United States Patent [19J
`Kari et al.
`
`I IIIII IIIIIIII Ill lllll lllll lllll lllll lllll lllll lllll lllll 111111111111111111
`US006154745A
`[11] Patent Number:
`[45] Date of Patent:
`
`6,154,745
`*Nov. 28, 2000
`
`[54] METHOD FOR TRANSMISSION OF
`INFORMATION TO THE USER
`
`[75]
`
`Inventors: Janne Kari, Helsinki; Heikki Rautila,
`Espoo, both of Finland
`
`[73] Assignee: Nokia Mobile Phones Ltd., Espoo,
`Finland
`
`[ *] Notice:
`
`This patent issued on a continued pros(cid:173)
`ecution application filed under 37 CFR
`1.53( d), and is subject to the twenty year
`patent term provisions of 35 U.S.C.
`154(a)(2).
`
`[21] Appl. No.: 08/996,578
`
`[22] Filed:
`
`Dec. 23, 1997
`
`[30]
`
`Foreign Application Priority Data
`
`Dec. 31, 1996
`
`[FI]
`
`Finland .................................... 965278
`
`Int. Cl.7 ...................................................... G06F 17/30
`[51]
`[52] U.S. Cl. ............................................... 707/100; 707/10
`[58] Field of Search ......................... 707/1-10, 100-104,
`707/200-206; 701/200, 208, 212; 705/14,
`10, 26, 32; 709/219
`
`[56]
`
`References Cited
`
`U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`5/1998 Dedrick .............................. 395/200.58
`5,754,787
`5,848,373 12/1998 DeLorme et al.
`...................... 701/200
`5,956,716
`9/1999 Kenner et al. ............................ 707/10
`
`FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`0697670 Al
`0703463 A3
`2278196
`WO 96/13951
`
`2/1996
`3/1996
`11/1994
`5/1996
`
`European Pat. Off ..
`European Pat. Off ..
`United Kingdom .
`WIPO.
`
`Primary Examiner-Ruay Lian Ho
`Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Perman & Green, LLP
`
`[57]
`
`ABSTRACT
`
`Method for transmission of information to the user, in which
`a search terminal (1) is used for sending an information
`query, which is received and processed. Further in the
`method, information is searched for, and the retrieved infor(cid:173)
`mation is transmitted to the search terminal (1). The infor(cid:173)
`mation is received and displayed to the user by the search
`terminal (1). A system for transmitting information to a user
`comprises a search terminal (1) for sending an information
`query, means (3, 4, 4', 4") for receiving and processing of the
`information query, means (3, 4, 4', 4') for retrieving
`information, means (2) for transmitting the information to
`the search terminal (1), and means (1) for receiving the
`information and presenting it to the user on the search
`terminal (1 ), The information retrieval is arranged to be
`conducted at least partly on the basis of the location and/or
`travel route of the user.
`
`5,539,395
`5,710,884
`
`7/1996 Buss et al. .............................. 340/827
`1/1998 Dedrick .............................. 395/200.47
`
`20 Claims, 11 Drawing Sheets
`
`I
`
`International
`
`Service, Inc.
`
`Fill' er up query form
`Resolved parameters
`
`Name
`level
`
`I
`
`11
`
`801""
`\ II
`I
`
`111
`II
`lllservice, cafe fast food, oizza
`
`"-
`larenl
`I
`IINormal
`1145
`I
`jAae
`Sex
`Im
`I
`Cellular phone 11+358-50-123123111
`number
`I Class
`I Car
`Gas tvne
`Other info,
`search words
`
`I
`IIIMA
`
`II Business
`llsMW
`llss
`II service cafe
`'
`
`locate nearest:
`
`D Fill' er up no service station
`-
`D Fill' er up 24H service station
`80
`2
`..:,:, Fill' er up 24H service station with cafe
`'
`'----El Fill' er up Five Star Station
`D Fill' er up Super Service Market
`
`I Send guel}'
`
`I Clear form
`
`I
`
`Unified Patents
`Exhibit 1006
`Page 1 of 23
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Nov. 28, 2000
`
`Sheet 1 of 11
`
`6,154,745
`
`USER INITIATES A MESSAGE OR QUERY
`
`LOCATION
`
`INFO IS ATTACHED TO THE MESSAGE
`
`I
`
`QUERY IS ROUTED TO APPROPRIATE NETWORK
`ADDRESS BASED ON USER ID, LOCATION,
`TRAVEL ROUTE, etc.
