System and method for determining a subscriber'S zone information
First Claim
1. In a system having multiple wireless handheld devices wherein the handheld devices communicate with at least one server computer via an internet protocol (IP)-based wireless local area network (WLAN), a method associated with the providing of services to groups of subscribers, the method comprising:
- defining multiple service zones, wherein each service zone includes one or more access points for one or more IP-based WLANs;
storing the defined multiple service zones;
assigning at least one service type for each of the multiple service zones,wherein some of the service types for some service zones differ from service types for other service zones,wherein the service types include billing rates, andwherein at least one of the service types includes a free mobile phone service for at least some handheld devices within at least one of the service zones;
storing the service types assigned to each of the multiple service zones;
determining that one of the multiple handheld devices is operating within one of the multiple service zones, wherein the one handheld device is configured to communicate over the IP-based WLANs or over a cellular phone network under a wireless protocol; and
,providing to the one handheld device at least one of the service types for the one service zone in which the one handheld device is operating.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Systems and methods for delivering customized content to wireless service subscribers are disclosed. According to the disclosed embodiments, wireless access points can be grouped into various zones. Some of all of these zones can be further associated with predefined service types or other customized attributes. When a wireless subscriber connects to an access point in a given zone, the subscriber can be provided with content and/or services based on the zone to which he is connected.
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Citations
27 Claims
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1. In a system having multiple wireless handheld devices wherein the handheld devices communicate with at least one server computer via an internet protocol (IP)-based wireless local area network (WLAN), a method associated with the providing of services to groups of subscribers, the method comprising:
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defining multiple service zones, wherein each service zone includes one or more access points for one or more IP-based WLANs; storing the defined multiple service zones; assigning at least one service type for each of the multiple service zones, wherein some of the service types for some service zones differ from service types for other service zones, wherein the service types include billing rates, and wherein at least one of the service types includes a free mobile phone service for at least some handheld devices within at least one of the service zones; storing the service types assigned to each of the multiple service zones; determining that one of the multiple handheld devices is operating within one of the multiple service zones, wherein the one handheld device is configured to communicate over the IP-based WLANs or over a cellular phone network under a wireless protocol; and
,providing to the one handheld device at least one of the service types for the one service zone in which the one handheld device is operating. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A system for receiving services at a mobile device, comprising:
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means for providing communications at the mobile device based on a protocol, wherein the protocol is Generic Access Network (GAN), or Unlicensed Mobile Access (UMA), or Session Initiated Protocol (SIP); means for obtaining or providing information associated with a logical location of an IP-based wireless access network in which the mobile device is currently operating, wherein the logical location is associated with a predefined service zone; means for receiving content and at least one service type based at least in part on the predefined service zone; means for associating the mobile device with the predefined service zone, and means for storing the association. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A non-transitory computer-readable medium encoded with a computer program to at least assist in providing services for a mobile telecommunications device, the computer program performing a method comprising:
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obtaining information associated with a network location of the mobile telecommunications device, wherein the mobile telecommunications device is configured for wireless voice communications over both a cellular network and an IP-based computer network, wherein the mobile telecommunications device employs at least a portion of an Unlicensed Mobile Access (UMA), or Generic Access Network (GAN), or Session Initiated Protocol (SIP) protocol to communicate with the IP-based wireless access network, and wherein the network location of the mobile telecommunications device is determined by one or more geographical areas covered by a wireless IP-based computer network; determining a predefined zone associated with the IP-based computer network in which the mobile telecommunications device is located; and providing content and at least one service type to the mobile telecommunications device based at least in part on the predefined zone. - View Dependent Claims (20)
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21. A computer-implemented method associated with providing services in a mobile telecommunications network, wherein the mobile telecommunications network includes a cellular network, the method comprising:
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defining, on a database, multiple service zones, wherein each service zone is defined by a coverage area of one or more wireless local area networks (WLANs); associating at least one service type for each of the defined multiple service zones, wherein at least one of the service types for at least one service zone differ from service types for other service zones;
,storing an association of the service types with the defined multiple service zones, wherein subscribers operating wireless devices capable of operating in both the cellular network and the WLANs receive at least some of the service types based on the defined multiple service zones, associating at least some of the wireless devices with at least some of the defined multiple service zones; and storing the associations. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23)
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24. A computer-implemented method for providing services to groups of subscribers, the method comprising:
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receiving an access request with a network controller from a mobile device via an IP-based wireless access network, wherein the mobile device employs at least a portion of an Unlicensed Mobile Access (UMA), or Generic Access Network (GAN), or Session Initiated Protocol (SIP) protocol to communicate with the IP-based wireless access network; sending an access point identifier to the network controller, wherein the access point identifier is associated with a point of entry into the IP-based wireless access network for the mobile device; querying a database with the access point identifier; receiving a reply from the database in response to the query, wherein the reply includes a service zone identifier associated with the access point; and providing an output based on the service zone identifier, wherein the output includes a service type associated with a service zone identified by the service zone identifier.
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25. In a system having multiple wireless handheld devices capable of communicating over an IP-based wireless local area network (WLAN) that includes at least one wireless access point for communicating with the multiple wireless handheld devices, an apparatus comprising:
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a database; and a server, coupled to the database, and configured to; define multiple zones of service, wherein each zone of service includes one or more access points for one or more WLANs; assign at least one service type for each of the multiple zones of service, wherein some of the service types for some zones of service differ from types of service for other zones of service, wherein at least one service type includes billing rates, and wherein at least one service type includes a free mobile phone service for at least some of the multiple wireless handheld devices within an assigned zone of service; storing the assigned service types for each of the multiple zones of service; determine that one of the multiple wireless handheld devices is operating within one of the multiple zones of service; and
,associate the one wireless handheld device with at least one of the zones of service in which the one wireless handheld device is operating. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27)
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Specification