Method and system for using a mobile terminal as a location-based reminder

• US 8,126,438 B2
• Filed: 05/19/2006
• Issued: 02/28/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Luo, Hui
• Primary Examiner(s): Figueroa, Marisol
• Application Number:
  US11/437,381
• Publication Number:
  US 20070270129A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,111 Days
• Field of Search: 455/414.1, 455/456.1, 455/456.3
• US Class Current: 455/414.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 Discovering, processing access restriction or access information

Abstract

Methods and systems for using a mobile terminal as a location-based reminder are disclosed. Aspects of one method may include a mobile terminal receiving a wireless signal comprising network identifying information, which may be, for example, a wireless network identifier string. The wireless network identifier string may be, for example, an extended service set IDs (ESSID) of WiFi access points in accordance with IEEE 802.1x. The received wireless network identifier may be authenticated, where the authentication may comprise using a SSL protocol or 802.1x/EAP-TTLS protocol. The mobile terminal may compare a keyword corresponding to a record stored within the mobile terminal with the wireless network identifier string. If the keyword is found in the wireless network identifier string, a notification may be generated to alert a user of the mobile terminal.

Claims

1. A method for providing location based services in a mobile device, the method comprising:

receiving at a mobile terminal a wireless signal comprising network identifying information;

generating and storing within said mobile terminal, at least one record based on an incoming message received from one of a plurality of senders specified within said mobile terminal, wherein a keyword corresponding to said generated at least one record stored within said mobile terminal is received from said one sender separately from said incoming message;

comparing said keyword corresponding to said generated at least one record stored within said mobile terminal with at least a portion of said network identifying information;

if said keyword matches at least a portion of said network identifying information, generating a notification at said mobile terminal, said generated notification being repeatedly communicated by said mobile terminal until a message associated with said notification is output by said mobile terminal;

determining by said mobile terminal, a status of said generated notification; and

controlling operation of said mobile terminal based on said determined status.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein at least a portion of said at least one record is entered into said mobile terminal by a user.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein said at least one record comprises a reminder field and a keyword field, wherein said keyword field comprises at least one said keyword.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein said reminder field comprises at least one of the following:

an audio message, a video message, and a text message.

5. The method according to claim 4, if said reminder field comprises at least one of:

said video message and said text message, further comprising displaying contents of said reminder field.

6. The method according to claim 4, if said reminder field comprises said audio message, further comprising playing contents of said reminder field.

7. The method according to claim 1, comprising repeating said generation of said notification after a specified period of time has elapsed.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the identifying information comprises a wireless network identification string.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein said wireless network identification string comprises an ESSID in accordance with IEEE 802.1x.

10. The method according to claim 9, comprising authenticating said ESSID using one of:

SSL protocol and 802.1x/EAP-TTLS protocol.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein said ESSID that fails said authenticating is put in a do-not-trust list on said mobile terminal.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein said status comprises one or more of acknowledged, not yet acknowledged, deleted, deferred, modified, dormant and/or repeating.

13. The method according to claim 12, comprising determining said status of said notification in said mobile terminal based on input from a user of said mobile terminal.

14. The method according to claim 12, comprising controlling repetition of said notification in instances when said mobile terminal exits and re-enters broadcast range of said wireless signal comprising said network identifying information.

15. The method according to claim 12, comprising repeating said notification after a specified and/or a default duration of time in instances when said status comprises deferred.

16. The method according to claim 12, comprising controlling a period of time for sending said notification and/or a period of time of dormancy wherein said notification may be repeated after said duration of time of dormancy.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein said duration of time for sending said notification and/or said duration of time of dormancy is adjustable.

18. The method according to claim 1, wherein said generated notification is periodically repeatedly communicated by said mobile terminal.

19. A system for providing location based services in a mobile device, the system comprising:

one or more circuits for use in a mobile terminal, said one or more circuits comprise a wireless interface, wherein said wireless interface enables reception of a wireless signal comprising network identifying information;

said one or more circuits are operable to generate and store within said mobile terminal, at least one record based on an incoming message received from one of a plurality of senders specified within said mobile terminal, wherein a keyword corresponding to said generated at least one record stored within said mobile terminal is received from said one sender separately from said incoming message;

said one or more circuits are operable to compare said keyword corresponding to said generated at least one record stored within said mobile terminal with at least a portion of said network identifying information;

said one or more circuits are operable to generate notification at said mobile terminal, if said keyword matches at least a portion of said network identifying information, said generated notification being repeatedly communicated by said mobile terminal until a message associated with said notification is output by said mobile terminal;

said one or more circuits are operable to determine a status of said generated notification; and

said one or more circuits are operable to control operation of said mobile terminal based on said determined status.

20. The system according to claim 19, wherein at least a portion of said at least one record is entered into said mobile terminal by a user.

21. The system according to claim 19, wherein said at least one record comprises a reminder field and a keyword field, wherein said keyword field comprises at least one said keyword.

22. The system according to claim 21, wherein said reminder field comprises at least one of the following:

an audio message, a video message, and a text message.

23. The system according to claim 22, comprising said mobile terminal displaying contents of said reminder field if said reminder field comprises at least one of:

said video message and said text message.

24. The system according to claim 22, wherein said mobile terminal plays contents of said reminder field if said reminder field comprises said audio message.

25. The system according to claim 19, wherein said notification circuitry repeats generating said notification after a specified time has elapsed.

26. The system according to claim 19, wherein said network identifying information comprises a wireless network identification string.

27. The system according to claim 26, wherein said wireless network identification string comprises an ESSID in accordance with IEEE 802.1x.

28. The system according to claim 27, wherein said mobile terminal enables authentication of said ESSID using one of:

SSL protocol and 802.1x/EAP-TTLS protocol.

29. The system according to claim 28, wherein said ESSID that fails said authentication is put in a do-not-trust list on said mobile terminal.

30. The system according to claim 19, wherein said status comprises one or more of acknowledged, not yet acknowledged, deleted, deferred, modified, dormant and/or repeating.

31. The system according to claim 30, wherein said one or more circuits are operable to determine said status of said notification in said mobile terminal based on input from a user of said mobile terminal.

32. The system according to claim 30, wherein said one or more circuits are operable to control repetition of said notification in instances when said mobile terminal exits and re-enters broadcast range of said wireless signal comprising said network identifying information.

33. The system according to claim 30, wherein said one or more circuits are operable to repeat said notification after a specified and/or a default duration of time in instances when said status comprises deferred.

34. The system according to claim 30, wherein said one or more circuits are operable to control a period of time for sending said notification and/or a period of time of dormancy wherein said notification may be repeated after said duration of time of dormancy.

35. The system according to claim 34, wherein said duration of time for generating and/or repeating of said notification and/or said duration of time of dormancy is adjustable.

36. The system according to claim 19, wherein said generated notification is periodically repeatedly communicated by said mobile terminal.