WO2016160337A1

WO2016160337A1 - Consumer-aware retail environment

Info

Publication number: WO2016160337A1
Application number: PCT/US2016/022583
Authority: WO
Inventors: Jeff Dale HOLLAR
Original assignee: Technicolor Usa, Inc.
Priority date: 2015-03-31
Filing date: 2016-03-16
Publication date: 2016-10-06

Abstract

Ways to provide a consumer-aware environment are described. Beacons (120) and advertising displays (130) may be able to interact with at least one mobile device (140) located within a retail zone (180). The mobile device may be able to broadcast a conversation that is able to be perceived by the beacons and/or displays. The beacons and/or displays may identify an appropriate response to the conversation. Such a response may be obtained from a server (150 or 170). The response may be sent to the mobile device or provided via another resource such as a display. Additional two-way communication may be performed among the mobile device, beacon, and/or display.

Description

CONSUMER- A WARE RETAIL ENVIRONMENT

BACKGROUND

[0001] Retailers use in-store advertising to help influence consumer behavior and promote purchases. Current solutions use various beacon technologies to broadcast information at short distances identifying the beacon location.

[0002] Beacons broadcast static information but are not capable of two-way, dynamic communication. This results in applications where consumers may receive information regardless of their interests or current preferences.

[0003] Thus there is a need for a solution that allows consumers and retailers to dynamically engage in two-way interactions.

SUMMARY

[0004] Some embodiments provide a consumer aware environment where consumer applications are able to utilize special broadcasts or "conversations". Some embodiments use location-based beacons that allow retailers to define environments or "zones" that listen for and/or transmit conversations. Such beacons may broadcast information and/or receive broadcast information. In addition, each zone may be associated with various other system elements such as multimedia displays, wireless communication elements, etc.

[0005] Some embodiments may provide an application that allows consumers to control the information they would like to broadcast as a conversation and for how long or under what circumstances to broadcast the information. One or more conversations may be broadcast as a consumer walks around a venue.

[0006] As a consumer walks around a venue, the consumer may enter various zones. If the consumer has created a conversation that is recognized by a zone, some embodiments may establish a conversation with the consumer application, providing an appropriate response to the broadcast. The response may be presented to the consumer based upon parameters configured by the consumer. The response could be visual, audible, or passive.

[0007] Some embodiments may provide automatic conversation interaction between a venue and a consumer where the responses do not depend on any consumer interaction after creation of the conversation. Some embodiments may allow active conversation whereby some portion of information exchanged between a consumer and a venue may require participation by the consumer or the retailer. [0008] The preceding Summary is intended to serve as a brief introduction to various features of some exemplary embodiments. Other embodiments may be implemented in other specific forms without departing from the scope of the disclosure. The Detailed Description that follows and the Drawings (or "Figures" or "FIGs.") that are referred to in the Detailed Description will further describe some of the embodiments described in the Summary as well as other embodiments. Accordingly, to understand all the embodiments described by this document, a full review of the Summary, Detailed Description and the Drawings is needed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

[0009] The novel features of the disclosure are set forth in the appended claims. However, for purpose of explanation, several embodiments are illustrated in the following drawings.

[0010] Figure 1 illustrates a schematic block diagram of a retail system according to an exemplary embodiment;

[0011] Figure 2 illustrates a schematic block diagram of a venue within the retail system of Figure 1;

[0012] Figure 3 illustrates a schematic block diagram of an interaction scenario allowed by the retail system of Figure 1;

[0013] Figure 4 illustrates a schematic block diagram of a software system of some embodiments;

[0014] Figure 5 illustrates a schematic block diagram showing detailed views of some components of the software system of Figure 4;

[0015] Figure 6 illustrates a flow chart of an exemplary client-side process used by some embodiments to define a consumer conversation;

[0016] Figure 7 illustrates a flow chart of an exemplary client-side process used by some embodiments to automatically aggregate information to define a consumer conversation;

[0017] Figure 8 illustrates a flow chart of an exemplary client-side process used by some embodiments to allow consumer participation in a conversation;

[0018] Figure 9 illustrates a flow chart of an exemplary client-side process used by some embodiments to associate a retailer conversation with a retail area;

[0019] Figure 10 illustrates a flow chart of an exemplary client-side process used by some embodiments to allow retailer participation in a conversation;

[0020] Figure 11 illustrates a flow chart of an exemplary server-side process used by some embodiments to define conversations and facilitate participation in conversations; and [0021] Figure 12 illustrates a schematic block diagram of an exemplary computer system used to implement some embodiments.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0022] The following detailed description describes currently contemplated modes of carrying out some exemplary embodiments. The description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the disclosure, as the scope of the disclosure is best defined by the appended claims.

[0023] Various inventive features are described below that can each be used independently of one another or in combination with other features. Broadly, some embodiments generally provide ways to allow retailers and consumers to engage in two-way interaction based on location.

[0024] A first exemplary embodiment provides a method that provides two-way communication within a consumer environment. The method includes defining, at a consumer device, a conversation, broadcasting the conversation from the consumer device, receiving, at the consumer device, a response based at least partly on the conversation, and performing, at the consumer device, an action based at least partly on the response.

[0025] A second exemplary embodiment provides a method that provides two-way communication within a consumer environment. The method includes defining, at a retailer device, a conversation, receiving, from a consumer device, a broadcast, identifying, at the retailer device, a response action based at least partly on the broadcast and the conversation, and performing, at the retailer device, the response action.

[0026] A third exemplary embodiment provides a method that generates, at a consumer device, a conversation for a consumer aware environment. The method includes identifying an event, extracting a set of event parameters, generating the conversation based at least partly on the set of event parameters, and storing the conversation.

[0027] A fourth exemplary embodiment provides a method that generates, at a server, a conversation for a consumer aware environment. The method includes identifying an event, extracting a set of event parameters, generating the conversation based at least partly on the set of event parameters, and storing the conversation.

[0028] Several more detailed embodiments are described in the sections below. Section I provides an exemplary description of system architectures used by some embodiments. Section II then describes methods of operation used by some embodiments. Next, Section III describes several example usage scenarios enabled by some embodiments. Lastly, Section IV describes a computer system which implements some of the embodiments.

I. SYSTEM ARCHITECTURE

[0029] Figure 1 illustrates a schematic block diagram of a retail system 100 according to an exemplary embodiment. Such a retail system may include a digital signage system (e.g., multiple network-connected displays, a local area network and/or server, etc.).

[0030] As shown, system 100 may include a venue 1 10, a set of beacons 120, a set of displays 130, a mobile device 140, a local server 150, storage 155, network(s) 160, a retailer device 165, a remote server 170, and storages 175. Each venue 1 10 may include one or more zones 180 and/or sub-zones 185.

