(12) United States Patent
`Zellner et al.
`
`(10) Patent No.:
`(45) Date of Patent:
`
`US 6,738,808 B1
`May 18, 2004
`
`USOO6738808B1
`
`(54)
`
`(75)
`
`(73)
`
`(21)
`(22)
`
`(51)
`(52)
`(58)
`
`(56)
`
`ANONYMOUS LOCATION SERVICE FOR
`WIRELESS NETWORKS
`
`I
`
`Notice:
`
`dy, GA
`N. Zellner, D
`tors: S
`VCLOS R.S.M.N. EmANRii, GA
`(US); Robert T. Moton, Jr., Alpharetta,
`GA (US)
`Assignee: Bell South Intellectual Propert
`gnee. Corporation, Wilmington E. is)
`s
`s
`Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this
`p
`is S. listed under 35
`y
`yS.
`
`a --
`Appl. No.: 09/606,535
`Filed
`Jun. 30, 2000
`CC
`un. 3U,
`
`Int. Cl................................................. G06F 13/00
`
`U.S. Cl. ..................... 709/223; 709/219; 342/357.1
`Field of Search ................................. 709/217, 218,
`709/219, 223, 238, 249, 311,313; 342/357.07,
`357.08, 357.09,357.1; 455/404.2, 456.1,
`456.3
`
`References Cited
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`5,512.908 A 4/1996. Herrick
`5,588,042 A 12/1996 Comer
`SE A 3/1997 R.
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`5.961593 A * 10/1999 Gabber et al. ... 700,219
`6,085,086 A * 7/2000 La Porta et al. ............ 455/432
`6,101,381 A 8/2000 Tajima et al.
`6,138,003 A 10/2000 Kingdon et al.
`6,157,829 A - 12/2000 Grube et al................. 455/414
`6,184.829 B1 * 2/2001 Stilp ........................ 342/387
`CE; R 193. Eas t al
`6,463,533 B1 10/2002 Calamera et al. ........... is
`6,470,378 B1 * 10/2002 Tracton et al............... 709/203
`6,484.148 B1 11/2002 Boyd
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`2
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`2
`
`aS et a
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`6,505,046 B1
`
`1/2003 Baker
`
`OTHER PUBLICATIONS
`Wils Application Protocol, Wireless Internet Today,
`pp. 1-2U,
`U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/739,339.
`U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/739,162.
`U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/739,340.
`U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/606,534.
`U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/630,134.
`U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/739,315.
`Mark Moeglein, et al., “An Introduction to Snap Track
`Server-Aided GPS Technology', available at http://www.s-
`naptrack.com/atwork.html, undated.
`(List continued on next page.)
`
`Primary Examiner Viet D. Vu
`(74) Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Shaw Pittman LLP
`(57)
`ABSTRACT
`
`An anonymous location wireleSS network service for use in
`a wireleSS network that tracks the location and identity of
`network users, Such as networks complying with enhanced
`911 standards. The service provides content providers with
`the location of network USCS without revealing their iden
`tities. The Service includes a wireless network having a
`proxy server, a network communication link to a plurality of
`Web Sites, and a wireleSS communication link to a plurality
`of handheld devices. The proxy server blocks identity by
`reading the location and identity information of network
`devices, generating dummy identifications, relating the
`dummy identifications to the identity information, storing
`the relationships in a memory storage, and forwarding the
`location information and dummy identifications to the glo
`bal computer network. Upon receiving return messages from
`the global computer network, the proxy server reads the
`dummy identifications, looks up the related identity infor
`mation in the memory Storage, and forwards the data to the
`appropriate network devices.
