Time and location based computing

• US 5,642,303 A
• Filed: 05/05/1995
• Issued: 06/24/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 05/05/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Apple Computer Incorporated (Apple Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Apple Computer Incorporated (Apple Inc.)
• Inventors: Chen, Michael, Small, Ian S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Voeltz, Emanuel T.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MILLER, CRAIG S
• Application Number:
  US08/436,050
• Time in Patent Office: 781 Days
• Field of Search: 364/514 A, 364/514 C, 364/516, 364/705.05, 340/854.6, 340/981, 340/983, 455/89
• US Class Current: 708/109
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 1/68 Marker, boundary, call-sign, or like beacons transmitting signals not carrying directional information

Abstract

Utilizing a simple, low-cost beacon and receiver technology to allow users to build their own infrastructure by placing beacons in key locations provides intelligent location awareness. This location awareness can be leveraged by the computer electronic equipment that the user is carrying, needs no networking or server infrastructure, works indoors, has no line-of-sight restrictions, is compact and inexpensive.

Claims

1. A location based portable computing system comprising:

one or more beacons, each of the one or more beacons transmitting a unique beacon signal, each transmitted unique beacon signal having a transmitting signal range, at least one of the one or more beacons being placeable in a user desired location by a user of the portable computing system;

a portable receiver which can receive the transmitted unique beacon signal from any one of the one or more beacons when the portable receiver is located within the transmitting signal range of any one of the one or more beacons;

a portable computing host coupleable to the portable receiver such that the portable receiver can provide a notification to the portable computing host of which one of the one or more transmitted unique beacon signals the portable receiver received when the portable receiver receives any transmitted unique beacon signal from any one of the one or more beacons; and

the portable computing host being user programmable to configure the user'"'"'s portable computing host based upon the portable receiver providing the notification to the portable computing host of which one of the one or more transmitted unique beacon signals the portable receiver received.

2. The location based portable computing system of claim 1 wherein the placeable beacon user desired location is in the user'"'"'s office.

3. The location based portable computing system of claim 1 wherein the placeable beacon user desired location is in the user'"'"'s home.

4. The location based portable computing system of claim 1 wherein the placeable beacon user desired location is in the user'"'"'s car.

5. The location based portable computing system of claim 1 wherein the portable computing host coupleable to the portable receiver is via a PCMCIA card.

6. The location based portable computing system of claim 1 wherein the portable computing host coupleable to the portable receiver is via a hardwired connection.

7. The location based portable computing system of claim 1 wherein the portable computing host coupleable to the portable receiver is via a serial connection.

8. The location based portable computing system of claim 1 wherein the programmable portable computing host is programmed to configure the user'"'"'s portable computing host in a simplified user interface.

9. The location based portable computing system of claim 1 wherein the programmable portable computing host is programmed to configure the user'"'"'s portable computing host in a full featured user interface.

10. The location based portable computing system of claim 1 wherein the programmable portable computing host is programmed to configure the user'"'"'s portable computing host to make available to the user one or more working documents.

11. The location based portable computing system of claim 1 wherein the programmable portable computing host is programmed to configure the user'"'"'s portable computing host to launch one or more application programs.

12. The location based portable computing system of claim 1 wherein the programmable portable computing host is programmed to configure the user'"'"'s portable computing host to make one or more network connections.

13. A location based portable computing method comprising:

placement of one or more beacons in one or more user desired locations by a user of the portable computing system, each of the one or more beacons transmitting a unique beacon signal and having a transmitting signal range;

receiving the transmitted unique beacon signal from any one of the one or more beacons by a portable receiver located within the transmitting signal range of any one of the one or more beacons;

coupling a portable computing host to the portable receiver;

the portable receiver providing a notification to the portable computing host of which one of the one or more transmitted unique beacon signals the portable receiver received when the portable receiver receives any transmitted unique beacon signal from any one of the one or more beacons; and

,

user programming the portable computing host to configure the user'"'"'s portable computing host based upon the portable receiver providing the notification to the portable computing host of which one of the one or more transmitted unique beacon signals the portable receiver received.

14. The location based portable computing method of claim 13 wherein the placement of the one or more beacons in one or more user desired locations is in the user'"'"'s office.

15. The location based portable computing system of claim 13 wherein the placement of the one or more beacons in one or more user desired locations is in the user'"'"'s home.

16. The location based portable computing system of claim 13 wherein the placement of the one or more beacons in one or more user desired locations is in the user'"'"'s car.

17. The location based portable computing system of claim 13 wherein the coupling of the portable computing host to the portable receiver is via a PCMCIA card.

18. The location based portable computing system of claim 13 wherein the coupling of the portable computing host to the portable receiver is via a hardwired connection.

19. The location based portable computing system of claim 13 wherein the coupling of the portable computing host to the portable receiver is via a serial connection.

20. The location based portable computing method of claim 13 wherein programming the portable computing host configures the user'"'"'s portable computing host in a simplified user interface.

21. The location based portable computing method of claim 13 wherein programming the portable computing host configures the user'"'"'s portable computing host in a full featured user interface.

22. The location based portable computing method of claim 13 wherein programming the portable computing host configures the user'"'"'s portable computing host to make available to the user one or more working documents.

23. The location based portable computing method of claim 13 wherein programming the portable computing host configures the user'"'"'s portable computing host to launch one or more application programs.

24. The location based portable computing method of claim 13 wherein programming the portable computing host configures the user'"'"'s portable computing host to make one or more network connections.