Apparatus and method for facilitating physical browsing on wireless devices using radio frequency identification

• US 20040203944A1
• Filed: 06/26/2002
• Published: 10/14/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Jalkanen, Janne, Vesikivi, Petri, Huomo, Heikki, Jutila, Vesa
• Granted Patent: US 7,920,827 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/466
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/353 Payments by cards read by M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• 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: H04M 1/72406 by software upgrading or downloading
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72418 for supporting emergency services
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/7243 with interactive means for internal management of messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72445 for supporting Internet browser applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72457 according to geographic location
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72475 specially adapted for disabled users
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/023 using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/10 Push-to-Talk [PTT] or Push-On-Call services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/20 Services signaling; Auxiliary data signalling, i.e. transmitting data via a non-traffic channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/45 for Push-to-Talk [PTT] or Push-to-Talk over cellular [PoC] services

Abstract

A system, apparatus, and method for locating available information and services/applications via mobile terminals radio frequency identification (RFID) technology. At least one transponder is provided, having at least an application identifier and associated content, at a location that is accessible to mobile terminal users. The transponder is activated via a wireless signal transmitted by the mobile terminal. The application identifier and content from the activated transponder are received at the mobile terminal when the mobile terminal is physically located within a wireless transmission range of the transponder. In response, an application identified at least in part by the application identifier is invoked on the mobile terminal.

Claims

1. A method for locating information via physical browsing by a mobile terminal, comprising:

providing at least one transponder, having at least an application identifier and content associated therewith, at a location substantially accessible to mobile terminal users;

activating the transponder via a wireless signal transmitted by the mobile terminal;

receiving at least the application identifier and content from the activated transponder at the mobile terminal when physically located within a wireless transmission range of the transponder; and

invoking an application identified at least in part by the application identifier on the mobile terminal.

2. The method as in claim 1, further comprising providing the content received from the transponder to the invoked application for use by the invoked application when executed.

3. The method as in claim 2, further comprising establishing, in response to the invoked application, an over-the-air (OTA) connection to the network.

4. The method as in claim 3, wherein the invoked application comprises a Short Messaging Service (SMS) application, and wherein establishing an OTA connection to the network comprises transmitting an SMS push request, based at least in part on the content, to the network.

5. The method as in claim 3, wherein the invoked application comprises a Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS) application, and wherein establishing an OTA connection to the network comprises transmitting an MMS push request, based at least in part on the content, to the network.

6. The method as in claim 3:

(a) wherein;

(i) the invoked application comprises an SMS application;

(ii) establishing an OTA connection to the network comprises transmitting an SMS push request, based at least in part on the content, to the network; and

(b) further comprising;

(i) receiving an SMS message from the network notifying the mobile terminal of an MMS access address; and

(ii) invoking a browser application on the mobile terminal to access an MMS message via the MMS address.

7. The method as in claim 3, wherein the invoked application comprises a Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) browser, and wherein establishing an OTA connection to the network comprises establishing a WAP session to access, via the WAP browser, at least one network site identified by a URL provided via the content.

8. The method as in claim 3, wherein the invoked application comprises an Object Naming Service (ONS) inquiry application, and wherein establishing an OTA connection to the network comprises fetching a network address from an ONS server and initiating a WAP session to access, via a WAP browser, at least one network site identified by the network address provided from the ONS server.

9. The method as in claim 3, wherein the invoked application comprises a Java download application, and wherein establishing an OTA connection to the network comprises transmitting a Java MIDlet request, based at least in part on the content, to the network.

10. The method as in claim 2, wherein the invoked application comprises a mobile terminal configuration application, and wherein the content provided to the mobile terminal configuration application comprises mobile terminal configuration data.

11. The method as in claim 2, wherein the invoked application comprises a smart message interface application, and further comprising interfacing the smart message interface application to the transponder to receive the content as stand-alone content in a smart message format.

12. The method as in claim 11, further comprising accessing the stand-alone content on the mobile terminal.

13. The method as in claim 11, further comprising transmitting the stand-alone content to at least one other mobile terminal user.

14. The method as in claim 1, further comprising a step for storing Java-related program segments as the content in the transponder.

15. The method as in claim 1, further comprising furnishing the transponder with power to transmit the application identifier and the content using the wireless signal transmitted by the mobile terminal.

16. The method as in claim 15, further comprising enhancing the wireless transmission range of the transponder by providing a separate power source at the transponder.

