Mobile electronic device and methods for providing information to a mobile electronic device using a web service

• US 7,532,906 B2
• Filed: 07/29/2005
• Issued: 05/12/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP AG (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Enenkiel, Achim
• Primary Examiner(s): Afshar; Kamran
• Application Number:
  US11/192,289
• Publication Number:
  US 20070026855A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,383 Days
• Field of Search: 455/550.1, 455/425, 4555561-5562, 4554561-457, 455418-429, 455/403, 455/414.1, 370/328, 370/331, 370/338, 709/203, 709218-219, 709/226, 707/203, 707/10
• US Class Current: 455/550.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/53 using third party service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72445 for supporting Internet browser applications
• 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

Abstract

A mobile electronic device and methods for providing information to a mobile electronic device using a web service are disclosed. In one implementation, a mobile electronic device is provided that comprises a request processing component for receiving an information request, a wireless interface for coupling the mobile electronic device to a network in order to obtain an online of the information from a web service, and a storage component for storing an offline version of the information, wherein the request processing component is adapted to send a web service request to the web service in response to the information request if the mobile electronic device is within a network coverage area and otherwise to access the storage component.

Claims

1. A mobile electronic device, comprising:

a request processing component for receiving an information request for information;

a status information component for indicating whether the mobile electronic device is within a network coverage area;

a wireless interface for coupling the mobile electronic device to a network in order to obtain an online version of the information from a web service;

a storage component for storing the offline version of the information, wherein the request processing component is adapted to send a web service request to the web service in response to the information request when the status information component indicates the mobile electronic device is within the network coverage area and is further adapted to access the storage component when the status information component indicates network service is unavailable; and

a time-out component, wherein the time-out component is adapted to signal unavailability of the web service or an alternative web service to the request processing component if no web service response is received within a predetermined time interval after the web service request has been sent.

2. The mobile electronic device of claim 1, further comprising:

an application program component for generating the information request.

3. The mobile electronic device of claim 1, further comprising:

a positioning component for providing geographical position information descriptive of a current geographical position of the mobile electronic device, wherein the information request comprises the geographical position information for specification of the requested information.

4. The mobile electronic device of claim 1, further comprising:

a clock component for providing a time information, wherein the information request comprises the time information for specification of the requested information.

5. The mobile electronic device of claim 1, wherein the wireless interface is adapted to provide status information to the request processing component, the status information being descriptive of a current status of the wireless interface.

6. The mobile electronic device of claim 5, wherein the status information is descriptive of a network coverage status.

7. The mobile electronic device of claim 5, wherein the status information is descriptive of unused data transmission capacity of the wireless interface.

8. The mobile electronic device of claim 1, wherein the request processing component is adapted to access a number of alternative web services in order to resend the web service request to one of the alternative web services if the web service is unavailable.

9. The mobile electronic device of claim 1, further comprising:

an updating component for obtaining the online version of the information from the web service while the mobile electronic device is within the network coverage area.

10. A method of providing information to a mobile electronic device, the method comprising:

receiving an information request for information;

determining whether the mobile electronic device is within a network coverage area;

generating a web service request and sending the web service request to a web service via a wireless interface of the mobile electronic device in order to obtain an online version of the information when it is determined that the mobile electronic device is within the network coverage area;

accessing a storage component of the mobile electronic device if the mobile electronic device is outside the network coverage area in order to obtain an offline version of the information when it is determined that the mobile electronic device is not within the network coverage area; and

accessing a time-out component, wherein the time-out component is adapted to signal unavailability of the web service or an alternative web service to the request processing component if no web service response is received within a predetermined time interval after the web service request has been sent.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the information request is received from an application program component of the mobile electronic device.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the information request comprises at least one of geographic positioning information and time information for specification of the requested information.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the requested information is at least one of traffic information, weather report information, event information and calendar information.

14. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

resending the web service request to a number of alternative web services, if the web service is unavailable.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the alternative web services are selected from a prioritized list of alternative web services.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the web service request is resent after a time-out condition has been met.

17. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

overwriting the offline version of the information with the online version of the information.

18. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

sending an updating web service request to the web service for updating the offline version of the information stored in the storage component.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the updating web service request is sent to the web service via the wireless interface if status information provided by the wireless interface indicates unused data transmission capacity.

20. A computer readable medium comprising instructions, the instructions causing a machine to:

determine and indicate whether the mobile electronic device is within a network coverage area;

generate a web service request and send the web service request to a web service via a wireless interface of the mobile electronic device in order to obtain an online version of requested information when the mobile electronic device is within the network coverage area;

access a storage component of the mobile electronic device if the mobile electronic device is outside the network coverage area in order to obtain an offline version of the requested information; and

a time-out component, wherein the time-out component is adapted to signal unavailability of the web service or an alternative web service to the request processing component if no web service response is received within a predetermined time interval after the web service request has been sent.

21. The computer readable medium of claim 20, wherein an information request for the information is received from an application program component of the mobile electronic device.

22. The computer readable medium of claim 21, wherein the information request comprises at least one of geographic positioning information and time information for specification of the requested information.

23. The computer readable medium of claim 22, wherein the requested information is at least one of traffic information, weather report information, event information and calendar information.

24. The computer readable medium of claim 20, further causing the machine to:

resend the web service request to a number of alternative web services, if the web service is unavailable.

25. The computer readable medium of claim 24, wherein the alternative web services are selected from a prioritized list of alternative web services.

26. The computer readable medium of claim 24, wherein the web service request is resent after a time-out condition has been met.

27. The computer readable medium of claim 20,the readable medium further causing the machine to:

overwrite the offline version of the information with the online version of the information.

28. The computer readable medium of claim 20, the computer readable medium further causing the machine to:

send an updating web service request to the web service for updating the offline version of the information stored in the storage component.

29. The computer readable medium of claim 28, wherein the updating web service request is sent to the web service via the wireless interface if status information provided by the wireless interface indicates unused data transmission capacity.