Integrating geographical contextual information into mobile enterprise applications

• US 20030148775A1
• Filed: 07/31/2002
• Published: 08/07/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/07/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP AG (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Ebert, Peter, Vogler, Hartmut, Spriestersbach, Axel
• Granted Patent: US 7,283,846 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/456.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• 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 67/75 Indicating network or usage conditions on the user display
• 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 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/08 between user and terminal device

Abstract

A location context-aware mobile system determines the location of a mobile device and updates a user interface based on the location of the device. By using the location of the mobile device to reduce the amount of information required to be entered by a user in a business process application, the system increases the feasibility of providing business process applications on mobile devices such as mobile telephones.

Claims

1. A location context-aware system integrating geographical contextual information, the location context-aware system comprising:

a mobile device;

a location service operable to determine a location of the mobile device;

a mobile application server coupled to the mobile device providing a business process application, the business process application including a user interface; and

a geographical information service application coupled to the mobile application server, the geographical information service application operable to query business process data,

wherein the mobile application server modifies the user interface based on the location of the mobile device and the business process data.

2. The system of claim 1 further comprising a backend enterprise server coupled to the mobile application server such that the backend enterprise server is operable to provide business process data.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the backend enterprise server includes a customer relationship management application, and wherein the business process data includes customer data.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the user interface includes a user input field, and wherein the mobile application server modifies the user interface by setting the value of the user input field using the business process data.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein the user input field is hidden from the user.

6. The system of claim 4 wherein the user input field is displayed with the corresponding value of the user input field set by the mobile application server.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the user interface includes a user input field, and wherein the mobile application server modifies the user interface by providing a selection of possible values using the business process data.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the mobile device is a personal digital assistant (PDA).

9. The system of claim 1 wherein the mobile device is a mobile telephone.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein the mobile device is a mobile phone and the location service is network-based, handset-assisted.

11. The system of claim 1 wherein the mobile device is a mobile phone and the location service is handset-based, network-assisted.

12. The system of claim 1 wherein the mobile application server modifies the user interface based on the location of the mobile device and the business process data by querying the geographical information service application to determine business process data related to the location of the mobile device.

13. A method of modifying a user interface using location context information, the method comprising:

identifying the location of a mobile device;

retrieving information from a geographical information service application based on the location of the mobile device;

modifying a user interface using the retrieved information; and

displaying the modified user interface on the mobile device.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein identifying the location of a mobile device includes querying a location service to determine the location of the mobile device.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the location service is based on the mobile device.

16. The method of claim 13 wherein the user interface includes a user input field, and wherein modifying the user interface includes setting the value of the user input field using the retrieved information.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the user input field is hidden from display.

18. The method of claim 16 wherein the user input field and set value are displayed.

19. The method of claim 13 wherein retrieving information from a geographical information service application based on the location of the mobile device includes querying the geographical information service application with a query that includes a geographical location.

20. A computer program for providing a location context-aware user interface on a mobile device, the computer program comprising:

a location identification code segment to determine the location of a mobile device;

an information dispatch code segment to retrieve information from a geographical information service application based on the location of the mobile device;

a user interface generation code segment to modify a user interface using the retrieved information; and

a user interface display code segment to display the modified user interface.