Dynamic location storage and retrieval in a wireless portal server

• US 20030220982A1
• Filed: 04/03/2002
• Published: 11/27/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/03/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oracle America, Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sun Microsystems Incorporated (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Tran, Luu, Kavacheri, Sathya
• Granted Patent: US 7,328,254 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/218
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/53 using third party service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/535 Tracking the activity of the user network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• 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 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/22 Processing or transfer of terminal data, e.g. status or physical capabilities

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention relate to a method and mechanism for managing location information in a wireless portal environment. The method consists of acquiring the location information from a user'"'"'s location-enabled wireless device which is in communication with a wireless network, storing the location information in a storage device in the wireless network, retrieving the location information from the storage device in the wireless network, and disseminating the location information to a client which is also in communication with the wireless network. A client can be any type of network presence that is enabled to provide services that are enhanced with knowledge of a user'"'"'s physical location in a wireless portal environment. The location information can be geophysical information derived from global positioning system (GPS) or any other location-specific information from a suitable source.

Claims

1. A method for managing location information in a wireless network, comprising:

acquiring said location information from a wireless device in said wireless network;

storing said location information in a storage device in said wireless network;

retrieving said location information from said storage device in said wireless network; and

disseminating said location information to a client content provider.

2. A method as described in claim 1, wherein said wireless network comprises a wireless portal environment.

3. A method as described in claim 1 wherein said location information is geographic information.

4. A method as described in claim 1 wherein said location information is derived from global positioning system information.

5. A method as described in claim 1 wherein said location information is derived from cellular telephone system information.

6. A method as described in claim 1, wherein said location information is associated with input by a user into said wireless device.

7. A method as described in claim 1, wherein said acquiring of said location information is performed transparently to said user.

8. A method as described in claim 1, wherein said storing of said location information is accomplished in a network server.

9. A method as described in claim 1, wherein said retrieving of said location information is performed in response to a request transmitted from said client content provider.

10. A method as described in claim 1, wherein said client content provider is resident in a portal server.

11. A method as described in claim 1, wherein said disseminating of said location information is accomplished in response to a request transmitted from said client content provider.

12. A method as described in claim 1, wherein said disseminating of said location information is performed transparently to said user.

13. A system for managing location information in a wireless portal environment, comprising:

a wireless network;

a user device communicatively coupled with said wireless network;

a wireless network server communicatively coupled with said wireless network and said user device; and

a client device communicatively coupled with said wireless network and said wireless network server, wherein said user device provides said location information to said network server and said client device receives said location information from said network server.

14. A system as described in claim 13, wherein said wireless network comprises a wireless portal environment.

15. A system as described in claim 13, wherein said user device is a personal data assistant.

16. A system as described in claim 13, wherein said user device is a portable telephone.

17. A system as described in claim 13, wherein said user device is a portable computing device.

18. A system as described in claim 13, wherein said location information is geographic information.

19. A system as described in claim 13, wherein said location information is derived from global positioning system information.

20. A system as described in claim 13, wherein said location information is derived from cellular telephone system information.

21. A system as described in claim 13, wherein said client device is a portal server.

22. A system as described in claim 13, wherein said network server is a portal server.

23. A system as described in claim 13, wherein said client device and said network server are enabled to communicate said location information transparently to said user.

24. A system as described in claim 13, wherein said network server communicates said location information to said client device in response to a query transmitted from said client device.

25. A wireless portal location service, comprising:

a network;

a wireless portal server communicatively coupled with said network;

a client server communicatively coupled with said network and with said wireless portal server; and

a location service resident in said wireless portal server, wherein said location service acquires location information from a wireless device in said network.

26. A wireless portal location service as described in claim 25, wherein said location service acquires said location information transparently to a user.

27. A wireless portal location service as described in claim 25, wherein said location service stores said location information in said wireless portal server.

28. A wireless portal location service as described in claim 25, wherein said client server retrieves said location information from said wireless portal server.

29. A wireless portal location service as described in claim 25, wherein said location information is related to a geophysical location of said wireless device in said network.

30. A wireless portal location service as described in claim 25, wherein said location information is disseminated to said client server from said wireless portal server in response to a request from said client server.