[0031] The venue 1 10 (or "establishment") may represent a physical location or structure (e.g., a retail store, a grocery store, etc.) or section thereof (e.g., a woman's clothing department, a produce section, etc.). Each establishment may be defined in various appropriate ways (e.g., using a set of geographic coordinates, by associating a set of beacons with the establishment, etc.).

[0032] Each beacon 120 may be an electronic device capable of transmitting and/or receiving information over a wireless communication channel (e.g., Bluetooth, Bluetooth LE, etc.). The beacons may be configured to automatically transmit an identifying signal. Such a signal may include, for instance, identity information related to the beacon (e.g., a universally unique identifier (UUID), major and minor identifiers, etc.). A beacon may be an element that is included within another element (e.g., a display with a built-in or attached beacon), or provided by another element (e.g., a mobile device associated with a first party may provide a beacon signal to a mobile device associated with a second party). The beacon will be described in more detail in reference to Figure 2 below.

[0033] Each display 130 may be an electronic device that is able to provide video content (and/or other media content) to a user. The display may be, for instance, an "end-cap display", a shelf display, a free standing device, a television, monitor, and/or any other appropriate implementation. In some embodiments, the display 130 may be able to automatically identify (and/or associate with) beacons 120 within a proximity of the display 130. Although they will generally be discussed as separate elements, in some embodiments, the display and one or more beacons 120 may be included in a single device or enclosure. The display 130 will be described in more detail in reference to Figure 2 below. [0034] The mobile device 140 (or "computing device", or "user device") may be any electronic device capable of interacting with the beacon 120 and/or other system elements. The mobile device 140 may be, for instance, a smartphone, tablet, notebook PC, wearable computing device, etc. Such a device may include various user interface elements (e.g., a touchscreen, keyboard or keypad, microphone, speaker, motion sensing elements, haptic feedback elements, etc.). In addition, the device may include various processing elements, storages, interfaces, etc. The mobile device may be able to communicate across the networks 160 in order to interact with elements such as the remote server 170. The mobile device will be described in more detail in reference to Figure 2 below.

[0035] The local server 150 and storages 155 may be able to communicate with various other elements across one or more communication pathways. For instance, the local server 150 may be able to retrieve media content from the storages 155 and send the content to various displays 130 located within the venue 110. As another example, the local server 150 may receive data collected by motion capture devices within zones 180 and store the collected data at storage 155. In some embodiments, where a local server 150 is not included, the system may instead include a router or gateway that allows the various other components to connect to network 160. Alternatively, some system elements may be able to connect to network 160 without using any intermediary devices (e.g., a mobile phone may connect to a remote server over a cellular network).

[0036] Network(s) 160 may allow the local server 150, mobile device 140, display 130, beacons 120, and/or other system elements to communicate with one or more retailer devices 165, remote servers 170, and/or storages 175. In this way, the system components associated with the venue 110 may be able to send commands or other information to the server 170 and/or storages 175. Likewise, the server 170 may be able to send commands or information to elements such as the mobile device 140, display 130, beacons 120, local server 150 and storage 155, and/or other system components (e.g., motion capture device). Such networks 160 may include networks such as wired networks (e.g., Ethernet), wireless networks or communication channels (e.g., Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, etc.), cellular networks, etc. Similarly, the elements within the venue may communicate across one or more networks.

[0037] Alternatively or conjunctively to using a network or Internet backbone such as network 160, some embodiments may utilize "fog" computing and/or networking. For instance, beacons 120, devices 140, and/or other system elements may be able to form peer-to-peer networks that provide alternatives ways to store data, to communicate among devices, to control system elements, etc. The beacons 120, displays 130, etc. may also be able to serve as near-user edge devices that allow components such as device 140 to interact with the system.

[0038] The retailer device 165 may be any electronic device capable of interacting with the system 100 across one or more networks 160. The retailer device 165 may be, for instance, a smartphone, tablet, personal computer, etc.

[0039] The remote server 170 and storages 175 may be able to communicate with various other system elements across one or more networks 160. For instance, the remote server 170 may be able to retrieve media content from the storages 175 and send the content to various local servers 150, displays 130, mobile devices 140, etc. As another example, the remote server 170 may receive zone definitions, marketing content, and/or other data or instructions from the retailer device 165. Such received information may be stored at storage 175 and/or sent to other system elements.

[0040] Each zone 180 may be defined by a retailer associated with the venue 110. A zone 180 may include one or more conceptual sub-zones 185. Each zone 180 definition may include a geographic area (as represented by the shaded rectangles in the conceptual two-dimensional layout of Figure 1), a set of beacons 120, a set of displays 130, and/or mobile devices 140 associated with consumers or retailers. In addition, each zone 180 may include other elements such as cameras or other motion capture devices that are able to sense consumer proximity.

[0041] Retailers may typically organize a store layout using a set of departments, where each department may have certain types of merchandise with advertising (e.g., via video displays) that may be associated with such merchandise. Some embodiments allow these retailers to define dynamic zones 180 and/or associated conversations such that targeted information may be provided (e.g., via display 130) to users physically present within the zone 180 that are participating in the conversation.

[0042] Figure 2 illustrates a schematic block diagram of a venue 110 within retail system 100. As shown, the various elements of the system may communicate using one or more networks 200. The networks 200 may be wired networks (e.g., Ethernet), wireless networks (e.g., Wi-Fi), cellular networks, and/or other appropriate communication pathways.

[0043] Network 200 may be able to communicate across network 160 and/or connect to local server 150. Different embodiments may use different sets of connections among devices. For instance, as described above, network 200 may be implemented as a peer-to-peer or fog computing network that does not require access to a network backbone such as the Internet. Such a fog network may provide a control plane and a data plane. The data plane may enable edge devices of system 100 rather than a cloud-based storage resource (e.g., servers in a data center). The control plane may allow devices to send and receive commands, control parameters, etc. The fog network may provide enhanced redundancy, latency reduction, etc. by utilizing devices in proximity to each other.

[0044] The beacon 120 may include a processor 205, storage 210, control module 215, and communication module 220. The processor 205 may be able to execute instructions and/or manipulate data. The storage 210 may be able to store sets of instructions, data, operating parameters, etc. The control module 215 may control the operations of the beacon 120. For instance, the control module 215 may define various parameters associated with a beacon signal (e.g., interval, duration, range, identifiers, etc.). The communication module 220 may allow the beacon 120 to send and/or receive instructions and/or data over the network 200.

[0045] The display 130 may include a processor 225, storage 230, control module 235, user interface (UI) elements 240, and communication module 245. The processor 225 may be able to execute instructions and/or manipulate data. The storage 230 may be able to store sets of instructions, data, operating parameters, etc. The control module 235 may control the operations of the display 130. For instance, the control module 235 may control the content provided to a display screen. The UI elements 240 may include output elements (e.g., a display screen, speakers, etc.), input elements (e.g., buttons, keyboards, etc.), and/or input/output elements (e.g., a touchscreen, joystick with haptic feedback, etc.). The communication module 245 may allow the display 130 to send and/or receive instructions and/or data over the network 200.

