SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING LOCATION-BASED INFORMATION TO A MOBILE DEVICE

• US 20070136086A1
• Filed: 10/13/2006
• Published: 06/14/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/17/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: SMS AD Services Incorporated
• Original Assignee: SMS AD Services Incorporated
• Inventors: Luerssen, Brian
• Application Number:
  US11/549,370
• Publication Number:
  US 20070136086A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/1.100
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/222 using geographical location information, e.g. messages transmitted or received in proximity of a certain spot or area

Abstract

A computer system and method for allowing a user to request location-based information about businesses in a given area. The user accesses a location-based service over a global computer network, such as the Internet, from a client device. Examples of client devices used to access the service include Internet and/or SMS enabled cell phones, personal digital assistants (PDAs), and laptops. The user creates a text message, email message, or other message that includes one or more identifiers of the geographic area the user is interested in, as well as one or more search terms about the particular type of business the user is looking for. The system then receives the message request from the user and looks up the businesses that meet the geographic and search criteria in a database. The results of the search are then returned and displayed to the user on the client device.

Claims

1. A method for providing information to users, comprising the steps of:

maintaining a database storing location-based business information having a pluarlity of entries, each entry having an associated business and at least one price associated with a product or service of said business;

receiving a request for information comprising a query and a geographic location from a remote user through a digital network;

selecting a result set from said database based on said request and said location; and

presenting said result set to the remote user using said digital network.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one entry includes the address of said associated business.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein each of said plurality of entries includes the address of said associated business.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said selecting comprises selecting a plurality of entries from said database having an associated location either within or near said geographic location.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said selecting comprises selecting a plurality of entries from said database having an associated location surrounding said geographic location.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein said geographic location has a type selected from the group consisting of:

city, area, zip code, locality, and direction.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein said geographic location is defined by the remote user.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said geographic location is defined by enclosing an area on an electronic map.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein said geographic area is associated with a profile associated with the remote user.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said query includes at least one keyword indicating the type of product the user is interested in.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein said request is formatted to include a @ symbol between said query and said geographic location.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein said request is sent using a web page.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said result set is presented on a web page.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein said result set is presented in an e-mail.

15. The method of claim 12 wherein said digital network comprises the Internet.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein said request is a SMS message.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein said result set is presented in a SMS message to the remote user.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein said digital network comprises an SS7 network.

19. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

receiving current pricing information from a periodic source concerning at least one product or service associated with an entry; and

updating said price in said database.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein said periodic source is the business associated with said entry in said database.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein said current pricing information in received over the Internet.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein said geographic location is determined using GPS.

23. The method of claim 1, wherein said geographic location is determined using a wireless hotspot.

24. The method of claim 1, wherein said geographic location is determined by the operator of said digital network.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein said operator is a cell phone service provider.

26. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

receiving current pricing information relating to at least one product and at least one business from a remote user;

determining is the user is a trusted user by assessing a trust index associated with said user; and

sending said current pricing information for accuracy review or approval prior to entry into said database if said user is not trusted;

or

adding said current pricing information to said database if said user is trusted.

27. The method of claim 26, further comprising the steps of:

determining that said current pricing information for the user is accurate; and

increasing the trust index of the user in response to said determining.

28. The method of claim 26, wherein said trust index is associated with a profile associated with the user.

29. A system comprising:

a first server maintaining a database containing location-based business information updated with information received from at least one source;

a second server capable of receiving a request for location-based business information over a digital network, communicating with said first server to execute said query, and sending a formatted result set to the user over said network; and

a mobile device capable of sending said request to said second server over said network and receiving and displaying said formatted result set.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein said mobile device is a cell phone.

31. The system of claim 29, wherein said mobile device is a PDA.

32. The system of claim 29, wherein said source is said mobile device.

33. The system of claim 29, wherein said formatted result set is sorted by price.

34. A method for providing information to users over mobile devices, comprising the steps of:

maintaining a database storing location-based business information having a pluarlity of entries, each entry having an associated business and at least one price associated with a product or service of said business;

receiving a request for information comprising a query and a geographic location in the form of a Short Message Service (SMS) message from a remote user using a mobile device;

selecting a result set from said database based on said request and said location; and

sending said result set in an SMS message to the remote user.