Proxy-Based Profile Management to Deliver Personalized Services

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018041602-A1
Application number	US-201715788251-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 19, 2017
Priority date	Jul 23, 2004
Publication date	Feb 8, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method includes receiving, at a server associated with a merchant, an identification token associated with a mobile device located in a service environment associated with the merchant. The identification token includes an opaque token generated by a source other than the mobile device. The method includes, receiving an address of a profile agent associated with the mobile device. The profile agent is distinct from the mobile device. The method includes sending to the profile agent, a request for a user profile associated with the mobile device, where the request includes the identification token, and receiving an opaque user profile responsive to the request. The method also includes sending a personalized offer associated with the merchant to the profile agent based on the opaque user profile. The profile agent causes application of preferences and policies associated with the mobile device to the personalized offer to determine whether to forward the personalized offer to the mobile device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method comprising:
receiving, at a server associated with a merchant, an identification token associated with a mobile device located in a service environment associated with the merchant, wherein the identification token includes an opaque token generated by a source other than the mobile device; receiving, at the server, an address of a profile agent associated with the mobile device, the profile agent external to the mobile device; sending, from the server to the profile agent, a request for a user profile associated with the mobile device, the request including the identification token; receiving, at the server, an opaque user profile responsive to the request; and sending a personalized offer associated with the merchant from the server to the profile agent based on the opaque user profile, wherein the profile agent causes application of preferences and policies associated with the mobile device to the personalized offer to determine whether to forward the personalized offer to the mobile device.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein presence of the mobile device in the service environment is detected by an access point of a local area network associated with the merchant.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the mobile device sends a uniform resource locator for the profile agent to the access point.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein a service provider associated with the mobile device provides the merchant with a notice that the mobile device is in the service environment.

5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the notice identifies a uniform resource locator for the profile agent.

6 . A method comprising:
receiving, at a server, a user profile associated with a mobile device, the user profile including profile policies and preferences; storing the user profile to a database such that at least a portion of the user profile is accessible to a profile agent associated with the mobile device, the profile agent distinct from the mobile device; sending a portion of the user profile, retrieved from the database, from the server to the profile agent responsive to a request from the profile agent, the portion comprising an opaque user profile; responsive to sending the portion, receiving, from the profile agent at the server, a personalized offer, the personalized offer provided from a merchant based on the portion; and applying, at the server, the profile policies and preferences to the personalized offer to determine whether to permit the personalized offer to be sent from the profile agent to the mobile device.

7 . The method of claim 6 , further comprising sending the personalized offer to the profile agent responsive to a determination to permit the personalized offer to be sent to the mobile device.

8 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the profile agent is a multi-hop agent.

9 . The method of claim 6 , wherein a client application on the mobile device supports user interaction with the profile agent.

10 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the user profile identifies particular merchants.

11 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the user profile identifies particular product categories.

12 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the user profile is received via a user interface.

13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the user interface is linked to product catalogs, company catalogs, or both.

14 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the opaque user profile inhibits direct communication between the merchant and the mobile device.

15 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the personalized offer includes a discount coupon.

16 . A computer-readable storage device storing instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:
receiving a user profile associated with a mobile device, the user profile including profile policies and preferences; storing the user profile to a database, the user profile accessible to a profile agent associated with the mobile device, the profile agent distinct from the mobile device; sending a portion of the user profile retrieved from the database to the profile agent responsive to a request from the profile agent, the portion comprising an opaque user profile; responsive to sending the portion, receiving, from the profile agent, a personalized offer directed to the mobile device, the personalized offer provided from a merchant based on the portion; and applying the profile policies and preferences to the personalized offer to determine whether to permit the personalized offer to be sent from the profile agent to the mobile device.

17 . The computer-readable storage device of claim 16 , wherein the operations further comprise sending the personalized offer to the profile agent responsive to a determination to permit the personalized offer to be sent to the mobile device.

18 . The computer-readable storage device of claim 16 , wherein the profile agent is a single-hop agent.

19 . The computer-readable storage device of claim 16 , wherein the request from the profile agent is received in response to the mobile device being located in a service environment associated with the merchant.

20 . The computer-readable storage device of claim 16 , wherein the user profile is received via a user interface.

Assignees

• At & T Ip I Lp

Inventors

• Gorti Sreenivasa Rao
• Patron David
• Vanvleck Paul
• Arellano Javier B

Classifications

• H04W4/21

  for social networking applications · CPC title

• H04W4/029

  Location-based management or tracking services · CPC title

• G06Q30/02 Primary

  Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising · CPC title

• G06Q30/0253

  During e-commerce, i.e. online transactions · CPC title

• G06Q30/0267

  Wireless devices · CPC title