Method and apparatus for geographic-based communications service

• US 20010001239A1
• Filed: 01/05/2001
• Published: 05/17/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/1995
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Wayport, Inc. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Wayport, Inc. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Stewart, Brett B.
• Granted Patent: US 6,697,018 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 342/457
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0295 Proximity-based methods, e.g. position inferred from reception of particular signals
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/109 Time management, e.g. calendars, reminders, meetings or time accounting
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0254 based on statistics
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0255 based on user history
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0261 based on user location
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0267 Wireless devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0277 Online advertisement
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8033 location-dependent, e.g. business or home
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7435 Location dependent, e.g. Bussiness or home
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/00 Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/08 Access restriction or access information delivery, e.g. discovery data delivery signalling during connection H04W76/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 : Access point devices

Abstract

A geographic-based communications service system has a mobile unit for transmitting/receiving information, and access points connected to a network. The access points are arranged in a known geographic locations and transmit and receive information from the mobile unit. When one of the access points detects the presence of the mobile unit, it sends a signal to the network indicating the location of the mobile unit and the information requested by the mobile unit. Based on the signal received from the access point, the network communicates with information providers connected to the network and provides data to the mobile unit through the access point corresponding to the location of the mobile unit.

Claims

1. A geographic-based communications service system, comprising:

a portable computing device carried by a mobile user;

a network;

a plurality of access points coupled to said network and arranged at known locations in a geographic region, wherein each of said plurality of access points is configured to detect said portable computing device, wherein, after detection of said portable computing device by a first access point of said plurality of access points in proximity to said portable computing device, said first access point is operable to transmit information to said portable computing device, wherein a content of said information is dependent upon a known location of said first access point;

wherein the portable computing device and the first access point communicate in a wireless fashion.

2. The geographic-based communications service system of

claim 1

, wherein said first access point transmits said known location to a memory associated with said portable computing device, thereby advising said portable computing device of its location.

3. The geographic-based communications service system of

claim 1

, wherein the plurality of access points are located in an airport.

4. The geographic-based communications service system of

claim 1

, wherein the plurality of access points are located in a hotel.

5. The geographic-based communications service system of

claim 1

, further comprising:

a plurality of information providers coupled to said network, wherein each of said information providers is operable to provide said information through said network and through said first access point to said portable computing device based on the known location of said first access point.

6. The geographic-based communications service system of

claim 1

, further comprising:

one or more information providers coupled to said network, wherein a first information provider of said one or more information providers is operable to provide said information through said network and through said first access point to said portable computing device, wherein said first information provider provides said information dependent upon the known location of said first access point.

7. The geographic-based communications service system of

claim 6

, wherein said first information provider is operable to receive the known location of said first access point;

wherein said first information provider selects said information to provide to the portable computing device based on the known location of said first access point.

8. The geographic-based communications service system of

claim 6

, wherein said one or more information providers include one or more of car rental agencies, hotels, restaurants, airline reservation centers, banks, taxi services, and bus and train reservation offices.

9. The geographic-based communications service system of

claim 6

, further comprising a management information base for storing at least one of a topology of the network, a directory of elements coupled to the network, characteristics of individual ones of said elements, characteristics of connection links, and performance and trend statistics of the network;

wherein said management information base provides location data to said first access point.

10. The geographic-based communications service system of

claim 1

, wherein the network includes one or more of a local area network and a wide area network.

11. The geographic-based communications service system of

claim 1

, wherein the portable computing device includes a time clock, said time clock being updated to provide a time corresponding to actual time in a time zone in which said portable computing device is located, wherein a location of said portable computing device is determined in accordance with the known location of said first access point.

12. The geographic-based communications service system of

claim 1

, wherein said information comprises advertising related to goods or services;

wherein said advertising is based upon the known location of said first access point.

13. The geographic-based communications service system of

claim 1

, wherein said information comprises travel information.

14. The geographic-based communications service system of

claim 1

, wherein said information comprises a nearest location of a service provider relative to the first access point.

15. A geographic-based communications service system, comprising:

a portable computing device carried by a mobile user;

a network;

a plurality of access points coupled to said network and arranged at known locations in a geographic region, wherein a first access point in proximity to said portable computing device is operable to communicate with the portable computing device, wherein said first access point is operable to transmit information to said portable computing device, wherein said information is dependent upon a known location of said first access point.

16. The geographic-based communications service system of

claim 15

, wherein the first access point and the portable computing device communicate in a wireless fashion.

