Geographical web browser, methods, apparatus and systems

• US 6,983,139 B2
• Filed: 09/10/2004
• Issued: 01/03/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/17/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Push Data LLC (Equitable IP Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Duncan Leo Macfarlane, Eric M. Dowling, Mark Nicholas Anastasi
• Inventors: Dowling, Eric Morgan, Anastasi, Mark Nicholas, MacFarlane, Duncan Leo
• Primary Examiner(s): Appiah, Charles N.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Contee, Joy
• Application Number:
  US10/937,286
• Publication Number:
  US 20050032528A1
• Time in Patent Office: 480 Days
• Field of Search: 455/414.3, 455/422.1, 455/412.2, 455/414.2, 455/456.1, 455/456.3, 455/420, 455/414.1, 370/310, 340/905, 709/226, 709/233, 709/219, 701/208, 705/37, 705/14, 707/10
• US Class Current: 455/414.2
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1859 adapted to provide push services, e.g. data channels
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• 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 67/55 Push-based network services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• 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: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A geographical web browser allows a user to navigate a network application such as the Word Wide Web by physically navigating in geographical coordinates and roaming through coverage areas of cellular base stations, wireless LANs, microcells, and other such broadcast domains. A mobile unit communicates with a network server via an air interface that supports wireless packet data. A network server uses a set of user preferences to filter a set of server-side information in accordance with a user'"'"'s interest and the user'"'"'s present location. A content-selective information filter performs a network server-side search to identify content that matches the user'"'"'s preferences and the user'"'"'s location and selectively generates an unsolicited push message at a later time to notify the user of relevant results when the user enters a geographical area where the search is satisfied. In some embodiments, the push message is used to notify the user that information is available for download, and in other embodiments the push message provides the content directly to the user.

Claims

1. For use in a mobile data network environment comprising a packet switched data network, one or more network servers, a plurality of broadcast domain entities that are respectively coupled via respective network connections to the packet switched data network, and a plurality of mobile units, wherein each broadcast domain entity provides low power bi-directional wireless local area network access connectivity in a respective local coverage area to provide service to local users who may be present in the respective local coverage area and who carry respective ones of the mobile units, wherein a particular one of the mobile units comprises a processor, a memory, a user interface, and an air interface comprising a wireless transmitter, a wireless receiver, and a protocol stack adapted to process wireless local area network packet data transactions, wherein a particular user operates the particular mobile, unit and wherein the particular mobile unit is in communication with a particular broadcast domain entity when the particular mobile unit is located in a coverage area of the particular broadcast domain entity, a method comprising:

receiving a user interest indication associated with the particular user, wherein the user interest indication identifies one or more user preferences used to determine one or more types of content the user desires to receive via one or more unsolicited pushed messages at the particular mobile unit;

receiving via the packet switched data network information associated with a wireless communication interaction between the particular mobile unit and the particular broadcast domain entity, and based upon the information, associating the location of the particular user with a geographical location associated with the particular broadcast domain entity;

causing a search to be performed over a plurality of sets of content to identify, if present, a resulting content that is categorized according to the user interest indication and is associated with a point of presence located in a vicinity of the particular local broadcast domain entity; and

causing information relating to the resulting content to be coupled via the packet switched data network to the particular broadcast domain entity so that the particular broadcast domain entity can wirelessly transmit the one or more unsolicited pushed messages using packet headers addressed to the particular mobile unit to automatically notify the particular mobile unit about the resulting content without the need to continuously maintain an active client-server session between a network server of the one or more network servers and the particular mobile unit between a first time when the user interest indication is received and a second time when the particular mobile unit receives the one or more unsolicited pushed messages.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the resulting content relates to an item that is selected as a member from the group consisting of a product and a service, and is associated with at least one supplier of the item, and the supplier is associated with one or more points of presence where the item is physically available.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a request that originated with the particular user, the request indicating a desire to download a requested content comprising at least a portion of the resulting content; and

causing the requested content to be coupled via the packet switched data network to the particular broadcast domain entity so the particular broadcast domain entity can wirelessly couple the requested content to the particular mobile unit for interaction with the user via the user interface.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a request that originated with the particular user, the request indicating a desire to download a requested content related to information about the supplier; and

causing the requested content to be coupled via the packet switched data network to the particular broadcast domain entity so the particular broadcast domain entity can wirelessly couple the requested content to the particular mobile unit for interaction with the user via the user interface.

5. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

receiving a request that originated with the particular user, the request indicating a desire to download a requested content related to further information about the item; and

causing the requested content to be coupled via the packet switched data network to the particular broadcast domain entity so the particular broadcast domain entity can wirelessly couple the requested content to the particular mobile unit for interaction with the user via the user interface.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a request that originated with the particular user, the request indicating a desire to download a set of directions to indicate how to get to the point of presence; and

causing the set of directions to be coupled via the packet switched data network to the particular broadcast domain entity so the particular broadcast domain entity can wirelessly couple the set of directions to the particular mobile unit for interaction with the user via the user interface.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the resulting content comprises information to assist the particular user in navigating to the point of presence.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the user interface includes an audio interface and at least some of the resulting content is coupled to the user via an audio signal.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the user interface includes an interactive GUI (graphical user interface) and at least some of the resulting content is coupled to the user via the interactive GUI.

10. The method of claim 2, wherein the item is a particular style of food and the supplier is a restaurant which supplies the particular style of food.

11. The method of claim 2, wherein the item is a product sold in a retail store, and the supplier is the retail store.

12. The method of claim 2, wherein the item is a real estate property, and the local point of presence is the physical location of the real estate property.

13. The method of claim 2, wherein the item is a professional service and the supplier is a business entity that provides the professional service.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the professional service is a medical service.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the information relating to the resulting content includes a pointer to a location where at least a portion of the resulting content may be downloaded from the network server.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the information relating to the resulting content comprises at least a portion of the resulting content.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the point of presence is located within a proximity defined by a radius of a specified distance around the particular broadcast domain entity.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the packet switched data network is a member of the group consisting of at least a portion of the global Internet and a privately managed intranet.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein at least some of the local users comprise pedestrians.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the particular mobile unit is mounted in a vehicle.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein the geographical location associated with the particular broadcast domain is determined by a member of the group consisting of:

a network-server side data structure that stores geographical location information corresponding to a plurality of broadcast domain entities; and

a packet received from the particular local broadcast domain entity that identifies the geographical location of the particular local broadcast domain entity.

87. The method of claim 1, wherein the location indication is derived one or more times based upon current radio contact information between the particular mobile unit and the one or more of the plurality of broadcast domain entities.

88. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more unsolicited pushed messages are transmitted via a packet switched data session that:

takes on an active state wherein the one or more unsolicited pushed messages can be transmitted to the particular mobile unit via the packet switched data session;

is placed into an inactive state in which the one or more unsolicited pushed messages cannot be transmitted to the particular mobile unit via the packet switched data session; and

resumes the active state whereby the one or more unsolicited pushed messages can again be transmitted to the particular mobile unit via the packet switched data session.

89. The method of claim 88, wherein the packet switched data session comprises a virtual session.

22. For use in a mobile data network environment comprising a packet switched data network, one or more network servers, a plurality of broadcast domain entities that are respectively coupled via respective network connections to the packet switched data network, and a plurality of mobile units, wherein each broadcast domain entity provides low power bi-directional wireless local area network access connectivity in a respective local coverage area to provide service to local users who may be present in the respective local coverage area and who carry respective ones of the mobile units, wherein a particular one of the mobile units comprises a processor, a memory, a user interface, and an air interface comprising a wireless transmitter, a wireless receiver, and a protocol stack adapted to process wireless local area network packet data transactions, wherein a particular user operates the particular mobile unit, and wherein the particular mobile unit is in communication with a particular broadcast domain entity when the particular mobile unit is located in a coverage area of the particular broadcast domain entity, a method comprising:

receiving a user interest indication associated with the particular user, wherein the user interest indication identifies one or more user preferences used to determine one or more types of content the user desires to receive via one or more unsolicited pushed messages at the particular mobile unit;

receiving via the packet switched data network a location indication that was wirelessly coupled by the particular mobile unit to the particular local broadcast domain entity;

