Message handling

• US 20040147252A1
• Filed: 02/12/2004
• Published: 07/29/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Strom, Patrik
• Application Number:
  US10/471,787
• Publication Number:
  US 20040147252A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/418
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/06 Selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS]; Services to user groups; One-way selective calling services

Abstract

The invention relates to a method of and a device for sending messages to mobile stations in mobile networks without having to upgrade the mobile stations. The method comprises the steps of: programming the network to alert a specific mobile station when the mobile station passes within a predetermined range from a specific geographical location and associating information with the specific geographical location 100, associating an alert counter with a message information, which alert counter defines the number of passes the mobile station shall receive said message information, determining an actual geographical location of the mobile station by using the capability of the mobile network 200, and expressing on the mobile station whatever information the programmer chose to associate with the specific geographical location when the mobile station passes within a predetermined range from the specific geographical location 204.

Claims

1. A mobile network comprising means for sending a specific message to a specific mobile station in the mobile network based on geographical location, characterised in that the mobile network is used to determine the actual geographical location of the specific mobile station, and where the network comprises means (12) programmable by a programmer to alert a specific mobile station when the mobile station passes within a predetermined range from a specific geographical location, means (3) for disclosing to the mobile station whatever message information the programmer chose to associate with the specific geographical location, and means (12) programmable by a programmer to define the number of passes the mobile station shall receive said message information.

2. A mobile network according to claim 1, characterised in that a message sending means comprises a WM server (12) which is part of the switching system (1) in the mobile network.

3. A mobile network according to claim 2, characterised in that the WM server (12) is able to communicate with a Mobile Positioning system (MPS) (14) to find out the location of the mobile station

4. A mobile network according to claim 2 or 3, characterised in that the WM server (12) is accessible via a web interface and/or a mobile station.

5. A mobile network according to any of claims 2 to 4, characterised in that a geographical map-database is connected to or incorporated in the WM server (12).

6. A mobile network according to any of claims 1 to 5, characterised in that the mobile network is a GSM network.

7. A mobile network according to any of claims 1 to 6, characterised in that the message information the programmer chose to associate with the specific geographical location is disclosed to the mobile station in an SMS (Short message service) message.

8. A mobile network according to any of claims 1 to 7, characterised in that the message information the programmer chose to associate with the specific geographical location is based on entries in a calendar.

9. A method of sending messages to users in a mobile network based on geographical location, comprising the steps of:

programming the network to alert a specific mobile station when the mobile station passes within a predetermined range from a specific geographical location (100, 102),

associating information with the specific geographical location (100, 102, 104, 106),

associating an alert counter with a message information, which alert counter defines the number of passes the mobile station shall receive said message information,

expressing (204) on the mobile station whatever message information the programmer chose to associate with the specific geographical location when the mobile station arrives at, or within a predetermined range from, the specific geographical location.

10. A method of sending messages to users in a mobile network based on geographical location according to claim 9, where the steps of determining (200) an actual geographical location of the mobile station by using the capability of the mobile network, and checking the present position of the mobile station versus said specific geographical location, comprises the steps of:

sending geographical coordinates information from a geographical location alert table together with identification information for a specific mobile station and a message identification number, from a WM server to a MPS system,

checking in the MPS system the present position of the mobile station versus the positions received from the geographical location alert table, and

sending an alert generation message from the MPS system to the WM server containing information about which message to send, and to which mobile station when the present position of the mobile station matches one of the positions received from the geographical location alert table.

11. A method of sending messages to users in a mobile network based on geographical location according to claim 9 or 10, comprising the step of sending message information to a predefined group of users.

12. A method of sending messages to users in a mobile network based on geographical location according to any of claims 9 to 11, comprising the step of sending message information to one person in a group when another person in the group passes a specific location.

13. A method of sending messages to users in a mobile network based on geographical location according to any of claims 9 to 12, wherein the message information comprises at least one access code and which code is sent to at least one user when the user arrives at a certain destination where the access code, e.g. a key code or password for a locked door, is needed.

14. A method of sending messages to users in a mobile network based on geographical location according to any of claims 9 to 13, wherein the message is only sent the first time the user passes after the message is entered.

15. A method of sending messages to users in a mobile network based on geographical location according to any of claims 9 to 13, wherein the message is sent each time the user passes the geographical location.

16. A method of sending messages to users in a mobile network based on geographical location according to claim 15, wherein the message is sent each time the user enters the geographical location.

17. A method of sending messages to users in a mobile network based on geographical location according to claim 15, wherein the message is sent each time the user leaves the geographical location.

18. A method of sending messages to users in a mobile network based on geographical location according to any of claims 9 to 17, comprising the step of programming timing information which timing information will decide if an alert is triggered when the mobile station passes within range from the geographical location associated with the timing information.

19. A method of sending messages to users in a mobile network based on geographical location according to claim 18, where the timing information will trigger an alert before a specific point of time of day.

20. A method of sending messages to users in a mobile network based on geographical location according to claim 18, where the timing information will trigger an alert at a specific point of time of day.

21. A method of sending messages to users in a mobile network based on geographical location according to claim 18, where the timing information will trigger an alert after a specific point of time of day.

22. A method of sending messages to users in a mobile network based on geographical location according to claim 18, where the timing information will trigger an alert between two specific points of time of day.

23. A method of sending messages to users in a mobile network based on geographical location according to claim 18, where the timing information will trigger an alert before a specific date.

24. A method of sending messages to users in a mobile network based on geographical location according to claim 18, where the timing information will trigger an alert at a specific date.

25. A method of sending messages to users in a mobile network based on geographical location according to claim 18, where the timing information will trigger an alert after a specific date.

26. A method of sending messages to users in a mobile network based on geographical location according to claim 18, where the timing information will trigger an alert between two specific dates.