`
`101
`
`/
`
`/ 102
`
`v 103
`
`'
`QUERY PROCESSED BY INFORMATION SERVICE, v
`RESPONSE TO THE USER IS TAILORED
`ACC. TO USER ID, LOCATION, TRAVEL ROUTE
`AND OTHER PREFERENCES
`
`104
`
`1
`
`RESPONSE SENT TO USER'S NETWORK ADDRESS
`TO BE SHOWN ON TERMINAL DISPLAY
`
`/ 105
`
`FIG.1
`
`Unified Patents
`Exhibit 1006
`Page 2 of 23
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Nov. 28, 2000
`
`Sheet 2 of 11
`
`6,154,745
`
`<D
`0
`N
`
`I'
`0
`N
`
`I"')
`0
`N
`
`LO
`0
`N
`
`...-
`0
`N
`
`...-
`
`N
`•
`(!)
`G:
`
`Unified Patents
`Exhibit 1006
`Page 3 of 23
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Nov. 28, 2000
`
`Sheet 3 of 11
`
`6,154,745
`
`301
`
`302
`
`DATA
`CONNECTION
`
`303
`
`CHOOSE DESIRED
`SERVICE
`
`304
`
`305
`
`306
`
`308
`
`309
`
`310
`
`DISPLAY SELECTED
`QUERY FORM
`
`FILL IN QUERY
`FORM+SUBMIT
`
`READ DATA
`
`NO
`
`READ INI FILE
`
`INFO
`ADD LOCATION
`AND ROUTE INFO
`
`COMPOSE
`QUERY MESSAGE
`
`FIG.3A
`
`FIG.3A
`FIG.3B
`FIG.3
`
`Unified Patents
`Exhibit 1006
`Page 4 of 23
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Nov. 28, 2000
`
`Sheet 4 of 11
`
`6,154,745
`
`311
`
`312
`
`SET TIME FLAG
`
`TRY TO RE-ESTABLISH
`CONNECTION
`
`NO
`
`NO
`
`314
`
`SEND
`QUERY MESSAGE
`
`COMPOSE
`ERROR MESSAGE
`
`316
`
`FIG.38
`
`Unified Patents
`Exhibit 1006
`Page 5 of 23
`
`

`

`"'-' Ul
`.....:a
`....
`"'-'
`Ul
`~
`....
`0--,
`
`"'""
`"'""
`0 ....,
`Ul
`~ ....
`'JJ. =(cid:173)~
`
`z 0
`
`C
`C
`C
`N
`~CIO
`N
`~
`
`~ = .....
`~ .....
`~
`•
`r:JJ.
`d •
`
`FIG.4A
`
`ERROR MESSAGE
`
`COMPOSE
`
`NO I
`
`416
`
`FIG.4
`FIG.4B
`FIG.4A
`
`NO
`
`404---...__, ADD USER INFORMATION
`
`TO QUERY
`
`SET TARGET FLAG
`
`TO NULL
`
`403 --..,.1
`
`READ MESSAGE
`
`402
`
`401
`
`Unified Patents
`Exhibit 1006
`Page 6 of 23
`
`

`

`"'-' Ul
`.....:a
`....
`"'-'
`Ul
`~
`....
`0--,
`
`"'""
`"'""
`0 ....,
`~ ....
`'JJ. =(cid:173)~
`
`O'I
`
`z 0
`
`C
`C
`C
`N
`~CIO
`N
`~
`
`~ = .....
`~ .....
`~
`•
`r:JJ.
