Patent · US Expired

Gathering information from short-range wireless portals

US6925288B2 · kind B2 · utility

16Cited by
2References
18Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMar 29, 2001
Grant dateAug 2, 2005
Priority date
Expiry dateMay 30, 2023

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH04W88/06
  • WIPO fieldDigital communication
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

Businesses may offer their services not only through internet websites but also by short-range wireless portals (51A,B,C) intended to catch passers-by; indeed, this latter means of business promotion may be used instead of an internet site. A method is provided of gathering information from such portals (51A,B,C) for use in a database service system 40. More particularly, a mobile device (20) provided with a short-range wireless receiver (21) is moved within range of such a portal and collects information about the services available from the local entity operating the portal. The device (20) then uses a cellular radio network (10) to send this information, together with location data about the portal, to a remote database service system (40) holding similar information from other portals. The user of the mobile device can be credited with a reward by the database service system for collecting such information.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.