriptive data RD exists for the mobile user equipment 2 identified by the identification data ID and, based on this, whether the previously considered first advertising performance data WD1 should be generated, i.e., whether the advertisement relates to the sales area 4 (shop / supermarket, etc.) where the user equipment 2 is currently located. If this is the case, i.e., if this check provides a positive result, this is reported by the data processing system 3 to the computer 1, according to a fourth arrow P4.

[0124] In this connection, it should be mentioned that this investigation can be carried out without knowing or further processing the identifying data ID, for example if fully anonymized results are to be obtained.

[0125] 3 shows that, in contrast to FIG. 2, only identification data ID is transmitted from the mobile user equipment 2 located in a sales area 4 to the data processing system 3. When the data processing system 3 is provided with it, it checks whether descriptive data RD belonging to the identification data ID is present in the computer 1 by querying the computer 1 (this is indicated by arrow P5, in which the identification data ID is transmitted to the computer 1). If such descriptive data RD is present, it is transmitted together with the identification data ID from the computer 1, according to arrow P6, to the data processing system 3, which then checks, on the basis of them, whether the generation of the first advertising performance data WD1 considered above should take place, i.e. whether the advertisement relates to the sales area 4 (shop / supermarket etc.) where the user equipment 2 is located, and then proceeds as considered in connection with FIG. 2.

[0126] 4 differs from FIG. 3 in that it illustrates that a mobile user equipment 2 entering a sales area transmits its identification data ID (together with an identifier that uniquely identifies the sales area 4 or its data processing system 3 so as to enable addressing from the computer 1) to the computer 1, as indicated by arrow P5, and that the computer 1 in turn transmits, as indicated by arrow P6, descriptive data RD corresponding to the identification data ID together with the identification data ID as a data set to the data processing system 3 addressed using that identifier. When the data processing system 3 is provided with the identification data ID previously obtained from the mobile user equipment 2, it checks whether a data set matching the mobile user equipment 2 (identity of the identification data ID) has been obtained and, based on this, whether the generation of first advertising performance data WD1 should be carried out, and then proceeds as discussed in connection with FIG. 2.

[0127] It should be noted here that although the data flow diagram considered above is limited to the first advertising performance data WD1, the same otherwise applies to the second advertising performance data WD2 and the third advertising performance data WD3, which may be generated depending on the implementation within the sales area 4.

[0128] Finally, it should be noted that the present invention is also applicable to wired electronic display devices powered by communication technology as well as by power technology.

[0129] Finally, it is pointed out once again that the figures described in detail above are merely examples that can be modified in various ways by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention. For the sake of completeness, it is also pointed out that the use of the indefinite article "ein" or "eine" does not exclude that the feature in question can also be present in plural.

Claims

1. 1. A computer-implemented method of invoking a function, the method comprising the steps of: determining whether the mobile user equipment (2) is located within at least a perimeter of a sales area (4) based on radio signals; checking whether there is descriptive data (RD) describing advertisements, in particular relating to the sales area (4) and / or to products offered in relation to the sales area (4), transmitted via the Internet to the user equipment (2) itself or to another device linked to the user equipment (2); and automatically initiating at least one function corresponding to the description data (RD).

2. 10. The method of claim 1, In the process of determining that the mobile user equipment (2) is located at least in the vicinity of the sales area (4), identification data (ID) is collected, and this identification data (ID) is data that identifies the user equipment (2) or the user of the user equipment (2).

3. 3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, The automatic invocation of said functionality may involve the following activities: Log records of the approach situations that occurred, Automatic transmission of electronic messages to a mobile user device (2); automatic transmission of an electronic message to a data processing system (3) belonging to the operator of the sales area (4); and The method, wherein said logging and / or said automatically transmitting electronic message describes a discrete event of a proximity situation that occurred or comprises a description of a plurality of such discrete events.

4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, The method further comprises linking the descriptive data (RD) with product location data for the product associated with the descriptive data (RD), the automatic activation of at least one function corresponding to the descriptive data (RD) being based on a database storing product location data for products in a sales area (4).

5. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, The method wherein the automatic activation of at least one function corresponding to the descriptive data (RD) includes automatically providing a discount for each advertised product for automatic use.

6. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, The method wherein the automatic activation of at least one function corresponding to the descriptive data (RD) includes the automatic generation of purchase confirmation data as a result of a successful purchase of a product within the sales area (4), the purchase confirmation data being data documenting the association between the advertisement and the purchased product, and the purchase confirmation data being provided for further processing.

7. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, The method is based on wirelessly receiving location data describing the location of the mobile user device (2) from an internet enabled computer (1) and determining at said computer (1) that the mobile user device (2) is at least in the vicinity of a sales area (4), said computer (1) knowing the location of said sales area (4), but not belonging to said sales area (4) or its operator.

8. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, The radio-based identification is based on the mobile user equipment (2) entering a radio area (40; 50A-50C), which is an area covered by radio technology by radio equipment belonging to the sales area (4).

