METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PROVIDING HUB-BASED INDEXING AND SERVICES

• US 20150031400A1
• Filed: 02/29/2012
• Published: 01/29/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/29/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Tian, Jilei, Cao, Huanhuan, Liu, Zhen
• Granted Patent: US 9,294,878 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/456.3
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/53 using third party service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/62 Establishing a time schedule for servicing the requests
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/023 using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/18 Information format or content conversion, e.g. adaptation by the network of the transmitted or received information for the purpose of wireless delivery to users or terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

An approach is provided for providing hub-based indexing and services. The hub-based platform causes, at least in part, an indexing of location-based content according to one or more location hubs of one or more transportation lines, Next, the hub-based platform determines a current proximity, a predicted proximity, or a combination thereof of one or more devices to the one or more location hubs, wherein the one or more devices are (a) traveling on the one or more transportation lines, (b) predicted to travel on the one or more transportation lines, or (c) a combination thereof. Then, the hub-based platform causes, at least in part, a presentation of at least a portion of the location-based content based, at least in part, on the current proximity, the predicted proximity, or a combination thereof.

Claims

1-38. -38. (canceled)

39. A method comprising facilitating a processing of and/or processing (1) data and/or (2) information and/or (3) at least one signal, the (1) data and/or (2) information and/or (3) at least one signal based, at least in part, on the following:

an indexing of location-based content according to one or more location hubs of one or more transportation lines;

at least one determination of a current proximity, a predicted proximity, or a combination thereof of one or more devices to the one or more location hubs, wherein the one or more devices are (a) traveling on the one or more transportation lines, (b) predicted to travel on the one or more transportation lines, or (c) a combination thereof; and

a presentation of at least a portion of the location-based content based, at least in part, on the current proximity, the predicted proximity, or a combination thereof.

40. A method of claim 39, wherein the (1) data and/or (2) information and/or (3) at least one signal are further based, at least in part, on the following:

a processing of sensor information associated with the one or more devices to determine the current proximity, the predicted proximity, or a combination thereof.

41. A method of claim 39, wherein the (1) data and/or (2) information and/or (3) at least one signal are further based, at least in part, on the following:

at least one determination of scheduling information associated with the one or more transportation lines,

wherein the determination of the current proximity, the predicted proximity, or a combination thereof is based, at least in part, on the scheduling information.

42. A method of claim 39, wherein the (1) data and/or (2) information and/or (3) at least one signal are further based, at least in part, on the following:

at least one determination of history information relating to prior traveling associated with the one or more devices and the one or more transportation lines,

wherein the determination of the current proximity, the predicted proximity, or a combination thereof is based, at least in part, on the history information.

43. A method of claim 39, wherein the (1) data and/or (2) information and/or (3) at least one signal are further based, at least in part, on the following:

a transmission of the current proximity, the predicted proximity, or a combination thereof to the one or more devices, one or more merchants, one or more promoters, one or more service providers, or a combination thereof.

44. A method of claim 39, wherein the (1) data and/or (2) information and/or (3) at least one signal are further based, at least in part, on the following:

at least one determination of contextual information associated with the one or more devices, the one or more location hubs, the one or more transportation lines, or a combination thereof,

wherein the determination of the current proximity, the predicted proximity, or a combination thereof is based, at least in part, on the contextual information.

45. A method of claim 39, wherein the (1) data and/or (2) information and/or (3) at least one signal are further based, at least in part, on the following:

at least one determination of one or more selections relating to the portion of the location-based content by one or more users associated with the one or more devices; and

a notification relating to the portion of the location-based content based, at least in part, on the one or more selections,

wherein the presentation of the portion of the location-based content includes, at least in part, the notification.

46. A method of claim 39, wherein the (1) data and/or (2) information and/or (3) at least one signal are further based, at least in part, on the following:

at least one determination of feedback information associated with the one or more location hubs, the one or more transportation lines, or a combination thereof from the one or more devices; and

a processing of the feedback information to cause, at least in part, a classification relating to the one or more location hubs, the one or more transportation lines, or a combination thereof based, at least in part, on the current proximity, the predicted proximity, or a combination thereof.

47. A method of claim 39, wherein the location-based content relates, at least in part, to one or more places of interest, one or more events, one or more recommendations, one or more advertisements, one or more users associated with the one or more devices, one or more statuses, or a combination thereof.

48. A method of claim 39, wherein the one or more location hubs, the one or more transportation lines, or a combination thereof are associated with public transportation.

49. An apparatus comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory including computer program code for one or more programs,

the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to perform at least the following,

cause, at least in part, an indexing of location-based content according to one or more location hubs of one or more transportation lines;

determine a current proximity, a predicted proximity, or a combination thereof of one or more devices to the one or more location hubs, wherein the one or more devices are (a) traveling on the one or more transportation lines, (b) predicted to travel on the one or more transportation lines, or (c) a combination thereof; and

cause, at least in part, a presentation of at least a portion of the location-based content based, at least in part, on the current proximity, the predicted proximity, or a combination thereof.

50. An apparatus of claim 49, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

process and/or facilitate a processing of sensor information associated with the one or more devices to determine the current proximity, the predicted proximity, or a combination thereof.

51. An apparatus of claim 49, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

determine scheduling information associated with the one or more transportation lines,

wherein the determination of the current proximity, the predicted proximity, or a combination thereof is based, at least in part, on the scheduling information.

52. An apparatus of claim 49, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

determine history information relating to prior traveling associated with the one or more devices and the one or more transportation lines,

wherein the determination of the current proximity, the predicted proximity, or a combination thereof is based, at least in part, on the history information.

53. An apparatus of claim 49, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

cause, at least in part, a transmission of the current proximity, the predicted proximity, or a combination thereof to the one or more devices, one or more merchants, one or more promoters, one or more service providers, or a combination thereof.

54. An apparatus of claim 49, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

determine contextual information associated with the one or more devices, the one or more location hubs, the one or more transportation lines, or a combination thereof,

wherein the determination of the current proximity, the predicted proximity, or a combination thereof is based, at least in part, on the contextual information.

55. An apparatus of claim 49, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

determine one or more selections relating to the portion of the location-based content by one or more users associated with the one or more devices; and

cause, at least in part, a notification relating to the portion of the location-based content based, at least in part, on the one or more selections,

wherein the presentation of the portion of the location-based content includes, at least in part, the notification.

56. An apparatus of claim 49, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

determine feedback information associated with the one or more location hubs, the one or more transportation lines, or a combination thereof from the one or more devices; and

process and/or facilitate a processing of the feedback information to cause, at least in part, a classification relating to the one or more location hubs, the one or more transportation lines, or a combination thereof based, at least in part, on the current proximity, the predicted proximity, or a combination thereof.

57. An apparatus of claim 49, wherein the location-based content relates, at least in part, to one or more places of interest, one or more events, one or more recommendations, one or more advertisements, one or more users associated with the one or more devices, one or more statuses, or a combination thereof.

58. An apparatus of claim 49, wherein the one or more location hubs, the one or more transportation lines, or a combination thereof are associated with public transportation.

59. A computer program product including one or more sequences of one or more instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause an apparatus to at least perform the steps of:

causing, at least in part, an indexing of location-based content according to one or more location hubs of one or more transportation lines;

determining a current proximity, a predicted proximity, or a combination thereof of one or more devices to the one or more location hubs, wherein the one or more devices are (a) traveling on the one or more transportation lines, (b) predicted to travel on the one or more transportation lines, or (c) a combination thereof; and

causing, at least in part, a presentation of at least a portion of the location-based content based, at least in part, on the current proximity, the predicted proximity, or a combination thereof.