jc839 U.S. PTO 1
`
`I llllll lllll lllll lllll lllll lllll llll llll
`03/19/01
`
`PROVISIONAL APPLICATION COVER SHEET
`
`!Ji£~
`
`This is a request for filing a PROVISIONAL APPLICATION under 37 CFR 1.53(c).
`
`I Docket Number I 500974_00
`
`I Type a plus sign(+)
`inside this box ➔
`
`EXPRESS MAIL NO. EL646070582US tr--= ....
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`... eJ Specification
`
`~ Orawing(s)
`.
`
`,.,.1.
`
`INVENTOR(s)/APPLICANT(s)
`
`GIVEN NAME (first and middle[if any]) I
`FAMILY OR SURNAME
`Jeff
`Callegari
`
`I
`
`RESIDENCE
`(ClTY AND EITHER STATE OR FOREIGN COUNTRY)
`Kirkland, Washington
`
`n Additional inventors are being named on separately numbered sheets attached hereto.
`
`TITLE OF THE INVENTION (280 characters max)
`
`METHODS FOR PROVIDING A MERCHANT PRESENCE
`
`CORRESPONDENCE ADDRESS
`D. C. Peter Chu, Esq.
`Dorsey & Whitney LLP
`CUSTOMER NO. 27,076
`U.S. Bank Center Buildmg
`1420 Fifth Avenue
`Seattle, W ashmgton 9810 l
`Phone: (206) 903-8800 Fax: (206) 903-8820
`
`Number of Pages I 33
`Number of Sheets
`
`ENCLOSED APPLICATION PARTS (check all that apply)
`[K] Apphcant(s) Claim(s) Small Entity Status
`I
`I □ Other (specify)
`
`7
`
`I
`
`METHOD OF PAYMENT (check one)
`~ A check or money order is enclosed to cover the Provisional filing fees
`~ The Commissioner is hereby authorized to charge any deficiencies in the filing fees
`or credit any overpayment to Deposit Account Number: 50-1266
`
`FILING FEE
`AMOUNT($)
`
`$75
`
`The invention was made by an agency of the United States Government or under a contract with an agency of the Umted States
`Government.
`
`CK] No.
`
`Yes, the name of the U.S. Government agency and the Government contract number are. _____________ _
`
`f""'
`.
`Respectfully sub~
`SIGNATURE~ ~\__A,J
`TYPED or PRINTED NAME __ D_.~C~. _Pe~t~er~C=h~u ____ __ _
`
`Date M ~Ll \ 'i 1 1 O O \
`\
`REGISTRATION NO. _4;...:1""6'"'"7..::..6 _ __ _ _ ___ _
`(zf appropriate)
`\\sefile03\files\ip\documents\c1ients\ce11ular technical services\500974.00\500974 00 prov appl cover.doc
`
`LYFT 1006
`
`1
`
`

