System and method for enhanced wireless communication features

• US 20010016500A1
• Filed: 01/02/2001
• Published: 08/23/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 01/26/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Neopoint, Inc.
• Inventors: Chung, Jong T., Son, William Y.
• Granted Patent: US 6,813,502 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/456.6
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6075 adapted for handsfree use in a vehicle H04M1/6058 takes precedence; arrangements for holding telephones in a vehicle B60R11/0241
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/30 Determination of the location of a subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/10 including a GPS signal receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/493 Interactive information services, e.g. directory enquiries ; Arrangements therefor, e.g. interactive voice response [IVR] systems or voice portals
• 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 88/04 adapted for relaying to or from another terminal or user
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

A wireless communication apparatus capable of providing information requests includes a wireless communication device having a wireless transceiver configured to send and receive communications across a wireless communication network. A hands-free unit can be included and coupled to the wireless communication device. The hands-free unit includes a speaker and a microphone configured to provide audio information to a user and to accept audio information from the user. A position determination system determines a location of the apparatus and provides position data indicative of such location to a server along with the information request. The server can process the information request along with the position information and provide a response to the request to the wireless communication apparatus.

Claims

1. A wireless communication apparatus, comprising

a wireless communication device including a wireless transceiver configured to send and receive communications across a wireless communication network and a processor;

a hands-free unit coupled to said wireless communication device and including a speaker and a microphone configured to provide audio information to a user and to accept audio information from said user;

a global positioning system receiver located in said hands-free unit and configured to determine a location of said hands-free unit and to provide position data indicative of said location to said wireless communication device; and

computer program code logic executable on said processor said computer program code logic including

computer program code logic configured to accept an information request from the user via the wireless communication device,

computer program code logic configured to receive said location information from said global positioning system, and

computer program code logic configured to provide said position information and said information request to a server across said wireless communication network;

whereby said server uses said location information to fulfill said information request and returns a response to said information request to the wireless communication device across said wireless communication network.

2. The wireless apparatus of

claim 1

, wherein said computer program logic further includes computer program code logic configured to determine whether location information is required to fulfill said information request.

3. The wireless apparatus of

claim 1

, wherein said computer program logic further includes computer program code logic configured to receive said response to said information request from said server and to provide said response to said user.

4. The wireless apparatus of

claim 1

, wherein said response to said information request is provided to the user as at least one of a visual display via a display device on said wireless communication device and voice information via said hands-free unit.

5. The wireless apparatus of

claim 1

, wherein said information request can be made by the user via at least one of voice or keypad input.

6. The wireless apparatus of

claim 1

, wherein an interface between said wireless communication device and said hands-free unit includes a voice interface to exchange vocal information and a data interface to exchange said location information.

7. The wireless apparatus of

claim 1

, wherein said location information comprises at least one of the group of latitude, longitude, elevation, speed of travel, time, and age of data.

8. The wireless apparatus of

claim 1

, wherein said wireless communication device is a wireless handset.

9. The wireless apparatus of

claim 1

, wherein said wireless communication device is one of the group of a cellular, PCS, or GSM communication device.

10. The wireless apparatus of

claim 1

, wherein said hands-free unit comprises a voice recognition unit and a speech synthesizer.

11. A wireless information retrieval system, comprising:

a wireless communication device including a transceiver for sending and receiving communications across a wireless communication network;

a hands-free unit coupled to said wireless communication device and including a speaker and a microphone configured to provide audio information to a user and to accept audio information from said user;

a position determination system receiver in said hands-free unit and configured to determine a location of said hands-free unit and to provide position data indicative of said location to said wireless communication device;

wherein said wireless communication device forwards said position data to a server across the wireless communication network along with a request for information.

12. The wireless information retrieval system of

claim 11

, wherein a response to said request for information is provided to the user as at least one of a visual display via a display device on said wireless communication device and voice information via said hands-free unit.

13. The wireless information retrieval system of

claim 11

, wherein said information request can be made by the user via at least one of voice or keypad input.