`30 Claims, 8 Drawing Sheets
`
`118 y
`
`110
`
`/r 112
`
`
`
`Wireless Network
`
`Wireless
`Handheld
`Dewice
`
`120 A
`
`Haldheld
`Location
`System
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`Network-Based
`Location
`System
`
`
`
`Memory
`Storage
`
`S. 102
`
`Global
`Computer
`MetWork
`
`114
`
`Content Provider
`
`18
`
`Apple Exhibit 1008
`Page 1 of 17
`
`

`

`US 6,738,808 B1
`Page 2
`
`OTHER PUBLICATIONS
`“Signal Soft Wireless Location Services', available at http://
`www.signalsoftcorp.com/products/location manager.html,
`printed Dec. 27, 2000.
`Microsoft Mobility Developer Conference 2003.
`
`3" Generation Partnership Project; Technical Specification
`Group Services and System Aspects, Functional Stage 2
`Description of Location Services in UMTS (1999).
`
`* cited by examiner
`
`Apple Exhibit 1008
`Page 2 of 17
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`

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`U.S. Patent
`
`May 18, 2004
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`US 6,738,808 B1
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`Apple Exhibit 1008
`Page 3 of 17
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`U.S. Patent
`
`May18, 2004
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`Sheet 2 of 8
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`US 6,738,808 B1
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`Apple Exhibit 1008
`Page 4 of 17
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`Apple Exhibit 1008
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`U.S. Patent
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`May 18, 2004
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`Page 5 of 17
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`U.S. Patent
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`Apple Exhibit 1008
`Page 6 of 17
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`U.S. Patent
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`May 18, 2004
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`Sheet 5 of 8
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`US 6,738,808 B1
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`Apple Exhibit 1008
`Page 7 of 17
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`U.S. Patent
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`US 6,738,808 B1
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`Page 8 of 17
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`U.S. Patent
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`May 18, 2004
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`Sheet 7 of 8
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`US 6,738,808 B1
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`Apple Exhibit 1008
`Page 9 of 17
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`U.S
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`Patent
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`May 18, 2004
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`US 6,738,808 B1
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`Apple Exhibit 1008
`Page 10 of 17
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`

`

`1
`ANONYMOUS LOCATION SERVICE FOR
`WIRELESS NETWORKS
`
`BACKGROUND
`1. Field of the Invention
`The present invention relates to the field of wireless
`networks, and in particular, to wireleSS networks that track
`the location and identity of wireleSS network devices.
`2. Background of the Invention
`Enhanced wireless 911 (E911) services help ensure that
`wireless telephones provide 911 call centers, or Public
`Safety Answering Points (PSAPs), with vital information
`necessary to locate and identify a caller in an emergency. To
`comply with E911 standards promulgated by the Federal
`Communications Commission (FCC), wireless network pro
`viders will Soon be required to track the location and identity
`information of all wireleSS callers, with the purpose of
`providing Such information to emergency perSonnel when a
`caller dials 911 from a wireless telephone. The FCC's
`wireless E911 rules require certain Commercial Mobile
`Radio Services (CMRS) carriers to begin transmission of
`enhanced location and identity information in two phases.
`Phase I requires carriers to transmit a caller's telephone
`number and general location to a PSAP Phase II requires
`carriers to provide more precise location information to the
`PSAP
`Under the FCC rules, wireless networks and the corre
`sponding wireleSS handheld devices, Such as cellular
`telephones, will provide both the identity and location of the
`caller to a 911 dispatcher. To provide a caller's identity, the
`wireless handheld device will furnish a device identification,
`e.g., a mobile identification number (MIN), indicating in
`most instances the telephone number of the device. The
`wireless network and wireless handheld devices will provide
`the location of callers using a network-based location System
`(e.g., triangulation), global positioning Systems (GPSs)
`within the handheld devices, or a combination of the two
`Systems.
`In emergency situations, quickly communicating this
`location and identity information is an invaluable, life
`Saving tool. Indeed, although the location and identity
`information is generally perceived as private information,
`the public policy behind the E911 regulations favors dis
`closing Such private information in hopes of administering
`the aid a caller needs in an emergency. However, outside of
`emergencies, most cellular device users view their location
`and identity information as intimately private, and express
`Strong reservations against involuntary and automatic dis
`closures Such information.