`d •
`
`FIG.48
`
`417
`
`413
`
`415
`
`414
`
`MESSAGE TO USER
`
`DISPLAY ERROR
`
`GENERAL ADDRESS
`SET TARGET FLAG TO
`
`-----
`
`FORWARD QUERY
`
`TO TARGET
`
`411
`
`NO
`
`YES
`
`409--.1 ESTABLISH CONNECTION
`
`TO TARGET
`
`SET TARGET FLAG
`
`TO RESULT
`
`SET TARGET FLAG
`
`TO RESULT
`
`BASED ON LOCATION
`DETERMINE TARGET
`
`ONLY
`
`408
`
`407
`
`BASED ON LOCATION
`DETERMINE TARGET
`
`AND OTHER INFO
`
`Unified Patents
`Exhibit 1006
`Page 7 of 23
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Nov. 28, 2000
`
`Sheet 7 of 11
`
`6,154,745
`
`501
`
`READ QUERY
`INFORMATION
`
`READ USER INFO
`FROM DATABASE
`
`ADD USER INFO
`TO QUERY
`
`PROCESS QUERY
`
`502
`
`503
`
`505
`
`506
`
`NO
`
`COMPOSE
`ERROR MESSAGE
`
`DISPLAY ERROR
`MESSAGE TO USER
`
`NO
`
`COMPOSE
`ERROR MESSAGE
`
`508
`
`DISPLAY RESULT
`TO USER
`
`DISPLAY ERROR
`MESSAGE TO USER
`
`FIG.5
`
`509
`
`510
`
`511
`
`512
`
`Unified Patents
`Exhibit 1006
`Page 8 of 23
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Nov. 28, 2000
`
`Sheet 8 of 11
`
`6,154,745
`
`Welcome to ISi
`
`The International Service, Inc.
`ISi services
`• ISi personal profile update
`Modile communications
`• Mobile John
`Pizzerias
`• Wong's pizza __
`Gas stations
`• Fill' er up - - (cid:173)
`Comments?
`
`601
`
`Send mail to: webmaster@isi.com
`
`FIG.6
`
`Unified Patents
`Exhibit 1006
`Page 9 of 23
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Nov. 28, 2000
`
`Sheet 9 of 11
`
`6,154,745
`
`I
`
`11
`
`702
`II- V
`II
`
`11
`
`I
`
`International Service, Inc.
`
`Fill' er up query form
`Resolved parameters
`
`I Name
`v- Level
`
`/
`1
`70
`
`I~;:
`
`Cellular phone
`number
`I Class
`I Car
`Gas tvoe
`Other info,
`search words
`
`II George McLaren
`!Normal
`1145
`Im
`
`1+358-50-123123
`II Business
`llsMW
`199
`service, cafe
`
`I
`I
`I
`I
`111
`I
`Ill
`Ill
`
`11
`
`Locate nearest:
`D Fill' er up no service station
`v-0 Fill' er up 24H service station
`D Fill' er up 24H service station with cafe
`D Fill' er up Five Star Station
`D Fill' er up Super Service Market
`
`/
`3
`70
`
`Send query I Clear torru
`)
`)
`
`I
`
`704
`
`705 I
`
`FIG.7
`
`Unified Patents
`Exhibit 1006
`Page 10 of 23
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Nov. 28, 2000
`
`Sheet 10 of 11
`
`6,154,745
`
`I
`
`International Service, Inc.