`

`Complete if Known
`
`Express Mail No.
`
`EL 646070582 US
`
`Filing Date
`
`Concurrently Herewith
`
`First Named Inventor Jeff Callegari
`
`Group Art Unit
`
`Not Yet Assigned
`
`Examiner
`
`Not Yet Assigned
`Atty. Docket Number 500974.00
`
`FEE CALCULATION (Continued)
`
`3. ADDITIONAL FEES
`Large Entity
`Small Entity
`Fee
`Fee
`Fee
`Fee
`Fee Description
`Code
`Code
`($)
`($)
`65 Surcharge Late filing fee or oath
`130
`205
`105
`late prov1s1onal filing fee
`25 Surcharge
`or cover sheet
`130 Non-English spec1ficat1on
`For Filing a Request for
`Reexamination
`Extension for reply within first month
`
`50
`
`227
`
`130
`
`139
`
`2,520
`
`147
`
`2,520
`
`110
`
`215
`
`55
`
`FEE TRANSMITTAL SHEET
`(FOR FY 2001)
`
`METHOD OF PAYMENT (Check One)
`1. [X] The Commissioner is hereby authorized to charge any
`additional fee required under 37 C. F. R. §§ 1. 16 and 1. 17 and
`1. 136(a)(3) and credit any over payments to Deposit Account
`No.: 50-1266; Deposit Account Name: DORSEY & WHITNEY LLP
`
`2. [X] Check Enclosed
`
`FEE CALCULATION
`
`1. BASIC FILING FEE
`Large Entity
`Small Enttty
`Fee
`Fee
`Fee
`tT'Fee
`.11}
`.11}
`Code
`tJode
`It&o1
`[\,]
`··•-;,p06
`
`710
`
`201
`
`320
`
`206
`
`355
`
`160
`
`Fee Description
`
`[] Utility Filing Fee
`
`[] Design Filing Fee
`
`·-·-,•
`,108
`
`'";~-
`2::.t
`t"'114
`
`710
`
`208
`
`355
`
`[] Reissue Filing Fee
`
`150
`
`214
`
`75
`
`[X] Provisional Filing Fee
`
`127
`
`139
`
`147
`
`115
`
`116
`
`117
`
`118
`
`128
`
`120
`
`121
`
`148
`
`390
`
`890
`
`1,390
`
`216
`
`217
`
`218
`
`1,890
`
`280
`
`310
`
`260
`
`220
`
`270
`
`110
`
`248
`
`195 Extension for reply within 2nd month
`
`445 Extension for reply within 3rd month
`
`695 Extension for reply within 4th month
`
`945
`
`155
`
`Extension for reply w1th1n 5th month
`
`Filing a brief in support of an appeal
`
`135 Request for oral hearing
`
`55
`
`Terminal Disclaimer Fee
`
`Fee paid
`
`$
`
`$
`
`$
`
`$
`
`$
`
`$
`
`$
`
`$
`
`$
`
`$
`
`$
`
`$
`
`..
`
`Subtotal (1)
`
`$ 75
`
`Extra
`
`Fee
`
`Fee Paid
`
`~ EXTRA CLAIM FEES
`r-.. m,nt Claims
`I/
`·;;
`-,~ Ind.
`
`Prior
`
`!Multiple Dependent Claims
`
`$
`=
`0
`10
`20
`- - - - - - - - - - - -
`$ =
`=
`1
`0
`3
`- - -
`$
`---
`
`X
`
`X
`
`X
`
`=
`
`Subtotal (2)
`
`$0
`
`$0
`
`$
`
`$J)
`
`140
`
`141
`
`142
`
`143
`
`122
`
`123
`
`126
`
`581
`
`179
`
`10
`
`240
`
`55 Petition to revive - unavoidable
`
`1,240
`
`241
`
`1,240
`
`242
`
`440
`
`243
`
`130
`
`122
`
`50
`
`123
`
`180
`
`126
`
`40
`
`81
`
`710
`
`279
`
`620
`
`620 Petition to revive - unintentional
`Ut11tty/Reissue issue fee (+ advance
`copies)
`220 Design issue fee (+ advance copies)
`
`130 Petitions to the Commissioner
`50 Petitions related to provisional
`applications
`Subm1ss1on of IDS
`Recording each patent assignment
`per property (times number of
`properties)
`Request for Continued Examination
`(RCE)
`
`180
`
`40
`
`355
`
`Other fee (specify)
`
`Subtotal (3)
`
`$
`
`$
`
`$
`
`$
`
`$
`
`$
`
`$
`
`$
`
`$
`
`$
`$0
`
`Total Amount of Payment:
`
`$ 75
`
`Large Entity
`Fee
`Fee
`ru
`Code
`18
`103
`
`Small Entity
`Fee
`Fee
`ru
`Code
`203
`
`Fee Descni;ition
`
`9 Claims in excess of 20
`
`102
`
`104
`
`109
`
`110
`
`80
`
`270
`
`80
`
`18
`
`202
`
`204
`
`209
`
`210
`
`40
`
`Independent claims in excess of 3
`
`135 Multiple dependent Claim
`40 Reissue independent claims over
`original patent
`9 Reissue claims m excess of 20 and
`over original patent
`
`Submitted by:
`
`Name: D. C. Peter Chu
`
`Signature:
`
`Telephone: (206} 903-8800
`
`Date:
`
`t-\l'r1Lc..
`
`\"\ 1,.00\
`
`2
`
`

