Wireless application protocol (WAP) application location based services (LBS)

• US 9,344,840 B2
• Filed: 12/12/2008
• Issued: 05/17/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: TeleCommunication Systems Inc (Comtech Telecommunications Corporation)
• Original Assignee: TeleCommunication Systems Inc (Comtech Telecommunications Corporation)
• Inventors: Morin, Drew
• Primary Examiner(s): Khan, Mehmood B
• Application Number:
  US12/314,549
• Publication Number:
  US 20090156185A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,713 Days
• Field of Search: 455/456.3, 455/433, 455/422.1, 455/414.1, 455/457
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/141 Setup of application sessions admission control or resource allocation in data switching networks H04L47/70
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/55 Push-based network services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/14 Short messaging services, e.g. short message services [SMS] or unstructured supplementary service data [USSD]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/20 Services signaling; Auxiliary data signalling, i.e. transmitting data via a non-traffic channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/12 Application layer protocols, e.g. WAP [Wireless Application Protocol]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/182 Network node acting on behalf of an other network entity, e.g. proxy

Abstract

A Location Based Service (LBS) enabled Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) application operating in a microbrowser of a mobile device is given the ability to trigger a network initiated LBS request from a WAP application server. The WAP application server (or SMS gateway) acts as a proxy and issues an LBS request to a relevant LBS platform. In response, the WAP application server receives the requested location information from the LBS platform and initiates a WAP session with the mobile device using a WAP PUSH command. In this way, the WAP application running on the mobile device can act on requested and received LBS input from a network LBS platform.

Claims

1. A method of providing location based services to a Wireless Application Protocol (WAP)-enabled wireless device, comprising:

initiating, at the wireless device, a WAP session between the wireless device and a physical WAP application network server;

receiving, at said physical WAP application network server, via a physical wireless network, a mobile-triggered request for a network-initiated location-based services (LBS) request for location of said wireless device, from said wireless device;

terminating, at the physical WAP application network server, the WAP session in response to receiving said mobile-triggered request;

in response to said mobile-triggered request for a network-initiated LBS request, initiating said requested network-initiated location based service (LBS) request from said physical WAP application network server to a physical LBS network location services server for location information;

receiving, at said physical WAP application network server from said physical LBS network server, said location information from said physical LBS network server; and

pushing, in response to said mobile-triggered request and said terminating, said network-initiated location information from said physical LBS network server using a WAP PUSH command issued at said physical WAP application network server, to said wireless device.

2. The method of providing location based services to a Wireless Application Protocol (WAP)-enabled wireless device according to claim 1, wherein:

said location information is provided to said wireless device using a WAP reply.

3. The method of providing location based services to a Wireless Application Protocol (WAP)-enabled wireless device according to claim 1, wherein:

said physical WAP application network server supports multiple simultaneous WAP sessions.

4. The method of providing location based services to a Wireless Application Protocol (WAP)-enabled wireless device according to claim 1, further comprising:

notifying said wireless device that contact with said physical LBS network server has been initiated.

5. The method of providing location based services to a Wireless Application Protocol (WAP)-enabled wireless device according to claim 1, further comprising:

permitting activation of a microbrowser in said wireless device.

6. The method of providing location based services to a Wireless Application Protocol (WAP)-enabled wireless device according to claim 1, wherein:

said wireless device is a wireless phone.

7. The method of providing location based services to a Wireless Application Protocol (WAP)-enabled wireless device according to claim 1, wherein:

said network-initiated LBS request is a Mobile Location Protocol (MLP) request.

8. The method of providing location based services to a Wireless Application Protocol (WAP)-enabled wireless device according to claim 1, wherein:

said network-initiated LBS request is a Location Enabling Server (LES) request.

9. The method of providing location based services to a Wireless Application Protocol (WAP)-enabled wireless device according to claim 8, wherein:

said LES request triggers an Assisted Global Positioning System (AGPS) location determination for said wireless device.

10. A physical network Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) server to provide location based services to a WAP-enabled wireless device, comprising:

a receiver, at said physical WAP application network server, to receive via a physical wireless network, a mobile-triggered request for a network-initiated location-based services (LBS) request for location of said wireless device via a given WAP session, from said wireless device;

an initiator, at said physical WAP application network server, to initiate said requested network-initiated location based service (LBS) request from said physical WAP application network server to a physical LBS network location services server for location information, in response to said mobile-triggered request;

said receiver, at said physical WAP application network server, to receive said location information from said physical LBS network server; and

a WAP PUSH session module, at said physical WAP application network server, to push using a WAP PUSH command via another WAP session issued at said physical WAP application network server, in response to said mobile-triggered request, said network-initiated location information from said physical LBS network server to said wireless device.

11. The Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) server to provide location based services to a WAP-enabled wireless device according to claim 10, wherein:

said physical WAP application network server supports multiple simultaneous WAP sessions.

12. The Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) server to provide location based services to a WAP-enabled wireless device according to claim 10, further comprising:

notify said wireless device that contact with said physical LBS network server has been initiated.

13. The Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) server to provide location based services to a WAP-enabled wireless device according to claim 10, further comprising:

permitting activation of a microbrowser in said physical wireless device.

14. The Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) server to provide location based services to a WAP-enabled wireless device according to claim 10, wherein:

said wireless device is a wireless phone.

15. The Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) server to provide location based services to a WAP-enabled wireless device according to claim 10, wherein:

said network-initiated LBS request is a Mobile Location Protocol (MLP) request.

16. The Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) server to provide location based services to a WAP-enabled wireless device according to claim 10, wherein:

said network-initiated LBS request is a Location Enabling Server (LES) request.

17. The Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) server to provide location based services to a WAP-enabled wireless device according to claim 16, wherein:

said LES request triggers an Assisted Global Positioning System (AGPS) location determination for said wireless device.