`
`Fill' er up query form
`Resolved parameters
`
`I
`
`I Name
`I Level
`IAge
`Sex
`Cellular phone
`number
`I Class
`I Car
`I Gas tvoe
`Other info,
`search words
`
`llceorge McLaren
`II Normal
`1145
`Im
`
`+358-50-123123
`
`II Business
`llsMW
`199
`service, caf e
`
`I
`
`801~
`\
`
`I
`I MB
`
`111
`
`!service, cafe, fast food, pizza
`
`I
`
`Locate nearest:
`D Fill' er up no service station
`D Fill' er up 24H service station
`v Fill' er up 24H service station with cafe
`v Fill' er up Five Star Station
`D Fill' er up Super Service Market
`
`'-- -
`
`80 2
`\
`
`I Send guery
`
`I Clear form
`
`I
`
`FIG.8
`
`Unified Patents
`Exhibit 1006
`Page 11 of 23
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Nov. 28, 2000
`
`Sheet 11 of 11
`
`6,154,745
`
`Welcome Fill' er up
`
`Fill' er up query results
`
`Located links:
`Fill' er up 24H service stations in Hamburg
`Fill' er up Five Star Station in Hamburg~ 901
`Fill' er up services in Hc1mburg -
`902
`
`1=-1G.9
`
`Unified Patents
`Exhibit 1006
`Page 12 of 23
`
`

`

`6,154,745
`
`1
`METHOD FOR TRANSMISSION OF
`INFORMATION TO THE USER
`
`The present invention relates to a method according to
`the preamble of the appended claim 1 for transmission of 5
`information to the user. The invention relates also to a
`system of transmission of information according to the
`appended claim 5 and a mobile station according to the
`appended claim 11.
`Presently known methods for transmission of 10
`information, particularly to a mobile user, are most often
`based on the user calling by a telecommunication terminal to
`a supplier of services needed, such as to the service number
`of a service station. The user must thus know his or her
`location, which is used by the service supplier to find out 15
`which service station is closest to the user and to give this
`information to the user orally. For example in Finland one
`teleoperator makes use of a certain service number which
`the user can call to inquire orally how to find for example the
`closest hotel or service station of a certain company which 20
`is as close as possible to the location given by the user.
`During the call, an information search is conducted at the
`service number manually or from a computerized system.
`However, even if the system utilizes a data base stored in a
`computer, the information on the service to be searched for 25
`must be entered manually. Further, the user must know his
`or her location in order to find out the location of the closest
`service station.
`European Patent Application EP-697670 discloses a data
`transmission system utilizing a computerized data base for
`information storage and search. The system presented in the
`publication is primarily intended for stores and shopping
`centres, wherein the data base contains stored information
`on the assortment of goods as well as the location of the
`items. Customers of the shopping centre can use a search 35
`terminal for inquiring the location of the article he or she is
`looking for, and possibly also the price and other informa(cid:173)
`tion on the product. The search terminal is advantageously
`placed in connection with a shopping cart. The system can
`also comprise location means, wherein the location is con- 40
`ducted automatically and the customer does not need to
`enter the location data in the device. One disadvantage of the
`system presented in the published application EP-697670 is
`that the system is usable within a very limited area only, such
`as a shopping centre comprising a maximum of few stores. 45
`Also, the use of the system requires a sufficient number of
`customer terminals which must be paid by the merchant.
`Moreover, specific equipment must be mounted for locating,
`which will further raise the acquisition costs of the system.
`Further, the systems of prior art involve the problem that 50
`there may not always be the product or service available that
`the user is searching for, whereby the user should think of a
`corresponding product or a service that the user might also
`use. However, in this case a new query must be made. On the
`other hand, the product or service asked for can be available 55
`at several different places, whereby the user must find out
`which is the best one with respect to his or her current
`location. This is not easy for example in a situation where
`the user is not familiar with the town and does not have a
`map of the town.
`It is an aim of the present invention to eliminate draw(cid:173)
`backs of prior art which are related to giving location data
`in the information query, formation of the query message,
`and directing the query message to a place where relevant
`data is most probably available, and to provide a method and
`system for transmitting information. The method of the
`invention is characterized in what will be presented in the
`
`2
`characterizing part of the appended claim 1. The system of
`the invention is characterized in what will be presented in
`the characterizing part of the appended claim 5. Further, the
`mobile station of the invention is characterized in what will
`be presented in the characterizing part of the appended claim
`11. The invention is based on the idea that for routing of the
`query message and searching for the information in a data
`base, the location information and possibly also travel route
`of the user are utilized. Further, the user profile of the user
`is used as a criterion for data search. The invention gives
`also the advantage that the user can be automatically
`informed when on the move.