`

`! fJ
`
`PATENT
`
`IN THE UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE
`
`Applicant
`Filed
`
`Jeff Callegari
`Concurrently herewith
`
`Attorney Docket No.: 500974.00
`
`Title
`
`: METHODS FOR PROVIDING A MERCHANT PRESENCE
`
`CERTIFICATE OF MAILING BY "EXPRESS MAIL"
`
`Box Provisional Application
`Assistant Commissioner for Patents
`Washington, D.C. 20231
`
`Sir:
`
`I hereby certify that the enclosures listed below are being deposited with the
`
`United States Postal Service "EXPRESS MAIL Post Office to Addressee" service under 37
`
`C.F.R. § 1.10, Mailing Label Certificate No. EL646070582US, on March 19, 2001, addressed to
`
`Box Provisional Application, Assistant Commissioner for Patents, Washington, DC 20231.
`
`Respectfully submitted,
`
`EY & WHITNEY LLP
`
`PC:hap
`
`Enclosures:
`Postcard
`Check
`Fee Transmittal Sheet(+ copy)
`Provisional Application Cover Sheet
`Application Data Sheet
`General Authorization
`Specification, Claims, Abstract (33 pages)
`7 Sheets of Drawings (Figures 1-7)
`
`\\sefile03\files\ip\documents\chents\cellular techmcal serv1ces\500974.00\500974.00 cert exp mat! doc
`
`3
`
`

`

`EXPRESS MAIL NO. EL 646070582 US
`
`APPLICATION DATA SHEET
`
`Inventor Information
`
`Inventor One Given Name
`Family Name
`Postal Address Line One
`City
`State or Province
`County
`Postal or Zip Code
`City of Residence
`State or Prov. Of Residence
`Country of Residence
`Citizenship Country
`
`Correspondence Information
`
`Name Line One
`Address Line One
`Address Line Two
`City
`State or Province
`Postal or Zip Code
`Telephone
`Facsimile
`E-Mail
`
`Application Information
`
`Title
`Total Drawing Sheets
`Formal Drawings
`Application Type
`Attorney Docket Number
`Assigned
`
`Jeff
`Callegari
`11419 NE 111 th Place
`Kirkland
`Washington
`King
`98033
`Kirkland
`Washington
`United States of America
`Canada
`
`D. C. Peter Chu, Esq.
`DORSEY & WHITNEY LLP
`1420 Fifth Avenue, Suite 3400
`Seattle
`Washington
`98101
`206-903-8800
`206-903-8820
`patentseattle@dorseylaw.com
`
`METHODS FOR PROVIDING A MERCHANT PRESENCE
`7
`NO
`Provisional
`500974.00
`No
`
`Representative Information
`
`Representative Customer No.
`
`27,076
`
`\\sefile03\files\ip\documents\clients\cellular technical services\500974.00\500974.00 app data sheet.doc
`
`4
`
`

