Method for informing a user of a communication device where to obtain a product and communication system employing same

• US 6,526,275 B1
• Filed: 04/24/2000
• Issued: 02/25/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/24/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Calvert, Brian Edward
• Primary Examiner(s): Chin, Vivian
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lee, John J
• Application Number:
  US09/556,385
• Time in Patent Office: 1,037 Days
• Field of Search: 455/415, 455/414, 455/418, 455/406, 455/408, 455/426, 455/409, 455/456, 455/403, 455/412, 455/419, 455/422, 455/566, 455/557, 455/425, 455/435, 455/457, 379/113-142, 379/265, 707/4, 707/3, 707/10, 709/219, 709/236
• US Class Current: 455/418
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42348 Location-based services which utilize the location information of a target
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4878 Advertisement messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/493 Interactive information services, e.g. directory enquiries ; Arrangements therefor, e.g. interactive voice response [IVR] systems or voice portals

Abstract

A communication system (100) employs a method for informing a user of a communication device (e.g., 101) where to obtain a product. The communication system determines an approximate location of the communication device and whether a particular requested product or one or more other potentially desirable products are available in a general vicinity of the device. When the particular or potentially desirable product is so available, a context engine server (109) of the communication system conveys a product information request and optionally other purchaser-related information to multiple product providers (120). The context engine server receives responses to the product information request from at least some of the product providers, wherein at least some of the responses preferably include offers to pay respective advertising fees. The context engine server generates a list of product providers based on the responses and provides the list to the communication device for display to the device user.

Claims

1. A method for informing a user of a communication device where to obtain a product, the method comprising the steps of:

determining an approximate location of the communication device;

determining whether the product is available in a vicinity of the communication device based on the approximate location of the communication device;

conveying a request for product information to a plurality of product providers when the product is available in the vicinity of the communication device;

receiving a plurality of responses to the request for product information from at least some of the plurality of product providers; and

providing a list of product providers to the communication device based at least on the plurality of responses.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the product comprises at least one of a good and a service.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

prior to the step of determining an approximate location of the communication device, receiving a request from the communication device for the product, the request for the product indicating a product type.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising the step of selecting the plurality of product providers based on the product type.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising the step of determining a time of day and wherein the step of selecting comprises the step of selecting the plurality of product providers based on the time of day and the product type.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

after determining the approximate location of the communication device, automatically determining that the user of the communication device desires to obtain the product based on the approximate location of the communication device.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising the step of determining a time of day and wherein the step of automatically determining comprises the step of automatically determining that the user of the communication device desires to obtain the product based on the approximate location of the communication device and the time of day.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of conveying the request for product information further comprises the step of conveying at least one of specific information related to the user of the communication device and general demographic information related to a group of persons that includes the user of the communication device to the plurality of product providers.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of conveying the request for product information further comprises the step of conveying the approximate location of the communication device to the plurality of product providers and wherein the plurality of responses include specific locations at which the product may be obtained.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of, prior to the step of conveying a request for product information, determining locations of at least the plurality of product providers to produce determined locations, and wherein the step of conveying the request for product information comprises the step of conveying the request for product information to the plurality of product providers based the determined locations.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of providing a list of product providers to the communication device further comprises the step of providing instructions for displaying the list to the user of the communication device, wherein the instructions include priorities for displaying at least identities of the product providers in the list.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein a vicinity of the communication device comprises a radial distance of not more than one hundred kilometers from the approximate location of the communication device.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of conveying a request for product information comprises the step of conveying the request via the Internet.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of receiving a plurality of responses to the request for product information comprises the step of receiving the plurality of responses via the Internet.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein at least some of the plurality of responses include offers to pay respective advertising fees and wherein the step of providing a list of product providers to the communication device comprises the step of providing a list of product providers to the communication device based on the advertising fees offered to be paid.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the step of providing a list of product providers to the communication device further comprises the step of providing instructions for displaying the list to the user of the communication device, wherein the instructions include priorities for displaying at least identities of the product providers in the list and wherein the priorities are based on the advertising fees offered to be paid.

17. A method for a communication device to inform a user of the communication device where to obtain a product desired by the user, the method comprising the steps of:

conveying a request for the product to a server;

responsive to the request, receiving a list of product providers that are located in a vicinity of the communication device and instructions for displaying the list of product providers to the user of the communication device, wherein the instructions include priorities for displaying at least identities of the product providers in the list and wherein the priorities are based on advertising fees offered to be paid by at least some of the product providers; and

displaying the list of product providers to the user of the communication device in accordance with the instructions.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the step of conveying a request for the product further comprises the step of conveying at least one of specific information related to the user of the communication device and general demographic information related to a group of persons that includes the user of the communication device to the server.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the product comprises at least one of a good and a service.

20. A method for a communication device to inform a user of the communication device where to obtain a product, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving an automatically transmitted list of product providers that are located in a vicinity of the communication device and instructions for displaying the list of product providers to the user of the communication device, wherein the instructions include priorities for displaying at least identities of the product providers in the list; and

displaying the list of product providers to the user of the communication device in accordance with the instructions.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the product comprises at least one of a good and a service.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the priorities for displaying at least the identities of the product providers are based on advertising fees offered to be paid by at least some of the product providers.

23. A communication system in communication with a plurality of provider servers associated with respective product providers, the communication system comprising:

at least one base site for providing communication services to a plurality of communication devices;

a system controller, coupled to the at least one base site, for controlling the communication services provided by the at least one base site and for determining an approximate location of at least one communication device of the plurality of communication devices; and

a context engine server, coupled to the system controller and the plurality of provider servers, for receiving at least the approximate location of the at least one communication device, for requesting product information for a product from at least some of the plurality of provider servers based on the approximate location of the at least one communication device, for receiving the product information and an offer to pay respective advertising fees from the at least some of the plurality of provider servers, for generating a list of product providers that offer the product based on the advertising fees offered to be paid, and for providing ;

the list of product providers to the system controller for subsequent delivery to the at least one communication device.