`The present invention gives significant advantages to the
`solutions of prior art. With the system according to the
`invention, the user is automatically informed of the services
`he or she wishes to have during the travel. Also, information
`can be searched on the basis of the user profile of the user,
`which will further accelerate information retrieval and
`excludes unnecessary information retrieval.
`By using information retrieval based on the travel route,
`the information retrieval can be optimized in a way that the
`user is given the location of a service point which will incur
`as little deviation as possible from the planned travel route.
`Thus the user will not necessarily be informed of the closest
`service point but the one that suits best the travel route. In
`addition to this, also the closest service point can be given.
`Another advantage of the invention is that if the desired
`article or service is not found on the basis of the query, the
`system will find a general address where the search can be
`30 made on the basis of the query.
`The invention will be described in more detail below
`with reference to the appended drawings. In the drawings,
`FIG. 1 is a reduced flow chart illustrating data retrieval
`from the file,
`FIG. 2 is a reduced block chart illustrating a system
`according to an advantageous embodiment of the invention,
`FIG. 3 is a flow chart illustrating the formation of a query
`message,
`FIG. 4 is a reduced flow chart illustrating the processing
`of the query message in a first connection server,
`FIG. 5 is a reduced flow chart illustrating the processing
`of the query message in a remote server,
`FIG. 6 shows an entry form used for forming a connec(cid:173)
`tion to a connection server,
`FIG. 7 shows a query form loaded from the connection
`server to the data processor of the user,
`FIG. 8 shows a query form filled in by the user, and
`FIG. 9 shows the presentation of results of a search
`conducted on the basis of the query to the user.
`The application examples used in this description are
`based on properties of the GSM system (Global System for
`Mobile Communications), but the invention is not limited
`solely to this system but it can be applied also in other,
`advantageously at least partly wireless data transmission
`systems having a possibility of two-way data transmission.
`FIG. 2 is a reduced block diagram showing a system
`according to an advantageous embodiment of the invention.
`The user has a search terminal 1 comprising a telecommu(cid:173)
`nication terminal, such as a mobile station. It is possible to
`60 make a data transmission connection from the search ter(cid:173)
`minal 1 to a telecommunication network 2 which in this
`advantageous embodiment comprises a mobile communica(cid:173)
`tion network, such as the GSM mobile communication
`network. A connection server 3 and at least one remote
`65 server 4, 4', 4" are in a data transmission connection with the
`telecommunication network 2. There is also a data trans-
`mission connection from the connection server 3 to the
`
`Unified Patents
`Exhibit 1006
`Page 13 of 23
`
`

`

`6,154,745
`
`5
`
`10
`
`3
`remote servers 4, 4, 4" belonging to the system, either
`directly e.g. as a fixed connection or via the telecommuni(cid:173)
`cation network 2 advantageously as an optional connection.
`The system comprises also means for defining the location
`of each search terminal 1. The means for defining the
`location (not shown) are advantageously formed in the
`telecommunication network, but also a separate locating
`system can be used, such as the GPS system (Global
`Positioning System), or the location can be entered manually
`e.g. by using the search terminal 1.
`The search terminal 1 used is advantageously a PDA(cid:173)
`type teleterminal (Personal Digital Assistant) comprising
`advantageously means for data processing, means for trans(cid:173)
`mitting voice, telefaxes, data, DTMF signals, and two-way
`paging. Further, the search terminal 1 can use satellite 15
`location means (GPS). A device suitable for the search
`terminal 1 is Nokia 9000 Communicator. The search termi(cid:173)
`nal 1 can also be a mobile station with a data connector for
`connecting a computer in a data transmission connection
`with the mobile station. Thus at least part of the data
`processing operations of the search terminal according to the
`invention can be placed in connection with the data proces(cid:173)
`sor e.g. via a PCMCIA card (Personal Computer Memory
`Card International Association). For portable data
`processors, also PCMCIA cards comprising a satellite loca(cid:173)
`tion receiver have been developed.
