Method and apparatus for grouping points-of-interest according to area names

• US 8,831,652 B2
• Filed: 07/17/2013
• Issued: 09/09/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: RPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Chafekar, Deepti, Lee, Juong-Sik, Chandra, Umesh
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, David Q
• Application Number:
  US13/943,877
• Publication Number:
  US 20130303197A1
• Time in Patent Office: 419 Days
• Field of Search: 455/456.3, 455/456.2, 455/466, 455/457
• US Class Current: 455/466
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/022 with dynamic range variability
• 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 4/024 Guidance services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/025 using location based information parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/026 using orientation information, e.g. compass
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/18 Information format or content conversion, e.g. adaptation by the network of the transmitted or received information for the purpose of wireless delivery to users or terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/02 Processing of mobility data, e.g. registration information at HLR [Home Location Register] or VLR [Visitor Location Register]; Transfer of mobility data, e.g. between HLR, VLR or external networks

Abstract

An approach is provided for crowd sourcing and grouping points-of-interest based on cell broadcast message information. Reception of a message from a mobile terminal is caused, at least in part. The message specifies point-of-interest information and an associated area name corresponding to one of a plurality of cells of a communication network. The message is parsed to determine the point-of-interest information and the associated area name. A connectivity graph specifying relationships among the cells is selectively updated with the point-of-interest information.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

causing, at least in part, reception of a message from a mobile terminal, wherein the message specifies point-of-interest information and an associated area name corresponding to one of a plurality of cells of a communication network;

parsing the message to determine the point-of-interest information and the associated area name; and

selectively updating a connectivity graph specifying relationships among the cells with the point-of-interest information.

2. A method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining that the point-of-interest information is associated with a point-of-interest new to the connectivity graph,

wherein the selective update includes adding the point-of-interest to the connectivity graph by including the point-of-interest information to a cell corresponding to the associated area name.

3. A method of claim 1, further comprising:

causing, at least in part, reception of another message from another mobile terminal requesting update information for an area based on the associated area name;

determining the update information, including the point-of-interest information; and

causing, at least in part, transmission of the update information to the another mobile terminal.

4. A method of claim 3, wherein the messages include Short Message Service (SMS) messages, Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS) messages, General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) communications, or a combination thereof.

5. A method of claim 1, further comprising:

causing, at least in part, reception of a request from another mobile terminal specifying a physical service, the point-of-interest information including a point-of-interest identifier, and the associated area name; and

causing, at least in part, ordering of the physical service to an area associated with the one cell and the point-of-interest identifier.

6. An apparatus comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory including computer program code,

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,

cause, at least in part, reception of a message from a mobile terminal, wherein the message specifies point-of-interest information and an associated area name corresponding to one of a plurality of cells of a communication network;

parse the message to determine the point-of-interest information and the area name; and

selectively update a connectivity graph specifying relationships among the cells with the point-of-interest information.

7. An apparatus of claim 6, wherein the apparatus is further caused, at least in part, to:

determine that the point-of-interest information is associated with a point-of-interest new to the connectivity graph,

wherein the selective update includes adding the point-of-interest to the connectivity graph by including the point-of-interest information to a cell corresponding to the associated area name.

8. An apparatus of claim 6, wherein the apparatus is further caused, at least in part, to:

cause, at least in part, reception of another message from another mobile terminal requesting update information for an area based on the associated cell broadcast message identifier;

determine the update information, including the point-of-interest information; and

cause, at least in part, transmission of the update information to the another mobile terminal.

9. An apparatus of claim 8, wherein the messages include Short Message Service (SMS) messages, Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS) messages, General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) communications, or a combination thereof.

10. An apparatus of claim 6, wherein the apparatus is further caused, at least in part, to:

cause, at least in part, reception of a request from another mobile terminal specifying a physical service, the point-of-interest information including a point-of-interest identifier, and the associated area name; and

cause, at least in part, ordering of the physical service to an area associated with the one cell and the point-of-interest identifier.

11. A method comprising:

causing, at least in part, transmission of a message from a mobile terminal, wherein the message specifies point-of-interest information and an associated area name corresponding to one of a plurality of cells of a communication network;

parsing the message to determine the point-of-interest information and the associated area name; and

selectively updating a connectivity graph specifying relationships among the cells with the point-of-interest information.

12. A method of claim 11, further comprising:

determining that the point-of-interest information is associated with a point-of-interest new to the connectivity graph,

wherein the selective update includes adding the point-of-interest to the connectivity graph by including the point-of-interest information to a cell corresponding to the associated area name.

13. A method of claim 11, further comprising:

causing, at least in part, transmission of another message from another mobile terminal requesting update information for an area based on the associated area name;

determining the update information, including the point-of-interest information; and

causing, at least in part, reception of the update information by the another mobile terminal.

14. A method of claim 13, wherein the messages include Short Message Service (SMS) messages, Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS) messages, General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) communications, or a combination thereof.

15. A method of claim 11, further comprising:

causing, at least in part, transmission of a request from another mobile terminal specifying a physical service, the point-of-interest information including a point-of-interest identifier, and the associated area name; and

causing, at least in part, ordering of the physical service to an area associated with the one cell and the point-of-interest identifier.

16. An apparatus comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory including computer program code,

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,

cause, at least in part, transmission of a message from a mobile terminal, wherein the message specifies point-of-interest information and an associated area name corresponding to one of a plurality of cells of a communication network;

parse the message to determine the point-of-interest information and the area name; and

selectively update a connectivity graph specifying relationships among the cells with the point-of-interest information.

17. An apparatus of claim 16, wherein the apparatus is further caused, at least in part, to:

determine that the point-of-interest information is associated with a point-of-interest new to the connectivity graph,

wherein the selective update includes adding the point-of-interest to the connectivity graph by including the point-of-interest information to a cell corresponding to the associated area name.

18. An apparatus of claim 16, wherein the apparatus is further caused, at least in part, to:

cause, at least in part, transmission of another message from another mobile terminal requesting update information for an area based on the associated cell broadcast message identifier;

determine the update information, including the point-of-interest information; and

cause, at least in part, reception of the update information by the another mobile terminal.

19. An apparatus of claim 18, wherein the messages include Short Message Service (SMS) messages, Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS) messages, General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) communications, or a combination thereof.

20. An apparatus of claim 16, wherein the apparatus is further caused, at least in part, to:

cause, at least in part, transmission of a request from another mobile terminal specifying a physical service, the point-of-interest information including a point-of-interest identifier, and the associated area name; and

cause, at least in part, ordering of the physical service to an area associated with the one cell and the point-of-interest identifier.