[0046] The mobile device 140 may include a processor 250, storage 255, control module 260, UI elements 265, and communication module 270. The processor 250 may be able to execute instructions and/or manipulate data. The storage 255 may be able to store sets of instructions, data, operating parameters, etc. The control module 260 may control the operations of the mobile device 140. For instance, the control module 260 may push content to a display screen of the device 140. The UI elements 265 may include output elements (e.g., a display screen, speakers, etc.), input elements (e.g., buttons, keypad, etc.), and/or input/output elements (e.g., a touchscreen). The communication module 270 may allow the mobile device 140 to send and/or receive instructions and/or data over the network 200. The retailer device 165 may be a mobile device 140 or other appropriate device (e.g., a server).

[0047] The servers 150 and 170 may be electronic devices capable of executing instructions, processing data, interacting with users, and/or performing other appropriate functions. Such devices may be able to communicate across networks 200 and/or 160. Such devices may be similar to mobile device 140 within the example system of Figure 2. Storages 155 and 175 may be electronic devices that are accessible to the servers 150 and 170 and/or other system elements. In some embodiments, information stored at the storages 155 and 175 may be accessible over one or more networks (e.g., via an application programming interface (API)).

[0048] Figure 3 illustrates a schematic block diagram of an interaction scenario 300 allowed by retail system 100. In this example, a zone 180 is associated with a single beacon 120 and a single display 130 that are able to communicate with a local server 150 and associated storage 155. In addition, a user 310 is associated with a mobile device 140 and a wearable computing device 320.

[0049] The wearable device 320 (and/or the mobile device 140) may be able to broadcast conversation information that is able to be detected by elements such as the beacon 120, display 130, and/or local server 150. The conversation information may be broadcast using various appropriate pathways (e.g., wireless communication links, Wi-Fi networks, etc.). In addition, the wearable device 320 (and/or the mobile device 140) may be able to receive information from other elements, as appropriate.

[0050] If the mobile device 140 is active, the user may receive relevant content on the device (e.g., a marketing offer, selectable content for display, rewards, discounts, information associated with products in the zone, etc.). Alternatively, the content provided by the display 130 may be updated based on the broadcasted conversation associated with the user 310.

[0051] As a consumer 310 approaches a zone 180 while broadcasting conversation information, the consumer may receive one or more responses to the conversation (e.g., an alert informing the consumer of rewards or deals associated with a product). The response information may be saved on the mobile device 140 for later redemption. The response may provide additional information, playback a video presentation on the wearable device 320, mobile device 140, or on a nearby display 130, and/or otherwise respond based on conversation parameters defined by the user and/or retailer.

[0052] One of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that systems 100, 200, and 300 of Figures 1-3 are exemplary in nature and different embodiments may be implemented in various different ways without departing from the scope of the disclosure. For instance, different embodiments may include different communication paths, may include additional elements, may omit some elements, etc.

[0053] Figure 4 illustrates a schematic block diagram of a software system 400 of some embodiments. As shown, the system may include components provided by a set of beacons 120, a set of displays 130, a set of mobile devices 140, a local server 150, a set of retailer devices 165, and a remote server 170.

[0054] Although various elements of system 400 may be described as software elements, different embodiments may be implemented in different specific ways. For instance, various algorithms may be implemented completely using electronic devices that are not able to execute instructions (e.g., complex functions may be implemented using sets of logic gates, various interfaces may be able to be implemented using circuitry including filters, buffers, or similar components, etc.).

[0055] As shown, the beacon 120 may include data 402, firmware 404, and a communication interface 406. The data 402 may include operating parameters (e.g., UUID, beacon signal attributes, etc.), sets of instructions, etc. The firmware 404 may allow the beacon 120 to transmit a beacon signal and/or receive signals from other system components. In addition, the firmware 404 may at least partially control the operation of the beacon 120. The firmware 404 of some embodiments may receive updates from other devices and apply the updates to the data 402. The interface 406 may allow the beacon 120 to communicate with one or more other devices (including other beacons) using various appropriate pathways, protocols, etc. For instance, the interface 406 may allow wireless communications (e.g., Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, etc.), wired communications (e.g., Ethernet, cable, etc.), and/or different pathways. The interface 406 may allow bidirectional communications (i.e., send and/or receive) and/or communications among multiple other devices.

[0056] The display 130 may include data 408, a client-side application 410, a communication interface 412, a UI application 414, a media player 416, and a hardware interface 418. The data 408 may include media content, operating parameters (e.g., playlists of clips, repeat intervals, etc.), and/or other appropriate data. The client- side application 410 may allow the display to interact with other system elements and/or users. The client-side application 410 will be described in more detail in reference to Figure 5 below. The interface 412 may be similar to interface 406 described above. The UI application 414 may generate various UI elements and/or evaluate received inputs (e.g., touchscreen buttons, motion sensors, etc.). The media player 416 may control the playback of media on the device 130. The player may load content and provide appropriate outputs, via the hardware interface 418, to various device elements (e.g., a display screen, a set of speakers, lighted display elements, etc.). The hardware interface 418 may collect inputs from various device elements (e.g., buttons, touchscreen, etc.) and provide appropriate data to the other elements of the display 130. The hardware interface 418 may also receive data from various other elements of the display 130 and generate commands and data appropriate to drive various output elements of the display 130 (e.g., a display screen, speakers, etc.).

[0057] The mobile device 140 may include data 420, a browser 422, a consumer application 424, and an interface 426. The data 420 may include user information (e.g., reward account information, biographic information, demographic information, etc.), operating parameters (e.g., alert settings, associated devices, etc.), and/or other appropriate data. The browser 422 may allow a user to interact with the system using web-based resources. The consumer application 424 may allow the consumer to interact with other system elements. For instance, the consumer application may receive offers, broadcast conversations, etc. The consumer application will be described in more detail in reference to Figure 5 below. The interface 426 may be similar to interface 406 described above. In some embodiments, interface 426 may provide hardware interface elements and collect inputs from various device elements (e.g., keypad, touchscreen, etc.) and provide appropriate data to the other elements of the device. The interface may also receive data from various other elements of the mobile device 140 and generate commands and data appropriate to drive various output elements of the device (e.g., a touchscreen, speakers, etc.).

