System and method for providing geographic-based advertising

• US 6,452,498 B2
• Filed: 05/08/2001
• Issued: 09/17/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Wayport, Inc. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Wayport, Inc. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Stewart, Brett B.
• Primary Examiner(s): MULLEN, THOMAS J
• Application Number:
  US09/851,677
• Publication Number:
  US 20010043148A1
• Time in Patent Office: 497 Days
• Field of Search: 340/573.1, 340/572, 340/1, 340/568.5, 340/686.1, 340/825.49, 340/5.8, 235/375, 705/26, 705/27
• US Class Current: 340/573.1
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0295 Proximity-based methods, e.g. position inferred from reception of particular signals
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/109 Time management, e.g. calendars, reminders, meetings or time accounting
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0254 based on statistics
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0255 based on user history
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0261 based on user location
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0267 Wireless devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0277 Online advertisement
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8033 location-dependent, e.g. business or home
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7435 Location dependent, e.g. Bussiness or home
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/00 Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/08 Access restriction or access information delivery, e.g. discovery data delivery signalling during connection H04W76/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
• 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 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 : Access point devices

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 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.

Claims

1. A geographic-based advertising system, comprising:

a mobile unit;

a network;

one or more providers coupled to said network; and

a plurality of access points coupled to said network and arranged at known locations in a geographic region, wherein each of said plurality of access points is configured to detect said mobile unit, wherein, upon detection of said mobile unit by a first access point of said plurality of access points in proximity to said mobile unit, a known location of said first access point is transmitted to at least one provider;

wherein the at least one provider provides advertising through said first access point to said mobile unit, wherein said advertising is based upon the known location of said first access point.

2. The geographic-based advertising system of claim 1, wherein said advertising comprises promotions related to goods or services;

wherein said promotions are based upon the known location of said first access point.

3. The geographic-based advertising system of claim 2, wherein said first access point is located closely to a first provider of goods or services;

wherein said promotions comprise promotions of said first provider of goods or services.

4. The geographic-based advertising system of claim 1, wherein said first access point is located closely to a first provider of goods or services;

wherein said advertising comprises advertising of said first provider of goods or services.

5. The geographic-based advertising system of claim 1, wherein the mobile unit comprises a portable computing device.

6. The geographic-based advertising system of claim 5,

wherein the portable computing device is a personal digital assistant (PDA) device.

7. The geographic-based advertising system of claim 1,

wherein the mobile unit comprises a portable computing device carried by a user;

wherein the advertising is based upon the known location of said first access point and a profile of the user.

8. A method of providing geographic-based advertising, the method comprising:

detecting the presence of a mobile unit in the vicinity of an access point, wherein said access point has a known geographic location, wherein the mobile unit comprises a portable computing device;

transmitting advertising information to the mobile unit in response to said detecting, wherein the advertising information is dependent upon the known geographic location of the access point.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

selecting said advertising information based upon the known geographic location of the access point prior to said transmitting.

10. The method of claim 8,

wherein said access point is located closely to a first provider of goods or services;

wherein said advertising information comprises advertising of said first provider of goods or services.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein said advertising information comprises promotion information.

12. The method of claim 11,

wherein said access point is located closely to a first provider of goods of services;

wherein said promotion information comprise promotions of said first provider of goods or services.

13. The method of claim 8,

wherein the portable computing device is a personal digital assistant (PDA) device.

14. The method of claim 8,

wherein the portable computing device is carried by a user;

wherein the advertising information is based upon the known location of said first access point and a profile of the user.

15. A method of providing geographic-based advertising, the method comprising:

detecting the presence of a mobile unit in the vicinity of an access point, wherein said access point has a known geographic location;

providing the known geographic location of said access point to a provider in response to said detecting; and

the provider transmitting advertising information to the mobile unit, wherein the advertising information if dependent upon the known geographic location of the access point.

16. The method of claim 15,

wherein the mobile unit comprises a portable computing device.

17. The method of claim 16,

wherein the portable computing device is a personal digital assistant (PDA) device.