`These reservations are not without merit, as wireleSS
`network providers have Several ways to exploit the location
`and identity information of network users. For example, a
`network provider could furnish a retailer with the identities
`of network users near the retailer's Store, So that the retailer,
`in turn, could Send an advertisement to the devices of the
`nearby network users, encouraging them to Stop in and shop
`at the Store. Knowing the identity of a network user, the
`retailer could also acceSS profiling information on the user
`from data Sources Such as auxiliary marketing databases or
`historical databases chronicling previous business with the
`user. The profiling information would allow the retailer to
`provide targeted advertisements that are more likely to
`attract the user's busineSS. However, in providing the iden
`tity information necessary for these targeted advertisements,
`the wireless network provider risks offending the network
`users with a significant invasion of privacy.
`
`US 6,738,808 B1
`
`2
`The wireless network provider therefore faces a dilemma
`in Satisfying two customers with opposing interests: 1) the
`network users who desire reasonable privacy, and 2) the
`content providers (e.g., businesses and advertisers) who aim
`to appeal to the network users by obtaining as much infor
`mation about the network users as possible. Thus, to appease
`both customers, a wireleSS network provider must provide
`enough information to content providers to promote effec
`tive content delivery and advertising, but at the same time
`must limit Such information to guard the network users
`privacy.
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`SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
`The present invention is an anonymous location wireleSS
`network Service for use in a wireleSS network that tracks the
`location and identity of network users, Such as networks
`complying with the E911 Standards. The anonymous loca
`tion wireleSS network Service provides content providers
`(e.g., businesses and advertisers) with the location informa
`tion of network users without revealing the identity of those
`network users. The Service enables content providers to
`deliver (or “push') advertisements that appeal to a certain
`class of network users based on location. For example, a
`class of network users could include users in locations
`convenient to the business's Store or to users who have
`Similar interests and who assemble in a single location, e.g.,
`fans attending a Sporting event at a Stadium. The Service also
`enables network users to query content providers to obtain
`information about the local area from which they are trans
`mitting (referred to herein as “pull messaging”). Most
`importantly though, with either push or pull messaging, the
`Service prevents the content provider from learning the
`identity of a network user and maintains this vital informa
`tion in Strict privacy.
`In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the
`anonymous location wireleSS network Service includes a
`wireleSS network having a proxy server, a network commu
`nication link to a plurality of Web Sites, and a wireleSS
`communication link to a plurality of handheld devices. The
`proxy Server includes a memory Storage, as an integral or
`Separate component, for Storing the device identifications
`(e.g., MINs-mobile identification numbers) and dummy
`identifications of network users.
`To provide location information, the overall System archi
`tecture of the present invention includes a location System.
`The location system provides the wireless network with
`position coordinates of a handheld device that indicate
`where a network user is located. The location System can be
`a part of the wireleSS network, can be contained in the
`handheld devices, or can be a combination of the two. In the
`preferred embodiment of the present invention, the location
`System is both a part of the wireleSS network and is also
`contained in the handheld devices. For example, a Suitable
`method of determining location as a part of the wireleSS
`network is by a Wireless Access Protocol (WAP) location
`Service, or perhaps by triangulation acroSS cell Sites or cell
`Sectors. An example of a Suitable location System in the
`handheld devices is a GPS.
`In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the
`proxy server performs the identity blocking function.
`Preferably, the proxy server reads the location and identity
`information of network users, generates a dummy
`identification, relates the dummy identification to the iden
`tity information, Stores the relationship in the memory
`Storage, and forwards the location information and dummy
`identification to the content provider in the global computer
`
`Apple Exhibit 1008
`Page 11 of 17
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`US 6,738,808 B1
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`3
`network. Upon receiving return messages from the global
`computer network, the proxy server reads the dummy
`identification, looks up the related identity information in
`the memory Storage, and forwards the data to the appropriate
`network user.
