Real world behavior measurement using identifiers specific to mobile devices

Abstract

Methods and systems are disclosed herein for determining real world behavior from proximity-time measurements of a user carrying a personal device and a wireless device identifier. Determining real world behavior and managing usage profiles associated with the real world behavior can be enhanced by the use of GPS location data derived from the personal device, another network enabled device, a wireless device identifier, and the like.

1 . A method comprising:
 using a personal device to detect a proximity of a wireless device identifier;   determining a duration of the detected proximity;   generating a measure of real-world behavior by associating the detected wireless device identifier with at least one of a real world product, service, product category, retail store isle, and retail store; and   updating a usage profile that is associated with a user of the personal device with the real world behavior, wherein the usage profile includes data representing the user's on-line activity using a network-enabled device other than the personal device while the personal device is detected via wireless proximity detection to be in proximity to the network-enabled device.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the wireless device identifier includes at least one of an RFID device and a WiFi device. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein updating a usage profile includes using a device specific identifier associated with the personal device to determine the usage profile to update. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the measure of real world behavior includes GPS location data received from the personal device. 
     
     
         5 . A method comprising:
 detecting a proximity of a personal device to a plurality of wireless device identifiers;   determining a duration of proximity for each of wireless device identifiers, providing a dwell event for each of the plurality of wireless device identifiers; and   analyzing the plurality of dwell events and a usage profile associated with a user of the personal device to determine a measure of user interest in an item associated with at least one of the plurality of wireless device identifiers, wherein the usage profile includes data representing the user's on-line activity using a network-enabled device other than the personal device while the personal device is detected via wireless proximity detection to be in proximity to the network-enabled device.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , further including facilitating delivering to the personal device an offer based on the measure of user interest. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein a device specific identifier of the personal device is used to identify the usage profile for analysis. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the usage profile includes usage data associated with a plurality of network-enabled devices. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 5  wherein the dwell event includes GPS location data received from the personal device. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the GPS location data is used to determine a retailer associated with the wireless device identifiers. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the measure of user interest indicates the user has acquired the item. 
     
     
         12 . A method comprising:
 receiving dwell even data representing a real-world proximity of a plurality of personal devices to a wireless device identifier;   using a device specific identifier associated with each of the plurality of personal devices to identify a usage profile of a user of each of the personal devices;   comparing the dwell event data with each usage profile to determine a measure of user interest in an item associated with the wireless device identifier; and   updating each usage profile based on the measure of user interest, wherein the usage profile includes data representing the user's on-line activity using a network-enabled device other than the personal device while the personal device is detected via wireless proximity detection to be in proximity to the network-enabled device.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , further including facilitating delivering to at least one of the plurality of personal devices an offer based on the measure of user interest. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the usage profiles include usage data associated with a plurality of network-enabled devices. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the dwell event data includes GPS location data received from the personal device. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the GPS location data is used to determine a retailer associated with the wireless device identifiers. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the measure of user interest indicates the user has acquired the item.