PROVIDING LOCATION-BASED SERVICES VIA WIRELESS NETWORKS

Abstract

Location-based services can be provided by broadcasting location-based information within wireless network zones. A system for providing location-based services within an ad-hoc wireless network zone can include an information server for providing the location-based services by broadcasting location-based information, where the broadcast location-based information is received by a client wireless device when the client wireless device enters the ad-hoc wireless network zone. Location-based services can be provided within an ad-hoc wireless network zone by broadcasting location-based information regarding the location-based services. The broadcast can be received by a client wireless device within the zone. The client wireless device can display alerts based on the received location-based information.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an exemplary system for providing location-based services.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing an exemplary method for providing location-based services FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an exemplary system for providing location-based services within a wireless network zone, FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an exemplary system for providing location-based services within multiple wireless network zones.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an exemplary system for providing location-based services within multiple wireless network zones.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an exemplary system for broadcasting and receiving location-based information.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing an exemplary method for receiving and displaying location-based information.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing an exemplary method for connecting to an ad-hoc wireless network.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing an exemplary method for receiving location-based information.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an exemplary user interface for setting preferences.

FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an exemplary user interface for setting preferences for a specific location-based service.

FIG. 12 is a diagram showing an exemplary user interface depicting an alert.

FIG. 13A is a diagram showing an exemplary user interface depicting library preferences.

FIG. 13B is a diagram showing an exemplary user interface depicting a library alert.

FIG. 14A is a diagram showing an exemplary user interface depicting auditorium preferences.

FIG. 14B is a diagram showing an exemplary user interface depicting an auditorium alert.

FIG. 14C is a diagram showing an exemplary user interface depicting more information.

FIG. 15A is a diagram showing an exemplary user interface depicting a library search.

FIG. 15B is a diagram showing an exemplary user interface depicting a library search result.

FIG. 16 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a computing environment that can be used to implement any of the technologies described herein.

Claims

1. A computer system for providing location-based services within an ad-hoc wireless network zone, the system comprising: an information server configured to provide one or more location-based services by broadcasting, within the ad-hoc wireless network zone, location-based information regarding the one or more location-based services;wherein the broadcast location-based information is received by a client wireless device when the client wireless device enters the ad-hoc wireless network zone.

2. The system of claim 1 further comprising: a wireless network adapter used by the information server to broadcast the location-based information within the ad-hoc wireless network zone, wherein a communication range of the wireless network adapter establishes the ad-hoc wireless network zone.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the client wireless device automatically connects to the wireless network adapter used by the information server in ad-hoc mode when the client wireless device enters the ad-hoc wireless network zone.

4. The system of claim 2 wherein the client wireless device automatically connects, in ad-hoc mode, to the wireless network adapter used by the information server when the client wireless device is within the ad-hoc wireless network zone and determines that the ad-hoc wireless network zone provides the one or more location-based services.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein the client wireless device determines that the ad-hoc wireless network zone provides the one or more location-based services based on an SSID of the wireless network adapter used by the information server.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the information server broadcasts the location-based information via a first wireless network adapter configured in ad-hoc mode, and wherein the client wireless device receives the broadcast via a second wireless network adapter configured in ad-hoc mode.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein the first and the second wireless network adapters are standard 802.11x wireless network adapters.

8. The system of claim 6 wherein the first wireless network adapter is located at the information server, and wherein the second wireless network adapters is located at the client wireless device.

9. The system of claim 6 wherein the first wireless network adapter is located remotely from the information server.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein the client wireless device is configured to filter the received location-based information based on one or more preferences, wherein the one or more preferences are user-defined preferences that are entered by a user of the client wireless device.

11. The system of claim 1 wherein the client wireless device is configured to display, to a user of the client wireless device, one or more alerts based on the received location-based information.

12. The system of claim 1 wherein the information server broadcasts the location-based information using one or more network ports, wherein the one or more location-based services are assigned respective network ports.