`AS an alternate preferred embodiment of the present
`invention, instead of using a different dummy identification
`for the device identification of each device, the dummy
`identification corresponds to the location of the device.
`Thus, the proxy server substitutes the location of a device for
`the identity information and Stores the relationship between
`the device location and device identification in memory. The
`Substituted location could be the same for multiple devices.
`In this manner, the content provider's response would be a
`different content addressed to each location. In turn, the
`proxy server would look up in the memory Storage the
`devices marked with the location to which the content
`provider addressed the content, would determine the corre
`sponding device identification of each device marked with
`the location, and would return each different content to the
`corresponding devices.
`In blocking identity, the proxy server acts as an interme
`diary between the plurality of handheld devices and the
`global computer network to provide Security, administrative
`control, and caching Service (e.g., caches material from
`popular web sites to reduce access times). Preferably, the
`proxy server is associated with or is part of a gateway Server
`that separates the wireless network from the Internet. The
`proxy server could also be associated with a firewall Server
`that Separates the WireleSS network from the public network.
`The proxy Server communicates with the plurality of
`handheld devices through the WireleSS communication link.
`The proxy server provides routing Selection (i.e., what
`transport bearer is to be used), access control, addressing,
`protocol conversion (i.e., WML text to WML binary),
`caching, and transport interface between wireleSS and wired
`networks (e.g., WAP stack to traditional IP stack, HTTP/
`TCP/IP). The proxy server runs one or more of the general
`operating systems, such as Windows sTM, MacintoshTM, or
`UNIXTM.
`Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to
`block identity information on wireless networks that track
`location and identity information, Such as wireleSS networks
`that comply with E911 standards.
`Another object of the present invention is to provide
`content providers (e.g., businesses and advertisers) with the
`location information of wireleSS network users without
`revealing the identity of those network users.
`Another object of the present invention is to protect the
`identity of wireleSS network users while Still providing a
`content provider with enough information to promote effec
`tive targeted content delivery (e.g., advertising).
`Another object of the present invention is to allow wire
`leSS network users to query content providers for informa
`tion relating to a particular location without revealing their
`identities.
`These and other objects of the present invention are
`described in greater detail in the detailed description of the
`invention, the appended drawings, and the attached claims.
`DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
`FIG. 1 is a Schematic diagram of a System architecture
`that provides the anonymous location Service according to a
`preferred embodiment of the present invention.
`FIG.2a is a Schematic diagram of the System architecture
`illustrated in FIG. 1, showing the provision of an anonymous
`location Service for pull messaging.
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`FIG.2b is a flow chart corresponding to FIG. 2a, which
`traces the Steps for providing anonymous location Service
`for pull messaging.
`FIG. 2c is a Schematic diagram of a specific implemen
`tation of the preferred embodiment of the anonymous loca
`tion Service of FIG. 2a for pull messaging.
`FIG.3a is a Schematic diagram of the System architecture
`illustrated in FIG. 1, showing the provision of an anonymous
`location Service for push messaging.
`FIG. 3b is a flow chart corresponding to FIG. 3a, which
`traces the Steps for providing anonymous location Service
`for push messaging.
`FIG. 3C is a Schematic diagram of a specific implemen
`tation of the preferred embodiment of the anonymous loca
`tion Service of FIG. 2a for push messaging.
`FIG. 4 is a Schematic diagram of an alternate embodiment
`of the system architecture illustrated in FIG. 1, in which the
`proxy server is used to control the delivery of web page
`banner advertisements.
`
`DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE
`INVENTION
`The present invention is an anonymous location Service
`for use in a wireleSS network that tracks the location and
`identity of network users. The anonymous location Service
`blocks the identity of a network user and provides only
`location information to a content provider. The present
`invention contemplates future enhanced digital cellular
`networks, in which network users will use digital cellular
`handheld devices to acceSS data from a global computer
`network, and in which digital cellular network providers will
`track the identity and location of each network user.
