Location-based services for mobile stations using short range wireless technology

• US 20030207683A1
• Filed: 05/06/2002
• Published: 11/06/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/06/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Lempio, Jarkko, Heinonen, Tomi
• Granted Patent: US 7,551,930 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/422.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72451 according to schedules, e.g. using calendar applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72457 according to geographic location
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/02 including a Bluetooth interface
• 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 48/04 based on user or terminal location or mobility data, e.g. moving direction, speed
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/245 from a network towards a terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/10 between terminal device and access point, i.e. wireless air interface

Abstract

A system and method for location-dependent services for mobile stations using short range wireless technology such as Bluetooth. In an advantageous embodiment, the location-based service is a suggested profile change for a mobile station. A suggested profile may be a mode of operation for the mobile station'"'"'s current location (e.g., silence in a meeting room) and may be accompanied by the period of time that the profile is valid and a timer value for a forced change to the suggested profile in the absence of user interaction. In response to a prompt from a mobile station that has received a suggested profile, a user may either accept or cancel the suggested profile. Various mechanisms are disclosed for ensuring that services such as a suggested profile change is sent to mobile stations having more than a passing association with the access point'"'"'s coverage area.

Claims

1. A method for providing a service to a mobile station, comprising:

determining a length of time that a mobile station has been in an access point coverage area; and

if the mobile station has been in the coverage area for a predefined period of time, providing data relating to a service to the mobile station.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the service is a profile change.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the data includes the profile.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the data further includes a profile duration.

5. The method of claim 3 wherein the data further includes a timer value for a forced change in the absence of user interaction.

6. The method of claim 3 wherein the data includes a name of the access point.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the service is provided to the mobile station via a short range wireless connection.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the wireless connection is Bluetooth.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the service is a profile change.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the data includes the profile.

9. A method for providing a service to a mobile station, comprising:

monitoring a length of time that each of a plurality of mobile stations has been in an access point coverage area;

providing data relating to a service to one of the plurality of mobile stations that has been in the coverage area for a predefined period of time; and

providing data relating to the service to each additional one of the plurality of mobile stations as each additional one of the plurality of mobile station'"'"'s length of time within the coverage area reaches the predefined period of time.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein the data relating to the service is provided to each additional one of the mobile stations until a maximum number of active connections available at the access point has been reached.

13. A method for providing a service to a mobile station, comprising:

monitoring a length of time that each of a plurality of mobile stations has been in an access point coverage area;

identifying mobile stations that have been in the coverage area for a predefined period of time,

providing data relating to a service to the identified mobile stations based on the length of time that each mobile station has been in the coverage area,

wherein mobile stations that have been in the coverage area longer receive the data relating to the service first.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein identifying mobile stations that have been in the coverage area for a predefined period of time comprises:

identifying mobile stations that are eligible to receive the service upon being in the coverage area for the predefined period of time.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein identifying mobile stations that are eligible includes selecting mobile stations from a list of eligible mobile stations.

16. The method of claim 14 wherein mobile station eligibility is based on a mobile station being a member of a class of devices.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the class of devices is a mobile phone class.

18. The method of claim 14 wherein mobile station eligibility is based on a characteristic of a user of a mobile station.

19. A method of providing a service to a mobile station, comprising:

transmitting at a first power level in identifying a client; and

transmitting at a second power level in providing data relating to a service to the client, wherein the first power level is less than the second power level.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein

the first power level is transmitted through a first antenna;

and

the second power level is transmitted through a second antenna.

21. A method of providing a service to a mobile station, comprising:

using a first antenna for transmission in identifying a client; and

using a second antenna for transmission in providing data relating to a service to the client,

wherein the first antenna has a smaller coverage area than the second antenna.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein the first antenna has a smaller coverage area than the second antenna as a result of the first antenna having different transmission characteristics than the second antenna.

23. An access point comprising:

a first short range transmission module configured to transmit at a first power level in identifying a client; and

a second short range transmission module configured to transmit at a second power level in providing data relating to a service to the identified client,

wherein the first power level is less than the second power level.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the first transmission module notifies the second transmission module of the identified client.

25. The method of claim 24 wherein notification occurs via a wireless connection.

26. The method of claim 23 wherein the first and second transmission modules are Bluetooth modules.

27. An access point comprising:

a first antenna for transmission in identifying clients;

a second antenna for transmission in providing data relating to a service to identified clients, and

a switch for switching between the first antenna and the second antenna,

wherein the coverage area of the first antenna is less than that of the second antenna.

28. The access point of claim 27, wherein the first and second antennas have different transmission characteristics.

29. The access point of claim 27, wherein the access point is a Bluetooth access point.

30. A system for providing a service to a mobile station, comprising:

a memory device storing a program; and

a processor in communication with the memory device, the processor operative with the program to;

determine a length of time that a mobile station has been in an access point coverage area; and

if the mobile station has been in the coverage area for a predefined period of time, provide data relating to a service to the mobile station.

31. A system for providing a service to a mobile station, comprising:

a memory device storing a program; and

a processor in communication with the memory device, the processor operative with the program to;

monitor a length of time that each of a plurality of mobile stations has been in an access point coverage area;

identify mobile stations that have been in the coverage area for a predetermined period of time,

provide data relating to a service to the identified mobile stations based on the length of time that each mobile station has been in the coverage area,

wherein mobile stations that have been in the coverage area longer receive the data relating to the service first.

32. The system of claim 31 wherein identifying mobile stations that have been in the coverage area for a predetermined period of time comprises:

identifying mobile stations that are eligible to receive the service upon being in the coverage area for the predetermined period of time.

33. The system of claim 32, wherein identifying mobile stations that are eligible includes selecting mobile stations from a list of eligible mobile stations.

34. The system of claim 32 wherein mobile station eligibility is based on a mobile station being a member of a class of devices.

35. The system of claim 34 wherein the class of devices is a mobile phone class.

36. The system of claim 32 wherein mobile station eligibility is based on a characteristic of a user of a mobile station.