Wireless network tour guide

• US 7,853,272 B2
• Filed: 12/21/2001
• Issued: 12/14/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: TeleCommunication Systems Inc (Comtech Telecommunications Corporation)
• Original Assignee: TeleCommunication Systems Inc (Comtech Telecommunications Corporation)
• Inventors: Tipnis, Shilpa, Ung, Dara
• Primary Examiner(s): Kincaid; Lester
• Assistant Examiner(s): MITCHELL, NATHAN A
• Application Number:
  US10/023,704
• Publication Number:
  US 20030119521A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,280 Days
• Field of Search: 455/414, 4554561-4566, 455/466, 455/414.1, 455/404, 455/414.2, 701/207, 701/211, 340/988, 340/989
• US Class Current: 455/456.3
• 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 4/024 Guidance services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/025 using location based information parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/027 using movement velocity, acceleration information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/14 Short messaging services, e.g. short message services [SMS] or unstructured supplementary service data [USSD]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/18 Information format or content conversion, e.g. adaptation by the network of the transmitted or received information for the purpose of wireless delivery to users or terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/20 Services signaling; Auxiliary data signalling, i.e. transmitting data via a non-traffic channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/006 with additional information processing, e.g. for direction or speed determination

Abstract

Location based wireless services in a service provider'"'"'s network are intertwined with a message database (text and/or audio) to automatically provide location information regarding the subscriber to the message database, without requiring the wireless device itself to provide the location information. A location management system is provided to perform the location management functions of determining subscriber location (e.g., by call/sector ID, angle of arrival (AOA), time difference of arrival (TDOA), time of arrival (TOA)), and of mapping the location to the desired text and/or audio. Speed information may also be determined by the location management system, or the subscriber may be prompted to input a particular mode of transportation, or generally indicate their speed. Of course, the slower the speed of the subscriber, the fewer location updates will be required, lessening the burden on the tour guide system in the wireless network.

Claims

1. A method of providing tour guide information in a wireless network, comprising:

establishing a wireless device initiated information session with said wireless device;

obtaining a location of said wireless device;

identifying a short message relating to said location;

transmitting said identified short message to said wireless device;

increasing a wireless airtime unit usage for a time of use of said information session; and

altering a length of said identified short message based on a speed of said wireless device.

3. The method of providing location based information in a wireless network according to claim 1, further comprising:

determining a speed of said wireless device.

4. The method of providing location based information in a wireless network according to claim 1, wherein:

said text message is a short message maintained in a short messaging system.

5. The method of providing location based information in a wireless network according to claim 1, wherein:

said location of said wireless device is determined using an angle of arrival of a wireless signal from said wireless device.

6. The method of providing location based information in a wireless network according to claim 1, wherein:

said location of said wireless device is determined using a time difference of arrival of wireless signals from said wireless device.

7. The method of providing location based information in a wireless network according to claim 1, wherein:

said location of said wireless device is determined using time of arrival of a wireless signal from said wireless device.

8. The method of providing location based information in a wireless network according to claim 1, wherein:

said location of said wireless device is determined using a known location of a cell/sector servicing said wireless device.

2. A method of providing location based information in a wireless network, comprising:

establishing a wireless device initiated information session with said wireless device;

obtaining a location of said wireless device;

identifying a text message relating to said location;

transmitting said identified text message to said wireless device;

increasing a wireless airtime unit usage for a time of use of said information session; and

altering a length of said text message based on a speed of said wireless device.

9. Apparatus for providing location based information in a wireless network, comprising:

means for establishing a wireless device initiated information session with said wireless device;

means for obtaining a location of said wireless device;

means for identifying a tour guide information text message relating to said location;

means for transmitting said identified tour guide information text message to said wireless device;

means for increasing a wireless airtime unit usage for a time of use of said information session; and

means for altering a length of said text message based on a speed of said wireless device.

10. The apparatus for providing location based information in a wireless network according to claim 9, further comprising:

means for determining a speed of said wireless device.

11. The apparatus for providing location based information in a wireless network according to claim 9, wherein:

said text message is a short message maintained in a short messaging system.

12. The apparatus for providing location based information in a wireless network according to claim 9, wherein:

said location of said wireless device is determined using an angle of arrival of a wireless signal from said wireless device.

13. The apparatus for providing location based information in a wireless network according to claim 9, wherein:

said location of said wireless device is determined using a time difference of arrival of wireless signals from said wireless device.

14. The apparatus for providing location based information in a wireless network according to claim 9, wherein:

said location of said wireless device is determined using time of arrival of a wireless signal from said wireless device.

15. The apparatus for providing location based information in a wireless network according to claim 9, wherein:

said location of said wireless device is determined using a known location of a cell/sector servicing said wireless device.

16. The apparatus for providing location based information in a wireless, network according to claim 9, further comprising:

a short messaging system to maintain said text message.

17. A method of providing tour guide information in a wireless network, comprising:

obtaining a location of a wireless device relative to a guidance location;

identifying a pre-stored short message relating to said guidance location;

transmitting said identified short message to said wireless device while in a vicinity of said guidance location; and

increasing a wireless airtime unit usage for a time of use of said information session; and

altering a length of said identified short message based on a speed of said wireless device.