Wireless User Based Notification System

• US 20110230210A1
• Filed: 06/03/2011
• Published: 09/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Unwired Planet LLC (JP Morgan Chase & Co)
• Original Assignee: Unwired Planet LLC (JP Morgan Chase & Co)
• Inventors: Drennan, Mark
• Granted Patent: US 8,275,359 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/456.3
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/189 in combination with wireless systems selective distribution or broadcast in wireless communication networks H04W4/06
• 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 4/06 Selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS]; Services to user groups; One-way selective calling services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/90 Services for handling of emergency or hazardous situations, e.g. earthquake and tsunami warning systems [ETWS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 60/005 Multiple registrations, e.g. multihoming
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 60/02 by periodical registration
• 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 68/00 User notification, e.g. alerting and paging, for incoming communication, change of service or the like
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 68/005 Transmission of information for alerting of incoming communication

Abstract

A group of wireless device users are notified of an event. A location data determination algorithm is provided to a wireless device, where the algorithm determines a frequency at which the device interacts with network elements to determine its location. The location data is stored in a notification server and used to identify a user at a specific location. When a governmental or commercial entity wishes to issue a notification, a message is provided to those users whose location is identified as being in an area defined by the entity.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for notifying a plurality of wireless devices of an event, the method comprising:

at a server having one or more processors and memory;

storing account information of the plurality of wireless devices in a database, the account information including geographic and demographic data associated with the plurality of wireless devices;

receiving a notification message delivery request, the request including a geographic and demographic description of wireless devices to receive the notification message;

querying the geographic and demographic data in the database to identify one or more wireless devices in accordance with the geographic and demographic description; and

issuing a notification message to each of the one or more identified wireless devices via a wireless communication network for display to a respective user of the wireless device.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the event is a commercial activity scheduled to occur in a geographical area defined by the geographic and demographic description.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

updating the geographic and demographic data of the plurality of wireless devices in accordance with a determination of current locations of the plurality of wireless devices at a predefined frequency.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 3, wherein the current location of a respective wireless device is determined at least in part by an application running on the respective wireless device.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the geographic and demographic data of a respective wireless device includes a profile of a user of the wireless device.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein at least one identified wireless device is located proximate to but outside a geographical area defined by the geographic and demographic description.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the notification message is one selected from the group consisting of an SMS message, an MMS message, an IM message, and an email message.

8. A computer-implemented method for receiving a notification message of an event, the method comprising:

at a client device having one or more processors and memory;

using an application on the client device to determine its current location data, wherein the current location data of the client device is submitted to a notification server via a wireless communication network and stored therein;

receiving a notification message from the notification server via the wireless communication network, the notification message identifying an event scheduled to occur at a location within a predefined distance from the current location of the wireless device; and

displaying the notification message to a user of the wireless device.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 8, wherein the event is a commercial activity occurring or scheduled to occur within a geographical area that includes the current location of the wireless device.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 8, further comprising:

at a predefined frequency;

using the application to determine new location data of the wireless device, wherein the new location data is submitted to the notification server via the wireless communication network to replace the current location data of the wireless device.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 8, wherein the notification message is issued by the notification server to the wireless device if the current location data of the wireless device and a user profile of the user fit a geographic and demographic description associated with the event, and wherein the current location data and the user profile are stored in a database accessible to the notification server.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 8, wherein the notification message is issued by the notification server to a plurality of wireless devices located within a predefined geographical area determined by a geographic and demographic description associated with the event.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 8, wherein the notification message is one selected from the group consisting of an SMS message, an MMS message, an IM message, and an email message.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 8, wherein the notification message includes at least one user-interactive item, further comprising:

detecting a user selection of the user-interactive item; and

in response to the user selection of the user-interactive item, activating an application associated with the user-interactive item on the wireless device.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 14, wherein the user-interactive item is a telephone number and the activated application is to dial the telephone number.

16. The computer-implemented method of claim 14, wherein the user-interactive item is an email address and the activated application is to prepare a text message addressing the email address.

17. The computer-implemented method of claim 14, wherein the user-interactive item is a URL and the activated application is to launch a web page associated with the URL.

18. A notification system comprising at least one server, the system comprising:

one or more processors; and

memory for storing one or more applications and associated data;

wherein said at least one server is configured to;

store account information of a plurality of wireless devices in a database, the account information including geographic and demographic data associated with the plurality of wireless devices;

receive a notification message delivery request, the request including a geographic and demographic description of wireless devices to receive the notification message;

query the geographic and demographic data in the database to identify one or more wireless devices in accordance with the geographic and demographic description; and

issue a notification message to each of the one or more identified wireless devices via a wireless communication network for display to a respective user of the wireless device.

19. The notification system of claim 18, wherein the event is a commercial activity scheduled to occur in a geographical area defined by the geographic and demographic description.

20. The notification system of claim 18, further comprising instructions for:

updating the geographic and demographic data of the plurality of wireless devices in accordance with a determination of current locations of the plurality of wireless devices at a predefined frequency.

21. The notification system of claim 20, wherein the current location of a respective wireless device is determined at least in part by an application running on the respective wireless device.

22. The notification system of claim 18, wherein the geographic and demographic data of a respective wireless device includes a profile of a user of the wireless device.

23. The notification system of claim 18, wherein at least one identified wireless device is located proximate to but outside a geographical area defined by the geographic and demographic description.

24. The notification system of claim 18, wherein the notification message is one selected from the group consisting of an SMS message, an MMS message, an IM message, and an email message.

25. A wireless device comprising:

one or more processors; and

memory for storing one or more applications and associated data;

wherein said one or more processors are configured to;

use an application on the client device to determine its current location data, wherein the current location data of the client device is submitted to a notification server via a wireless communication network and stored therein;

receive a notification message from the notification server via the wireless communication network, the notification message identifying an event scheduled to occur at a location within a predefined distance from the current location of the wireless device; and

display the notification message to a user of the wireless device.

26. The wireless device of claim 25, wherein the event is a commercial activity occurring or scheduled to occur within a geographical area that includes the current location of the wireless device.

27. The wireless device of claim 25, further comprising instructions for:

at a predefined frequency;

using the application to determine new location data of the wireless device, wherein the new location data is submitted to the notification server via the wireless communication network to replace the current location data of the wireless device.

28. The wireless device of claim 25, wherein the notification message is issued by the notification server to the wireless device if the current location data of the wireless device and a user profile of the user fit a geographic and demographic description associated with the event, and wherein the current location data and the user profile are stored in a database accessible to the notification server.

29. The wireless device of claim 25, wherein the notification message is issued by the notification server to a plurality of wireless devices located within a predefined geographical area determined by a geographic and demographic description associated with the event.

30. The wireless device of claim 25, wherein the notification message is one selected from the group consisting of an SMS message, an MMS message, an IM message, and an email message.

31. The wireless device of claim 25, wherein the notification message includes at least one user-interactive item, further comprising:

detecting a user selection of the user-interactive item; and

in response to the user selection of the user-interactive item, activating an application associated with the user-interactive item on the wireless device.

32. The wireless device of claim 31, wherein the user-interactive item is a telephone number and the activated application is to dial the telephone number.

33. The wireless device of claim 31, wherein the user-interactive item is an email address and the activated application is to prepare a text message addressing the email address.

34. The wireless device of claim 31, wherein the user-interactive item is a URL and the activated application is to launch a web page associated with the URL.