LOCATION-BASED NOVELTY INDEX VALUE AND RECOMMENDATION SYSTEM AND METHOD

• US 20080214210A1
• Filed: 03/04/2008
• Published: 09/04/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Antti Sorvari, Eero Rasanen, Hannu T. Toivonen, Heikki Mannila, Juhani Murto, Jukka-Pekka Salmenkaita, Kari Oinonen, Roman Kikta, Yka Huhtala
• Original Assignee: Antti Sorvari, Eero Rasanen, Hannu T. Toivonen, Heikki Mannila, Juhani Murto, Jukka-Pekka Salmenkaita, Kari Oinonen, Roman Kikta, Yka Huhtala
• Inventors: Mannila, Heikki, Kikta, Roman, Sorvari, Antti, Oinonen, Kari, Toivonen, Hannu T., Huhtala, Yka, Murto, Juhani, Salmenkaita, Jukka-Pekka, RASANEN, Eero
• Granted Patent: US 7,529,639 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/456.3
• 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

The invention is a system and method for computing a result for a location, wherein the result indicates how novel it is for a wireless device to occupy a specific location. After determining the location of a wireless device through various means, a Novelty Index Value (NIV) is calculated for the location, and the NIV is then stored into a database. The NIV may then be subsequently used by application programs to compute a desired result from the NIV. Multiple users may utilize and/or share the same NIV values. The NIV may also be used to alter the configuration of a wireless device as well. A recommendation system is also disclosed, wherein user context is utilized along with NIV values to compute particular results for a user.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

determining a location of a wireless device;

computing a novelty index value for the location, the novelty index value reflecting a measure of probability of a device occupying the determined location;

storing the novelty index value in a database;

running a program to determine a result that depends on the novelty index value;

accessing the database for information associated with the novelty index value; and

computing a result for the location using said information.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of determining further comprises determining the location of the wireless device by a global positioning system detector, by a triangulation of mobile phone base stations, or by proximity to a short-range communications device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of computing a novelty index value further comprises computing a magnitude for the novelty index value proportional to how unusual it is for the wireless device to occupy the location.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of computing a novelty index value further comprises computing a magnitude for the novelty index value which increases as the duration of time since the wireless device has occupied the location.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of computing a novelty index value further comprises computing a magnitude for the novelty index value which decreases when the wireless device occupies the location.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of computing a novelty index value further comprises computing in the wireless device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of computing a novelty index value further comprises computing in a separate server coupled to the wireless device.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of storing further comprises storing in the wireless device.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of storing further comprises storing in a separate server coupled to the wireless device.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of running a program further comprises running the program in the wireless device.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of running a program further comprises running the program in a separate server coupled to the wireless device.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of running a program further comprises determining a result for a game program, a shopping discount program, or a lost child tracking program.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of accessing a database further comprises accessing a location corresponding to a requested range of novelty index values.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of accessing a database further comprises accessing a novelty index value corresponding to a requested range of location values.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of computing the result further comprises computing the result in the wireless device.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of computing the result further comprises computing the result in a separate server coupled to the wireless device.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of running a program further comprises determining a result for an e-commerce program, a sports results program, a stock quotes program, a weather forecast program, or an online travel program.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of computing the result further comprises downloading distinctive ringing tones, exchanging multimedia messages that combine text with photographic content, exchanging multimedia messages that combine text with image content, exchanging multimedia messages that combine text with voice clip content, exchanging multimedia messages, paying bills online, delivering useful and informative advertising, conducting transaction services from online merchants, or providing entertainment services.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of computing the result further comprises providing recommendations to the user of the wireless device for the location according to said information.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of computing the result further comprises changing a configuration of the wireless device for the location according to said information.

21. A system comprising:

a processor;

a memory coupled to the processor, programmed to perform the steps of;

determining a location of a wireless device;

computing a novelty index value for the location, the novelty index value reflecting a measure of probability of a device occupying the determined location;

storing the novelty index value in a database;

running a program to determine a result that depends on the novelty index value;

accessing the database for information associated with the novelty index value; and

computing a result for the location using said information.

22. A system comprising:

means for determining a location of a wireless device;

means for computing a novelty index value for the location, the novelty index value reflecting a measure of probability of a device occupying the determined location;

means for storing the novelty index value in a database;

means for running a program to determine a result that depends on the novelty index value;

means for accessing the database for information associated with the novelty index value; and

means for computing a result for the location using said information.

23. A computer readable medium having code which when executed by one or more processors performs a method comprising:

determining a location of a wireless device;

computing a novelty index value for the location, the novelty index value reflecting a measure of probability of a device occupying the determined location;

storing the novelty index value in a database;

running a program to determine a result that depends on the novelty index value;

accessing the database for information associated with the novelty index value; and

computing a result for the location using said information.

24. A method comprising:

providing sensor signals characterizing a current environment of the wireless device;

processing the sensor signals and providing a current context result;

computing a novelty index value for the current context, the novelty index value reflecting a measure of probability of a device occupying the current context;

storing recommendations associated the novelty index value; and

accessing the database for recommendations, associated with the novelty index value, which are appropriate to the device'"'"'s current environment.