Method and apparatus for wirelessly networked distributed resource usage for data gathering

• US 7,194,512 B1
• Filed: 06/26/2001
• Issued: 03/20/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Palm, Inc. (TCL Technology Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Creemer, David Z., Flores, Roger
• Primary Examiner(s): Dalencourt; Yves
• Application Number:
  US09/893,189
• Time in Patent Office: 2,093 Days
• Field of Search: 709/200, 709/205, 709/207, 709/201, 709/202, 709/203, 709/217, 709/218, 709/219, 707/104.1, 707/103.R, 705/26, 455/410, 340/531, 342/357.13
• US Class Current: 709/205
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0226 Incentive systems for frequent usage, e.g. frequent flyer miles programs or point systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0241 Advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• 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 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/033 of the user plane, e.g. user's traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/00 Supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements
• 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 4/20 Services signaling; Auxiliary data signalling, i.e. transmitting data via a non-traffic channel
• 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 system for gathering, collecting, and supplying geographically distributed data. In one embodiment, geographically distributed data is gathered in a server-commanded mode, such that the user of an electronic device need not participate in the capturing or transmitting of the data. In another embodiment, a server initiates requests the user of an electronic device to input data and the data then transmitted to the server. In another embodiment, a user initiates the capture of data with an electronic device and the electronic device transmits the data to a computer server. In another embodiment, the gathering of geographically distributed data is accomplished by the user of an electronic device instructing his electronic device to automatically collect input data and the data is then transmitted to a computer server. In embodiments of the present invention, the electronic device is a palm-sized computer system.

Claims

1. In a computer server connected to a plurality of electronic devices via a wireless communication link, a method of commanding said electronic devices to gather geographically distributed data comprising:

selecting an electronic device;

requesting current location of said selected electronic device;

receiving said requested current location from said selected electronic device;

skipping further communication with said selected electronic device if said received current location is not within a predetermined geographic area;

generating a command to said electronic device to identify at least one data category that said electronic device is capable of monitoring;

commanding said selected electronic device to capture geographically distributed data related to said data category and wherein said geographically distributed data is automatically captured by said selected electronic device in response to said commanding;

receiving said automatically captured geographically distributed data;

verifying the identity of selected electronic device;

storing said received geographically distributed data; and

crediting a value to an account corresponding to said selected electronic device.

2. In an electronic device connected to a wireless communication link, a method of collecting geographically distributed data comprising:

receiving a command from a server to identify at least one data category that said electronic device is capable of monitoring;

skipping said electronic device if said electronic device cannot capture data related to said data category;

receiving a command to capture said geographically distributed data and wherein said geographically distributed data is related to said data category;

automatically capturing said geographically distributed data;

transmitting said automatically captured geographically distributed data to said server;

sending a verifiable identity of said electronic device; and

crediting a value to an account corresponding to said electronic device.

3. The method as described in claim 2 wherein said transmitted geographically distributed data is encrypted.

4. In a portable electronic device connected to a wireless communication link, said portable electronic device corresponding to a user, a method for said portable electronic device to supply geographically distributed data to a server comprising:

receiving a command from said user to automatically capture data and receiving one or more data types from said user;

if a data type of said data to be captured is one of said received data types needed for supplying to said server, automatically capturing said data;

transmitting said automatically captured data to said server and wherein said automatically captured data comprises location data of said portable electronic device;

sending a verifiable identity of said portable electronic device; and

crediting a value to an account corresponding to said portable electronic device.

5. The method as described in claim 4 wherein said portable electronic device is a hand held computer system.

6. The method as described in claim 4 wherein said portable electronic device is a wireless telephone.

7. The method as described in claim 4 wherein said transmitted data is encrypted.

8. In a portable electronic device connected to a wireless communication link, said portable electronic device corresponding to a user, a method for said portable electronic device to gather geographically distributed data comprising:

receiving a command from said user to enable said gathering of data automatically and wherein said data comprises location data of said portable electronic device and receiving one or more data types from said user;

if said enabling is done, determining a plurality of times to start automatically capturing data;

if said enabling is done and if a data type of said data to be captured is one of said received data types, automatically capturing said data at each said start time, said automatically capturing being done without intervention from the user;

if said enabling is done, automatically transmitting said captured data;

if said enabling is done, sending a verifiable identity of said portable electronic device; and

crediting a value to an account corresponding to said portable electronic device.

9. The method as described in claim 8 wherein said portable electronic device is a hand held computer system.

10. The method as described in claim 8 wherein said portable electronic device is a wireless telephone.