causing a search to be performed over a plurality of sets of content to identify, if present, a resulting content that is categorized according to the user interest indication and is associated with a point of presence located in a vicinity of the location identified in the location identification indication; and

causing information relating to the resulting content to be coupled via the packet switched data network to the particular broadcast domain entity so that the particular broadcast domain entity can wirelessly transmit the one or more unsolicited pushed messages using packet headers addressed to the particular mobile unit to automatically notify the particular mobile unit about the resulting content without the need to continuously maintain an active client-server session between a network server of the one or more network servers and the particular mobile unit between a first time when the user interest indication is received and a second time when the particular mobile unit receives the one or more unsolicited pushed messages.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the resulting content relates to an item that is selected as a member from the group consisting of a product and a service, and is associated with at least one supplier of the item, and the supplier is associated with one or more points of presence where the item is physically available.

24. The method of claim 22, further comprising:

receiving a request that originated with the particular user, the request indicating a desire to download a requested content comprising at least a portion of the resulting content; and

causing the requested content to be coupled via the packet switched data network to the particular broadcast domain entity so the particular broadcast domain entity can wirelessly couple the requested content to the particular mobile unit for interaction with the user via the user interface.

25. The method of claim 23, further comprising:

receiving a request that originated with the particular user, the request indicating a desire to download a requested content related to information about the supplier; and

causing the requested content to be coupled via the packet switched data network to the particular broadcast domain entity so the particular broadcast domain entity can wirelessly couple the requested content to the particular mobile unit for interaction with the user via the user interface.

26. The method of claim 23, further comprising:

receiving a request that originated with the particular user, the request indicating a desire to download a requested content related to further information about the item; and

causing the requested content to be coupled via the packet switched data network to the particular broadcast domain entity so the particular broadcast domain entity can wirelessly couple the requested content to the particular mobile unit for interaction with the user via the user interface.

27. The method of claim 22, further comprising:

receiving a request that originated with the particular user, the request indicating a desire to download a set of directions to indicate how to get to the point of presence; and

causing the set of directions to be coupled via the packet switched data network to the particular broadcast domain entity so the particular broadcast domain entity can wirelessly couple the set of directions to the particular mobile unit for interaction with the user via the user interface.

28. The method of claim 22, wherein the resulting content comprises information to assist the particular user in navigating to the point of presence.

29. The method of claim 22, wherein the user interface includes an audio interface and at least some of the resulting content is coupled to the user via an audio signal.

30. The method of claim 22, wherein the user interface includes an interactive GUI (graphical user interface) and at least some of the resulting content is coupled to the user via the interactive GUI.

31. The method of claim 23, wherein the item is a particular style of food and the supplier is a restaurant which supplies the particular style of food.

32. The method of claim 23, wherein the item is a product sold in a retail store, and the supplier is the retail store.

33. The method of claim 23, wherein the item is a real estate property, and the local point of presence is the physical location of the real estate property.

34. The method of claim 23, wherein the item is a professional service and the supplier is a business entity that provides the professional service.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein the professional service is a medical service.

36. The method of claim 22, wherein the information relating to the resulting content includes a pointer to a location where at least a portion of the resulting content may be downloaded from the network server.

37. The method of claim 22, wherein the information relating to the resulting content comprises at least a portion of the resulting content.

38. The method of claim 22, wherein the point of presence is located within a proximity defined by a radius of a specified distance around a location identified by the location identification indication.

39. The method of claim 22, wherein the packet switched data network is a member of the group consisting of at least a portion of the global Internet and a privately managed intranet.

40. The method of claim 22, wherein the local users are members of the group consisting of pedestrians and vehicles.

41. The method of claim 22, wherein location indication is generated using a global positioning system (GPS) receiver in the particular mobile unit.

42. The method of claim 41, wherein the location indication is generated using the GPS receiver when it is deduced that the particular mobile unit'"'"'s GPS coordinates have crossed a computer-represented geographical boundary so that the particular mobile unit is therefore identified to be in a new area, wherein the crossing of the computer-represented geographical boundary triggers the GPS coordinates to be uploaded so the network server can cause new messages to be pushed to the particular mobile unit based on the uploaded GPS coordinates and the user interest indication.

