Method, system, and program for providing information on proximate events based on current location and user availability

• US 7,085,818 B2
• Filed: 09/27/2001
• Issued: 08/01/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Paolini, Michael A., Brown, Michael Wayne, Dutta, Rabindranath
• Primary Examiner(s): Prieto, Beatriz
• Application Number:
  US09/965,007
• Publication Number:
  US 20030061303A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,769 Days
• Field of Search: 701300-302, 701207-215, 34042619-42622, 34235706-35715, 370328-338, 709200-203, 709217-219
• US Class Current: 709/217
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/535 Tracking the activity of the user network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]

Abstract

Provided is a method, system, and program for transmitting information to a wireless device. A determination is made of a current location of the wireless device and whether the current location is within a proximity to a target location. If the current location is within the proximity to the target location, then information is transmitted to the wireless device on offerings available at the target location.

Claims

1. A method for transmitting information to a wireless device comprising:

determining a current location of the wireless device;

determining whether the current location is within a proximity to a target location;

accessing scheduled event records for a user of the wireless device in response to determining tat the current location is within the proximity to the target location wherein each scheduled event record indicates one event scheduled for a calendar time period;

processing the scheduled event records for the user to determine whether the user is available to visit the target location; and

if the current location is within the proximity to the target location and the user is available to visit the target location, then transmitting information to the wireless device on offerings available at the target location.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the scheduled event records are part of calendar information for the user.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing a data structure indicating a plurality of time periods during which offerings are available at the target location; and

determining whether the user is available to visit the target location within one of the time periods indicated in the data structure, wherein the information is not transmitted if the user is not determined to be available to visit the target location during one of the time periods indicated in the data structure.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the data structure further includes information for each time period on offerings available at the target location during the time period wherein transmitting the information to the wireless device comprises transmitting the information indicated in the data structure for one time period during which the user of the wireless device is determined to be available to visit the target location.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the offerings available at the target location comprise at least one of goods and services.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

accessing information indicating personal preferences of a user of the wireless device; and

determining whether the offerings at the target location match at least one personal preference indicated by the user, wherein the information is transmitted if the offerings at the target location match one personal preference indicated by the user.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining and transmitting operations are performed in response to a push action.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining and transmitting operations are performed in response to a pull action at the wireless device.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the target location comprises an activity at an amusement park.

9. A method for transmitting information to a wireless device comprising:

determining a current location of the wireless device;

providing a data structure including event information for each of a plurality of events that occur at event locations;

determining whether the current location is within a proximity to at least one of the event locations;

accessing scheduled event records for a user of the wireless device in response to determining that the current location is within the proximity to the target location, wherein each scheduled event record indicates one event scheduled for a calender time period;

processing the scheduled event records for the user to determine whether the user is available to visit the target location; and

if the current location is within the proximity to at least one event location and the user is available to visit the target location, then transmitting event information to the wireless device for the at least one event location that is within the proximity to the wireless device.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

accessing event preference information provided by the user of the wireless device indicating events the user selected, wherein determining whether the current location is within the proximity to at least one event location further comprises determining whether the event at the event location within the proximity to the current location is indicated in the event preference information, and wherein the transmitted information is for at least one event indicated in the event preference information.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

determining, for all the determined events at event locations within the proximity to the current location, an optimal order in which the events should be visited based on the event locations and the current location; and

generating information indicating the optimal order in which the events at the event locations should be visited, wherein the generated information is transmitted to the wireless device.

13. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

determining a wait time at each event whose event location is within the proximity to the current location; and

determining whether the wait time for each event exceeds a wait threshold, wherein the event information is not sent for each event having the wait time that exceeds the wait threshold.

14. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

for each wireless device, gathering data on event locations where the wireless device was located and a lime the wireless device was located at the event location.

15. A method for processing information at a wireless device, comprising:

receiving information broadcasted within a defined region on event offerings at a target location within a proximity to the wireless device for an event time period;

accessing scheduled event records for a user of the wireless device in response to receiving the information broadcasted, wherein each scheduled event record indicates one event scheduled for a calendar time period;

processing the scheduled event records for the user to determine whether the user is available during the event time period; and

presenting the information on the event offerings to the user if the user is determined to be available during the event time period.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

providing information on user preferences; and

determining whether the received information satisfies one user preference, wherein the information is not presented to the user if the received information does not satisfy one user preference.

