Method and apparatus for geographic-based communication service

• US 20010005178A1
• Filed: 01/05/2001
• Published: 06/28/2001
• 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 6,759,960 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 mobile unit, wherein said mobile unit is configured to transmit identification information indicating a user of the mobile unit;

a network;

one or more service providers coupled to the network; and

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 mobile unit, wherein, after detection of said mobile unit by a first access point in proximity to said mobile unit, information is transmitted to a first service provider, said information including a known location of said first access point and identification information indicating the user of the mobile unit;

wherein said first service provider is operable to perform a service using said information, wherein said service is performed based on the known location of said first access point and the identification information indicating the user of the mobile unit.

2. The geographic-based communications service system of

claim 1

,

wherein said first access point transmits said information to the first service provider, said information including the known location of said first access point and the identification information indicating the user of the mobile unit.

3. The geographic-based communications service system of

claim 2

, wherein one or more of said plurality of access points are programmable to detect presence of specified mobile units.

4. The geographic-based communications service system of

claim 1

,

wherein said first access point is operable to transmit said information to the first service provider, said information including the known location of said first access point and the identification information indicating the user of the mobile unit, said information further including a request for a service.

5. The geographic-based communications service system of

claim 1

, wherein said service is performed based on the known location of said first access point and past transactions of the user of the mobile unit.

6. The geographic-based communications service system of

claim 5

, wherein the past transactions comprise reservations previously made by the user.

7. The geographic-based communications service system of

claim 5

, wherein the past transactions include one or more of requirements, preferences, and habits of the user.

8. The geographic-based communications service system of

claim 5

, wherein the past transactions include information extrapolated from the user'"'"'s past practices which indicates probable future actions consistent with the past practices.

9. The geographic-based communications service system of

claim 1

, wherein the first service provider is a rental car agency, wherein, in response to said information, said rental car agency is operable to begin processing a rental car transaction for the user of the mobile unit.

10. The geographic-based communications service system of

claim 9

, wherein said rental car agency is operable to begin processing the rental car transaction to have a rental car ready for arrival of the user of the mobile unit.

11. The geographic-based communications service system of

claim 9

, wherein the past transactions comprise a rental car reservation with said rental car agency previously made by the user of the mobile unit.

12. The geographic-based communications service system of

claim 1

, wherein the service provider is a hotel, wherein, in response to said information, said hotel is operable to begin processing a room reservation for the user of the mobile unit.

13. The geographic-based communications service system of

claim 12

, wherein said hotel is operable to begin processing the room reservation to have a room ready for the user of the mobile unit.

14. The geographic-based communications service system of

claim 12

, wherein the past transactions comprise a hotel reservation with said hotel previously made by the user of the mobile unit.

15. The geographic-based communications service system of

claim 1

, wherein the mobile unit is a portable computing device carried by the user.

16. The geographic-based communications service system of

claim 1

, wherein the plurality of access points are distributed within an airport.

17. The geographic-based communications service system of

claim 1

,

wherein the mobile unit and the first access point communicate in a wireless fashion.

18. A method of providing processing of rental car reservations in a geographic-based network system, wherein the geographic-based network system includes a plurality of access points (APs) located at known geographic locations, the method comprising:

a first access point detecting the presence of a mobile unit in the vicinity of one of said APs;

providing a known location of said one of said APs to a rental car agency after said detecting;

providing identification information indicating a user of the mobile unit to the rental car agency after said detecting; and

the rental car agency beginning processing of a rental car reservation of the user after the rental car agency receiving the identification information and the known location of said one of said APs.

19. The method of

claim 18

, wherein the processing of the rental car reservation is substantially complete by the time the user arrives at the rental car agency counter.

20. The method of

claim 18

, wherein the user has previously made a rental care reservation with the rental car agency.

21. The method of

claim 18

, further comprising:

programming the plurality of APs to detect the mobile unit.

22. The method of

claim 21

, further comprising:

upon detection of the mobile unit by said one of said APs, other ones of the plurality of APs discontinuing detecting for the mobile unit.

23. The method of

claim 18

, wherein the mobile unit is a portable computing device carried by the user.

24. The method of

claim 18

, wherein the plurality of access points are distributed within an airport.

25. The method of

claim 18

,

wherein the mobile unit and the first access point communicate in a wireless fashion.

26. A method of providing processing of rental car reservations in a geographic-based network system, wherein the geographic-based network system includes a plurality of access points (APs) located at known geographic locations, the method comprising:

a first access point of the plurality of access points detecting the presence of a mobile unit in the vicinity of one of said APs;

the first access point providing a known location of said one of said APs to a rental car agency after said detecting;

the first access point providing information regarding a rental car reservation of the user of the mobile unit to the rental car agency after said detecting; and

the rental car agency beginning processing of a rental car reservation of the user after the rental car agency receiving the reservation information and the known location of said one of said APs.

27. A method of providing processing of rental car reservations in a geographic-based network system, the method comprising:

providing a known location of a mobile unit to a rental car agency;

providing identification information indicating a user of the mobile unit to the rental car agency; and

the rental car agency beginning processing of a rental car reservation of the user after the rental car agency receiving the identification information and the known location of the mobile unit.

28. The method of

claim 27

, wherein the processing of the rental car reservation is substantially complete by the time the user arrives at the rental car agency counter.

29. A geographic-based network system which provides rental car reservation processing, the system comprising:

a mobile unit, wherein the mobile unit is configured to transmit identification information of a user of the mobile unit;

a network;

a rental car agency coupled to the network; and

a plurality of access points coupled to the network and arranged at known locations in a geographic region, wherein each of the plurality of access points is configured to detect said mobile unit, wherein, after detection of said mobile unit by a first access point in proximity to said mobile unit, information is transmitted to the rental car agency, said information including a known location of the first access point and the identification information of the user of the mobile unit;

wherein the rental car agency is operable to begin processing a rental car reservation of the user after the rental car agency receives the identification information and the known location of the first access point.

