Method and apparatus for geographic-based communications service
First Claim
1. A geographic-based communications service system for portable computer users, comprising:
- a portable computer for processing, transmitting and receiving information wherein said portable computer is configured to transmit in a wireless transmission a beacon signal including a unit ID identifying said portable computer;
a centralized network;
a plurality of access points connected to said centralized network and arranged at known locations in a geographic region, wherein each of said plurality of access points is configured to independently detect said beacon signal and, upon detection of said beacon signal by a single one of said plurality of access points in proximity to said portable computer, said single one of said plurality of access points independently transmits and receives information to and from said portable computer, wherein said information is dependent upon said user ID;
a plurality of information providers connected to said centralized network, said centralized network accessing said information providers based on said user ID received from said single one of said plurality of access points.
8 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A geographic-based communications service system has a mobile unit for transmitting/receiving information, and access points connected to a network. The access points are arranged in a known geographic locations and transmit and receive information from the mobile unit. When one of the access points detects the presence of the mobile unit, it sends a signal to the network indicating the location of the mobile unit and the information requested by the mobile unit. Based on the signal received from the access point, the network communicates with information providers connected to the network and provides data to the mobile unit through the access point corresponding to the location of the mobile unit.
648 Citations
20 Claims
-
1. A geographic-based communications service system for portable computer users, comprising:
-
a portable computer for processing, transmitting and receiving information wherein said portable computer is configured to transmit in a wireless transmission a beacon signal including a unit ID identifying said portable computer; a centralized network; a plurality of access points connected to said centralized network and arranged at known locations in a geographic region, wherein each of said plurality of access points is configured to independently detect said beacon signal and, upon detection of said beacon signal by a single one of said plurality of access points in proximity to said portable computer, said single one of said plurality of access points independently transmits and receives information to and from said portable computer, wherein said information is dependent upon said user ID; a plurality of information providers connected to said centralized network, said centralized network accessing said information providers based on said user ID received from said single one of said plurality of access points. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
-
-
13. A method of using known locations of local area network access points (APs) to service mobile users who are in a vicinity of the APs, the method comprising the steps of:
-
(a) detecting the presence of a mobile unit in the vicinity of one of said APs; (b) conveying a unit ID identifying said mobile unit to said one of said APs; and (c) transmitting/receiving information from the mobile unit to/from a network through said one of said APs, wherein the information is provided by information providers, and wherein at least one of said information providers is configured to store information indicative of past transactions associated with said user ID and to convey current information based upon said stored information. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15)
-
-
16. A geographic-based communications service system for portable computer users, comprising:
-
a portable computer for processing, transmitting and receiving information, wherein said portable computer is configured to transmit in a wireless transmission a signal including a unit ID identifying said portable computer; a centralized network; a plurality of access points connected to said centralized network and arranged at known locations in a geographic region, wherein each of said plurality of access points is configured to independently detect said signal and wherein each of said plurality of access points is programmable to automatically detect said unit ID included with said signal and, upon detection by a particular access point, said particular access point automatically transmits programmed information to said portable computer; a plurality of information providers connected to said centralized network, said centralized network accessing said information providers based on said user ID received from said particular access point which is currently in proximity to said portable computer.
-
-
17. A geographic-based communications service system for portable computer users, comprising:
-
a portable computer for processing, transmitting and receiving information wherein said portable computer is configured to transmit in a wireless transmission a signal including a unit ID identifying said portable computer; a centralized network; a plurality of access points connected to said centralized network and arranged at known locations in a geographic region, wherein each of said plurality of access points is configured to independently detect said signal and, upon detection of said signal, to independently transmit and receive information to and from said portable computer which is dependent upon said user ID; a plurality of information providers connected to said centralized network, said centralized network accessing said information providers based on said user ID received from a particular one of said access points which is currently in proximity to said portable computer; wherein each of said plurality of access points is programmable to detect said user ID included with said signal and, upon detection, to automatically transmit programmed information to a particular one of said information providers.
-
-
18. A geographic-based communications service system for portable computer users, comprising:
-
a portable computer for processing, transmitting and receiving information wherein said portable computer is configured to transmit in a wireless communication a signal including a unit ID identifying said portable computer; a centralized network; a plurality of access points connected to said centralized network and arranged at known locations in a geographic region, wherein each of said plurality of access points is configured to independently detect a presence of said signal when said portable computer is in proximity to said each access point, and wherein, upon detection of said signal by a particular access point, said particular access point is configured to independently transmit and receive information to and from said portable computer which is dependent upon said user ID and dependent upon a location of said particular access point; a plurality of information providers connected to said centralized network, said centralized network accessing said information providers based on said user ID received from said particular access point and said location of said particular access point; wherein each of said plurality of access points is programmable to automatically detect said user ID included with said signal and, upon detection, to automatically transmit programmed information to a particular one of said information providers.
-
-
19. A geographic-based communications service system for portable computer users, comprising:
-
a portable computer for processing, transmitting and receiving information wherein said portable computer is configured to transmit a signal including a unit ID identifying said portable computer; a centralized network; a plurality of access points connected to said centralized network and arranged at known locations in a geographic region, wherein each of said plurality of access points is configured to independently detect said signal and, upon detection of said signal by a single one of said plurality of access points in proximity to said portable computer, said single one of said plurality of access points independently transmits and receives information to and from said portable computer, wherein said information is dependent upon said user ID; a plurality of information providers connected to said centralized network, said centralized network accessing said information providers based on said user ID received from said single one of said plurality of access points, and wherein at least one of said plurality of information providers is configured to store information indicative of past transactions associated with said user ID and to convey current information to said portable computer based upon said stored information.
-
-
20. A geographic-based communications service system for portable computer users, comprising:
-
a portable computer for processing, transmitting and receiving information wherein said portable computer is configured to transmit a beacon signal including a unit ID identifying said portable computer; a centralized network including the Internet; a plurality of access points connected to said centralized network and arranged at known locations in a geographic region, wherein each of said plurality of access points is configured to independently detect said beacon signal and, upon detection of said beacon signal by a single one of said plurality of access points in proximity to said portable computer, said single one of said plurality of access points independently transmits and receives information to and from said portable computer, wherein said information is dependent upon said user ID; a plurality of information providers including car rental agencies, hotels, and airline reservation centers, said information providers connected to said centralized network, said centralized network accessing said information providers based on said user ID received from said single one of said plurality of access points.
-
Specification