17. The method as in claim 1, wherein receiving the application identifier and the content comprises receiving a radio frequency identification (RFID) backscattered signal from the transponder.

18. The method as in claim 1, wherein activating the transponder comprises transmitting the signal via the wireless terminal when the transponder is within a wireless transmission range of the wireless terminal.

19. The method as in claim 1, wherein providing at least one transponder comprises providing a plurality of transponders at locations substantially accessible to the mobile terminal users, and wherein each of the transponders comprises at least an application identifier and content.

20. The method as in claim 1, wherein providing at least one transponder comprises providing at least one transponder having at least the application identifier, the content, and tariff information corresponding to a cost of invoking the application.

21. The method as in claim 20, further comprising establishing purchase parameters on the mobile terminal to allow or disallow access to the content based on at least the purchase parameters and the cost of invoking the application.

22. A method for facilitating physical browsing by mobile terminals of information stored on transponders having at least an application identifier and content stored thereon, the method comprising:

transmitting a radio frequency (RF) activation signal from the mobile terminal;

activating a transponder in response to the RF activation signal when the transponder is within an RF transmission range of the mobile terminal;

receiving at least the application identifier and the content from the activated transponder at the corresponding mobile terminal when the mobile terminal is within a backscatter transmission range of the transponder;

locating a local application on the mobile terminal using the application identifier;

providing the content to the local application; and

executing the local application using at least a portion of the content.

23. A mobile terminal comprising:

a radio frequency reader module comprising a transceiver to send activation signals recognizable by transponders, and to receive at least an application identifier and content in response to the transponder being activated by the activation signals;

a memory for storing one or more local applications and a reader application;

a processor coupled to the memory and the radio frequency reader module, wherein the processor is configured to invoke at least one of the local applications identified by the application identifier and to provide the content to the local application, as directed by the reader application.

24. The mobile terminal as in claim 23, further comprising a second transceiver to effect the OTA communication with the network.

25. The mobile terminal as in claim 24, wherein the invoked local application comprises a Short Messaging Service (SMS) application, and wherein the processor is further configured to transmit an SMS push request, based at least in part on the content, to the network via the second transceiver as directed by the SMS application.

26. The mobile terminal as in claim 24, wherein the invoked application comprises a Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS) application, and wherein the processor is further configured to transmit an MMS push request, based at least in part on the content, to the network via the second transceiver as directed by the MMS application.

27. The mobile terminal as in claim 24, wherein the invoked application comprises a Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) browser, and wherein the processor is further configured to establish a WAP session to access, via the WAP browser and second transceiver, at least one network site identified by a URL provided via the content.

28. The mobile terminal as in claim 24, wherein the invoked application comprises an Object Naming Service (ONS) inquiry application, and wherein the processor is further configured to fetch a network address from an ONS server as directed by the ONS inquiry application and initiate a WAP session to access, via a WAP browser and the second transceiver, at least one network site identified by the network address provided from the ONS server.

29. The mobile terminal as in claim 24, wherein the invoked application comprises a Java download application, and wherein the processor is further configured to transmit a Java application request, based at least in part on the content, to the network via the second transceiver as directed by the Java download application.

30. The mobile terminal as in claim 24, wherein the invoked application comprises a mobile terminal configuration application, and wherein the processor is further configured to update configuration settings on the mobile terminal using mobile terminal configuration data provided via the content.

31. The mobile terminal as in claim 24, wherein the invoked application comprises a smart messaging application, and wherein the processor is further configured to interface with the transponder update configuration settings on the mobile terminal using mobile terminal configuration data provided with the content.

32. The mobile terminal as in claim 23, wherein the mobile terminal comprises a wireless telephone.

33. The mobile terminal as in claim 23, wherein the mobile terminal comprises one of a personal digital assistant (PDA) and portable computer.

34. A system for facilitating physical browsing for information by mobile terminals, comprising:

at least one transponder having at least an application identifier and content stored thereon, wherein the transponder is capable of transmitting the application identifier and the content in response to an activation signal;

at least one mobile terminal, comprising;

(a) a radio frequency reader module comprising a transceiver to send the activation signal and to receive the application identifier and content in response to the transponder being activated by the activation signal;

(b) a memory for storing one or more local applications and a reader application;

(c) a processor coupled to the memory and the radio frequency reader module, wherein the processor is configured to invoke at least one of the local applications identified by the application identifier and to provide the content to the local application, as directed by the reader application.