Systems and methods for facilitating transactions in accordance with a region requirement

• US 20040205194A1
• Filed: 10/16/2002
• Published: 10/14/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/17/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CSR Technology Incorporated (Qualcomm, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: CSR Technology Incorporated (Qualcomm, Inc.)
• Inventors: Sahai, Anant
• Granted Patent: US 8,218,766 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/228
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/109 by using specially-adapted hardware at the client
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/30 Authentication, i.e. establishing the identity or authorisation of security principals
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/50 Monitoring users, programs or devices to maintain the integrity of platforms, e.g. of processors, firmware or operating systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2109 Game systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2111 Location-sensitive, e.g. geographical location, GPS
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2153 Using hardware token as a secondary aspect
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/1235 with control of digital rights management [DRM]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/4014 Identity check for transactions

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided to facilitate transactions or limit operations. According to one embodiment, region information is determined in accordance with information received by a user device from a local location device. A region requirement is also determined, and it is arranged for the user device to operate in accordance with the region information and the region requirement.

Claims

1. A method of facilitating transactions, comprising:

determining region information in accordance with information received by a user device from a local location device;

determining a region requirement; and

arranging for said user device to operate in accordance with said region information and said region requirement.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the method is performed by a transaction controller remote from said user device, and said determining said region information comprises receiving said region information from said user device.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said receiving is performed via at least one of:

(i) a communication network, (ii) a public network, (iii) a proprietary network, (iv) a wireless network, and (v) the Internet.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

based on said received region information, arranging to receive additional information from said user device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the method is performed by said user device, and said determining said region requirement comprises receiving said region requirement from a remote transaction controller.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said receiving is performed via at least one of:

(i) a communication network, and (ii) a storage medium.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said user device comprises at least one of:

(i) a device that is not typically mobile when used by a user, (ii) a device that is typically used indoors by a user, (iii) a personal computer, and (iv) a server.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said user device comprises at least one of:

(i) a mobile device, (ii) a device that is used indoors by a user, (iii) a laptop computer, (iv) a personal digital assistant, and (v) a wireless telephone.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said location device comprises an embedded assisted global positioning system receiver.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of said region information and said region requirement are associated with a probability of being within a region.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the region information and the region requirement are associated with at least one of:

(i) a region identifier, and (ii) coordinate information.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of said region information and said region requirement are associated with at least one of:

(i) a two-dimensional area, (ii) a three-dimensional area, and (iii) a plurality of discrete areas.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein said transaction is associated with an information registration process.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein said transaction is associated with an information license.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein said transaction is associated with an operability of at least one of:

(i) executable information, (ii) entertainment information, (iii) text information, (iv) audio information, and (v) image information.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein said transaction is associated with a purchase by a user in exchange for payment of a purchase price, wherein said purchase price is based at least in part on the region information.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein said transaction is associated with a service provided to a user via the user device.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein said arranging comprises at least one of:

(i) allowing continued operation of an aspect of said user device, (ii) disabling operation of an aspect of the user device, (iii) arranging for a warning to be provided to a user associated with said user device, and (iv) requesting additional information from a user associated with said user device.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein said arranging is associated with at least one of:

(i) a hash value, (ii) an encryption key, (iii) expiration information, (iv) verification schedule information, and (v) tolerance information.

20. An apparatus, comprising:

a processor; and

a storage device in communication with said processor and storing instructions adapted to be executed by said processor to;

determine region information in accordance with information received by a user device from a local location device;

determine a region requirement; and

arrange for the user device to operate in accordance with said region information and said region requirement.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein said storage device further stores at least one of:

(i) a region information database, (ii) a region requirement database, and (iii) a transaction database.

22. The apparatus of claim 20, further comprising:

a communication device coupled to said processor and adapted to communicate with at least one of;

(i) a user device, (ii) a location device, and (iii) a transaction controller.

23. A medium storing instructions adapted to be executed by a processor to perform a method of facilitating transactions, said method comprising:

determining region information in accordance with information received by a user device from a local location device;

determining a region requirement; and

arranging for said user device to operate in accordance with said region information and said region requirement.