14. The wireless information retrieval system of

claim 11

, wherein an interface between said wireless communication device and said hands-free unit includes a voice interface to exchange vocal information and a data interface to exchange said location information.

15. The wireless information retrieval system of

claim 11

, wherein said location information comprises at least one of the group of latitude, longitude, elevation, speed of travel, time, and age of data.

16. The wireless information retrieval system of

claim 11

, wherein said wireless communication device is a wireless handset.

17. The wireless information retrieval system of

claim 11

, wherein said wireless communication device is one of the group of a cellular, PCS, or GSM communication device.

18. The wireless information retrieval system of

claim 11

, wherein said position determination system is a GPS.

19. The wireless information retrieval system of

claim 11

, wherein said hands-free unit comprises a voice recognition unit and a speech synthesizer.

20. A method for accommodating information requests from wireless user, comprising:

accepting an information request from a user of a wireless communication device;

determining locational information of said wireless communication device;

forwarding said information request and said locational information to a server via a wireless communication link,

receiving from said server a response to said information request, wherein said server compiles said response based on said locational information.

21. The method of

claim 20

, wherein said information request can by made by the user via at least one of voice command or keypad entry.

22. The method of

claim 20

, wherein said determining location parameters is performed by a hands-free unit coupled to the wireless communication device.

23. The method of

claim 20

wherein said locational information is determined using a GPS.

24. The method of

claim 23

, wherein said locational information comprises at least one of the group of latitude, longitude, elevation, speed of travel, time and age of data.

25. The method of

claim 23

, wherein said wireless communication device is a wireless handset.

26. The method of

claim 23

, wherein said wireless communication device is one of the group of a cellular, PCS, or GSM communication device.

27. A system for accommodating information requests from wireless user, comprising:

means for accepting an information request from a user of a wireless communication device;

means for determining locational information of said wireless communication device;

means for forwarding said information request and said locational information to a server via a wireless communication link,

means for receiving from said server a response to said information request, wherein said server compiles said response based on said locational information.

28. The system of

claim 27

, wherein said information request can by made by the user via at least one of voice command or keypad entry.

29. The system of

claim 27

, wherein said means for determining locational parameters is included with a hands-free unit coupled to the wireless communication device.

30. The system of

claim 29

, wherein a response to said request for information is provided to the user as at least one of a visual display via a display device on said wireless communication device and voice information via said hands-free unit.

31. The system of

claim 27

, wherein an interface between said wireless communication device and said hands-free unit includes a voice interface to exchange vocal information and a data interface to exchange said location information.

32. The system of

claim 27

, wherein said location information comprises at least one of the group of latitude, longitude, elevation, speed of travel, time, and age of data.

33. The system of

claim 27

, wherein said wireless communication device is a wireless handset.

34. The system of

claim 27

, wherein said wireless communication device is one of the group of a cellular, PCS, or GSM communication device.

35. The system of

claim 27

, wherein said means for determining location information is a GPS.

36. The system of

claim 29

, wherein said hands-free unit comprises a voice recognition unit and a speech synthesizer.

37. A computer program product comprising a computer useable medium having computer program logic recorded thereon for enabling a processor in a computer system to request information based on locational information of a user, said computer program logic comprising:

computer program code computer program code means for accepting an information request from a user of a wireless communication device;

computer program code means for determining locational information of said wireless communication device;

computer program code means for forwarding said information request and said locational information to a server via a wireless communication link,

computer program code means for receiving from said server a response to said information request, wherein said server compiles said response based on said locational information.

38. The computer program product of

claim 37

, wherein said information request can by made by the user via at least one of voice command or keypad entry.

39. The computer program product of

claim 37

, wherein said computer program code means for determining locational parameters is included with a hands-free unit coupled to the wireless communication device.

40. The computer program product of

claim 37

, wherein a response to said request for information is provided to the user as at least one of a visual display via a display device on said wireless communication device and voice information via said hands-free unit.

41. The computer program product of

claim 37

, wherein said location information comprises at least one of the group of latitude, longitude, elevation, speed of travel, time, and age of data.