Method for providing location-based services in a wireless network, such as varying levels of services

• US 20040192339A1
• Filed: 12/20/2002
• Published: 09/30/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/14/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cingular Wireless II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Wilson, Brian, Bhuyan, Krishna, Feinstein, Jacob
• Granted Patent: US 7,116,985 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/456.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/21 for social networking applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management

Abstract

A method and associated systems provide location-based services to multiple mobile devices in a wireless telecommunications network. The method includes partitioning wireless service subscribers to location-based services into first and second sets, based at least in part on consideration received, wherein wireless service subscribers in the second set receive access to premium content or services. The location-based services may be integrated other applications, including applications hosted by subscribers. The system may determine that a subscriber-friend is not a subscriber to certain location-based services and provide solicitation messages to the subscriber-friend, or a user who may request location information with respect to the subscriber-friend.

Claims

1. A system for providing location-based services among a network of base stations configured for exchanging wireless communications with mobile phones, the system comprising:

a database storing at least first and second lists of wireless service subscribers, including personal profiles associated with each subscriber, wherein each personal profile is associated with one subscriber and includes permissions for other mobile phones to have access to, or be denied access to, location-based information or services associated with the one subscriber; and

a server computer coupled to communicate with the base stations and coupled to access the first and second lists and the personal profiles in the database, wherein the server computer is configured to;

provide a basic level of location-based services, for a basic fee, to the first list of wireless service subscribers;

provide a premium level of location-based services, for a fee greater than the basic fee, to the second list of wireless service subscribers, wherein the premium level of location-based services includes allowing wireless service subscribers in the second list to access Internet sites providing content not available to subscribers on the first list of subscribers at the basic fee;

provide instant messaging (“

IM”

) functionality to at least the subscribers in the second list of subscribers; and

provide location information regarding the location of a wireless device owned by at least the one subscriber to a third party computer after receiving permission from the at least one subscriber.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the basic fee is a monthly subscription fee, wherein the Internet sites include restaurant guide sites or ticketing buying service sites, wherein the third party computer is operated by the at least one subscriber and executes a calendaring program, and wherein the server computer is further configured to:

receive a request for a desired type of premium location-based information from a subscriber in the first list of subscribers;

provide the desired type of location-based information to the requesting subscriber; and

receiving compensation from the requesting subscriber based on the provided information.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the server computer is further configured to:

receive a request to locate a friend, wherein the request is provided by a requesting subscriber'"'"'s mobile phone, and wherein the friend is not a subscriber to the location-based services; and

providing an electronic message to the requesting subscriber'"'"'s mobile phone that the friend is not a subscriber to the location-based services, wherein the electronic message solicits the requesting subscriber to encourage the friend to subscribe to the location-based services.

4. A method of providing location-based services to multiple mobile devices in a wireless telecommunications network, the method comprising:

partitioning wireless service subscribers to location-based services into first and second sets, wherein the second set is defined at least in part on consideration received from at least some of the wireless service subscribers in the second set, wherein the location-based services are provided by the wireless telecommunications network; and

providing the wireless service subscribers in the second set access to premium content or premium services not available to wireless service subscribers in the first set, wherein the premium content or premium services are associated with the location-based services provided by the wireless telecommunications network.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the premium services include:

providing maps displayable on mobile devices of wireless service subscribers in the second set based on received requests for location or direction information.

6. The method of claim 4 wherein the premium services include:

providing access to Internet sites providing restaurant guide information or ticketing buying services.

7. The method of claim 4 wherein the premium services include:

providing access to content provided at selected public computer network sites.

8. The method of claim 4 wherein the premium services include:

receiving a request from one of the wireless service subscribers in the second set to meet two or more individuals at a single meeting; and

coordinating the meeting of the two or more individuals.

9. The method of claim 4 wherein the consideration received is a fee for a greater kilobyte usage than a kilobyte usage for wireless service subscribers in the first set.

10. The method of claim 4 wherein the consideration received is a monthly subscription fee greater than a monthly subscription fee paid by wireless service subscribers in the first set.

11. A method of providing location-based services to multiple mobile devices in a wireless telecommunications network, the method comprising:

receiving, at a first computer, location-based information from mobile devices associated with subscribers communicating with the wireless telecommunications network, wherein the location-based information is related to at least one subscriber, is associated with at least one meeting for the at least one subscriber, or includes geographic directions related to the at least one subscriber, and wherein the first computer is configured to provide location-based services to at least some of the subscribers communicating with the wireless network; and

providing the location-based information to at least a second computer, wherein the second computer is configured to execute a user application program and provide corresponding application program output to the at least one subscriber.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the location-based information is data regarding a meeting associated with the at least one subscriber, and wherein the user application program is a calendaring program.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein the location-based information is contact data regarding another subscriber provided via the first computer to the at least one subscriber, and the wherein the user application program is a contact management program used by the at least one subscriber.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein the location-based information is directions to a selected location provided via the first computer, and wherein the user application program is a facsimile application configured for faxing the directions.

