Information management and processing in a wireless network

• US 20050085241A1
• Filed: 10/25/2004
• Published: 04/21/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/19/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Bahl, Paramvir, Broch, Joshua G.
• Granted Patent: US 7,133,664 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/456.100
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• 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 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/33 for indoor environments, e.g. buildings
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/10 between location register and external networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/14 between corresponding nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/22 with access to wired networks
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99953 Recoverability

Abstract

Methods, systems and data structure for storing and managing information in a wireless network are described wherein fixed resources in the system are stored in a database in a hierarchical directory structure according to the location of each fixed resource. Each level of the directory structure represents a geographical area in which a fixed resource is located. A mobile user submits a query for the location of the nearest fixed resource having certain properties. The system determines the location of the mobile user and then searches the database for the requested fixed resource that is nearest to the mobile user. When the fixed resource is identified, data regarding its location is transmitted to the mobile user. In addition, specific directions as to how to get to the location of the fixed resource from the location of the mobile user may be provided.

Claims

1. A method for searching for a location of a nearest fixed resource in a wireless network having one or more fixed resources, the method comprising:

forming a request by a computing unit for;

a location of a nearest fixed resource to the computing unit; and

communication to a network server to;

determine a location of the computing unit;

search a hierarchical directory structure containing fixed resource objects for a match with the requested fixed resource, each fixed resource object being stored in the hierarchical directory structure according to a location of each fixed resource; and

determine which fixed resource object has a location that is nearest to the computing unit; and

receiving data from the network server at the computing unit regarding the location of the nearest fixed resource.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the fixed resource objects are stored in the hierarchical directory structure according to a relative location of the fixed resource within a base geographical region in which the fixed resource is located, the base geographical region being stored in the hierarchical directory structure according to an absolute location of the base geographical region, the base geographical region being located within one or more extended geographical regions which are stored in the hierarchical directory structure according to an absolute location of each extended geographical region.

3. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein the searching the hierarchical directory structure further comprises beginning at a geographical region in which the computing unit is connected, searching the geographical region and, if a matching fixed resource is not found, repeatedly searching a next-largest of the one or more of the extended geographical regions until a match is found or until all the geographical regions have been searched and no match is found.

4. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein the searching the hierarchical directory structure further comprises searching only a primary geographical region in which the computing unit is located and any secondary geographical regions that may be encompassed by the primary geographical region.

5. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the computing unit is a mobile computing unit operating within the scope of the wireless network.

6. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the data transmitted regarding the location of the fixed resource comprises directions from the location of the computing unit to the location of the fixed resource, the directions being displayable on the computing unit.

7. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein:

the request is a request for a location of a nearest fixed resource having certain properties;

the searching further comprises searching for a match of the requested fixed resource having the requested certain properties; and

the determining comprises determining which fixed resource object having the requested certain properties represents a fixed resource that is nearest to the computing unit.

8. One or more computer readable media comprising computer executable instructions that, when executed on a computer, direct the computer to perform the method as recited in claim 1.

9. A method comprising receiving and storing multiple records associated with fixed resources in a wireless network utilizing a directory tree structure to organize the records according to a location of the fixed resource that the record represents, wherein the directory tree structure comprises multiple levels, each level representing a geographical area covered by the wireless network, a lowest level representing a smallest geographical area in which a fixed resource may be located, and each subsequently higher level of the tree structure representing increasingly larger geographical areas which encompass the fixed resources.

10. The method as recited in claim 9, wherein each record representing a fixed resource further comprises properties of the fixed resource represented by the record.

11. One or more computer-readable media comprising computer executable instructions that, when executed on a computer, direct the computer to perform the method of claim 9.

12. One or more computer readable media comprising computer executable instructions that, when executed by a computer direct the computer to store fixed resource information about one or more fixed resources of a wireless network by:

naming a fixed resource object with an object name that denotes a location of a fixed resource represented by the object, the fixed resource object including properties of the fixed resource; and

storing the fixed resource object according to the object name in a hierarchical directory structure in one or more computer-readable media, the hierarchical directory structure having multiple levels, each level representing a geographical region in which the fixed resource is located.

13. One or more computer readable media as recited in claim 12, wherein the hierarchical directory structure having a lowest level and a highest level, the lowest level corresponding to a smallest geographical region covered by the wireless network, the highest level corresponding to a largest geographical region covered by the wireless network.

14. One or more computer readable media as recited in claim 12, wherein the network comprises one or more servers containing computer-readable media, and wherein the storing the object further comprises storing the object in the computer-readable media of each of the one or more servers.

15. One or more computer readable media as recited in claim 12, wherein the location of the fixed resource is a location that is defined relative to an absolute location.

