Position-based information access device and method of searching

• US 7,072,665 B1
• Filed: 01/31/2001
• Issued: 07/04/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/29/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Smarter Agent LLC
• Original Assignee: Brad W. Blumberg, Eric M. Blumberg
• Inventors: Blumberg, Brad W., Blumberg, Eric M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Beamer, Temica
• Assistant Examiner(s): PEREZ, JULIO R
• Application Number:
  US09/774,119
• Time in Patent Office: 1,980 Days
• Field of Search: 455/456, 455/456.1, 455/456.2, 455/426.1, 455/457, 455/404.2, 701/213, 701/214, 701/459, 701/560.1, 340/988, 342/517, 342/340, 342/990, 342/991, 342/992
• US Class Current: 455/456.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0623 Item investigation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/16 Real estate
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/025 using location based information parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management

Abstract

A system and method retrieve location-centric information. The method includes providing geographic position information of a wireless device to an information system or database and receiving location identifiers based on the geographic position. Each location identifier has related location-centric information that can be viewed by the user of the wireless device.

Claims

1. A method of retrieving location-centric information, comprising:

providing information related to a geographic position of a wireless device to an information system; and

receiving location-centric attribute information from said information system related to a landmark proximate to said geographic position, the geographic position being outside of the landmark, the location-centric attribute information being related to at least one of either an interior physical feature and an exterior physical feature of said landmark.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said receiving location-centric attribute information further includes receiving information related to a service feature related to said landmark.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said receiving location-centric attribute information includes receiving indicia of the interior physical feature and the external physical feature related to said landmark.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

receiving from a user a selection of one of the interior physical feature and the external physical feature; and

receiving location-centric detailed feature information related to said selected physical feature.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said receiving location-centric detailed feature information includes receiving product information related to said selected feature.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein said receiving location-centric detailed feature information includes receiving service provider information related to said selected feature.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein said landmark is a residential dwelling.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein the interior physical feature is one of a lighting fixtures, plumbing fixtures, flooring, wallpaper, window treatments, molding, and appliance.

23. The method of claim 1, wherein the exterior physical feature is one of a roof type, windows, siding and shingles.

24. The method of claim 2, wherein the service feature is one of landscaping, gardening, sprinkler system service, and pool care.

7. A method of providing location-centric information from an information system, the method comprising:

receiving a query from a wireless device;

receiving information related to a geographic position of the wireless device; and

transmitting location-centric attribute information related to a landmark proximate to said geographic position, the geographic position being outside of the landmark, the location-centric attribute information being related to at least one of either an interior physical feature and an exterior physical feature of said landmark.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said transmitting location-centric attribute information further includes transmitting information related to a service feature related to said landmark.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein said transmitting location-centric attribute information includes transmitting indicia of the interior physical feature and the exterior physical feature.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

receiving a selection of one of the interior physical feature and the external physical feature; and

transmitting location-centric detailed feature information related to said selected feature.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said transmitting location-centric detailed feature information includes transmitting product information related to said selected feature.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein said transmitting location-centric detailed feature information includes transmitting service provider information related to said selected feature.

13. A wireless device, comprising:

a transmitter operable with a position determining system capable of providing information related to a geographic position of the wireless device to an information system; and

a receiver configured to receive from said information system at least one location identifier based on said geographic position, said at least one location identifier being representative of a landmark proximate to said geographic position, the geographic position being outside of the landmark, and to receive location-centric attribute information related to said at least one location identifier, the location-centric attribute information being related to at least one of either an interior physical feature and an exterior physical feature of said landmark.

14. The wireless device of claim 13, further comprising:

a display configured to display said received at least one location identifier and said received location-centric attribute information; and

an input device.

15. Computer executable software code stored on a computer readable medium of a wireless device, the code for:

providing geographic position information of a wireless device to an information system;

receiving location-centric attribute information from said information system, said location-centric attribute information related to a landmark proximate to said geographic position, the geographic position being outside of the landmark, the location-centric attribute information being related to at least one of either an interior physical feature and an exterior physical feature of said landmark.

16. The computer executable software code of claim 15, said code further comprising code for:

prompting a user to select a location identifier from a plurality of location identifiers;

receiving location-centric attribute information related to said selected location identifier; and

displaying said received location-centric attribute information.

17. A system, comprising:

an information database having location-centric attribute information;

a wireless device operable to provide geographic position information to said information database and to receive from said information database at least one location identifier based on said geographic position, said location identifier being representative of a landmark proximate to said geographic position, the geographic position being outside of the landmark, the location-centric attribute information being related to at least one of either an interior physical feature and an exterior physical feature of the landmark.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein said wireless device is operable to receive the location-centric attribute information related to said at least one location identifier.

19. A method of retrieving provider information, comprising:

providing information related to a geographic position of a wireless device to an information system;

receiving location-centric physical attribute information from said information system, said location-centric physical attribute information being related to a residential dwelling proximate to said geographic position, the geographic position being outside of the residential dwelling;

receiving an attribute request, the attribute request indicating at least a portion of the location-centric physical attribute information; and

displaying detailed provider information uniquely associated with the at least a portion of the location-centric physical attribute information indicated by the attribute request.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

receiving at least one location identifier from said information system based on said geographic position, said location identifier being representative of said residential dwelling proximate to said geographic position.