Communication system for location sensitive information and method therefor

• US 6,888,811 B2
• Filed: 09/24/2001
• Issued: 05/03/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Mock, Von Alan, Eaton, Eric Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): HSU, ALPUS
• Application Number:
  US09/961,941
• Publication Number:
  US 20030058808A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,317 Days
• Field of Search: 370/310, 370/328, 370/338, 370/400, 370/401, 455/41.2, 455/404.2, 455/414.2, 455/414.3, 455/426.1, 455/440, 455/456.1, 455/456.2, 455/456.3, 455/456.4, 455/456.5, 455/456.6, 455/457
• US Class Current: 370/338
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• 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 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

A portable device (100) communicates with a short range wireless local area network (114) and a wide area communication system (116). The portable device (100) receives a location data from the short range wireless local area network (114). The portable device (100) generates a location sensitive information request to the wide area communication system (116) including the location data received from the short range wireless local area network (114).

Claims

1. Within a communication system including a short range wireless local area network and a wide area communication system, a method for communicating a location sensitive information comprising:

storing a location coordinates of a smart network access point in the smart network access point within the short range wireless local area network;

notifying the smart network access point of the capability for wide area communication by the portable device;

sending the location coordinates to the portable device by the smart network access point;

requesting the location sensitive information associated with the location coordinates from the wide area communication system by the portable device sending a location sensitive information request in response to receiving the location coordinates, wherein the location sensitive information request includes the location coordinates; and

obtaining the location sensitive information from the wide area communication system by the portable device.

2. The method for communicating a location sensitive information as recited in claim 1 further comprising:

determining whether the portable device is in the range of the smart network access point prior to the requesting step; and

proceeding to the requesting step when the portable device is in the range of the smart network access point.

3. A method for communicating location sensitive information as recited in claim 2 further comprising:

notifying a device user of the location coordinates when the portable device is not in the range of the smart network access point in the determining step; and

proceeding to the transmitting step when the location coordinates is acceptable to the device user.

4. A method for communicating location sensitive information as recited in claim 2 further comprising:

determining a time differential between the sending step and the requesting step when the portable device is not in the range of the smart network access point in the determining step;

comparing the time differential to a predetermined number; and

proceeding to the requesting step when the time differential is less than the predetermined number in the comparing step.

5. A method for communicating location sensitive information as recited in claim 4 further comprising prior to the requesting step:

modifying the location coordinates to include a surrounding area in direct proportion to the difference between the time differential and the predetermined number when the time differential is greater than the predetermined number in the comparing step.

6. The method for acquiring a location sensitive information as recited in claim 4, wherein the location sensitive information request includes the time differential, the method further comprising:

modifying the location sensitive information by the wide area communication system using the time differential in response to receipt of the location sensitive information request.

7. The method for acquiring a location sensitive information as recited in claim 2, further comprising:

determining an elapsed time from a previous location when the portable device is not in the range of the smart network access point;

including the elapsed time from the previous location in the location sensitive information request; and

modifying the location sensitive information by the wide area communication system using the elapsed time from the previous location in response to receipt of the location sensitive information request.

8. In a communication system including a short range wireless local area network and a wide area communication system, a method for communicating location sensitive information comprising:

storing a location data in a smart network access point within the short range wireless local area network;

detecting by a portable device the presence of the smart network access point;

performing a discovery operation;

determining whether the portable device is allowed on die short range wireless local area network;

sending a location service request from the portable device to the smart network access point when the portable device is allowed on the short range wireless local area network;

confirming location service capability by the smart network access point;

requesting location data by the portable device to the smart network access point;

sending location data from the smart network access point to the portable device;

determining whether the portable device is in the range of the smart network access point;

transmitting a location sensitive information request to the wide area communication system from the portable device when the portable device is in the range of the smart network access point, wherein the location sensitive information request includes the location data; and

obtaining the location sensitive information associated with the location data from the wide area communication system from the portable device.

9. A method for communicating location sensitive information as recited in claim 8 further comprising:

notifying a device user of the location data when the portable device is not in the range of the smart network access point prior to the transmitting step; and

proceeding to the transmitting step when the location data is acceptable to the device user.

10. A portable device for receiving location sensitive information comprising:

a short range wireless transceiver for communicating within a short range wireless local area network, wherein the short range wireless transceiver is adapted to receive a location data from the short range wireless local area network;

a wide area wireless transceiver for communicating within a wide area communication system; and

a processor coupled to the short range wireless transceiver and to the wide area wireless transceiver, wherein the processor is programmed to;

receive the location data from the short range wireless transceiver,

determine a location of the portable device in response to receiving the location data, and

send a command to the wide area wireless transceiver including the location,

wherein the wide area wireless transceiver is further adapted to;

requests the location specific information associated with the location from the wide area communication system in response to the command, and obtain the location specific information associated with the location from the wide area communication system,

and wherein the processor is further adapted to;

utilize the obtained location specific information within one or more location sensitive software applications.

11. A portable device for communicating location specific information as recited in claim 10 further comprising:

a memory coupled to the processor for storing the location data.

12. A portable device for communicating location sensitive information as recited in claim 10 further comprising:

a display coupled to the processor for notifying a device user of the location; and

a user interface coupled to the processor for sending a command to the processor when the device user accepts the location.