78. The method of claim 22, wherein the one or more unsolicited pushed messages are transmitted via a packet switched data session that:

takes on an active state wherein the one or more unsolicited pushed messages can be transmitted to the particular mobile unit via the packet switched data session;

is placed into an inactive state in which the one or more unsolicited pushed messages cannot be transmitted to the particular mobile unit via the packet switched data session; and

resumes the active state whereby the one or more unsolicited pushed messages can again be transmitted to the particular mobile unit via the packet switched data session.

79. The method of claim 78, wherein the packet switched data session comprises a virtual session.

80. The method of claim 22, further comprising:

wirelessly transmitting from the particular mobile unit the user interest indication; and

receiving at the particular mobile unit the one or more unsolicited pushed messages.

81. The method of claim 80, further comprising:

wirelessly transmitting the location indication a plurality of times with different sets of GPS coordinates corresponding to the mobile unit'"'"'s position at different times of the plurality of times.

82. The method of claim 81, wherein the one or more unsolicited pushed messages are sent in response to the location indication when one or more of the different sets of GPS coordinates cause the search to provide a positive result.

83. The method of claim 82, wherein the location indication is sent periodically.

84. The method of claim 82, wherein the location indication is sent at pre-specified intervals.

85. The method of claim 82, wherein the location indication is sent upon the detection of a pre-specified event.

86. The method of claim 22, further comprising:

receiving at the particular broadcast domain entity the one or more unsolicited pushed messages from the packet switched data network; and

wirelessly transmitting the one or more unsolicited pushed messages to the particular mobile unit.

43. For use in a mobile data network environment comprising a packet switched data network, one or more network servers, a plurality of mobile units, and a cellular communication network comprising a plurality of cellular base stations each respectively coupled to the packet switched data network, wherein each cellular base station provides cellular radio access services to service mobile unit users who may be present and who carry respective ones of the mobile units, wherein a particular one of the mobile units comprises a processor, a memory, a user interface, and at least one cellular radio air interface comprising a wireless transmitter, a wireless receiver, and a protocol stack adapted to process wireless packet data transactions using a cellular communication network packet data service protocol, wherein a particular user operates the particular mobile unit, and wherein the particular mobile unit is in communication with at least a particular cellular base station when the particular mobile unit is located in a coverage area of the particular cellular base station, method comprising:

receiving a user interest indication associated with the particular user, wherein the user interest indication identifies one or more user preferences used to determine one or more types of content the user desires to receive via one or more unsolicited pushed messages at the particular mobile unit;

receiving via the packet switched data network a location indication that was coupled from the cellular communication network, wherein the location indication identifies at least an approximate geographical location of the particular mobile unit;

causing a search to be performed over a plurality of sets of content to identify, if present, a resulting content that is categorized according to the user interest indication and is associated with a point of presence located in a vicinity of the location identified in the location identification indication; and

causing information relating to the resulting content to be coupled via the packet switched data network to the cellular communication network so that the particular cellular base station can wirelessly transmit the one or more unsolicited pushed messages using one or more packet headers addressed to the particular mobile unit to automatically notify the particular mobile unit about the resulting content without the need to continuously maintain an active client-server session between a network server of the one or more network servers and the particular mobile unit between a first time when the user interest indication is received and a second time when the particular mobile unit receives the one or more unsolicited pushed messages.

44. The method of claim 43, wherein the resulting content relates to an item that is selected as a member from the group consisting of a product and a service, and is associated with at least one supplier of the item, and the supplier is associated with one or more points of presence where the item is physically available.

45. The method of claim 43, further comprising:

receiving a request that originated with the particular user, the request indicating a desire to download a requested content comprising at least a portion of the resulting content; and

causing the requested content to be coupled via the data network and via the cellular communication network so the cellular communication network can wirelessly couple the requested content to the particular mobile unit for interaction with the user via the user interface.

46. The method of claim 44, further comprising:

receiving a request that originated with the particular user, the request indicating a desire to download a further content related to information about the supplier; and

causing the further content to be coupled via the packet switched data network and via the cellular communication network to the particular mobile unit for interaction with the user via the user interface.

