LOCATING A SERVICE DEVICE FOR A PORTABLE COMMUNICATION DEVICE

Abstract

A portable communication device (10) may send a service device locating request (42) including a position associated with the portable communication device to a service device locating device (12). The service device locating device (12) may determine at least one service device located close to the indicated position and respond to the request by sending a response (46) including at least one network identifier of a service device (16) capable of handling the desired service. The portable communication device may then directly contact (48) the service device (16).

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will now be described in more detail in relation to the enclosed drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary portable communication device communicating with a local network including a service device locating server,

FIG. 2 illustrates a block schematic of exemplary parts of the portable communication device and the service device locating server,

FIG. 3 illustrates the contents of a service device store in the service device locating server,

FIG. 4 illustrates exemplary commands and data exchanged between the portable communication device, the service device locating server and a service device, and

FIG. 5 illustrates a CD ROM disc on which program code for executing a method consistent with the invention may be provided.

Claims

1. A method of obtaining a network identifier of a serving device for a portable communication device to obtain a desired service according to a certain type from the serving device, comprising: sending, from the portable communication device, a service device locating request including a position or location associated with the portable communication device, and receiving at least one response including at least one network identifier of a service device capable of handling the desired service, the service device being selected based on its physical proximity to the location of the portable communication device.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising contacting the service device using the network identifier for obtaining service.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the service request includes a type of service indication.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the type of service indication is provided through indicating or providing an object to be handled by the service.

5. The method according to claim 3, wherein the type of service indication is provided through naming the desired service.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the service request is a name query including the position, where the name of the query is the desired service.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one response provides more than one network identifier and types of services provided through each network identifier, where each network identifier is associated with a service device that provides a different type of service and is closest to the location of the portable communication device, and further comprising selecting network identifier of the service device providing the desired service to be used in contacting this service device.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein there is a single response providing a list of network identifiers and corresponding services.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the location is a current position of the portable communication device.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the location is a future expected position of the portable communication device.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein the service request is sent periodically from the portable communication device.

12. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of determining the location associated with the portable communication device to be used for sending a service device locating request.

13. A portable communication device provided for obtaining a network identifier of a serving device for the portable communication device to obtain a desired service according to a certain type from the serving device, comprising: at least one radio communication unit, anda control unit arranged to: provide a service device locating request including a position associated with the portable communication device,order the radio communication unit to send said service device locating request, and,receive at least one response including at least one network identifier of a service device capable of handling the desired service, the service device being physically closer to the location of the portable communication device than other service devices capable of handling the desired service.

14. The portable communication device according to claim 13, wherein said control unit is further arranged to order the radio communication unit to contact the service device using the network identifier for obtaining service.

15. The portable communication device according to claim 13, wherein the service request includes a type of service indication.

16. The portable communication device according to claim 15, wherein the type of service indication is provided through indicating or providing an object to he handled by the service.

17. The portable communication device according to claim 15, wherein the type of service indication is provided through naming the desired service.

18. The portable communication device according to claim 17, wherein the service request is a name query including the position and where the name of the query is the desired service.

19. The portable communication device according to claim 13, wherein the at least one response provides more than one network identifier and types of services provided through each network identifier, where each network identifier is associated with a service device that provides a different type of service and that is closest to the location of the portable communication device with respect to other service devices, and the control unit is further arranged to select network identifier of the service device providing the desired service to be used in contacting this service device.

20. The portable communication device according to claim 19, wherein there is a single response providing a list of network identifiers and corresponding services.

21. The portable communication device according to claim 13, further comprising a position obtaining unit arranged to provide said location associated with the portable communication device to the control unit.

22. The portable communication device according to claim 21, wherein the location is a current position of the portable communication device.

23. The portable communication device according to claim 13, wherein the location is a future expected position of the portable communication device.

24. The portable communication device according to claim 13, wherein the service request is ordered to be sent periodically from the portable communication device.

25. The portable communication device according to claim 13, wherein the portable communication device comprises a cellular phone.

