Numeric/voice name internet access architecture and methodology

• US 20050132277A1
• Filed: 01/24/2005
• Published: 06/16/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/16/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Patrick J. Conley, Timothy J. Griswold, William R. Dutcher
• Original Assignee: Patrick J. Conley, Timothy J. Griswold, William R. Dutcher
• Inventors: Dutcher, William R., Griswold, Timothy J., Conley, Patrick J.
• Application Number:
  US11/039,953
• Publication Number:
  US 20050132277A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/201
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/955 using information identifiers, e.g. uniform resource locators [URL]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9566 URL specific, e.g. using aliases, detecting broken or misspelled links
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72445 for supporting Internet browser applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72457 according to geographic location

Abstract

A system that provides users of both fixed and wireless Internet devices, a method of entering numbers instead of the text characters of Internet Uniform Resource Locators (URLs) and other Internet identifiers to access Internet resources and functions, such as Web sites, e-mail services, individual documents or files, location services, etc. When the user enters a WebNum, the digits of the WebNum are sent to a database on a system that is accessible over the Internet. The database maps the WebNum back to a Uniform Resource Locator (URL), which contains a hostname in the Internet domain name structure. This would subsequently be resolved through the Internet Domain Name System (DNS) to an IP address to identify the IP address of the Web site. The cell phone provider or WID network provider would then retrieve the home page of the Web site over the Internet, to return content to the cell phone or WID display.

Claims

1. A method for accessing geographical information based on a request from a wireless device, comprising:

receiving a transmitted short-name from a wireless device, said short-name comprising a code number representative of particular geographical information, said particular geographical information comprising at least one of directions and location information;

searching a database for said short-name, said database being located at a location remote from said wireless device; and

if said short-name is found, retrieving said particular geographical information and returning said particular geographical information to said wireless device.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein said wireless device includes a position-sending device so that the location of said wireless device can be estimated by a wireless network communicating with said wireless device.

3. A method according to claim 2, wherein said database is a geolocation database operable to return to said wireless device, directions from said wireless device to a selected target.

4. A method according to claim 3, wherein said directions returned to said wireless device include voice information.

5. A method according to claim 3, wherein said directions returned to said wireless device include text information.

6. A method according to claim 3, wherein said directions returned to said wireless device include graphical information.

7. A system for accessing geographical information with a wireless device, comprising:

a database storing relationships between a short-name and an internet address, said short-name comprising a code number representative of particular geographical information, said particular geographical information comprising at least one of directions and location information, said database being located at a location remote from said wireless device; and

a controller which received a transmitted short-name from said wireless device, said controller operable to search said database for said transmitted short-name, and if said short-name is found, retrieving said particular geographical information and returning said particular geographical information to said wireless device.

8. A system according to claim 7, wherein said wireless device includes a position-sensing device so that the location of said wireless device can be estimated by a wireless network communicating with said wireless device.

9. A system according to claim 8, wherein said database is a geolocation database operable to return to said wireless device, directions from said wireless device to a selected target.

10. A system according to claim 9, wherein said directions returned to said wireless device include voice information.

11. A system according to claim 9, wherein said directions returned to said wireless device include text information.

12. A system according to claim 9, wherein said directions returned to said wireless device include graphical information.

13. A method for accessing geographical information from a web-enabled device, comprising:

transmitting a short-name from said web-enabled device, said short-name comprising a code number representative of particular geographical information, said particular geographical information comprising at least one of directions and location information, said transmitting causing a database to be searched for said short-name, said database being located at a location remote from said wireless device; and

receiving said particular geographical information at said web-enabled device.

14. A method according to claim 13, wherein said web-enabled device is a wireless device and includes a position-sensing device so that the location of said wireless device can be estimated by a wireless network communicating with said wireless device.

15. A method according to claim 14, wherein said data base is a geoloction database operable to return to said wireless device, directions from said wireless device to a selected target.

16. A method according to claim 14, wherein said directions received by said wireless device include voice information.

17. A method according to claim 14, wherein said directions received by said wireless device include text information.

18. A method according to claim 14, wherein said directions received by said wireless device include graphical information.