System for providing location-based services in a wireless network, such as locating sets of desired locations

• US 9,565,532 B2
• Filed: 05/30/2014
• Issued: 02/07/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Knapp Investment Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Knapp Investment Company Limited
• Inventors: Wilson, Brian, Feinstein, Jacob, Suraci, Mike, Simsarian, Kristian, Bray, Duane, Givechi, Roshi, Paharia, Rajat, Weiss, Laura, Gosling, Marcus
• Primary Examiner(s): Bhattacharya, Sam
• Application Number:
  US14/291,221
• Publication Number:
  US 20140274156A1
• Time in Patent Office: 984 Days
• Field of Search: 455/404.2, 455418-420, 4554561-4563
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/025 using location based information parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• 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 80/00 Wireless network protocols or protocol adaptations to wireless operation

Abstract

A system and associated method receives a command from a user'"'"'s mobile device to locate points of interest near the mobile device'"'"'s location. The points of interest are associated with different, user-identified, point of interest categories. Based at least in part on the mobile device'"'"'s location, the system substantially simultaneously provides a list of points of interest for at least some of the point of interest categories.

Claims

1. A method for providing location-based information on a mobile device, comprising:

obtaining, by the mobile device, a point of interest category selected by a user from a plurality of point of interest categories, wherein the user selection of the point of interest category causes a current location of the mobile device to be acquired;

providing, from the mobile device, a request to identify points of interest corresponding to the point of interest category near the acquired current location of the mobile device by performing a point-of-interest lookup based on the acquired current location of the mobile device, wherein the request comprises a plurality of characters for identifying the points of interest;

receiving, by the mobile device, a name of a point of interest, wherein;

the name comprises a first portion; and

the first portion comprises the plurality of characters; and

receiving, by the mobile device, point of interest data associated with the point of interest.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of characters comprises alphanumeric characters.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving an indication that there are no points of interest having the name comprising the first portion within a first geographical radius about the current location of the mobile device;

providing a second geographical radius about the current location of the mobile device;

receiving the point of interest that is within the second geographical radius.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the first geographical radius is not equal to a maximum geographical radius.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the second geographical radius comprises at least one user-selectable geographical radius.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of characters comprises four letters included in the name of the point of interest.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the point of interest data comprises a phone number that, when selected, causes the mobile device to initiate a telephone call to the phone number.

8. A mobile device comprising:

a processor; and

memory coupled to the processor, the memory comprising executable instructions that when executed by the processor cause the processor to effectuate operations comprising;

obtaining a point of interest category selected by a user from a plurality of point of interest categories, wherein the user selection of the point of interest category causes a current location of the mobile device to be acquired;

providing a request to identify points of interest corresponding to the point of interest category near the acquired current location of the mobile device by performing a point-of-interest lookup based on the acquired current location of the mobile device, wherein the request comprises a plurality of characters for identifying the points of interest;

receiving, by the mobile device, a name of a point of interest, wherein;

the name comprises a first portion; and

the first portion comprises the plurality of characters; and

receiving point of interest data associated with the point of interest.

9. The mobile device of claim 8, wherein the plurality of characters comprises alphanumeric characters.

10. The mobile device of claim 8, further comprising:

receiving an indication that there are no points of interest having the name comprising the first portion within a first geographical radius about the current location of the mobile device;

providing a second geographical radius about the current location of the mobile device;

receiving the point of interest that is within the second geographical radius.

11. The mobile device of claim 10, wherein the first geographical radius is not equal to a maximum geographical radius.

12. The mobile device of claim 10, wherein the second geographical radius comprises at least one user-selectable geographical radius.

13. The mobile device of claim 8, wherein the plurality of characters comprises four letters included in the name of the point of interest.

14. The mobile device of claim 8, wherein the point of interest data comprises a phone number that, when selected, causes the mobile device to initiate a telephone call to the phone number.

15. A computer-readable medium that is not a propagating signal, the computer-readable medium comprising executable instructions that when executed by a processor cause the processor to effectuate operations comprising:

obtaining, by the mobile device, a point of interest category selected by a user from a plurality of point of interest categories, wherein the user selection of the point of interest category causes a current location of the mobile device to be acquired;

providing, from the mobile device, a request to identify points of interest corresponding to the point of interest category near the acquired current location of the mobile device by performing a point-of-interest lookup based on the acquired current location of the mobile device, wherein the request comprises a plurality of characters for identifying the points of interest;

receiving, by the mobile device, a name of a point of interest, wherein;

the name comprises a first portion; and

the first portion comprises the plurality of characters; and

receiving, by the mobile device, point of interest data associated with the point of interest.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the plurality of characters comprises alphanumeric characters.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 15, further comprising:

receiving an indication that there are no points of interest having the name comprising the first portion within a first geographical radius about the current location of the mobile device;

providing a second geographical radius about the current location of the mobile device;

receiving the point of interest that is within the second geographical radius.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the first geographical radius is not equal to a maximum geographical radius.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the second geographical radius comprises at least one user-selectable geographical radius.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the point of interest data comprises a phone number that, when selected, causes the mobile device to initiate a telephone call to the phone number.