Patent Application
20050245271
The present invention relates to systems and methods for combining location-aware barcodes, RFID tags, or Infobuttons, with wireless network functionality to provide content-rich mobile commerce services.
Wireless Local Area Networks (LANs) and Wide Area Networks (WANs) are rolled out with increased geographic coverage as these technologies develop. Wireless LAN “Hot Spots” are becoming increasingly common in public places such as parks and cafes, while wireless WAN networks are implemented in expanding geographic regions for use with laptops and cellular phones. Additionally, as the technology progresses, bandwidth continues to increase to allow higher data dates with more reliability than was available with previous generation wireless LANs and WANs.
As a mobile device user navigates various different types of available wireless networks, the move device is generally unaware of its present location unless some system is put in place which provides this information. Some cellular information carriers, for example, provide GPS (Global Positioning Systems) services for emergency response such that the location of the cellular phone or mobile device may be ascertained. However, a GPS system can be costly to implement in small or medium scales, and may not provide the accuracy required for certain localized applications. Additionally, such a system cannot provide local information directly to the mobile device, which information may be useful in conjunction with information obtained over the wireless network.
It would be advantageous to provide a system and method for utilizing these emerging wireless network technologies in various applications to provide enriched location-based content to users of mobile wireless devices. Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a system and method for relating geographic location information with a location-aware device to provide enriched content to a mobile terminal.
In accordance with the invention there is provided a method for providing location-based information over a wireless network, including the steps of providing at a geographic location a machine-readable coded identification item to provide data for uniquely identifying the geographic location, providing a first database correlating the data to the geographic location, providing a second database having information correlated to the geographic location, reading the identification item with a portable reader to obtain the identification data, using the first database to ascertain the geographic location, and using the second database to retrieve information correlated to the geographic location.
In accordance with the invention there is provided a system for providing location-based information, which system includes a wireless network, a machine-readable coded identification item for storing location data, a mobile device, which mobile device includes at least a processor, a memory, a wireless radio configured to communicate on said wireless network, and a reader capable of reading data from said machine-readable coded identification item, wherein the mobile device is configured to read data from the machine-readable coded identification item and transmit the data over the wireless network and receive from the wireless network information relating to the location of the machine-readable coded identification item.
In accordance with the invention there is further provided a method for providing location-based information over a wireless network, including the steps of providing at a geographic location a machine-readable coded identification item providing data for uniquely identifying the geographic location, and reading said identification item with a portable reader to obtain information regarding said geographic location.
In accordance with the invention there is further provided a system for providing location-based information, including a wireless network, a machine-readable coded identification item storing data related to the location of the machine-readable coded identification item, and a mobile device, which mobile device includes at least a processor, a memory, a wireless radio configured to communicate on the wireless network, and a reader capable of reading data from the machine-readable coded identification item, wherein the mobile device is configured to read the data from the machine-readable coded identification item to obtain information regarding the location of the mobile device.
In accordance with the invention there is further provided a method for providing location-based information over a wireless network including the steps of providing at a geographic location a machine-readable coded identification item providing data for uniquely identifying the geographic location, providing a database correlating the data to information relating to the geographic location, reading the identification item with a portable reader to obtain the identification data, and providing the information relating to the geographic location to the portable reader.
For a better understanding of the present invention, together with other and further objects, reference is made to the following description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, and its scope will be pointed out in the appended claims.
Throughout the figures, unless otherwise stated, the same reference numerals and characters are used to denote like features, elements, components, or portions of the illustrated embodiments.
Referring to
Wireless network 10 perferably includes a server computer 12 coupled to a plurality of access points (“AP”) 16. These access points may preferably be wireless access points as would normally be implemented in accordance with the selected wireless network type. In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention utilizing a GPRS wireless WAN, APs 16 may be cellular communications towers operating in the downtown area of a city. The access points 14 may be coupled to a server computer 12 by a link 14 which may be a standard Ethernet network cable, T-1, ISDN, Internet, or any other means for bi-directional data transmission.
Server computer 12 of the exemplary embodiment of the present invention described in
In the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, infrastructure 20 may preferably be any fixed element in a public area upon which a location information device may be affixed, such as a bus stop shelters, signposts, lampposts, mall directories, kiosks, hotels, convention centers, museums, grocery stores and other storefronts.
Also in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a location information device 22-26 is preferably affixed to infrastructure 20. The location information device of the present invention, i.e., a machine-readable coded identification item, may be a bar code 22, an information button 24, an RFID tag 26, some combination of these, or any other device which is capable of storing location data. The information stored on location information device 22-26 may be any information sufficient to uniquely identify the geographic location of location information device 22-26.
