Method, system and service product for identification of objects

• US 7,400,295 B2
• Filed: 05/08/2006
• Issued: 07/15/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/09/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Eija Lehmuskallio, Jouko Lehmuskallio
• Original Assignee: Eija Lehmuskallio, Jouko Lehmuskallio
• Inventors: Lehmuskallio, Eija, Lehmuskallio, Jouko
• Primary Examiner(s): Tarcza, Thomas H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Liu, Harry
• Application Number:
  US11/574,074
• Publication Number:
  US 20070225899A1
• Time in Patent Office: 799 Days
• Field of Search: 34235701-35717
• US Class Current: 342/357.31
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9537 Spatial or temporal dependent retrieval, e.g. spatiotemporal queries

Abstract

The objects are identified on the basis of location and characteristics. The method is performed by a user device and a service product offering a service with which objects are identified. The object to be identified is positioned and the position of the object is informed to the service to which the user device has connected. The user selects a characteristic presented by the service for an object to be identified. A message containing the position of the object to be identified and the selected characteristic are then sent from the user device to the service product. The service fetches information on the basis of the position of the object and the selected characteristic from a database. The user device with a connection to said service and a service has a database with objects classified on the basis of their position and their characteristic.

Claims

1. A method for identification of objects on a basis of location and one or more characteristics by means of a user device and a service product provider offering a service with which objects are identified, comprising:

determining a position of a user device of a user,

the user sending a request message to a service provider requesting a service to identify objects,

the service provider receiving the request message and selecting identifiable objects based on the position of the user device,

the service provider sending a reply message to the user device, the reply message having a menu of identifiable objects,

the user selecting an identifiable object from the menu, the user determining characteristics of the selected identifiable object,

the user sending a selection message to the service provider,

the selection message comprising the selected identifiable object and the characteristics of the selected identifiable object,

the service provider receiving the selection message and selecting a local database based on the characteristics of the selected identifiable object, the local database having objects classified based on positions and characteristics of the objects,

the service provider sending a request message to the local database,

the service provider searching the local database and matching the characteristics of the selected identifiable object with the objects in the local database,

selecting an object in the local database that match the characteristics of the selected identifiable object, and the service provider sending information about the selected object, obtained from the local database, to the user device.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the user device is a mobile station, and the positioning of the identifiable object is performed by positioning the mobile station.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the positioning of the identifiable object is performed by manually informing the service provider about the position of the object found.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein a service product is in the user device.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the service is requested from the service provider via a public network.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein characteristics are presented to the user device.

7. The method according to claim 1 wherein the selection message further comprises information of terminal capabilities.

8. The method according to claim 1 wherein the service provider fetches information on the basis of time information.

9. The method according to claim 7 wherein the fetched information is presented to the user device on a basis of the terminal capabilities.

10. A system for identification of an object on a basis of a position and one or more properties, comprising:

a user device in communication with a service provider via a public network,

the service provider having a database, the database containing a plurality of objects classified on a basis of characteristics in a hierarchic system of sub-menus,

the user device being in communication with a global positioning system, the user device being in a position,

the user device having sending means for sending a request message to the service provider to request a service to identify objects,

the service provider having means for receiving the request message and selecting identifiable objects based on the position of the user device,

the service providing having means for providing a menu with identifiable objects,

the service provider having means for providing characteristics of the identifiable objects,

the user device having means for selecting an identifiable object and characteristics from the menu,

the service provider having means for selecting a local database based on the characteristics of the selected identifiable objects and positions of the user device,

the service provider having means for searching the selected local database and matching the characteristics of the selected identifiable object with characteristics of objects in the selected local database,

the service provider having means for selecting an object and alternative objects from the local database that match the characteristics of the identifiable object, and

the service provider having means for sending information about the selected object and the alternative objects to the user device.

11. The system according to claim 10 wherein the user device is a mobile station.

12. The system according to claim 11 wherein the mobile station is a GSM phone.

13. The system according to claim 10 wherein a service product is in the user device.

14. The system according to claim 10 wherein the local database has a plurality of sub-menus.

15. The system according to claim 14 wherein the user device is in connection with the service provider through Internet.

16. The system according to claim 10 wherein the database consists of an object menu for each local database and submenus on different levels for the object menu.

17. The system according to claim 16 wherein the system has local databases for different regions in a country.

18. The system according to claim 10 wherein the objects are classified in the database on a basis of different characteristics in a hierarchic system by using submenus.

19. The system according to claim 18 wherein the submenus contain images, text or photographs of the objects.