Portable communications device and method

• US 8,417,258 B2
• Filed: 04/04/2007
• Issued: 04/09/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gula Consulting Limited Liability Company (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Wounder GmbH (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Barnes, Melvin L. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chang, Kent
• Assistant Examiner(s): WOO, KUO-KONG
• Application Number:
  US11/696,387
• Publication Number:
  US 20070173266A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,197 Days
• Field of Search: 455/456.1, 455/518, 455/41.2, 455/519, 455/414.2, 455/456.5, 709/217, 705/26, 705/1, 705/14, 707/10, 707/9, 707/30, 701/207, 701/213
• US Class Current: 455/456.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/167 Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/134 Hyperlinking
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/169 Annotation, e.g. comment data or footnotes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/1053 Employment or hiring
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/04 Payment circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/12 specially adapted for electronic shopping systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/322 Aspects of commerce using mobile devices [M-devices]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3224 Transactions dependent on location of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/325 using wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0236 Incentive or reward received by requiring registration or ID from user
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0241 Advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0255 based on user history
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0259 based on store location
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0261 based on user location
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0267 Wireless devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0273 Determination of fees for advertising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 : Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 : Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0639 : Item locations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/08 : Auctions
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724 : User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 : Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 : Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

A device and method of providing wireless communications is provided. In one embodiment, the method includes storing location criteria in a memory, determining a location of the device, determining whether a location of the device substantially corresponds to the location criteria, and wirelessly transmitting a notification via the wireless data network if the location of mobile communication device substantially corresponds to the location criteria. In addition, the location criteria may include information of a communication device and the determining whether a location of the device substantially corresponds to the location criteria may comprise determining that the mobile communication device is within a proximity of the communication device. The method may include monitoring one or more uses of the device and wirelessly transmitting use data via the wireless data network.

Claims

1. A mobile communication device for use by a first user, comprising:

a memory storing location criteria supplied by a second user;

a wireless transceiver configured to provide communications via a mobile communication network;

a location module configured to determine a location of the mobile communication device; and

a processor configured to be operatively associated with the memory, the wireless transceiver, and the location module, the processor configured to;

determine whether the location of the mobile communication device corresponds to the location criteria supplied by the second user and stored in the memory;

in response to the location of the mobile communication device corresponding to the location criteria, cause the wireless transceiver to wirelessly transmit to a remote device designated by the second user that supplied the location criteria a notification for presentation via the remote device, wherein the notification includes an indication that the location of the mobile communication device corresponds to the location criteria; and

cause the wireless transceiver to wirelessly transmit to the remote device designated by the second user that supplied the location criteria mobile-device use data for presentation via the remote device, wherein the mobile-device use data comprises content of one or more electronic communications, initiated by the first user, that have previously been transmitted to or received from a communication device different from the remote device designated by the second user.

2. The mobile communication device of claim 1, wherein the location criteria comprises a street address.

3. The mobile communication device of claim 1, wherein the location criteria comprises a type of vender.

4. The mobile communication device of claim 3, wherein the type of vender comprises a vender that sells alcohol.

5. The mobile communication device of claim 1, wherein the location criteria comprises a name of a vender.

6. The mobile communication device of claim 1, wherein the memory further stores information identifying a second mobile communication device;

and

wherein the processor is further configured to;

determine whether the second mobile communication device is within a predetermined range of the mobile communication device; and

cause the wireless transceiver to transmit a second notification to the remote device if the second mobile communication device is within a the predetermined range of the mobile communication device.

7. The mobile communication device of claim 1, wherein the mobile-device use data further comprises information identifying a plurality of communication devices with which the mobile communication device has previously communicated.

8. The mobile communication device of claim 7, wherein the mobile-device use data further includes the content of all of the electronic communications that have previously been transmitted or received by the mobile communication device.

9. The mobile communication device of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to prohibit an attempted use of the mobile communication device by the first user in response to the location of the mobile communication device corresponding to a second location criteria stored in said memory.

10. The mobile communication device of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to cause the wireless transceiver to transmit location information to a remote computer system.

11. The mobile communication device of claim 10, wherein the remote computer system is configured to map the location of the mobile communication device over time.

12. The mobile communication device of claim 10, wherein the remote computer system is configured to transmit location information of the mobile communication device via the Internet.

13. The mobile communication device of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to receive information identifying other communication devices within a predetermined range of the mobile communication device;

and

to cause the wireless transceiver to wirelessly transmit information identifying the other communication devices within the predetermined range to the remote device.