[0058] The local server 150 may include data 428, a server-side application 430, and a communication interface 432. The data 428 may include user information (e.g., retailer information, consumer information, etc.), operating parameters (e.g., response settings, associated devices, etc.), and/or other appropriate data. The server-side application 430 may allow the server to interact with other system elements. For instance, the server-side application may receive retailer content, zone definitions, etc., interact with consumer and/or client-side applications (and/or other server-side applications), apply beacon updates, etc. The server-side application will be described in more detail in reference to Figure 5 below. The interface 432 may be similar to interface 406 described above.

[0059] The retailer device 165 may include data 434, a browser 436, a retailer application 438, and a communications interface 440. The data 434 may include retailer information (e.g., account information, venue information, etc.), operating parameters (e.g., offer settings, zone definitions, etc.), and/or other appropriate data. The browser 436 may allow a user to interact with the system using web-based resources. The retailer application 438 may allow retailers to interact with other system elements. For instance, the retailer application may allow retailers to define zones, upload content, generate offers, define operating parameters, etc. The retailer application will be described in more detail in reference to Figure 5 below. The interface 440 may be similar to interface 406 described above.

[0060] The remote server 170 may include data 442, a server-side application 444, and a communication interface 446. The data 442 may include user information (e.g., retailer information, consumer information, etc.), operating parameters (e.g., response settings, zone settings, etc.), and/or other appropriate data. The server-side application 444 may allow the server to interact with other system elements. For instance, the server-side application may receive retailer content, zone definitions, etc., interact with consumer and/or client-side applications (and/or other server-side applications), etc. The server-side application will be described in more detail in reference to Figure 5 below. The interface 446 may be similar to interface 406 described above.

[0061] As shown, the various elements of system 400 may be able to communicate across one or more networks 450. Network 450 may be able to connect to network 160 or network 200 described above. In addition, network 450 may be formed as a fog network using the various system elements.

[0062] Figure 5 illustrates a schematic block diagram showing detailed views of some components of software system 400. As shown, the components include client-side application 410, consumer application 424, a first server-side application 430, retailer application 438, and a second server-side application 444.

[0063] Client- side application 410 may include a server interaction module 505 and a consumer interaction module 510. The server interaction module 505 may interpret messages received from various server-side applications and generate commands and/or messages to be sent to the server-side applications (and/or other system components via the server-side applications). In addition, the server interaction module may receive content and/or playlist information to be applied to the display. The consumer interaction module 510 may allow the display to receive consumer inputs (e.g., via a broadcast conversation, via a display element such as a touchscreen, via a connection to a consumer application, etc.). In addition, the consumer interaction module may generate outputs to provide to consumers (e.g., generating touchscreen control elements, sending available selections to a consumer application, etc.).

[0064] Consumer application 424 may include a display interaction module 515, a consumer interaction module 520, and a media player 525. The display interaction module 515 may interact with the display via consumer interaction module 510. This may allow a consumer to send and/or receive conversation information to and/or from a display. The consumer interaction module 520 may generate UI elements (e.g., touchscreen buttons, lists of content, etc.) and/or receive user inputs (e.g., touchscreen selections, keypad entries, etc.). The media player 525 may allow the consumer application to provide content (e.g., offers, advertising content, etc.) via a mobile device associated with the consumer. Such content may be received from various appropriate resources (e.g., a server, a display, etc.).

[0065] A first server-side application 430 may include a beacon module 530, a display interaction module 535, and a server interaction module 540. The beacon module 530 may be able to send data to various beacons associated with the server. Such data may include, for instance, identifier data, signal parameter data, etc. In addition, the beacon module may be able to receive data from one or more beacons. For instance, the beacon module may receive alerts when a beacon senses a wearable device broadcasting conversation information. The display interaction module 535 may provide updates to the displays (e.g., content, offers, etc.). Such updates may be provided based on various relevant factors (e.g., pre-set conditions such as a start and end time for a conversation, consumer participation in the conversation, etc.). In addition, the display interaction module may receive data from the displays (e.g., consumer selections, retailer inputs, etc.). The server interaction module 540 may allow the server-side application 430 to interact with other local servers and/or remote servers.

[0066] The retailer application 438 may include a zone definition module 545, a schedule definition module 550, and a server interaction module 555. The zone definition module 545 may allow a retailer to select various beacons, displays, and/or other devices to be included in one or more zones. Such selections may be formatted in various appropriate ways such that other system elements may be able to utilize the definitions. The schedule definition module 550 may allow retailers to define conversation parameters (e.g., by defining products, discounts, rewards, start time and duration, etc.) that may be applied under certain conditions (e.g., consumer participation, time of day, etc.). The server interaction module 555 may allow the retailer application 438 to interact with the server-side applications 430 and 444.

[0067] The second server-side application 444 may include an authentication module 560, a zone configuration module 565, a server interaction module 570, a display interaction module 575, a consumer module 580, a retailer module 585, and a conversation module 590. The authentication module 560 may authenticate retailers and/or consumers (e.g., by collecting and evaluating account name and password information, by determining a location of a device, etc.). The zone configuration module 565 may receive zone information from zone definition module 545 and deploy to affected local server-side applications, display applications, etc. The server interaction module 570 may allow the server-side application 444 to interact with other server-side applications. The display interaction module 575 may allow the server to send content or other updates to system displays. In addition, inputs may be received via the displays and applied to the system. The consumer module 580 may interact with a consumer application 424 and receive and/or evaluate user inputs and generate messages, content, etc. to be provided to the consumer. The retailer module 585 may interact with a retailer application 438 to receive retailer inputs and apply the inputs to system elements associated with the retailer. The conversation module 590 may receive conversation information from a retailer application 438 and deploy the information to various system elements based on interactions with those elements (e.g., detection of consumer participation, duration of a sales event, etc.).

[0068] Various elements of server-side application 444 may, alternatively or conjunctively, be included in server-side application 430, as appropriate. Similarly, various elements of server-side application 430 may be included in server-side application 444.

[0069] One of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that system 400 of Figures 4-5 is conceptual in nature and different embodiments may be implemented in various different ways without departing from the scope of the disclosure. For instance, some embodiments may include additional elements or omit some elements. As another example, different embodiments may combine or divide various elements.

II. METHODS OF OPERATION

[0070] To establish a consumer aware environment, one or more computing devices may be configured to listen for consumer conversations. A consumer conversation may begin when a user expresses interest in a product, department, brand, etc. via interactions within an application of some embodiments, an internet browser, retail kiosks/websites, product/QR scanning software, etc. as further discussed with reference to Figure 7 below. In some embodiments, a conversation between a user and a retailer may span several days as a consumer/user indicates interest in particular products and visits a consumer aware environment several times over a particular time period. As conversations are exchanged between a user and the consumer aware environment, the consumer may learn about the user and present new relevant information that user may not have indicated or initiated should the user wish to receive such information.

