Method and system for increasing ease-of-use and bandwidth utilization in wireless devices

• US 6,985,933 B1
• Filed: 05/30/2000
• Issued: 01/10/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Snap, Inc.
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Willner, Barry E., Stern, Edith Helen, Singhal, Sandeep Kishan
• Primary Examiner(s): Dharia, Rupal
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Quang N.
• Application Number:
  US09/583,318
• Time in Patent Office: 2,051 Days
• Field of Search: 709/203, 709/217, 709/218, 709/219, 709/227
• US Class Current: 709/219
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9537 Spatial or temporal dependent retrieval, e.g. spatiotemporal queries
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/289 Intermediate processing functionally located close to the data consumer application, e.g. in same machine, in same home or in same sub-network
• 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 67/5681 Pre-fetching or pre-delivering data based on network characteristics
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

A method and system for increasing ease-of-use and bandwidth utilization in a wireless device capable of accessing a communication network is disclosed. The present invention uses the wireless device to send information about the environment to a server on the communication network. In response, the wireless device receives identifiers from the server of the web sites most likely to be requested by a user of the wireless device in that environment. In a further aspect of the present invention, the wireless device may also pre-fetch contents from the identified web sites in times when bandwidth is not in use to further speed responsiveness of the device.

Claims

1. A method for increasing ease-of-use and bandwidth utilization in a wireless device capable of accessing a communication network, comprising the steps of:

(a) sending environment information describing the environment of the wireless device to a server on the communication network, wherein the environment information includes geographical location, local weather, time and date, and any combination thereof, wherein the server maintains a database of web site identifiers that are categorized by environmental factors, and queries the database using the environment information to determine particular web sites most likely to be requested by a user of the wireless device in that the environment of the wireless device, wherein the particular web sites are determined by examining prior patterns of access of web sites in the environment of the wireless device by users of the communication network;

(b) receiving identifiers from the server of the particular web sites most likely to be requested by the user of the wireless device in that environment, wherein server policies determine which particular web site identifiers are received by the device; and

(c) caching the identifiers for selection by the user.

2. The method of claim 1 further including the step of receiving a personalization of the received identifiers based on personalization information.

3. The method of claim 1 further including the step of pre-fetching content from at least one of the web sites indicated by the identifiers.

4. The method of claim 1 further including the step of informing the user that the identifiers have been received.

5. The method of claim 1 further including the step of displaying the identifiers on the wireless device for selection by the user.

6. The method of claim 1 further including the step of periodically sending the geographic location to the server.

7. The method of claim 1 further including the step of receiving URLs as the identifiers.

8. The method of claim 1 further including the step of receiving URL keywords as the identifiers for speech recognition.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising using the cached identifiers for lookahead data entry when the user enters a request for information to the wireless device, wherein the user is not required to have previously entered the identifiers.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the web site identifiers of the database are categorized according to types of environments.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the web site identifiers received by the wireless devices are augmented with identifiers for web sites accessed from an environment similar to the the environment of the wireless device.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the web site identifiers most likely to be requested are for web sites which have been most frequently requested by the users accessing the communication network when located in the current environment of the wireless device.

13. The method of claim 10 wherein the server categorizes the web site identifiers in types of environments by collecting information from a service provider of the communications network, the server analyzing the collected information for each environment for patterns of use by the users accessing the communications network, wherein the information indicates which web sites have been accessed from which environments by a plurality of wireless devices of the communications network.

14. A system for increasing ease-of-use and bandwidth utilization in a wireless device capable of accessing a communication network, comprising:

means for sending environment information describing the environment of the wireless device to a server on the communication network, wherein the environment information includes geographical location, local weather, time and date, and any combination thereof, wherein the server maintains a database of web site identifiers that are categorized by environmental factors, and queries the database using the environment information to determine particular web sites most likely to be requested by a user of the wireless device in the environment of the wireless device, wherein the particular web sites are determined by examining prior patterns of access of web sites in the environment of the wireless device by users of the communication network;

means for receiving identifiers from the server of the particular web sites most likely to be requested by the user of the wireless device in that environment, wherein server policies determine which particular web site identifiers are received by the device; and

means for caching the identifiers for selection by the user.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein the environment information comprises time and date.

16. The system of claim 14 further including means for receiving a personalization of the received identifiers based on personalization information.

17. The system of claim 14 further including means for pre-fetching content from at least one of the web sites indicated by the identifiers.

