Location and time based filtering of broadcast information

• US 8,849,183 B2
• Filed: 10/02/2008
• Issued: 09/30/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/05/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Edge, Stephen W., Wachter, Andreas K., Kannan, Prasanna, Lo, Charles N.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gelin, Jean
• Application Number:
  US12/244,654
• Publication Number:
  US 20090093259A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,189 Days
• Field of Search: 455/414.1, 455/414.2, 455/3.06, 455/456.1, 455/456.3, 455/456.5, 455/402.2, 455/432.3, 455/404.1, 455/404.2, 455/422.1, 340/340, 340/539, 340/988, 340/995, 709/206, 709/219, 709/224, 725/54, 725/46, 725/47, 725/61, 725/58, 725/112, 725/113
• US Class Current: 455/3.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/61 for local area broadcast, e.g. instore broadcast
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/40 for identifying broadcast time
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/51 of receiving stations
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/53 of destinations
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/65 for using the result on users' side
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/73 using meta-information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/027 using movement velocity, acceleration information
• 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 4/50 Service provisioning or reconfiguring

Abstract

Techniques for sending and receiving broadcast information are described. In an aspect, broadcast metadata may be generated for broadcast information and may include location and time criteria used by terminals to filter the broadcast information. Each location and time criterion may include (i) a location criterion given by a target location and a presence or absence requirement and (ii) a time criterion given by a time period in which the location criterion applies. A terminal may receive the broadcast metadata prior to or with the broadcast information, obtain location and time criteria from the broadcast metadata, and filter the broadcast information based on the location and time criteria. The terminal may evaluate each location and time criterion by determining its location within a specified time period and determining whether its location is within or outside a specified target location, as indicated by the presence or absence requirement.

Claims

1. A method of receiving broadcast information on a mobile terminal, comprising:

storing location history information corresponding to a previous geographic location of the mobile terminal;

assigning a history probability factor to the location history information;

determining a future location information based on the location history information and the history probability factor;

assigning a future probability factor to the future location information;

receiving broadcast metadata associated with broadcast information;

obtaining location and time criteria, and a probability threshold, for the broadcast information from the broadcast metadata; and

filtering the broadcast information based on the location and time criteria, the future location information and the future probability factor, and the probability threshold.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the location and time criteria comprise at least one location and time criterion, and wherein the filtering the broadcast information comprises, for each location and time criterion,

determining a location criterion and a time criterion for the location and time criterion, the time criterion indicating a time period in which the location criterion applies,

determining whether the future location information meets the location criterion, and

determining whether the future probability factor meets the probability threshold.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the determining whether the future location information meets the location criterion comprises:

determining a target location and a presence or absence requirement for the location criterion, and

determining whether the location of the terminal is within or outside the target location as indicated by the presence or absence requirement.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the location and time criteria further comprise at least one logical operation for the at least one location and time criterion, and wherein the filtering the broadcast information further comprises combining results of the at least one location and time criterion in accordance with the at least one logical operation to obtain a final result for the location and time criteria.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the location and time criteria comprise location and time criterion covering a future location of the terminal.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the location and time criteria comprise a first location and time criterion requiring a terminal to be within a first target area and a second location and time criterion requiring the terminal to be outside a second target area.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the location and time criteria comprise at least one location and time criterion, each location and time criterion having a probability threshold in a form:

PA at L during D,

where

L denotes a target location for the location and time criterion,

D denotes a time period for the location and time criterion, and

PA denotes a presence or absence requirement for the location and time criterion.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the location and time criteria and the probability threshold have a form:

(PA₁ at L₁ during D₁)LO₁(PA₂ at L₂ during D₂) . . . LO_N-1(PA_N at L_N during D_N),

where

N is the number of location and time criteria being combined,

L_n, denotes a target location for n-th location and time criterion, for 1≦

n≦

N,

D_n denotes a time period for the n-th location and time criterion,

PA_n denotes a presence or absence requirement for the n-th location and time criterion, and

LO_n denotes a logical operation.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the location and time criteria have a form:

LTC_ALO_ALTC_BLO_BLTC_C . . .

where

LTC_i denotes a location and time criterion, for iε

A, B, C, . . . , and

LO_i denotes a logical operation.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

obtaining additional filtering data from the broadcast metadata; and

filtering the broadcast information based further on the additional filtering data

and at least one user preference.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

skipping receiving the broadcast information if the location and time criteria and probability threshold are not satisfied.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving the broadcast information at a first time instant; and

presenting the broadcast information at a second time instant the same as or later than the first time instant if the location and time criteria and probability threshold are satisfied.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the broadcast information relates to an event occurring over a designated time interval, and wherein the broadcast information is received prior to the designated time interval and is presented during the designated time interval.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving the broadcast metadata comprises receiving the broadcast metadata prior to the broadcast information.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving the broadcast metadata comprises receiving the broadcast metadata with the broadcast information.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving the broadcast metadata comprises receiving the broadcast metadata via service and content fragments for broadcast programs comprising the broadcast information.

17. An apparatus for wireless communication, comprising:

at least one processor configured to;

store location history information corresponding to a previous geographic location of the mobile terminal;

assign a history probability factor to the location history information;

determine a future location information based on the location history information and the history probability factor;

assign a future probability factor to the future location information;

receive broadcast metadata associated with broadcast information;

obtain location and time criteria, and a probability threshold, for the broadcast information from the broadcast metadata; and

filter the broadcast information based on the location and time criteria, the future location information and the future probability factor, and the probability threshold.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the at least one processor is configured to receive the broadcast information at a first time instant, and to present the broadcast information at a second time instant the same as or later than the first time instant if the location and time criteria and probability threshold are satisfied.

19. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the processor is configured to:

store location history information corresponding to a previous geographic location of the apparatus;

assign a history probability factor to the location history information;

determine future location information based on the location history information and the history probability factor; and

filter the broadcast information based on the future location information.

20. An apparatus for receiving broadcast information, comprising:

means for storing location history information corresponding to a previous geographic location of the mobile terminal;

means for assigning a history probability factor to the location history information;

means for determining a future location information based on the location history information and the history probability factor;

means for assigning a future probability factor to the future location information;

means for receiving broadcast metadata associated with broadcast information;

means for obtaining location and time criteria, and a probability threshold, for the broadcast information from the broadcast metadata; and

means for filtering the broadcast information based on the location and time criteria, the future location information and the future probability factor, and the probability threshold.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the location and time criteria comprise at least one location and time criterion, each location and time criterion having a probability threshold in a form:

PA at L during D,

where

L denotes a target location for the location and time criterion,

D denotes a time period for the location and time criterion, and

PA denotes a presence or absence requirement for the location and time criterion.

22. The apparatus of claim 20, further comprising:

means for receiving the broadcast information at a first time instant; and

means for presenting the broadcast information at a second time instant the same as or later than the first time instant if the location and time criteria and probability threshold are satisfied.

23. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising:

code for causing at least one computer to;

store location history information corresponding to a previous geographic location of the mobile terminal;

assign a history probability factor to the location history information;

determine a future location information based on the location history information and the history probability factor;

assign a future probability factor to the future location information;

receive broadcast metadata associated with broadcast information,

obtain location and time criteria, and a probability threshold, for the broadcast information from the broadcast metadata; and

filter the broadcast information based on the location and time criteria, the future location information and the future probability factor, and the probability threshold.

24. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 23 further comprising:

code for causing the at least one computer to;

determine a location criterion and a time criterion for a location and time criterion, the time criterion indicating a time period in which the location criterion applies,

determine whether the future location information meets the location criterion, and

determine whether the future probability factor meets the probability threshold.