Electronic system

• US 20020004383A1
• Filed: 06/26/2001
• Published: 01/10/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Mobile Phones UK Limited (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Mobile Phones UK Limited (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Kalliokulju, Satu, Jokinen, Paivi, Sippola, Leena, Koskinen, Topi, Kaartinen, Sanna, Hokkanen, Minna
• Granted Patent: US 7,466,988 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/414.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0241 Advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 27/00 Combined visual and audible advertising or displaying, e.g. for public address
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• 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 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

The invention relates to an electronic system for implementing an optimized way to provide information from a first electronic device to a second portable electronic device, and to a method of implementing a virtual noticeboard. The context in the virtual noticeboard of the first electronic device is arranged to be transmitted to the second device located within a geographically limited coverage area of first radio means of the first device, and the second device comprises selecting means for selecting the reception of the virtual noticeboard of the first device. The contents of the noticeboard may only transmitted to those who enter with their devices the permanent coverage area of the noticeboard, such as an airport. The device implementing the noticeboard and the radio means transmitting its contents may be integrated into one device. The virtual noticeboard may be a global one.

Claims

1. An electronic system comprising:

a first electronic device comprising means for implementing a virtual noticeboard;

first radio means for implementing data transmission with regard to the virtual noticeboard of the first electronic device; and

at least one second portable electronic device comprising second radio means for implementing the data transmission, and means for processing information received from the virtual noticeboard of the first electronic device;

the first and the second radio means are arranged to implement the data transmission from the first device to the second device, the data transmission being used for transmitting information from the virtual noticeboard of the first electronic device to the second device;

the context in the virtual noticeboard of the first electronic device is arranged to be transmitted to the second device located within a geographically limited coverage area of the first radio means of the first; and

the second device comprises selecting means for selecting the reception of the virtual noticeboard of the first device.

2. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first radio means are at least one location-bound base station in a mobile telephone system permanently indicated by the first device.

3. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first radio means are the radio means in connection with the first device.

4. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first radio means are at least one base station in the mobile telephone system communicating with the first device, and the virtual noticeboard of the first device is arranged to include in the transmitted information location information as metainformation on the area within which the second device is located and for which second device the context in the virtual noticeboard of the first device is arranged.

5. A system as claimed in claim 4, wherein the selecting means of the second device are arranged only to show such virtual noticeboards which transmit location information corresponding with the location of the second device.

6. A system as claimed in claim 4, wherein the selecting means of the second device are arranged to show all virtual noticeboards received.

7. A system as claimed in claim 6, wherein the received virtual noticeboards are shown in order of relevance such that the virtual noticeboards which transmit location information corresponding with the location of the second device are shown first.

8. A system as claimed in claim 4, wherein the second device comprises means for determining its location.

9. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first device is a server computer with its software.

10. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first device is portable user equipment in the mobile telephone system.

11. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first device is a part of a network element in the mobile telephone system.

12. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second device is portable user equipment in the mobile telephone system.

13. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the radio means are a short-range radio transceiver or a radio transceiver in the mobile telephone system.

14. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein as a protocol, the radio means use a short message service, WAP (Wireless Application Protocol), wireless local area network, GSM data call or GPRS (General Packet Radio Service), or another wireless radio system protocol.

15. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the virtual noticeboard is bound to a physical location, such as an airport, railway station, vehicle, train, business location, store, restaurant, office, conference site, trade fair site or building.

16. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the virtual noticeboard is bound to the first electronic device.

17. A system as claimed in claim 16, wherein the virtual noticeboard is a personal noticeboard of the user of the first device.

18. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the selecting means are arranged to show the noticeboards received by the second radio means, to select the noticeboards desired by the user, and to request the first device to transmit the selected piece of information from the noticeboard.

19. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first device comprises means for automatically transmitting information on the noticeboard to all second devices located in the coverage area.

20. A system as claimed in claim 19, wherein the selecting means are used for selecting whether or not to receive the information on the noticeboard automatically transmitted by the first device.

21. A system as claimed in claim 19, wherein the first device comprises means for determining whether to automatically include contact information in the information transmitted to the second devices or whether to keep the source of information anonymous.

22. A system as claimed in claim 19, wherein the second device comprises means for determining whether to include contact information in the reply information transmitted to the first device or whether to keep the second device anonymous.

23. A system as claimed in claim 19, wherein the first device comprises means for calculating how many times a certain piece of information has been retrieved from its virtual noticeboard.

24. A system as claimed in claim 19, wherein the second device comprises means for transmitting the information retrieved from the virtual noticeboard of the first device to the application processing the information.

25. A system as claimed in claim 24, wherein the application processing the information is communication software enabling data transmission from the second device with a party determined in the retrieved information.

26. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the information on the noticeboard of the first device is only transmitted to such second devices which meet predetermined conditions for use.

27. A system as claimed in claim 26, wherein the conditions for use are based on membership in a group or on a particular user profile.

28. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the transmitted information on the noticeboard is text and/or voice and/or images and/or moving video image.

