Wireless communication of context sensitive content, systems methods and computer program product

• US 7,239,871 B2
• Filed: 08/29/2005
• Issued: 07/03/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/27/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Xenogenic Development Limited Liability Company (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: The University of Georgia Research Foundation, Inc.
• Inventors: Boardman, David, Cona, Tom, Shamp, Scott
• Primary Examiner(s): Ferguson; Keith
• Application Number:
  US11/214,383
• Publication Number:
  US 20060046712A1
• Time in Patent Office: 673 Days
• Field of Search: 455/422.1, 455/426.1, 455/426.2, 455/414.1, 455/414.2, 455/414.3, 455/403, 455/406, 455/407, 455/408, 455/456.1, 455/456.2, 455/456.3, 455/500, 455/517, 455/414.4, 455/466, 455/550.1, 455/552.1, 370/328, 370/338, 705/14, 709/219, 709/203, 709/202, 709/228, 709/229, 709/239, 709/218
• US Class Current: 455/422.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0207 Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0267 Wireless devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0273 Determination of fees for advertising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0277 Online advertisement
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/58 Message adaptation for wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/56 Provisioning of proxy services store-and-forward switching systems in data switching networks H04L12/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/565 Conversion or adaptation of application format or content adding application control or application functional data H04L67/561
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/18 Information format or content conversion, e.g. adaptation by the network of the transmitted or received information for the purpose of wireless delivery to users or terminals

Abstract

The present invention pertains to systems, methods and computer program product that allows businesses, governments and other organizations to quickly and easily develop content in a customizable format that can be delivered within a wireless network. A wireless content delivery engine adapts content to a variety of formats suited to mobile and portable device platforms. More particularly, the present invention provides a structured content system which uses an array of wireless technologies to deliver context (time, location, and people) sensitive information to users in a defined geographic area through one or more wireless technologies including wireless fidelity and wireless telephony.

Claims

1. A wireless communications system comprising:

a wireless cloud formed of one or more wireless fidelity (Wi-Fi) antennas in a defined geographical area capable of communicating wirelessly with one or more wireless fidelity enabled devices;

a wireless cloud host server in communication with at least said wireless cloud and having an Internet connection; and

a cellular gateway that provides communication between a wireless telephony network and wireless telephony devices and the Internet,

wherein said wireless cloud host server is executing a modified chat bot computer program product that manages communication between the wireless telephony devices and the wireless fidelity enabled devices by communicating with said wireless telephony devices in the form of text messaging and by communicating with said wireless fidelity enabled devices in the form of web pages.

2. The wireless communication system of claim 1, wherein said text messaging uses the SMS or MMS protocol.

3. The wireless communication system of claim 1, wherein said modified chat bot computer program product operating on said wireless cloud host server triggers the storing and retrieval and presentation of information in a storage device associated with the wireless cloud host server based on the receipt by said wireless cloud host server of certain triggering information either via the Internet, a wireless telephony device or a wireless fidelity enabled device.

4. The wireless communication system of claim 3, wherein said modified chat bot computer program stores in said storage device associated with said wireless cloud host server information related to the location of a first user of said wireless cloud and said location information is provided to the wireless fidelity enabled device associated with a second user of said wireless cloud based upon a request from said second user and authorization of said second user by said first user.

5. The wireless communication system of claim 1, wherein said modified chat bot computer program product operating on said wireless cloud host server determines whether a user is logged on to the wireless cloud with at least one wireless fidelity enabled device and, if so, communication is routed to said wireless fidelity enabled device, else communication is routed to at least one wireless telephony device associated with said user.

6. The wireless communication system of claim 1, wherein said system provides a user'"'"'s wireless fidelity enabled device via said wireless cloud coupons or discounts for businesses, organizations or entities located within said defined geographical area and said coupons or discounts are presented based on the location of the user or the time of day.

7. The wireless communication system of claim 1, further comprising a content provider graphical user interface (GUI) for interfacing with said wireless cloud host server, wherein said content provider GUI allows customization of wireless fidelity templates for the wireless cloud and said templates are customizable by content providers within the defined geographical area for presentation to the wireless fidelity enabled devices of users.

8. The wireless communication system of claim 7, further comprising an end-user graphical user interface (GUI) capable of operating on various platforms and capable of presenting in a designated format information that is received by said platform via the wireless cloud, wherein said platform is determined by said modified chat bot computer program product.

9. The wireless communication system of claim 8, wherein said various platforms comprise one or more of PDAs, smart-phones, cell phones, laptop computers, desktop computer and kiosks.

10. The wireless communication system of claim 8, wherein said information presented a user'"'"'s platform via said wireless cloud comprises graphical or textual instructions or directions.

11. The wireless communication system of claim 1, wherein said system is used to provide one or more of the following forms of communication between a user of the wireless communication system and at least one other user:

VoIP;

instant messaging;

radio frequency identification (RFID);

buddy list with search and preferences;

time-based content comprised of one or more of advertisements, coupons, or auto-payments using a credit card;

geographical-based searches; and

geographical and time-based searches.

