Method and apparatus for providing location-based services

• US 9,264,858 B2
• Filed: 06/11/2014
• Issued: 02/16/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Unwired Planet LLC (JP Morgan Chase & Co)
• Original Assignee: Unwired Planet LLC (JP Morgan Chase & Co)
• Inventors: Cedervall, Mats, Ekerborn, Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): Trinh, Sonny
• Application Number:
  US14/302,330
• Publication Number:
  US 20140295890A1
• Time in Patent Office: 615 Days
• Field of Search: 455/456.1, 455/456.2, 455/456.3, 455/457
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/58 Message adaptation for wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0414 during transmission, i.e. party's identity is protected against eavesdropping, e.g. by using temporary identifiers, but is known to the other party or parties involved in the communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0421 Anonymous communication, i.e. the party's identifiers are hidden from the other party or parties, e.g. using an anonymizer
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/14 with services dependent on location where the service is an information service H04M2242/15; services independent of location H04M3/42229
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/025 using location based information parameters

Abstract

This invention concerns a process and a system for providing location information for a wireless unit in a wireless network to a location-based service provider, using a data network. In particular, the location information is provided to the location-based service provider without necessarily providing the identity of wireless unit, e.g., a subscriber'"'"'s wireless identification number, to the service provider. In this regard, a subscriber'"'"'s identification number may be hidden from the positioning service provider via a process in which an alias is used instead of the subscriber'"'"'s normal identity. The subscriber'"'"'s number may further be concealed from the service provider via a process wherein encrypted information is used instead of the subscriber'"'"'s normal identity.

Claims

1. A method of providing location-based services the method comprising:

receiving from a data network, by a server comprising a processor and comprising an interface coupled to the data network, a search request originating from a wireless unit in a wireless communications network, the wireless communications network coupled to the data network, the search request including at least one search parameter;

responsive to the search request, transmitting, by the server via the interface, a request for location data associated with the wireless unit;

responsive to the request for location data, receiving, by the server via the interface, particular location data associated with the wireless unit;

further responsive to the search request, identifying, by the server, search results based on the at least one search parameter and the particular location data associated with the wireless unit; and

providing data corresponding to the search results to the wireless unit.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the identifying the search results associated with the search request further comprises:

identifying at least one data page address within the data network.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

in response to a selection from the wireless unit, accessing at least one data page.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving the particular location data associated with the wireless unit comprises receiving the particular location data from a location platform associated with the wireless communications network.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the location platform is utilized to procure the particular location data associated with the wireless unit from at least a first location information source within said wireless unit.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the identifying the search results comprises identifying data network pages including content associated with the particular location data.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the identifying the search results comprises identifying data network pages having a data network address associated with the particular location data.

8. An apparatus for providing location-based services, the apparatus comprising:

an interface configured to receive and transmit data over a data network

a database;

a processor; and

a non-transitory computer-readable medium storage computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, configure the apparatus to;

receive, using the interface, a search request, the search request originating from a wireless unit in a wireless communications network, the wireless communications network coupled to the data network, the search request including at least one search parameter;

responsive to the search request, request, using the interface, location data associated with the wireless unit;

responsive to the request for location data, receive particular location data associated with the wireless unit separately from the search request;

further responsive to the search request, identify search results based on the at least one search parameter and the particular location data associated with the wireless unit; and

provide data corresponding to the search results to the wireless unit using the interface.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the interface comprises at least one of:

a data network interface; and

a wireless communications network interface.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the computer-executable instructions, when executed by the processor, further configure the apparatus to:

request the location data associated with the wireless unit from at least a first location information source.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the search results are geographically related to a location of the wireless unit.