Information retrieval system

• US 6,529,143 B2
• Filed: 10/21/1999
• Issued: 03/04/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/23/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Mobile Phones UK Limited (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Mikkola, Markus, Säntti, Virpi, Lempiö, Jarkko
• Primary Examiner(s): SWARTHOUT, BRENT
• Application Number:
  US09/422,509
• Publication Number:
  US 20020047787A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,230 Days
• Field of Search: 340/905, 340/995, 340/988, 701/213, 701/211, 342/457, 455/456
• US Class Current: 340/995.1
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3679 Retrieval, searching and output of POI information, e.g. hotels, restaurants, shops, filling stations, parking facilities G01C21/3611 takes precedence
• 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 and devices for a mobile person'"'"'s information retrieval where, when the person is moving, on coming closer to a point of destination, defined by him as being interesting, than a specified threshold separation, he will be informed of such a point of interest and, on request, additional data will be presented on it, such as driving instructions or a map.

The person is also offered a button with which he can make a call to the phone number of the point of interest presented each time. The person can add by himself new points of interest and select from available points of interest individual or several points of interest on the basis of their class, such as, e.g. restaurants or service stations.

Claims

1. A method for informing a mobile person of geographical points of interest (POI) that are of interest to him with an information retrieval device, comprising:

allowing said person to determine with said information retrieval device at least one point of interest he desires and a threshold separation, the threshold separation being at least one of the following variables;

distance and time,

repeatedly monitoring the position of said information retrieval device,

collecting available information on points of interest,

selecting from the available information on points of interest, points of interest which said person has defined with said information retrieval device as his desired points of interest and which are within said threshold separation from the location of said information retrieval device,

transmitting a first point of interest identification information to the information retrieval device to identify the selected points of interest to the information retrieval device;

checking in the information retrieval device based on the first point of interest identification information whether the information retrieval device has more data on the points of interest identified by the first information;

the information retrieval device requesting through a mobile communications network, data on those of the points of interest identified by the first information on which the information retrieval device does not yet have more data; and

transmitting a second information including more data on the requested points of interest to said information retrieval device.

2. A method according claim 1, wherein

points of interest are grouped according to their type into different kinds of classes and a mobile person can define, by means of these classes, one or more points of interest at a time.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein the becoming available of the data on the points of interest that are of interest to a mobile user is informed and the first information is then kept for a specific period of time on display on the information retrieval device during which time, when he so requests, he will be presented additionally the second information on a point of interest.

4. A method according to claim 3, wherein at the request of a mobile person, the first information is stopped being kept on display.

5. A method according to claim 1, comprising:

presenting data comprising the first and second information on a point of interest with said information retrieval device,

the data on said point of interest comprising a phone number, and

allowing said person to initiate a call to said point of interest with means of the information retrieval device.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein said first information comprises an identifier of a point of interest.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein said second information comprises descriptive information on a point of interest.

8. A method for informing a mobile person of a geographical point of interest that is of interest to him with an information retrieval device, comprising:

allowing said person to define with said information retrieval device at least one point of interest he desires and a threshold separation, the threshold separation being at least one of the following variables;

distance and time,

repeatedly monitoring the position of said information retrieval device,

collecting available first information on all those points of interest which said person has defined with said information retrieval device as his desired points of interest and which are within said threshold separation from the location of said information retrieval device,

transmitting to said information retrieval device its position with a specific accuracy,

searching with said information retrieval device said compiled data for those points of interest which are within said threshold separation from the position of said information retrieval device at the time in question, and

providing the information retrieval device with at least the first information of such a point of interest;

checking in the information retrieval device based on a first point of interest identification information whether the information retrieval device has more data on the points of interest identified by the first information;

the information retrieval device requesting through a mobile communication network data on those of the points of interest identified by the first information on which the information retrieval device does not yet have more data; and

allowing the person to select to receive the second information if the person desires more detailed data on the first information.

9. An information retrieval device comprising positioning means for maintaining position data on said information retrieval device, wherein said information retrieval device comprises:

input means for receiving the selection of at least one point of interest that is of interest to a user and at least one criterion of separation from the user of said information retrieval device, the criterion of separation being one of the following variables;

distance and time,

a radio receiver for receiving POI data comprising a first point of interest identification information to identify a point of interest (POI) that meets at least one specific criterion of separation,

a memory for storing the received POI data, and

output means for automatically presenting the first POI identification information on the point of interest that meets at least one specific criterion of separation and that is of interest of the user;

checking in the information retrieval device based on the first point of interest identification information whether the information retrieval device has more data on the points of interest identified by the first information;

the information retrieval device requesting through a mobile communication network data on those of the points of interest identified by the first information on which the information retrieval device does not yet have more data; and

the receiver being configured to receive a second information including more data on the requested points of interest.

