Broadcast/multicast service method based on user location information

• US 8,077,687 B2
• Filed: 02/05/2009
• Issued: 12/13/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Shim, Dong-Hee, Shon, Min-Jung, Son, Sung-Mu, Han, Kyu-Sung
• Primary Examiner(s): MILLER, BRANDON J
• Application Number:
  US12/366,605
• Publication Number:
  US 20090141665A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,041 Days
• Field of Search: 370/338, 370/328, 370/312, 370/432, 455/466, 4554561-4566, 4554121-4122, 4554141-4143, 455418-420
• US Class Current: 370/338
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/189 in combination with wireless systems selective distribution or broadcast in wireless communication networks H04W4/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• 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 4/06 Selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS]; Services to user groups; One-way selective calling services

Abstract

A method and device for providing a broadcast/multicast service are discussed. According to an embodiment, the invention provides a method comprising: receiving, by a client module, a service guide including contents information with respect to one or more contents from a broadcast/multicast server; transmitting, by the client module, a broadcast/multicast request message with respect to contents selected by a user of a specific terminal among the contents information included in the received service guide to the broadcast/multicast server; transmitting, by the client module, a location tracking request message with respect to the specific terminal to a network entity; receiving a response message with respect to the location tracking request message, the response message including a location tracking result from the network entity; transmitting, by the client module, location information of the specific terminal to the broadcast/multicast server.

Claims

1. A broadcast/multicast service method based on user location information, the method comprising:

transmitting, by a broadcast/multicast server which has received certain contents from a contents provider, a service guide including service-available area information to one or more terminals,

wherein the service-available area information allows for location based targeting of services based on target areas in which the broadcast/multicast service is available;

receiving, by the broadcast/multicast server, a broadcast/multicast request message with respect to one or more contents selected by a user of a specific terminal from the service guide;

receiving current location information of the specific terminal from the specific terminal, the current location information of the specific terminal indicating an exact current location of the specific terminal to allow the location based targeting of services based on the target areas; and

transmitting, to the specific terminal, contents corresponding to the exact current location of the specific terminal among the contents selected by the user according to location based targeting of services performed by the broadcast/multicast server,

wherein the transmitting of the service guide, the receiving of the broadcast/multicast request message, the receiving of the current location information, and the transmitting of the contents are performed by cooperation between the broadcast/multicast server that utilizes location information in Mobile Location Protocol (MLP) format and the specific terminal that supports use of location information in the MLP format.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

classifying, by the broadcast/multicast server, the contents which have been received from the contents provider according to the service-available area information; and

storing the classified contents.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the user selects contents desired to be received at a specific location or at a current location.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of receiving current location information from the specific terminal comprises:

transmitting a location tracking request message to a network entity by the specific terminal;

receiving a response message with respect to the location tracking request message from the network entity, the response message including a location tracking value of the specific terminal; and

transmitting, by the specific terminal, the current location information of the specific terminal to the broadcast/multicast server, the current location information including the location tracking value of the specific terminal.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the location tracking request message and the corresponding response message have the MLP (Mobile Location Protocol) format.

6. A method for providing a broadcast/multicast service based on user location information in which a broadcast/multicast service is provided to at least one or more terminals, each terminal having a client module for performing transmission/reception through a network, the method comprising:

receiving, by the client module, a service guide including service-available area information with respect to one or more contents from a broadcast/multicast server,

wherein the service-available area information allows for location based targeting of services based on target areas in which the broadcast/multicast service is available;

transmitting, by the client module, a broadcast/multicast request message with respect to contents selected by a user of a specific terminal among the contents information included in the received service guide to the broadcast/multicast server;

transmitting, by the client module, a location tracking request message with respect to the specific terminal to a network entity;

receiving a response message with respect to the location tracking request message, the response message including a location tracking result from the network entity;

transmitting, by the client module, location information of the specific terminal to the broadcast/multicast server, the location information of the specific terminal indicating an exact current location of the specific terminal to allow the location based targeting of services based on the target areas; and

receiving contents corresponding to the exact current location of the specific terminal, among the contents selected by the user, from the broadcast/multicast server,

wherein the receiving of the service guide, the transmitting of the broadcast/multicast request message, the transmitting of the location tracking request message, the receiving of the location tracking result, the transmitting of the location information, and the receiving of the contents are performed by cooperation between the broadcast/multicast server that utilizes location information in Mobile Location Protocol (MLP) format and the specific terminal having the client module that supports use of location information in the MLP format.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

classifying contents, which has been received from contents provider, according to its service available area by the broadcast/multicast server.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the broadcast/multicast server stores the contents received from the contents provider, and transmits the contents based on current location information of the corresponding terminal.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the location tracking request message and its corresponding response message have the MLP (Mobile Location Protocol) format.

10. A mobile terminal for providing a broadcast/multicast service based on user location information, the mobile terminal comprising:

a transceiver configured to receive and transmit signals through a network; and

a client module configured to cooperate with the transceiver and to;

receive a service guide including service-available area information with respect to one or more contents from a broadcast/multicast server,

wherein the service-available area information allows for location based targeting of services based on target areas in which the broadcast/multicast service is available;

transmit a broadcast/multicast request message with respect to contents selected by a user among the contents information include in the received service guide, to the broadcast/multicast server;

transmit a location tracking request message with respect to the mobile terminal to a network entity;

receive a response message with respect to the location tracking request message, the response message including a location tracking result from the network entity;

transmit location information of the mobile terminal to the broadcast/multicast server, the location information of the mobile terminal indicating an exact current location of the mobile terminal to allow the location based targeting of services based on the target areas; and

receive contents corresponding to the exact current location of the mobile terminal, among the contents selected by the user, from the broadcast/multicast server,

wherein the receiving of the service guide, the transmitting of the broadcast/multicast request message, the transmitting of the location tracking request message, the receiving of the location tracking result, the transmitting of the location information, and the receiving of the contents are performed by cooperation between the broadcast/multicast server that utilizes location information in Mobile Location Protocol (MLP) format and the mobile terminal having the client module that supports use of location information in the MLP format.

11. The mobile terminal of claim 10, wherein the client module is further configured to classify contents, which has been received from contents provider, according to its service available area by the broadcast/multicast server.

12. The mobile terminal of claim 10, wherein the client module comprises:

a broadcast/multicast client module which requests or receives a broadcast/multicast service; and

a location client module which requests or receives user location information.

13. The mobile terminal of claim 10, wherein the location tracking request message and its corresponding response message have the MLP (Mobile Location Protocol) format.