12. A computer readable medium embodied with a computer program product comprised of code that is executable by a processor of a computer comprising:

a first executable portion operating on said processor that determines whether a user is logged on to a wireless cloud network with a wireless fidelity enabled device and, if so, communication is routed to said wireless fidelity enabled device in the form of a web page, else communication is routed to a wireless telephony device associated with said user in the form of a text message; and

a second executable portion operating on said processor that receives and stores certain user profile information including said user'"'"'s telephone number and location in a database associated with the computer and provides said information to authorized users, said information provided in the form of web pages or text messages, depending upon whether the authorized user is logged on to the wireless cloud network or not.

13. The computer readable medium embodied with a computer program product of claim 12, wherein said computer is a wireless cloud host server.

14. The computer readable medium embodied with a computer program product of claim 12, wherein said communication routed to said wireless fidelity enabled device in the form of a web page utilizes robust pre-fabricated templates having customized content supplied by businesses, organizations and entities located within the geographic area of said wireless cloud network.

15. A method of providing content in a wireless communication network, said method comprising the steps of:

establishing a wireless cloud network by an environment manager, wherein said wireless cloud network includes a host server and said host server executes a modified chat bot computer program product;

providing one or more content templates that are accessible via said wireless cloud network, wherein said content templates enable a content provider to customize one or more web pages of content information that is available over said wireless cloud network and said web pages contain content information relevant to said content provider and storing said templates and said content information in a memory area associated with said host server;

formatting said content information such that it may be displayed on more than one wireless fidelity enabled platform;

matching said content information with one or more end-users that have indicated an interest in said content information in a user profile established on said host server;

determining an appropriate format for the wireless fidelity enabled platform corresponding to the one or more end users and obtaining the appropriately formatted content information that corresponds to the determined platform; and

transmitting said content information to the one or more end users.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising the steps of:

receiving a request at said host server for said content information from a requesting end user;

determining an appropriate format for the wireless fidelity enabled platform making the request and obtaining the appropriately formatted content information that corresponds to the determined platform; and

transmitting said content information to the requesting end user.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein before transmitting said content information to the requesting end user, a computer program product on said host server determines whether said requesting end user is logged onto said wireless cloud network and if said requesting user is not logged on to said wireless cloud network, said content information is transmitted to a wireless telephony device associated with said requesting user in the form of a text message.

18. A method of using wireless templates in providing content in wireless cloud networks, said method comprising the steps of:

providing prefabricated templates that are accessible over a network, wherein said prefabricated templates are comprised of one or more of primary templates, secondary templates, and communication features;

receiving from content providers that are located within the geographical coverage area of a wireless cloud network the content to form populated prefabricated templates;

providing an end-user graphical user interface capable of operating on various platforms and capable of presenting in a designated format at least a portion of the content of a populated prefabricated template, wherein said information is received by said platform via the wireless cloud network; and

providing at least a portion of said content from said populated prefabricated templates to wireless fidelity enabled devices associated with end users of the wireless cloud network based on the current location of the end user or the current time of day.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the primary templates are for one or more of food, art, or shopping.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the secondary templates are for one or more of festivals, city services, maps, walking tours or transportation.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein the communications features are for one or more of people finders, chat, or VoIP.

22. The method of claim 18, further comprising the step of establishing an end user profile on said wireless cloud network such that only end user-specified content that is comprised of at least a portion of said content from said populated prefabricated templates is presented to a wireless fidelity enabled device associated with the end user of a wireless cloud network.

23. The method of claim 18, wherein the step of receiving from content providers that are located within the geographical coverage area of a wireless cloud network the content to form populated prefabricated templates comprises a graphical user interface for customization of said prefabricated templates.

24. The method of claim 18, wherein said platforms include one or more of PDAs, smart-phones, cell phones, laptop computers, desktop computers, or kiosks.

25. The system of claim 18, wherein providing at least a portion of said content from said populated prefabricated templates to wireless fidelity enabled devices associated with end users of the wireless cloud network based on the current location of the end user or the current time of day comprises providing graphical or textual instructions or directions.

26. A method of providing content in a wireless communication network, said method comprising the steps of:

establishing a wireless cloud network by an environment manager, wherein said wireless cloud network includes a host server and said host server executes a modified chat bot computer program product;

providing one or more content templates that are accessible via said wireless cloud network, wherein said content templates enable a content provider to customize one or more web pages of content information that is available over said wireless cloud network and said web pages contain content information relevant to said content provider and storing said templates and said content information in a memory area associated with said host server;

formatting said content information such that it may be displayed on more than one wireless fidelity enabled platform;

determining an appropriate format for the wireless fidelity enabled platform corresponding to one or more end users of said wireless communication network, obtaining the appropriately formatted content information that corresponds to the determined platform; and

transmitting said content information to the one or more end users.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein before transmitting said content information to the one or more end users, a computer program product on said host server determines whether a certain end user is logged onto said wireless cloud network and if said end user is not logged on to said wireless cloud network, said content information is transmitted to a wireless telephony device associated with said end user in the form of a text message.