Method, system, and program product for providing services and information to wireless mobile devices

• US 20060135180A1
• Filed: 12/17/2004
• Published: 06/22/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Will, Steven Thomas, Jakel, Donald Paul, Nelson, Eric John
• Application Number:
  US11/016,205
• Publication Number:
  US 20060135180A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/456.500
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/34 Route searching; Route guidance
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/18 Information format or content conversion, e.g. adaptation by the network of the transmitted or received information for the purpose of wireless delivery to users or terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management

Abstract

A method, system and computer program product of determining the location of one or more cell reception areas having predefined signal characteristics relative to a current location of the wireless mobile device; and, dynamically determining directions from the wireless mobile device at the current location to selected ones of the one or more cell reception areas having at least predefined signal characteristics. In addition, further included is the providing the directions from the wireless mobile device at the current location to the one or more cell reception areas having predefined signal characteristics.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

determining the location of one or more cell reception areas having predefined signal characteristics relative to a current location of the wireless mobile device; and

,

dynamically determining directions from the wireless mobile device at the current location to selected ones of the one or more cell reception areas having at least predefined signal characteristics.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 further including providing the directions from the wireless mobile device at the current location to the one or more cell reception areas having predefined signal characteristics.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2 wherein the having predefined signal characteristics includes having predefined signal strengths.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 further wherein the determining the current location includes utilizing a global position system.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 3 wherein dynamically determining directions includes correlating the current location of the wireless mobile device to locations of cell reception area having predefined signal strengths.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 5 wherein the dynamic determining determines if the cell reception areas are too far away from the wireless mobile device or a travel path.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 further including providing a navigation logic mechanism that determines the directions.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein the dynamic determining is carried out within a wireless mobile client device that is accessible to a network.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein the dynamic determining is carried out within a server computer system accessible to a network.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 2 wherein the determining the direction, the dynamic determining, and the providing the directions are carried out within a wireless mobile client device that is accessible to a network.

11. An apparatus comprising:

at least one processor;

a memory coupled to the at least one processor;

a correlating mechanism program residing in the memory and executed by at least the one processor, the mechanism correlating a current location of wireless mobile device and the locations of one or more cell reception areas; and

, a navigation mechanism residing in memory and executed by at least the one processor for dynamically determining directions from the wireless mobile device to the one or more cell reception areas having the at least predefined signal characteristics.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 further including having the navigation mechanism providing the directions from the wireless mobile device at the current location to one or more of the cell reception areas having predefined signal characteristics.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 further including a global positioning device for determining the current location of the wireless mobile device.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the correlating mechanism correlates the GPS signals of the current location of the wireless mobile device and the locations of the one or more cell reception areas.

15. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the correlating mechanism dynamically determines if the cell reception areas are too far away from the wireless mobile device or a travel path.

16. The apparatus of claim 11 further wherein the navigation mechanism determines the best route to selected ones of the cell reception areas.

17. A telecommunication system for informing a wireless mobile device of cell reception areas having predefined signal characteristics comprising:

a network having a plurality of cell reception areas;

a wireless mobile device in communication with a plurality of cell reception areas;

the wireless mobile device includes at least one processor;

a memory coupled to the at least one processor; and

, a correlating mechanism program residing in the memory and executed by the at least one processor, the mechanism determining the location of the one or more cell reception areas having predefined signal characteristics relative to the wireless mobile device at a current location; and

, a navigation mechanism residing in memory and executed by at least the one processor for dynamically determining directions from the wireless mobile device to the one or more cell reception areas having the at least predefined signal characteristics.

18. The system of claim 17 further including the navigation mechanism providing directions from the wireless mobile device to at least one of the cell reception areas.

19. The system of claim 17 wherein the navigation mechanism renders a best path direction.

20. The system of claim 17 wherein the correlating mechanism correlates GPS signals representative of a current location of the wireless mobile device to locations of the one or more cell reception areas having predefined signal characteristics.

21. The system of claim 17 further wherein the correlating mechanism dynamically determines if the cell reception areas are too far away from the wireless mobile device or a travel path.

22. A computer program product comprising:

a correlating mechanism program for determining the location of one or more cell reception areas having predefined signal characteristics relative to a wireless mobile device at a current location; and

a navigation mechanism for dynamically determining directions from the wireless mobile device to the one or more cell reception areas having the at least predefined signal characteristics; and

,

signal bearing media bearing the correlating and navigation mechanisms.