47. The method of claim 44, further comprising:

receiving a request that originated with the particular user, the request indicating a desire to download a further content related to the item; and

causing the further content to be coupled via the packet switched data network and via the cellular communication network to the particular mobile unit for interaction with the user via the user interface.

48. The method of claim 43, further comprising:

receiving a request that originated with the particular user, the request indicating a desire to download a set of directions to indicate how to get to the point of presence; and

causing the set of directions to be coupled via the packet switched data network and via the cellular communication network to the particular mobile unit for interaction with the user via the user interface.

49. The method of claim 43, wherein the resulting content comprises information to assist the particular user in navigating to the point of presence.

50. The method of claim 43, wherein the user interface includes an audio interface and at least some of the resulting content is coupled to the user via an audio signal.

51. The method of claim 43, wherein the user interface includes an interactive GUI (graphical user interface) and at least some of the resulting content is coupled to the user via the interactive GUI.

52. The method of claim 44, wherein the item is a particular style of food and the supplier is a restaurant who supplies the particular style of food.

53. The method of claim 44, wherein the item is a product sold in a retail store, and the supplier is the retail store.

54. The method of claim 44, wherein the item is a real estate property, and the local point of presence is the physical location of the real estate property.

55. The method of claim 44, wherein the item is a professional service and the supplier is a business entity that provides the professional service.

56. The method of claim 55, wherein the professional service is a medical service.

57. The method of claim 43, wherein the information relating to the resulting content includes a pointer to a location where at least a portion of the resulting content may be downloaded from the network server.

58. The method of claim 43, wherein the information relating to the resulting content comprises at least a portion of the resulting content.

59. The method of claim 43, wherein the point of presence is located within a proximity defined by a radius of a specified distance around the location identified by the location identification indication.

60. The method of claim 43, wherein the packet switched data network is a member of the group consisting of at least a portion of the global Internet and a privately managed intranet.

61. The method of claim 43, wherein the particular mobile unit is mounted in a vehicle.

62. The method of claim 43, wherein the location indication is generated using a global positioning system (GPS) receiver in the particular mobile unit and is coupled wirelessly from the particular mobile unit via one or more of the cellular base stations in the cellular communication network.

63. The method of claim 62, wherein the location indication is generated using the GPS receiver when it is deduced that the particular mobile unit'"'"'s GPS coordinates have crossed a computer-represented geographical boundary so that the particular mobile unit is therefore identified to be in a new area, wherein the crossing of the computer-represented geographical boundary triggers the GPS coordinates to be uploaded so the network server can cause new messages to be pushed to the particular mobile unit based on the unloaded GPS coordinates and the user interest indication.

64. The method of claim 62, wherein the location indication is sent periodically.

65. The method of claim 62, wherein the location indication is sent at pre-specified intervals.

66. The method of claim 62, wherein the location indication is sent upon the detection of a pre-specified event.

67. The method of claim 62, wherein the one or more unsolicited pushed messages are sent in response to the location indication causing the search to provide a positive result.

68. The method of claim 43, further comprising:

wirelessly transmitting from the particular mobile unit the user interest indication; and

receiving at the particular mobile unit the one or more unsolicited pushed messages.

69. The method of claim 68, further comprising:

wirelessly transmitting the location indication a plurality of times with different sets of GPS coordinates corresponding to the mobile unit'"'"'s position at different times of the plurality of times.

70. The method of claim 69, wherein the one or more unsolicited pushed messages are sent in response to the location indication when one or more of the different sets of GPS coordinates cause the search to provide a positive result.

71. The method of claim 70, wherein the location indication is sent periodically.

72. The method of claim 70, wherein the location indication is sent at pre-specified intervals.

73. The method of claim 70, wherein the location indication is sent upon the detection of a pre-specified event.

74. The method of claim 43, further comprising:

receiving at the cellular communication network the one or more unsolicited pushed messages from the packet switched data network; and

wirelessly transmitting the one or more unsolicited pushed messages to the particular mobile unit.

75. The method of claim 43 wherein the location indication is derived one or more times by the cellular network based on current radio contact information between the particular mobile unit and one or more of the cellular base stations.