17. A geographic-based communications service system, comprising:

a portable computing device carried by a mobile user;

a network;

a plurality of access points coupled to said network, wherein a first access point in proximity to said portable computing device is operable to communicate with the portable computing device in a wireless fashion, wherein the first access point is operable to determine an approximate location of the portable computing device, wherein the first access point is operable to transmit information to said portable computing device, wherein said information is dependent upon the approximate known location of the portable computing device.

18. The geographic-based communications service system of

claim 17

,

wherein the plurality of access points are arranged at known locations in a geographic region;

wherein the first access point is operable to use its known location as the approximate location of the portable computing device.

19. A geographic-based communications service system, comprising:

a portable computing device;

a network;

a plurality of information providers coupled to said network;

a plurality of access points coupled to said network and arranged at known locations in a geographic region, wherein a first access point of said plurality of access points in proximity to said portable computing device is operable to communicate with the portable computing device in a wireless fashion, wherein a known location of said first access point is transmitted to at least one information provider;

wherein the at least one information provider provides information through said network and through said first access point to said portable computing device, wherein the at least one information provider provides said information dependent upon the known location of said first access point.

20. The geographic-based communications service system of

claim 19

, wherein the at least one information provider selects said information to provide to the portable computing device based on the known location of said first access point;

wherein a content of said information is dependent upon the known location of said first access point.

21. The geographic-based communications service system of

claim 19

, further comprising:

a memory coupled to the network which stores location information comprising known locations of each of at least a subset of the plurality of access points.

22. The geographic-based communications service system of

claim 19

, wherein said information comprises travel information.

23. The geographic-based communications service system of

claim 19

, wherein said information comprises a nearest location of a service provider relative to the first access point.

24. The geographic-based communications service system of

claim 19

, wherein said information comprises promotions related to goods or services;

wherein said promotions are based upon the known location of said first access point.

25. The geographic-based communications service system of

claim 24

, wherein said first access point is located closely to a first provider of goods or services;

wherein said promotions comprise promotions of said first provider of goods or services.

26. The geographic-based communications service system of

claim 19

, wherein said information comprises advertising related to goods or services;

wherein said advertising is based upon the known location of said first access point.

27. The geographic-based communications service system of

claim 26

, wherein said first access point is located closely to a first provider of goods or services;

wherein said advertising comprises advertising of said first provider of goods or services.

28. The geographic-based communications service system of

claim 19

, wherein the plurality of access points are located in an airport.

29. The geographic-based communications service system of

claim 19

, wherein the plurality of access points are located in a hotel.

30. A method of using known locations of network access points (APs) to service mobile users who are in a vicinity of the APs, the method comprising:

(a) detecting the presence of a portable computing device in the vicinity of one of said APs;

(b) providing a known location of said one of said APs to an information provider after said detecting;

(c) the information provider transmitting information to the portable computing device through said one of said APs, wherein a content of the information is dependent upon the known location of said one of said APs.

31. The method of

claim 30

, further comprising:

the information provider selecting said information based upon the known location of said one of said APs, wherein said selecting is performed prior to said transmitting.

32. The method of

claim 30

, further comprising:

the portable computing device transmitting an inquiry requiring a response to said one of said APs;

wherein the information provider transmits said information in response to said inquiry.

33. The method of

claim 30

, further comprising:

the portable computing device transmitting a message indicating presence of said portable computing device within an area monitored by said one of said APs;

the information provider determining if a service is required upon detection of said message; and

the information provider initiating provision of said service in response to the information provider determining that a service is required.

34. The method of

claim 30

, wherein said information comprises travel information.

35. The method of

claim 30

, wherein said information comprises a nearest location of a service provider relative to said one of said APs.

36. The method of

claim 30

, wherein said information comprises promotion information;

wherein said one of said APs is located closely to a first provider of goods or services;

wherein said promotion information comprise promotions of said first provider of goods or services.

37. The method of

claim 30

, wherein said information comprises advertising information;

wherein said one of said APs is located closely to a first provider of goods or services;

wherein said advertising information comprises advertising of said first provider of goods or services.

38. The method of

claim 30

,

wherein said transmitting comprises said one of said APs transmitting the information to the portable computing device in a wireless fashion.

39. The method of

claim 30

, wherein the plurality of access points are located in an airport.

40. The method of

claim 30

, wherein the plurality of access points are located in a hotel.