`The search terminal 1 used can also be an ordinary
`microcomputer, or a so-called desktop PC having means for
`forming a data transmission connection with the telecom(cid:173)
`munication network 2. The means for forming a data trans(cid:173)
`mission connection comprise most often a modem as well as
`telecommunication software for transmitting data signals,
`such as commands from the data processor to the telecom(cid:173)
`munication network and for receiving messages transmitted
`via the telecommunication network, as well as for using the
`messages for forming information on the display of the
`search terminal 1. One application program which has
`recently gained popularity is the web browser developed for
`the use of the Internet data network, wherein the user can
`search for information in the Internet data network, such as
`home pages (WWW pages) of companies and private per(cid:173)
`sons.
`When a desktop PC is used, the location information is
`advantageously stored permanently in the storing means of
`the desktop PC, or in case of using the GSM system or
`another mobile telecommunication system which can supply
`the location information to the mobile station for example as
`the number of a base station, the telecommunication termi(cid:173)
`nal is connected to the system advantageously in a way that
`the location information can be updated from the mobile
`telecommunication system for example by means of appli(cid:173)
`cation software controlling the system.
`In the examples below in this description to clarify the
`invention, it is assumed that the user connection when
`coupling to the connection server 3 is a WWW page in the
`Internet. This user connection and the operations to be
`carried by the connection server 3 can be visible or non(cid:173)
`visible to the user.
`Further, it is assumed that also for connection to the
`remote server 4, 4', 4", the user connection is a WWW page
`in the Internet. However, the present invention is not limited
`solely to these embodiments, but in connection with the
`invention it is possible to use also other methods for forming
`a connection and application software, such as terminal
`software, known as such.
`Further, in the examples describing the invention, the
`company used for supplying services is a multinational
`
`4
`fictional company with the name International Services, Inc.
`(ISi), which maintains a connection server 3. The connec(cid:173)
`tion server 3 of the ISi company is arranged to transmit
`information from companies which have joined as clients of
`the ISi company, information from third parties, information
`on municipal services, etc. Companies and other parties
`offering services have signed an agreement with the ISi
`company for transmission of information via the connection
`server 3 of the ISi company. An arrangement of this kind is
`known e.g. in the Internet environment, in which also the
`costs are debited from the contracting parties, wherein the
`user of the system is not necessarily debited for use of the
`system. Thus it is primarily only the charge for the com(cid:173)
`munication connection, such as local call charge, that
`remains to be paid by the user.
`Thanks to the increased use of open data systems, the
`Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP)
`has become a general protocol which different computers
`can use for transmission of information. The TCP/IP support
`is presently available for almost all operating systems. The
`20 TCP/IP has a network layer protocol IP (Internet Protocol)
`intended for routing by gateways or routers. The routing is
`conducted with the help of four-bit IP addresses and routing
`tables. Thanks to the Internet protocol, computers using the
`TCP/IP can transmit messages in the router network as far
`25 as to the other side of the globe.
`The Internet, which covers well particularly the indus(cid:173)
`trialized countries, is a huge router network using the
`TCP/IP connection protocol. At present, the Internet con(cid:173)
`nects more than 1.5 million devices and 20 million people.
`30 The largest group of users of the Internet, which was started
`for scientific use only, now consists of companies which buy
`their services from commercial connection suppliers, such
`as ISi in this example. In the Internet, each device has its
`own identifying IP address. The IP address is a 32-bit or
`35 four-byte figure which is divided by two into an
`organization-specific network address and a network(cid:173)
`specific device address. For making the processing of
`addresses easier, a decimal, so-called point notation system
`has been introduced, in which the addresses are given in
`40 8-bit figures ( octet) divided with points. One octet is a figure
`from O to 255. This address mechanism is still divided into
`three different classes (ABC) which make it possible to use
`network and device addresses of different lengths.