18. The system of claim 14 further including means for informing the user that the identifiers have been received.

19. The system of claim 14 wherein the identifiers are displayed on the wireless device for selection by the user.

20. The system of claim 14 further including means for periodically sending the geographic location to the server.

21. The system of claim 14 wherein the URLs are received as the identifiers.

22. The system of claim 14 wherein URL keywords are received as the identifiers for speech recognition.

23. The system of claim 14 further comprising means for using the cached identifiers for lookahead data entry when the user enters a request for information to the wireless device, wherein the user is not required to have previously entered the identifiers.

24. The system of claim 14 wherein the web site identifiers most likely to be requested are for web sites which have been most frequently requested by the users accessing the communication network when located in the current environment of the wireless device.

25. The system of claim 14 wherein the server categorizes web site identifiers of the database according to types of environments by collecting information from a service provider of the communications network, the server analyzing the collected information for each environment for patterns of use by the users accessing the communications network, wherein the information indicates which web sites have been accessed from which environments by a plurality of wireless devices of the communications network.

26. A computer-readable medium containing program instructions for increasing ease-of-use and bandwidth utilization in a wireless device capable of accessing a communication network, the instructions for:

a. sending environment information describing the environment of the wireless device to a server on the communication network, wherein the environment information includes geographical location, local weather, time and date, and any combination thereof, wherein the server maintains a database of web site identifiers that are categorized by environmental factors, and queries the database using the environment information to determine particular web sites most likely to be requested by a user of the wireless device in the environment of the wireless device, wherein the particular web sites are determined by examining prior patterns of access of web sites in the environment of the wireless device by users of the communication network;

b. receiving identifiers from the server of the particular web sites most likely to be requested by the user of the wireless device in that environment, wherein server policies determine which particular web site identifiers are received by the device; and

caching the identifiers for selection by the user.

27. The computer-readable medium of claim 26 further including the instruction of receiving a personalization of the received identifiers based on personalization information.

28. The computer-readable medium of claim 26 further including the instruction of pre-fetching content from at least one of the web sites indicated by the identifiers.

29. The computer-readable medium of claim 26 further including the instruction of informing the user that the identifiers have been received.

30. The computer-readable medium of claim 26 further including the instruction of displaying the identifiers on the wireless device for selection by the user.

31. The computer-readable medium of claim 26 further including the instruction of periodically sending the geographic location to the server.

32. The computer-readable medium of claim 26 further including the instruction of receiving URLs as the identifiers.

33. The computer-readable medium of claim 26 further including the instruction of receiving URL keywords as the identifiers for speech recognition.

34. The computer-readable medium of claim 26 further comprising using the cached identifiers for lookahead data entry when the user enters a request for information to the wireless device, wherein the user is not required to have previously entered the identifiers.

35. The computer-readable medium of claim 26 wherein the web site identifiers received by the wireless devices are augmented with identifiers for web sites accessed from an environment similar to the the environment of the wireless device.

36. The computer-readable medium of claim 26 wherein the web site identifiers most likely to be requested are for web sites which have been most frequently requested by the users accessing the communication network when located in the current environment of the wireless device.

37. The computer-readable medium of claim 26 wherein the server categorizes web site identifiers of the database according to types of environments by collecting information from a service provider of the communications network, the server analyzing the collected information for each environment for patterns of use by the users accessing the communications network, wherein the information indicates which web sites have been accessed from which environments by a plurality of wireless devices of the communications network.

38. A method for increasing ease-of-use and bandwidth utilization in a wireless device capable of accessing a communication network, comprising the steps of:

a. sending a geographic location, local weather, time and date, and any combination thereof of the wireless device to a server on the communication network, wherein the server maintains a database of web site identifiers that are categorized by types of environments from which the identifiers are accessed by users of the communication network, and queries the database using the environment information to determine particular web sites most likely to be requested by a user of the wireless device in the environment of the wireless device, wherein the particular web sites are determined by examining prior patterns of access of web sites in the environment of the wireless device by users of the communication network;

b. receiving identifiers from the server of the particular web sites most likely to be requested by the user of the wireless device in that environment, wherein server policies determine which particular web site identifiers are received by the device; and

c. caching the identifiers for selection by the user.

39. The method of claim 38 further including the step of pre-fetching content from at least one of the web sites indicated by the identifiers.

40. The method of claim 38 further including the step of informing the user that the identifiers have been received.

41. The method of claim 38 further including the step of displaying the identifiers on the wireless device for selection by the user.