For example, information buttons (or “infobuttons”) are electronic devices which can store up to approximately 2K of data and which can be read using a contact reading device, which device is placed in contact with the information button to perform the reading function. Information buttons are available from, e.g., Dallas Semiconductor, and are described more fully at www.ibutton.com. Similar functionality may be provided, in accordance with the present invention, using bar codes and/or RFID tags.
In accordance with the present invention, information buttons may preferably be used to store useful information concerning location of the button in order to allow a mobile device 30, which may include a processor coupled to an information button reader as described in further detail hereinafter, to ascertain the present location of the device. Bar codes can also be used to encode location information into a format which can be read by a bar code scanner. RFID tags may encapsulate this information in such manner that an RFID reader device may extract the location information.
A wide variety of information may be stored by location information device 22-26 in accordance with various embodiments of the present invention. For example, these devices may store location information, which information can be used to ascertain the current location of the mobile device. The location may be a localized location, such as a position in a single room, or a location based on some larger scale, such as position within a shopping mall or geographic location in a city or state. Regardless, one of ordinary skill in the art would understand that the present invention applies to varying scopes with respect to location information. Furthermore, the location information may be stored in numerous ways, such as with a unique identifier which indirectly may provide the location of location information device 22-26, or a more direct manner, such as address information, coordinates, latitude and longitude values, two- or three-dimensional coordinate values for a space within a particular building or room, etc.
Such additional information may preferably be stored on location information device 22-26 as would be advantageous within the context of the implementation of the system and method of the present invention. For example, it may be beneficial to store location-based information which can be read by a mobile reader device without use of the wireless network or in conjunction with the wireless network. Such embodiments are further described hereinafter.
Referring now to
Mobile device 30 is also preferably configured with a device reader 32. Device reader 32 may be one or more of a bar code scanner, RFID tag reader or Infobutton reader. Alternatively, Device reader 32 may be any apparatus which is capable of reading the location information stored on the location information devices 22-26 of
Mobile device 30 may also preferably be configured with a display (not shown). The display may be a standard LCD display suitable for displaying information retrieved over the wireless network.
The mobile device 30 may also preferably be configured with input apparatus to receive input from the mobile device user (not shown). The input apparatus may be touch-screen functionality in the LCD display, buttons, a text or numeric keypad, a pointer device, pen-based, or any other means for receiving user input by the mobile device 30 as would be known to one of ordinary skill in the art.
It is further noted that while mobile device 30 may preferably be a single integrated standalone unit, it need not be. Mobile device 30 may be composed of a traditional laptop computer, personal digital assistant (PDA), handheld computer, cellular phone, or similar computing device which is configured to communication over a wireless network, used in combination with an attached reading device capable of reading information from location information devices 22-26, such as a handheld barcode scanner or RFID reader accessory.
Referring now to
Using the known location of the mobile device 30, the device may then preferably receive data via the wireless network which is specifically tailored to the location. The information may include schedule information for train station 20, real-time reports regarding rail conditions, delays, and service outages, fare information tied to the particular train station, etc. The display 44 of mobile device 30 may then display this information for the user. The user may interact using an input means to select additional or different information, as desired.
Additionally, the location information device—in this case barcode 22—may also be used to store information locally in addition to location information. For example, barcode 22 may store static information locally, such as schedule information, fare information, train system maps, etc. Such information may be read using mobile device 30 and thereafter provided to train commuter 42 via display 44.
Such functionality may provide several benefits. First, the information can be provided immediately to the user, with no waiting time for transmission of data over the wireless network. Additionally, if only such basic information is required, wireless network access may be avoided, thus prolonging battery life for the mobile device 30, conserving wireless network bandwidth for other users, and potentially alleviating service costs for wireless network access. Further, in the event of a wireless network outage or weak signal in the vicinity, train commuter 42 may still access the information sought.
In another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the barcodes and other location devices may also store location-based content and advertising. For example, barcode 22 of
In yet another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a content-enriched wireless network may be implemented in a museum. In such an environment, it may be practicable and preferable to implement the present invention using a wireless local area network, such as an 802.11 network. Museum visitors may be provided with a mobile device 30 of
In yet another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a content-enriched wireless network may be implemented in a shopping mall. Shoppers may be provided with a mobile device 30 of
In still another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, content-enriched wireless network functionality may be implemented at public transportation terminals, such as train stations. The location information devices may be used to store, for example, train schedule and fare information. The information may be location-based custom information, such as fares from the particular location to some destination, schedule information at the particular station location, etc.
While there have been described what are believed to be the preferred embodiments of the present invention, those skilled in the art will recognize that other and further changes may be made thereto without departing from the spirit of the invention, and it is intended to claim all such changes and embodiments as fall within the true scope of the invention.