18. The method of claim 15,

wherein the mobile unit comprises a portable computing device carried by a user;

wherein the advertising information is based upon the known location of said first access point and a profile of the user.

19. A geographic-based advertising system, comprising:

a plurality of access points operable to be coupled to a network and arranged at known locations in a geographic region, wherein each of the plurality of access points is configured to detect a portable computing device carried by a user, wherein, after detection of the portable computing device by a first access point of the plurality of access points in proximity to the portable computing device, the first access point transmits advertising information to the portable computing device, wherein the advertising information is dependent upon a known location of the first access point.

20. The geographic-based advertising system of claim 19,

wherein said advertising comprises promotions related to goods or services;

wherein said promotions are based upon the known location of said first access point.

21. The geographic-based advertising system of claim 20,

wherein said first access point is located closely to a first provider of goods or services;

wherein said promotions comprise promotions of said first provider of goods or services.

22. A geographic-based advertising system, comprising:

an advertising provider operable to be coupled to a network to receive a known location of a mobile unit;

wherein the advertising provider provides advertising information through the network to the mobile unit, wherein the advertising provider provides said advertising information dependent upon the known location of the mobile unit.

23. The geographic-based advertising system of claim 22,

wherein the mobile unit comprises a portable computing device.

24. The geographic-based advertising system of claim 23,

wherein the portable computing device is a personal digital assistant (PDA) device.

25. The geographic-based advertising system of claim 22,

wherein the mobile unit comprises a portable computing device carried by a user;

wherein the advertising provider provides said advertising information dependent upon the known location of the mobile unit and a profile of the user.

26. The geographic-based advertising system of claim 22,

wherein the known location of the mobile unit comprises a known location of an access point communicating with the mobile unit.

27. The geographic-based advertising system of claim 22,

wherein the mobile unit comprises a portable computing device carried by a user;

wherein the known location of the portable computing device comprises a known location of an access point communicating with the portable computing device.

28. A method of providing geographic-based advertising in a geographic-based communication system, wherein the geographic-based communication system uses known locations of a plurality of network access points (APs) to service mobile users who are in a vicinity of the APs, the method comprising:

detecting a presence of a mobile unit in the vicinity of one of said APs;

providing a known location of said one of said APs to an advertising provider in response to said detecting;

receiving advertising information from the advertising provider, wherein the advertising information is dependent upon the know location of said one of said APs; and

transmitting the advertising information to the mobile unit through said one of said APs.

29. The method of claim 28,

wherein the mobile unit comprises a portable computing device.

30. The method of claim 29,

wherein the portable computing device is a personal digital assistant (PDA) device.

31. The method of claim 28,

wherein the mobile unit comprises a portable computing device carried by a user;

wherein the advertising information if dependent upon the known location of said one of said APs and a profile of the user.

32. A method of providing geographic-based advertising services using known locations of network access points (APs) to service mobile users who are in a vicinity of the APs, the method comprising:

receiving a known location of one of said APs in response to said one of said APs detecting a mobile unit;

selecting advertising information dependent upon the known location of said one of said APs; and

transmitting the advertising information to the mobile unit through said one of said APs.

33. The method of claim 32,

wherein the mobile unit comprises a portable computing device.

34. The method of claim 33,

wherein the portable computing device is a personal digital assistant (PDA) device.

35. The method of claim 32,

wherein the mobile unit comprises a portable computing device carried by a user;

wherein said selecting advertising information comprises selecting the advertising information dependent upon the known location of said one of said APs and a profile of the user.

36. A method of providing geographic-based advertising services to a user of a mobile unit, the method comprising:

receiving a known location of the mobile unit;

selecting advertising information dependent upon the known location of the mobile unit; and

transmitting the advertising information to the mobile unit after said selecting.

37. The method of claim 36,

wherein the mobile unit comprises a portable computing device.

38. The method of claim 37,

wherein the portable computing device is a personal digital assistant (PDA) device.

