Retrieving media items to a mobile device
First Claim
1. A method of retrieving a data item to a mobile device carried by a first user visiting a real-world space, the data item being available from a service system to mobile devices of users visiting the space, the method comprising:
- (a) keeping a record on an on-going basis of which mobile devices in said space, if any, hold or are likely to be holding the data item;
(b) seeking to retrieve the data item to the first user'"'"'s mobile device by requesting transfer only from mobile devices that, according to said record, hold or are likely to be holding the data item; and
(c) in the event that (b) is unsuccessful, retrieving the data item to the first user'"'"'s mobile device by transfer from the service system.
6 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A user visiting a space is equipped with a mobile device in communication with a service system. Media items held by the service system are associated with various locations around the space and a user arriving at such a location is presented with the corresponding item or items. Preferably, these media items are preemptively loaded into a cache of the user'"'"'s mobile device in dependence on the user'"'"'s progress around the space. Items can also be flushed from cache on this basis. In order to reduce load on the service system and the related communication infrastructure, a media item needed by a mobile device is first sought from a nearby device using a short-range communication mechanism.
22 Citations
28 Claims
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1. A method of retrieving a data item to a mobile device carried by a first user visiting a real-world space, the data item being available from a service system to mobile devices of users visiting the space, the method comprising:
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(a) keeping a record on an on-going basis of which mobile devices in said space, if any, hold or are likely to be holding the data item; (b) seeking to retrieve the data item to the first user'"'"'s mobile device by requesting transfer only from mobile devices that, according to said record, hold or are likely to be holding the data item; and (c) in the event that (b) is unsuccessful, retrieving the data item to the first user'"'"'s mobile device by transfer from the service system. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method of retrieving a data item to a mobile device carried by a first user visiting a real-world space, the data item being one of a plurality of data items available from a service system to mobile devices of users visiting the space, each one of said plurality of data items having a respective associated location in said space, the method comprising:
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(a) seeking to retrieve the data item to the first user'"'"'s mobile device by transfer from another mobile device in said space; and (b) in the event that (a) is unsuccessful, retrieving the data item to the first user'"'"'s mobile device by transfer from the service system;
the method further comprisingan on-going process in which said space is treated as divided into zones and, for each zone, upon a mobile device exiting the zone, it transfers the data items it holds that have associated locations in the zone being exited to devices, if any, still in said zone to increase the likelihood of (a) being successfully effected from a mobile device in the same zone as the first-user'"'"'s mobile device.
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15. An arrangement for retrieving a data item to a mobile device carried by a first user visiting a real-world space, the data item being available from a service system to mobile devices of users visiting said space, the arrangement comprising:
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record means for keeping an on-going record of which mobile devices, if any, hold or are likely to be holding the data item; first retrieval means for seeking to retrieve the data item to the first user'"'"'s mobile device by transfer from another mobile device and including enquiry means for carrying out an enquiry limited to mobile devices that, according to said record, hold or are likely to be holding the data item; second retrieval means for retrieving the data item to the first user'"'"'s mobile device by transfer from the service system; and control means for organising retrieval of the data item by first causing the first retrieval means to seek to retrieve the data item and then, if this is unsuccessful, causing the second retrieval means to retrieve the data item. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. An arrangement for retrieving a data item to a mobile device carried by a first user visiting a real-world space, the data item being one of a plurality of data items available from a service system to mobile devices of users visiting the space, each one of said plurality of data items having a respective associated location in said space, the arrangement comprising:
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first retrieval means for seeking to retrieve the data item to the first user'"'"'s mobile device by transfer from another mobile device; second retrieval means for retrieving the data item to the first user'"'"'s mobile device by transfer from the service system; control means for organising retrieval of the data item by first causing the first retrieval means to seek to retrieve the data item and then, if this is unsuccessful, causing the second retrieval means to retrieve the data item; and transfer means for executing an on-going process in which said space is treated as divided into zones and, for each zone, upon a mobile device exiting the zone, it transfers the data items it holds that have associated locations in the zone being exited to devices, if any, still in said zone to increase the likelihood of the data item being successfully retrieved from a mobile device in the same zone as the first-user'"'"'s mobile device.
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Specification