Wireless application protocol (wap) application location based services (lbs)

• US 20090156185A1
• Filed: 12/12/2008
• Published: 06/18/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TeleCommunication Systems Inc (Comtech Telecommunications Corporation)
• Original Assignee: TeleCommunication Systems Inc (Comtech Telecommunications Corporation)
• Inventors: Morin, Drew
• Granted Patent: US 9,344,840 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/414.300
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/141 Setup of application sessions admission control or resource allocation in data switching networks H04L47/70
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/55 Push-based network services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/14 Short messaging services, e.g. short message services [SMS] or unstructured supplementary service data [USSD]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/20 Services signaling; Auxiliary data signalling, i.e. transmitting data via a non-traffic channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/12 Application layer protocols, e.g. WAP [Wireless Application Protocol]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/182 Network node acting on behalf of an other network entity, e.g. proxy

Abstract

A Location Based Service (LBS) enabled Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) application operating in a microbrowser of a mobile device is given the ability to trigger a network initiated LBS request from a WAP application server. The WAP application server (or SMS gateway) acts as a proxy and issues an LBS request to a relevant LBS platform. In response, the WAP application server receives the requested location information from the LBS platform and initiates a WAP session with the mobile device using a WAP PUSH command. In this way, the WAP application running on the mobile device can act on requested and received LBS input from a network LBS platform.

Claims

1. A method of providing location based services to a Wireless Application Protocol (WAP)-enabled wireless device, comprising:

receiving via a wireless network a WAP request from an application operating in a wireless device;

initiating a location based service (LBS) request to an LBS platform, in response to said WAP request;

receiving an LBS reply, in response to said LBS request; and

providing location information received in said LBS reply to said wireless device.

2. The method of providing location based services to a Wireless Application Protocol (WAP)-enabled wireless device according to claim 1, wherein:

said location information is provided to said mobile device using a WAP reply.

3. The method of providing location based services to a Wireless Application Protocol (WAP)-enabled wireless device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a WAP application server to initiate said Location Based Service (LBS) request to said LBS platform.

4. The method of providing location based services to a Wireless Application Protocol (WAP)-enabled wireless device according to claim 1, wherein:

said WAP application server supports multiple simultaneous WAP sessions.

5. The method of providing location based services to a Wireless Application Protocol (WAP)-enabled wireless device according to claim 1, further comprising:

notifying said wireless device that contact with said LBS platform has been initiated.

6. The method of providing location based services to a Wireless Application Protocol (WAP)-enabled wireless device according to claim 1, further comprising:

permitting activation of a microbrowser in said wireless device.

7. The method of providing location based services to a Wireless Application Protocol (WAP)-enabled wireless device according to claim 1, wherein:

said wireless device is a wireless phone.

8. The method of providing location based services to a Wireless Application Protocol (WAP)-enabled wireless device according to claim 1, wherein:

said LBS request is a Mobile Location Protocol (MLP) request.

9. The method of providing location based services to a Wireless Application Protocol (WAP)-enabled wireless device according to claim 1, wherein:

said LBS request is a Location Enabling Server (LES) request.

10. The method of providing location based services to a Wireless Application Protocol (WAP)-enabled wireless device according to claim 9, wherein:

said LES request triggers an Assisted Global Positioning System (AGPS) location determination for said wireless device.

15. The method of providing location based services to a Short Messaging Services (SMS)-enabled wireless device according to claim 1, wherein:

said LBS request is a Location Enabling Server (LES) request.

16. The method of providing location based services to a Short Messaging Services (SMS)-enabled wireless device according to claim 15, wherein:

said LES request triggers an Assisted Global Positioning System (AGPS) location determination for said wireless device.

11. A method of providing location based services to a Short Messaging Services (SMS)-enabled wireless device, comprising:

receiving via a wireless network an SMS request from an application operating in a wireless device;

initiating a location based service (LBS) request to an LBS platform, in response to said SMS request;

receiving an LBS reply, in response to said LBS request; and

providing location information received in said LBS reply to said wireless device.

12. The method of providing location based services to a Short Messaging Services (SMS)-enabled wireless device according to claim 11, further comprising:

notifying said wireless device that contact with said LBS platform has been initiated.

13. The method of providing location based services to a Short Messaging Services (SMS)-enabled wireless device according to claim 11, further comprising:

an SMS gateway to initiate said Location Based Service (LBS) request to said LBS platform.

14. The method of providing location based services to a Short Messaging Services (SMS)-enabled wireless device according to claim 11, wherein:

said LBS request is a Mobile Location Protocol (MLP) request.

17. Apparatus for providing location based services to a Wireless Application Protocol (WAP)-enabled wireless device, comprising:

means for receiving via a wireless network a WAP request from an application operating in a wireless device;

means for initiating a location based service (LBS) request to an LBS platform, in response to said WAP request;

means for receiving an LBS reply, in response to said LBS request; and

means for providing location information received in said LBS reply to said wireless device.

18. The apparatus for providing location based services to a Wireless Application Protocol (WAP)-enabled wireless device according to claim 17, further comprising:

a WAP application server to initiate said Location Based Service (LBS) request to said LBS platform.

19. The method of providing location based services to a Wireless Application Protocol (WAP)-enabled wireless device according to claim 17 further comprising:

means for notifying said wireless device that contact with said LBS platform has been initiated.

20. Apparatus for providing location based services to a Short Messaging Services (SMS)-enabled wireless device, comprising:

means for receiving via a wireless network an SMS request from an application operating in a wireless device;

means for initiating a location based service (LBS) request to an LBS platform, in response to said SMS request;

means for receiving an LBS reply, in response to said LBS request; and

means for providing location information received in said LBS reply to said wireless device.

21. The apparatus for providing location based services to a Short Messaging Services (SMS)-enabled wireless device according to claim 20, further comprising:

an SMS gateway to initiate said Location Based Service (LBS) request to said LBS platform.

22. The apparatus for providing location based services to a Short Messaging Services (SMS)-enabled wireless device according to claim 20, further comprising:

means for notifying said wireless device that contact with said LBS platform has been initiated.