GPS driven architecture for delivery of location based multimedia and method of use

• US 8,295,855 B2
• Filed: 11/04/2008
• Issued: 10/23/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Narayan, Pramodh D., Ramanathan, Sri, Terry, Matthew A., Trevathan, Matthew B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gelin, Jean
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bush, Michael S
• Application Number:
  US12/264,616
• Publication Number:
  US 20100113065A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,449 Days
• Field of Search: 340/995.24, 455/414.1, 455/414.2, 455/414.3, 455/456.1, 455/456.2, 455/456.3, 455/457, 701/207, 701/208
• US Class Current: 455/456.3
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• 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 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

An architecture, system and method of use sends location based multimedia to participants of a geo-tour or other application using geo-boundaries and/or other location information. The method includes detecting when a user has crossed within a geo-boundary. The method further includes determining a content type to be sent to a mobile device based on preferences provided by the user. Additionally, the method includes sending user location specific content of the determined content type to the mobile device when the user has crossed within the geo-boundary.

Claims

1. A method for sending location information to one or more mobile devices, comprising:

providing a computer infrastructure being operable to;

receive and store preference information of a mobile device;

determine a content type of content specific to a location of the mobile device, the content to be sent to the mobile device, the content type determined based on the preference information when the mobile device is detected to have crossed within a geo-boundary, and the preference information comprising the content type which comprises at least one of text, audio, video and graphics;

check content compatibility of the mobile device with the content;

transform the content when incompatible with the mobile device; and

send the content to the mobile device when the mobile device is detected to have crossed within the geo-boundary;

determine whether the mobile device has previously crossed within the geo-boundary within a predetermined time period based on a time stamp when the mobile device has crossed within the geo-boundary; and

provide the mobile device with an option to continue the geo-boundary service when the mobile device has previously crossed within the geo-boundary within the predetermined time period.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the computer infrastructure is at least one of supported, deployed, maintained, and created by a service provider.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the computer infrastructure is operable to periodically update or modify the content, independent of the mobile device.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising wherein the computer infrastructure is operable to send a text message to the mobile device when the content cannot be supported on the mobile device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the computer infrastructure is further operable to:

determine whether the mobile device is subscribed to a geo-boundary service when the mobile device has crossed within the geo-boundary;

determine whether the mobile device has been offered to join the geo-boundary service within another predetermined time period when the mobile device is not subscribed to the geo-boundary service; and

provide the mobile device an offer to join the geo-boundary service when the mobile device has not been offered to join the geo-boundary service within the another predetermined time period.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the computer infrastructure is further operable to:

determine whether the mobile device has previously crossed within the geo-boundary within another predetermined time period based on a time stamp when the mobile device has crossed within the geo-boundary;

provide the mobile device with an option to continue the geo-boundary service when the mobile device has previously crossed within the geo-boundary within the another predetermined time period; and

determine the content type when one of the mobile device has not previously crossed within the geo-boundary within the another predetermined time period and the mobile device has elected the option to continue the geo-boundary service.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the preferences include the content type compatible with the mobile device.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing the location specific content on a central storage unit, independent of the mobile device.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising periodically updating or modifying the location specific content, independent of the mobile device.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising checking capabilities of the mobile device and transforming the location specific content to be compatible with the mobile device based on the checked capabilities.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising sending a text message to the mobile device when the location specific content cannot be supported on the mobile device.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving registration information of the user including the preferences, unique identification of the mobile device and subscription information for at least one tour within the geo-boundary.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the steps are provided on a computing infrastructure which is at least one of maintained, deployed, created and supported by a service provider.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the steps are provided on a software component, a hardware component or a combination of the software component and the hardware component.

19. The method of claim 1, further comprising charging the user for the location specific content.

7. A system comprising:

a management system configured to register one or more mobile devices with a location based service and further configured to obtain and store preferences and other information related to the one or more mobile devices; and

a media service configured to;

be notified of the preferences so as to provide relevant location based content to the one or more mobile devices when any of the one or more mobile devices cross within a defined geo-boundary,

determine a content type of the content to be sent to the one or more mobile devices based on the preferences, the content type determined when any of the one or more mobile devices cross within the defined geo-boundary, and the preferences comprising the content type which comprises at least one of text, audio, video and graphics;

perform transformations of the content so as to be compatible with the one or more mobile devices;

determine whether any of the one or more mobile devices have previously crossed within the geo-boundary within a predetermined time period based on a time stamp when any of the one or more mobile devices cross within the geo-boundary; and