`Referring to FIG. 1, the primary components of the
`present invention include a proxy server 100, memory
`storage 102, a network communication link 104 to a plural
`ity of web sites, and a wireless communication link 106 to
`a plurality of handheld devices 112. Each of these compo
`nents is a part of a wireless network 110.
`The System architecture in which the present invention
`operates further includes a plurality of handheld devices 112
`in communication with wireleSS communication link 106, a
`global computer network 114 in communication with net
`work communication link 104, and a plurality of web sites
`116 and a plurality of content providers 118 in communi
`cation with global computer network 114. To track the
`location of wireless handheld devices 112, the system archi
`tecture includes one or both of handheld location Systems
`(e.g., GPS) 120 or a network-based location system 122.
`Handheld location systems 120 are provisioned in wireless
`handheld devices 112 while network-based location system
`122 is a part of wireless network 110, in communication
`with proxy server 100.
`Proxy server 100 is essential to the present invention.
`Specifically, proxy server 100 receives, in conjunction with
`data messages, the location and identity information of
`wireleSS handheld devices 112, generates dummy identifi
`cations and Substitutes the dummy identifications for the
`device identifications of devices 112, records the dummy
`identifications and their associated device identifications in
`memory Storage 102, and forwards the data messaging with
`the location information and dummy identification to web
`sites 116 and content providers 118 via global computer
`network 114. On the return path, proxy server 100 receives
`a return data message from web sites 116 and content
`providers 118, reads the dummy identifications, consults
`
`Apple Exhibit 1008
`Page 12 of 17
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`memory storage 102 to determine the device identification
`that corresponds to the dummy identification, replaces the
`dummy identification with the device identification, and
`forwards the return data message to the appropriate wireleSS
`handheld device.
`In the preferred embodiment of the present invention,
`proxy server 100 is a server that is dedicated to providing
`wireless handheld devices 112 with access to global com
`puter network 114, and ultimately with information content
`available from web sites 116 and content providers 118.
`More preferably, proxy server 100 is a Wireless Application
`Protocol (WAP) server. WAP is an application environment
`and Set of communication protocols for wireleSS devices
`designed to enable manufacturer-, vendor-, and technology
`independent access to the Internet and advanced telephony
`services. WAP provides wireless Internet access through all
`digital cellular networks, giving network users a menu
`driven method for downloading information, Such as flight
`Schedules and bank balances, to cellular telephones from the
`Internet. WAP is described in WAP version 1.1, which is
`herein incorporated by reference in its entirety.
`Memory storage 102 is a database or other memory
`Storage device that can record relationships between device
`identifications (e.g., MINS) and dummy identifications.
`Although shown as a separate component in FIG. 1, memory
`storage 102 could be contained in proxy server 100.
`Wireless handheld devices 112 operate over wireless
`network 110 and provide means by which to exchange text
`data. Familiar examples include interactive pagers and cel
`lular telephones with text messaging capabilities. Preferably,
`devices 112 are WAP-compatible thin clients having thin
`browsers adapted to communicate with proxy server 100 and
`to access global computer network 114. Global computer
`network 114 is preferably the Internet.
`The plurality of web sites 116 and the plurality of content
`providers 118 are also preferably compatible with WAP. Web
`sites 116 and content providers 118 communicate with
`devices 112 through global computer network 114 and
`wireless network 110. As with traditional web sites, content
`providers 118 and web sites 116 can transmit data to devices
`112 in response to a query, or on their own initiative as a
`push message.
`Handheld location system 120 and network-based loca
`tion system 122 provide proxy server 100 with the locations
`of wireless handheld devices 112. Depending on the desired
`degree of accuracy, one or both of the location Systems can
`be used to determine a device's location. The preferred
`embodiment of handheld location system 120 is individual
`GPSs provisioned in wireless handheld devices 112. The
`preferred embodiment of network-based location System
`122 is a WAP location service.
`With proxy server 100 providing the identity blocking
`function of the present invention, there are an unlimited
`number of applications for the anonymous location Service.
