Information portal

• US 7,881,732 B2
• Filed: 06/01/2010
• Issued: 02/01/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Captivate, LLC
• Original Assignee: Gannett Satellite Information Network Incorporated (Gannett Co., Inc.)
• Inventors: Newville, Todd A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Rampuria; Sharad
• Application Number:
  US12/791,194
• Publication Number:
  US 20100306388A1
• Time in Patent Office: 245 Days
• Field of Search: 4554141-4143, 455/456.1, 455/456.3, 455/41.2, 455/566, 705/14.1, 705/14.4
• US Class Current: 455/456.3
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0207 Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0224 based on user history
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0241 Advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0267 Wireless devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/00 Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]

Abstract

A communication system for providing high-speed wireless access to mobile processing systems a stationary transceiver defining an information portal in its immediate vicinity. A local server in communication with this stationary transceiver is configured to respond to a mobile processing-system present within the information portal.

Claims

1. A method for providing a mobile processing system with information, said method comprising:

maintaining an information portal that covers an information portal location;

establishing wireless communication with a mobile processing system that enters said information portal;

at least in part on the basis of said information portal location, providing names of establishments, the establishments having establishment locations that have a selected relationship with said information portal location.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said establishments are selected from the group consisting of restaurants, ATMs, and train stations.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said establishment locations and said information portal location are within a selected distance of each other.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing information about said establishments.

5. A communication system comprising:

a stationary transceiver defining an information portal in a vicinity thereof, said information portal having a portal location;

a local server in communication with said transceiver, said local server being configured to provide, to a mobile processing-system present within said information portal, names of establishments having establishment locations, said establishment locations having a selected relationship with said portal location.

6. The communication system of claim 5, wherein said local server is configured to provide names of at least one of restaurants, ATMs, and train stations.

7. The communication system of claim 5, wherein said establishment locations and said information portal location are within a selected distance of each other.

8. A computer-readable medium having encoded thereon software for providing a mobile processing system with information, said software comprising instructions for:

maintaining an information portal that covers an information portal location;

establishing wireless communication with a mobile processing system that enters said information portal;

at least in part on the basis of said information portal location, providing names of establishments, the establishments having establishment locations that have a selected relationship with said information portal location.

9. The computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein said software comprises instructions for selecting said establishments from the group consisting of restaurants, and ATMs.

10. The computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein said software comprises instructions for selecting establishments such that said establishment locations and said information portal location are within a selected distance of each other.

11. The computer-readable medium of claim 8, further comprising instructions for providing information about said establishments.