41. A method of using geographic information to service mobile users who are in a vicinity of the APs, the method comprising:

(a) detecting the presence of a portable computing device in the vicinity of one of said APs;

(b) providing a location of the portable computing device after said detecting;

(c) an information provider selecting information based upon the location of the portable computing device; and

(d) the information provider transmitting the information to the portable computing device through said one of said APs in a wireless fashion, wherein a content of the information is dependent upon the location of the portable computing device.

42. The method of

claim 41

, wherein the location of the portable computing device comprises the location of said one of said APs.

56. The geographic-based communications service system of

claim 42

, further comprising:

at least one information provider operable to be coupled to the network, wherein the at least one information provider is operable to receive the known location of said first access point;

wherein the at least one information provider is operable to select said information based on the known location of said first access point;

wherein the at least one information provider is operable to provide said information through said network and through said first access point to said portable computing device.

57. The geographic-based communications service system of

claim 56

, wherein the at least one information provider comprise one of:

a car rental agency, hotel, restaurant, airline reservation center, bank, taxi service, and bus and train reservation office.

43. A carrier medium for carrying signals in a geographic-based communications service system, wherein the carrier medium is operable to carry:

a known geographic location of the portable computing device as indicated by a first access point in the geographic-based communications service system communicating with the portable computing device; and

information which is provided to the portable computing device, wherein the information is dependent upon the known geographic location of the portable computing device.

44. The carrier medium of

claim 43

, wherein said information comprises promotion information;

wherein the promotion information comprises promotions of one or more providers of goods or services proximate to the known geographic location of the portable computing device.

45. The carrier medium of

claim 43

, wherein the information comprises travel information.

46. The carrier medium of

claim 43

, wherein the information comprises a nearest location of a service provider relative to the known geographic location of the portable computing device.

47. The carrier medium of

claim 43

, wherein the carrier medium carries wireless signals.

48. A geographic-based communications service system, comprising:

a plurality of access points operable to be coupled to a network and arranged at known locations in a geographic region, wherein each of the plurality of access points is configured to detect a portable computing device, wherein, after detection of a portable computing device by a first access point of the plurality of access points in proximity to the portable computing device, the first access point transmits information to the portable computing device, wherein a content of the information is dependent upon a known location of the first access point;

wherein the first access point is configured to communicate with the portable computing device in a wireless manner.

49. The geographic-based communications service system of

claim 48

, wherein the plurality of access points are each programmable to detect a pre-determined portable computing device.

50. The geographic-based communications service system of

claim 49

, wherein, upon detection of the pre-determined portable computing device by the first access point of the plurality of access points, other ones of the plurality of access points discontinue detecting for the pre-determined portable computing device.

51. The geographic-based communications service system of

claim 48

, wherein said first access point transmits said known location to a memory associated with said portable computing device, thereby advising said portable computing device of its location.

52. The geographic-based communications service system of

claim 48

, wherein said information comprises travel information

53. The geographic-based communications service system of

claim 48

, wherein said information comprises a nearest location of a service provider relative to the first access point.

54. The geographic-based communications service system of

claim 48

, wherein said information comprises promotions related to goods or services;

wherein said promotions are based upon the known location of said first access point.

55. The geographic-based communications service system of

claim 48

, wherein said information comprises advertising related to goods or services;

wherein said advertising is based upon the known location of said first access point.

58. A geographic-based communications service system, comprising:

a plurality of access points operable to be coupled to a network and arranged at known locations in a geographic region, wherein each of the plurality of access points is configured to communicate with a portable computing device in a wireless fashion, wherein a first access point in proximity to the portable computing device is operable to transmit information to the portable computing device, wherein the information is dependent upon a known location of the first access point.

59. An access point operable to be used in a geographic-based communications service system, wherein the access point is operable to be coupled to a network at a known location in a geographic region, wherein the access point is configured to communicate with a portable computing device that is in proximity with the access point in a wireless fashion, wherein the access point transmits information to the portable computing device, wherein the information is dependent upon a known location of the access point.

60. A geographic-based communications service system, comprising:

a plurality of information providers operable to be coupled to a network, wherein at least one information provider is operable to receive a known location of a portable computing device;

wherein the at least one information provider provides information through the network to the portable computing device after receiving the known location of the portable computing device, wherein the at least one information provider provides said information dependent upon the known location of the portable computing device.

