Location-specific broadcast messaging

Abstract

An SMS CBS message includes location information that defines a relevant geographic area. A receiving device that is location aware is configured to receive the SMS CBS message and announce the message if the receiving device is within the relevant geographic area.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram generally illustrating a communication system in which implementations of the invention are particularly applicable.

FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram generally illustrating an SMS broadcast message in accordance with one implementation of the invention.

FIG. 3 is a functional block diagram generally illustrating an application execution environment in accordance with one implementation of the invention.

FIG. 4 is a functional block diagram generally illustrating a mobile device in which implementations of the invention are particularly applicable.

FIG. 5 is an operational flow diagram generally illustrating a process for replying to SMS cell broadcast messaging that further illustrates including location information within the SMS cell broadcast message.

Claims

1. A method for handling broadcast messages within a communication system, comprising: receiving a message at a mobile device, the message including identification information identifying a message-type for the message, the message additionally including a payload and location information, the location information specifying a relevant geographic area;determining a local location of the mobile device;comparing the local location to the location information to determine if the local location is within the relevant geographic area; andhandling the payload at the mobile device based on whether the local location is within the relevant geographic area.

2. The method recited in claim 1, wherein handling the payload comprises announcing the message at the mobile device.

3. The method recited in claim 1, wherein handling the payload comprises not announcing the message at the mobile device.

4. The method recited in claim 1, wherein the communication system is a cellular network.

5. The method recited in claim 1, wherein the broadcast message is received using a Short Messaging Service (SMS) protocol.

6. The method recited in claim 5, wherein the broadcast message is received using an SMS Cell Broadcast Service.

7. The method recited in claim 1, wherein the broadcast message includes a header portion and a payload portion, the header portion including the location information, the payload portion including the payload.

8. A method for sending a broadcast message within a communication system, comprising: sending a broadcast message to a mobile device within the communication system, the broadcast message including message type information, a payload, and location information, the location information specifying a relevant geographic area within which the payload is to be announced on the mobile device and outside of which the payload is not to be announced on the mobile device.

9. The method recited in claim 8, wherein the communication system is a cellular network.

10. The method recited in claim 8, wherein sending the broadcast message is performed in accordance with a Short Messaging Service (SMS) protocol.

11. The method recited in claim 10, wherein sending the broadcast message is performed using an SMS Cell Broadcast Service.

12. The method recited in claim 8, wherein the broadcast message includes a header portion and a payload portion, the header portion including the message type information and the location information, the payload portion including the payload.

13. A memory for storing data for access by an application program being executed on a data processing system, comprising: a first data structure stored in the memory, the first data structure including a plurality of data fields, the plurality of data fields including:a service identification field that identifies the first data structure as a broadcast message;a payload portion that includes a payload; anda location info field that includes location information that specifies a geographic area in which the payload is relevant.

14. The memory recited in claim 13, wherein the first data structure comprises a broadcast message.

15. The memory recited in claim 14, wherein the broadcast message conforms to a Short Messaging Service (SMS) format.

16. The memory recited in claim 15, wherein the broadcast message conforms to an SMS Cell Broadcast Service format.

17. The memory recited in claim 13, wherein the location information comprises geospatial identification data.

18. The memory recited in claim 17, wherein the geospatial identification data comprises a latitude and a longitude.

19. The memory recited in claim 18, wherein the geospatial identification data further comprises an elevation.

20. The memory recited in claim 17, wherein the geospatial identification data comprises a set of points that define a geographic area.

21. The memory recited in claim 17, wherein the geospatial identification data comprises at least one point and a radius that define a geographic area.

22. A computer-readable medium encoded with computer-executable instructions for handling broadcast messages within a communication system, the instructions comprising: receiving a message at a mobile device, the message including identification information identifying a message-type for the message, the message additionally including a payload and location information, the location information specifying a relevant geographic area;determining a local location of the mobile device;comparing the local location to the location information to determine if the local location is within the relevant geographic area; andhandling the payload at the mobile device based on whether the local location is within the relevant geographic area.

23. The computer-readable medium recited in claim 22, wherein handling the payload comprises announcing the message at the mobile device.

24. The computer-readable medium recited in claim 22, wherein handling the payload comprises not announcing the message at the mobile device.

25. The computer-readable medium recited in claim 22, wherein the communication system is a cellular network.

26. The computer-readable medium recited in claim 22, wherein the broadcast message is received using a Short Messaging Service (SMS) protocol.

27. The computer-readable medium recited in claim 26, wherein the broadcast message is received using an SMS Cell Broadcast Service.

28. The computer-readable medium recited in claim 22, wherein the broadcast message includes a header portion and a payload portion, the header portion including the location information, the payload portion including the payload.

29. A computer-readable medium encoded with computer-executable instructions for sending a broadcast message within a communication system, the instructions comprising: sending a broadcast message to a mobile device within the communication system, the broadcast message including message type information, a payload, and location information, the location information specifying a relevant geographic area within which the payload is to be announced on the mobile device and outside of which the payload is not to be announced on the mobile device.

30. The computer-readable medium recited in claim 29, wherein the communication system is a cellular network.

31. The computer-readable medium recited in claim 29, wherein sending the broadcast message is performed in accordance with a Short Messaging Service (SMS) protocol.

32. The computer-readable medium recited in claim 31, wherein sending the broadcast message is performed using an SMS Cell Broadcast Service.

33. The computer-readable medium recited in claim 29, wherein the broadcast message includes a header portion and a payload portion, the header portion including the message type information and the location information, the payload portion including the payload.

34. A computer-readable medium encoded with computer-readable components, the components comprising: a message queue configured for storing received broadcast messages;an SMS engine configured to receive messages and determine whether each received message is a broadcast message based on whether a message service identifier is associated with the message, the SMS engine further configured to store the received messages at the message queue if the message is the broadcast message;a stored settings database including user settings;a user interface configured to format and present user information; anda broadcast message engine configured to retrieve the stored broadcast message and the stored user settings, the broadcast message engine further configured to determine whether to pass the user information to the user interface based on the contents of the broadcast message and the user settings, the broadcast message engine further configured to determine whether to pass the user information to the user interface based on a comparison of a local location to a relevant geographic area specified in the broadcast message.

35. The computer-readable medium encoded with computer-readable components recited in claim 34, further comprising a position determination equipment (PDE) system configured to determine the local location.

36. An apparatus for handling broadcast messages within a communication system, comprising: means for receiving a message at a mobile device, the message including identification information identifying a message-type for the message, the message additionally including a payload and location information, the location information specifying a relevant geographic area;means for determining a local location of the mobile device;means for comparing the local location to the location information to determine if the local location is within the relevant geographic area; andmeans for handling the payload at the mobile device based on whether the local location is within the relevant geographic area.

37. An apparatus for sending a broadcast message within a communication system, comprising: means for sending a broadcast message to a mobile device within the communication system, the broadcast message including message type information, a payload, and location information, the location information specifying a relevant geographic area within which the payload is to be announced on the mobile device and outside of which the payload is not to be announced on the mobile device.