Method for providing location-based information services, location-based information services system, and portable electronic device

• US 8,559,970 B2
• Filed: 12/22/2009
• Issued: 10/15/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nostromo LLC
• Original Assignee: MiTAC International Corporation (MiTAC Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Lee, Yung-Chao
• Primary Examiner(s): MIZRAHI, DIANE D
• Application Number:
  US12/644,944
• Publication Number:
  US 20100159956A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,393 Days
• Field of Search: 455/456.1, 701/201
• US Class Current: 455/456.1
• 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 64/003 locating network equipment

Abstract

A method for providing location-based information services to a portable electronic device includes the steps of: providing an information platform and a user preference settings database for receiving and recording preference settings data of a user of the portable electronic device, respectively, the preference settings data including categories of information and location range; receiving positioning information from the portable electronic device using a positioning module; selecting location information from a location information database in accordance with the preference settings data recorded in the user preference settings database that corresponds to the positioning information received by the positioning module; and transmitting the selected location information to the portable electronic device. Since location-based information services are provided based on the preference settings data, the user receives only the location information that he or she prefers.

Claims

1. A method for providing location-based information services to a portable electronic device, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) providing an information platform and a user preference settings database for respectively receiving and recording preference settings for categories of information and location range from a user of the portable electronic device;

(b) setting and storing in a condition database at least one condition for triggering information services provision to the portable electronic device;

(c) receiving positioning information that includes a location of the portable electronic device by having a positioning module; and

(d) determining through use of a condition module whether the at least one condition for triggering information services provision stored in the condition database has been met, and when the condition has been met, selecting location information from a location information database in accordance with the positioning information and the preference settings for categories of information and location range, and

transmitting the selected location information to the portable electronic device.

2. The method for providing location-based information services as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one condition for triggering information services provision includes at least one of the following conditions:

the location included in the positioning information is determined for a first time within a time period to correspond to a service area location of a base station;

a specified point in time subsequent to receipt of the positioning information is determined to have been reached; and

the location included in the positioning information is determined to correspond to a specified location, and a specified local event is determined to be associated with the specified location.

3. The method for providing location-based information services as claimed in claim 2, wherein the specified local event associated with the specified location is determined by the condition module through real-time local event news information available through a real-time news source.

4. The method for providing location-based information services as claimed in claim 1, wherein the location information database stores multiple entries of the location information that are updated in real-time, and the multiple entries of the location information are stored in the location information database according to geographical location.

5. The method for providing location-based information services as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

in step (a), the information platform first receives and confirms login information including identification data or phone number data associated with the portable electronic device, and then receives the preference settings corresponding to the login information; and

in step (c), the positioning information further includes the login information.

6. The method for providing location-based information services as claimed in claim 5, wherein the login information is received by the information platform from the portable electronic device through one of a telephone network, a wireless network and the Internet.

7. The method for providing location-based information services as claimed in claim 5, wherein the login information is received by the information platform through the Internet from a computer connected to the Internet.

8. The method for providing location-based information services as claimed in claim 1, wherein, in step (d), the selected location information is first sent to a base station that has a service area location corresponding to the location of the portable electronic device, and is then sent from the base station to the portable electronic device.

9. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the categories of information include at least one of weather condition, traffic condition, or local event, and the location range is a user-specified range from the portable electronic device.

10. A location-based information services system adapted for providing location-based information services to a portable electronic device, said location-based information services system comprising:

a positioning module for receiving positioning information that includes a location of the portable electronic device;

an information platform for receiving preference settings of a user of the portable electronic device, the preference settings being specified by the user;

a user preference settings database coupled to said information platform for recording the preference settings for categories of information and location range;

a location information database for storing multiple entries of location information that are updated in real-time;

an information transmission module coupled to said user preference settings database and said location information database, for selecting the location information from said location information database in accordance with the positioning information and the preference settings for categories of information and location range, and for transmitting the selected location information to the portable electronic device;

a condition database for storing at least one condition for triggering information services provision to the portable electronic device; and

a condition module coupled via a processor to said information transmission module, said positioning module, and said condition database for determining from the positioning information whether said at least one condition stored in said condition database has been met, and controlling said information transmission module to provide information services to the portable electronic device when said at least one condition has been met.

11. The location-based information services system as claimed in claim 10, wherein the at least one condition for triggering information services provision includes at least one of the following conditions:

the location included in the positioning information is determined for a first time within a time period to correspond to a service area location of a base station;

a specified point in time subsequent to receipt of the positioning information is determined to have been reached; and

the location included in the positioning information is determined to correspond to a specified location, and a specified local event is determined to be associated with the specified location.

12. The location-based information services system as claimed in claim 11, wherein said condition module determines the specified local event associated with the specified location through real-time local event news information available through a real-time news source.

13. The location-based information services system as claimed in claim 10, wherein the multiple entries of the location information are stored in said location information database according to geographical location.

14. The location-based information services system as claimed in claim 10, wherein said information platform further receives and confirms login information including identification data or phone number data associated with the portable electronic device prior to receiving the preference settings, the preference settings corresponds to the login information, and the positioning information received by said positioning module further includes the login information.

15. The location-based information services system as claimed in claim 14, wherein the login information is received from the portable electronic device by said information platform through one of a telephone network, a wireless network and the Internet.

16. The location-based information services system as claimed in claim 14, wherein the login information is received by said information platform through the Internet from a computer connected to the Internet.

17. The location-based information services system as claimed in claim 10, wherein said information transmission module first sends the selected location information to a base station that has a service area location corresponding to the location that is included in the positioning information of the portable electronic device, the selected location information being subsequently sent from the base station to the portable electronic device.

18. The location-based information services system as claimed in claim 10, wherein the categories of information include at least one of weather condition, traffic condition, or local event, and the location range is a user-specified range from the portable electronic device.

19. A portable electronic device adapted for receiving location-based information services from a location-based information services system, said portable electronic device comprising:

a storage unit for storing a preference setup program;

a processor coupled to said storage unit for accessing and executing the preference setup program, and providing an operations interface;

a display coupled to said processor for displaying said operations interface;

an input unit coupled to said processor and operable for inputting preference settings data for categories of information and location range, wherein the preference settings are associated with said operations interface and are specified by a user of said portable electronic device;

a positioning unit coupled to said processor and adapted to generate positioning information associated with a location of said portable electronic device;

a transmission unit coupled to said processing unit for transmitting the preference settings and the positioning information to the location-based information services system; and

a receiving unit coupled to said processor for receiving location information from the location-based information services system, the location information being selected by the location-based information services system in accordance with both the positioning information and the preference settings for categories of information and location range, the location information received by said receiving unit being sent to said display for display.

20. The portable electronic device as claimed in claim 19, wherein the categories of information include at least one of weather condition, traffic condition, or local event, and the location range is a user-specified range from the portable electronic device.