[0071] When a conversation is detected within the consumer aware environment, some embodiments may determine the proximity of the consumer device broadcasting the conversation and then respond to the conversation which is closest to the environment. Some embodiments use rule-based algorithms to prioritize conversation responses. For example, if four consumers enter the consumer aware environment while broadcasting the same conversation, the system may process the conversations based on a priority order. The priority order may be defined based on various relevant factors (e.g., proximity, detection time, etc.). Such factors may be configured by a retailer and may be adjusted for each consumer aware environment.

[0072] To create one or more consumer conversations a wearable or computing device may be used. Some embodiments provide a software development kit that is able to be embedded into any computing software, thus allowing that software to create and manage consumer conversations. Conversations may be limited to time, targeted to categories or topics, and dictate how the consumer would like to receive responses.

[0073] Figure 6 illustrates a flow chart of a conceptual client-side process 600 used by some embodiments to define a consumer conversation. Such a process may be performed by an element such as device 140. The process may begin, for instance, when a consumer launches an application of some embodiments, navigates to a web-based resource, and/or otherwise initiates conversation definition.

[0074] As shown, the process may determine (at 610) whether the definition applies to an existing conversation. Such a determination may be made in various appropriate ways (e.g., based on consumer selection, evaluation of previously-defined conversations, etc.). If the process determines (at 610) that the definition applies to an existing conversation, the process may retrieve (at 620) the previously-defined conversation element and then receive (at 630) any updates related to the conversation element. Such updates may be received in various appropriate ways (e.g., by providing various user interfaces that allow a consumer to define parameters associated with the conversation).

[0075] If the process determines (at 610) that there is no existing conversation, the process may receive (at 640) various conversation parameters. Such parameters may include, for instance, consumer selections related to product categories (e.g., electronics, men's shoes, toys, etc.) and subcategories (e.g., board games, puzzles, etc.), brands, specific models or products, etc. In addition, the parameters may include preferences related to content or offers (e.g., the consumer may elect to receive audio content, video content, text content, etc.). Other parameters may include, for instance, preferences related to time or location (e.g., participate in conversations at the mall but not at the supermarket, participate in conversations only during non-working hours, participate in conversations regarding prepared food items only during defined mealtimes, etc.).

[0076] After receiving (at 640) the conversation parameters or after receiving (at 630) updates to the parameters, the process may generate and store (at 650) a conversation element based on the received information. The conversation element may be stored locally, on a user device, or remotely on a server. In some cases a user may define a conversation using a first device (e.g., a personal computer), the definition may be stored externally (e.g., at a remote server), and then may be provided to a second device (e.g., a smartphone) for use when participating in a conversation.

[0077] Next, the process may determine (at 660) whether all conversations have been generated or updated. Such a determination may be made in various appropriate ways (e.g., user selection, timeout, etc.). If the process determines (at 660) that not all conversations have been generated or updated, the process may repeat operations 610-660 until the process determines (at 660) that all conversations have been generated or updated and then the process may end.

[0078] Figure 7 illustrates a flow chart of an exemplary client-side process 700 used by some embodiments to automatically aggregate information to define a consumer conversation. Such a process may be performed by an element such as device 140. The process may begin, for instance, when a user launches an application of some embodiments.

[0079] As shown, the process may determine (at 710) whether an event has been identified.

An event may include, for instance, activities such as a user adding an item to a shopping cart on a retail web site (or purchasing the item), a user liking or linking a brand on a social media platform, a user tagging an item using an application of some embodiments, a user scanning a graphic code in a retail store, and/or other appropriate activities.

[0080] If no event is identified (at 710), the process may end. If an event is identified (at 710), the process may then extract (at 720) relevant event parameters. Such parameters may include, for instance, the time of the event, details regarding a product, brand, etc., type of event (e.g., purchase, tagging, adding to shopping cart, etc.), and/or other relevant information.

[0081] Process 700 may then determine (at 730) whether the event should be applied to an existing conversation. Such a determination may be made based on various relevant factors (e.g., similarity to other events associated with a conversation, similarity to parameters associated with an existing conversation, etc.). If the process determines (at 730) that the event should be applied to an existing conversation, the process may retrieve (at 740) the conversation and update (at 750) the conversation based on the event parameters.

[0082] If the process determines (at 730) that the event should not be applied to an existing conversation, the process may generate (at 760) a conversation based on the event parameters. After generating (at 760) or updating (at 750) the conversation, the process may store (at 770) the conversation and then end.

[0083] In some cases, process 700 may be performed by an element such as a retailer device 165 or server 150 or 170. For instance, a server may automatically interact with various online resources (e.g., retailer systems, browsing histories, social media platforms, etc.) to collect events and use the collected information to automatically define conversations related to the events. The conversations may then be provided to a user device 140 such that the user may utilize the conversation within a consumer aware environment. In addition, such a process may be used to generate retailer conversations (and/or responses) which may be sent to elements such as the beacons 120 or displays 130 to be utilized within the consumer environment for responding to consumer broadcasts.

[0084] Figure 8 illustrates a flow chart of a conceptual client-side process 800 used by some embodiments to allow consumer participation in a conversation. Such a process may be performed by an element such as device 140. The process may begin, for instance, when a conversation has been defined. In some cases, the process may begin in response to some event (e.g., receiving a beacon signal or other indication that the user device is within a consumer aware environment, when a user launches an application of some embodiments, etc.).

[0085] As shown, the process may determine (at 810) whether some broadcast criteria have been met. Such criteria may include, for instance, receipt of a message from a beacon or display, where the message includes elements that match the broadcast criteria (e.g., department type, product identifications, etc.). Alternatively, the broadcast criteria may be based on other relevant factors such as consumer preference or explicit activation, time elapsed since last broadcast, etc.

[0086] If the process determines (at 810) that the broadcast criteria have not been met, the process may end. If the process determines (at 810) that the broadcast criteria have been met, the process may broadcast (at 820) a conversation. The broadcasted information may include data related to a previously-defined conversation (e.g., interest in product types, brands, products, etc.).

[0087] Next, the process may determine (at 830) whether a response to the broadcast has been received. If the process determines (at 830) that no response has been received, the process may end. If the process determines (at 830) that a response has been received, the process may extract (at 840) response elements from the response message. Such elements may include, for instance, advertising content or coupons that are pushed to the user device, alerts or indications regarding tagged products, etc.

[0088] The process may then determine (at 850) whether any action is required based on the received response. Such a determination may be made based on factors such as the content of the received response, consumer preferences, conversation parameters, etc. If the process determines (at 850) that no action is required, the process may end. If the process determines (at 850) that some action is required, the process may perform (at 860) the action and then end. Such actions may include, for instance, displaying received content, providing lists of relevant nearby products, etc.

[0089] In some cases, the responses and/or actions may include user interactions (e.g., asking a user for a store rating or other feedback via a user interface of a mobile device).

