Techniques for wireless communication of proximity based marketing

Abstract

A system and method for wireless communication of proximity based marketing is provided. The method includes determining whether a proximity device and a mobile computing device are within a first proximity to each other, wherein the proximity device is associated with at least one of a product and a service, and communicating information indicating that the proximity device and the mobile computing device are within the first proximity to each other, when it is determined that the proximity device and the mobile computing device are within the first proximity to each other.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for wireless communication of proximity based marketing, the method comprising:
 setting at least one rule regarding at least one of a product and a service for a proximity based communication filter module, which is associated with at least one of a mobile computing device and a proximity device associated with the at least one of the product and the service, the at least one rule identifying one or more actions performed by the at least one of the proximity device and the mobile computing device when the proximity device and the mobile computing device are within a first proximity to each other;   determining whether the proximity device and the mobile computing device are within the first proximity to each other by forming a short range wireless communication link between the proximity device and the mobile computing device when the mobile computing device is within the first proximity of the proximity device; and   performing at least one action by the at least one of the proximity device and the mobile computing device based on the at least one rule set in the proximity based communication filter module when the proximity device and the mobile computing device are within the first proximity to each other.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one action includes receiving a marketing communication at the mobile computing device for the at least one of the product and the service associated with the proximity device. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising informing a user of the mobile computing device about the at least one of the product and the service with the marketing communication. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the marketing communication is varied based on at least one of a season, a holiday, a time of day, an inventory level of the consumer product, a weather forecast, a history of sales of the at least one of the product and the service, and a history of purchases of the at least one of the product and the service. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the marketing communication is received at the mobile computing device at least one of directly from the proximity device and through a mobile communications network. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the receiving of the marketing communication at the mobile computing device comprises receiving the marketing communication at the mobile computing device through at least one of an email, a text message, an instant message, a social networking communication, a wired transmission, and a wireless transmission. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising, when the marketing communication is transmitted, notifying a user of the mobile computing device about the at least one of the product and the service associated with the proximity device by displaying at least one of an image and a video on a display external from the mobile computing device that is associated with the proximity device. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the at least one action includes determining whether to store the marketing communication at the mobile computing device based on the at least one rule set in the proximity based communication filter module. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the marketing communication includes at least one of an electronic coupon and a rebate. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the electronic coupon is a third party coupon that is redeemable at a plurality of selected locations. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the electronic coupon includes a bar code that is displayed on a display of the mobile computing device. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein at least a portion of the electronic coupon is stored in a cloud storage facility associated with the mobile computing device. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising polling, by a Point Of Sale (POS) terminal, the mobile computing device for the electronic coupon when the at least one of the product and service is purchased at the POS terminal. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the point of sale terminal includes a close proximity communication device. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising storing the at least one rule for the proximity based communication filter module on the mobile computing device to increase a user's privacy. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein no information is communicated from the mobile device to the proximity device to increase a user's privacy. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising indicating with the at least one rule a desire to receive information at the mobile computing device for the at least one of the product and the service associated with the proximity device. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising limiting the information, received at the mobile computing device based on the at least one rule set in the proximity based communication filter, module pertaining to the at least one of the product and the service associated with the proximity device. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising updating the at least one rule regarding the at least one of the product and the service for the proximity based communication filter module by placing the mobile computing device within a second proximity to the proximity device for a predefined amount of time, wherein the second proximity is smaller than the first proximity. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising querying a user of the mobile computing device for approval to update the at least one rule if the at least one rule is set to ignore the at least one of the product and the service associated with the proximity device.