61. A geographic-based communications service system, comprising:

a plurality of information providers operable to be coupled to a network, wherein at least one information provider is operable to receive a known location of a first access point which has detected a presence of the portable computing device within its geographic area;

wherein the at least one information provider is operable to provide information through the network and through the first access point to the portable computing device, wherein the at least one information provider selects said information dependent upon the known location of the first access point.

62. A method of using known locations of a plurality of network access points (APs) to service mobile users who are in a vicinity of the APs, the method comprising:

detecting a presence of a portable computing device in the vicinity of one of said APs;

providing a known location of said one of said APs to an information provider after said detecting;

receiving information from the information provider, wherein the information is dependent upon the known location of said one of said APs; and

transmitting the information to the portable computing device through said one of said APs.

63. The method of

claim 62

, further comprising:

programming the plurality of APs to detect the portable computing device.

64. The method of

claim 63

, further comprising:

upon detection of the portable computing device by said one of said APs, other ones of the plurality of APs discontinuing detecting for the portable computing device.

65. The method of

claim 62

, wherein the information comprises travel itinerary information.

66. The method of

claim 62

, wherein the information comprises a nearest location of a service provider relative to said one of said APs.

67. The method of

claim 62

,

wherein said information comprises promotion information;

wherein said one of said APs is located closely to a first provider of goods or services;

wherein said promotion information comprise promotions of said first provider of goods or services.

68. The method of

claim 62

,

wherein said information comprises advertising information;

wherein said one of said APs is located closely to a first provider of goods or services;

wherein said advertising information comprises advertising of said first provider of goods or services.

69. A method of providing geographic-based communication services using known locations of network access points (APs) to service mobile users who are in a vicinity of the APs, the method comprising:

receiving a known location of one of said APs in response to said one of said APs detecting the portable computing device;

selecting information dependent upon the known location of said one of said APs; and

transmitting the information to the portable computing device through said one of said APs.

70. The method of

claim 69

, wherein the information comprises travel itinerary information.

71. The method of

claim 69

, wherein the information comprises a nearest location of a service provider relative to said one of said APs.

72. The method of

claim 69

,

wherein said information comprises promotion information;

wherein said one of said APs is located closely to a first provider of goods or services;

wherein said promotion information comprise promotions of said first provider of goods or services.

73. The method of

claim 69

,

wherein said information comprises advertising information;

wherein said one of said APs is located closely to a first provider of goods or services;

wherein said advertising information comprises advertising of said first provider of goods or services.

74. An airport-based network system which provides geographic-based information, comprising:

a portable computing device carried by a mobile user;

a network comprised in the airport;

a plurality of access points located in the airport and coupled to the network, wherein the plurality of access points are arranged at known locations in the airport, wherein each of said plurality of access points is configured to detect said portable computing device, wherein, after detection of said portable computing device by a first access point of said plurality of access points in proximity to said portable computing device, said first access point is operable to transmit information to said portable computing device, wherein a content of said information is dependent upon a known location of said first access point;

wherein the portable computing device and the first access point communicate in a wireless fashion.

75. An airport-based network system which provides geographic-based information, comprising:

a plurality of access points located in the airport and operable to be coupled to a network, wherein the plurality of access points are arranged at known locations in the airport, wherein each of the plurality of access points is configured to communicate with a portable computing device in a wireless fashion, wherein a first access point in proximity to the portable computing device is operable to transmit information to the portable computing device, wherein the information is dependent upon a known location of the first access point.

76. A hotel-based network system which provides geographic-based information, comprising:

a portable computing device carried by a mobile user;

a network comprised in the hotel;

a plurality of access points located in the hotel and coupled to the network, wherein the plurality of access points are arranged at known locations in the hotel, wherein each of said plurality of access points is configured to detect said portable computing device, wherein, after detection of said portable computing device by a first access point of said plurality of access points in proximity to said portable computing device, said first access point is operable to transmit information to said portable computing device, wherein a content of said information is dependent upon a known location of said first access point;

wherein the portable computing device and the first access point communicate in a wireless fashion.

77. A hotel-based network system which provides geographic-based information, comprising:

a plurality of access points located in the hotel and operable to be coupled to a network, wherein the plurality of access points are arranged at known locations in the hotel, wherein each of the plurality of access points is configured to communicate with a portable computing device in a wireless fashion, wherein a first access point in proximity to the portable computing device is operable to transmit information to the portable computing device, wherein the information is dependent upon a known location of the first access point.