System for providing location-based services in a wireless network, such as locating sets of desired locations

• US 8,774,834 B2
• Filed: 11/30/2012
• Issued: 07/08/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Knapp Investment Company Limited
• Original Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Wilson, Brian, Feinstein, Jacob, Suraci, Mike, Simsarian, Kristian, Bray, Duane, Givechi, Roshi, Paharia, Rajat, Weiss, Laura, Gosling, Marcus
• Primary Examiner(s): Bhattacharya, Sam
• Application Number:
  US13/690,704
• Publication Number:
  US 20130165149A1
• Time in Patent Office: 585 Days
• Field of Search: 455/404.2, 455418-420, 4554561-4566
• US Class Current: 455/456.2
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/025 using location based information parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/00 Wireless network protocols or protocol adaptations to wireless operation

Abstract

A system and associated method receives a command from a user'"'"'s mobile device to locate points of interest near the mobile device'"'"'s location. The points of interest are associated with different, user-identified, point of interest categories. Based at least in part on the mobile device'"'"'s location, the system substantially simultaneously provides a list of points of interest for at least some of the point of interest categories.

Claims

1. A method for providing wireless telecommunication services, the method comprising:

receiving, from a mobile device, a request to identify points of interest near a location of the mobile device, wherein the request comprises a plurality of letters;

determining the location of the mobile device;

determining a point of interest having a name comprising a first portion, the first portion comprising the plurality of letters;

transmitting the name of the point of interest to the mobile device;

receiving, from the mobile device, an indication of a selection of the name of the point of interest;

determining point of interest data associated with the point of interest; and

transmitting the point of interest data associated with the point of interest to the mobile device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of letters comprises four letters.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the point of interest comprises:

determining that there are no points of interest having the name comprising the first portion, the first portion comprising the plurality of letters, within a first geographical radius about the location of the mobile device;

transmitting a request for a second geographical radius about the location of the mobile device to the mobile device;

receiving the second geographical radius from the mobile device;

determining the point of interest having the name comprising the first portion, the first portion comprising the plurality of letters, wherein the point of interest is within the second geographical radius.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising determining that the first geographical radius is not equal to a maximum geographical radius.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the request for the second geographical radius comprises at least one user-selectable geographical radius.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the second geographical radius is one of the at least one user-selectable geographical radius.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the point of interest data comprises a phone number that, when selected, causes the mobile device to initiate a telephone call to the phone number.

8. A location system for providing wireless telecommunication services, the location system comprising:

a memory comprising executable instructions; and

a processor coupled to the memory, wherein, when executing the computer instructions, the processor effectuates operations comprising;

receiving, from a mobile device, a request to identify points of interest near a location of the mobile device, wherein the request comprises a plurality of letters;

determining the location of the mobile device;

determining a point of interest having a name comprising a first portion, the first portion comprising the plurality of letters;

transmitting the name of the point of interest to the mobile device;

receiving, from the mobile device, a an indication of a selection of the name of the point of interest;

determining point of interest data associated with the point of interest; and

transmitting the point of interest data associated with the point of interest to the mobile device.

9. The location system of claim 8, wherein the plurality of letters is four letters.

10. The location system of claim 8, wherein the operations further comprise:

determining that there are no points of interest having the name comprising the first portion, the first portion comprising the plurality of letters, within a first geographical radius about the location of the mobile device;

transmitting a request for a second geographical radius about the location of the mobile device to the mobile device;

receiving the second geographical radius from the mobile device;

determining the point of interest having the name comprising the first portion, the first portion comprising the plurality of letters, wherein the point of interest is within the second geographical radius.

11. The location system of claim 10, wherein the operations further comprise determining that the first geographical radius is not equal to a maximum geographical radius.

12. The location system of claim 10, wherein the request for the second geographical radius comprises at least one user-selectable geographical radius.

13. The location system of claim 12, wherein the second geographical radius is one of the at least one user-selectable geographical radius.

14. The location system of claim 8, wherein the point of interest data comprises a phone number that, when selected, causes the mobile device to initiate a telephone call to the phone number.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising computer-executable instructions for providing wireless telecommunication services, the computer-executable instructions comprising instructions for:

receiving, from a mobile device, a request to identify points of interest near a location of the mobile device, wherein the request comprises a plurality of letters;

determining the location of the mobile device;

determining a point of interest having a name comprising a first portion, the first portion comprising the plurality of letters;

transmitting the name of the point of interest to the mobile device;

receiving, from the mobile device, a an indication of a selection of the name of the point of interest;

determining point of interest data associated with the point of interest; and

transmitting the point of interest data associated with the point of interest to the mobile device.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the plurality of letters is four letters.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, further comprising instructions for:

determining that there are no points of interest having the name comprising the first portion, the first portion comprising the plurality of letters, within a first geographical radius about the location of the mobile device;

transmitting a request for a second geographical radius about the location of the mobile device to the mobile device;

receiving the second geographical radius from the mobile device;

determining the point of interest having the name comprising the first portion, the first portion comprising the plurality of letters, wherein the point of interest is within the second geographical radius.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17, further comprising instructions for determining that the first geographical radius is not equal to a maximum geographical radius.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the request for the second geographical radius comprises at least one user-selectable geographical radius.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the point of interest data comprises a phone number that, when selected, causes the mobile device to initiate a telephone call to the phone number.