Geo-location Quest Game Using BLE Beacons
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Solution Overview
Problem
Physical stores face challenges in competing with online retailers as they struggle to enhance the in-store shopping experience and attract customers, given the advantages of online shopping such as competitive pricing, convenience, and the ability to compare products across merchants.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a geo-location quest game system that uses Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) beacon devices to track participants within a shopping environment, providing location-based tasks and real-time updates, and personalizing experiences based on user data to encourage engagement and interaction with physical stores.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If physical stores offer traditional in-store shopping, then customers can inspect products firsthand and receive immediate availability, but customers lack engagement and motivation to visit physical stores compared to online shopping
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transforms the static in-store shopping experience into a dynamic, interactive game that adapts to customer movements and choices. The geo-location quest game uses mobile devices to provide real-time updates, dynamic task assignments, and interactive elements that change as customers navigate through the store, making the shopping experience more engaging and motivating customers to visit physical stores.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a mobile device-based quest game system as an intermediary between the customer and the physical store environment. This intermediary layer adds gamified elements, location-based interactions, and digital engagement mechanisms that enhance the traditional shopping experience without replacing the physical product inspection capability.
2Productivity
If physical stores implement geo-location quest games with BLE beacon devices, then customer engagement and in-store visits increase, but system complexity and implementation cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent leverages the universal capabilities of mobile devices that customers already possess, using their existing smartphones with GPS and camera functions for the quest game. The system multi-functionalizes these devices by combining navigation, photo capture, and game interaction capabilities into a single platform, avoiding the need for customers to carry or learn specialized tracking equipment.
Solution Approach 2:
The quest game system enables customers to self-serve by using their own mobile devices for navigation, task completion, and interaction. The system provides autonomous guidance through the store, allows customers to capture their own photos for task verification, and enables self-paced progression through quest objectives without requiring constant staff intervention or complex centralized control.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The geo-location quest game system increases customer engagement and encourages in-store visits by creating a fun, interactive experience, enhancing the shopping experience and potentially increasing sales by attracting customers to physical stores.
Implementation Method 1
A geo-location quest game system may include a plurality of beacon devices distributed throughout the game environment, each beacon device having a Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) transceiver
Data Source
AI summary
A method and a system of a geo-location quest game. For example, registering game participants to play a geo-location quest game within a game environment having a plurality of beacon devices which are capable of providing location information for registered game participants within the game environment. In further examples, presenting, on the beacon enabled user device, to the registered game participants, a description of a first task in the geo-location quest game and a request for first task completion information, the first task having a start and end location within the game environment. In another example, receiving the requested first task completion information from the registered game participants.