HIGH-RATE PROXIMITY DETECTION WITH THE ABILITY TO PROVIDE NOTIFICATION

• US 20080045240A1
• Filed: 10/24/2007
• Published: 02/21/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Terrace Licensing LLC (IP Edge LLC)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Wood, David, Cole, Alan, Gupta, Vineet, Duri, Sastry, Munson, Jonathan
• Application Number:
  US11/877,985
• Publication Number:
  US 20080045240A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/456.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/024 Guidance services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/14 Short messaging services, e.g. short message services [SMS] or unstructured supplementary service data [USSD]

Abstract

Techniques are presented for identifying mobile devices within a coverage legion of a wireless station Positions for mobile devices, if any, within the coverage region are determined. It is then determined whether the positions are within one or more defined areas, called “notification areas” herein. Additionally, selected mobile devices within notification areas are sent messages. The selected mobile devices ale selected via certain criteria, including, for instance, campaign specifications and subscriber information A message can be sent to a mobile device if the subscriber corresponding to the mobile device has indicated an acceptance of a category of notifications for the message and for the publisher who is publishing the notifications. The category could be traffic conditions and the publisher could be a Department of transportation having responsibility for a particular freeway. These are two examples of multiple criteria for selecting mobile devices to which messages could be sent.

Claims

1. A method for determining a position of one or more mobile devices, the method comprising the steps of:

identifying mobile devices within a coverage region of a wireless station, wherein one of a plurality of coverage region processors is assigned to the coverage region;

determining a position for at least one of the mobile devices identified to be within the coverage region of the wireless station; and

reporting said position, wherein said report is generated by said assigned coverage region processor.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said determining step is performed periodically.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said report is generated in response to a query.

4. An article of manufacture for determining a position of one or more mobile devices, comprising:

a computer readable medium containing one or more programs which when executed implement the steps of;

identifying mobile devices within a coverage region of a wireless station, wherein one of a plurality of coverage region processors is assigned to the coverage region;

determining a position for at least one of the mobile devices identified to be within the coverage region of the wireless station; and

reporting said position, wherein said report is generated by said assigned coverage region processor

5. The article of manufacture of claim 4, wherein said determining step is performed periodically.

6. The article of manufacture of claim 4, wherein said report is generated in response to a query

7. An apparatus for determining a position of one or more mobile devices, comprising:

a memory; and

at least one processor, coupled to the memory, operative to;

identify mobile devices within a coverage region of a wireless station, wherein one of a plurality of coverage region processors is assigned to the coverage region;

determine a position for at least one of the mobile devices identified to be within the coverage legion of the wireless station; and

report said position, wherein said report is generated by said assigned coverage region processor.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said determining step is performed periodically

9. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said report is generated in response to a query.