`

`Express Mail No. EL 646070582 US
`
`1
`
`METHODS FOR PROVIDING A MERCHANT PRESENCE
`
`TECHN1CAL FIELD
`
`The technical field relates generally to providing a virtual presence. More
`
`particularly, it pertains to providing a merchant presence for a merchant at a location such that
`
`when a consumer evinces an interest in the type of business the merchant is in, the merchant
`
`presence is revealed to the consumer.
`
`COPYRIGHT NOTICE - PERMISSION
`
`A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains materials, which is
`
`subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile
`
`reproduction by anyone of the patent document or the patent disclosure as it appears in the Patent
`
`and Trademark Office patent files or records, but otherwise reserves all copyrights rights
`
`whatsoever. The following notice applies to the software and data as described below and in the
`
`drawings attached hereto: Copyright © 2001, Cellular Technical Services Company, Inc., All
`
`Rights Reserved.
`
`SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
`
`An illustrative aspect of the invention includes a method for providing a merchant
`
`presence for a merchant. The method includes creating the merchant presence at a location that
`
`defines an area. The method also includes presenting the merchant presence to a consumer when
`
`the consumer defines a region of interest that includes the area.
`
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
`
`Figure 1 is a block diagram of a system showing the software architecture for
`
`providing a merchant presence according to one aspect of the present invention.
`
`Figure 2 is a pictorial diagram of a user interface for creating a merchant presence
`
`according to one aspect of the present invention.
`
`5
`
`

`

`2
`
`Figure 3 is a pictorial diagram of a user interface for presenting a merchant
`
`presence to a consumer according to one aspect of the present invention.
`
`Figure 4 is a pictorial diagram of a user interface for searching for a merchant
`
`presence by a consumer according to one aspect of the present invention.
`
`Figure 5 is a pictorial diagram of a user interface for allowing a consumer to
`
`selectively secure his location so as to reveal or to conceal his presence according to one aspect
`
`of the present invention.
`
`Figure 6 is a pictorial diagram of a user interface for allowing a consumer to select
`
`a device to which a merchant may reveal the merchant presence so that the consumer may
`
`interact with the merchant according to one aspect of the present invention.
`
`Figure 7 is a pictorial diagram of a user interface that allows a consumer or a
`
`merchant to personalize a presence using an application according to one aspect of the present
`
`invention.
`
`DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
`
`In the following detailed description of exemplary embodiments of the invention,
`
`reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof, and in which are
`
`shown, by way of illustration, specific exemplary embodiments in which the invention may be
`
`practiced. In the drawings, like numerals describe substantially similar components throughout
`
`the several views. These embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in
`
`the art to practice the invention. Other embodiments may be utilized and structural, logical,
`
`electrical, and other changes may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the
`
`present invention. The following detailed description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting
`
`sense, and the scope of the present invention is defined only by the appended claims.
`
`Figure 1 is a block diagram of a system 100 according to one aspect of the present
`
`invention. The system 100 includes various pieces of software and hardware that provide a
`
`merchant presence for a merchant at a desired geographic location. The desired geographic
`
`location is defined as an area where the merchant is interested in having a presence to do
`
`business with a consumer. The consumer interacts with the merchant through a consumer
`
`6
`
`

`

`3
`
`device. The consumer device includes any computing device that will allow the consumer to
`
`interact with the merchant, such as a wired device or a wireless device.
`
`The system 100 includes a presence server that reveals the merchant presence to
`
`the consumer. The presence server includes a device interface. The device interface detects the
`
`type of device the consumer is using to interact with the merchant. When the type of device has
`
`been determined, the device interface selectively communicates an appropriate user interface for
`
`the type of device the consumer is using. For example, if the consumer device can interpret
`
`hypertext markup language (HTML), the device interface may send information in the form of
`
`HTML pages to the consumer device.
`
`The system 100 includes a Web server. The Web server serves HTML pages.
`
`The user interface of the presence server may be implemented as HTML pages that may
`
`communicate to the consumer device if the device interface has determined that the consumer
`
`device can interpret HTML pages.
`
`The system 100 includes a VoiceXML server. The VoiceXML server serves
`
`Voice eXtensible Markup Language pages. The user interface of the presence server may be
`
`implemented as VoiceXML pages that may communicate to the consumer device if the device
`
`interface has determined that the consumer device can interpret VoiceXML pages.
`
`The system 100 includes a number of merchant applications. These merchant
`
`applications include applications that allow the merchant to interface with the presence server to
`
`create the merchant presence.
`
`The presence server may use a number of other systems to provide the merchant
`
`presence. These other systems include a mapping system. The mapping system provides
`
`geographic addresses and routing methods to define the geographic area of the merchant
`
`presence. It may also be used by the consumer to search for a desired merchant presence within
`
`an area of interest. The database keeps information that is generated to provide the merchant
`
`presence.
`
`In one embodiment, the database is implemented using Oracle, but any suitable
`
`database technology can be used, such as Microsoft SQL server. The audio processing allows
`
`processing of audio information for voice recognition, voice to text, or text to voice. The audio
`
`7
`
`

