Method, system and computer program product for personalizing the functionality of a personal communication device

• US 20040003024A1
• Filed: 06/26/2002
• Published: 01/01/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Vanska, Marko, Sairanen, Jarkko
• Granted Patent: US 7,107,009 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/201
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 17/0022 arrangements or provisious for transferring data to distant stations, e.g. from a sensing device "transfer between computer elements G06F13/00 "; data-transmission H04L
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 2001/085 Partner search devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72457 according to geographic location
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

A method, system, apparatus and computer program product for personalizing the functionality of a personal communication device. A personal communication device receives a wireless communication signal from one or more electronic tags. The signal is decoded by the personal communication device and the tag information is forwarded to a central processor of the device for executing the communication of data previously stored in a memory location, or triggering an application or service. The data, application or service is of interest to the user and relevant to the location the tags whose signal was received and processed by the device.

Claims

1. A system for personalizing the functionality of a personal communication device, comprising:

a personal communication device proximate to a user and equipped with an electronic tag reader; and

a plurality of electronic tags placed in a specific location pertinent to the user;

wherein at least one of the plurality of tags transmits a signal to the personal communication device for prompting the communication of data, or triggering a service or an application on said personal communication device related to the specific tag location of said at least one of the plurality of tags.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said personal communication device and said at least one of the plurality of tags are wireless communication devices.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said at least one of the plurality of tags conforms to the principles to RF-ID tag or Bluetooth tag technology.

4. The system of claim 3, where said at least one of the plurality of tags is a passive or active tag.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said data is stored in a memory location of said personal communication device by the user and used for triggering a request to a service provider for a service or an application upon receipt of said signal from said at least one of the plurality of tags proximate to said personal communication device.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said personal communication device further comprises a central processor and at least one application program for executing the display of data stored in said memory.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein said tag reader decodes the signal from said at least one of the plurality of tags and forwards information to said central processor for executing the communication of data stored in said memory.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein said plurality of tags are placed at different locations pertinent to the user.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein said data is communicated upon the receipt of a signal from at least two of said plurality of tags.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of tags is a personal tag affixed to personal items or affixed at personal locations by the user.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein said personal items includes articles of clothing, everyday accessories, luggage, sporting equipment, or other personal effects owned by the user or a friend of the user.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein said personal locations include house, garage, office, car, boat or other structure owned by the user or owned by a friend of the user.

13. The system to claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of tags is an external tag placed at a specific location by a third party.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein said personal communication device further comprises a network connection for transmitting and receiving said data stored in the memory of the personal communication device.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein said network connection is a wireless connection and a protocol for transmitting data to and receiving data from said personal communication device via the connection is GSM, WAP EDGE, UMTS or other similar wireless mobile telephone network protocol.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein said network connection is a standard computer network connection for transmitting to and receiving data from said personal communication device.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein said personal communication device is a cellular telephone, a satellite telephone, a personal digital assistant or a Bluetooth device.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein said signal from said at least one of the plurality of tags includes tag ID information.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the tag ID is information which is mapped in said personal communication device to provide a predefined function.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein said at least two of the plurality of tag IDs are mapped in said personal communication device to provide a predefined function.

22. The system of claim 1, wherein said signal from at least one of the plurality of tags includes third party data to be displayed on said personal communication device.

23. The system of claim 13, wherein said external tag has a coverage area that is greater than the internal tag.

24. The system of claim 1, wherein said tag reader has a rest mode wherein no tag signals are received by the personal communication device.

25. The system of claim 1, wherein said at least one of the plurality of tags includes a power supply.

26. The system of claim 1, wherein the data is communicated to the user of the personal communication device using visual data or voice data.

21. The system of 18, wherein the user of the personal communication device maps the IDs to provide a desired predefined function

27. An apparatus for personalizing the functionality of a personal communication device, comprising:

an electronic tag reader for receiving and decoding a signal from at least one of a plurality of electronic tags proximate to the personal communication device;

a central processor for prompting the communication of data stored in a memory location, or triggering a service or an application on the personal communication device after receipt of tag information from said electronic tag reader;

at least one application program for executing the data to be displayed; and

a data communication device for communicating said data,

wherein said data, service or application are related to a specific location of said at least one of the plurality of tags whose signal is received by the personal communication device.

28. The apparatus of claim 27, further comprising a network connection for receiving the data to and transmitting data from the personal communication device.

29. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein said network connection is wireless and a protocol for transmitting data to and receiving data from said personal communication device via the network connection is GSM, WAP EDGE, UMTS or other similar wireless mobile telephone network protocol.

30. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein said network connection is a standard computer network connection for transmitting to and receiving data from said personal communication device.

31. The apparatus of claim 27, further comprising a user interface to enable a user to interact with said personal communication device.

32. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein said data is communicated upon the receipt of a signal from at least two of said plurality of tags placed in different locations pertinent to the user.

33. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein said personal communication device is a cellular telephone, a satellite telephone, a personal digital assistant or a Bluetooth device.

34. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein said tag reader has a rest mode wherein no tag signals are received by the personal communication device.

35. The system of claim 27, wherein the data is communicated to the user of the personal communication device using visual data or voice data.

36. A method for personalizing the functionality of a personal communication device, comprising:

placing a plurality of electronic tags in specific locations pertinent to the user;

storing data in a memory location of the personal communication device that is of interest to the user and related to the location of said plurality of tags;

receiving at a tag reader in the personal communication device a signal from at least one of said plurality of tags;

decoding said signal received for said at least one of the plurality of tags and forwarding tag information to a central processor of the personal communication device;

prompting and executing the communication of the relevant data stored in said memory, or triggering a service or an application on the personal communication device; and

communicating the data to the user via said personal communication device;

wherein the data, service or application are related to the specific location of said at least one of the plurality of tags whose signal is received by the personal communication device.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein said personal communication device and said plurality of tags are wireless communication devices.