`For facilitating the use of the Internet data network, it is
`45 provided with a domain name service (DNS), in which each
`numerical address is assigned a certain alphanumerical
`character string. Thus for example the user enters the
`alphanumerical character string of a selected address, and
`this is converted by the domain name server to numerical
`50 form, whereafter a connection can be made to the selected
`address. This arrangement has the advantage that the
`addresses are easier to remember, because the addresses are
`usually designed to express some of the basic information of
`the service. For example, the address can be in the form
`55 www.firm.fi, and the corresponding numerical address can
`be 193.66.16.1. Further, links can be formed on the Internet
`pages, wherein it is possible to move via the link directly to
`the Internet page defined in the link.
`The connection server 3 can, for example, be the main-
`60 frame of the company offering data transmission services,
`which can be linked in a data transmission connection with
`a telecommunication network 2. One example is that the
`connection server 3 is linked to the Internet system to
`operate as the Internet server. Thus the search terminal 1 can
`65 be in a data transmission connection with the connection
`server 3 via a so-called www (World Wide Web) page of the
`Internet.
`
`Unified Patents
`Exhibit 1006
`Page 14 of 23
`
`

`

`6,154,745
`
`5
`
`40
`
`5
`From the connection server 3, a data transmission con(cid:173)
`nection can be formed to remote servers 4, 4', 4" inter alia
`for transmission of query messages and replies to them. The
`data transmission connection between the connection server
`3 and the remote servers 4, 4', 4" can be advantageously a
`landline or a wireless telecommunication network, or a fixed
`connection, such as the Ethernet data network. The remote
`servers 4, 4', 4" can be the same device as the connection
`server 3, or they can be even very far from each other, even
`on different sides of the globe. It should be mentioned that 10
`the connection server 3 and one or several remote servers 4,
`4', 4" are not necessarily separate devices, but they can also
`be located in the same physical machine, such as a server
`mainframe.
`Each remote server 4, 4', 4" contains information of a 15
`certain company or service, for example information on the
`locations and service supply of the service stations of a
`certain gas company. The remote server may have a separate
`user profile data base, which usually contains more detailed
`information on the user, and the user settings are more varied 20
`than in the user profile data base of the connection server 3.
`This means that the user has signed a user contract with the
`service supplier.
`The remote server 4, 4', 4" can also check the rights of
`the user during set-up of the connection, as well as make 25
`other user-specific operations, such as give the user a chance
`to edit his or her user profile or a chance to log in other
`services offered by said remote server.
`One of the most important functions of the remote server
`is to process a query entered by the user via the connection 30
`server 3. The connection server 3 may add user-specific
`information to the query and transmit the query message to
`the remote server 4, 4', 4" in question. The remote server will
`add more user information to the query from the user profile
`data base in the remote server, after which the remote server 35
`processes the received query message. The query message
`can also contain parameters changed by the user, as shown
`in FIG. 8. For formulation of the query, a query form stored
`advantageously in the search terminal 1 is used, as will be
`discussed below in this description.
`If the remote server does not receive a separate query
`message, i.e. the user is for example connected via a
`terminal directly to the remote server, the remote server will
`display for example a list of alternatives to be selected by the
`user, wherein for acquiring further information, the user 45
`selects the desired alternative and the remote server will
`send information to the terminal on the basis of the selection
`by the user.
`On the basis of the processing results of the query
`message, or on the basis of the selection entered by the user,
`an error message is shown in an error situation or the result
`of the query is shown in the positive case, either by display
`or by transmission of e.g. a short message to the user, for
`example to the display means of the telecommunication
`terminal of the user.
`The system according to an advantageous embodiment of
`the invention comprises a computer network address, such
`as IP address, which is stored in the search terminal 1 of the
`user. This address can be either fixed or it can be updated
`manually or via a data transmission connection, either by 60
`landline or in a wireless manner. One practical solution for
`updating this address is the use of a short message service
`(SMS) known from the GSM mobile communication sys(cid:173)
`tem. This address information is used for setting up a
`connection from the search terminal 1 to the connection 65
`server 3. A typical address item is the telephone number of
`the service supplier, to which the connection server 3 is
`
`6
`connected. Thus the data transmission connection can be set
`up e.g. via a modem by dialling the telephone number in
`question. The search terminal 1 will do this dialling auto(cid:173)
`matically on the basis of the address information stored in
`the search terminal.