`

`4
`
`processing allows the consumer device to comprise a simple plain old telephone system (POTS)
`
`to a sophisticated cellular phone with digital personal assistant technology.
`
`The embodiments of the present invention enable merchants to easily create,
`
`deploy, and sustain a location of specific wireless and non-wireless presence. The merchants can
`
`do so with or without assistance from a service provider or other third party agent. The
`
`embodiments of the present invention put a merchant wireless "presence" in merchant's own
`
`hands! The aforementioned third parties may also utilize the system on behalf of clients.
`
`Merchants can log on to their personalized system account and navigate to their
`
`own customized
`
`location-based presence.
`
`This presence
`
`is
`
`initially populated with
`
`personalization data taken from their own user accounts. From then on the merchant can come
`
`back to their setup page/wizard and modify the various data associated with them. This is a
`
`"live" presence.
`
`The merchant works with the setup page/wizard to create/deploy their "presence"
`
`and the consumer is presented with a "consumer view" of this "presence." This consumer view
`
`is presented in many different user interfaces and many diverse devices including but not limited
`
`to web, W AP/WML, voice/VoiceXML, SMS (text messaging), email, and other modalities.
`
`The presence is part of an overall system, which allows consumers (or merchants)
`
`to search, find, detect and interact with the merchant all rooted in location- aware technology.
`
`Although the system has the capability to import (through a custom interface)
`
`merchant data from existing sources such as directories and directory services, the system allows
`
`merchants to independently subscribe to the service and take full control of their presence. The
`
`overall accuracy of the system (both spatial and content) are therefore inherently more accurate
`
`than existing technologies that employ for example "spiders" that almost blindly attempt to index
`
`"location" from existing web pages. Merchant presence is "live." Changes are immediately
`
`reflected into the overall system.
`
`Because the system does not require any design/tech talent other than operating a
`
`browser and filling out forms (fonnal web experience), it is available to a broad base of
`
`merchants. Some of these merchants may have expertise in web presence and others may not.
`
`The merchant presence captures the merchant information within the system application
`
`8
`
`

`

`5
`
`database, which also supports links to external sources. Merchants that already have a home
`
`page (wireless or non-wireless) can link these external sources to this location-based presence,
`
`thus, in fact automatically making their existing non-location- enabled presence location
`
`sensitive.
`
`The embodiments of the present invention provide quick and easy direct
`
`interaction between the merchant and consumer through various buttons and links: e.g., contact,
`
`home page, get map, get directions etc. The present invention also provides easy navigation to a
`
`virtual coupon offering.
`
`Although the specific embodiments have been illustrated and described herein, it
`
`will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that any arrangement, which is calculated
`
`to achieve the same purpose, may be substituted for the specific embodiments shown. This
`
`application is intended to cover any adaptations or variations of the present invention. It is to be
`
`understood that the above description is intended to be illustrative, and not restrictive.
`
`Combinations of the above embodiments and other embodiments will be apparent to those of
`
`skill in the art upon reviewing the above description. The scope of the invention includes any
`
`other applications in which the above strnctures and fabrication methods are used. Accordingly,
`
`the scope of the invention should only be determined with reference to the appended claims,
`
`along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled.
`
`9
`
`