9. The method of claim 2 in combination with claim 8, The method, wherein said collected identification data (ID) are transmitted to a data processing system (3) belonging to the sales area (4) or to the operator of said sales area (4).

10. 10. The method of claim 9, The method, wherein the check for the presence of said descriptive data (RD) is carried out by a data processing system (3).

11. 11. The method of claim 10, The method, wherein the data processing system (3) contacts the user equipment (2) via a wireless device in order to check whether description data (RD) is present, obtains the description data (RD) from the user equipment (2), and further processes the description data (RD).

12. 11. The method of claim 10, The data processing system (3) first receives a data set comprising identification data (ID) and associated descriptive data (RD) from a computer (1) different from the user equipment (2) or another device linked to it, that does not belong to the sales area (4) or its operator, in particular via the Internet, stores the data set for further processing, checks whether the data set comprising the identification data (ID) transmitted at the time of the user equipment (2)'s entry into the wireless area (40; 50A-50C) has been stored as a result of the detection of the user equipment (2)'s entry into the wireless area (40; 50A-50C), and if the check result is positive, further processes the descriptive data (RD) of this data set.

13. 11. The method of claim 10, The method comprises the steps of: a user device (2) reporting its entry into a wireless area (40; 50A-50C) to a computer (1) that stores descriptive data (RD) determined for the user device (2) and that does not belong to the sales area (4) or its operator, in particular via the Internet; the computer (1) then transmits to a data processing device (3) a data set comprising identification data (ID) belonging to the user device (2) reporting its entry into the wireless area (40; 50A-50C) and the associated descriptive data (RD); the data processing device (3) then checks whether it has received a data set with the same identification data (ID) as the identification data (ID) of the user device (2) that has entered the wireless area (40; 50A-50C); and if the check result is positive, further processing of the descriptive data (RD) of the data set.

14. The method according to any one of claims 8 to 13, The automatic activation of the above function is possible in the following playback modes: Optical signal regeneration, Playback of text, Audio playback, Image playback, Video playback, The method is a reproduction that can be perceived by a human, including one of the following:

15. 15. The method of claim 14, The method wherein the content of said human perceptible reproduction is determined by description data (RD).

16. 16. The method of claim 14 or 15, The method wherein said human-perceptible playback is initiated on a user device (2).

17. 16. The method of claim 14 or 15, The method, wherein said human-perceptible reproduction is activated on an electronic display device (5A-5L), in particular on an electronic shelf label, called "Electronic Shelf Label" in English.

18. 18. The method of claim 17, The method, wherein the automatic activation of the human-perceivable playback is selectively performed only for electronic display devices (5C) associated with the description data (RD) or the content of the advertisement described using the description data (RD).

19. 19. The method of claim 17 or 18, The method, wherein the automatic activation of the human-perceptible playback is dependent on the location of the user equipment (2) within the sales area (4).

20. 20. The method of claim 19, The method uses Bluetooth beacons to determine whether a threshold distance between said electronic display device (5A-5C) and the user device (2) has fallen below, which serves as a criterion for triggering a human-perceptible playback.

21. 21. The method of claim 20, The method, wherein said electronic display device (5A-5C) comprises at least one LED (7) that is driven to produce a flashing light signal.

22. The method according to any one of claims 14 to 21, The method, wherein said human-perceptible reproduction is used for navigation to a location within a sales area (4) determined for each product associated with the advertisement.

23. The method according to any one of claims 8 to 22, The method, wherein, after confirmation of the entry of a mobile user equipment (2) into a radio area (40; 50A-50C) belonging to said sales area (4), the mobile user equipment (2) and / or a data processing system (3) belonging to the sales area (4) checks whether the descriptive data (RD) has an association with said sales area (4).

24. 24. The method of claim 23, The method wherein said association with said sales area (4) is confirmed by the fact that the descriptive data (RD) are data representing the promotion of the sales area (4) itself.

25. 25. The method of claim 23 or 24, The method wherein said association with said sales area (4) is confirmed by the fact that the descriptive data (RD) are data representing the promotion of products offered in said sales area (4).

26. The method according to any one of claims 23 to 25, The method wherein the mobile user equipment (2) and / or the data processing system (3) generates advertising performance data (WD1-WD3) if an association with said sales area (4) is confirmed.

27. 27. The method of claim 26, The method, wherein the advertising performance data (WD2) is generated when a distance between the mobile user device (2) and the advertised product, as determined based on at least one wireless signal, falls below a distance threshold.

28. 28. The method of claim 26 or 27, The method in which the advertising performance data (WD3) is generated when an electronic interaction takes place between the mobile user equipment (2) and an electronic display device (5A-5L) or interactive device corresponding to the advertised product, preferably when an interaction resulting in a purchase takes place, and in particular when this electronic interaction takes place as an interaction based on near field communication (NFC for short).

29. The method according to any one of claims 26 to 28, The method in which the advertising performance data (WD1-WD3) is transmitted from a mobile user device (2) or a data processing system (3) to a computer (1) that serves the advertisement and does not belong to the sales area (4) or its operator.

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