13. The system of claim 1 wherein at least one of the one or more location-based services are zone-specific location-based services.

14. The system of claim 1 wherein the broadcast location-based information is received by one or more additional client wireless devices when the one or more additional client wireless devices enter the ad-hoc wireless network zone.

15. A computer implemented method for providing location-based services within an ad-hoc wireless network zone via an ad-hoc wireless network, the method comprising: providing one or more location-based services by broadcasting, within the ad-hoc wireless network zone, location-based information regarding the one or more location-based services;wherein the broadcast location-based information is received by a client wireless device within the ad-hoc wireless network zone, and wherein the client wireless device displays one or more alerts based on the received location-based information.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the location-based information is broadcast in an XML format.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the XML format supports location-based information targeted to specific users and specific groups of users.

18. The method of claim 15 wherein the location-based information is broadcast via a first wireless network adapter configured in ad-hoc mode, and wherein the client wireless device receives the broadcast location-based information via a second wireless network adapter configured in ad-hoc mode.

19. The method of claim 15 wherein the client wireless device filters the received location-based information according to one or more user-defined preferences stored at the client wireless device, and wherein the one or more alerts are displayed based on the filtered received location-based information.

20. The method of claim 15 further comprising: receiving, at an information server from the client wireless device, a request for additional information, wherein the request for additional information is based on the received location-based information; andtransmitting, by the information server to the client wireless device, the requested additional information.

21. The method of claim 15 wherein the location-based information comprises information targeted to one or more users, targeted to one or more groups of users, or targeted to one or more users and one or more groups of users.

22. The method of claim 15 wherein at least one of the one or more location-based services are zone-specific location-based services.

23. The method of claim 15 wherein the client wireless device: automatically detects, upon entering the ad-hoc wireless network zone, that the ad-hoc wireless network provides location-based services;automatically connects to the ad-hoc wireless network upon making the determination; andautomatically receives the broadcast location-based information after connecting to the ad-hoc wireless network.

24. One or more computer-readable media comprising computer-executable instructions for performing a computer implemented method for enabling a client wireless device to receive location-based services within an ad-hoc wireless network zone of an ad-hoc wireless network, the method comprising: receiving, by the client wireless device, location-based information regarding one or more location-based services provided within the ad-hoc wireless network zone, wherein the location-based information is broadcast within the ad-hoc wireless network zone; anddisplaying, at the client wireless device, one or more alerts based on the received location-based information.

25. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 24, the method further comprising: before receiving the location-based information, connecting, by the client wireless device, to the ad-hoc wireless network by connecting to a wireless network adapter of the ad-hoc wireless network, wherein the wireless network adapter is used to broadcast the location-based information.

26. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 25, wherein the connecting to the ad-hoc wireless network comprises: scanning for ad-hoc wireless networks providing location-based services, wherein the scanning is performed automatically by the client wireless device without user intervention;determining that the ad-hoc wireless network provides the one or more location-based services, wherein the determining is performed automatically by the client wireless device without user intervention; andconnecting to the ad-hoc wireless network in ad-hoc mode, wherein the connecting is performed automatically by the client wireless device without user intervention.

27. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 26, wherein the determining that the ad-hoc wireless network provides the one or more location-based services is based on an SSID of the wireless network adapter.

28. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 24, wherein the receiving the location-based information comprises: listening on one or more network ports of the client wireless device for the broadcast; andcapturing the location-based information received on the one or more network ports.

29. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 24, the method further comprising: scanning, by the client wireless device, for ad-hoc wireless networks providing location-based services;upon detecting, as a result of the scanning, the ad-hoc wireless network providing the one or more location-based services, connecting, by the client wireless device, to the ad-hoc wireless network in ad-hoc mode; andafter connecting, receiving the location-based information regarding the one or more location-based services.

30. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 24, the method further comprising: before displaying the one or more alerts, filtering the received location-based information based on one or more user-defined preferences entered by a user of the client wireless device;wherein the one or more alerts are displayed based on the filtered received location-based information.