`

`Alternate Realities
`
`Cellular Technical Services
`
`A Wireless Se1Vice
`Network and Platform for
`Geolocation Applications
`and Se1Vices
`
`A virtual infrastructure for the physical
`world.
`
`PROPRIETARY NOTICE
`© COPYRIGHT CELLULAR TECHNICAL SERVICES COMPANY, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. THE
`INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS DOCUMENT IS THE CONFIDENTIAL AND EXCLUSIVE PROPERTY OF
`CELLULAR TECHNICAL SERVICES AND SHALL NOT BE DISCLOSED TO OTHERS, COPIED, REPRODUCED,
`OR OTHERWISE USED FOR ANY PURPOSE, WITHOUT THE PRIOR WRITTEN CONSENT OF CELLULAR
`TECHNICAL SERVICES.
`
`10
`
`

`

`Alternate Realities
`
`1
`
`Table of Contents
`Introduction .................................................................................... 5
`
`The Vision ....................................................................................... 6
`
`The System ............................................................................. 7
`
`Content. ................................................................................... 8
`
`Sell To Carrier ....................................................................... 11
`
`Sell to ISP ............................................................................. 11
`
`Sell the Technology .............................................................. 11
`
`Host it ourselves .................................................................... 11
`
`Location Service Provider Interface ....................................... 11
`
`Application Model ...................................................................... 12
`
`Overview ............................................................................... 12
`
`System .................................................................................. 12
`
`Realm .................................................................................... 12
`
`User ....................................................................................... 13
`
`Location ................................................................................. 13
`
`1
`
`2
`
`2.1.
`
`2.2.
`
`5.1.
`
`5.2.
`
`5.3.
`
`5.4.
`
`6
`
`7
`
`7.1.
`
`7.2.
`
`7.3.
`
`7.4.
`
`7 .5.
`
`7.5.1.
`
`Size of Location ................................................................. 14
`
`7.6.
`
`Service .................................................................................. 14
`
`7.6.1.
`
`7.6.2.
`
`7.6.3.
`
`7.6.4.
`
`Users ................................................................................. 14
`
`Context .............................................................................. 14
`
`Topic .................................................................................. 15
`
`Service Definition ............................................................... 16
`
`7.7.
`
`Content. ................................................................................. 18
`
`7.7.1.
`
`Order ................................................................................. 18
`
`7 .8.
`
`7.9.
`
`7 .9.1.
`
`7.9.2.
`
`Presentation .......................................................................... 19
`
`Web lnterface ........................................................................ 19
`
`User Account Administration ............................................. 19
`
`User Preferences ............................................................... 19
`
`11
`
`

`

`, Alternate Realities
`
`7.9.3.
`
`7.9.4.
`
`8
`
`8.1.
`
`8.2.
`
`8.3.
`
`9
`
`9.1.
`
`9.1.1.
`
`9.1.2.
`
`9.1.3.
`
`9.1.4.
`
`9.1.5.
`
`9.2.
`
`9.3.
`
`9.4.
`
`9.5.
`
`9.6.
`
`9.7.
`
`Geolocation ....................................................................... 19
`
`Data-Mining, Views, and Reporting ................................... 19
`
`External Interfaces ..................................................................... 20
`
`Database Access .................................................................. 20
`
`External Calls/Events ............................................................ 20
`
`Reporting ............................................................................... 20
`
`Developing Value Added Applications .................................. 20
`
`Example: Traffic Informational Application .......................... 20
`
`The Traffic Application ....................................................... 20
`
`Real Time Traffic ............................................................... 21
`
`Traffic Alerts ...................................................................... 21
`
`User Routes ....................................................................... 21
`
`Communication of Alerts and Traffic Info .......................... 21
`
`Easy Traffic Application ........................................................ 21
`
`Example: Pay for Tour ......................................................... 21
`
`eCoupons .............................................................................. 22
`
`Auto Pay: Toll ....................................................................... 22
`
`Family Archive ....................................................................... 22
`
`Restaurant. ............................................................................ 23
`
`9.8.
`shows
`
`Finding movie theatres or concerts in your area, and info & amateur reviews of the
`23
`
`9.9.
`Finding other folks in the same general location that you are (or the location that you
`are heading toward) that have some kind of mutual interest -- some reason to possibly want to
`hook up. 24
`
`9.10.
`
`9.11.
`
`9.12.
`
`9.13.
`
`9.14.
`
`Tracking movements of others (such as friends) who've been there before.
`
`24
`
`Nearest Doctors in Health Plan ............................................. 24
`
`Graffiti. ................................................................................... 24
`
`Employment .......................................................................... 24
`
`Smell! .................................................................................... 25
`
`9.15.
`
`Asset Tracking ...................................................................... 25
`
`12
`
`

