System for connecting users with location specific information from official and unofficial sources

• US 7,218,941 B1
• Filed: 03/12/2004
• Issued: 05/15/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LP (Hewlett-Packard Enterprise Company)
• Original Assignee: Spotlight Mobile, Inc.
• Inventors: Farina, Nicholas L., Kubo, Kiyokaz J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran; CongVan
• Application Number:
  US10/801,522
• Time in Patent Office: 1,159 Days
• Field of Search: 4554561-4566, 455/9, 455/13.2, 342/357.07, 342/458
• US Class Current: 455/456.6
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

A system for providing users with location specific information about where they are, social information about what other users are thinking, and navigational information about where they would like to go and how to get there is proposed. The system is comprised of a mobile device, a content server, a communications link between the device and the servers, and a way to determine a current location. The system is then housed in a travel sized briefcase/box.

Claims

1. A method for using a mobile device, comprising:

receiving a single signal transmitted from an access point in an environment, the transmitted single signal including a transmitted signal strength;

determining a received signal strength for the single signal transmitted from the access point;

comparing the received signal strength with a threshold signal strength for the access point, the threshold signal strength for the access point stored in a storage on the mobile device;

determining a location for the mobile device in the environment as the access point if the signal strength exceeds the threshold signal strength; and

presenting data to a user on the mobile device, the data contingent on the location of the mobile device in the environment.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein:

receiving a single signal includes receiving a plurality of single signals from a plurality of access points in the environment;

determining a strength includes determining a strength for each signal from each access point;

comparing the signal strength includes comparing the signal strength with a threshold signal strength for each access point, the threshold signal strength for the access point stored in a storage on the mobile device; and

determining a location includes determining the location for the mobile device in the environment as a first access point with a highest signal strength for the first access point relative to a threshold signal strength for the first access point.

3. A method according to claim 2, wherein receiving a plurality of signals from a plurality of access points in the environment includes receiving the plurality of signals from the plurality of access points in the environment, each of the plurality of signals capable of carrying the data.

4. A method according to claim 3, further comprising accessing the data from a storage on a server from the mobile device using the signal with the highest signal strength.

5. A method according to claim 1, further comprising accessing the data from the storage on the mobile device.

6. A method according to claim 5, further comprising synchronizing the storage on the mobile device with a second storage on a server.

7. A method according to claim 6, wherein synchronizing the storage on the mobile device with a second storage on a server includes synchronizing the storage on the mobile device with a second storage on a server using the single signal.

8. A method according to claim 1, further comprising accessing the data from a storage on a server.

9. A method according to claim 8, wherein:

the single signal contains the data; and

accessing the data from a storage on a server includes decoding the data from the single signal.

10. A method according to claim 1, further comprising repeating the steps of receiving a single signal, determining a strength, comparing the signal strength with a threshold signal strength, determining a location, and presenting data to a user on the mobile device, the data contingent on the location of the mobile device in an environment.

11. A method according to claim 1, further comprising receiving an annotation from the user.

12. A method according to claim 11, wherein receiving an annotation includes associating the annotation with the location of the mobile device.

13. A method according to claim 12, further comprising making the annotation available to a second mobile device in the location.

14. A method for using a mobile device, comprising:

receiving a signal from an access point in an environment;

determining a strength for the signal from the access point;

comparing the signal strength with a threshold signal strength for the access point, the threshold signal strength for the access point stored in a storage on the mobile device;

determining a location for the mobile device in the environment as the access point if the signal strength exceeds the threshold signal strength;

presenting data to a user on the mobile device, the data contingent on the location of the mobile device in the environment; and

logging an activity of the mobile device.

15. A method according to claim 14, wherein logging an activity includes logging an input to the mobile device by the user.

16. A method according to claim 15, wherein logging an input to the mobile device by the user includes associating the input with the location of the mobile device.

17. A method according to claim 16, further comprising making the input available to a second mobile device in the location.

18. A method according to claim 14, logging an activity includes logging the data presented to the user.

19. A method according to claim 14, further comprising synchronizing the log of the activity with a server.

20. A method according to claim 19, further comprising accessing the log from the server by the user from a computer.

21. A method according to claim 19, wherein synchronizing the log of the activity with a server includes synchronizing the log of the activity with the server using the signal.

22. A method for using a mobile device, comprising:

receiving a single signal from an access point in an environment;

determining a signal strength for the single signal from the access point;

comparing the signal strength with a threshold signal strength for the access point, the threshold signal strength for the access point stored in a storage on the mobile device;

determining a location for the mobile device in the environment as the access point if the signal strength exceeds the threshold signal strength;

presenting data to a user on the mobile device, the data contingent on the location of the mobile device in the environment;

logging an activity of the mobile device, wherein logging the activity includes;

logging an input to the mobile device by the user; and

logging the data presented to the user; and

synchronizing the log of the activity with a server.

23. A method for using a mobile device, comprising:

receiving a plurality of single signals transmitted from a plurality of access points in an environment, the transmitted single signals including a transmitted signal strength;

determining a received signal strength for each of the single signals transmitted from the access points;

comparing the received signal strengths with a threshold signal strength for each of the access points, the threshold signal strength for each of the access points stored in a storage on the mobile device;

determining the location for the mobile device in the environment as a first access point, wherein the signal strength above the threshold signal strength for the first access point is higher than the signal strengths above the threshold signal strengths of the remaining access points;

presenting data to a user on the mobile device, the data related to the first access point; and

synchronizing the storage on the mobile device with a second storage on a server.