Transmission of service availability information

• US 7,430,411 B2
• Filed: 03/31/2004
• Issued: 09/30/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Knauerhase, Robert, Sengupta, Uttam K., Deshpande, Nikhil M.
• Primary Examiner(s): RAMPURIA, SHARAD K
• Application Number:
  US10/816,401
• Publication Number:
  US 20050221806A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,644 Days
• Field of Search: 455/414.1, 455/414.3, 455/456.1, 455/456.3, 455/404.2, 455/458, 455/466, 705/15, 340/286.09, 340/7.21, 379/93.12, 709203-206, 701/29, 702/181
• US Class Current: 455/414.3
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/12 Hotels or restaurants
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

Methods and apparatuses for providing service availability information to a waiting customer using the customer'"'"'s wireless device are generally introduced herein.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving customer information corresponding to a customer-provided wireless device from a party including one or more customers requesting services from a service establishment that provides services to customers within the service establishment;

generating service availability information corresponding to at least an estimated time until the requested services are available in response to receiving the customer information wherein the service availability information comprises one or more of an estimated wait time, a distance between the service establishment and the wireless device, a service status, a location of the service establishment and a location of the wireless device;

monitoring the distance between the service establishment and the wireless device to determine whether an estimated travel time over the distance exceeds the estimated wait time; and

providing, to a wireless service provider that provides wireless services to the customer-provided wireless device, the service availability information including providing a notification via the wireless device when the estimated travel time exceeds the estimated wait time.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the wireless device comprises one of:

a cellular telephone, a pager, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a portable computer, a global positioning system (GPS) device, a watch, and a wireless electronic mail device.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the service establishment comprises one of:

a restaurant, a hair salon, an automobile service facility, an amusement park attraction, a spa, a bar, a club, a golf course and a bowling facility.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the customer information comprises one or more of:

a number of people in the party, a service preference and a wireless identifier.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the wireless identifier comprises one of:

a cellular telephone number, a pager number, a wireless device network address, a user identifier, a group identifier.

6. An article comprising a computer-readable medium having stored thereon instructions that, when executed, cause one or more processors to:

receive customer information corresponding to a customer-provided wireless device from a party including one or more customers requesting services from a service establishment that provides services to customers within the service establishment;

generate service availability information corresponding to at least an estimated time until the requested services are available in response to receiving the customer information wherein the service availability information comprises one or more of an estimated wait time, a distance between the service establishment and the wireless device, a service status, a location of the service establishment and a location of the wireless device;

monitor the distance between the service establishment and the wireless device to determine whether an estimated travel time over the distance exceeds the estimated wait time; and

provide, to a wireless service provider that provides wireless services to the customer-provided wireless device, the service availability information including providing a notification via the wireless device when the estimated travel time exceeds the estimated wait time.

7. The article of claim 6 wherein the wireless device comprises one of:

a cellular telephone, a pager, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a portable computer, a global positioning system (GPS) device, a watch, and a wireless electronic mail device.

8. The article of claim 6 wherein the service establishment comprises one of:

a restaurant, a hair salon, an automobile service facility, an amusement park attraction, a spa, a bar, a club, a golf course and a bowling facility.

9. The article of claim 6 wherein the customer information comprises one or more of:

a number of people in the party, a service preference and a wireless identifier.

10. The article of claim 9 wherein the wireless identifier comprises one of:

a cellular telephone number, a pager number, a wireless device network address.

11. A system comprising:

a memory controller;

a device for accessing a computer-readable medium coupled with the memory controller; and

an article comprising a computer-readable medium having stored thereon instructions that, when executed, cause one or more processors to receive customer information corresponding to a customer-provided wireless device from a party including one or more customers requesting services from a service establishment that provides services to customers within the service establishment, generate service availability information corresponding to at least an estimated time until the requested services are available in response to receiving the customer information, wherein the service availability information comprises one or more of an estimated wait time, a distance between the service establishment and the wireless device, a service status, a location of the service establishment and a location of the wireless device, monitor the distance between the service establishment and the wireless device to determine whether an estimated travel time over the distance exceeds the estimated wait time, and provide, to a wireless service provider that provides wireless services to the customer-provided wireless device, the service availability information including providing a notification via the wireless device when the estimated travel time exceeds the estimated wait time.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein the wireless device comprises one of:

a cellular telephone, a pager, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a portable computer, a global positioning system (GPS) device, a watch, and a wireless electronic mail device.

13. The system of claim 11 wherein the service establishment comprises one of:

a restaurant, a hair salon, an automobile service facility, an amusement park attraction, a spa, a bar, a club, a golf course and a bowling facility.

14. The system of claim 11 wherein the customer information comprises one or more of:

a number of people in the party, a service preference and a wireless identifier.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein the wireless identifier comprises one of:

a cellular telephone number, a pager number, a wireless device network address.