System and method for updating stored information portable electronic devices based on geographic location

• US 6,959,192 B1
• Filed: 11/06/2000
• Issued: 10/25/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/06/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Agere Systems Incorporated (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Johanson, James A., Cannon, Joseph M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Maung, Nay
• Assistant Examiner(s): SOBUTKA, PHILIP
• Application Number:
  US09/705,694
• Time in Patent Office: 1,814 Days
• Field of Search: 455/456, 455/457, 455/435, 455/432, 455/427, 455/418, 455/419, 455/414, 455/550, 455/564, 455/566
• 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 8/205 Transfer to or from user equipment or user record carrier
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/245 from a network towards a terminal
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A method and system for updating information stored in portable electronic devices based on the geographic location of the electronic devices is disclosed. The portable electronic devices are provided with built-in transceiver modules which will automatically communicate with base stations provided at centralized high traffic locations. The base stations transmit low power radio signals to the portable devices that contain commands for the devices to automatically update information stored in the portable devices based on the geographic area, such as for example updating to a new telephone area code or time zone. Additionally, a global positioning satellite (GPS) system can be utilized to automatically set the transceiver modules in the portable electronic devices to the proper frequency at which the base stations are transmitting thereby ensuring a communication link between the base station and the portable electronic device. Alternatively, a GPS system can be utilized to update information stored in the portable electronic devices based on the geographic location of the electronic devices.

Claims

1. A system for updating information stored in a memory of a portable electronic device, said system comprising:

a plurality of base stations, each of said plurality of base stations being located at a respective geographic location and transmitting a radio signal including information specific to said respective geographic location; and

a transceiver in said portable electronic device, said transceiver being arranged and configured such that when said portable electronic device comes into range of one of said plurality of base stations, said portable electronic device automatically receives said radio signal from said one of said plurality of base stations, said information is received by said transceiver and provided to a microprocessor in said portable electronic device, and based on said information in said radio signal said information stored in said memory of said portable electronic device is updated without making a determination of a portable electronic device location and whether said information should be updated.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said update of said location dependent information stored in said memory of said portable electronic device is done automatically without any intervention from a user.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said location dependent information stored in said memory of said portable electronic device includes a telephone number for a speed dial function.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said location dependent information stored in said memory of said portable electronic device includes a calendar.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said location dependent information stored in said memory of said portable electronic device includes a clock.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said location specific information included in said radio signal includes a time zone.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein said location specific information included in said radio signal includes a telephone area code associated with said respective geographic location.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein said location specific information included in said radio signal includes a date.

9. The system according to claim 1, wherein said location specific information included in said radio signal includes a telephone country code associated with said respective geographic location.

10. The system according to claim 1, wherein each of said plurality of base stations transmits said radio signal in a predefined range of frequencies.

11. The system according to claim 10, wherein said predefined range of frequencies is associated with a country code, and said transceiver is set to receive said predefined range of frequencies based on said country code.

12. The system according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of base stations and said portable electronic device are Bluetooth™

compliant.

13. The system according to claim 1, wherein said radio signal is low powered.

14. The system according to claim 1, wherein said base stations are provided at centralized high traffic locations where high volumes of traffic from different geographic areas pass.

15. The system of according to claim 14, wherein said centralized high traffic locations include airports, train stations, bridges, toll booths, and bus stations.

16. The system according to claim 1, further comprising reference tables stored in the memory of the portable electronic device, information specific to a current geographic location being retrieved from the reference tables to update said location dependent information stored in memory.

17. A portable electronic device comprising:

a processor;

a memory coupled to said processor, said memory storing location dependent information; and

a receiver coupled to said processor, said receiver being arranged and configured to automatically receive radio signals when said portable electronic device comes into range of one of a plurality of base stations, said radio signals including location specific information specific to a geographic location, and to provide said location specific information to said processor,

wherein said processor is arranged and configured to update said location dependent information stored in said memory based on said location specific information in response to automatically receiving said location specific information from said receiver without a determination of portable electronic device location and whether said information should be updated.

18. The device according to claim 17, wherein said update of said location dependent information stored in said memory of said portable electronic device is done automatically without any intervention from a user.

19. The device according to claim 17, wherein said processor in response to receiving said location specific information from said receiver provides an indication of receipt of said location specific information from said receiver before updating said location dependent information stored in said memory.

20. The device according to claim 17, wherein said location dependent information stored in said memory includes a telephone number for a speed dial function.

21. The device according to claim 17, wherein said location dependent information stored in said memory includes a calendar.

22. The device according to claim 17, wherein said location dependent information stored in said memory includes a clock.

23. The device according to claim 17, wherein said location specific information included in said radio signal includes a time zone.

24. The device according to claim 17, wherein said location specific information included in said radio signal includes a telephone area code associated with said geographic location.

25. The device according to claim 17, wherein said location specific information included in said radio signal includes a date.

26. The device according to claim 17, wherein said location specific information included in said radio signal includes a telephone country code associated with said geographic location.

27. The device according to claim 17, wherein said device is set to receive said radio signals in a predefined range of frequencies based on a country code.

28. The device according to claim 17, wherein said device is Bluetooth™

compliant.

29. The portable device according to claim 17, wherein said radio signal is low powered, and said portable device receives said radio signal by passing through a portal so as to come in close proximity to a base station.

30. The portable device according to claim 17, further comprising reference tables stored in the memory of the portable device, information specific to a current geographic location being retrieved from the reference tables to update said location dependent information stored in memory.

31. A method for updating location dependent information stored in a memory of a portable electronic device, said method comprising the steps of:

receiving a radio signal automatically from a base station when said portable electronic device comes into range of said base station, said radio signal including location specific information specific to a geographic location in which said base station is situated; and

updating said location dependent information stored in said memory based on said location specific information without a determination of portable electronic device location and whether said information should be updated.

32. The method according to claim 31, wherein said updating of said location dependent information stored in said memory of said portable electronic device is done automatically without any intervention from a user.

33. The method of claim 31, wherein said location dependent information stored in said memory of said portable electronic device includes a telephone number for a speed dial function.

34. The method of claim 31, wherein said location dependent information stored in said memory of said portable electronic device includes a calendar.

35. The method of claim 31, wherein said location dependent information stored in said memory of said portable electronic device includes a clock.

36. The method of claim 31, wherein said location specific information included in said radio signal includes a time zone.

37. The method of claim 31, wherein said location specific information included in said radio signal includes a telephone area code associated with said respective geographic location.

38. The method of claim 31, wherein said location specific information included in said radio signal includes a date.

39. The method according to claim 31, wherein said location specific information included in said radio signal includes a telephone country code associated with said respective geographic location.

40. The method according to claim 31, wherein said step of receiving further comprises:

receiving said radio signal in a predefined range of frequencies, said predefined range of frequencies being associated with a specific country code.

41. The method according to claim 31, wherein said radio signal is low powered, and said base station is located in a portal in said respective geographic location such that passengers passing through said portal will come in close proximity to said base station.

42. The method according to claim 31, wherein reference tables stored in the memory of the portable device provide information specific to a current geographic location which is retrieved from the reference tables to update said location dependent information stored in memory.