17. A system for transmitting information to a wireless device comprising:

means for determining a current location of the wireless device;

means for determining whether the current location is within a proximity to a target location; and

means for accessing scheduled event records for a user of the wireless device in response to determining that the current location is within the proximity to the target location, wherein each scheduled event record indicates one event scheduled for a calendar time period;

means for processing the scheduled event records for the user to determine whether the user is available to visit the target location; and

means for transmitting information to the wireless device on offerings available at the target location if the current location is within the proximity to the target location and the user is available to visit the target location.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the scheduled event records are part of calendar information for the user.

19. The system of claim 17, further comprising:

a computer readable medium;

means for providing a data structure in the computer readable medium indicating a plurality of time periods during which offerings are available at the target location; and

means for determining whether the user is available to visit the target location within one of the time periods indicated in the data structure, wherein the information is not transmitted if the user is not determined to be available to visit the target location during one of the time periods indicated in the data structure.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the data structure further includes information for each time period on offerings available at the target location during the time period, wherein the means for transmitting the information to the wireless device transmits the information indicated in the data structure for one time period during which the user of the wireless device is determined to be available to visit the target location.

21. The system of claim 17, wherein the offerings available at the target locations comprise at least one of goods and services.

22. The system of claim 17, further comprising:

means for accessing information indicating personal preferences of the user of the wireless device; and

means for determining whether the offerings at the target location match at least one personal preference indicated by the user, wherein the information is transmitted if the offerings at the target location match one personal preference indicated by the user.

23. The system of claim 17, wherein the operations are performed in response to a push action.

24. The system of claim 17, wherein the operations are performed in response to a pull action at the wireless device.

25. The system of claim 17, wherein the target location comprises an activity at an amusement park.

26. A system for transmitting information to a wireless device comprising:

a computer readable medium;

means for determining a current location of the wireless device;

means for providing a data structure in the computer readable medium including event information for each of a plurality of events that occur at event locations;

means for determining whether the current location is within a proximity to at least one of the event locations;

means for accessing scheduled event records for a user of the wireless device in response to determining that the current location is within the proximity to the target location, wherein each scheduled event record indicates one event scheduled for a calendar time period;

means for processing the scheduled event records for the user to determine whether the user is available to visit the target location; and

means for transmitting event information to the wireless device for the at least one event location that is within the proximity to the wireless device if the current location is within the proximity to at least one event location and the user is available to visit the target location.

27. The system of claim 26, further comprising:

means for accessing event preference information provided by the user of the wireless device indicating events the user selected, wherein the means far determining whether the current location is within the proximity to at least one event location determines whether the event at the event location within the proximity to the current location is indicated in the event preference information, and wherein the transmitted information is for at least one event indicated in the event preference information.

28. The system of claim 26, further comprising:

means for determining, for all the determined events at event locations within the proximity to the current location, an optimal order in which the events should be visited based on the event locations and the current location; and

means for generating information indicating the optimal order in which the events at the event locations should be visited, wherein the generated information is transmitted to the wireless device.

29. The system of claim 26, further comprising:

means for determining a wait time at each event whose event location is within the proximity to the current location; and

means for determining whether the wait time for each event exceeds a wait threshold, wherein the event information is not sent for each event having the wait time that exceeds the wait threshold.

30. The system of claim 26, further comprising:

means for gathering, for each wireless device, data on event locations where the wireless device was located and a time the wireless device was located at the event location.

31. A system for processing information at a wireless device, comprising:

means for receiving information broadcasted within a defined region on event offerings at a target location within a proximity to the wireless device for an event time period;

means for accessing scheduled event records for a user of the wireless device in response to receiving the information broadcasted, wherein each scheduled event record indicates one event scheduled for a calendar time period;

means for processing the scheduled event records for the user to determine whether the user is available during the event time period; and

means for presenting the information on the event offerings to the user if the user is determined to be available during the event time period.

32. The system of claim 31, further comprising:

means for providing information on user preferences; and

means for determining whether the received information satisfies one user preference, wherein the information is not presented to the user if the received information does not satisfy one user preference.