29. A system as claimed claim 1, wherein the context, in addition to location, also comprises time.

30. A method of using a virtual noticeboard, comprising:

implementing the virtual noticeboard in a first electronic device;

arranging the context in the contents of the virtual noticeboard of the first device to be transmitted to a second electronic device located within a geographically limited coverage area of first radio means;

selecting, in the second device, a receiving mode of the virtual noticeboard of the first device;

transmitting, on a radio connection implemented by radio means, information from the virtual noticeboard of the first device to be processed by at least one second electronic device.

31. A method as claimed in claim 30, wherein the radio connection is only established if the second device is located within the predetermined geographically limited coverage area permanently indicated by the first device.

32. A method as claimed in claim 30, wherein the virtual noticeboard of the first device includes in the transmitted information location information as metainformation on the area within which the second device is located and for which second device the context in the virtual noticeboard of the first device is arranged.

33. A method as claimed in claim 32, wherein the second device only shows such virtual noticeboards which transmit location information corresponding with the location of the second device.

34. A method as claimed in claim 32, wherein the second device shows all virtual noticeboards received.

35. A method as claimed in claim 34, wherein the received virtual noticeboards are shown in order of relevance such that the virtual noticeboards which transmit location information corresponding with the location of the second device are shown first.

36. A method as claimed in claim 32, wherein the second device determines its location.

37. A method as claimed in claim 30, wherein the first device is a server computer with its software.

38. A method as claimed in claim 30, wherein the first device is portable user equipment in a mobile telephone system.

39. A method as claimed in claim 30, wherein the first device is a part of a network element in the mobile telephone system.

40. A method as claimed in claim 30, wherein the second device is portable user equipment in the mobile telephone system.

41. A method as claimed in claim 30, wherein the radio means are a short-range radio transceiver or a radio transceiver in the mobile telephone system.

42. A method as claimed in claim 30, wherein as a protocol, the radio means use a short message service, WAP (Wireless Application Protocol), wireless local area network, GSM data call or GPRS (General Packet Radio Service), or another wireless radio system protocol.

43. A method as claimed in claim 30, wherein the virtual noticeboard is bound to a physical location, such as an airport, railway station, vehicle, train, business location, store, restaurant, office, conference site, trade fair site or building.

44. A method as claimed in claim 30, wherein the virtual noticeboard is bound to the first electronic device.

45. A method as claimed in claim 44, wherein the virtual noticeboard is a personal noticeboard of the user of the first device.

46. A method as claimed in claim 30, wherein the selection of a receiving mode comprises:

showing, in the second device, the noticeboards received by the radio means of the second device,

selecting the noticeboards desired by the user; and

requesting the first device to transmit the selected piece of information from the noticeboard.

47. A method as claimed in claim 30, wherein the first device automatically transmits information on the noticeboard to all second devices located in the coverage area.

48. A method as claimed in claim 47, wherein the user of the second device selects whether or not to receive the information on the noticeboard automatically transmitted by the first device.

49. A method as claimed in claim 47, wherein the first device is used for determining whether to automatically include contact information in the information transmitted to the second devices or whether to keep the source of information anonymous.

50. A method as claimed in claim 47, wherein the second device is used for determining whether to include contact information in the reply information transmitted to the first device or whether to keep the second device anonymous.

51. A method as claimed in claim 47, wherein the first device is used for calculating how many times a certain piece of information has been retrieved from its virtual noticeboard.

52. A method as claimed in claim 47, wherein the second device is used for transmitting the information retrieved from the virtual noticeboard of the first device to the application processing the information.

53. A method as claimed in claim 52, wherein the application processing the information is communication software, and a data transmission connection is established with a party determined in the retrieved information.

54. A method as claimed in claim 30, wherein the information on the noticeboard of the first device is only transmitted to such second devices which meet predetermined conditions for use.

55. A method as claimed in claim 54, wherein the conditions for use are based on membership in a group or on a particular user profile.

56. A method as claimed in claim 30, wherein the transmitted information on the noticeboard is text and/or voice and/or images and/or moving video image.

57. A method as claimed in claim 30, wherein the context, in addition to location, also comprises time.

58. An electronic device comprising

means for implementing a virtual noticeboard;

and

radio means for implementing data transmission with regard to the virtual noticeboard of the device to at least one second portable electronic device; and

the context in the virtual noticeboard of the device is arranged to be transmitted to the second device located within a geographically limited coverage area of the radio means of the device.

59. A device as claimed in claim 58, wherein the radio means are at least one location-bound base station in a mobile telephone system permanently indicated by the device.

60. A device as claimed in claim 58, wherein the radio means are the radio means in connection with the device.

61. A device as claimed in claim 58, wherein the radio means are at least one base station in the mobile telephone system communicating with the device, and the virtual noticeboard of the device is arranged to include in the transmitted information location information as metainformation on the area within which the second device is located and for which second device the context in the virtual noticeboard of the device is arranged.