`

`Alternate Realities
`
`Table of Figures
`Figure 1 Model Overview .................................................... 12
`
`Figure 2 Example Location Structure ................................. 13
`
`Figure 3 Example Contexts ................................................ 15
`
`Figure 4 Example Topics .................................................... 16
`
`Figure 5 Service Definition ................................................. 16
`
`Figure 6 Example Content Structure .................................. 18
`
`13
`
`

`

`Alternate R'ealities
`
`Ltl
`
`A Vrrtual Infrastructure for
`the Physical World
`
`Wireless Geolocation Service Network and
`Application Framework
`
`1 Introduction
`
`At this point in time both Internet, modern computing resources, and networks are
`abundant, commodity technologies. Wireless data, voice, and wireless appliances are
`the next big thing (or THE thing depending on your perspective!). Old and new
`players in the field are scrambling to come up with opportunities! Mobile computing
`is driving new and exciting applications. Geolocation technology is part of this
`mobile computing/communicating revolution. We are in the early and opportune
`stages of this revolution that will bring location sensitive applications and services
`to the masses. This enabling capability will move very rapidly into the marketplace,
`fueled by regulatory requirements and the prospect of new, exciting, and profitable
`revenue opportunities.
`
`The combination of ubiquitous geolocation capability and state of art computing will
`generate new applications and whole new paradigms of how we live and work. The
`concept that is described here fits both: new application-new paradigm. The
`product that is described here has two very important aspects: it describes a
`product that stands alone and it provides an enabling infrastructure for the rapid
`development and deployment of value added applications and services on top of it.
`These two attributes are extremely important factors in revenue potential.
`
`Geolocation provides an anchor between the real world and the virtual world! Up to
`this point applications, the web, informational services, and networks have lacked
`this connection to the physical world. While physical address, servers, homepages,
`nomespaces, and the like perform some level of locality, they ore for the most part
`artificial, difficult to maintain, and cannot be interacted with in the same way that
`objects can be in the physical world. They are all a poor substitutes!
`
`14
`
`