[0090] Figure 9 illustrates a flow chart of an exemplary client-side process 900 used by some embodiments to associate a retailer conversation with a retail area. Such a process may be performed by an element such as device 165. The process may begin, for instance, when a retailer launches an application of some embodiments or accesses a web portal associated with some embodiments.

[0091] The retailer may use a process similar to process 600 described above to define or update conversations. After defining or updating conversations, process 900 may be used to associate conversations with various areas or zones of a retail establishment. As shown, process 900 may determine (at 910) whether an update applies to an existing zone. If the process determines (at 910) that the update applies to an existing zone, the process may retrieve (at 920) a previously-defined zone element and then receive (at 930) updates to the zone definition.

[0092] If the process determines (at 910) that the updates apply to a new zone, the process may then receive (at 940) zone parameters (e.g., a list of beacons and/or displays associated with a zone, a start time and duration associated with a zone, etc.). Next, the process may receive (at 950) a set of conversation selections. The conversations may be selected in various appropriate ways (e.g., by selecting from among a list of options, by selecting all conversations associated with some product or product type, etc.). The process may then retrieve (at 960) the selected conversation elements and associate (at 970) the retrieved elements with the zone.

[0093] After associating (at 970) the retrieved conversations with the zone or receiving (at 930) updates to the zone definition, the process may generate and store (at 980) a zone element.

[0094] Next, the process may determine (at 990) whether all zones have been generated or updated. Such a determination may be based on various relevant factors (e.g., user selection, completion of an update list, etc.). If the process determines (at 990) that not all zones have been generated, the process may repeat operations 910-990 until the process determines (at 990) that all zones have been generated or updated and the process may then end.

[0095] In some embodiments, the zone and/or conversation information may be distributed to appropriate system elements (e.g., beacons and displays) such that a venue is able to implement the various conversations and zones. Such zones and conversations may be generated using a retailer device such as a personal computer and then may be sent to a local or remote server for distribution via a set of networks.

[0096] Figure 10 illustrates a flow chart of an exemplary client-side process 1000 used by some embodiments to allow retailer participation in a conversation. Such a process may be performed by an element such as beacon 120 and/or display 130. The process may begin, for instance, when a retail device is powered on or when a conversation is defined.

[0097] As shown, the process may determine (at 1010) whether a conversation has been detected (e.g., whether a broadcast has been received from a user device). If the process determines (at 1010) that no conversation has been detected, the process may end. If the process determines (at 1010) that a conversation has been detected, the process may extract (at 1020) conversation elements. Such elements may include, for instance, listings of items, products, brands, etc. In addition, the elements may include, for instance, response preferences (e.g., video content, audio content, etc.), user information (e.g., demographic information), and/or other appropriate elements.

[0098] Next, the process may determine (at 1030) whether a relevant response is available.

Such a determination may be made based on various relevant factors (e.g., available content, available retailer conversations, user preferences, etc.). The determination may be made in conjunction with a local or remote server (and/or other appropriate element). For instance, the process may send the received conversation to a server and then receive a response that may include an indication of the response type (e.g., video, audio, no response, etc.) and/or content associated with the response (e.g., video content, advertising content, etc.). If the process determines (at 1030) that no relevant response is available, the process may end.

[0099] If the process determines (at 1030) that a relevant response is available, the process may perform (at 1040) the response action. Such an action may include, for instance, updating the content provided by a display, utilizing an audio playback element, activating lights or graphic elements, and/or otherwise engaging the consumer based on the conversation.

[00100] Next, the process may determine (at 1050) whether appropriate content is available for sending to a user device. Such content may include, for instance, product information such as pricing, a coupon or other discount offer, multimedia content, etc. The determination may be made based on, for instance, consumer preference, available content, etc. If no appropriate content is identified (at 1050), the process may end. If the process determines (at 1050) that appropriate content is available, the process may send (at 1060) a message to the user device. The message may include an indication that content is available and/or the content itself.

[00101] In some cases, multiple messages and responses may be sent and received. In addition, the responses and/or sent messages may be based at least partly on user selections (e.g., a question may be received from a user and a response generated by a retail associate based on the received question). After sending (at 1060) the message, the process may end.

[00102] Figure 11 illustrates a flow chart of an exemplary server-side process 1100 used by some embodiments to define conversations and facilitate participation in conversations. Such a process may be performed by an element such as server 170. The process may begin, for instance, when the server is activated. The process may be performed as a server-side counterpart to any of client-side processes 600-1000 (and/or other appropriate client-side processes).

[00103] As shown, the process may receive and store (at 1110) conversation elements. Such conversation elements may have been generated using a process such as 600. Next, the process may receive and store (at 1120) zone elements. The zone elements may have been generated using a process such as 900.

[00104] Next, the process may determine (at 1130) whether any requests have been received. Such requests may include requests for content or other response information such as may be requested by a process such as process 1000. As another example, such a request may include a request for event information such as may be requested by a process such as 700. In addition, various system elements may request information related to conversation definitions, zone definitions, etc.

[00105] If the process determines (at 1130) that a request has been received, the process may generate and send (at 1140) a response. Such a response may be sent to the same element that made the request or to a set of elements associated with a request (e.g., a retailer device may request an update to a conversation and any response may be sent to the affected beacons and/or displays rather than the retailer device).

[00106] In addition to responding to requests, the process may automatically send updates based on various relevant factors such as time since last update, execution time specified for a scheduled update, etc.

[00107] After sending (at 1140) the response or after determining (at 1130) that no request was received, the process may determine (at 1150) whether an event was identified. Such an event may be associated with information received from a consumer, retailer, etc. and may be related to a purchase, a selection, etc. In some cases, the process may automatically identify events based on queries sent from the server to user devices, retailer devices, etc. Event information may be provided by a process such as process 700.

[00108] Next, the process may extract (at 1160) the event parameters and update (at 1170) any associated conversations and then end. The relevant conversations may be identified based on various relevant criteria (e.g., event type, associated products or brands, etc.).

[00109] In some embodiments, the process may further store information related to completed conversations, such as consumer broadcast information, retailer response information, etc. Such information may be saved or compiled such that retailers or other appropriate users may be able to evaluate conversation data related to multiple consumers, venues, etc.

[00110] One of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that the example processes and protocols described above in reference to Figures 6-11 may be implemented in various different ways without departing from the scope of the disclosure. For instance, different embodiments may perform the operations in different orders than described. As another example, some embodiments may include additional operations and/or omit various listed operations. Each process may be divided into multiple sub-processes and/or combined with other processes to form macro processes. In addition, sub-sets of operations may be performed iteratively based on various appropriate criteria (e.g., multiple messages may be sent back and forth among various system resources during a conversation).