33. An article of manufacture including code for transmitting information to a wireless device by:

determining a current location of the wireless device;

determining whether the current location is within a proximity to a target location; and

accessing scheduled event records for a user of the wireless device in response to determining tat the current location is within the proximity to the target location, wherein each scheduled event record indicates one event scheduled for a calendar time period;

processing the scheduled event records for the user to determine whether the user is available to visit the target location;

if the current location is within the proximity to the target location and the user is available to visit the target location, then transmitting information to the wireless device on offerings available at the target location.

34. The article of manufacture of claim 33, wherein the scheduled event records are part of calendar information for the user.

35. The article of manufacture of claim 33, further comprising:

providing a data structure indicating a plurality of time periods during which offerings are available at the target location;

determining whether the user is available to visit the target location within one of the time periods indicated in the data structure, wherein the information is not transmitted if the user is not determined to be available to visit the target location during one of the time periods indicated in the data structure.

36. The article of manufacture of claim 35, wherein the data structure further includes information for each time period on offerings available at the target location during the time period, wherein transmitting the information to the wireless device comprises transmitting the information indicated in the data structure for one time period during which the user of the wireless device is determined to be available to visit the target location.

37. The article of manufacture of claim 33, wherein the offerings available at the target location comprise at least one of goods and services.

38. The article of manufacture of claim 33, further comprising:

accessing information indicating personal preferences of a user of the wireless device; and

determining whether the offerings at the target location match at least one personal preference indicated by the user, wherein the information is transmitted if the offerings at the target location match one personal preference indicated by the user.

39. The article of manufacture of claim 33, wherein the operations are performed in response to a push action.

40. The article of manufacture of claim 33, wherein the operations are performed in response to a pull action at the wireless device.

41. The article of manufacture of claim 33, wherein the target location comprises an activity at an amusement park.

42. An article of manufacture including code for transmitting information to a wireless device by:

determining a current location of the wireless device;

providing a data structure including event information for each of a plurality of events that occur at event locations;

determining whether the current location is within a proximity to at least one of the event locations; and

accessing scheduled event records for a user of the wireless device in response to determining that the current location is within the proximity to the target location, wherein each scheduled event record indicates one event scheduled for a calendar time period;

processing the scheduled event records for the user to determine whether the user is available to visit the target location; and

if the current location is within the proximity to at least one event location and the user is available to visit the target location, then transmitting event information to the wireless device for the at least cue event location that is within the proximity to the wireless device.

43. The article of manufacture of claim 42, further comprising:

accessing event preference information provided by the user of the wireless device indicating events lbs user selected, wherein determining whether the current location is within the proximity to at least one event location further comprises determining whether the event at the event location within the proximity to the current location is indicated in the event preference information, end wherein the transmitted information is for at least one event indicated in the event preference information.

44. The article of manufacture of claim 42, further comprising:

determining, for all the determined events at event locations within the proximity to the current location, an optimal order in which the events should be visited based on the event locations and the current location; and

generating information indicating the optimal order in which the events at the event locations should be visited, wherein the generated information is transmitted to the wireless device.

45. The article of manufacture of claim 42, further comprising:

determining a wait time at each event whose event location is within the proximity to the current location; and

determining whether the wait time for each event exceeds a wait threshold, wherein the event information is not sent for each event having the wait time that exceeds the wait threshold.

46. The article of manufacture of claim 42, further comprising:

for each wireless device, gathering data on event locations where the wireless device was located and a time the wireless device was located at the event location.

47. An article of manufacture including code for processing information at a wireless device by:

receiving information broadcasted within a defined region on event offerings at a target location within a proximity to the wireless device for an event time period;

accessing scheduled event records for a user of the wireless device in response to receiving the information broadcasted, wherein each scheduled event record indicates one event scheduled for a calendar time period;

processing the scheduled event records for the user to determine whether the user is available during to event time period; and

presenting the information on the event offerings to the user if the user is determined to be available during the event time period.

48. The article of manufacture of claim 47, further comprising:

providing intimation on user preferences;

determining whether the received information satisfies one user preference, wherein the information is not presented to the user if the received information does not satisfy one user preference.