14. The mobile communication device of claim 1, wherein the notification is transmitted to multiple remote devices.

15. The mobile communication device of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to cause the memory to store wirelessly received location criteria supplied by the second user.

16. The mobile communication device according to claim 1, wherein the mobile-device use data comprises video content.

17. The mobile communication device according to claim 1, wherein the mobile-device use data comprises one or more still images.

18. The mobile communication device according to claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to cause the transceiver to wirelessly transmit the mobile-device use data in response to receiving from the remote device designated by the second user a request to transmit the mobile-device use data.

19. A method of providing information about a mobile communication device of a first user, wherein the mobile communication device includes a wireless transceiver configured to communicate via a wireless data network, a location module configured to determine a location of the mobile communication device, and a memory storing first location criteria supplied by a second user, the method comprising:

determining a location of the mobile communication device;

determining whether the location of the mobile communication device corresponds to the first location criteria supplied by the second user and stored in the memory;

in response to the location of the mobile communication device corresponding to the first location criteria, transmitting, via the wireless transceiver, to a remote device designated by the second user that supplied the first location criteria a notification for presentation via the remote device, wherein the notification includes an indication that the location of mobile communication device corresponds to the first location criteria;

transmitting, via the wireless transceiver, to the remote device designated by the second user that supplied the first location criteria mobile-device use data for presentation via the remote device, wherein the mobile-device use data comprises content of one or more electronic communications, initiated by the first user, that have been previously transmitted to or received from a communication device different from the remote device designated by the second user.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

storing information identifying a second mobile communication device in the memory;

determining whether the second mobile communication device is within a predetermined range of the mobile communication device; and

transmitting a second notification to the remote device if the second mobile communication device is within the predetermined range of the mobile communication device.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the mobile-device use data further comprises information identifying a plurality of communication devices with which the mobile communication device has previously communicated.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the mobile-device use data further includes content of one or more voice communications established through the mobile communication device.

23. The method of claim 21, further comprising monitoring the mobile-device use data and wherein the monitoring is performed in response to a control message received via the wireless data network.

24. The method of claim 19, further comprising prohibiting an attempted use of the mobile communication device by the first user when the location of the mobile communication device corresponds to a second location criteria stored in said memory.

25. The method of claim 19, further comprising transmitting location information to a remote computer system.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the remote computer system is configured to map the location of the mobile communication device over time.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein the remote computer system is configured to transmit location information of the mobile communication device via the Internet.

28. The method of claim 19, further comprising wirelessly transmitting, via the wireless data network, information identifying other communication devices within a predetermined range of the mobile communication device.

29. The method of claim 28, further comprising wirelessly transmitting a request for information of the other communication devices via a wireless short range area network.

30. The method of claim 19, further comprising receiving the first location criteria via the wireless data network.

31. The method of claim 19, further comprising transmitting information of the mobility of the mobile communication device via the wireless data network.

32. The method of claim 19, further comprising providing an alert to the first user of the mobile communication device in response to the location of the mobile communication device corresponding to the first location criteria.

33. The method according to claim 19, wherein the mobile-device use data comprises video content.

34. The method according to claim 19, wherein the mobile-device use data comprises one or more still images.

35. A method of using a mobile communication device of a first user, wherein the mobile communication device includes a wireless transceiver configured to communicate via a wireless data network, a location module configured to determine a location of the mobile communication device, and a memory storing a restricted location defined by a second user as a location that the first user should not enter and a restricted use of the mobile communication device by the first user, wherein the restricted location and restricted use are supplied by the second user, the method comprising:

determining, via the location module, a location of the mobile communication device;

determining whether the location of the mobile communication device corresponds to the restricted location supplied by the second user and stored in the memory;

in response to the location of the mobile communication device corresponding to the restricted location, transmitting, via the wireless transceiver, to a remote device designated by the second user that supplied the restricted location and restricted use a notification for presentation via the remote device, wherein the notification includes an indication that the location of the mobile communication device corresponds to the restricted location;

determining whether an attempted use of the mobile communication device by the first user corresponds to the restricted use supplied by the second user and stored in the memory; and

prohibiting the attempted use of the mobile communication device by the first user in response to a determination that the attempted use of the mobile communication device by the first user corresponds to the restricted use supplied by the second user and stored in the memory.

