Mobile communication system for location aware services

• US 20020194498A1
• Filed: 05/30/2001
• Published: 12/19/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Palmsource Incorporated (Access Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Palm, Inc. (TCL Technology Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Lusher, Elaine, Blight, David, Eichert, Stuart
• Application Number:
  US09/870,149
• Publication Number:
  US 20020194498A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/4
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/12 Discovery or management of network topologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 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 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/024 Guidance services

Abstract

A communications network infrastructure is disclosed. The infrastructure is configured to more effectively service mobile devices having wireless communications links to the communications network.

Claims

1. A network infrastructure for supporting communications with mobile devices, comprising:

a communications network;

a mobile resources server coupled to the communications network;

a mobile resources proxy coupled to the communications network;

a mobile device coordinator coupled to the communications network;

a security server coupled to the communications network; and

a mobile device access point coupled to the communications network and configured for communications with mobile devices.

2. The network infrastructure of claim 1, wherein the mobile resources server, mobile resources proxy, mobile device coordinator, and security server are all server functions provided by a single server computer.

3. The network infrastructure of claim 1, wherein more than one of the mobile resources server, mobile resources proxy, mobile device coordinator, and security server are server functions provided by a single server computer.

4. The network infrastructure of claim 1, wherein the communications network is a local area network (LAN).

5. The network infrastructure of claim 1, wherein the communications network is a shopping area communications network.

6. The network infrastructure of claim 1, further comprising:

a wireless access proxy configured to send and receive non internet protocol (IP) communications.

7. The network infrastructure of claim 6, wherein the mobile device access point is configured to send and receive internet protocol (IP) communications.

8. The network infrastructure of claim 6, wherein the wireless access proxy includes a wireless network interface.

9. The network infrastructure of claim 8, wherein the wireless access proxy includes a request interpreter.

10. The network infrastructure of claim 9, wherein the wireless access proxy includes an IP network interface.

11. A communications system for communicating with mobile wireless devices, comprising:

a communications network;

a wireless device access point coupled to the communications network;

at least one mobile wireless device configured to communicate with the wireless access point when the mobile wireless device is within a communications range; and

a centralized management system configured to manage and control mobile device resources.

12. The communications network of claim 11, wherein the centralized management system includes a mobile resources server, a mobile resources proxy, a mobile device coordinator, and a security server.

13. The communications network of claim 11, wherein the centralized management system includes more than one of a mobile resources server, a mobile resources proxy, a mobile device coordinator, and a security server.

14. The communications network of claim 11, wherein the communications network is a local area network (LAN).

15. The communications network of claim 11, wherein the communications network is a shopping area communications network.

16. The communications network of claim 11, further comprising:

a wireless access proxy configured to send and receive non internet protocol (IP) communications.

17. The communications network of claim 16, wherein the mobile device access point is configured to send and receive internet protocol (IP) communications.

18. The communications network of claim 16, wherein the wireless access proxy includes a wireless network interface.

19. The network infrastructure of claim 18, wherein the wireless access proxy includes a request interpreter.

20. The network infrastructure of claim 19, wherein the wireless access proxy includes an IP network interface.

21. A method of providing a web page to a mobile device using a Bluetooth wireless transceiver, comprising:

establishing a wireless communications link with the mobile device;

receiving a web page request from the mobile device;

interpreting the request;

sending the request to a mobile resources proxy that verifies the request with a security server and after verification retrieves the web page;

receiving the web page from the mobile resources proxy; and

sending the web page to the mobile device.

22. A method of providing a web page to a mobile device using an IEEE 802.11 wireless transceiver, comprising:

establishing a wireless communications link with a local area network (LAN) access point;

locating a mobile resources server;

requesting a web proxy location;

receiving web proxy location;

requesting the web page through LAN access point and through mobile resource proxy; and

receiving the web page from the mobile resources proxy.

23. A method of retrieving a web page by a mobile device using an IEEE 802.11 wireless transceiver, comprising:

establishing a wireless communications link with a local area network (LAN) access point;

requesting a web page via a network gateway;

intercepting the request by a firewall;

sending the request by the firewall to a mobile resources proxy.

verifying request by the mobile resources proxy using a mobile resources server;

receiving the web page through the mobile resources proxy.

24. A method of providing a secure document to a mobile device using a Bluetooth transceiver, comprising:

establishing a wireless communications link with the mobile device;

receiving a web page request from the mobile device;

interpreting the request;

sending the request to a mobile resources proxy;

providing an authorization for to the mobile device;

receiving authorization information from the mobile device;

sending the authorization information to a mobile resources server that verifies the authorization information;

receiving the web page from the mobile resources proxy; and

sending the web page to the mobile device.

25. A method of providing location information to a mobile device, comprising:

receiving a location request from the mobile device;

sending the request to a navigation service that requests the mobile device location from a mobile device coordinator and receives a current location from the mobile device coordinator;

receiving a map from the navigation service, the map being developed by the navigation service based on the current location;

sending the map to the mobile device.

26. A method of providing a messaging service for a mobile device, comprising:

receiving a registration message to a chat service;

determining if a message is to be sent to the mobile device;

locating the mobile device;

sending the message to an access point that is in communications with the mobile device, the access point sending the message to the mobile device.