Method and apparatus providing user programmable, personalized location-aware services

• US 20040081120A1
• Filed: 10/29/2002
• Published: 04/29/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Chaskar, Hemant
• Granted Patent: US 7,170,881 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/328
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/222 using geographical location information, e.g. messages transmitted or received in proximity of a certain spot or area
• 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: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

A method and system is disclosed to provide a personalized, location related service to a user of a mobile terminal. The method includes: (A) generating a service specification object that comprises a user-specified location and a message to be generated when the user arrives at the location with the MT; and (B) storing the service specification object for later use. The method further entails: (C) tracking the location of the mobile terminal; and when the location of the mobile terminal matches the location in the stored service creation object, (D) generating the message for activating a user-specified action.

Claims

1. A method to provide a personalized, location related service to a user of a mobile terminal, comprising:

generating a service specification object that comprises a user-specified location and a message to be generated when the user arrives at the location with the mobile terminal; and

storing the service specification object for later use.

2. A method as in claim 1, further comprising:

tracking the location of the mobile terminal; and

when the location of the mobile terminal matches the location in the stored service specification object, generating the message for activating a user-specified action.

3. A method as in claim 1, where the user specifies the location implicitly.

4. A method as in claim 1, where the user specifies the location explicitly.

5. A method as in claim 2, where the service specification object further comprises an identification of an entity that is responsible for tracking the location of the mobile terminal, and further comprises an identification of an entity that is responsible for generating the message.

6. A method as in claim 5, where the entity is the mobile terminal.

7. A method as in claim 5, where the entity is a wireless network.

8. A method as in claim 1, where the service specification object is stored in the mobile terminal.

9. A method as in claim 1, where the service specification object is stored in a wireless network.

10. A method as in claim 1, where the service specification object is stored in a server reachable through the Internet.

11. A method as in claim 1, where the service specification object is stored in a server that can communicate with a wireless network over a Parley Application Programming Interface.

12. A method as in claim 2, where the service specification object further comprises an identification of an entity that is to receive the message.

13. A method as in claim 12, where the entity comprises a mobile terminal.

14. A method as in claim 12, where the entity comprises a user process specified by one of a URL or URI.

15. A method as in claim 1, where generating the service specification object comprises the use of a mobile terminal user interface.

16. A method as in claim 1, where generating the service specification object comprises the use of a computer coupled to the Internet.

17. A method as in claim 2, where the user specified action comprises activating a wireless local area network interface of the mobile terminal.

18. A system to provide a personalized, location related service to a user of a mobile terminal, comprising:

a generator for generating a service specification object that comprises a user-specified location and a message to be generated when the user arrives at the location with the mobile terminal; and

data storage for storing the service specification object for later use.

19. A system as in claim 18, further comprising:

a location tracker for tracking the location of the mobile terminal; and

a message generator, responsive to the location of the mobile terminal matching the location in the stored service creation object, for generating the message for activating a user-specified action.

20. A system as in claim 18, where the user specifies the location implicitly.

21. A system as in claim 18, where the user specifies the location explicitly.

22. A system as in claim 19, where the service specification object further comprises an identification of an entity that is responsible for tracking the location of the mobile terminal, and further comprises an identification of an entity that is responsible for generating the message.

23. A system as in claim 22, where the entity comprises the mobile terminal.

24. A system as in claim 22, where the entity comprises the wireless network.

25. A system as in claim 18, where the mobile terminal comprises the data storage.

26. A system as in claim 18, where a wireless network comprises the data storage.

27. A system as in claim 18, where a server reachable through the Internet comprises the data storage.

28. A system as in claim 18, where a server capable of communicating with the wireless network through a Parley Application Programming Interface comprises the data storage.

29. A system as in claim 18, where the generator is comprised of a mobile terminal user interface.

30. A system as in claim 18, where the generator is comprised of a computer coupled to the Internet.

31. A system as in claim 19, where the user specified action comprises activating a wireless local area network interface of the mobile terminal.

32. A system as in claim 19, where the service specification object further comprises an identification of an entity that is to receive the message.

33. A system as in claim 32, where the entity comprises a mobile terminal.

34. A system as in claim 32, where the entity comprises a user process specified by one of a URL or a URI.