Method and system for locating a service by an electronic device

• US 20060031118A1
• Filed: 08/06/2004
• Published: 02/09/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/06/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Scenera Technologies LLC (Scenera Research LLC)
• Original Assignee: Scenera Technologies LLC (Scenera Research LLC)
• Inventors: Morris, Robert P.
• Application Number:
  US10/913,071
• Publication Number:
  US 20060031118A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14.640
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0267 Wireless devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services

Abstract

In a first aspect, the present invention is a method that includes specifying a request for a service, where the request is related to at least one of a plurality of contexts, receiving in the electronic device advertising information related to an offered service, and presenting the advertising information to a user of the electronic device if the offered service matches the request and its related context, whereby the advertising information is presented to the user in a manner corresponding to the at least one context. In a second aspect, the present invention is a system that includes a computer system associated with at least one service provider that is coupled to a network and includes at least one advertiser for transmitting over the network advertising information related to each of the at least one providers. The system also includes an electronic device that is coupled to the network. The electronic device is capable of specifying a request for a service, wherein the request is related to at least one of a plurality of contexts, and includes a locator for processing the request and for locating advertising information related to the service matching the request and its related contexts, and a display for displaying to a user of the electronic device the advertising information related to the matching service.

Claims

1. A method for locating information about a service by an electronic device comprising;

specifying a request for a service, wherein the request is related to at least one of a plurality of contexts;

receiving advertising information related to an offered service; and

presenting the advertising information to a user of the electronic device if the offered service matches the specified request and its related context,

whereby the advertising information is presented to the user in a manner corresponding to the at least one context.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising issuing the request by one of a software component in the electronic device or the electronic device.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising associating the software component with at least one of a plurality of contexts based on the component'"'"'s functionality and operating environment.

4. The method of claim 1 further including providing a locator in the electronic device for processing the request and locating the matching advertising information.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein locating advertising information includes issuing the request over a network.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein locating advertising information further includes:

receiving the request by an advertiser coupled to the network;

determining whether a service offered by the advertiser matches the request and its related contexts; and

if the service offered by the advertiser matches the request, transmitting the advertising information related to the offered service to the locator in the electronic device via the network.

7. The method of claim 4 wherein locating advertising information includes issuing the request to an internal advertiser provided within the electronic device, wherein the internal advertiser maintains advertising information related to services offered by the electronic device.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein locating advertising information further includes:

determining whether a service offered by the electronic device matches the request and its related contexts; and

if the service offered by the electronic device matches the request, returning the advertising information related to the offered service to the locator.

9. The method of claim 4 further including:

associating the advertising information with at least one of the plurality of contexts based on the offered service; and

storing the advertising information with its associated contexts in a data store.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein locating advertising information includes accessing the data store and retrieving matching advertising information stored therein.

11. The method of claim 4 wherein locating advertising information includes listening to a network by the locator for advertising information, retrieving such information and determining whether the offered service matches the specified request and its contexts.

12. The method of claim 1 further including providing a proxy locator in a gateway server coupled to the electronic device, wherein the proxy locator is for receiving the request, processing the request and locating the matching advertising information.

13. The method of claim 12 further including:

associating the advertising information with at least one of the plurality of contexts based on the offered service; and

storing the advertising information with its associated contexts in a data store in the gateway server.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein locating advertising information includes accessing the data store and retrieving matching advertising information stored therein.

15. A system for locating a service for an electronic device comprising:

a computer system associated with at least one service provider, wherein the computer system is coupled to a network and includes at least one advertiser for transmitting over the network advertising information related to a service offered by each of the at least one service providers; and

an electronic device coupled to the network, comprising;

means for specifying a request for a service, wherein the request is related to at least one of a plurality of contexts;

a locator for processing the request and locating advertising information related to the service matching the request and its related contexts; and

a display for displaying to a user of the electronic device the advertising information related to the matching service,

wherein the advertising information is presented to the user in a manner corresponding to the at least one context.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein one of a software component in the electronic device or the electronic device specifies the request.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein the software component is associated with at least one of the plurality of contexts based on the component'"'"'s functionality and operating environment.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the locator connects the electronic device to the network and locates the matching service by issuing the request over the network.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the at least one advertiser in the computer system receives the request, determines whether a service offered by any of the at least one providers matches the request, and if the service offered by any of the at least one providers matches the request, transmits the advertising information related to the offered service to the locator in the electronic device via the network.

20. The system of claim 15, wherein the electronic device further includes an internal advertiser that maintains advertising information related to services offered by the electronic device.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the locator locates the matching service by issuing the request to the internal advertiser, which then determines whether a service offered by the electronic device matches the request and its related contexts, and if the service offered by the electronic device matches the request, returns the advertising information related to the offered service to the locator.

22. The system of claim 15, wherein the electronic device further includes a data store and wherein the locator associates the located advertising information with at least one of the plurality of contexts based on the related service, and stores the advertising information with its associated contexts in the data store.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the locator locates the matching service by accessing the data store and retrieving matching advertising information stored therein.

24. The system of claim 15, wherein the locator connects the electronic device to the network, listens to the network for advertising information, retrieves such information and determines whether the offered service matches the request and its contexts.

25. A system for locating a service for a handheld electronic device comprising:

a computer system associated with at least one service provider, wherein the computer system is coupled to a network and includes at least one advertiser for transmitting over the network advertising information related to a service offered by each of the at least one service providers;

a gateway server coupled to the network; and

a handheld electronic device that is capable of accessing the gateway server, comprising;

means for specifying a request for a service, wherein the request is related to at least one of a plurality of contexts;

means for transmitting the request to the gateway server; and

a display,

wherein, the gateway server further includes a locator for processing the request and locating advertising information related to the service matching the request and its related context, and wherein the display in the handheld electronic device displays the advertising information related to the matching service such that the advertising information is presented to a user of the handheld device in a manner corresponding to the at least one context.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the gateway server further includes a data store and wherein the locator associates the located advertising information with at least one of the plurality of contexts based on the related service, and stores the advertising information with its associated contexts in the data store.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein the locator locates the matching service by accessing the data store and retrieving matching advertising information stored therein.

28. The system of claim 25, wherein the locator locates the matching service by listening to the network for advertising information, retrieving such information and determining whether the offered service matches the request and its contexts.

29. The system of claim 25, wherein the locator locates the matching service by issuing the request over the network.