76. The method of claim 43, wherein the one or more unsolicited pushed messages are transmitted via a packet switched data session that:

takes on an active state wherein the one or more unsolicited pushed messages can be transmitted to the particular mobile unit via the packet switched data session;

is placed into an inactive state in which the one or more unsolicited pushed messages cannot be transmitted to the particular mobile unit via the packet switched data session; and

resumes the active state whereby the one or more unsolicited pushed messages can again be transmitted to the particular mobile unit via the packet switched data session.

77. The method of claim 76, wherein the packet switched data session comprises a virtual session implemented at a session layer of communication.

90. For use in a mobile data network environment comprising a packet switched data network, one or more network servers, a plurality of mobile units, and a plurality of wireless packet access stations coupled to the packet switched data network, wherein each wireless packet access station provides wireless access services, wherein a particular one of the mobile units comprises a processor, a memory, a user interface, and at least one wireless air interface comprising a wireless transmitter, a wireless receiver, and a protocol stack adapted to process wireless packet data transactions using a wireless packet data network protocol, wherein a particular user operates the particular mobile unit, and the particular mobile unit is in communication with at least a particular wireless packet access station when the particular mobile unit is located in a coverage area of the particular wireless packet access station, a method comprising:

receiving a user interest indication associated with the particular user, wherein the user interest indication identifies one or more user preferences used to identify advertisements of potential personal interest to the particular user;

receiving via the packet switched data network a location indication, wherein the location indication identifies at least an approximate geographical location of the particular mobile unit;

identifying a particular advertisement that comports with the user interest indication and is associated with the location identified in the location indication; and

causing information relating to the particular advertisement to be coupled via the packet switched data network to the particular wireless packet access station so that the particular wireless packet access station can wirelessly transmit the information relating to the particular advertisement via one or more unsolicited pushed messages using one or more packet headers addressed to the particular mobile unit without the need to continuously maintain an active client-server session between a network server of the one or more network servers and the particular mobile unit between a first time when the user interest indication is received to a second time when the particular mobile unit receives the one or more unsolicited pushed messages.

91. The method of claim 90, wherein the particular wireless packet access station is a wireless local area network access station.

92. The method of claim 90, wherein the particular wireless packet access station is a cellular radio base station that supports packet data services.

93. The method of claim 90, wherein the particular advertisement relates to an item that is selected as a member from the group consisting of a product and a service, and is associated with at least one supplier of the item who maintains a point of presence where the item is physically available in a prescribed vicinity of the location identified in the location indication.

94. The method of claim 90, wherein the one or more unsolicited pushed messages include a pointer that points to a location where content related to the particular advertisement can be downloaded.

95. The method of claim 90, wherein the one or more unsolicited pushed messages include at least a portion of the particular advertisement.

96. The method of claim 90, wherein the one or more unsolicited pushed messages are transmitted via a packet switched data session that:

takes on an active state wherein the one or more unsolicited pushed messages can be transmitted to the particular mobile unit via the packet switched data session;

is placed into an inactive state in which the one or more unsolicited pushed messages cannot be transmitted to the particular mobile unit via the packet switched data session; and

resumes the active state whereby the one or more unsolicited pushed messages can again be transmitted to the particular mobile unit via the packet switched data session.

97. The method of claim 96, wherein the packet switched data session comprises a virtual session.

98. The method of claim 97, wherein the virtual session is a virtual communication session implemented at a session layer of communication.

99. The method of claim 97, wherein the virtual session is resumed in response to a current need to send the one or more unsolicited pushed messages.

100. The method of claim 90, wherein the location indication is generated using a global positioning system (GPS) receiver in the particular mobile unit and is coupled wirelessly from the particular mobile unit a plurality of times without user interaction to allow the position of the particular mobile unit to be tracked by at least one of the one or more network servers.

101. The method of claim 100, further comprising:

wirelessly transmitting from the particular mobile unit the user interest indication;

wirelessly transmitting the location indication with different sets of GPS coordinates corresponding to the mobile unit'"'"'s position at different times of the plurality of times, and

receiving at the particular mobile unit the one or more unsolicited pushed messages.

102. The method of claim 101, wherein the one or more unsolicited pushed messages are sent in response to the location indication one or more times when one or more location-qualified advertisements are identified in response to the one or more of the different sets of GPS coordinates.