LOCATION AND TIME BASED FILTERING OF BROADCAST INFORMATION

• US 20090093259A1
• Filed: 10/02/2008
• Published: 04/09/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/05/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Edge, Stephen W., Kannan, Prasanna, Lo, Charles N., Wachter, Andreas K.
• Granted Patent: US 8,849,183 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/456.3
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/61 for local area broadcast, e.g. instore broadcast
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/40 for identifying broadcast time
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/51 of receiving stations
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/53 of destinations
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/65 for using the result on users' side
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/73 using meta-information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/027 using movement velocity, acceleration information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/06 Selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS]; Services to user groups; One-way selective calling services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/50 Service provisioning or reconfiguring

Abstract

Techniques for sending and receiving broadcast information are described. In an aspect, broadcast metadata may be generated for broadcast information and may include location and time criteria used by terminals to filter the broadcast information. Each location and time criterion may include (i) a location criterion given by a target location and a presence or absence requirement and (ii) a time criterion given by a time period in which the location criterion applies. A terminal may receive the broadcast metadata prior to or with the broadcast information, obtain location and time criteria from the broadcast metadata, and filter the broadcast information based on the location and time criteria. The terminal may evaluate each location and time criterion by determining its location within a specified time period and determining whether its location is within or outside a specified target location, as indicated by the presence or absence requirement.

Claims

1. A method of receiving broadcast information, comprising:

receiving broadcast metadata associated with broadcast information;

obtaining location and time criteria for the broadcast information from the broadcast metadata; and

filtering the broadcast information based on the location and time criteria.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the location and time criteria comprise at least one location and time criterion, and wherein the filtering the broadcast information comprises, for each location and time criterion,

determining a location criterion and a time criterion for the location and time criterion, the time criterion indicating a time period in which the location criterion applies,

determining a location of a terminal within the time period, and

determining whether the location of the terminal meets the location criterion.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the determining the location of the terminal comprises

determining a prior location of the terminal if the time period is in the past,

determining a current location of the terminal if the time period is in the present, and

determining a future location of the terminal if the time period is in the future.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the determining whether the location of the terminal meets the location criterion comprises

determining a target location and a presence or absence requirement for the location criterion, and

determining whether the location of the terminal is within or outside the target location as indicated by the presence or absence requirement.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the location and time criteria further comprise at least one logical operation for the at least one location and time criterion, and wherein the filtering the broadcast information further comprises combining results of the at least one location and time criterion in accordance with the at least one logical operation to obtain a final result for the location and time criteria.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the location and time criteria comprise a first location and time criterion covering a prior location of a terminal and a second location and time criterion covering a future location of the terminal.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the location and time criteria comprise a first location and time criterion requiring a terminal to be within a first target area and a second location and time criterion requiring the terminal to be outside a second target area.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the location and time criteria comprise at least one location and time criterion, each location and time criterion having a form:

PA at L during D,

where

L denotes a target location for the location and time criterion,

D denotes a time period for the location and time criterion, and

PA denotes a presence or absence requirement for the location and time criterion.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the location and time criteria have a form:

(PA₁ at L₁ during D₁)LO₁(PA₂ at L₂ during D₂) . . . LO_N-1 (PA_N at L_N during D_N),

where

N is the number of location and time criteria being combined,

L_n denotes a target location for n-th location and time criterion, for 1≦

n≦

N.

D_n denotes a time period for the n-th location and time criterion,

PA_n denotes a presence or absence requirement for the n-th location and time criterion, and

LO_n denotes a logical operation.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the location and time criteria have a form:

LTC_ALO_ALTC_BLO_BLTC_C . . .

where

LTC_i denotes a location and time criterion, for iε

A, B, C, . . . , and

LO_i denotes a logical operation.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the location and time criteria have a recursive form:

Expression(i){binary operation Expression(j)},

where

{ . . . } denotes an optional extension,

Expression( ) denotes {Expression( ) binary operation Expression( )}, or {unary operation Expression( )}, or (single location and time criterion),

binary operation denotes an operation on two arguments, and

unary operation denotes an operation on one argument.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

maintaining a history of locations of a terminal; and

determining a prior location of the terminal by interpolating at least one location in the history.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

maintaining a history of locations of a terminal; and

determining a future location of the terminal based on the history of locations.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

obtaining additional filtering data from the broadcast metadata; and

filtering the broadcast information based further on the additional filtering data and at least one user preference.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

skipping receiving the broadcast information if the location and time criteria are not satisfied.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving the broadcast information at a first time instant; and

presenting the broadcast information at a second time instant the same as or later than the first time instant if the location and time criteria are satisfied.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the broadcast information relates to an event occurring over a designated time interval, and wherein the broadcast information is received prior to the designated time interval and is presented during the designated time interval.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving the broadcast metadata comprises receiving the broadcast metadata prior to the broadcast information.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving the broadcast metadata comprises receiving the broadcast metadata with the broadcast information.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving the broadcast metadata comprises receiving the broadcast metadata via a service guide for broadcast programs comprising the broadcast information.