36. The method according to claim 35, further comprising:

transmitting, via the wireless transceiver, to the remote device designated by the second user that supplied the restricted location and restricted use mobile-device use data for presentation to the second user, wherein (1) the mobile-device use data comprises content of one or more electronic communications that have previously been transmitted to or received from a communication device via the wireless transceiver, (2) the communication device does not comprise the mobile communication device or the remote device designated by the second user, and (3) the first user initiates the one or more electronic communications via the mobile communication device.

37. The method according to claim 35, wherein the restricted use comprises the first user'"'"'s use of the mobile communication device for electronic communications.

38. The method according to claim 35, wherein the restricted use comprises the first user'"'"'s use of the mobile communication device to engage in commercial exchanges.

39. The method according to claim 35, wherein the restricted location comprises one or more of a prohibited bar, a prohibited restaurant, a prohibited home, a prohibited address, and a prohibited vender.

40. The method according to claim 35, further comprising:

prohibiting the attempted use of the mobile communication device by the first user in response to a determination that the attempted use of the mobile communication device by the first user corresponds to the restricted use supplied by the second user and stored in the memory and the location of the mobile communication device corresponds to the restricted location supplied by the second user and stored in the memory.

41. A method of providing communications to a mobile communication device of a user at a shopping complex that includes a plurality of communication nodes that are configured to communicate with the mobile communication device, the method comprising:

determining location information of the mobile communication device based on the location of one or more communication nodes with which the mobile communication device communicates;

selecting content for a transmission to the mobile communication device based, at least in part, on the location information;

wirelessly transmitting the selected content to the mobile communication device;

receiving from the mobile communication device of the user an indication that the user has read an advertisement, wherein the advertisement is wirelessly transmitted to the mobile communication device and the mobile communication device is configured to, in response to receiving confirmation that the user has read the advertisement, transmit the indication that the user has read the advertisement so that the user can be provided with a financial reward for reading the advertisement; and

in response to receiving the indication from the mobile communication device that the user has read the advertisement, initiating the financial reward to the user for reading the advertisement.

42. The method according to claim 41, further comprising:

determining selection criteria for content to be communicated to the mobile communication device;

wherein the selection criteria includes at least one of time of day, information of the user, and location of the user'"'"'s residence; and

wherein the selecting step is based on the selection criteria.

43. The method according to claim 42, further comprising receiving at least some of the selection criteria from the mobile communication device.

44. The method according to claim 41, wherein the location information comprises an anticipated location of the mobile communication device that is based on a present location of the mobile communication device.

45. The method according to claim 41, wherein the transmitted content includes a coupon.

46. The method according to claim 41, wherein the transmitted content includes an advertisement that is selected from a plurality of advertisements, in part, based on a transmission value of the selected advertisement in comparison to a transmission value of one or more other of the plurality of advertisements.

47. The method according to claim 41, wherein receiving confirmation that the user has read the advertisement comprises receiving, via an input device of the mobile communication device, a user input indicating that the user has read the advertisement.

48. The method according to claim 41, wherein the mobile communication device is further configured to determine whether the user has read the advertisement.

49. The method according to claim 41, wherein initiating the financial reward comprises initiating an electronic funds transfer to a bank account associated with the user.

50. A method of using a first mobile communication device to collect data for a user of the first mobile communication device, comprising:

storing a query in a memory of the first mobile communication device, wherein the query comprises a request for data from a second mobile communication device;

receiving, from the user of the first mobile communication device, communication criteria data for determining whether data from the second mobile communication device is desired;

storing the communication criteria data in the memory;

wirelessly transmitting to the second mobile communication device via a short range transceiver of the first mobile communication device one or more communications that include a request for data in accordance with the query stored in the memory, wherein the one or more communications include data of the user of the first mobile communication device and at least some of the communication criteria data and the second mobile communication device is configured to (1) receive the one or more communications that include the request for data in accordance with the query stored in the memory, (2) generate a response to the request for data, and (3) transmit the response to the first mobile communication device; and

wirelessly receiving from the second mobile communication device the response to the request for data.

51. The method according to claim 50, wherein the response to the request for data includes only a portion of the data identified in the query.

52. The method according to claim 50, wherein the data of the user is for use by the second mobile communication device in generating the response to the request for data.

53. The method according to claim 50, further comprising storing in the memory response instructions configured to determine how to respond to a query received from the second mobile communication device.

54. The method according to claim 50, wherein the request for data includes contact data of a user of the second mobile communication device.