10. An information retrieval device according to claim 9, wherein

said positioning means is a satellite positioning device.

11. An information retrieval device according to claim 9, wherein

said positioning means are integrated with other means of the information retrieval device, and

arranged to be receiving with said radio receiver said position data from a mobile communication network or to be determining the position of the information retrieval device with a specific accuracy on the basis of other data received from a mobile communication network.

12. An information retrieval device according to claim 9, wherein

said input means are arranged to receive classifications corresponding to the types of the points of interest that are of interest to the user, and

the information retrieval device comprises a radio transmitter for transmitting said classifications on to a mobile communication network for being used elsewhere in order to screen the POI data to be sent to said information retrieval device according to said classifications.

13. An information retrieval device according to claim 9, wherein the information retrieval device comprises a mass storage for storing said POI data.

14. An information retrieval device according to claim 9, wherein

said input means are arranged to receive from the user classifications corresponding to the types of the points of interest that are of interest to the user and

said information retrieval device comprises means for screening the POI data in said memory according to said classifications.

15. An information retrieval device according to claim 9, wherein

said radio receiver is arranged to receive, in addition to said POI data, the position data of the POI,

said information retrieval device comprises means for verifying the meeting of said criterion of separation, and

said output means are arranged to indicate, on the meeting of said criterion of separation, the availability of new POI data to the user, and

said memory is arranged to stop storing said POI data after a specific time limit from its reception.

16. An information retrieval device according to claim 9, wherein

said information retrieval device comprises

means for storing said POI data at the request of the user until the user otherwise requests separately, and

means for ending said storing.

17. An information retrieval device according to claim 9, wherein

the POI data comprises a phone number,

said memory is arranged to store said phone number, and

the information retrieval device comprises a radio transmitter and means for initiating a call to a point of interest, to be presented with output devices, using the phone number stored in the memory.

18. An information retrieval device according to claim 9, wherein

said information retrieval device comprises means for indicating an additional information request given by the user, and

means for controlling said output means to present to the user the second information as additional POI data in response to said indication of the additional information request.

19. A server comprising processing means, for the use of the server being arranged a first database comprising a set of records each having at least one field, and which server comprises data transfer means by means of which it is arranged to be connected to at least one base station of a mobile communication network for transferring at least one field of a record to at least one information retrieval device, wherein

said records comprise POI data on points of interest (POI) having at least a first information, which POIs are specific geographical places,

said data transfer means are arranged to receive the position of said information retrieval device,

said processing means are arranged to screen from said database relevant records that meet specific criteria,

said data transfer means are arranged to transmit at least one field corresponding to the first information of at least one of said relevant records to said information retrieval device, wherein the data transfer means are further adapted to:

receive a request through a mobile communication network for data on those of the points of interest identified by the first information on which the information retrieval device does not yet have more data in at least one further field, the request having been received after the information retrieval device has checked, based on a first point of interest identification information, whether the information retrieval device has more data on the points of interest identified by the first information;

transmit at least one further field corresponding to a second information in response to having received the request.

20. A server according to claim 19, wherein

of said criteria, another is the class of a point of interest.

21. An information retrieval system comprising:

a mobile communication network, an information retrieval device to be connected thereto, and a server, as well as a first database comprising a set of records, which comprise POI data on points of interest (POI), the points of interest being specific geographical places, and each record having at least two fields and, of the fields, one being for first information comprising an identifier of the POI and the second being for second information comprising the position of said POI and additional data on the POI,

positioning means for determining the position data of said information retrieval device,

first data transfer means for sending the position data of said information retrieval device to said server,

said server comprising;

screening means for screening from said database relevant records that meet specific criteria,

said data transfer means are arranged to transmit at least one field of at least one of said relevant records to said information retrieval device, and

said information retrieval device comprising;

a radio receiver for receiving POI data of at least one point of interest,

a memory for storing the received POI data, as well as output means for automatically presenting the first POI identification information on the point of interest that meets at least one specific criterion of separation and that is of interest of the user;

checking in the information retrieval device based on the first point of interest identification information whether the information retrieval device has more data on the points of interest identified by the first information;

the information retrieval device requesting through a mobile communication network data on those of the points of interest identified by the first information on which the information retrieval device does not yet have more data; and

the receiver being configured to receive a second information including more data on the requested points of interest.