Wearable Electronic Badge

Abstract

An electronic badge may be worn by a user to enable public communication and expression. The badge includes an electronic display screen, and one or more wireless transceivers. The wireless transceivers may communicate with wireless base stations or beacons to track user presence at a particular location. A smartphone application may be utilized by users to control badge display content and/or facilitate interaction with third party information services, such as social media services, event attendance services, or advertising services. In other embodiments, the badge may communicate directly with such third party services.

1 . A method of using a personal electronic badge worn by an individual and having an outwardly-directed display screen and one or more wireless transceivers enabling communications via a digital data network to display advertising content to others nearby the individual, the method comprising:
 selecting, by a network-connected advertising server, advertising content for transmission to the personal electronic badge, based at least in part upon (a) social demographics associated with the individual, and (b) a location associated with the individual;   transmitting said advertising content from the advertising server to the personal electronic badge; and   displaying the advertising content via the display screen.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , in which the step of transmitting said advertising content comprises:
 transmitting said advertising content from the advertising server to a smartphone associated with the individual; and   uploading the advertising content from the smartphone to the badge.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the advertising content is selected from amongst numerous prospective advertisers associated with the advertising server. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising: allocating advertising content sponsor fees associated with the advertising content by the advertising server, said fees allocated between at least the advertising server and the individual. 
     
     
         5 . A method of using a personal electronic badge worn by an individual and having an outwardly-directed display screen and one or more wireless transceivers enabling communications via a digital data network to track attendance of one or more individuals at an event venue, the method comprising:
 receiving, by an event attendance system comprising at least a first badge base station positioned proximate an event facility, a unique identification code transmitted wirelessly by the personal electronic badge;   correlating, at least in part by the event attendance system, the unique identification code with an identity of the individual; and   automatically checking in the individual as having attended the event.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising:
 transmitting a user-specific graphic from the first badge base station to the personal electronic badge; and   displaying the user-specific graphic on the display screen of the personal electronic badge.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5 , in which the step of receiving a unique identification code transmitted wirelessly by the personal electronic badge comprises receiving a unique identification code transmitted via a Bluetooth or a wireless ethernet communication protocol. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 5 , in which the step of correlating the unique identification code with an identity of the individual comprises looking up the unique identification code within an event attendee database within the event attendance system. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 5 , in which the step of correlating the unique identification code with an identity of the individual comprises querying a network-connected attendee database external to the event attendance system with the unique identification code. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 5 , in which the event attendance system further comprises one or more additional badge base stations distributed around an event location, the method further comprising tracking the presence of the individual at locations within the event location based on detections of said unique identification code by one of said first base station and/or additional base stations. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the event venue comprises a conference facility. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the event venue comprises a classroom. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the event venue comprises a hotel; and wherein the badge base stations are distributed throughout different areas of the hotel.