`

`Alternate Realities
`
`2 The Vision
`
`Envision a world where all space is "mapped" and at any particular location, there are
`associations to the virtual world. For any given location in space, there may be an
`untold number of records or "associations". You can imagine a particular "location"
`as having attachments or annotations connected to them. In essence we are talking
`about the physical world of objects and a parallel world of information or
`applications associated with that location; an unseen world so to speak. A world
`that can only be seen using a lens (cell phone, appliance, PDA or other computing
`resource).
`
`In order to fully explain this product concept, it is important to arrive at a common
`understanding of terms. For explaining this product, a particular location has a
`number of dimensions:
`
`• Origin: the latitude and longitude (perhaps Z) that describes the
`reference point for the center of the location region
`
`• Size: location's may simplistically be described as a circle or
`ellipse. The radius can be used to describe the Area Of Interest
`(AIO) for a location or a use of the location
`
`■ Context: information, applications, or behavior at a location may
`be different depending on the Context that is being applied to it.
`A given location may have information that may be Private, Public,
`Public Moderated, or Commercial for example. In this example
`"Private" would classify information that is only accessible by a
`user, "Public" would be free and open to all, "Public Moderated"
`would be managed by a third party, and "Commercial" would be
`managed by a commercial enterprise. Other Context could also
`be used like Gov and Edu. In many ways, this would appear to
`somewhat track the .gov, .edu, .com etc ... Context of the
`Internet. An "all" Context could also be implemented.
`
`• Categories describe topic "filters" on the location in the context
`of the Context. Channels could be things like Restaurants,
`Historical, Crime, Geology, Graffiti, Travel, ad infinitum!
`
`■ Time: Every location also has a sense of time. All
`attachments/associations with a location are time stamped.
`Users may access the location in the time domain.
`
`■ Behavior: Every location can have a "behavior" associated with it.
`Behavior's may differ based on access device, user, Context,
`Topic, time, etc ... Behavior may be implemented by applications.
`One example of a behavior may be a "notification" or a "display"
`etc ...
`
`15
`
`

`

`. Alternate Realities
`
`lZ
`
`In addition to the characteristics of a "location", the content/sat the location may
`also have some properties. Some potential properties may be:
`
`■ Type: Content may vary extremely and is dependent on both Use
`preferences, supplied content, and devices.
`
`■ Persistence: how long does the originator want their
`contribution to persist ... what is the lifetime.
`
`• Security: Although some level of security is present in the
`Context system, the contributor may wish to apply another level
`of security on their informational blob.
`
`■ Radius/ Area Of Interest: although a particular location has a
`defined area of interest (that is how you know if you are at the
`location or outside the location), the contributor may wish to
`ascribe a smaller or larger area of interest (radius) for a
`contribution.
`
`■ Behavior: Similar to the behavior of a location, when a piece of
`content is accessed there may be a predetermined behavior
`associated with it. This could as simple as registering how many
`times the content is accessed, by whom, when, etc ... all the way
`to complex scripts or applications.
`
`Devices are varied and standards are in flux: there is no one single method of
`presenting information to the User and to the User's mobile device.
`
`The mobile device e.g. cellular phone or PDA, is the key to this virtual world. The
`application described here consists of the I/0, database, network, and applications
`to create an interactive experience. This experience links Users, location, and
`content together in a unified system.
`
`The product in many ways tracks the Internet structure. The product has both
`controlled and non-controlled aspects and relies on a community to both foster it's
`growth and maintain it's viability. Individuals or corporations may interact in
`private, public, and controlled publics ways with the system.
`
`Essential to this product is the concept of adhoc content creation, adhoc access,
`ease of use, and self-propagation of content.
`
`2.1. The System
`A database and respective application software are implemented to create the
`information system of "locations" and "content". There are subscriber subsystems,
`billing subsystems, administration subsystems to assist in deployment of this
`system. (whatever is necessary to support product deployment!).
`
`16
`
`

`

`. Alternate Realities
`
`In practice, this system will interact with locations by using a location technology
`provider source such as Signal Soft or other location Service Provider (LSP). This
`provides the "where'' attribute and fundamental "where" base functions so
`necessary for this system implementation.
`
`Subscriber I/O is diverse and includes standard web access, voice input through an
`IVR system, SMS messaging, email, and other types of messaging technology.
`
`Depending on device capability, the system may be acting as transmitter to the user,
`receiver from the user or interacting in a concurrent manner.
`
`The front end is implemented through a high performance application server. This
`application server implements application logic and I/O connectivity. The backend is
`a highly scalable relational database or portal class capacity. Capacity and
`performance are prime design goals; required to present a real time perspective to
`the user ( as much as is possible with the various technologies in the chain).
`
`In very narrow and mobile/wireless carrier specific terms: create the data
`infrastructure to support location oriented information. The Location Service
`Provider provides location determining techn