Mobile device and method for receiving and processing program-accompanying data

• US 7,395,031 B1
• Filed: 12/02/1998
• Issued: 07/01/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/02/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Swisscom AG (Government of Switzerland)
• Original Assignee: Swisscom Mobile AG (Government of Switzerland)
• Inventors: Ritter, Rudolf
• Primary Examiner(s): Trost; William
• Assistant Examiner(s): PEREZ, JULIO R
• Application Number:
  US09/857,124
• Time in Patent Office: 3,499 Days
• Field of Search: 455 301- 306, 455/414.1, 455/414.2, 455/418, 455/419, 455/456.1, 455/456.3, 455/186.1, 455/77, 455/150.1, 455/154.1, 455/503, 455/414, 455/12.1, 340/996, 340/988, 342/357, 342/449, 342/449.1, 701/213, 709/230, 725/110, 725/112, 348/13, 348/460, 348/449
• US Class Current: 455/77
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/20 Instruments for performing navigational calculations G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0962 having an indicator mounted inside the vehicle, e.g. giving voice messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/28 Arrangements for simultaneous broadcast of plural pieces of information
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/46 for recognising users' preferences
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/51 of receiving stations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/088 the inserted signal being digital

Abstract

Mobile device (3) and method for receiving and processing program-accompanying digital data, which are transmitted by a radio transmitter (1), for example a DAB transmitter, and of which at least certain comprise location parameters. The mobile device (3) includes a radio receiver (38), which can receive radio programs with program-accompanying digital data, and a position locating module (39) for establishing the current position, for example a GPS receiver. The mobile device (3) further comprises a filter module (37), by means of which, on the basis of the current position, determined by the said position locating module (39), location-specific information can be filtered from the received program-accompanying data, which contain, for example, order numbers, URL addresses or executable program data files. The received program-accompanying data can be filtered moreover by the said filter module (37) on the basis of a user profile (35) stored in the mobile device (3). Location-specific data can be shown on a display (31) of the mobile device (3), can be selected by the user by means of operating elements (32) of the mobile device (3), can be edited and can be further processed through the mobile device (3).

Claims

1. A mobile device, comprising:

a receiver configured to receive programs and program-accompanying digital data, wherein the programs include at least one of audio data and video data, and the program-accompanying digital data includes geographical location parameters;

a position locating module configured to determine a current geographic position of the mobile device;

a filter module configured to filter location-specific information from the program-accompanying digital data based at least on the geographical location parameters and the current geographic position of the mobile device;

a communications module configured to transmit the location-specific information from the mobile device to a service center; and

a memory module configured to store a user profile, wherein the filter module is configured to receive the user profile and to filter the location-specific information from the program-accompanying digital data based on the user profile.

2. The mobile device according claim 1, wherein the position locating module includes a satellite-based positioning system or a terrestrial positioning system.

3. The mobile device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a display configured to receive and display the location-specific information; and

operating elements configured to allow selecting and editing of the location-specific information.

4. The mobile device according to claim 1, wherein,

the location-specific information includes an URL address, and

the communications module is further configured to activate a resource in the Internet based on the URL address.

5. The mobile device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a processing module configured to execute program data files included in the location-specific information.

6. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the filter module is configured to:

determine if a difference between the geographical location parameters and the current geographic position is within a predefined range, and

filter the location-specific information from the program-accompanying digital data when the difference between the geographical location parameters and the current geographic position is within the predefined range.

7. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the position locating module is configured to obtain position indications from a mobile network.

8. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the programs include radio programs or television programs.

9. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the memory module includes a removable chipcard.

10. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the communications module is configured to transmit the data from the mobile device in accordance with a short message protocol.

11. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the memory module includes a removable data storage medium.

12. The mobile device of claim 1, further comprising:

a card slot configured to receive a memory card.

13. The mobile device of claim 1, further comprising:

a headphone jack configured to output an audio portion of the programs.

14. The mobile device of claim 1, further comprising:

a portable housing, including said receiver, said position locating module, said filter module and said communication module.

15. The mobile device of claim 14, wherein the portable housing is configured as one of a mobile telephone housing, a handheld computer housing, or a portable computer housing.

16. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein

the location-specific information includes an identifier for at least one product, service and information request.

17. The mobile device of claim 1, further comprising:

a processing module configured to,

compare the geographical location parameters of the program-accompanying digital data to the current geographic position, and

selectively display the program-accompanying digital data based on a comparison between the geographical location parameters and the current geographic position.

18. The mobile device of claim 17, wherein the processing module is further configured to:

transmit data from the mobile device based on the comparison between the geographical location parameters and the current geographic position.

19. The mobile device of claim 18, wherein the processing module is further configured to:

transmit data from the mobile device to request at least one of a product, a service, or additional information associated with at least one of the programs.

20. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the location-specific information includes at least one of product and service identification available in a location.

30. The mobile device of claim 5, wherein the program data files include a Java applet.

21. A method for using a mobile device, comprising:

receiving programs and program-accompanying digital data at the mobile device;

determining a current geographic position of said mobile device by the mobile device;

filtering, by the mobile device, a location-specific information from the program-accompanying digital data based at least on geographical location parameters included in the program-accompanying digital data and on the current geographic position of the mobile device; and

transmitting the location-specific information from the mobile device to a service center,

wherein said filtering includes filtering location-specific information from the program-accompanying data based on a user profile stored in said mobile device.

22. The method according to claim 21, wherein said determining includes using a satellite-based positioning system or a terrestrial positioning system.

23. The method according to claim 21, further comprising:

displaying the location-specific information on the mobile device; and

selecting the location-specific information by using said mobile device.

24. The method according to claim 21, wherein the transmitting includes activating by the mobile device a resource in the Internet using a URL address included in the location-specific information.

25. The method according to claim 21, further comprising:

executing by the mobile device program data files included in the location-specific information.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the executing includes executing at least one Java applet included in the executable program data files.

27. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

determining if a difference between the geographical location parameters and the current geographic position is within a predefined range, and

filtering the location-specific information from the program-accompanying digital data when the difference between the geographical location parameters and the current geographic position is within the predefined range.

28. The method according to claim 21, wherein said determining includes obtaining current position indications from a mobile network.

29. The method of claim 21, wherein the programs include radio programs or television programs.

31. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

inserting a data storage medium into the mobile device, the data storage medium including user information.

32. The method of claim 21, wherein the transmitting includes transmitting a request for at least one of a product, a service, or additional information associated with at least one of the programs.

33. The mobile device of claim 21, wherein the data is transmitted in accordance with a short message protocol.

34. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

inserting into the mobile device a removable memory unit including a user profile;

wherein said filtering by the mobile device is further based on the user profile.

35. The method of claim 21, wherein the transmitting includes transmitting a request for a product, a service, or additional information associated with the program.

36. The method of claim 21, wherein

the location-specific information includes an identifier for at least one product, service and information request.

37. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

comparing the geographical location parameters of the program-accompanying digital data to the current geographic position, and

selectively displaying the program-accompanying digital data based on a comparison between the geographical location parameters and the current geographic position.

38. The method of claim 21, wherein the location-specific information includes at least one of product and service identification available in a location.

39. A mobile device, comprising:

a receiver configured to receive programs and program-accompanying digital data, wherein the programs include at least one of audio data and video data, and the program-accompanying digital data includes geographical location parameters;

a position locating module configured to determine a current geographic position of the mobile device;

a filter module configured to filter location-specific information from the program-accompanying digital data based at least on the geographical location parameters and the current geographic position of the mobile device; and

a memory module configured to store a user profile, wherein the filter module is configured to receive the user profile and to filter the location-specific information from the program-accompanying digital data based on the user profile.

40. A method for using a mobile device, comprising:

receiving programs and program-accompanying digital data at the mobile device, wherein the programs include at least one of audio data and video data, and the program-accompanying digital data includes geographical location parameters;

determining a current geographic position of said mobile device by the mobile device; and

filtering, by the mobile device, a location-specific information from the program-accompanying digital data based at least on the geographical location parameters included in the program-accompanying digital data and on the current geographic position of the mobile device,

wherein said filtering includes filtering location-specific information from the program-accompanying data based on a user profile stored in said mobile device.