38. The method of claim 36, wherein said at least one electronic tag conforms to the principles to RF-ID tag or Bluetooth tag technology.

39. The method of claim 36, where said at least one electronic tag is a passive or active tag.

40. The method of claim 36, wherein said data is in said memory location of said personal communication device by the user and used for triggering a request to a service provider for a service or an application upon receipt of said signal from said at least one electronic tag proximate to said personal communication device.

41. The method of claim 36, wherein said personal communication device further comprises executing data using an application program in the memory of the personal communication device.

42. The method of claim 36, wherein said placement of said plurality of tags further comprises placing said plurality of tags at different locations pertinent to the user.

43. The method of claim 36, further comprising communicating said data upon the receipt of a signal from at least two of said plurality of tags.

44. The method of claim 36, wherein said at least one tag is a personal tag affixed to personal items or personal locations by the user.

45. The method to claim 36, wherein said at least one tag is an external tag placed at a specific location by a third party.

46. The method of claim 36, further comprising transmitting the data from and receiving the data to said personal communication device via a network connection.

47. The method of claim 46, wherein the network connection is wireless and a protocol for transmitting data to and receiving data from said personal communication device via the network connection is GSM, WAP EDGE, UMTS or other similar wireless mobile telephone network protocol.

48. The method of claim 46, wherein the network connection is a standard network connection for transmitting to and receiving data from said personal communication device.

49. The method of claim 36, wherein said personal communication device is a cellular telephone, a satellite telephone, a personal digital assistant or a Bluetooth device.

50. The method of claim 36, wherein said signal from at least one tag of the plurality of tags includes tag ID information.

51. The system of claim 50, wherein the tag ID is information which is mapped in said personal communication device to provide a predefined function.

52. The system of claim 50, wherein said at least two of the plurality of tag IDs are mapped in said personal communication device to provide a predefined function.

54. The method of claim 36, wherein said signal from at least one tag of the plurality of tags includes third party data to be displayed on said personal communication device.

55. The method of claim 36, wherein said external tag has a coverage area that is greater than the internal tag.

56. The method of claim 36, wherein said tag reader has a rest mode wherein tag signals are not received by the personal communication device.

57. The method of claim 36, wherein said at least one tag includes a power supply.

58. The method of claim 36, wherein the data is communicated to the user of the personal communication device using visual data or voice data.

53. The system of 50, wherein the user of the personal communication device maps the IDs to provide a desired predefined function

59. A computer program product for personalizing the functionality of a personal communication device, comprising:

a computer readable medium;

program code in said computer readable medium for storing data in a memory location of the personal communication device that is of interest to the user and related to the location of a plurality of electronic tags;

program code in said computer readable medium for receiving at a tag reader in the personal communication device a signal from at least one of the plurality of tags located proximate to said personal communication device;

program code in said computer readable medium for decoding said signal received for said at least one of the plurality of tags and forwarding the tag information to a central processor of the personal communication device;

program code in said computer readable medium for prompting and executing the communication of the data stored in said memory, or triggering a service or an application on the personal communication device; and

program code in said computer readable medium for communicating the data to the user via said personal communication device, wherein the data, service or application are related to a specific location of said at least one of the plurality of tags whose signal is received by the personal communication device.

60. The computer program product of claim 59, wherein said personal communication device and said plurality of tags are wireless communication devices.

61. The computer program product of claim 59, wherein said at least one electronic tag conforms to the principles to RF-ID tag or Bluetooth tag technology.

62. The computer program product of claim 59, wherein said at least one electronic tag is a passive or active tag.

63. The computer program product of claim 59, further comprising program code for allowing the user to store the data in the memory of the personal communication device and use the data for triggering a request to a service provider for a service or an application upon receipt of said signal from said at least one electronic tag proximate to said personal communication device.

64. The computer program product of claim 59, further comprising program code for executing the data using an application program in the memory of the personal communication device.

65. The method of claim 59, further comprising program code for communicating said data upon the receipt of a signal from at least two of said plurality of tags.

66. The computer program product of claim 59, wherein said at least one tag of said plurality of tags is a personal tag affixed to personal items or personal locations by the user.

67. The computer program product of claim 59, wherein said at least one tag of said plurality of tags is an external tag placed at a specific location by a third party.

68. The computer program product of claim 59, further comprising program code for establishing a network connection for transmitting data to and receiving data from said personal communication device.

69. The computer program product of claim 68, wherein the network connection is wireless and a protocol for transmitting data to and receiving data from said personal communication device via the network connection is GSM, WAP EDGE, UMTS or other similar wireless mobile telephone network protocol.

70. The computer program product of claim 68, wherein the network connection is a standard computer network connection for transmitting to and receiving data from said personal communication device.

71. The computer program product of claim 59, wherein said personal communication device is a cellular telephone, a satellite telephone, a personal digital assistant or a Bluetooth device.

72. The computer program product of claim 59, further comprising program code for receiving and processing tag ID information from said plurality of tags.

73. The computer program product of claim 72, wherein the tag ID is information which is mapped in said personal communication device to provide a predefined function.

74. The computer program product of claim 72, wherein said at least two of the plurality of tag IDs are mapped in said personal communication device to provide a predefined function.

75. The computer program product of claim 72, wherein the user of the personal communication device maps the IDs to provide a desired predefined function

76. The computer program product of claim 59, further comprising program code for receiving and processing third party data from said plurality of tags

77. The computer program product of claim 59, further comprising program code for placing said tag reader in a rest-mode so that no tag signals are not received by the personal communication device.

78. The computer program product of claim 59, wherein the data is communicated to the user of the personal communication device using visual data or voice data.