42. The method of claim 38 further including the step of periodically sending the geographic location to the server.

43. The method of claim 38 further including the step of receiving URLs as the identifiers.

44. The method of claim 38 further including the step of receiving URL keywords as the identifiers for speech recognition.

45. The method of claim 38 further comprising using the cached identifiers for lookahead data entry when the user enters a request for information to the wireless device, wherein the user is not required to have previously entered the identifiers.

46. The method of claim 38 wherein the server categorizes web site identifiers of the database according to types of environments by collecting information from a service provider of the communications network, the server analyzing the collected information for each environment for patterns of use by the users accessing the communications network, wherein the information indicates which web sites have been accessed from which environments by a plurality of wireless devices of the communications network.

47. A system for increasing ease-of-use and bandwidth utilization in a wireless device capable of accessing a communication network, comprising:

means for sending a geographic location, local weather, time and date, and any combination thereof of the wireless device to a server on the communication network, wherein the server maintains a database of web site identifiers that are categorized by types of environments from which the identifiers are accessed by users of the communication network, and queries the database using the environment information to determine particular web sites most likely to be requested by a user of the wireless device in the environment of the wireless device, wherein the particular web sites are determined by examining prior patterns of access of web sites in the environment of the wireless device by users of the communication network;

means for receiving identifiers from the server of the particular web sites most likely to be requested by the user of the wireless device in that environment, wherein server policies determine which particular web site identifiers are received by the device; and

means for caching the identifiers for selection by the user.

48. The system of claim 47 further including means for pre-fetching content from at least one of the web sites indicated by the identifiers.

49. The system of claim 47 further including means for informing the user that the identifiers have been received.

50. The system of claim 47 wherein the identifiers are displayed on the wireless device for selection by the user.

51. The system of claim 47 further including means for periodically sending the geographic location to the server.

52. The system of claim 47 wherein the URLs are received as the identifiers.

53. The system of claim 47 wherein URL keywords are received as the identifiers for speech recognition.

54. The system of claim 47 further comprising means for using the cached identifiers for lookahead data entry when the user enters a request for information to the wireless device, wherein the user is not required to have previously entered the identifiers.

55. The system of claim 47 wherein the server categorizes web site identifiers of the database according to types of environments by collecting information from a service provider of the communications network, the server analyzing the collected information for each environment for patterns of use by the users accessing the communications network, wherein the information indicates which web sites have been accessed from which environments by a plurality of wireless devices of the communications network.

56. A computer-readable medium containing program instructions for increasing ease-of-use and bandwidth utilization in a wireless device capable of accessing a communication network, the instructions for:

a. sending a geographic location, local weather, time and date, and any combination thereof of the wireless device to a server on the communication network, wherein the server maintains a database of web site identifiers that are categorized by types of environments from which the identifiers are accessed by users of the communication network, and queries the database using the environment information to determine particular web sites most likely to be requested by a user of the wireless device in the environment of the wireless device, wherein the particular web sites are determined by examining prior patterns of access of web sites in the environment of the wireless device by users of the communication network;

b. receiving identifiers from the server of the particular web sites most likely to be requested by the user of the wireless device in that environment, wherein server policies determine which particular web site identifiers are received by the device; and

c. caching the identifiers for selection by the user.

57. The computer-readable medium of claim 56 further including the instruction of pre-fetching content from at least one of the web sites indicated by the identifiers.

58. The computer-readable medium of claim 56 further including the instruction of informing the user that the identifiers have been received.

59. The computer-readable medium of claim 56 further including the instruction of displaying the identifiers on the wireless device for selection by the user.

60. The computer-readable medium of claim 56 further including the instruction of periodically sending the geographic location to the server.

61. The computer-readable medium of claim 56 further including the instruction of receiving URLs as the identifiers.

62. The computer-readable medium of claim 56 further including the instruction of receiving URL keywords as the identifiers for speech recognition.

63. The computer-readable medium of claim 56 further comprising using the cached identifiers for lookahead data entry when the user enters a request for information to the wireless device, wherein the user is not required to have previously entered the identifiers.

64. The computer-readable medium of claim 56 wherein the server categorizes web site identifiers of the database according to types of environments by collecting information from a service provider of the communications network, the server analyzing the collected information for each environment for patterns of use by the users accessing the communications network, wherein the information indicates which web sites have been accessed from which environments by a plurality of wireless devices of the communications network.