Techniques for In-Store Prescription Notifications

Abstract

A mobile device and a server exchange information in response to the mobile device detecting a proximity beacon. Upon detecting the proximity beacon, the mobile device initiates a web service call to the server. A mobile device user will indicate a choice whether to opt-in upon registration. If the user has opted in, the server will retrieve additional information about the user including prescription information. The server will transmit prescription information and other marketing information to the mobile device. The server may be configured to receive additional information from the mobile device, for example, a request for a prescription to be refilled.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method comprising:
 receiving a signal at a user device from a proximity beacon in a store;   in response to the signal, receiving at the user device in the store a first in-store reminder notifying a customer associated with the user device of an eligible refill for a prescription prescribed to the customer;   displaying the first in-store reminder of the eligible refill on the user device; and   in response to a selection of the first in-store reminder, instructing the store to refill the prescription.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving at the user device in the store a notification that a pharmacy has completed filling the eligible refill of the prescription; and   displaying the notification on the user device.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 in response to receiving the signal from the proximity beacon in the store, establishing a link between the user device and a first server; and   receiving the first in-store reminder of the eligible refill for the prescription from the first server.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising:
 receiving at the user device in the store a second in-store reminder notifying the customer associated with the user device of a previous order by the customer separate from the eligible refill; and   displaying the second in-store reminder on the user device   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the second in-store reminder is received from a second server separate from the first server. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 registering the user device based on a customer identifier received at the user device; and   identifying the eligible refill for the prescription based on customer information associated with the customer identifier.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 requesting a user of the user device to opt-in for the first in-store reminder of the eligible refill for the prescription.   
     
     
         8 . An apparatus comprising:
 a processor circuit;   a link interface operative to communicatively couple the processor circuit to a network; and   a storage communicatively coupled to the processor circuit and arranged to store a sequence of instructions operative on the processor circuit to:
 receive a signal at a user device from a proximity beacon in a store; 
 in response to the signal, receive at the user device in the store a first in-store reminder notifying a customer associated with the user device of an eligible refill for a prescription prescribed to the customer; 
 display the first in-store reminder of the eligible refill on the user device; and 
 in response to a selection of the first in-store reminder, instructing the store to refill the prescription. 
   
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , further comprising instructions operative on the processor circuit to:
 receive at the user device in the store a notification that a pharmacy has completed filling the eligible refill of the prescription; and   display the notification on the user device.   
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , further comprising instructions operative on the processor circuit to:
 in response to receiving the signal from the proximity beacon in the store, establish a link between the user device and a first server; and   receive the first in-store reminder of the eligible refill for the prescription from the first server.   
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , further comprising instructions operative on the processor circuit to:
 receive at the user device in the store a second in-store reminder notifying the customer associated with the user device of a previous order by the customer separate from the eligible refill; and   display the second in-store reminder on the user device   
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the second in-store reminder is received from a second server separate from the first server. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , further comprising instructions operative on the processor circuit to:
 register the user device based on a customer identifier received at the user device; and   identify the eligible refill for the prescription based on customer information associated with the customer identifier.   
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , further comprising instructions operative on the processor circuit to:
 request a user of the user device to opt-in for the first in-store reminder of the eligible refill for the prescription.   
     
     
         15 . An apparatus comprising:
 means for receiving a signal at a user device from a proximity beacon in a store;   in response to the signal, means for receiving at the user device in the store a first in-store reminder notifying a customer associated with the user device of an eligible refill for a prescription prescribed to the customer;   means for displaying the first in-store reminder of the eligible refill on the user device; and   in response to a selection of the first in-store reminder, means for instructing the store to refill the prescription.   
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 means for receiving at the user device in the store a notification that a pharmacy has completed filling the eligible refill of the prescription; and   means for displaying the notification on the user device.   
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 in response to receiving the signal from the proximity beacon in the store, means for establishing a link between the user device and a first server; and   means for receiving the first in-store reminder of the eligible refill for the prescription from the first server.   
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 means for receiving at the user device in the store a second in-store reminder notifying the customer associated with the user device of a previous order by the customer separate from the eligible refill; and   means for displaying the second in-store reminder on the user device   
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein the second in-store reminder is received from a second server separate from the first server. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 means for registering the user device based on a customer identifier received at the user device; and   means for identifying the eligible refill for the prescription based on customer information associated with the customer identifier.