Method and apparatus for geographic-based communications service

• US 8,631,128 B2
• Filed: 07/17/2012
• Issued: 01/14/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Wayport, Inc. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Wayport, Inc. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Stewart, Brett B.
• Primary Examiner(s): HOANG, HIEU T
• Application Number:
  US13/550,924
• Publication Number:
  US 20120284066A1
• Time in Patent Office: 546 Days
• Field of Search: 709/224, 709/225, 709/201, 709/202, 709/203
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0295 Proximity-based methods, e.g. position inferred from reception of particular signals
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/109 Time management, e.g. calendars, reminders, meetings or time accounting
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0254 based on statistics
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0255 based on user history
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0261 based on user location
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0267 Wireless devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0277 Online advertisement
• 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 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8033 location-dependent, e.g. business or home
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7435 Location dependent, e.g. Bussiness or home
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/00 Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/08 Access restriction or access information delivery, e.g. discovery data delivery signalling during connection H04W76/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 : Access point devices

Abstract

An apparatus includes memory and a processor. The processor is operable to receive identification information of a user from a portable computing device. The processor is also operable to access the memory to identify a previous trip record based on the identification information of the user and to identify a user preference based on the previous trip record. The processor is further operable to generate reservation information based on the user preference, where the reservation information is associated with a requested trip of the user.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a processor;

a memory accessible to the processor, the memory comprising instructions that are executable by the processor to perform operations including;

receiving identification information of a user from a portable computing device via a wireless access point being accessed by the portable computing device;

accessing the memory to identify a previous trip record based on the identification information of the user;

identifying a user preference based on the previous trip record;

generating reservation information based on the user preference, wherein the reservation information is associated with a requested trip of the user;

receiving a location identifier from the wireless access point, wherein the location identifier indicates a geographic location of the wireless access point;

identifying a third party service provider for providing services related to the requested trip of the user based on the geographic location of the wireless access point; and

automatically transmitting a request to the third party service provider to make a reservation based on the reservation information.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the wherein the user preference is associated with a user profile and wherein the user profile is associated with the identification information.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the location identifier is received from a database coupled to the access point.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the identification information is received from the portable computing device when the portable computing device is within a coverage area of the wireless access point.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the previous trip record is associated with a user profile and wherein the user profile is associated with the identification information.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the user preference includes a rental car preference, a travel preference, a hotel preference, a restaurant preference, or any combination thereof.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the reservation includes a rental car reservation, a travel reservation, a hotel reservation, a restaurant reservation, or any combination thereof.

8. A method comprising:

transmitting, from a portable computing device to an information provider, via a wireless access point being accessed by the portable computing device, identification information of a user;

identifying a previous trip record based on the identification information of the user;

identifying a user preference based on the previous trip record;

generating reservation information based on the user preference, wherein the reservation information is associated with a requested trip of the user;

receiving a location identifier from the wireless access point, wherein the location identifier indicates a geographic location of the wireless access point,

identifying a third party service provider for providing services related to the requested trip of the user based on the geographic location of the wireless access point; and

automatically transmitting a request to the third party service provider to make a reservation based on the reservation information.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the user preference includes a rental car preference, a travel preference, a hotel preference, a restaurant preference, or any combination thereof.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the user preference is associated with a user profile and wherein the user profile is associated with the identification information.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the previous trip record is associated with a user profile and wherein the user profile is associated with the identification information.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the location identifier is received from a database coupled to the access point.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the identification information is received from the portable computing device when the portable computing device is within a coverage are of the wireless access point.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein the reservation includes a rental car reservation, a travel reservation, a hotel reservation, a restaurant reservation, or any combination thereof.

15. An apparatus comprising:

a receiver configured to receive identification information of a user from a portable computing device via a wireless access point being accessed by the portable computing device;

a processor to execute instructions stored by a memory to perform operations including;

identifying a previous trip record based on the identification information of the user;

identifying a user preference based on the previous trip record;

generating reservation information based on the user preference, wherein the reservation information is associated with a requested trip of the user;

receiving a location identifier from the wireless access point, wherein the location identifier indicates a geographic location of the wireless access point,

identifying a third party service provider for providing services related to the requested trip of the user based on the geographic location of the wireless access point; and

a transmitter configured to automatically transmit a request to the third party service provider to make a reservation based on the reservation information.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the location identifier is received from a database coupled to the access point.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the reservation includes a rental car reservation, a travel reservation, a hotel reservation, a restaurant reservation, or any combination thereof.