M2M Device Location Tracking for Customer Behavior Analysis

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Solution Overview

Problem

Collecting and analyzing customer behavior information is costly, time-consuming, and unreliable using traditional methods like interviews and surveys, limiting its effectiveness for businesses.

Innovation Solution

Utilizing M2M devices equipped with processors and memory to automatically collect location information via short-range communication mechanisms, generating location profiles, and determining optimal communication routes based on device and network conditions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If traditional methods like interviews, focus groups, and surveys are used to collect customer behavior information, then customer feedback can be obtained, but the process becomes costly, time-consuming, and unreliable

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvereliability of customer behavior informationVSAvoidtime-consuming nature of traditional collection methods

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces manual data collection methods (interviews, surveys, focus groups) with automated M2M communication systems that track device locations and behaviors automatically. This substitution eliminates human involvement in data collection, providing continuous, objective, and reliable behavioral data without the time costs associated with traditional methods

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The system enables devices to automatically report their own location and behavior data through M2M communications. Each device serves as its own data source, automatically transmitting relevant information without requiring external intervention for data collection, thereby eliminating the time-consuming nature of traditional survey-based approaches

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

2Productivity

If M2M devices are used to automatically collect location information via short-range communication mechanisms, then customer behavior tracking becomes efficient and reliable, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveefficiency of customer behavior trackingVSAvoidcomplexity of M2M device system

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent leverages existing multi-functional M2M devices that already perform communication and location tracking for other purposes. By utilizing devices that serve multiple functions (communication, location tracking, behavior monitoring), the system achieves efficient customer behavior tracking without adding dedicated complex tracking hardware to each device

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The system introduces a centralized server or cloud platform as an intermediary that handles the complex tasks of receiving, processing, and analyzing location data from multiple devices. This mediator absorbs the computational complexity, allowing individual M2M devices to remain relatively simple while the overall system achieves high productivity through centralized intelligence

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS10587985B2Smart machine to machine behavior tracking

Publication Date: 2020.03.10 AT&T INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY I L P

AI summary

Smart M2M devices may be utilized to discover, generate, develop, and use customer behavior information. Security, marketing, and sales may be made through the use of short-range communication mechanisms, and customer behavior information may be gathered while providing devices with product information and other content. In an example configuration, smart M2M devices may determine the location of a device in a venue and compare it to historical location information associated with the device to determine whether authentication should be requested.