METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR SHORT-RANGE MOBILE DEVICE COMMUNICATION MANAGEMENT

• US 20090214039A1
• Filed: 02/24/2009
• Published: 08/27/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Project Omega, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Project Omega, Inc.
• Inventors: Chen, Hui, Mazzella, Luciano, Wu, Roxy
• Application Number:
  US12/391,865
• Publication Number:
  US 20090214039A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 380/270
• 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 4/08 User group management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/186 Processing of subscriber group data

Abstract

A method and system for managing short-range mobile device communications are provided. The method includes receiving a user-defined criteria for requested information. The method includes automatically detecting a set of in-range devices, wherein each in-range device is associated with an identifier. The method includes receiving a broadcasted public information from each in-range device. The method includes, responsive to detecting the received broadcasted public information satisfies the user-defined criteria, displaying public info to a user. The method includes, responsive to a user command, transmitting a message in response to the broadcasted public information.

Claims

1. A method for managing short-range mobile device communications, comprising:

receiving a user-defined criteria for requested information;

automatically detecting a set of in-range devices, wherein each in-range device is associated with an identifier;

receiving a broadcasted public information from a transmitting in-range device selected from the set of in-range devices;

responsive to detecting the received broadcasted public information satisfies the user-defined criteria, displaying public info to a user; and

responsive to a user command, transmitting a message in response to the broadcasted public information.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the message is transmitted to the transmitting in-range device and is at least one of:

accepting an offer of the broadcasted public information, requesting additional information from the in-range device, purchase a good or service offered in the broadcasted public information, and submitting personal information to the in-range device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the broadcasted public information is at least one of:

an advertisement, a public message, and a request for user information.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the advertisement is available for a limited time.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the set of in-range devices is detected via a short-range wireless protocol, selected from at least one of:

Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and Zigbee.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the set of in-range devices is detected via a long-range wireless protocol selected from at least one of:

CDMA, GSM, and WiMax.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a user-specified priority hierarchy defining an order in which to detect the set of in-range devices.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

encrypting the message, wherein the encrypted message is transmitted to a server.

9. A mobile device for managing short-range mobile device communications, comprising:

a processor, the processor configured to,

receive a user-defined criteria for requested information;

automatically detecting a set of in-range devices, wherein each in-range device is associated with an identifier,

receive a broadcasted public information from a transmitting in-range device selected from the set of in-range devices,

responsive to detecting the received broadcasted public information satisfies the user-defined criteria, display public info to a user; and

responsive to a user command, transmit a message in response to the broadcasted public information.

10. The mobile device of claim 9, wherein the message is transmitted to the transmitting in-range device and is at least one of:

accepting an offer of the broadcasted public information, requesting additional information from the in-range device, purchase a good or service offered in the broadcasted public information, and submitting personal information to the in-range device.

11. The mobile device of claim 9, wherein the broadcasted public information is at least one of:

an advertisement, a public message, and a request for user information.

12. The mobile device of claim 11, wherein the advertisement is available for a limited time.

13. The mobile device of claim 9, wherein the set of in-range devices is detected via a short-range wireless protocol, selected from at least one of:

Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and Zigbee.

14. The mobile device of claim 9, wherein the set of in-range devices is detected via a long-range wireless protocol selected from at least one of:

CDM, GSM, and WiMax.

15. The mobile device of claim 9, further comprising:

a memory in communications with the processor, the memory configured to store a user-specified priority hierarchy defining an order in which to detect the set of in-range devices.

16. The mobile device of claim 9, further comprising:

an encryption module, the encryption configured to encrypt the message, wherein the encrypted message is transmitted to a server.

17. A computer-readable storage medium including instructions adapted to execute a method for managing short-range mobile device communications, the method comprising:

receiving a user-defined criteria for requested information;

automatically detecting a set of in-range devices, wherein each in-range device is associated with an identifier;

receiving a broadcasted public information from a transmitting in-range device selected from the set of in-range devices;

responsive to detecting the received broadcasted public information satisfies the user-defined criteria, displaying public info to a user; and

responsive to a user command, transmitting a message in response to the broadcasted public information.

18. The medium of claim 17, wherein the message is transmitted to the transmitting in-range device and is at least one of:

accepting an offer of the broadcasted public information, requesting additional information from the in-range device, purchase a good or service offered in the broadcasted public information, and submitting personal information to the in-range device.

19. The medium of claim 17, wherein the broadcasted public information is at least one of:

an advertisement, a public message, and a request for user information.

20. The medium of claim 19, wherein the advertisement is available for a limited time.

21. The medium of claim 17, wherein the set of in-range devices is detected via a short-range wireless protocol, selected from at least one of:

Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and Zigbee.

22. The medium of claim 17, wherein the set of in-range devices is detected via a long-range wireless protocol selected from at least one of:

CDM, GSM, and WiMax.

23. The medium of claim 17, the method further comprising:

receiving a user-specified priority hierarchy defining an order in which to detect the set of in-range devices.

24. The medium of claim 17, the method further comprising:

encrypting the message, wherein the encrypted message is transmitted to a server.