Method and apparatus for wireless telecommunications system that provides location-based information delivery to a wireless mobile unit

• US 6,650,902 B1
• Filed: 11/15/1999
• Issued: 11/18/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Nokia of America Corporation (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Richton, Robert Ellis
• Primary Examiner(s): Trost, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): Harry, Andrew T
• Application Number:
  US09/440,047
• Time in Patent Office: 1,464 Days
• Field of Search: 455/456, 455/456.4, 455/456.3, 455/404.2, 455/414.1, 455/414.3
• US Class Current: 455/456.3
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/18 Processing of user or subscriber data, e.g. subscribed services, user preferences or user profiles; Transfer of user or subscriber data

Abstract

A wireless telecommunications system uses location or position information of a wireless mobile unit to initiate the sending of location-specific information to travelers. As position information is received, it is compared to prestored position information of a remote location, such as an airport. As the traveler approaches the remote location, and gets within a certain distance the remote location, information such as airline arrival information is retrieved and sent to the wireless mobile unit of the traveler. Thus, useful information tied to the position of the wireless mobile unit, such as airline or traffic information for example, is obtained.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a controller, adapted to receive information indicating position of a wireless communications device;

a memory, adapted to store a telephone number of a remote information source, information identifying the wireless communication device and instruction information in association with the information identifying the wireless communication device,

the controller being adapted to output information for the wireless communication device based upon the stored instruction information, when the received information indicates that the position of the wireless communication device has satisfied a geographic relationship with a remote location, and to retrieve information for output to the wireless communication device using the telephone number of the remote information source.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the information is output to the wireless communication device and received at the wireless communication device.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the geographic relationship is satisfied when the position of the wireless communication device is within a designated distance of the remote location.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is adapted to compare position information of the wireless communication device to stored position information of the remote location and is adapted to determine when the wireless communication device has satisfied the geographic relationship.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the wireless communication device is a wireless phone.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the position information indicating position of the wireless communication device is received from a global positioning system (GPS) within the wireless communication device.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the position information indicating position of the wireless communication device is received from an assisted global positioning system (assisted GPS).

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the information output includes traffic information.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the information output includes airline information.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the information output includes personal information.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the memory stores position information of a plurality of remote locations in association with the information identifying a wireless communication device.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the controller is adapted to output information to the wireless communication device upon receiving information indicating that the position of the wireless communication device is within a designated distance of the one of the plurality of the remote locations.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the memory stores information identifying a plurality of wireless communication devices in association with position information of the remote location.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the controller is adapted to output a control information to a wireless communication device upon receiving a signal indicating that the position of a respective one of the plurality of wireless communication devices is within a designated distance of the remote location.

15. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the memory stores information identifying a plurality of wireless communication devices in association with position information of at least one of the plurality of remote locations.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the controller is adapted to output information to a wireless communication device upon receiving a signal indicating that the position of a respective one of the plurality of wireless communication devices is within a designated distance of the one of the remote locations.

17. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is adapted to retrieve the information from the remote information source through telephone lines.

18. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is adapted to retrieve the information from the remote information source through wireless communication.

19. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the stored information identifying the wireless communication device includes a telephone number.

20. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the information adapted to be output includes information associated with the remote location.

21. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the information adapted to be output includes information associated with the remote location.

22. An apparatus, comprising:

a memory, adapted to store a telephone number of a remote information source, in association with information identifying a wireless communication device and position information of a remote location; and

a controller, adapted to output information for the wireless communication device when determining that a position of the wireless communication device has satisfied a geographic relationship with the remote location, and to retrieve information for output to the wireless communication device using the telephone number of the remote information source.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the information is output to the wireless communication device and received at the wireless communication device.

24. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the position of the wireless communication device is determined at the controller through triangulation.

25. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the geographic relationship is satisfied when the position of the wireless communication device is within a designated distance of the remote location.

26. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the information adapted to be output includes information associated with the remote location.

27. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the information adapted to be output includes information associated with the remote location.

28. A method, comprising:

storing a telephone number of a remote information source in association with position information of a remote location and information identifying a wireless communication device;

receiving information indicating a position of the wireless communication device; and

outputting information for the wireless communication device when the received information indicates that the position of the wireless communication device has satisfied a geographic relationship with the remote location.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the information is output to the wireless communication device and received at the wireless communication device.

30. The method of claim 28, wherein the geographic relationship is satisfied when the wireless communication device is within a designated distance of the remote location.

31. The method of claim 28, further comprising:

comparing the received position information of the wireless communication device to the stored position information of the remote location and outputting the information based upon the comparison.

32. The method of claim 28, wherein the information indicating position is received from a wireless telephone.

33. The method of claim 28, wherein storing includes storing position information of a plurality of remote locations in association with information identifying a wireless communication device.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein outputting includes outputting information upon receiving information indicating that the position of the wireless communication device is within a designated distance of the one of the plurality of the remote locations.

35. The method of claim 28, wherein the information identifying a wireless communication device includes a telephone number.

36. The method of claim 28, wherein a signal requesting information from the remote information source is output through telephone lines.

37. The method of claim 28, wherein a signal requesting information from the remote information source is output through wireless communication.

38. The method of claim 28, wherein the information output includes traffic information.

39. The method of claim 28, wherein the information output includes airline information.

40. The method of claim 28, wherein the information output includes personal information.

41. The method of claim 28, wherein the output information includes information associated with the remote location.

42. The method of claim 29, wherein the output information includes information associated with the remote location.

43. An apparatus comprising:

a controller; and

a memory, adapted to store information identifying the wireless communication device and instruction information;

the controller adapted to receive information indicating position of a wireless communications device, to access external information from an intelligent personal assistant (IPA) and output information for the wireless communication device based upon the stored instruction information and accessed external information when received information indicates that the position of the wireless communication device has satisfied a geographic relationship with a remote location, and

the IPA adapted to modify the output information based on rules for the IPA included in the stored instruction information.

44. The apparatus of claim 43, wherein the information is output to the wireless communication device and received at the wireless communication device.

45. The apparatus of claim 43, wherein the geographic relationship is satisfied when the position of the wireless communication device is within a designated distance of the remote location.

46. The apparatus of claim 43, wherein the controller is adapted to compare position information of the wireless communication device to stored position information of the remote location and is adapted to determine when the wireless communication device has satisfied the geographic relationship.

47. The apparatus of claim 43, wherein the information output includes traffic information.

48. The apparatus of claim 43, wherein the output information includes modified traffic information, wherein the IPA modifies traffic information received from an external source based upon stored rules, to produce modified traffic information for output to the wireless communication device.

49. The apparatus of claim 43, wherein the output information includes route information, wherein the IPA receives traffic information from an external source and produces route information for output to the wireless communication device based upon the received traffic information.

50. The apparatus of claim 43, wherein the information output includes airline information.

51. The apparatus of claim 43, wherein the output information includes modified airline information, wherein the IPA modifies airline information received from an external source based upon stored rules, to produce modified airline information for output to the wireless communication device.

52. The apparatus of claim 43, wherein the information output includes personal information.

53. The apparatus of claim 52, wherein the personal information includes electronic mail.

54. The apparatus of claim 43, wherein the output information includes modified personal information, wherein the IPA modifies personal information received from an external source based upon stored rules, to produce modified personal information for output to the wireless communication device.

55. The apparatus of claim 52, wherein the personal information includes voicemail.

56. The apparatus of claim 43, wherein the output information includes information associated with the remote location.

57. The apparatus of claim 44, wherein the output information includes information associated with the remote location.

58. The apparatus of claim 44, wherein the output information includes information associated with the remote location.