55. A method of purchasing food using a mobile communication device, comprising:

receiving at the mobile communication device a request to identify one or more food venders;

in response to receiving the request to identify one or more food venders, identifying a plurality of food venders within a predetermined distance of the mobile communication device;

determining a distance between the plurality of identified food venders and the mobile communication device;

visually presenting, via a display operatively associated with the mobile communication device, information identifying the plurality of identified food venders that are within the predetermined distance of the mobile communication device along with the distance between each food vender and the mobile communication device;

receiving a request to make a purchase from a selected food vender, wherein the selected food vender is selected from the plurality of identified food venders and the request includes a food order; and

wirelessly transmitting to the selected food vender a request to purchase the food order from the selected food vender.

56. The method according to claim 55, wherein the food order is retrieved from a memory of the mobile communication device and comprises a food order previously placed using the mobile communication device.

57. The method according to claim 55, further comprising wirelessly communicating information for payment for the food order.

58. The method according to claim 55, further comprising wirelessly transmitting information sufficient for the selected food vender to estimate an arrival time of a user of the mobile communication device at a location to receive the food of the food order.

59. The method according to claim 55, wherein the step of receiving the request to identify one or more food venders comprises receiving a voice command including a request to identify one or more food venders.

60. The method according to claim 55, wherein the mobile communication device includes a memory storing information concerning a plurality of food venders and the step of identifying the plurality of food venders comprises querying a database of food venders stored on the mobile communication device.

61. The method according to claim 55, wherein the step of identifying the plurality of food venders comprises transmitting a request to a remote database to identify a plurality of food venders and the remote database stores information concerning a plurality of food venders.

62. The method according to claim 55, wherein the step of identifying the plurality of food venders comprises broadcasting a request for responses from one or more food venders within the predetermined distance and receiving responses from food venders that are within the predetermined distance.

63. A system comprising:

a plurality of communication nodes distributed at a shopping complex, wherein the plurality of communication nodes are configured to communicate with a mobile communication device; and

a computer system configured to be operatively associated with the plurality of communication nodes, the computer system configured to;

determine location information of the mobile communication device based on a location of one or more communication nodes with which the mobile communication device communicates;

select content for a transmission to the mobile communication device based, at least in part, on the location information;

wirelessly transmit the selected content to the mobile communication device;

receive from the mobile communication device an indication that a user has read an advertisement, wherein the advertisement is wirelessly transmitted to the mobile communication device and the mobile communication device is configured to, in response to receiving confirmation that the user has read the advertisement, transmit the indication that the user has read the advertisement so that the user can be provided with a financial reward for reading the advertisement; and

in response to receiving the indication from the mobile communication device that the user has read the advertisement, initiate the financial reward to the user for reading the advertisement.

64. A mobile communication device for use by a first user, comprising:

a memory;

a short range wireless transceiver; and

a processor configured to be operatively associated with the memory and the short range wireless transceiver, the processor configured to;

store a query in the memory, wherein the query comprises a request for data from a second mobile communication device;

receive from the first user communication criteria data for determining whether data from the second mobile communication device is desired;

store the communication criteria data in the memory;

cause the short range wireless transceiver to wirelessly transmit to the second mobile communication device one or more communications that include a request for data in accordance with the query stored in the memory, wherein the one or more communications include data of the first user and at least some of the communication criteria data and the second mobile communication device is configured to (1) receive the one or more communications that include the request for data in accordance with the query stored in the memory, (2) generate a response to the request for data, and (3) transmit the response to the mobile communication device; and

in response to receiving from the second mobile communication device the response to the request for data, store the response to the request for data in the memory.

65. A mobile communication device, comprising:

an input device configured to receive a request to identify one or more food venders;

a wireless transceiver; and

a processor configured to be operatively associated with the input device and the wireless transceiver, the processor configured to;

in response to the input device receiving the request to identify one or more food venders, identify a plurality of food venders within a predetermined distance of the mobile communication device;

determine a distance between the plurality of identified food venders and the mobile communication device;

cause a display operatively associated with the mobile communication device to present information identifying the plurality of identified food venders that are within the predetermined distance of the mobile communication device along with the distance between each food vender and the mobile communication device; and

in response to receiving a request to make a purchase from a selected food vender, wirelessly transmit to the selected food vender a request to purchase a food order from the selected food vender, wherein the selected food vender is selected from the plurality of identified food venders and the request to make the purchase includes the food order.