Location-based services for mobile stations using short range wireless technology

• US 7,551,930 B2
• Filed: 05/06/2002
• Issued: 06/23/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/06/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Lempio, Jarkko, Heinonen, Tomi
• Primary Examiner(s): Tsang; Fan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hashem; Lisa
• Application Number:
  US10/140,399
• Publication Number:
  US 20030207683A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,605 Days
• Field of Search: 455/41.2, 455/456.3, 455/419, 455/435.1, 455/456.4, 455/456.5, 455/566, 455/432.3, 455/457
• US Class Current: 455/456.3
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72451 according to schedules, e.g. using calendar applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72457 according to geographic location
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/02 including a Bluetooth interface
• 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 48/04 based on user or terminal location or mobility data, e.g. moving direction, speed
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/245 from a network towards a terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/10 between terminal device and access point, i.e. wireless air interface

Abstract

A system and method for location-dependent services for mobile stations using short range wireless technology such as Bluetooth. In an advantageous embodiment, the location-based service is a suggested profile change for a mobile station. A suggested profile may be a mode of operation for the mobile station'"'"'s current location (e.g., silence in a meeting room) and may be accompanied by the period of time that the profile is valid and a timer value for a forced change to the suggested profile in the absence of user interaction. In response to a prompt from a mobile station that has received a suggested profile, a user may either accept or cancel the suggested profile. Various mechanisms are disclosed for ensuring that services such as a suggested profile change is sent to mobile stations having more than a passing association with the access point'"'"'s coverage area.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

determining a length of time that each of a plurality of mobile stations has been in an access point coverage area;

identifying mobile stations that have been in the coverage area for a predefined period of time; and

transmitting data relating to a service to the identified mobile stations based on the length of time that each mobile station has been in the coverage area,

wherein the data relating to the service is transmitted first to mobile stations that have been in the coverage area longer.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the service is a profile change.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein whether the mobile station has been in the coverage area for the predefined period of time includes determining whether the length of time that the mobile station has been in the access point coverage area equals the predefined period of time.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the data includes a profile.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the data further includes a profile duration.

6. The method of claim 4 wherein the data further includes a timer value for a forced change in an absence of user interaction.

7. The method of claim 4 wherein the data includes a name of the access point.

8. The method of claim 3 wherein the profile restricts a mode of operation of the mobile station and the data further includes a timer value for a forced change to the restrictive profile upon expiration of the timer value in an absence of user interaction.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the service is transmitted to the mobile stations via a short range wireless connection.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the wireless connection is Bluetooth.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the data relating to the service is transmitted to each one of the mobile stations until a maximum number of active connections available at an access point has been reached.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein identifying mobile stations that have been in the coverage area for a predefined period of time comprises:

identifying mobile stations that are eligible to receive the service upon being in the coverage area for the predefined period of time.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein identifying mobile stations that are eligible includes selecting mobile stations from a list of eligible mobile stations.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein mobile station eligibility is based on a mobile station being a member of a class of devices.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the class of devices is a mobile phone class.

16. The method of claim 12 wherein mobile station eligibility is based on a characteristic of a user of a mobile station.

17. The method of claim 1 wherein determining a length of time comprises,

an access point sending inquiries to detect the presence of the mobile station without establishing an active communication connection with the mobile station;

receiving inquiry responses from the mobile station; and

after detecting, from a plurality of the inquiry responses, that the mobile station has remained within the coverage area for the predefined period of time, the access point initiating an active communication connection with the mobile station to provide the data relating to the service.

18. The method of claim 1, further comprising only establishing an active communication connection to a mobile station upon determining that the mobile station has been in the coverage area for the predefined period of time.

19. An apparatus, comprising:

a processor configured to;

determine a length of time that each of a plurality of mobile stations has been in an access point coverage area;

identify mobile stations that have been in the coverage area for a predetermined period of time; and

transmit data relating to a service to the identified mobile stations based on the length of time that each mobile station has been in the coverage area,

wherein the data relating to the service is transmitted first to mobile stations that have been in the coverage area longer.

20. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein identifying mobile stations that have been in the coverage area for a predetermined period of time comprises:

identifying mobile stations that are eligible to receive the service upon being in the coverage area for the predetermined period of time.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein identifying mobile stations that are eligible includes selecting mobile stations from a list of eligible mobile stations.

22. The apparatus of claim 20 wherein mobile station eligibility is based on a mobile station being a member of a class of devices.

23. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein the class of devices is a mobile phone class.

24. The apparatus of claim 20 wherein mobile station eligibility is based on a characteristic of a user of a mobile station.

25. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein to determine a length of time that a mobile station has been in an access point coverage area comprises the processor being further configured to:

send inquiries to detect the presence of the mobile station without establishing an active communication connection with the mobile station;

receive inquiry responses from the mobile station; and

after detecting, from a plurality of the inquiry responses, that the mobile station has remained within the coverage area for the predefined period of time, initiate an active communication connection with the mobile station to provide the data relating to the service.

26. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein the service is a profile change.

27. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein the data includes a profile.

28. The apparatus of claim 27 wherein the data further includes a profile duration.

29. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein the data includes information about locally available services.

30. The apparatus of claim 29 wherein the information comprises an advertisement.

31. The apparatus of claim 19 further comprising a memory.

32. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein said memory includes program code that when executed causes the processor to perform said determining, identifying and transmitting.

33. A method, comprising:

determining a length of time that each of a plurality of mobile stations has been in an access point coverage area;

identifying mobile stations that have been in the coverage area for a predefined period of time; and

transmitting data relating to a profile change to the identified mobile stations based on the length of time that each mobile station has been in the coverage area,

wherein the data relating to the profile change is transmitted first to mobile stations that have been in the coverage area longer.

34. An apparatus, comprising:

means for determining a length of time that each of a plurality of mobile stations has been in an access point coverage area;

means for identifying mobile stations that have been in the coverage area for a predetermined period of time; and

means for transmitting data relating to a service to the identified mobile stations based on the length of time that each mobile station has been in the coverage area,

wherein the data relating the service is transmitted first to mobile stations that have been in the coverage area longer.

35. The apparatus of claim 34, wherein said data relating to a service includes information about locally available services.