`For clarity, set forth below are two examples of how the
`preferred embodiment of the present invention is imple
`mented in different situations: 1) in response to a network
`user's query for information related to her location (pull
`messaging), or 2) in response to a content provider's desire
`to push messages to network users in a particular location
`(push messaging). In each example, proxy server 100
`receives the location and identity information of wireleSS
`handheld devices 112 and forwards only the location infor
`mation to web sites 116 and content providers 118 via global
`computer network 114. Proxy server 100 obtains the loca
`tion and identity information of devices 112 by monitoring
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`a user's accessing of the network (e.g., browsing the
`Internet), by querying devices 112 on its own initiative, or by
`querying devices 112 at the request of web sites 116 and
`content providers 118.
`Although these examples best illustrate the identification
`blocking feature of the present invention, one of ordinary
`skill in the art would appreciate that the anonymous location
`Service is applicable to other wireleSS network messaging
`Situations in which a caller on a network that tracks location
`and identity wishes to keep her identity private. In addition,
`while the System operation described herein and illustrated
`in the diagrams and flowcharts contains many specific
`details, these specific details should not be construed as
`limitations on the Scope of the invention, but rather as
`examples of preferred embodiments thereof. As would be
`apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art, many other
`variations on the System operation are possible, including
`differently grouped and ordered method steps. Accordingly,
`the scope of the invention should be determined not by the
`embodiments illustrated, but by the appended claims and
`their equivalents.
`In the case of a user query (pull messaging), as shown in
`FIGS. 2a and 2b, wireless handheld device 200 forwards a
`query 202 to proxy server 100 (step 250 in FIG.2b). Query
`202 contains the IP address of a web site 204 that the user
`wishes to access, the device identification of device 200,
`and, if device 200 includes handheld location system 120
`(e.g., a GPS), the location of the device. Optionally, as
`shown in Step 252, if the location System is a part of wireleSS
`network 110, proxy server 100, upon receipt of query 202,
`obtains the location of device 200 from network-based
`location System 122. Having the location and identity (e.g.,
`MIN) of handheld wireless device 200, in step 254, proxy
`Server 100 generates a dummy identification, replaces the
`device identification with the dummy identification, and
`relates the device identification to the dummy identification
`in memory storage 102. In step 256, proxy server 200 then
`forwards query 206 to the IP address of web site 204 through
`global computer network 114.
`In step 258, the web server of web site 204 reads the
`location information associated with query 206 and formu
`lates an answer based on the location of device 200. The web
`server of web site 204 then returns an answer message 208
`to proxy server 100 through global computer network 114,
`in step 260. Then, in step 262, proxy server 100 reads the
`dummy identification in answer message 208, consults
`memory storage 102 for the related device identification,
`and substitutes the device identification for the dummy
`identification. Finally, in step 264, proxy server 100 returns
`answer message 210 to the user's device 200. Thus, by
`removing and replacing the device identification, proxy
`server 100 blocks the identity of the network user from
`reaching the external web server of web site 204.
`FIG.2c illustrates a specific implementation of the anony
`mous location Service for pull messaging. This specific
`implementation demonstrates one example of how a web
`Server can be blocked from receiving a user's identity, while
`Still receiving and responding to the user's location
`dependent query. AS an example of a typical query, the user
`could ask the web server, “Tell me which restaurants are
`within walking distance of my current location.”
`As shown in FIG. 2c, the system architecture for this
`Specific implementation corresponds generally to the archi
`tecture of FIG.2a. The dashed lines indicate generally which
`components of FIG. 2a relate to those of FIG. 2c. For
`example, mobile gateway 270 and privacy agent 272 per
`form the functions of proxy server 100 and memory storage
`102.