23. The computer program product of claim 22 wherein the navigation mechanism renders the directions to the one or more cell reception area.

24. The computer program product of claim 22 wherein the correlating mechanism correlates GPS signals of the current location of the wireless mobile device to locations of the cell reception areas having predefined signal characteristics.

25. The computer program product of claim 23 wherein the navigation mechanism renders one or more paths of direction to the one or more cell reception area.

26. A computer-implemented method of providing a service for a fee in a telecommunication system that includes a plurality of cell reception areas that provide information to wireless mobile devices, the computer-implemented method comprising:

deploying information by a service provider for a fee regarding predefined signal characteristics of cell reception areas and geographic locations of the cell reception areas to corresponding ones of wireless mobile devices, wherein the deployed information is geographically related to a current location of a wireless mobile device requesting such information so that a correlating mechanism program residing in a memory determines the location of one or more cell reception areas having predefined signal characteristics relative to the wireless mobile device at its current location; and

, then dynamically determining directions from the wireless mobile device to the one or more cell reception areas having the at least predefined signal characteristics.

27. The computer-implemented method of claim 26 wherein the mechanism program resides in a memory of the requesting mobile wireless device.

28. The computer-implemented method of claim 26 wherein the mechanism program residing in a memory is carried out by server computer system accessible to a network.

29. The computer-implemented method of claim 26 wherein the current location of the wireless device is gathered by a global positioning system residing in the requesting mobile wireless device.

30. The computer-implemented method of claim 26 wherein the deployed information for a fee is rendered based on a subscription service by the service provider.

31. A computer-implemented method of determining one or more travel routes in accordance with cell reception areas having predefined signal characteristics, the method comprising:

inputting data including an origination location and a trip destination, determining if a mode is selected to stay within a predefined range of the predefined signal characteristics while traveling, accessing signal strength data of cell reception areas to input into a travel planning algorithm for planning a route to the trip destination, if the mode is selected; and

, determining a travel route to the trip destination that stays within the predefined range of cell reception areas having predefined signal characteristics.

32. The computer-implemented method of claim 31 further comprising providing information that includes a best path travel route to the trip destination that remains within the predefined range.

33. The computer-implemented method of claim 31 further comprising providing information about a travel route that need not be entirely within the range.

34. A computer-implemented method of providing a service for a fee for planning a trip route from an origination location to a trip destination for a user of a wireless mobile device using a network having a plurality of cell reception areas, the method comprising:

providing a service for a fee of selecting a travel route to the trip destination from the origination location that remains in a predefined range of cell reception areas of the predefined signal characteristics.

35. An apparatus for determining one or more travel routes in accordance with signal strengths of wireless cell reception areas, the apparatus comprising:

at least one processor;

a memory coupled to the at least one processor; and

,

a trip planning mechanism program residing in the memory and executed by the at least one processor, the mechanism is enabled to obtain information including an origination location and a trip destination, if a mode is selected for determining a travel route to stay within a predefined range of cell reception areas having predefined signal characteristics, then accessing signal strength and geographic location information of cell reception areas for mobile wireless devices to input into a travel planning algorithm; and

, determining at least a travel route to the trip destination that remains within the predefined range of the cell reception areas having predefined signal characteristics.

36. The apparatus of claim 35 further including having the trip planning mechanism-providing information including a best path travel route that remains within the range.

37. A computer-implemented method of providing a service for a fee in a telecommunication system for planning a trip route for a user of a wireless mobile device, wherein the system includes a network having a plurality of cell reception areas;

the computer-implemented method comprising;

deploying information by a service provider to a user of a wireless mobile device for a fee regarding signal strengths and geographic location of cell reception areas in a geographic area that includes a trip originating location and a trip destination; and

, selecting a travel route to the trip destination from the originating location that remains in a predefined range of cell reception areas of the predefined signal characteristics.

38. The computer-implemented method of claim 37 further comprising providing information including a path of travel route to the trip destination that remains within the predefined range.

39. The computer-implemented method of claim 37 wherein the deployed information for a fee is rendered based on a subscription service by the service provider.

40. The computer-implemented method of claim 37 wherein the deploying and selecting are carried out within a server computer system that is accessible to the network.

41. The computer-implemented method of claim 40 wherein the providing information is carried out in a wireless mobile client device that is accessible to the network.