30. The geographic-based network system of

claim 29

, wherein the processing of the rental car reservation is substantially complete by the time the user arrives at the rental car agency counter.

31. The geographic-based network system of

claim 29

, wherein the plurality of access points are each programmable to detect a pre-determined mobile unit.

32. The geographic-based network system of

claim 31

, wherein, upon detection of the pre-determined mobile unit 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 mobile unit.

33. The geographic-based network system of

claim 29

, wherein the mobile unit is a portable computing device carried by the user.

34. The geographic-based network system of

claim 29

, wherein the plurality of access points are distributed within an airport.

35. The geographic-based network system of

claim 29

,

wherein the mobile unit and the first access point communicate in a wireless fashion.

36. A geographic-based network system which provides rental car reservation processing, the system comprising:

a mobile unit, wherein the mobile unit is configured to transmit identification information of a user of said mobile unit;

a network; and

a rental car agency coupled to the network;

wherein the rental car agency begins processing a rental car reservation of the user in response to the rental car agency receiving the identification information and a known location of the mobile unit.

37. The geographic-based network system of

claim 36

, wherein the processing of the rental car reservation is substantially complete by the time the user arrives at the rental car agency counter.

38. The geographic-based network system of

claim 36

,

wherein the mobile unit is configured to transmit rental car reservation information of the user of said mobile unit;

wherein the rental car agency begins processing a rental car reservation of the user in response to the rental car agency receiving the rental car reservation information and the known location of the mobile unit.

39. The geographic-based network system of

claim 36

,

wherein the mobile unit is a portable computing device carried by the user.

40. A method of providing processing of hotel reservations in a geographic-based network system, wherein the geographic-based network system includes a plurality of access points (APs) located at known geographic locations, the method comprising:

a first access point detecting the presence of a mobile unit in the vicinity of one of said APs;

providing a known location of said one of said APs to a hotel in response to said detecting;

providing identification information indicating a user of the mobile unit to the hotel in response to said detecting;

the hotel beginning processing of a hotel reservation of the user in response to the hotel receiving the identification information and the known location of said one of said APs.

41. The method of

claim 40

, wherein the processing of the hotel reservation is substantially complete by the time the user arrives at the hotel.

42. The method of

claim 40

, further comprising:

programming the plurality of APs to detect the mobile unit.

43. The method of

claim 42

, further comprising:

upon detection of the mobile unit by said one of said APs, other ones of the plurality of APs discontinuing detecting for the mobile unit.

44. The method of

claim 40

, wherein the mobile unit is a portable computing device carried by the user.

45. The method of

claim 40

, wherein the plurality of access points are distributed within an airport.

46. The method of

claim 40

,

wherein the mobile unit and the first access point communicate in a wireless fashion.

47. A method of providing processing of hotel reservations in a geographic-based network system, wherein the geographic-based network system includes a plurality of access points (APs) located at known geographic locations, the method comprising:

a first access point detecting the presence of a mobile unit in the vicinity of one of said APs;

the first access point providing a known location of said one of said APs to a hotel in response to said detecting;

the first access point providing hotel reservation information of a user of the mobile unit to the hotel in response to said detecting;

the hotel beginning processing of a hotel reservation of the user in response to the hotel receiving the hotel reservation information and the known location of said one of said APs.

48. A method of providing processing of hotel reservations in a geographic-based network system, the method comprising:

providing a known location of a mobile unit to a hotel;

providing identification information indicating a user of the mobile unit to the hotel;

the hotel beginning processing of a hotel reservation of the user in response to the hotel receiving the identification information and the known location of the mobile unit.

49. The method of

claim 48

, wherein the processing of the hotel reservation is substantially complete by the time the user arrives at the hotel.

50. A geographic-based network system which provides hotel reservation processing, the system comprising:

a mobile unit, wherein the mobile unit is configured to transmit identification of a user of said mobile unit;

a network;

a hotel coupled to the network; and

a plurality of access points coupled to the network and arranged at known locations in a geographic region, wherein each of the plurality of access points is configured to detect said mobile unit, wherein, after detection of said mobile unit by a first access point in proximity to said mobile unit, information is transmitted to the hotel, said information including a known location of the first access point and identification information of the user of the mobile unit;

wherein the hotel begins processing of a hotel reservation of the user in response to the hotel receiving the identification information and the known location of the first access point.

51. The geographic-based network system of

claim 50

, wherein the processing of the hotel reservation is substantially complete by the time the user arrives at the hotel.

52. The geographic-based network system of

claim 50

, wherein the plurality of access points are each programmable to detect a pre-determined mobile unit.

53. The geographic-based network system of

claim 52

, wherein, upon detection of the pre-determined mobile unit 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 mobile unit.

54. The geographic-based network system of

claim 50

, wherein the mobile unit is a portable computing device carried by the user.

55. The geographic-based network system of

claim 50

, wherein the plurality of access points are distributed within an airport.

56. The geographic-based network system of

claim 50

,

wherein the mobile unit and the first access point communicate in a wireless fashion.

57. A geographic-based network system which provides hotel reservation processing, the system comprising:

a mobile unit, wherein the mobile unit is configured to transmit identification of a user of said mobile unit;

a network; and

a hotel coupled to the network;

wherein the hotel begins processing of a hotel reservation of the user in response to the hotel receiving the identification information and a known location of the mobile unit.

58. The geographic-based network system of

claim 57

, wherein the processing of the hotel reservation is substantially complete by the time the user arrives at the hotel.