15. An apparatus for use in a wireless telecommunication network, the apparatus comprising:

means for providing location-based services, wherein the means for providing location-based services includes means for determining a location of a friend; and

,

means, coupled to the means for determining, for providing an instant message to the friend or a user based on the locating.

16. In a system for providing location-based telecommunications services, a method comprising:

providing a request to the system to determine a location of a friend, wherein the request is provided by a mobile device whose user has subscribed to location-based services provided by the system, and wherein the friend is not a subscriber to the location-based services; and

receiving an electronic message at the user'"'"'s mobile device that the friend is not a subscriber to the location-based services, and wherein the electronic message solicits the user to encourage the friend to become a subscriber to the location-based services.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the electronic message includes a toll-free number to call to subscribe to the location-based services.

18. The method of claim 16 wherein the electronic message includes a universal resource locator (URL) for accessing information on subscribing to the location-based services.

19. The method of claim 16 wherein the electronic message includes a sample message regarding subscribing to the location-based services, wherein the sample message is configured for the user to forward to the friend.

20. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

receiving notification at the user'"'"'s mobile device once the friend has subscribed to the location-based services.

21. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

receiving notification at the user'"'"'s mobile device once the friend has subscribed to the location-based services, wherein the notification inquires whether the friend should be included in at least one list of subscribers for whom location-based privileges are provided.

22. In a system for providing location-based services, a method comprising:

receiving a request at the system to determine a location of a friend, wherein the request is provided by a mobile device whose user has subscribed to location-based services provided by the system, and wherein the friend is not a subscriber to the location-based services; and

providing an electronic message to a mobile device associated with the friend, wherein the electronic message solicits the friend to become a subscriber to the location-based services.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein the electronic message, is automatically sent to the friend after the system determines from a failed, user-initiated, location request that the friend has not subscribed to the location-based services.

24. The method of claim 22, further comprising sending a solicitation electronic message to the user'"'"'s mobile device that the friend is not a subscriber to the location-based services, and wherein the solicitation electronic message solicits the user to encourage the friend to become a subscriber to the location-based services.

28. The computer-readable medium of claim 22, further comprising:

receiving at the telecommunications server a request for a desired type of location-based information;

providing the desired type of location-based information to the subscriber'"'"'s telecommunications mobile device; and

receiving compensation from the subscriber based on the provided information.

25. A computer-readable medium whose contents store instructions for at least one telecommunications server to execute a method, wherein the telecommunications server is coupled to a system for providing location-based services to at least one telecommunication mobile device associated with a subscriber, the method comprising:

at the telecommunications server, receiving from the telecommunications mobile device a request to locate a desired type of business;

at the telecommunications server, automatically determining a location of the telecommunications mobile device and providing a response to the requesting telecommunications mobile device, wherein the response includes a location of a select business, and wherein the select business is of the desired type; and

receiving compensation from the select business based on the provided response.

26. The computer-readable medium of claim 25 wherein the compensation includes a fraction of any sale consummated by the subscriber at the select business.

27. The computer-readable medium of claim 25, further comprising:

receiving at the telecommunications server a request for a closest restaurant of a desired type;

providing location information of a selected restaurant of the desired type to the subscriber'"'"'s telecommunications mobile device; and

receiving compensation from the selected restaurant of the desired type based on the provided information.

29. The computer-readable medium of claim 25, further comprising:

receiving at the telecommunications server a request for a graphical map;

providing the graphical map for display on the subscriber'"'"'s telecommunications mobile device; and

receiving compensation from the subscriber based on the provided graphical map.

30. The computer-readable medium of claim 25, further comprising:

receiving at the telecommunications server a request for non-standard information;

providing the non-standard information to the subscriber'"'"'s telecommunications mobile device; and

receiving compensation from the subscriber based on the provided non-standard information.

31. The computer-readable medium of claim 25 wherein the computer-readable medium is a memory of the telecommunications server.

32. The computer-readable medium of claim 25 wherein the computer-readable medium is a logical node in a network receiving the contents.

33. The computer-readable medium of claim 25 wherein the computer-readable medium is a computer-readable disk.

34. The computer-readable medium of claim 25 wherein the computer-readable medium is a data transmission medium carrying a generated data signal containing the contents.

35. The computer-readable medium of claim 25 wherein the computer-readable medium is microcode.

36. The computer-readable medium of claim 25, further comprising:

receiving at the telecommunications server a request for a text-to-speech service;

providing the text-to-speech service to the subscriber'"'"'s telecommunications mobile device; and

receiving compensation from the subscriber based on the provided service.

37. The computer-readable medium of claim 25, further comprising:

receiving at the telecommunications server a request for a non-standard location-based service;

providing the non-standard location-based service to the subscriber'"'"'s telecommunications mobile device; and

receiving compensation from the subscriber based on the provided service.

38. The computer-readable medium of claim 25, further comprising:

receiving at the telecommunications server a request for traffic information;

providing the traffic information to the subscriber'"'"'s telecommunications mobile device; and

receiving compensation from the subscriber based on the provided information.