Method and system for providing location-based information to a group of mobile user agents

• US 8,639,263 B2
• Filed: 12/18/2008
• Issued: 01/28/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Salmon, Michael Donald
• Primary Examiner(s): Gonzalez, Amancio
• Application Number:
  US12/338,655
• Publication Number:
  US 20100159943A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,867 Days
• Field of Search: 455/456.1, 455/456.6, 340/539.11, 345/61, 345/66
• US Class Current: 455/456.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/00 Supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/024 Guidance services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/06 Selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS]; Services to user groups; One-way selective calling services

Abstract

A method and system for providing location-based information to a group of mobile user agents. A group of mobile user agents may be identified based at least in part on agent information for each of the mobile user agents in the group. The location information may indicate a location for the mobile user agents, which may be determined using GPS information or GPS assistance information. Location-based information may be determined for the group and provided to the group by broadcasting or multicasting. The mobile user agents may be configured to receive and process the location-based information. The location-based information may comprise GPS assistance information.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

determining, using one or more processors, location information of a plurality of mobile user agents associated with a network;

using the one or more processors, identifying a group of mobile user agents among the plurality of mobile user agents based at least in part on the determined location information wherein identifying the group is triggered by a predetermined number of the plurality of mobile user agents being or taking action in a predetermined geographic area encompassing the determined location information;

determining location-based information for the group;

providing the location-based information to the group, each of the mobile user agents in the group being capable of receiving and processing the location-based information to determine a geographical location derived from the location-based information and display the location-based information in concert with a location of the particular mobile user agent, wherein the location-based information is at least one of map information, navigation information, traffic information, promotional information, point of interest information, advertisement information, and GPS assistance information.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the group is a broadcast/multicast group;

the group is further identified based on agent information for each of the mobile user agents in the group, wherein the agent information indicates, at least in part, that the respective mobile user agent is capable of receiving and processing the location-based information; and

providing the location-based information to the group comprises broadcasting or multicasting the location-based information to the group.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein:

identifying the group further comprises;

identifying a group location within a geographic area;

determining a location for each of the plurality of mobile user agents associated with the network; and

determining that the mobile user agents in the group are within the group location based at least in part on the location of each of the mobile user agents in the group; and

the location-based information is associated with the group location.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein:

identifying the group comprises;

identifying the mobile agents in the group as being within a geographic area; and

determining an estimated group location within the geographic area for the group, the estimated group location based at least in part on the agent information for each of the mobile user agents in the group; and

the location-based information is associated with the estimated group location.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the agent information for each of the mobile user agents in the group further comprises device or network capabilities of the respective mobile user agent.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the location information for each of the mobile user agents in the group comprises the location of the respective mobile user agent determined by the respective mobile user agent using GPS information or GPS assistance information.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein the agent information indicates that at least one of the mobile user agents in the group previously requested GPS assistance information.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the location-based information is provided without first receiving a user request for the location-based information from any of the mobile user agents in the group.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein determining location-based information for the group comprises requesting the location-based information from a location-based information provider.

10. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising code to perform the steps of the methods of claim 1.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the group is further identified based on device or network capabilities of each of the plurality of mobile user agents.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein identification of the group is triggered when a majority of the predetermined number of mobile user agents in the predetermined geographic area are capable of receiving and processing the location-based information.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein identification of the group is triggered when the predetermined number of mobile user agents take action by subscribing to a location based service in the predetermined geographic area.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying at least one sub-group of the group;

determining location-based information for the at least one sub-group; and

providing the location-based information to the sub-group.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the location based information is tailored to the group based on a geographic area corresponding to the determined location information.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein identification of the group is triggered in response to a set of the plurality of mobile user agents within the same cell, sector, or network within the predetermined geographic area taking action by submitting a request for GPS assistance.

17. A computer-based system, comprising:

an identification module configured to identify a group of mobile user agents among a plurality of mobile user agents associated with a network based at least in part on a determined location of the plurality of mobile user agents wherein identifying the group is triggered by a predetermined number of the plurality of mobile user agents being or taking action in a predetermined geographic area encompassing the determined location information;

a determination module comprising at least one computer processor configured to determine location-based information for the group; and

a communication module configured to provide the location-based information to the group, each of the mobile user agents in the group being capable of receiving and processing the location-based information to determine a geographical location of the mobile user agents in the group derived from the location-based information and display the location-based information in concert with a location of the particular mobile user agent, wherein the location-based information is at least one of map information, navigation information, traffic information, promotional information, point of interest information, advertisement information, and GPS assistance information.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein:

the group is a broadcast/multicast group;

the group is further identified based on agent information for each of the mobile user agents in the group indicates that the respective mobile user agent is capable of receiving and processing the location-based information; and

the communication module is further configured to broadcast or multicast the location-based information to the group.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein:

the identification module is further configured to;

identify a group location;

determine a location for each of the plurality of mobile user agents associated with the network; and

determine that the mobile user agents in the group are within the group location based at least in part on the location of each of the mobile user agents in the group; and

the location-based information is associated with the group location.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein:

the identification module is further configured to;

identify the mobile agents in the group as being within a geographic area; and

determine an estimated group location within the geographic area for the group, the estimated group location based at least in part on the agent information for each of the mobile user agents in the group; and

the location-based information is associated with the estimated group location.

21. The system of claim 18, wherein the agent information for each of the mobile user agents in the group further comprises device or network capabilities of the respective mobile user agent.

22. The system of claim 17, wherein the location information for each of the mobile user agents in the group comprises the location of the respective mobile user agent determined by the respective mobile user agent using GPS information or GPS assistance information.

23. The system of claim 18, wherein the agent information indicates that at least one of the mobile user agents in the group previously requested GPS assistance information.

24. The system of claim 17, wherein the communication module is further configured to provide the location-based information without first receiving a user request for the location-based information from any of the mobile user agents in the group.

25. The system of claim 17, wherein the determination module is further configured to request the location-based information from a location-based information provider.