39. The method of claim 36,

wherein the mobile unit comprises a portable computing device carried by a user;

wherein said selecting advertising information comprises selecting the advertising information dependent upon the known location of the mobile unit and a profile of the user.

40. The method of claim 36,

wherein the known location of the mobile unit comprises a known location of an access point communicating with the mobile unit.

41. The method of claim 36,

wherein the mobile unit comprises a portable computing device;

wherein the known location of the portable computing device comprises a known location of an access point communicating with the portable computing device.

42. A geographic-based system, comprising:

a mobile unit;

a network;

one or more providers coupled to said network; and

a plurality of access points coupled to said network and arranged at known locations in a geographic region, wherein each of said plurality of access points is configured to detect said mobile unit, wherein, upon detection of said mobile unit by a first access point of said plurality of access points in proximity to said mobile unit, a known location of said first access point is transmitted to at least one provider;

wherein the at least one provider provides a promotion through said first access point to said mobile unit, wherein said promotion is based upon the known location of said first access point.

43. The geographic-based system of claim 42, wherein said promotion comprises an advertisement related to goods or services;

wherein said advertisement is based upon the known location of said first access point.

44. The geographic-based system of claim 43, wherein said first access point is located closely to a first provider of goods or services;

wherein said advertisement comprises an advertisement of said first provider of good or services.

45. The geographic-based system of claim 42, wherein said first access point is located closely to a first provider of goods or services;

wherein said promotion comprises a promotion of said first provider of goods or services.

46. The geographic-based system of claim 42, wherein the mobile unit comprises a portable computing device.

47. The geographic-based system of claim 46,

wherein the portable computing device is a personal digital assistant (PDA) device.

48. The geographic-based system of claim 42, wherein the mobile unit comprises a portable computing device carried by a user;

wherein said promotion is based upon the known location of said first access point and a profile of the user.

49. A geographic-based system, comprising:

a portable computing device carried by a user;

a network;

a one or more providers coupled to said network; and

a plurality of access points coupled to said network and arranged at known locations in a geographic region, wherein each of said plurality of access points is configured to detect said portable computing device, wherein, upon detection of said portable computing device by a first access point of said plurality of access points in proximity to said portable computing device, a known location of said first access point is transmitted to at least one provider;

wherein the at least one provider provides a promotion through said first access point to said portable computing device, wherein said promotion is based upon the known location of said first access point.

50. The geographic-based system of claim 49, wherein said promotion comprises an advertisement related to goods or services;

wherein said advertisement is based upon the known location of said first access point.

51. The geographic-based system of claim 49, wherein said first access point is located closely to a first provider of goods or services;

wherein said promotion comprises a promotion of said first provider of goods or services.

52. The geographic-based system of claim 49,

wherein said promotion is based upon the known location of said first access point and a profile of the user.

53. The geographic-based system of claim 49,

wherein the portable computing device is a personal digital assistant (PDA) device.

54. A method of providing geographic-based promotions, the method comprising:

detecting the presence of a mobile unit in the vicinity of an access point, wherein said access point has a known geographic location, wherein the mobile unit comprises a portable computing device;

transmitting promotion information to the mobile unit in response to said detecting, wherein the promotion information is dependent upon the known geographic location of the access point.

55. The method of claim 54, further comprising:

selecting the promotion information based upon the known geographic location of the access point prior to said transmitting.

56. The method of claim 54,

wherein the access point is located closely to a first provider of goods or services;

wherein the promotion information comprises a promotion of said first provider of goods or services.

57. The method of claim 54, wherein said promotion information comprises advertising information.

58. The method of claim 57,

wherein said access point is located closely to a first provider of goods or services;

wherein said advertising information comprises an advertisement of said first provider of goods or services.

59. The method of claim 54,

wherein the portable computing device is carried by a user;

the method further comprising;

selecting the promotion information based upon the known geographic location of the access point and a profile of the user prior to said transmitting.

60. The method of claim 54,

wherein the portable computing device is a personal digital assistant (PDA) device.

