Transmitting an assignment through wireless transmission

• US 7,899,470 B2
• Filed: 02/14/2008
• Issued: 03/01/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Pierre-Louis, Marc-Arthur, Sethuraman, Radhakrishnan, Bhakta, Dharmesh N.
• Primary Examiner(s): Trinh; Sonny
• Application Number:
  US12/031,330
• Publication Number:
  US 20080139185A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,111 Days
• Field of Search: 455/456.3, 455/414.1, 455/456.4, 455/456.5, 455/456.6, 455/414.2, 455/457, 455/435.1, 455/435.2, 455/1, 455/41.2, 455/422.1, 340/10.1, 340/10.42, 340/3.1, 340/5.1, 340/540
• US Class Current: 455/456.4
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/02 Access restriction performed under specific conditions

Abstract

A customer automatically receiving an assignment on his wireless device without the need to visit a reservation desk is provided. When the customer initially makes a reservation with a vendor, a computer records the wireless device'"'"'s identification. When the customer arrives at or near the vendor'"'"'s location, the system creates an out-of-range condition for the wireless device by shielding a portion of a location that the customer will be passing through. In response, the wireless device re-scans the control channels in an attempt to establish better communications with a wireless communication tower. A transceiver positioned in the transition zone transmits a channel that is detected and locked-on by the wireless device. The wireless device transmits its identification to the transceiver, which in turn forwards it to the computer. The computer sends assignment information to the wireless device.

Claims

1. In a cellular telecommunications network, a system for transmitting an assignment to a wireless device, comprising:

a computer for receiving a first identification of a first wireless device and a reservation associated with the first wireless device;

a transition zone for creating an out of range condition on a second wireless device;

in response to creating the out of range condition, the computer for receiving a second identification of the second wireless device from the second wireless device;

the computer for comparing the first identification to the second identification and in response to a match, verifying the reservation; and

the computer for transmitting an assignment to the first wireless device in response to verifying the reservation.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the computer stores the reservation and the first identification of the first wireless device.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the first and second identifications are telephone numbers.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the transition zone comprises:

shielding and/or a signal jammer; and

in response to the second wireless device entering the transition zone, the shielding and/or signal jammer causes the second wireless device to rescan for a channel.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the transition zone further comprises:

a transceiver for transmitting a channel in the transition zone;

the transceiver for receiving the second identification of the second wireless device on the channel; and

the transceiver for transmitting the second identification to the computer.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the computer further comprises:

the computer for comparing the first identification to the second identification and in response to a match, retrieving the reservation associated with the first wireless device;

the computer for comparing an arrival date in the reservation with a current date and in response to a match, verifying the reservation; and

in response to verifying the reservation, the computer for assigning an object to the first wireless device in accordance with the reservation, thereby making the assignment.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the computer further comprises:

the computer calling the first wireless device and leaving a text message of the assignment of the object or an audio message of the assignment of the object.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

the computer transmitting lock information to the first wireless device to enable the wireless device to function as a key.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the lock information is a code to a cipher lock.