DEVICE, TIME, AND LOCATION BASED NOTIFICATION CONTENT TRANSFER AND PRESENTMENT SYSTEM AND METHOD

• US 20080301580A1
• Filed: 05/31/2007
• Published: 12/04/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications USA Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications USA Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Funabashi, Yoshimitsu, Yamagami, Rui, Hjelmeland Alams, Randi-Lise
• Granted Patent: US 8,090,780 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/808
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/109 Time management, e.g. calendars, reminders, meetings or time accounting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/00 User-to-user messaging in packet-switching networks, transmitted according to store-and-forward or real-time protocols, e.g. e-mail
• 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 notification system, comprising a notification database and a notification application, receiving notification content from a sending device and provides the notification content for rendering on a target receiving device. The notification database may store, for each of a plurality of instances of notification content, the notification content in association with a target receiving device identifier and rendering instructions. The rendering instructions may comprise at least identification of a rendering time and a rendering location. The notification application i) receives, from the sending device, the notification content, the target receiving device identifier, and the rendering instructions; and writes such notification content, target receiving device identifier, and rendering instructions to the database. The notification application further provides the notification content and rendering instructions to the target receiving device associated with the target receiving device identifier such that the target receiving device may render, on its user interface, the rendering content when the target receiving device is at the rendering location and/or at the rendering time. The identification of the rendering location may be at least one of: i) GPS coordinates; and ii) a location associated with predetermined GPS coordinates in a mapping database. As such, the rendering location may be determined by the target receiving device referencing a GPS receiver system. Alternatively, the identification of a rendering location may comprises identification of a unique identifier of a point to point wireless communication module associated with a third device—with which the target receiving device is capable of communication only when it is within a limited distance from the third device. As such, the target receiving device may identify that it is within a limited distance from the third device upon detecting the unique identifier of the point to point wireless communication module of the third device. The third device may be a mobile device or a static device.

Claims

1. A notification system for receiving notification content from a sending device and providing the notification content for rendering on a target receiving device, the notification system comprising:

a notification database storing, for each of a plurality of instances of notification content, the notification content in association with a target receiving device identifier and rendering instructions, the rendering instructions comprising at least identification of a rendering location;

a notification application;

receiving, from the sending device, and storing in the notification database;

the notification content;

the target receiving device identifier; and

the rendering instructions; and

providing to the target receiving device, for each instance of notification content that is associated with a target receiving device identifier that corresponds to the target receiving device, the notification content and the rendering instructions.

2. The notification system of claim 1, wherein the rendering instructions further include a rendering time.

3. The notification system of claim 2, wherein the identification of the rendering location comprises identification of at least one of:

GPS coordinates; and

a location associated with predetermined GPS coordinates in a mapping database.

4. The notification system of claim 1, wherein:

the identification of a rendering location comprises identification of a unique identifier of a point to point wireless communication module associated with a third device and with which the target receiving device is capable of communication when it is within a limited distance from the third device; and

whereby the target receiving device identifies that it is within a limited distance from the third device upon detecting the unique identifier of the point to point wireless communication module of the third device.

5. The notification system of claim 4, wherein the third device is a mobile device such that the target receiving device renders the notification content:

i) when it is within a limited distance from the mobile device; and

ii) independent of the geographic area wherein the target receiving device and the mobile device are co-located.

6. The notification system of claim 4, wherein the third device is a static device associated with a predetermined geographic location and the target receiving device renders the notification content when it is within a limited distanced from the static device.

7. The notification system of claim 6, wherein:

the static device is a Wi-Fi network controller; and

the rendering instructions include identification of the SSID of the Wi-Fi network controller whereby the target receiving device identifies the Wi-Fi network controller as the static device by its SSID.

8. A notification device comprising:

a unique device identifier;

a user interface;

a notification application for;

obtaining, from a notification database;

notification content associated with a device ID matching the unique device identifier; and

rendering instructions associated with the notification content, the rendering instructions comprising at least identification of a rendering location; and

driving the user interface to render the notification content when the notification application determines that the location of the device corresponds to the rendering location.

9. The notification device of claim 8, wherein:

the rendering instructions further include a rendering time; and

driving the user interface to render the notification content occurs only when the notification application determines that the location of the device corresponds to the rendering location and the chronological time corresponds to the rendering time.

10. The notification device of claim 8, wherein:

the identification of the rendering location comprises identification of at least one of;

GPS coordinates; and

a location associated with predetermined GPS coordinates in a mapping database;

the device further comprises a GPS receiver; and

driving the user interface to render the notification content occurs only when the notification application determines, by reference to the GPS receiver, that the location of the device corresponds to the rendering location.

11. The notification device of claim 8, wherein:

the identification of the rendering location comprises a unique identifier associated with a short range point to point wireless communication module of a third device;

the device further comprises a compatible short range point to point wireless communication module capable of communication with the third device when within a limited distance from the third device; and

driving the user interface to render the notification content occurs when the device communicates with the third device via short range point to point wireless communications and identifies the unique identifier associated with the short range point to point wireless communication module of a third device.

12. The notification device of claim 11, wherein the third device is a mobile device such that the target receiving device renders the notification content:

i) when it is within a limited distance from the mobile device; and

ii) independent of the geographic area wherein the target receiving device and the mobile device are co-located.

13. The notification system of claim 11, wherein the third device is a static device associated with a predetermined geographic location and the target receiving device renders the notification content when it is within a limited distanced from the static device.

14. The notification system of claim 13, wherein:

the static device is a Wi-Fi network controller; and

the rendering instructions include identification of the SSID of the Wi-Fi network controller whereby the target receiving device identifies the Wi-Fi network controller as the static device by its SSID.

15. A method of transferring notification content from a sending device to a target receiving device for rendering on the target receiving device, the method comprising;

transferring, from the sending device to a notification server, the notification content, identification of the target receiving device, and rendering instruction from the sending device, the rendering instructions comprising at least identification of a rendering location;

transferring, from the notification server to the target receiving device, the notification content and rendering instructions; and

driving a user interface of the target receiving device to render the notification content when a notification application of the target receiving device determines that the location of the target receiving device corresponds to the rendering location.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein:

the rendering instructions further include a rendering time; and

driving the user interface of the target receiving device to render the notification content comprises driving the user interface of the target receiving device to render the notification content only when;

the notification application determines that the location of the device corresponds to the rendering location; and

the chronological time corresponds to the rendering time.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein:

the identification of the rendering location comprises identification of at least one of;

GPS coordinates; and

a location associated with predetermined GPS coordinates in a mapping database; and

driving a user interface of the target receiving device to render the notification content when a notification application of the target receiving device determines that the location of the target receiving device corresponds to the rendering location comprises calculating a GPS location of the target receiving device and driving the user interface to render the notification content when the GPS location of the target receiving device corresponds to the rendering location.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein:

the identification of the target rendering location comprises a unique identifier associated with a short range point to point wireless communication module of a third device; and

determining that the location of the target receiving device corresponds to the rendering location by determining that the target receiving device is within the limited distance, in which the target receiving device is capable of communication with the third device, by identifying the unique identifier associated with the short range point to point wireless communication module of a third device.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the third device is a mobile device such that the target receiving device renders the notification content:

i) when it is within a limited distance from the mobile device; and

ii) independent of the geographic area wherein the target receiving device and the mobile device are co-located.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the third device is a static device associated with a predetermined geographic location that the target receiving device renders the notification content when it is within a limited distanced from the static device.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein:

the static device is a Wi-Fi network controller; and

the rendering instructions include identification of the SSID of the Wi-Fi network controller whereby the target receiving device identifies the Wi-Fi network controller as the static device by its SSID.