provide any of the one or more mobile devices with an option to continue the media service when any of the one or more mobile devices have previously crossed within the geo-boundary within the predetermined time period.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the media service is further configured to:

determine whether any of the one or more mobile devices are subscribed to the media service when any of the one or more mobile devices cross within the geo-boundary;

determine whether any of the one or more mobile devices have been offered to join the media service within another predetermined time period when any of the one or more mobile devices are not subscribed to the media service; and

provide any of the one or more mobile devices an offer to join the media service when any of the one or more mobile devices have not been offered to join the media service within the another predetermined time period.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the media service is further configured to:

determine whether any of the one or more mobile devices have previously crossed within the geo-boundary within another predetermined time period based on a time stamp when any of the one or more mobile devices cross within the geo-boundary;

provide any of the one or more mobile devices with an option to continue the media service when any of the one or more mobile devices have previously crossed within the geo-boundary within the another predetermined time period; and

determine the content type when any of the one or more mobile devices have not previously crossed within the geo-boundary within the another predetermined time period or when any of the one or more mobile devices elect the option to continue the media service.

10. A method comprising:

detecting when a user has crossed within a geo-boundary;

determining a content type of user location specific content to be sent to a mobile device of the user based on preferences provided by the user, the content type determined when the user has crossed within the geo-boundary, and the preferences comprising the content type which comprises at least one of text, audio, video and graphics; and

sending the user location specific content of the determined content type to the mobile device when the user has crossed within the geo-boundary;

determining whether the user is subscribed to a geo-boundary service when the user has crossed within the geo-boundary;

determining whether the user has been offered to join the geo-boundary service within a predetermined time period when the user is not subscribed to the geo-boundary service;

providing the user an offer to join the geo-boundary service when the user has not been offered to join the geo-boundary service within the predetermined time period;

determining whether the user has previously crossed within the geo-boundary within another predetermined time period based on a time stamp when the user has crossed within the geo-boundary;

providing the user with an option to continue the geo-boundary service when the user has previously crossed within the geo-boundary within the another predetermined time period; and

determining the content type when the user has not previously crossed within the geo-boundary within the another predetermined time period and the user has elected the option to continue the geo-boundary service.

20. A computer program product comprising a tangible computer usable storage medium having readable program code tangibly embodied in the storage medium, the computer program product comprising:

first program instructions to receive preference information of a mobile device;

second program instructions to receive a notification when the mobile device has crossed within a geo-boundary;

third program instructions to determine a content type of location specific content to be sent to the mobile device based on the preference information, the content type determined when the mobile device has crossed within the geo-boundary, and the preference information comprising the content type which comprises at least one of text, audio, video and graphics;

fourth program instructions to check capabilities of the mobile device and transform the location specific content to be compatible with the mobile device based on the checked capabilities; and

fifth program instructions to send the location specific and compatible content to the mobile device based on the preference information and the check, the location specific and compatible content being associated with a detected location of the mobile device within the geo-boundary;

sixth program instructions to determine whether the mobile device is subscribed to a geo-boundary service when the mobile device has crossed within the geo-boundary;

seventh program instructions to determine whether the mobile device has been offered to join the geo-boundary service within a predetermined time period when the mobile device is not subscribed to the geo-boundary service;

eighth program instructions to provide the mobile device an offer to join the geo-boundary service when the mobile device has not been offered to join the geo-boundary service within the predetermined time period;

ninth program instructions to determine whether the mobile device has previously crossed within the geo-boundary within another predetermined time period based on a time stamp when the mobile device has crossed within the geo-boundary;

tenth program instructions to provide the mobile device with an option to continue the geo-boundary service when the mobile device has previously crossed within the geo-boundary within the another predetermined time period; and

eleventh program instructions to determine the content type when the mobile device has not previously crossed within the geo-boundary within the another predetermined time period and the mobile device has elected the option to continue the geo-boundary service.

21. The computer program product of claim 20, further comprising twelfth program instructions to store the content on a central storage unit.

22. The computer program product of claim 21, further comprising thirteenth program instructions to periodically update or modify the content, independent of the mobile device.

23. The computer program product of claim 20, further comprising twelfth program instructions to send a text message to the mobile device when the content cannot be supported on the mobile device.

24. The computer program product of claim 20, further comprising twelfth program instructions to receive registration information of a user including the preference information, unique identification of the mobile device and subscription information for at least one tour within the geo-boundary.

25. The computer program product of claim 20, wherein the computer program product is at least one of maintained, deployed, created and supported by a service provider.

26. The computer program product of claim 20, further comprising twelfth program instructions to charge a user for the location specific and compatible content.