Apparatus, system, and method for target search and using geocaching

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10949867-B2
Application number	US-201916352360-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 13, 2019
Priority date	Sep 11, 2017
Publication date	Mar 16, 2021
Grant date	Mar 16, 2021

Abstract

A method of locating a target in a geographical space includes providing information to searcher users searching for the target, and potentially selecting among multiple targets for location, and providing rewards to the searchers after locating the target. The target may be a virtual object, and the method may use augmented reality features in locating the virtual object. The method may also provide for participating users who are not actively searching for the target, but may team with a searcher to receive a reward if the searcher locates the target, and who may potentially assist the user in locating the target. Participating users may be eligible if they are located in a designated participation area. The method may further provide for observing users who can observe progress of searchers in searching for the target but are not involved in the search or reward.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
determining that a geographic position of a mobile device of a first user is located within a search area, the mobile device having a display and an image capture device;
providing, by the mobile device, information regarding a plurality of targets located at a plurality of different target locations within the search area;
receiving, by the mobile device, from the first user, a user selection of a first target from the plurality of targets located at a first target location;
monitoring, by the mobile device using a GPS sensor, the geographic position of the mobile device;
receiving, by the mobile device, from a second user associated with a secondary device through a network, virtual Doppler ping information to the first user to assist the first user in locating the first target;
displaying, on the display of the mobile device, a position of a virtual Doppler ping object overlaid on a live display image captured by the image capture device, the position of the virtual Doppler ping object on the live display image corresponds to the first target location, wherein the position of the virtual Doppler ping object is temporarily revealed to the first user by the mobile device based at least in part on the received virtual Doppler ping information from the second user; and
receiving from a server, a signal to activate a reward for the first user after the mobile device reaches the first target location, wherein the reward comprises access to purchase a tangible consumer product or a voucher to purchase the tangible consumer product.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the tangible consumer product is an article of apparel.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving, by the mobile device, user input to activate the first target when the mobile device reaches the first target location.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the user input comprises capturing, using a camera of the mobile device, an image of a physical object proximate the first target location.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein a target at the first target location is a virtual object, further comprising displaying, by the mobile device, images captured by a camera of the mobile device, and modifying the images to include a depiction of the virtual object, when the mobile device reaches the first target location.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein a limited inventory of the tangible consumer product is associated with each of the plurality of targets, and wherein the information regarding the plurality of targets includes information indicating an amount of the limited inventory available for each of the plurality of targets.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the determining that the geographic position of the mobile device is located within the search area and the monitoring the geographic position of the mobile device are performed by communication between the mobile device and an external device.

8. An apparatus comprising:
one or more processors;
a display;
an image capture device;
a GPS sensor; and
memory storing computer-readable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the apparatus to perform:
determining that a geographic position of a first user is located within a search area;
providing information regarding a plurality of targets located at a plurality of different target locations within the search area;
receiving from the first user, a user selection of a first target from the plurality of targets located at a first target location;
monitoring, by the GPS sensor, the geographic position of the first user;
receiving from a secondary device of a second user through a network, virtual Doppler ping information to the first user to assist the first user in locating the first target;
displaying, on the display, a position of a virtual Doppler ping object overlaid on a live display image captured by the image capture device, the position of the virtual Doppler ping object corresponds to the first target location, wherein the position of the virtual Doppler ping object is temporarily revealed to the first user based at least in part on the received virtual Doppler ping information from the second user; and
receiving from a server, a signal to activate a reward for the first user after the first user reaches the first target location, wherein the reward comprises access to purchase a tangible consumer product or a voucher to purchase the tangible consumer product.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the tangible consumer product is an article of apparel.

10. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the apparatus to further perform:
receiving user input to activate the first target when the first user reaches the first target location.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the user input comprises capturing, using a camera, an image of a physical object proximate the first target location.

12. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the first target is a virtual object, further comprising displaying images captured by a camera of the first user, and modifying the images to include a depiction of the virtual object, when the first user reaches the first target location.

13. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein a limited inventory of the tangible consumer product is associated with each of the plurality of targets, and wherein the information regarding the plurality of targets includes information indicating an amount of the limited inventory available for each of the plurality of targets.

14. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the apparatus is a mobile device operated by the first user and located at the geographic position of the first user, and wherein the determining that the geographic position of the first user is located within the search area and the monitoring the geographic position of the first user are performed by communication between the mobile device and an external device.

Assignees

• Nike Inc

Inventors

• Andon Christopher
• Faris Ron G
• House Jett
• Uhrmacher Aaron L

Classifications

• G06Q10/40

  Business processes related to social networking or social networking services · CPC title

• G06Q30/0224

  based on user history · CPC title

• G06Q30/0223

  based on inventory · CPC title

• G06Q10/087

  Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders · CPC title

• G06F16/9537

  Spatial or temporal dependent retrieval, e.g. spatiotemporal queries · CPC title