16. One or more computer readable media as recited in claim 15, wherein the absolute location is a geographical region that is located within one or more other geographical regions, each geographical region corresponding to one level in the hierarchical directory structure, and wherein the object name associated with the fixed resource object comprises each geographical location in which the fixed resource is located and the relative location of the fixed resource.

17. One or more computer readable media as recited in claim 12, wherein there are multiple geographical regions that are divided into classes, each class corresponding to a level in the hierarchical directory structure, each geographical region belonging to one of the following classes:

country, state, territory, county, city, campus, building, area or floor.

18. A computing device comprising:

a location subsystem to determine a location of a user within at least one geographical area;

a resource database having records that each contain information about a resource, including a location of the resource, each record being ordered according to the location of the resource represented by the record, and a directory tree structure having multiple levels, each level representing a geographical area; and

a query processor that receives a query from the user for a resource that is nearest to the user and returns a location of a resource that is nearest to the user.

19. The computing device as recited in claim 18, wherein the query processor receives the location of the user and determines which resource is nearest to the user by searching the resource database beginning with the geographical area in which the user is connected to the network and, if a resource is not found, searching at least one other geographical area for a resource matching the query.

20. The computing device as recited in claim 18, wherein the location of the resource is a relative location stored with coordinates that are relative to a geographical area which is defined in absolute coordinates.

21. The computing device as recited in claim 18, wherein:

the information about a resource further includes properties of the resource; and

the query processor is further configured to receive a query from the user for a resource that is nearest to the user and that has at least one particular property, and to return a location of a resource that is nearest to the user and has the particular property requested by the user.

22. A computing device comprising:

a processor; and

memory configured to maintain one or more modules that are executable on the processor to search for a location of a nearest fixed resource in a wireless network having one or more fixed resources by forming a request for;

a location of a nearest fixed resource by a computing unit; and

communication to a network server over a network to;

determine a location of the computing unit;

search a hierarchical directory structure containing fixed resource objects for a match with the requested fixed resource, each fixed resource object being stored in the hierarchical directory structure according to a location of each fixed resource; and

determine which fixed resource object has a location that is nearest to the computing unit; and

receipt of data from the network server at the computing unit in response to the request regarding the location of the nearest fixed resource.

23. The computing device as recited in claim 22, wherein the fixed resource objects are stored in the hierarchical directory structure according to a relative location of the fixed resource within a base geographical region in which the fixed resource is located, the base geographical region being stored in the hierarchical directory structure according to an absolute location of the base geographical region, the base geographical region being located within one or more extended geographical regions which are stored in the hierarchical directory structure according to an absolute location of each extended geographical region.

24. The computing device as recited in claim 23, wherein the searching 11 the hierarchical directory structure further comprises beginning at a geographical region in which the computing unit is connected, searching the geographical region and, if a matching fixed resource is not found, repeatedly searching a next-largest of the one or more of the extended geographical regions until a match is found or until all the geographical regions have been searched and no match is found.

25. The computing device as recited in claim 22, wherein the searching the hierarchical directory structure further comprises searching only a primary geographical region in which the computing unit is located and any secondary geographical regions that may be encompassed by the primary geographical region.

26. The computing device as recited in claim 22, wherein the network is a wireless network.

27. The computing device as recited in claim 22, wherein the data transmitted regarding the location of the fixed resource comprises directions from the location of the computing unit to the location of the fixed resource, the directions being displayable on the computing unit.

28. The computing device as recited in claim 22, wherein:

the request is a request for a location of a nearest fixed resource having 11 certain properties;

the searching further comprises searching for a match of the requested fixed resource having the requested certain properties; and

the determining comprises determining which fixed resource object having the requested certain properties represents a fixed resource that is nearest to the computing unit.

29. A system comprising:

means for forming a request by a computing unit for;

a location of a nearest fixed resource to the computing unit; and

communication to a network server to;

determine a location of the computing unit;

search a hierarchical directory structure containing fixed resource objects for a match with the requested fixed resource, each fixed resource object being stored in the hierarchical directory structure according to a location of each fixed resource; and

determine which fixed resource object has a location that is nearest to the computing unit; and

means for receiving data from the network server at the computing unit regarding the location of the nearest fixed resource.

30. A system comprising:

means for receiving a request from a computing unit for a location of a nearest fixed resource to the computing unit;

means for determining a location of the computing unit;

means for searching a hierarchical directory structure containing fixed resource objects for a match with the requested fixed resource, each fixed resource object being stored in the hierarchical directory structure according to a location of each fixed resource;

means for determining which fixed resource object has a location that is nearest to the computing unit; and

means for communicating data to the computing unit regarding the location of the nearest fixed resource.