EP-3759678-B1 - VENDOR KIOSK TRACKING AND ROUTING SYSTEM OVER LOCAL AREA NETWORK AND METHOD OF USE

Inventors

• REPKA, Mark R

Dates

Publication Date

20260506

Application Date

20190228

Claims (2)

1. A system comprising: a vendor kiosk (12), a tracker server (16) physically located remotely from the vendor kiosk (12), and a root domain name system, DNS, server (18), wherein the vendor kiosk (12), the tracker server (16), and the root DNS server (18) are operatively connected to one another; a remote client device (14) connected to a local area network, LAN, (10) and configured to navigate to a configured web domain via a browser of the remote client device (14) and share a zip code or global positioning system, GPS, location information with the configured web domain; wherein the vendor kiosk (12) is configured to, upon boot-up, perform the following functions: automatically connect to the LAN (10); and report a local IP address corresponding to the vendor kiosk (12) to the tracker server (16); wherein the tracker server (16) is configured to: receive the local IP address from the vendor kiosk (12); create a device specific subdomain, DSS, for the vendor kiosk (12), wherein the DSS is compatible with the root DNS server registration requirements; send the DSS and the local IP address to the root DNS server (18), and provide the DSS to the remote client device (14) connected to the LAN in response to receiving from the remote client device (14) a selection of a preferred retail store location from a list of retail store locations generated by the configured web domain from the zip code or GPS location information; and the vendor kiosk (12) is further configured to receive an HTTPS HEAD or HTTPS GET request from the browser of the remote client device (14) and establish a direct connection with the remote client device (14) via the LAN (10); wherein the root DNS server (18) maintains a registration database and is configured to: receive the DSS and local IP address from the tracker server (16); update the registration database by mapping the DSS and the local IP address.
2. A method for tracking a vendor kiosk and connecting the vendor kiosk to a remote client device, comprising: at a tracker server: receiving a local IP address corresponding to the vendor kiosk, wherein the tracker server is physically located remotely from the vendor kiosk and is operatively connected to the vendor kiosk, and wherein the local IP address corresponds to a local area network, LAN, to which the vendor kiosk is connected; creating a device specific subdomain, DSS, corresponding to the vendor kiosk, wherein the DSS is compatible with registration requirements of a root domain name system, DNS, server; sending a DNS update request to the root DNS server, wherein the update request comprises the DSS and the local IP address of the vendor kiosk; at a remote client device: connecting (315) to the LAN; navigating (320) to a configured web domain via a browser of the remote client device; sharing (325) a zip code or global positioning system, GPS, location information with the configured web domain; selecting (330) a preferred retail store from a list of retail store locations generated by the configured web domain from the zip code or GPS location information; the method further comprising: providing (335), by the tracker server, the DSS to the remote client device connected to the LAN in response to receiving the selection of the preferred retail store location from the remote client device, wherein the DSS is configured to resolve, at the root DNS server, into the local IP address corresponding to the vendor kiosk; and receiving (340), at the vendor kiosk, an HTTPS HEAD or HTTPS GET request from the browser of the remote client device and establishing a direct connection via the LAN, between the remote client device and the vendor kiosk.

Description

In commercial environments, clients (otherwise referred to herein as users or consumers) frequently seek to wirelessly connect to local area networks ("LANs"), including via Wi-Fi. Such environments can include retail stores, restaurants, airports, and the like. Third-party vendors often implement devices, products, kiosks, etc. to interact with consumers, to solicit such products to consumers, or to utilize such products to facilitate consumer interaction and sales of other products. By way of example only, certain retail stores include third-party photo kiosks, which consumers can use and interact with to place and retrieve photo product orders. (For ease of reference, the third-party photo kiosk example will be referenced predominately herein, but such reference should be understood as non-limiting.) Many third-party vendor products are capable of broadcasting their own wireless LAN or Wi-Fi signal to which consumers may connect. It is common for consumers to use wireless applications on their personal devices, such as their smartphones, to interact with these third-party vendor products or kiosks. In particular circumstances, the interaction occurs based on a direct connection of the consumer's device to the kiosk's Wi-Fi. Directly connecting with a third-party kiosk's Wi-Fi signal in a retail store has drawbacks, however. For example, third-party vendor products and kiosks that broadcast their own Wi-Fi signal have limited range. Consumers therefore must remain in close proximity to the particular kiosk to remain connected. In many commercial environments, this is disadvantageous because it does not allow the consumer to move freely within the store or restaurant without risking disconnection. In addition to third-party kiosks having the capability of broadcasting their own Wi-Fi signal, most of the commercial environments in which third-party vendor products are located also broadcast their own Wi-Fi signal. And, often, this Wi-Fi signal is much stronger and has a larger range, typically providing coverage for the entire store. Consumers, therefore, are generally more inclined to connect to store Wi-Fi, as opposed to the third-party vendor product's Wi-Fi. This situation presents yet another issue: if a consumer connects to the store Wi-Fi, then she must disconnect from the third-party vendor kiosk Wi-Fi. (This situation assumes that the consumer is unable to, or chooses not to, use some other wireless internet connection, like a cellular connection.) When connected to just the store Wi-Fi, the consumer is not able to connect with the third-party vendor kiosk. Retailers are reluctant to allow third-party vendors to tap into their Wi-Fi networks, or otherwise tie the third-party vendor kiosks into the broader store network. Doing so presents security risks and requires modifications to the network and hardware infrastructure. One unique aspect of retail photo kiosks, in particular, is that users are required to provide digital image files to the kiosk for printing, or fulfillment of other photo product requests. With smartphones now as the primary means for consumer photography, users can wirelessly transfer images to interact with the photo kiosk. Current approaches route all such traffic destined for the kiosk over slower, less efficient internet or external networks. Accordingly, a need exists for a way to enable third-party vendor products to integrate into, or "piggyback" on, retailers' LANs without requiring retailers to modify the network or hardware infrastructure. A further need exists for a way to register and track the third-party products connected to retailers' LANs. Finally, a need exists for a way to enable consumers to connect to a retailer's LAN and utilize that connection to connect with a third-party-vendor kiosk located within the retailer store. US 2008/201487 A1 discloses assigning subdomain names of domain names to users and allowing the subdomain names to receive dynamic Domain Name System (DNS) service. A downloadable application is configured to submit the domain name as well as subdomain names for registration. The owner of the domain name can other users to receive a subdomain name by granting permission thereto. Requesting users can then receive a subdomain if the owner allows. Dynamic DNS services are then administered for the subdomain, regardless of the domain owner's authorization. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An embodiment of the present invention provides a system as defined in independent claim 1. According to another embodiment of the present invention, a method of tracking a vendor kiosk and and connecting a the vendor kiosk to a remote client device as defined in independent claim 2 is provided.. Embodiments of the present invention are advantageous for consumers. For example, assume a consumer desires to use a photo product creation web application. According to certain embodiments of the present invention, the consumer connects to an internal network. The consumer m