26. A portable communication device provided for obtaining a network identifier of a serving device for the portable communication device in order to obtain a desired service according to a certain type from the serving device, comprising: means for sending, from the portable communication device, a service device locating request including a position associated with the portable communication device, and means for receiving at least one response including at least one network identifier of a service device capable of handling the desired service, where the service device is selected based on its physically proximity to the position of the portable communication device.

27. The portable communication device according to claim 26, further comprising means for contacting the service device using the network identifier for obtaining service.

28. The portable communication device according to claim 26, wherein the at least one response provides more than one network identifier and types of services provided through each network identifier, where each network identifier is associated with a service device that provides a different type of service and that is located closer to the position than other service devices, and further comprising means for selecting network identifier of the service device providing the desired service to be used in contacting this service device.

29. The portable communication device according to claim 26, further comprising means for determining the position associated with the portable communication device to be used for sending a service device locating request.

30. A computer program product for obtaining a network identifier of a serving device for a portable communication device to obtain a desired service according to a certain type from the serving device, comprising computer program code for execution by the portable communication device, when said program code is loaded in the portable communication device, to cause the portable communication device to: provide a service device locating request including a position associated with the portable communication device,order a radio communication unit to send said service device locating request, and, receive at least one response including at least one network identifier of a service device capable of handling the desired service and that is physically closest to the position of the portable communication device.

31. A method of providing a network identifier of a serving device to a portable communication device in order to provide a desired service to the portable communication device according to a certain type, comprising: receiving, from the portable communication device, a service device locating request including a position associated with the portable communication device,determine at least one service device being close to the indicated position, and sending a response including at least one network identifier of a service device capable of handling the desired service and is physically closer to the position of the portable communication device than other service devices capable of handling the desired service.

32. The method according to claim 31, wherein the service request includes a type of service indication, and the step of determining comprises determining a service device handling that type of service being closest to the indicated position.

33. The method according to claim 32, wherein the type of service indication is provided through indicating or providing an object to be handled by the service.

34. The method according to claim 32, wherein the type of service indication is provided through naming the desired service.

35. The method according to claim 34, wherein the service request is a name query including the position, where the name of the query is the desired service.

36. The method according to claim 31, wherein the step of determining comprises selecting a service device that is within a service area around said position.

37. A service device locating device providing a network identifier of a serving device to a portable communication device in order to provide a desired service to the portable communication device according to a certain type, comprising: at least one communication unit, anda control unit arranged to,receive, from the portable communication device, a service device locating request including a position associated with the portable communication device,determine at least one service device being close to the indicated position, and order the communication unit to send a response including at least one network identifier of a service device capable of handling the desired service, where the service device is physically close to the position of the portable communication device.

38. The service device locating device according to claim 37, wherein the service request includes a type of service indication and the determining comprises determining a service device handling that type of service being closest to the indicated position.

39. The service device locating device according to claim 38, wherein the type of service indication is provided through indicating or providing an object to be handled by the service.

40. The service device locating device according to claim 38, wherein the type of service indication is provided through naming the desired service.

41. The service device locating device according to claim 40, wherein the service request is a name query including the position, where the name of the query is the desired service.

42. The service device locating device according to claim 37, wherein the control unit when determining a service device being close is arranged to select a service device that is within a service area around said position.

43. A service device locating device providing a network identifier of a serving device to a portable communication device in order to provide a desired service to the portable communication device according to a certain type, comprising; means for receiving, from the portable communication device, a service device locating request including a position associated with the portable communication device,means for determining at least one service device being close to the indicated position, and means for sending a response including at least one network identifier of a service device capable of handling the desired service, the service device being physically close to the position of the portable communication device.

44. A computer program product for providing a network identifier of a serving device to a portable communication device to provide a desired service to the portable communication device according to a certain type, comprising computer program code, for execution by a service device locating device when said program code is loaded in the service device locating device, to cause the service device locating device to: receive, from the portable communication device, a service device locating request including a position associated with the portable communication device,determine at least one service device being close to the indicated position, and order a communication unit to send a response including at least one network identifier of a service device capable of handling the desired service based on its closeness to the position of the portable communication device.