21. An apparatus for wireless communication, comprising:

at least one processor configured to receive broadcast metadata associated with broadcast information, to obtain location and time criteria for the broadcast information from the broadcast metadata, and to filter the broadcast information based on the location and time criteria.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the at least one processor is configured to determine a location criterion and a time criterion for a location and time criterion, the time criterion indicating a time period in which the location criterion applies, to determine a location of a terminal within the time period, and to determine whether the location of the terminal meets the location criterion.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the at least one processor is configured to determine a target location and a presence or absence requirement for the location criterion, and to determine whether the location of the terminal is within or outside the target location as indicated by the presence or absence requirement.

24. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the location and time criteria comprise at least one location and time criterion, each location and time criterion having a form:

PA at L during D,

where

L denotes a target location for the location and time criterion,

D denotes a time period for the location and time criterion, and

PA denotes a presence or absence requirement for the location and time criterion.

25. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the at least one processor is configured to receive the broadcast information at a first time instant, and to present the broadcast information at a second time instant the same as or later than the first time instant if the location and time criteria are satisfied.

26. An apparatus for receiving broadcast information, comprising:

means for receiving broadcast metadata associated with broadcast information;

means for obtaining location and time criteria for the broadcast information from the broadcast metadata; and

means for filtering the broadcast information based on the location and time criteria.

27. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the location and time criteria comprise at least one location and time criterion, and wherein the means for filtering the broadcast information comprises, for each location and time criterion,

means for determining a location criterion and a time criterion for the location and time criterion, the time criterion indicating a time period in which the location criterion applies,

means for determining a location of a terminal within the time period, and

means for determining whether the location of the terminal meets the location criterion.

28. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the means for determining whether the location of the terminal meets the location criterion comprises

means for determining a target location and a presence or absence requirement for the location criterion, and

means for determining whether the location of the terminal is within or outside the target location as indicated by the presence or absence requirement.

29. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the location and time criteria comprise at least one location and time criterion, each location and time criterion having a form:

PA at L during D,

where

L denotes a target location for the location and time criterion,

D denotes a time period for the location and time criterion, and

PA denotes a presence or absence requirement for the location and time criterion.

30. The apparatus of claim 26, further comprising:

means for receiving the broadcast information at a first time instant; and

means for presenting the broadcast information at a second time instant the same as or later than the first time instant if the location and time criteria are satisfied.

31. A computer program product, comprising:

a computer-readable medium comprising;

code for causing at least one computer to receive broadcast metadata associated with broadcast information,

code for causing the at least one computer to obtain location and time criteria for the broadcast information from the broadcast metadata, and

code for causing the at least one computer to filter the broadcast information based on the location and time criteria.

32. The computer program product of claim 31, the computer-readable medium further comprising:

code for causing the at least one computer to determine a location criterion and a time criterion for a location and time criterion, the time criterion indicating a time period in which the location criterion applies,

code for causing the at least one computer to determine a location of a terminal within the time period, and

code for causing the at least one computer to determine whether the location of the terminal meets the location criterion.

33. A method of sending broadcast information, comprising:

determining broadcast metadata for broadcast information, the broadcast metadata comprising location and time criteria used by terminals to filter the broadcast information; and

sending the broadcast metadata and the broadcast information to the terminals.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein the location and time criteria comprise at least one location and time criterion, each location and time criterion comprising a location criterion and a time criterion indicating a time period in which the location criterion applies.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein the location criterion comprises a target location and a presence or absence requirement for the target location.

36. The method of claim 33, wherein the location and time criteria comprise at least one location and time criterion, each location and time criterion having a form:

PA at L during D,

where

L denotes a target location for the location and time criterion,

D denotes a time period for the location and time criterion, and

PA denotes a presence or absence requirement for the location and time criterion.

37. The method of claim 33, wherein the broadcast information relates to an event occurring over a designated time interval, and wherein the broadcast metadata and the broadcast information are sent prior to or after the designated time interval.

38. An apparatus for wireless communication, comprising:

at least one processor configured to determine broadcast metadata for broadcast information, the broadcast metadata comprising location and time criteria used by terminals to filter the broadcast information, and to send the broadcast metadata and the broadcast information to the terminals.

39. The apparatus of claim 38, wherein the broadcast information relates to an event occurring over a designated time interval, and wherein the at least one processor is configured to send the broadcast metadata and the broadcast information prior or after to the designated time interval.