Providing information to a computing device based on known location and user information

• US 8,929,915 B2
• Filed: 03/06/2013
• Issued: 01/06/2015
• 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:
  US13/787,271
• Publication Number:
  US 20130185394A1
• Time in Patent Office: 671 Days
• Field of Search: 709201-203, 370/338, 455/456.1, 455/456.3
• US Class Current: 455/456.1
• 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

A method includes receiving a beacon from a mobile device at an access point associated with a transportation station. The beacon includes identification information that identifies the mobile device. The method includes receiving, at the access point via a network, information from at least one service provider based on a location of the access point and the identification information. The method also includes sending the information to the mobile device.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving a beacon from a mobile device at an access point associated with a transportation station, wherein the beacon includes identification information that identifies the mobile device;

determining, at the access point, that a service provider associated with the mobile device is identified in a list of service providers that are to be sent messages upon detection of the mobile device by the access point;

sending a presence message from the access point to equipment of the service provider; and

sending a cease monitoring message to another access point associated with the transportation station to inhibit a second access point associated with the transportation station from sending another presence message when the second access point detects the mobile device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the transportation station is an airport.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

receiving, at the access point via a network, information from the equipment of the service provider based on the presence message, wherein the information comprises connecting flight information; and

sending the information from the access point to the mobile device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the transportation station is a subway.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, at the access point via a network, information from the equipment of the service provider based on the presence message, wherein the information comprises directions to a hotel based; and

sending the information from the access point to the mobile device.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, at the access point via a network, information from the equipment of the service provider based on the presence message, wherein the information comprises directions to a transportation service location; and

sending the information from the access point to the mobile device.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the transportation service location comprises a car rental service.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the transportation service comprises a taxi service.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a query at the access point from the mobile device;

determining whether information answering the query is in a memory of the access point; and

sending an answer to the query to the mobile device from the memory of the access point when the answer to the query is in the memory of the access point without contacting an information provider for the answer via a network.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

sending the query to the information provider via the network when an answer to the query is not in the memory of the access point;

receiving the answer to the query from the information provider via the network; and

sending the answer to the mobile device from the access point.

11. A method comprising:

receiving a beacon from a mobile device at an access point associated with a transportation station, wherein the beacon includes identification information that identifies the mobile device;

determining, at the access point, that a service provider associated with the mobile device is identified in a list of service providers that are to be sent messages upon detection of the mobile device by the access point;

sending, via the access point, a presence message to equipment of the service provider; and

sending, via the access point, a cease monitoring message to access points associated with the transportation station to inhibit a second access point of the access points from sending another presence message when the second access point detects the mobile device.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the access point forwards information associated with a car rental agency to the mobile device based on the presence message, the information received by the access point from the equipment.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the access point forwards information associated with a hotel to the mobile device based on the presence message, the information received by the access point from the equipment.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the transportation station is an airport.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the transportation station is a subway station.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the list is stored in a memory of the access point.

17. A system comprising:

a processor of an access point associated with a transportation station;

a memory coupled to the processor, wherein the memory includes program instructions which are executable by the processor to perform operations comprising;

receiving a beacon from a mobile device at the access point associated with the transportation station, wherein the beacon includes identification information that identifies the mobile device;

determining, at the access point, that a service provider associated with the mobile device is identified in a list of service providers that are to be sent messages upon detection of the mobile device by the access point;

sending, via the access point, a presence message to equipment of the service provider; and

sending, via the access point, a cease monitoring message to another access point associated with the transportation station to inhibit a second access point associated with the transport station from sending another presence message when the second access point detects the mobile device.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the service provider comprises an electronic mail service provider.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the mobile device comprises a computer.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein the operations include sending weather information to the mobile device, wherein the weather information is associated with a location of the access point.