Method and system for exploiting location-dependent services in a cellular radio system

• US 8,538,460 B2
• Filed: 03/25/2011
• Issued: 09/17/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Putkiranta, Petteri
• Primary Examiner(s): Ho, Huy C
• Application Number:
  US13/072,443
• Publication Number:
  US 20110171977A1
• Time in Patent Office: 907 Days
• Field of Search: 455/456.3
• US Class Current: 455/456.3
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/00 Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/80 Rating or billing plans; Tariff determination aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8022 Determining tariff or charge band
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8033 location-dependent, e.g. business or home
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/81 Dynamic pricing, e.g. change of tariff during call
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0112 Dynamic pricing, e.g. change of tariff during call
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/74 Rating aspects, e.g. rating parameters or tariff determination apects
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7421 Determine tariff or charge band
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7435 Location dependent, e.g. Bussiness or home
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/023 using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 60/04 using triggered events

Abstract

A communications system comprises base stations for providing mobile stations with communications links and services. The system changes the service selection offered to a given mobile station in response to information sent form the given mobile station indicating the arrival of the mobile station in at least one localized service area.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

detecting at a user device arrival of the user device at a localized service area;

and

generating at the user device a message indicating the arrival for changing data associated with a service selection for the localized service area.

2. A method of claim 1, further comprising:

causing, at least in part, transmission of the message; and

receiving the changed data, in response to the transmission, wherein the changed data includes information of weather, traffic, restaurants, flights, or a combination thereof, of the localized service area.

3. A method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting departure from the localized service area to another localized service area; and

generating another message to change the data for the other localized service area.

21. A method of claim 1, further comprising:

computing a geographic location of the user device independent from global positioning system data, wherein the localized service area is defined independently from cells.

22. A method of claim 21, wherein the computing comprises averaging geographic coordinates of base stations from which the user device receives control information, and assigning averaged geographic coordinates of the base stations as the geographic location of the user device.

4. An apparatus comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory including computer program code for one or more programs,

the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to perform at least the following,

detect arrival of a user device at a localized service area,

and

generate a message indicating the arrival for changing data associated with a service selection for the localized service area,

wherein the apparatus is included in the user device.

5. An apparatus of claim 4, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

cause, at least in part, transmission of the message; and

receive the changed data, in response to the transmission, wherein the changed data includes information of weather, traffic, restaurants, flights, or a combination thereof, of the localized service area.

6. An apparatus of claim 4, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

detect departure from the localized service area to another localized service area; and

generate another message to change the data for the other localized service area.

7. A method comprising:

receiving a message from a user device indicating arrival of the user device at a localized service area; and

determining, in response to the received message, whether to change data associated with a service selection for the localized service area.

8. A method of claim 7, further comprising:

causing, at least in part, change of the data associated with the service selection, based, at least in part, upon the determination.

9. A method of claim 8, further comprising:

determining whether to transmit the changed data to the user device based, at least in part, on information relating to a right, an obligation, or a combination thereof associated with the user device to access one or more services of the service selection.

10. A method of claim 8, further comprising:

determining whether the user device is departing from the localized service area to another localized service area; and

determining whether to change the data associated with the service selection for the other localized service area based on the departure determination.

11. A method of claim 8, further comprising:

receiving another message from the user device indicating departure of the user device from the localized service area to another localized service area; and

causing, at least in part, change of the data associated with the service selection or the other localized service area, based, at least in part, upon the other message.

12. A method of claim 10, wherein the departure determination is made based, at least in part, upon a determination that the user device does not respond to a paging message transmitted in the localized service area within a predetermined period of time, a determination that the user device does not acknowledge a data packet addressed thereto within a predetermined period of time, a determination that the user device does not renew the message of arrival within a predetermined period of time, a determination that the user device does not send a periodic location update message within a predetermined period of time, or a combination thereof.

13. A method of claim 7, further comprising:

receiving a request from the user device for information of a localized service area to determine whether the user device arrives at the localized service area prior to receiving the message; and

causing, at least in part, transmission of the information to the user device in response to the request.

14. An apparatus comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory including computer program code for one or more programs,

the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to perform at least the following,

receive a message from a user device indicating arrival of the user device at a localized service area; and

determine, in response to the received message, whether to change data associated with a service selection for the localized service area.

15. An apparatus of claim 14, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

cause, at least in part, change of the data associated with the service selection, based, at least in part, upon the determination.

16. An apparatus of claim 15, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

determine whether to transmit the data to the user device based, at least in part, on information relating to a right, an obligation, or a combination thereof associated with the user device to access one or more services of the service selection.

17. An apparatus of claim 16, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

determine whether the user device is departing from the localized service area to another localized service area; and

determine whether to change the data associated with the service selection for the other localized service area, based on the departure determination.

18. An apparatus of claim 14, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

receive another message from the user device indicating departure of the user device from the localized service area to another localized service area; and

cause, at least in part, change of the data associated with the service selection or the other localized service area, based, at least in part, upon the other message.

19. An apparatus of claim 17, wherein the departure determination is made based, at least in part, upon a determination that the user device does not respond to a paging message transmitted in the localized service area within a predetermined period of time, a determination that the user device does not acknowledge a data packet addressed thereto within a predetermined period of time, a determination that the user device does not renew the message of arrival within a predetermined period of time, a determination that the user device does not send a periodic location update message within a predetermined period of time, or a combination thereof.

20. An apparatus of claim 14, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

receive a request from the user device for information of a localized service area for determining whether the user device arrives at the localized service area prior to receiving the message; and

cause, at least in part, transmission of the information to the user device, in response to the request.