System and method for accessing computer services via a wireless network

• US 7,027,821 B2
• Filed: 01/28/2002
• Issued: 04/11/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/28/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Rehkopf, Thomas W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Trinh, Sonny
• Assistant Examiner(s): PHAN, HUY Q
• Application Number:
  US10/058,721
• Publication Number:
  US 20030144008A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,534 Days
• Field of Search: 455/456.1, 455/456.6, 455/452, 455/406, 455/410, 455/411, 455/456.3, 455/456.5, 455/427, 455/12.1, 455/404.2, 455/414.1, 455/414.2, 455/414.4, 455/466, 701/213, 701/214, 709/218, 709/219
• US Class Current: 455/456.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences

Abstract

Server access is provided to a wireless apparatus via a wireless network. A message is received containing a service request. The service and sever capable of servicing the service request is determined. The service is requested from the server and a reply is received. The reply is formatted for communication over the wireless network and sent. Location dependent information may also be requested with a wireless apparatus including a global positioning device and a two-way wireless communication device. Such an apparatus can “know” its global location and therefore can request information dependent on that location. The apparatus receives signals from a global positioning system and calculates a location. The calculated location is included in the service request sent over the wireless network.

Claims

1. An apparatus for accessing a computer application via a wireless communication network, the apparatus comprising:

a global positioning device that receives signals from a global positioning system; and

a two-way wireless communication device in communication with the global positioning device;

a processor in communication with the global positioning device and in communication with the two-way wireless communication device; and

a user interface in communication with the processor;

wherein the processor determines the location of the global positioning device, receives an indication of a service request from the user interface, formats the service request indication into an e-mail message for communication over a wireless network, appends the location of the global positioning device to the e-mail message, wherein the e-mail message includes one of a keyword and a number that is mapped to a particular service, and causes the e-mail message to be sent over the wireless network via the two-way wireless communication device.

2. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the two-way wireless communication device comprises a Mobitex compatible device.

3. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the two-way wireless communication device comprises a radio modem.

4. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the two-way wireless communication device comprises a cellular telephone.

5. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the service request indication is in a natural language representation.

6. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the processor inserts a delimiter between the service request indication and the location of the global positioning device.

7. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the e-mail message includes a keyword that is mapped to a particular service.

8. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the e-mail message includes a number that is mapped to a particular service.

9. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, further comprising a memory that stores graphical map data and wherein the processor causes a graphical map to be displayed based on the graphical map data and the location indication.

10. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, further comprising a memory that stores graphical map data and wherein the processor receives a second e-mail message including second location information in response to the sent e-mail message and causes a graphical map to be displayed based on the graphical map data and the second location indication.

11. A method for requesting location dependent information, comprising:

receiving signals from a global positioning system;

calculating a location based upon the received signals;

receiving an indication of a service request from a user interface;

formatting the service request indication as an e-mail message for communication over a wireless network, wherein the e-mail message includes one of a keyword and a number that is mapped to a particular service;

appending the location to the email message; and

sending the formatted service request e-mail message over the wireless network.

12. The method as recited in claim 11, wherein receiving signals from a global positioning system comprises receiving signals from at least three satellites.

13. The method as recited in claim 11, wherein calculating a location comprises calculating a latitude and longitude.

14. The method as recited in claim 11, wherein receiving an indication of a service request comprises:

displaying a menu containing a plurality of service request indications; and

receiving a selection of one of the plurality of service request indications.

15. The method as recited in claim 11, further comprising receiving a reply message from the wireless network, the reply message containing location dependent information.

16. The method as recited in claim 15, further comprising:

parsing the location dependent information from the message; and

displaying the location dependent information in a graphical form.

17. The method as recited in claim 11, wherein the service request indication is in a natural language representation.

18. The method as recited in claim 11, wherein the e-mail message includes a keyword that is mapped to a particular service.

19. The method as recited in claim 11, wherein the e-mail message includes a number that is mapped to a particular service.

20. A computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon for requesting location dependent information, the instructions, when executed on a processor, causing the processor to perform the following:

receiving signals from a global positioning system;

calculating a location based upon the received signals;

receiving an indication of a service request from a user interface;

formatting the service request indication as an e-mail message for communication over a wireless network, wherein the e-mail message includes one of a keyword and a number that is mapped to a particular service;

appending the calculated location to the e-mail message; and

sending the formatted service request e-mail message over the wireless network.

21. The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 20, wherein calculating a location comprises calculating a latitude and longitude.

22. The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 20, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to perform receiving a reply message from the wireless network, the reply message containing location dependent information.