`In addition to the above-mentioned address information,
`it may be necessary to transmit also other information, either
`compulsory or optional for setting up a connection, such as
`the IP address, a network mask, etc. In the embodiments
`presented in this description, the IP address information is
`not transmitted to the user, because this is not important. If
`other forms of connection than WWW is used, it may be
`necessary to transmit also the corresponding IP information
`to the user e.g. in a short message.
`Information on the real-time location of a mobile com(cid:173)
`munication device can be derived to the search terminal
`from the GPS system or another satellite location system or
`via the positioning service of a mobile communication
`network. If a desktop PC or the like is used as the search
`terminal 1, whose location is not usually changed very often,
`the location information can be stored e.g. in a text-form file
`where the information can be retrieved and edited by the
`user.
`At the stage when the user initiates the query (FIG. 1,
`block 101) by setting up a connection via the telecommu(cid:173)
`nication network 2 to the service, the location information,
`the identification of the terminal or the user, and possible
`information on the travel route is included in the query
`message (block 102) which is transmitted to the service. The
`messages or inquiries sent from the search terminal are
`routed to the appropriate network address (block 103). For
`routing, the user identification, the geographical position of
`the search terminal 1, the travel route selected by the user or
`noticed by the search terminal 1, or any combination of these
`is utilized.
`In the system according to the invention, the reply to the
`query message can be formed on the basis of the user
`identification, the travel route and the geographical location
`of the search terminal 1 (block 104).
`In the method according to the invention, the user uses
`the search terminal 1 to formulate a query message defining
`the search profile of the service or the like to be searched for.
`For this purpose, a blank form is advantageously loaded or
`stored in the search terminal 1 to be used for entering the
`information. Part of the fields can be pre-filled on the basis
`of information on the user profile. Thus the user changes the
`items for defining the information to be searched for. A
`suitable blank form for this purpose can be designed as an
`Internet-type WWW page, as shown in FIG. 7. The search
`50 terminal 1 sets up a data transmission connection to a
`connection server 3. The data transmission connection is
`preferably a two-way data connection, wherein data to be
`transmitted from the search terminal 1 can be sent to the
`connection server 3, and the data sent by the connection
`55 server 3 to the search terminal 1 can be received at the search
`terminal 1. The set-up of the data transmission connection
`can be conducted naturally so that the address information,
`such as the telephone number and web address, of at least
`one connection server 3 is stored in the memory of the
`search terminal 1, wherein the search terminal 1 forms a data
`transmission connection by using this telephone number and
`web address.
`FIG. 3 is a flow chart illustrating an advantageous
`embodiment for forming a query message. The user uses the
`search terminal 1 to start a terminal application (block 301),
`which in this example is a WWW browser. The user starts
`connection set-up to the connection server 3 in block 302,
`
`Unified Patents
`Exhibit 1006
`Page 15 of 23
`
`

`

`7
`and after the connection is set up, the WWW page is
`displayed in the display device of the search terminal 1. The
`WWW page shows the services to be selected and/or links
`to these services. The user selects the desired service (block
`303). Next, the connection server 3 displays the query form
`corresponding to the selected service (block 304). The query
`form contains basic information searched from the user
`profile of the connection server 3, and these are displayed to
`the user. At this stage, the user can freely fill in the text fields
`and mark the option boxes desired, select possible additional
`alternatives, etc. (block 305). The user can enter the infor(cid:173)
`mation on the location and/or the travel route manually and
`give further entries for identifying the services to be
`searched for. After the query form is loaded on the display
`of the search terminal 1, the connection to the connection
`server 3 can be cut for saving data transmission costs (not
`shown in FIG. 3).
`After the user thinks that all the necessary data is
`adequately filled in, the user selec