Disposable mini-applications

• US 7,072,672 B1
• Filed: 11/01/2002
• Issued: 07/04/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Vänskä, Marko, Malila, Raimo, Ranta, Sami
• Primary Examiner(s): GELIN, JEAN ALLAND
• Application Number:
  US10/286,221
• Time in Patent Office: 1,341 Days
• Field of Search: 455/414.1, 455/414.2, 455/412.2, 455/418, 455/419, 455/422.1, 455/426.1, 455/426.2, 455/432.3, 455/456.1, 455/456.3, 455/461, 455/466, 455/566, 707 1- 10, 707100-104, 345737-739, 345/749, 705 1- 10, 705/26, 705200-208
• US Class Current: 455/456.3
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/62 Uninstallation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44505 Configuring for program initiating, e.g. using registry, configuration files
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• 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 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72406 by software upgrading or downloading
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72448 with means for adapting the functionality of the device according to specific conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72451 according to schedules, e.g. using calendar applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72457 according to geographic location
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/50 Service provisioning or reconfiguring
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication

Abstract

Disposable mini-applications are executable software items whose activation, deactivation and deletion in a mobile terminal are defined by trigger parameters and rules. Trigger parameters may include, but are not intended to be limited to, location, time, stored user data and the like. Rules are one or more trigger parameters needed to effect one of the foregoing actions. In one embodiment, a housekeeping means monitors for data that corresponds to the parameters and satisfies the rules, and performs a variety of housekeeping functions relating to the disposable mini-applications. The deletion of the disposable mini-application clears memory space associated with storing and executing the disposable mini-application, and thus, makes that space available for other purposes.

Claims

1. A method for a mobile terminal having a processor and a memory for processing and storing data to manage storage of an executable software item of limited operability that provides a user of the mobile terminal with shopping assistance, comprising:

downloading an executable software item for providing a user of a mobile terminal with assistance while shopping, wherein the executable software item comprises data comprising an identification of one or more shopping service locations and trigger conditions for activation and deletion of the executable software item from memory of the mobile terminal;

detecting, via a short range wireless connection, that the user is located within proximity of a shopping service location;

accessing user data comprising indications of goods and/or services of interest to the user;

comparing goods and/or services offered by the shopping service location with the user data to determine whether there is a match;

if there is a match, activating the executable software item; and

executing the executable software item;

wherein execution of the executable software item comprises;

generating a query for transmission to the shopping service location, the query including the user data; and

transmitting the query to the shopping service location via a short range wireless connection.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the mobile terminal is a mobile telephone or a mobile handset.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the user data included in the query includes a maximum price that the user is willing to pay for the goods and/or services.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein downloading of the executable software item occurs upon entry of the mobile terminal into a predetermined location.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving a response from the shopping service location to the transmitted query via the short range wireless connection.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

if a response is not received from the shopping service location within a predetermined period of time, deactivating the executable software item.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the user'"'"'s proximity to the shopping service location is determined via an RF-ID system.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the RF-ID system comprises a plurality of RF-ID tags, each associated with a shopping service location, and an RF-ID reader in the mobile terminal that is capable of reading the RF-ID tags, the method further comprising:

storing an association between each of the plurality of RF-ID tags and a shopping service location;

receiving a tag identifier of an RF-ID tag at the reader of the mobile terminal; and

determining a shopping service location that the mobile terminal is in proximity of based on the tag identifier.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the RF-ID system comprises an RF-ID tag in the mobile terminal and one or more RF-ID readers, each of which is associated with a shopping service location and is capable of reading the RF-ID tag, the method further comprising:

receiving, at the tag, an interrogation from an RF-ID reader;

transmitting a tag identifier to the RF-ID reader to enable a location of the mobile terminal to be determined; and

receiving an identity of a shopping service location of which the mobile terminal is in proximity.

10. The method of claim 4 further comprising:

upon departure of the mobile terminal from the predetermined location, deleting the executable software item.

11. An apparatus for managing storage of an executable software item of limited operability in a mobile terminal that provides a user of the mobile terminal with shopping assistance, comprising:

a memory device for storing a program; and

a processor in communication with the memory device, the processor operative with the program to;

download an executable software item for providing a user of a mobile terminal with assistance while shopping, wherein the executable software item includes data comprising an identification of one or more shopping service locations and trigger conditions for activation and deletion of the executable software item from memory of the mobile terminal;

detect, via a short range wireless connection, that the user is located within proximity of one of the shopping service locations;

access user data comprising indications of goods and/or services of interest to the user;

compare goods and/or services offered by the shopping service location with the user data to determine whether there is a match; and

if there is a match, activate the executable software item;

wherein upon activation of the executable software item, the processor is further operative with the program to;

generate a query for transmission to the shopping service location, the query including the user data; and

transmit the query to the shopping service location via a short range wireless connection.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the mobile terminal is a mobile telephone or a mobile handset.

13. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the user data included in the query includes a maximum price that the user is willing to pay for the goods and/or services.

14. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein downloading of the executable software item occurs upon entry of the mobile terminal into a predetermined location.

15. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the processor is further operative with the program to:

receive a response from the shopping service location to the transmitted query via the short range wireless connection.

16. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the processor is further operative with the program to:

if a response is not received from the shopping service location within a predetermined period of time, deactivate the executable software item.

17. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the user'"'"'s proximity to the shopping service location is determined via an RF-ID system.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the RF-ID system comprises a plurality of RF-ID tags, each associated with a shopping service location, and an RF-ID reader in the mobile terminal that is capable of reading the RF-ID tags, and wherein the processor is further operative with the program to:

store an association between each of the plurality of RF-ID tags and a shopping service location;

receive a tag identifier of an RF-ID tag at the reader of the mobile terminal; and

determine a shopping service location that the mobile terminal is in proximity of based on the tag identifier.

19. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the RF-ID system comprises an RF-ID tag in the mobile terminal and one or more RF-ID readers, each of which is associated with a shopping service location and is capable of reading the RF-ID tag, and wherein the processor is further operative with the program to:

receive, at the tag, an interrogation from an RF-ID reader;

transmit a tag identifier to the RF-ID reader to enable a location of the mobile terminal to be determined; and

receive an identity of a shopping service location of which the mobile terminal is in proximity.

20. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the processor is further operative with the program to:

upon departure of the mobile terminal from the predetermined location, delete the executable software item.

21. A computer program product comprising a computer usable medium having computer program logic recorded thereon for enabling a processor to manage storage of an executable software item of limited operability that provides a user of a mobile terminal with shopping assistance, comprising:

program code for enabling the processor to download an executable software item for providing a user of a mobile terminal with assistance while shopping, wherein the executable software item comprises data comprising an identification of one or more shopping service locations and trigger conditions for activation and deletion of the executable software item from memory of the mobile terminal;

program code for enabling the processor to detect, via a short range wireless connection, that the user is located within proximity of a shopping service location;

program code for enabling the processor to access user data comprising indications of goods and/or services of interest to the user;

program code for enabling the processor to compare goods and/or services offered by the shopping service location with the user data to determine whether there is a match;

program code for enabling the processor to, if there is a match, activate the executable software item; and

program code for enabling the processor to execute the executable software item;

wherein execution of the executable software item comprises;

generating a query for transmission to the shopping service location, the query including the user data; and

transmitting the query to the shopping service location via a short range wireless connection.

22. The computer program product of claim 21 wherein the mobile terminal is a mobile telephone or a mobile handset.

23. The computer program product of claim 21 wherein the user data included in the query includes a maximum price that the user is willing to pay for the goods and/or services.

24. The computer program product of claim 21 wherein downloading of the executable software item occurs upon entry of the mobile terminal into a predetermined location.

25. The computer program product of claim 21 further comprising:

program code for enabling the processor to receive a response from the shopping service location to the transmitted query via the short range wireless connection.

26. The computer program product of claim 21 further comprising:

program code for enabling the processor to, if a response is not received from the shopping service location within a predetermined period of time, deactivate the executable software item.

27. The computer program product of claim 21 wherein the user'"'"'s proximity to the shopping service location is determined via an RF-ID system.

28. The computer program product of claim 27, wherein the RF-ID system comprises a plurality of RF-ID tags, each associated with a shopping service location, and an RF-ID reader in the mobile terminal that is capable of reading the RF-ID tags, the computer program product further comprising:

program code for enabling the processor to store an association between each of the plurality of RF-ID tags and a shopping service location;

program code for enabling the processor to receive a tag identifier of an RF-ID tag at the reader of the mobile terminal; and

program code for enabling the processor to determine a shopping service location that the mobile terminal is in proximity of based on the tag identifier.

29. The computer program product of claim 27, wherein the RF-ID system comprises an RF-ID tag in the mobile terminal and one or more RF-ID readers, each of which is associated with a shopping service location and is capable of reading the RF-ID tag, the computer program product further comprising:

program code for enabling the processor to receive, at the tag, an interrogation from an RF-ID reader;

program code for enabling the processor to transmit a tag identifier to the RF-ID reader to enable a location of the mobile terminal to be determined; and

Program code for enabling the processor to receive an identity of a shopping service location of which the mobile terminal is in proximity.

30. The computer program product of claim 24 further comprising:

program code for enabling the processor to, upon departure of the mobile terminal from the predetermined location, delete the executable software item.