61. A method of providing geographic-based promotions, the method comprising:

detecting the presence of a portable computing device in the vicinity of an access point, wherein said access point has a known geographic location, wherein the portable computing device is carried by a user;

transmitting promotion information to the portable computing device in response to said detecting, wherein the promotion information is dependent upon the known geographic location of the access point.

62. The method of claim 61, further comprising:

selecting the promotion information based upon the known geographic location of the access point prior to said transmitting.

63. The method of claim 61,

wherein the access point is located closely to a first provider of goods or services;

wherein the promotion information comprises a promotion of said first provider of goods or services.

64. The method of claim 61, wherein said promotion information comprises advertising information.

65. The method of claim 64,

wherein said access point is located closely to a first provider of goods or services;

wherein said advertising information comprises an advertisement of said first provider of goods or services.

66. The method of claim 61, the method further comprising:

selecting the promotion information based upon the known geographic location of the access point and a profile of the user.

67. The method of claim 61,

wherein the portable computing device is a personal digital assistant (PDA) device.

68. A method of providing geographic-based promotions, the method comprising:

detecting the presence of a mobile unit in the vicinity of an access point, wherein the access point has a known geographic location;

providing the known geographic location of the access point to a provider after said detecting;

the provider transmitting promotion information to the mobile unit, wherein the promotion information is dependent upon the known geographic location of the access point.

69. The method of claim 68, further comprising:

the provider selecting said promotion information based upon the known geographic location of the access point prior to said transmitting.

70. The method of claim 68,

wherein said access point is located closely to a first provider of goods or services;

wherein said promotion information comprises a promotion of said first provider of goods or services.

71. The method of claim 68, wherein said promotion information comprises advertising information.

72. The method of claim 68, wherein the mobile unit comprises a portable computing device.

73. The method of claim 72,

wherein the portable computing device is a personal digital assistant (PDA) device.

74. The method of claim 68,

wherein the mobile unit comprises a portable computing device that is carried by a user;

the method further comprising;

selecting the promotion information based upon the known geographic location of the access point and a profile of the user.

75. A method of providing geographic-based promotions, the method comprising:

detecting the presence of a portable computing device in the vicinity of an access point, wherein the access point has a known geographic location, wherein the portable computing device is carried by a user;

providing the know geographic location of the access point to a provider after said detecting;

the provider transmitting promotion information to the portable computing device, wherein the promotion information is dependent upon the known geographic location of the access point.

76. The method of claim 75, further comprising:

selecting said promotion information based upon the known geographic location of the access point prior to said transmitting.

77. The method of claim 75, further comprising:

the provider selecting said promotion information based upon the known geographic location of the access point prior to said transmitting.

78. The method of claim 75,

wherein said access point is located closely to a first provider of goods or services;

wherein said promotion information comprises a promotion of said first provider of goods or services.

79. The method of claim 75, wherein said promotion information comprises advertising information.

80. The method of claim 75, wherein portable computing device comprises a personal digital assistant (PDA).

81. The method of claim 75, further comprising:

selecting the promotion information based upon the known geographic location of the access point and a profile of the user.

82. The method of claim 75, further comprising:

the provider selecting the promotion information based upon the known geographic location of the access point and a profile of the user.

83. A geographic-based system, comprising:

a plurality of access points operable to be coupled to a network and arranged at known locations in a geographic region, wherein each of the plurality of access points is configured to detect a portable computing device carried by a user, wherein, after detection of the portable computing device by a first access point of the plurality of access points in proximity to the portable computing device, the first access point transmits promotion information to the portable computing device, wherein the promotion information is dependent upon a known location of the first access point.

84. The geographic-based system of claim 83,

wherein said promotion information comprises an advertisement related to goods or services;

wherein the advertisement is based upon the known location of said first access point.

85. The geographic-based system of claim 84,

wherein said first access point is located closely to a first provider of goods or services;

wherein said promotion information comprises a promotion of said first provider of goods or services.

