Information portal

• US 8,295,857 B2
• Filed: 02/01/2011
• Issued: 10/23/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Captivate, LLC
• Original Assignee: Captivate Network Incorporated
• Inventors: Newville, Todd A.
• Primary Examiner(s): RAMPURIA, SHARAD K
• Application Number:
  US13/018,573
• Publication Number:
  US 20110320528A1
• Time in Patent Office: 630 Days
• Field of Search: 455418-420, 455/414.3, 455/456.3, 455/41.2, 709203-206
• US Class Current: 455/456.3
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0207 Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0224 based on user history
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0241 Advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0267 Wireless devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/00 Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]

Abstract

A communication system for providing high-speed wireless access to mobile processing systems a stationary transceiver defining an information portal in its immediate vicinity. A local server in communication with this stationary transceiver is configured to respond to a mobile processing-system present within the information portal.

Claims

1. An apparatus for relaying information to a mobile processing system, said apparatus comprising:

a plurality of transceivers, each of which establishes wireless communication within a vicinity thereof, and a fulfillment system in communication with each of said transceivers, said fulfillment system being configured to respond to establishment of communication between a mobile processing-system and one of said transceivers, and to provide, to said mobile processing system, information requested for said mobile processing system to establish communication with a content provider selected from a plurality of content providers, to retrieve, from said content provider selected from said plurality of content providers, said requested information, and to provide said requested information to said mobile processing system following establishment of communication between said mobile processing system and said one of said transceivers from said plurality of transceivers with which said fulfillment system is in communication.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said requested information for said mobile processing system comprises information requested for said mobile processing system prior to establishment of a communication link between said mobile processing system and said one of said transceivers with which said fulfillment system is in communication.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said stationary transceiver is disposed in a vehicle.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said fulfillment system comprises a local server in communication with said transceivers, and a fulfillment server in communication with said transceivers and with a wide area network.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said transceivers are spread across a private network.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of said transceivers is configured to communicate with a portable computer.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of said transceivers is configured to communicate with a portable digital assistant.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said requested information comprises information indicating an occurrence of an event.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said information indicating occurrence of an event comprises information indicating that a stock price has reached a particular value.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said requested information comprises a traffic report.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said requested information comprises email.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said requested information comprises music.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said requested information comprises information about local services.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said information about local services comprises information about ATMs.

15. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said information about local services comprises information about train stations.

16. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said information about local services comprises information about restaurants.

17. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said fulfillment system is configured to identify a mobile processing-system present within a vicinity of a transceiver.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein said fulfillment system is configured to perform a function selected on the basis of the identity of said mobile processing-system.

19. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said fulfillment system is configured to establish a communication link between said mobile processing-system and a selected location.

20. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said fulfillment system and said transceiver are in communication across a local area network.

21. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said fulfillment system and said transceiver are in wireless communication across a local area network.

22. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said fulfillment system has access to a wide area network.

23. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said fulfillment system comprises a cache for temporary accumulation of information to be relayed to said mobile processing system.

24. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said fulfillment system is configured to provide a user-interface for enabling a user to cause said fulfillment system to collect selected information, and to provide said selected information to a mobile processing system associated with said user when said mobile processing system comes within range of one of said transceivers.

25. A method for relaying information to a mobile processing system, said method comprising:

providing a plurality of transceivers, each of which is configured to communicate with a mobile processing system within a vicinity thereof;

establishing communication between a fulfillment system and each of said transceivers;

receiving a request to provide requested information to a first mobile processing system in communication with one of said transceivers;

retrieving said requested information;

storing said requested information;

detecting entry of a mobile processing system into a vicinity of one of said transceivers;

determining that said mobile processing system that has entered said first information portal is said first mobile processing system;

retrieving said stored requested information;

and providing said stored requested information to said first mobile processing system while said first mobile processing system is within a vicinity of a transceiver.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein retrieving said requested information comprises:

establishing connection with a network to which a plurality of content providers have established connections; and

retrieving, from one of said content providers, said requested information.

27. An apparatus comprising:

a plurality of transceivers, each configured for wireless communication with a mobile processing system present in a vicinity thereof; and

a fulfillment system in communication with each of said transceivers, said fulfillment system having a link to a global computer network and thereby providing said mobile processing system with wireless access to said global computer network while said mobile processing system is within a vicinity of one of said transceivers.