III. EXAMPLE USAGE SCENARIOS

[00111] One or more benefits of some embodiments includes the ability to allow two-way communication between a user and a retailer where a user can passively broadcast his or her particular interests and the consumer environment can respond by providing relevant information rather than blindly broadcasting advertising that may or may not apply to an engaged consumer. Furthermore, embodiments of the present disclosure allow users to gain control of when the user receives information from a consumer network and in what medium the user receives information from the consumer network (e.g., video presentation on mobile device or digital signage, downloaded content onto user device, coupons for storage in a user's cloud based account, etc.). Several example scenarios are laid out below to illustrate various use cases of the resources provided by some embodiments. One of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that many other scenarios may be implemented.

[00112] A consumer-user likes to shop at a specified market. Before leaving the house the user may create several conversations regarding fresh produce, canned foods, and daily specials. The user may indicate a desire to receive information as video or content for all categories. The user may also indicate a desire to receive coupons or discount information for the same conversations.

[00113] The consumer may enter the market and walk by a welcome screen which has been setup as a zone. As the user comes within range the welcome screen may present a greeting and a short presentation of the daily specials. The user may not have time to watch the presentation, and instead may choose to receive the presentation on a mobile device after obtaining a shopping cart.

[00114] The user may continue to the fresh produce section and be prompted on the mobile device to learn more about produce specials. The user may have a question about apples and use the mobile device to send a message to a store associate and receive a message answering the question.

[00115] The user may continue shopping and pass through the general merchandise section.

Although there may be consumer aware environments within that section, because the user did not establish a conversation, no response may be received.

[00116] As the user enters the checkout aisle a prompt may be generated asking the user to review any conversations and whether satisfactory responses were received. The user may be satisfied and gives a satisfactory rating to the market. The conversations and rating response may be used to help the retailer provide better services to all their customers.

[00117] As another example, a user may express interest in products browsed on multiple websites. The user may, for instance, add products to shopping carts, mark products as wish list items, add the items to an "interested in" list, etc. Some embodiments may include a browser plugin or extension that can facilitate identification of such interest. Some embodiments may automatically generate a conversation based on the identified items of interest (and/or other relevant factors such as consumer preferences).

[00118] As the user is out shopping, the conversation may be broadcast and the user may receive responses regarding items of interest when such items are nearby or when the user enters an appropriate conversation zone. For instance, if a user is walking through a mall, the consumer application may direct the user to an item of interest (or a competing product, via advertising) when such an item is available at a nearby store.

IV. COMPUTER SYSTEM

[00119] Many of the processes and modules described above may be implemented as software processes that are specified as one or more sets of instructions recorded on a non-transitory storage medium. When these instructions are executed by one or more computational element(s) (e.g., microprocessors, microcontrollers, digital signal processors (DSPs), application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), etc.) the instructions cause the computational element(s) to perform actions specified in the instructions.

[00120] In some embodiments, various processes and modules described above may be implemented completely using electronic circuitry that may include various sets of devices or elements (e.g., sensors, logic gates, analog to digital converters, digital to analog converters, comparators, etc.). Such circuitry may be adapted to perform functions and/or features that may be associated with various software elements described throughout. [00121] Figure 12 illustrates a schematic block diagram of an exemplary computer system 1200 used to implement some embodiments. For example, an interactive display, motion sensing/gesturing device or elements, or local and/or remote servers may be implemented using one or more components of a computer system as described in Figure 12. More specifically, the systems described above in reference to Figures 1-5 may be at least partially implemented using computer system 1200. As another example, the processes and protocols described in reference to Figures 6-11 may be at least partially implemented using sets of instructions that are executed using computer system 1200.

[00122] Computer system 1200 may be implemented using various appropriate devices. For instance, the computer system may be implemented using one or more personal computers (PCs), servers, mobile devices (e.g., a smartphone), tablet devices, and/or any other appropriate devices.

The various devices may work alone (e.g., the computer system may be implemented as a single PC) or in conjunction (e.g., some components of the computer system may be provided by a mobile device while other components are provided by a tablet device).

[00123] As shown, computer system 1200 may include at least one communication bus 1205, one or more processors 1210, a system memory 1215, a read-only memory (ROM) 1220, permanent storage devices 1225, input devices 1230, output devices 1235, various other components 1240 (e.g., a graphics processing unit), and one or more network interfaces 1245.

[00124] Bus 1205 represents all communication pathways among the elements of computer system 1200. Such pathways may include wired, wireless, optical, and/or other appropriate communication pathways. For example, input devices 1230 and/or output devices 1235 may be coupled to the system 1200 using a wireless connection protocol or system.

[00125] The processor 1210 may, in order to execute the processes of some embodiments, retrieve instructions to execute and/or data to process from components such as system memory 1215, ROM 1220, and permanent storage device 1225. Such instructions and data may be passed over bus 1205.

[00126] System memory 1215 may be a volatile read-and-write memory, such as a random access memory (RAM). The system memory may store some of the instructions and data that the processor uses at runtime. The sets of instructions and/or data used to implement some embodiments may be stored in the system memory 1215, the permanent storage device 1225, and/or the read-only memory 1220. ROM 1220 may store static data and instructions that may be used by processor 1210 and/or other elements of the computer system. [00127] Permanent storage device 1225 may be a read-and-write memory device. The permanent storage device may be a non-volatile memory unit that stores instructions and data even when computer system 1200 is off or unpowered. Computer system 1200 may use a removable storage device and/or a remote storage device as the permanent storage device.

[00128] Input devices 1230 may enable a user to communicate information to the computer system and/or manipulate various operations of the system. The input devices may include keyboards, cursor control devices, audio input devices and/or video input devices. Output devices 1235 may include printers, displays, and/or audio devices. Some or all of the input and/or output devices may be wirelessly or optically connected to the computer system.

[00129] Other components 1240 may perform various other functions. These functions may include performing specific functions (e.g., graphics processing, sound processing, etc.), providing storage, interfacing with external systems or components, etc.

[00130] Finally, as shown in Figure 12, computer system 1200 may be coupled to one or more networks 1250 through one or more network interfaces 1245. For example, computer system 1200 may be coupled to a web server on the Internet such that a web browser executing on computer system 1200 may interact with the web server as a user interacts with an interface that operates in the web browser. Computer system 1200 may be able to access one or more remote storages 1260 and one or more external components 1265 through the network interface 1245 and network 1250. The network interface(s) 1245 may include one or more APIs that may allow the computer system 1200 to access remote systems and/or storages and also may allow remote systems and/or storages to access computer system 1200 (or elements thereof).

[00131] As used in this specification and any claims of this application, the terms "computer",

"server", "processor", and "memory" all refer to electronic devices. These terms exclude people or groups of people. As used in this specification and any claims of this application, the term "non- transitory storage medium" is entirely restricted to tangible, physical objects that store information in a form that is readable by electronic devices. These terms exclude any wireless or other ephemeral signals.