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`Apple Exhibit 1008
`Page 13 of 17
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`7
`FIG.2c also shows arrows labeled in Sequence, indicating
`the information flow and proceSS Steps of this specific
`implementation. In Step 281, a user initiates a query from his
`wireless device 200 to the web server of web site 204. The
`query includes a location request, a device identification for
`wireleSS device 200, and a parameter for location preference.
`The location preference parameter indicates whether the
`user wants his identity forwarded or wants to remain anony
`mous. In this example, the user wants to block his identity.
`Therefore, in step 282, wireless device 200 marks the
`location preference anonymous. The user can execute this
`anonymous Setting by, for example, configuring the default
`preference of wireless device 200, or by selecting a manual
`override (e.g., a menu Selection or key sequence).
`If wireless device 200 includes a location system, in step
`283a, wireless device 200 requests location information
`from location system 120. In step 283b, location system 120
`provides the location information, which wireleSS device
`200 then incorporates into the query to web site 204. If
`wireless device 200 does not include a location system, then
`wireleSS device 200 incorporates a location request message
`in the query to web site 204. In step 284, wireless device 200
`sends the query to mobile gateway 270.
`If wireless device 200 does not have a location system and
`the query includes a location request message, then, in Step
`285a, mobile gateway 270 queries network-based location
`system 122 for the location of wireless device 200. The
`query to location System 122 references the device identi
`fication of wireless device 200. In response, network-based
`location system 122 provides mobile gateway 270 with the
`location information of wireless device 200, in step 285b.
`In step 286a, as mobile gateway 270 forwards the query
`to web site 204, privacy agent 272 intercepts the message
`because it is marked anonymous. In Step 286b, privacy agent
`272 replaces the device identification of wireless device 200
`with a dummy identification and forwards the query mes
`Sage to Web Site 204. At the same time, privacy agent 272
`records the association between the device identification and
`the dummy identification.
`In step 287, web server 204 receives the query message
`via global computer network 114 and Sends a response back
`through network 114. Web site 204 formulates the response
`based on the location information, and addresses the
`response to the dummy identification.
`In step 288, mobile gateway 270 recognizes that the
`response message includes a dummy identification and
`queries privacy agent 272 for the “real” device identification
`of wireless device 200. In step 289, privacy agent 272 finds
`the device identification associated with the dummy identi
`fication and Sends the device identification to mobile gate
`way 270. Finally, in step 290, mobile gateway 270 sends the
`response message to wireless device 200, as identified by the
`device identification.
`Referring to FIGS. 3a and 3b, for push messages, an
`external web server, from the plurality of web sites 116 or
`the plurality of content providers 118, deliverS messages to
`network users in a particular location, without being
`prompted by user queries. For example, content provider
`300 could be a typical Internet advertiser such as Double
`ClickTM. In such a case, as shown in step 350 in FIG. 3b,
`content provider 300 forwards a query 302 to proxy server
`100 asking proxy server 100 to monitor for wireless hand
`held devices 112 that enter a particular location. In response,
`in step 352, proxy server 100 reads the location information
`of wireless handheld devices 112 that are powered on.
`Network-based location system 122, handheld location sys
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`tem 120, or a combination of both systems provides this
`location information.
`As shown in step 354, proxy server 100 evaluates whether
`the location information it reads corresponds to the particu
`lar location noted in the query by content provider 300.
`When the location information matches the location corre
`sponding to query 302, proxy server 100 substitutes a
`dummy identification for the device identification of the
`wireless handheld device 304 (step 356), as described above
`for the user query example. Proxy server 100 forwards a
`notification message 306 to content provider 300 including
`the dummy identification and location information, in Step
`358. Then, in step 360, content provider 300 prepares a
`content message 308 (e.g., an advertisement), which refer
`ences the dummy identification, and pushes content message
`308 back to proxy server 100. In step 362, proxy server 100
`translates the dummy identification to its corresponding
`device identification by consulting memory Storage 102.
`Finally, in step 364, proxy server 100 delivers content
`message 310 to wireless handheld device 304, which is
`asSociated with a network user in the desired location. Thus,
`