System and method for using location information to execute an action

• US 7,412,234 B2
• Filed: 09/15/2006
• Issued: 08/12/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: At&T Delaware Intellectual Property, Inc. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Zellner, Samuel N.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cumming, William D
• Application Number:
  US11/522,239
• Publication Number:
  US 20070010260A1
• Time in Patent Office: 697 Days
• Field of Search: 455/419, 340/568.1, 340/825.49
• US Class Current: 455/456.3
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/12 Discovery or management of network topologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/107 wherein the security policies are location-dependent, e.g. entities privileges depend on current location or allowing specific operations only from locally connected terminals
• 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 8/245 from a network towards a terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/265 for initial activation of new user

Abstract

Provided are methods for executing an action in response to a request for a service using location information in conjunction with service-specific parameters. A user may request a provider of a specified service (e.g., taxi, plumber, pharmacist, etc.). In evaluating the request, providers may be evaluated based on the location information in addition to service-specific parameters. An action in response may include merely displaying selected service provider(s) in response to the request, or acting on behalf of the user by communicating with a selected service provider.

Claims

1. An apparatus for selecting a service from a plurality of services, the apparatus comprising:

a handheld location system for obtaining a current location of the apparatus, wherein the handheld location system communicates the current location of the apparatus to a feature server;

a wireless communication device, wherein the wireless communication device is in communication with the feature server, the wireless communication device comprising;

a memory storage; and

a processing unit coupled to the memory storage, wherein the processing unit is operative to select the service from the plurality of services from the feature server wherein the processing unit being operative to select the service comprises the processing unit being operative to;

display an interface that includes a service selection entry area, and a service-specific parameter entry area,

send contents of the two entry areas to the feature server, and

receive a selection of the service back from the feature server.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus comprises a cellular telephone.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the handheld location system is configured to use the Global Positioning System (GPS) to determine the current location of the apparatus.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the handheld location system is configured to process a location information to determine the current location of the apparatus.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the location information comprises a point coordinate.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the handheld location system is configured to use a cellular telephone site location to determine the current location of the apparatus.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising the feature server in communication with the wireless communication device, the feature server being wireless application protocol (WAP) compatible.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the service provides instructions configured to activate an external device external to the wireless communication device.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the service initiates a function on the wireless communication device.

10. A method for selecting a service from a plurality of services, the method comprising:

defining at least one location based subscriber rule;

defining at least one location information subscriber rule;

monitoring a location of a wireless communication device, wherein monitoring the location of the wireless communication device comprises generating location information according to the at least one location information subscriber rule when the wireless communication device is in use; and

activating the service from the plurality of services according to the at least one location based subscriber rule, wherein the service includes implementing personalized features, when the location of the wireless communication device satisfies the location based subscriber rule, associated with the wireless communication device at the location dependent upon a user preference at the location.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

detecting a change in location of the wireless communication device; and

notifying a user of the change in location.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

detecting a change in location of the wireless communication device; and

activating a second service according to the at least one subscriber rule and in response to the change in location of the wireless communication device.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein activating the first service comprise activating the first service on the wireless communication device.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein activating the first service comprise activating the first service on an external device external to the wireless communication device.

15. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

establishing a habit based upon the generated location information; and

converting the habit to a second location based subscriber rule.

16. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

receiving a request for the service; and

providing a list of service providers based at least upon the location of the wireless communication device.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

predicting a future location of the wireless communication device; and

updating the list of service providers based upon the future location of the wireless communication device.

18. A system for selecting a service from a plurality of services, the system comprising:

a memory storage; and

a processing unit coupled to the memory storage, wherein the processing unit is operative to;

defining at least one location based subscriber rule;

defining at least one location information subscriber rule;

monitoring a location of a wireless communication device, wherein monitoring the location of the wireless communication device comprises generating location information according to the at least one location information subscriber rule; and

activating the service from the plurality of services according to the at least one location based subscriber rule, wherein the service includes implementing personalized features, when the location of the wireless communication device satisfies the location based subscriber rule, associated with the wireless communication device at the location dependent upon a user preference at the location.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the first service comprises a function of the wireless communication device.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the first service comprises a function of an external device external to the wireless communication device.