[00132] It should be recognized by one of ordinary skill in the art that any or all of the components of computer system 1200 may be used in conjunction with some embodiments. Moreover, one of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that many other system configurations may also be used in conjunction with some embodiments.

[00133] In addition, while the examples shown may illustrate many individual modules as separate elements, one of ordinary skill in the art would recognize that these modules may be combined into a single functional block or element. One of ordinary skill in the art would also recognize that a single module may be divided into multiple modules.

[00134] The foregoing relates to illustrative details of exemplary embodiments and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the disclosure. For example, several embodiments were described above by reference to particular features and/or components. However, one of ordinary skill in the art will realize that other embodiments might be implemented with other types of features and components, and that the disclosure is not to be limited by the foregoing illustrative details.

Claims

CLAIMS We claim:

1. A method that provides two-way communication within a consumer environment, the method comprising:

defining (650), at a consumer device, a conversation;

broadcasting (820), from the consumer device, the conversation;

receiving (830), at the consumer device, a response based at least partly on the conversation; and

performing (860), at the consumer device, an action based at least partly on the response.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the conversation comprises:

a list comprising at least one of a set of products, a set of brands, and a set of categories; a start time and duration; and

a set of response preferences.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the consumer environment comprises a set of zones, each zone associated with at least one beacon.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the conversation is broadcasted to the at least one beacon and the response is received from the at least one beacon.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein each zone is further associated with at least one display and the content provided by the display is based at least partly on the conversation.

6. A method that provides two-way communication within a consumer environment, the method comprising:

defining (650), at a retailer device, a conversation;

receiving (1010), from a consumer device, a broadcast;

identifying (1030), at the retailer device, a response action based at least partly on the broadcast and the conversation; and

performing (1040), at the retailer device, the response action.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising:

identifying, at the retailer device, a response message based at least partly on the broadcast and the conversation; and

sending the response message to the consumer device.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the retailer device comprises a location beacon and a display.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the response action comprises playback of multimedia content using the display.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein the broadcast comprises at least one of a set of products, a set of brands, and a set of categories and the conversation comprises at least one of a matching set of products, matching set of brands, and a matching set of categories.

11. A method that generates, at a consumer device, a conversation for a consumer aware environment, the method comprising:

identifying (710) an event;

extracting (720) a set of event parameters;

generating (760) the conversation based at least partly on the set of event parameters; and storing (770) the conversation.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the event comprises at least one of adding an item to a shopping cart, adding an item to an interest list, and browsing an item at a retail website.

13. The method of claim 11 further comprising iteratively:

identifying events;

extracting event parameters;

updating the conversation based at least partly on the event parameters; and

storing the updated conversation.

14. The method of claim 11 further comprising broadcasting the conversation within the consumer aware environment.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising receiving a response to the broadcasted conversation.

16. A method that generates, at a server, a conversation for a consumer aware environment, the method comprising:

identifying (710) an event;

extracting (720) a set of event parameters;

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising sending the conversation to a consumer device.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the event comprises at least one of adding an item to a shopping cart, adding an item to an interest list, and browsing an item at a retail website.

19. The method of claim 16 further comprising sending the conversation to at least one of a beacon and a display.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the conversation comprises a set of criteria that identifies a relevant response to a consumer device broadcast.

21. A consumer device that provides two-way communication within a consumer environment, the consumer device comprising:

a processor for executing a set of instructions;

a non-transitory medium that stores the set of instructions, wherein the set of instructions: define (650), at a consumer device, a conversation;

broadcast (820), from the consumer device, the conversation;

receive (830), at the consumer device, a response based at least partly on the conversation; and

perform (860), at the consumer device, an action based at least partly on the response.

22. The consumer device of claim 21, wherein the conversation comprises:

a set of response preferences.

23. The consumer device of claim 21, wherein the consumer environment comprises a set of zones, each zone associated with at least one beacon.

24. The consumer device of claim 23, wherein the conversation is broadcasted to the at least one beacon and the response is received from the at least one beacon.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein each zone is further associated with at least one display and the content provided by the display is based at least partly on the conversation.

26. A retailer device that provides two-way communication within a consumer environment, the retailer device comprising:

a processor for executing a set of instructions;

a non-transitory medium that stores the set of instructions, wherein the set of instructions: define (650), at a retailer device, a conversation;

receive (1010), from a consumer device, a broadcast;

identify (1030), at the retailer device, a response action based at least partly on the broadcast and the conversation; and

perform (1040), at the retailer device, the response action.

27. The retailer device of claim 26, where the set of instructions further comprises instruction that: identify, at the retailer device, a response message based at least partly on the broadcast and the conversation; and

send the response message to the consumer device.

28. The retailer device of claim 26, wherein the retailer device comprises a location beacon and a display.

29. The retailer device of claim 28, wherein the response action comprises playback of multimedia content using the display.

30. The retailer device of claim 26, wherein the broadcast comprises at least one of a set of products, a set of brands, and a set of categories and the conversation comprises at least one of a matching set of products, matching set of brands, and a matching set of categories.

31. A consumer device that generates a conversation for a consumer aware environment, the consumer device comprising:

a processor for executing a set of instructions;

a non-transitory medium that stores the set of instructions, wherein the set of instructions: identify(710) an event;

extract (720) a set of event parameters;

generate (760) the conversation based at least partly on the set of event parameters; and

store (770) the conversation.

32. The consumer device of claim 31, wherein the event comprises at least one of adding an item to a shopping cart, adding an item to an interest list, and browsing an item at a retail website.

33. The consumer device of claim 3 further comprising a set of instructions that iteratively:

identifies events;

extracts event parameters;

updates the conversation based at least partly on the event parameters; and

stores the updated conversation.

34. The consumer device of claim 31 further comprising a set of instructions that broadcasts the conversation within the consumer aware environment.

35. The consumer device of claim 34 further comprising asset of instructions that receives a response to the broadcasted conversation.

36. A server that generates a conversation for a consumer aware environment, the server comprising: a processor for executing a set of instructions;

a non-transitory medium that stores the set of instructions, wherein the set of instructions: identifies (710) an event; extracts (720) a set of event parameters;

generates (760) the conversation based at least partly on the set of event parameters; and

stores (770) the conversation.

37. The server of claim 36 further comprising a set of instructions that sends the conversation to a consumer device.

38. The server of claim 36, wherein the event comprises at least one of adding an item to a shopping cart, adding an item to an interest list, and browsing an item at a retail website.

39. The server of claim 36 further comprising a set of instructions that sends the conversation to at least one of a beacon and a display.

40. The method of claim 39, wherein the conversation comprises a set of criteria that identifies a relevant response to a consumer device broadcast.