Method and system for providing location-based information to a group of mobile user agents

• US 20100159943A1
• Filed: 12/18/2008
• Published: 06/24/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Verizon Corporate Services Group Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Salmon, Michael Donald
• Granted Patent: US 8,639,263 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/456.100
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/00 Supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/024 Guidance services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 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

Abstract

A method and system for providing location-based information to a group of mobile user agents. A group of mobile user agents may be identified based at least in part on agent information for each of the mobile user agents in the group. The location information may indicate a location for the mobile user agents, which may be determined using GPS information or GPS assistance information. Location-based information may be determined for the group and provided to the group by broadcasting or multicasting. The mobile user agents may be configured to receive and process the location-based information. The location-based information may comprise GPS assistance information.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

using one or more processors, identifying among a plurality of mobile user agents associated with a network a group, the identification based at least in part on agent information for each of the mobile user agents in the group;

determining location-based information for the group;

providing the location-based information to the group, the mobile user agents in the group capable of receiving and processing the location-based information.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the group is a broadcast/multicast group;

the agent information for each of the mobile user agents in the group indicates that the respective mobile user agent is capable of receiving and processing the location-based information; and

providing the location-based information to the group comprises broadcasting or multicasting the location-based information to the group.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein:

identifying the group comprises;

identifying a group location;

determining a location for each of the plurality of mobile user agents associated with the network; and

determining that the mobile user agents in the group are within the group location based at least in part on the location of each of the mobile user agents in the group; and

the location-based information is associated with the group location.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein:

identifying the group comprises;

identifying the mobile agents in the group as being within a geographic area; and

determining an estimated group location within the geographic area for the group, the estimated group location based at least in part on the agent information for each of the mobile user agents in the group; and

the location-based information is associated with the estimated group location.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the agent information for each of the mobile user agents in the group comprises the location of the respective mobile user agent determined using network information.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the agent information for each of the mobile user agents in the group comprises the location of the respective mobile user agent determined by the respective mobile user agent using GPS information or GPS assistance information.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the agent information indicates that at least one of the mobile user agents in the group previously requested GPS assistance information.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the location-based information is determined without first receiving a user request for the location-based information from any of the mobile user agents in the group.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein determining location-based information for the group comprises requesting the location-based information from a location-based information provider.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the location-based information is at least one of map information, navigation information, traffic information, promotional information, point of interest information, advertisement information, and GPS assistance information.

11. A computer readable medium comprising code to perform the steps of the methods of claim 1.

12. A computer-based system, comprising:

an identification module configured to identify among a plurality of mobile user agents associated with a network a group, the identification based at least in part on agent information for each of the mobile user agents in the group;

a determination module configured to determine location-based information for the group; and

a communication module configured to provide the location-based information to the group, the mobile user agents in the group capable of receiving and processing the location-based information.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein:

the group is a broadcast/multicast group;

the agent information for each of the mobile user agents in the group indicates that the respective mobile user agent is capable of receiving and processing the location-based information; and

the communication module is further configured to broadcast or multicast the location-based information to the group.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein:

the identification module is further configured to;

identify a group location;

determine a location for each of the plurality of mobile user agents associated with the network; and

determine that the mobile user agents in the group are within the group location based at least in part on the location of each of the mobile user agents in the group; and

the location-based information is associated with the group location.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein:

the identification module is further configured to;

identify the mobile agents in the group as being within a geographic area; and

determine an estimated group location within the geographic area for the group, the estimated group location based at least in part on the agent information for each of the mobile user agents in the group; and

the location-based information is associated with the estimated group location.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein the agent information for each of the mobile user agents in the group comprises the location of the respective mobile user agent determined using network information.

17. The system of claim 12, wherein the agent information for each of the mobile user agents in the group comprises the location of the respective mobile user agent determined by the respective mobile user agent using GPS information or GPS assistance information.

18. The system of claim 12, wherein the agent information indicates that at least one of the mobile user agents in the group previously requested GPS assistance information.

19. The system of claim 12, wherein the determination module is further configured to determine the location-based information without first receiving a user request for the location-based information from any of the mobile user agents in the group.

20. The system of claim 12, wherein the determination module is further configured to request the location-based information from a location-based information provider.

21. The system of claim 12, wherein the location-based information is at least one of map information, navigation information, traffic information, promotional information, point of interest information, advertisement information, and GPS assistance information.