Method for providing location-based services in a wireless network, such as varying levels of services

• US 7,116,985 B2
• Filed: 12/20/2002
• Issued: 10/03/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/14/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cingular Wireless II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Wilson, Brian, Bhuyan, Krishna, Feinstein, Jacob
• Primary Examiner(s): Trinh, Sonny
• Application Number:
  US10/325,322
• Publication Number:
  US 20040192339A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,383 Days
• Field of Search: 455/456.1, 455/456.3, 455/456.6, 455/414.1, 455/418, 455/456.2, 455/414.2, 455/404.2, 455/457, 705/14, 705/26
• US Class Current: 455/456.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/21 for social networking applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management

Abstract

A method and associated systems provide location-based services to multiple mobile devices in a wireless telecommunications network. The method includes partitioning wireless service subscribers to location-based services into first and second sets, based at least in part on consideration received, wherein wireless service subscribers in the second set receive access to premium content or services. The location-based services may be integrated other applications, including applications hosted by subscribers. The system may determine that a subscriber-friend is not a subscriber to certain location-based services and provide solicitation messages to the subscriber-friend, or a user who may request location information with respect to the subscriber-friend.

Claims

1. A computer-readable medium whose contents store instructions for at least one telecommunications server to execute a method, wherein the telecommunications server is coupled to a system for providing location-based services to at least one telecommunication mobile device associated with a subscriber, the method comprising:

at the telecommunications server, receiving from the telecommunications mobile device a request to locate a desired type of business;

at the telecommunications server, automatically determining a location of the telecommunications mobile device and providing a response to the requesting telecommunications mobile device, wherein the response includes a location of a select business, and wherein the select business is of the desired type;

receiving compensation from the select business based on the provided response;

wherein the compensation includes a fraction of any sale consummated by the subscriber at the select business; and

wherein the providing of the response is performed without providing an advertisement for the select business.

2. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving at the telecommunications server a request for a closest restaurant of a desired type;

providing location information of a selected restaurant of the desired type to the subscriber'"'"'s telecommunications mobile device; and

receiving compensation from the selected restaurant of the desired type based on the provided information.

3. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving at the telecommunications server a request for a desired type of location-based information;

providing the desired type of location-based information to the subscriber'"'"'s telecommunications mobile device; and

receiving compensation from the subscriber based on the provided information.

4. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving at the telecommunications server a request for a graphical map;

providing the graphical map for display on the subscriber'"'"'s telecommunications mobile device; and

receiving compensation from the subscriber based on the provided graphical map.

5. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving at the telecommunications server a request for non-standard information;

providing the non-standard information to the subscriber'"'"'s telecommunications mobile device; and

receiving compensation from the subscriber based on the provided non-standard information, and wherein the non-standard information includes content provided at subscription rates higher than standard subscription rates.

6. The computer-readable medium of claim 1 wherein the computer-readable medium is a memory of the telecommunications server.

7. The computer-readable medium of claim 1 wherein the computer-readable medium is a logical node in a network receiving the contents.

8. The computer-readable medium of claim 1 wherein the computer-readable medium is a computer-readable disk.

9. The computer-readable medium of claim 1 wherein the computer-readable medium is a data transmission medium carrying a generated data signal containing the contents.

10. The computer-readable medium of claim 1 wherein the computer-readable medium is microcode.

11. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving at the telecommunications server a request for a text-to-speech service;

providing the text-to-speech service to the subscriber'"'"'s telecommunications mobile device; and

receiving compensation from the subscriber based on the provided service.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving at the telecommunications server a request for a non-standard location-based service;

providing the non-standard location-based service to the subscriber'"'"'s telecommunications mobile device; and

receiving compensation from the subscriber based on the provided service, and wherein the non-standard location-based service includes features provided at subscription rates higher than standard subscription rates.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving at the telecommunications server a request for traffic information;

providing the traffic information to the subscriber'"'"'s telecommunications mobile device; and

receiving compensation from the subscriber based on the provided information.

14. A method capable of being executed by at least one telecommunications server, wherein the telecommunications server is coupled to a system for providing location-based services to at least one telecommunication mobile device associated with a subscriber, the method comprising:

at the telecommunications server, receiving from the telecommunications mobile device a request to locate a desired type of business;

at the telecommunications server, automatically determining a location of the telecommunications mobile device and providing a response to the requesting telecommunications mobile device, wherein the response includes a location of a select business, and wherein the select business is of the desired type;

receiving compensation from the select business based on the provided response; and

receiving at the telecommunications server a request for non-standard information or services;

providing the non-standard information or services to the subscriber'"'"'s telecommunications mobile device; and

receiving compensation from the subscriber based on the provided non-standard information or services, and wherein the non-standard information or services includes content or features provided at subscription rates higher than standard subscription rates, and wherein the content or features are associated with location-based services for use by the subscriber.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the compensation includes a fraction of any sale consummated by the subscriber at the select business;

and wherein the providing of the response is performed without providing an advertisement for the select business.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

receiving at the telecommunications server a request for a closest restaurant of a desired type;

providing location information of a selected restaurant of the desired type to the subscriber'"'"'s telecommunications mobile device; and

receiving compensation from the selected restaurant of the desired type based on the provided information.

17. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

receiving at the telecommunications server a request for a desired type of location-based information;

providing the desired type of location-based information to the subscriber'"'"'s telecommunications mobile device; and

receiving compensation from the subscriber based on the provided information.

18. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

receiving at the telecommunications server a request for a graphical map;

providing the graphical map for display on the subscriber'"'"'s telecommunications mobile device; and

receiving compensation from the subscriber based on the provided graphical map.

19. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

receiving at the telecommunications server a request for a text-to-speech service;

providing the text-to-speech service to the subscriber'"'"'s telecommunications mobile device; and

receiving compensation from the subscriber based on the provided service.

20. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

receiving at the telecommunications server a request for a non-standard location-based service;

providing the non-standard location-based service to the subscriber'"'"'s telecommunications mobile device; and

receiving compensation from the subscriber based on the provided service.

21. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

receiving at the telecommunications server a request for traffic information;

providing the traffic information to the subscriber'"'"'s telecommunications mobile device; and

receiving compensation from the subscriber based on the provided information.