INTEGRATING MOBILE DEVICES INTO A FIXED COMMUNICATION INFRASTRUCTURE

• US 20140179313A1
• Filed: 12/20/2012
• Published: 06/26/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Amadeus (Amadeus Global Travel Distribution S.A.)
• Original Assignee: Amadeus (Amadeus Global Travel Distribution S.A.)
• Inventors: Orton, David, Dersy, Julien, Sheth, Milan, Domurado, Vincent
• Granted Patent: US 8,874,108 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/435.1
• 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 60/04 using triggered events
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 60/06 De-registration or detaching
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/003 locating network equipment

Abstract

Systems, methods, and computer program products for use with a wireless communication network. A fixed communication network includes a device server and a fixed information technology (IT) device coupled with the device server. A mobile communication device is coupled by the wireless communication network with the device server and with the IT device. The device server is configured to store identification information for the IT device. The mobile communication device is configured to determine a current location of the mobile communication device, to request the identification information for the IT device from the device server over the wireless communication network, to receive the identification information for the IT device over the wireless communication network from the device server, and to transmit a service request, based upon the identification information, over the wireless communication network to the IT device.

Claims

1. A method for coupling a mobile communication device with a fixed communication network including an information technology (IT) device, the method comprising:

determining a current location of the mobile communication device;

requesting, at the mobile communication device, identification information for the IT device from a device server over a wireless communication network;

receiving the identification information for the IT device at the mobile communication device over the wireless communication network from the device server; and

based upon the identification information, transmitting a service request from the mobile communication device over the wireless communication network to the IT device.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the mobile communication device is a first communication device, and further comprising:

registering the identification information of the first mobile communication device and the current location of the mobile communication device at a location server; and

in response to a change in the current location of the mobile communication device, updating the current location of the mobile communication device at the location server.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein further comprising:

communicating a first request for a current location of a second mobile communication device registered with the fixed communication network from the first mobile communication device to the location server; and

in response to the first request, receiving the current location of the second mobile communication device from the location server at the first mobile communication device.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein location information of the IT device is registered at the location server, and further comprising:

transmitting the current location of the first mobile communication device and a current orientation of the first mobile communication device to the location server; and

receiving the location information regarding the IT device from the location server at the first mobile communication device.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the first mobile communication device comprises a camera, and further comprising:

displaying an image taken by the camera on the first mobile communication device; and

overlaying a virtual representation of the location information on the image.

6. The method of claim 4 wherein the fixed communication network further comprises a content management server, content information regarding the IT device is registered at the location server, and further comprising:

communicating a second request for the content information regarding the IT device from the first mobile communication device to the content management server; and

in response to the second request, receiving the content information at the first mobile communication device from the content management server.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the mobile communication device comprises a camera, and further comprising:

displaying an image taken by the camera on the first mobile communication device; and

overlaying a virtual representation of the location information and the content information on the image.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the identification information of the IT device includes a location of the IT device, and further comprising:

receiving the location of the IT device from the device server at the mobile communication device; and

communicating the current location of the mobile communication device, a current orientation of the mobile communication device, and the location of the IT device from the mobile communication device over the wireless communication network to a location server.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising:

receiving map information regarding the mobile communication device and the IT device from the location server at the mobile communication device; and

based upon the map information, displaying a map representation on the mobile communication device indicating the current location of the mobile communication device and the location of the IT device.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising:

selecting the IT device from the map representation.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

serving the service request at the IT device.

12. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

registering the identification information of the mobile communication device and the current location of the mobile communication device at a location server;

transmitting a navigation request from the mobile communication device to the location server for navigation information from the current location to the IT device;

computing the navigation information at the location server;

communicating the navigation information from the location server to the mobile communication device; and

displaying a map representation on the mobile communication device indicating the current location, a location of the IT device, and the navigation information.

13. A program product comprising:

a computer readable storage medium; and

program code stored on the computer readable storage medium and configured upon execution to perform the method of claim 1.

14. A system for use with a wireless communication network, the system comprising:

a fixed communication network comprising a device server and a fixed information technology (IT) device coupled with the device server, the device server configured to store identification information for the IT device; and

a mobile communication device coupled by the wireless communication network with the device server and with the IT device, the mobile communication device configured to determine a current location of the mobile communication device, to request the identification information for the IT device from the device server over the wireless communication network, to receive the identification information for the IT device over the wireless communication network from the device server, and to transmit a service request, based upon the identification information, over the wireless communication network to the IT device.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein the mobile communication device is a first communication device, and the first mobile communication device is further configured to register the identification information of the first mobile communication device and the current location of the first mobile communication device at a location server and, in response to a change in the current location of the first mobile communication device, update the current location of the first mobile communication device at the location server.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein the first mobile communication device is further configured to communicate a first request for a current location of a second mobile communication device registered with the fixed communication network from the mobile communication device to the location server and, in response to the first request, receive the current location of the second mobile communication device from the location server at the mobile communication device.

17. The system of claim 15 wherein the first mobile communication device is further configured to register the identification information of the first mobile communication device and the current location at the location server, transmit the current location of the first mobile communication device and a current orientation of the first mobile communication device to the location server, and receive location information regarding the IT device from the location server at the first mobile communication device.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein the first mobile communication device comprises a camera, and the first mobile communication device is further configured to display an image taken by the camera on the first mobile communication device and overlay a virtual representation of the location information on the image.

19. The system of claim 17 wherein the fixed communication network further comprises a content management server, and the first mobile communication device is further configured to communicate a second request for content information regarding the IT device from the first mobile communication device to the content management server and, in response to the second request, receive the content information at the first mobile communication device from the content management server.

20. The system of claim 19 wherein the first mobile communication device comprises a camera, and the first mobile communication device is further configured to display an image taken by the camera on the first mobile communication device and overlay a virtual representation of the location information and the content information on the image.

21. The system of claim 14 wherein the IT device comprises a work station, a printer, a scanner, an information display, a copier, or a fax machine.

22. The system of claim 14 wherein the mobile communication device comprises a mobile telephone, a smartphone, a notebook, or a tablet computer.

23. The system of claim 14 wherein the IT device comprises a printer, and the service request is a print request.

24. The system of claim 14 wherein the fixed communication network comprises a departure control system implemented at an airport.

25. The system of claim 14 wherein the mobile communication device is further configured to receive a location of the IT device from the device server, and communicate the current location of the mobile communication device, a current orientation of the mobile communication device, and the location of the IT device from the mobile communication device over the wireless communication network to a location server.

26. The system of claim 25 wherein the mobile communication device is further configured to receive map information regarding the mobile communication device and the IT device from the location server at the mobile communication device and, based upon the map information, display a map representation on the mobile communication device indicating the current location of the mobile communication device and the location of the IT device.

27. The system of claim 26 wherein the mobile communication device is configured for selecting the IT device from the map representation.