Ad Payment for Physical Presence via Mobile Proximity Tracking
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current advertising systems for mobile devices lack effective methods to track user responses to advertisements beyond mere clicks, failing to accurately charge advertisers for meaningful interactions such as visits to physical locations.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that utilizes GPS-enabled mobile devices to determine user actions, such as navigating to or staying near a geographic location associated with an advertisement, allowing for billing advertisers based on user responses like proximity and duration of visit, with mechanisms to prevent double counting and account for various device types.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If advertisers pay only for display or clicks, then advertising cost is reduced, but the ability to track meaningful user responses to physical location visits is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces mobile devices as intermediaries between advertisers and users. These devices carry identifiers that enable tracking of user responses without requiring complex infrastructure. The mobile device acts as a mediator that links ad exposure to physical location visits through its movement and proximity detection capabilities.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical tracking systems (such as physical coupons or manual response tracking) with electronic identification and wireless communication methods. Mobile devices use electronic identifiers and wireless protocols to automatically track and report user responses, eliminating the need for physical tracking mechanisms.
2Measurement precision
If the system tracks detailed user navigation behavior, then billing accuracy improves, but processing complexity and computational resources increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the essential tracking information needed for billing purposes—specifically, whether the mobile device reached the target geographic location and spent sufficient time there. Rather than tracking every movement detail, the system focuses on extracting key response indicators (arrival and duration) that are sufficient for accurate billing without unnecessary computational overhead.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a threshold-based tracking approach where the system monitors user behavior partially—only triggering billing when specific conditions are met (reaching the location and staying for a minimum time). This partial monitoring approach provides sufficient billing accuracy while avoiding the complexity of continuous detailed tracking.
3Measurement precision
If the system monitors continuous device location, then user visit detection improves, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements periodic location checking rather than continuous monitoring. The mobile device checks its location at intervals or triggered by specific events (such as entering or leaving geographic zones), rather than continuously reporting position. This periodic approach maintains visit detection accuracy while significantly reducing energy consumption compared to continuous monitoring.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses pre-defined geographic zones and thresholds established before the advertising campaign begins. These preliminary parameters (zone boundaries, minimum duration thresholds) are set in advance, allowing the mobile device to make local decisions about when reporting is necessary without requiring continuous communication or complex real-time analysis, thus conserving energy.
Data Source
AI summary
A computer-implemented method of determining reaction to promotional items includes providing to a mobile device a promotional item associated with a geographic location, determining whether the mobile device is proximate to the geographic location, and charging an advertising account if the mobile device is proximate to the geographic location.