86. A geographic-based promotion system, comprising:

a promotion provider operable to be coupled to a network to receive a known location of a mobile unit;

wherein the promotion provider provides promotion information through the network to the mobile unit, wherein the promotion provider provides said promotion information dependent upon the known location of the mobile unit.

87. The geographic-based promotion system of claim 86,

wherein the mobile unit comprises a portable computing device.

88. The geographic-based promotion system of claim 87,

wherein the portable computing device is a personal digital assistant (PDA) device.

89. The geographic-based promotion system of claim 86,

wherein the mobile unit comprises a portable computing device carried by a user;

wherein the promotion provider provides said promotion information dependent upon the known location of the mobile unit and a profile of the user.

90. The geographic-based promotion system of claim 86,

wherein the known location of the mobile unit comprises a known location of an access point communicating with the mobile unit.

91. The geographic-based promotion system of claim 86,

wherein the mobile unit comprises a portable computing device;

wherein the known location of the portable computing device comprises a known location of an access point communicating with the portable computing device.

92. A geographic-based promotion system, comprising:

a promotion provider operable to be coupled to a network to receive a known location of a portable computing device, wherein the portable computing device is carried by a user;

wherein the promotion provider provides promotion information through the network to the portable computing device, wherein the promotion provider provides said promotion information dependent upon the known location of the portable computing device.

93. A method of providing geographic-based promotions in a geographic-based communication system, wherein the geographic-based communication system uses known locations of a plurality of network access points (APs) to service mobile users who are in a vicinity of the APs, the method comprising:

detecting a presence of a mobile unit in the vicinity of one of said APs;

providing a known location of said one of said APs to a promotion provider in response to said detecting;

receiving promotion information from the promotion provider, wherein the promotion information is dependent upon the known location of said one of said APs; and

transmitting the promotion information to the mobile unit through said one of said APs.

94. The method of claim 93,

wherein the mobile unit comprises a portable computing device.

95. The method of claim 94,

wherein the portable computing device is a personal digital assistant (PDA) device.

96. The method of claim 93,

wherein the mobile unit comprises a portable computing device carried by a user;

wherein the promotion information is dependent upon the known location of said one of said APs and a profile of the user.

97. A method of providing geographic-based promotion services using known locations of network access points (APs) to service mobile users who are in a vicinity of the APs, the method comprising:

receiving a known location of one of said APs in response to said one of said APs detecting a mobile unit;

selecting promotion information dependent upon the known location of said one of said APs; and

transmitting the promotion information to the mobile unit through said one of said APs.

98. The method of claim 97,

wherein the mobile unit comprises a portable computing device.

99. The method of claim 98,

wherein the portable computing device is a personal digital assistant (PDA) device.

100. The method of claim 97,

wherein the mobile unit comprises a portable computing device carried by a user;

wherein said selecting promotion information comprises selecting the promotion information dependent upon the known location of said one of said APs and a profile of the user.

101. A method of providing geographic-based promotion services to a user of a mobile unit, the method comprising:

receiving a known location of the mobile unit;

selecting promotion information dependent upon the known location of the mobile unit; and

transmitting the promotion information to the mobile unit after said selecting.

102. The method of claim 101,

wherein the mobile unit comprises a portable computing device.

103. The method of claim 102,

wherein the portable computing device is a personal digital assistant (PDA) device.

104. The method of claim 101,

wherein the mobile unit comprises a portable computing device carried by a user;

wherein said selecting promotion information comprises selecting the promotion information dependent upon the known location of the mobile unit and a profile of the user.

105. The method of claim 101,

wherein the known location of the mobile unit comprises a known location of an access point communicating with the mobile unit.

106. The method of claim 101,

wherein the mobile unit comprises a portable computing device;

wherein the known location of the portable computing device comprises a known location of an access point communicating with the portable computing device.

107. A method of providing geographic-based promotion services to a user of a portable computing device, the method comprising:

receiving a known location of the portable computing device;

selecting promotion information dependent upon the known location of the portable computing device; and

transmitting the promotion information to the portable computing device after said selecting.

108. The method of claim 107,

wherein the portable computing device is a portable smart device.