Providing promotional material based on repeated travel patterns

#This invention relates to determining the location of a mobile unit, such as a portable telephone, and evaluating a travel pattern as a function of related locations or at least one location as a function of time, and providing geographically relevant information based on the evaluation.

#Portable telephones, particularly in the form of current cellular telephones, are well known. In addition, several companies have disclosed and are proceeding with plans for a network of low-orbiting satellites which will allow communication from portable telephones from almost anywhere in the world, without relying on the multiple call regions or “cells” in a cellular telephone system. Portable devices which allow a user to determine their location particularly based on various satellite positioning systems, are also now known. Such systems are generally referred to as Global Positioning Systems (“GPS”). These systems use signals from a series of satellites which allow a portable receiver (i.e. a GPS receiver) on earth to determine its position with a fairly high degree of accuracy.

#It has also been known to provide user's of portable location devices with geographically relevant information based on the user's current location. In particular, U.S. Pat. No. 5,948,040 provides travelers having a portable location device with information concerning their immediate needs for travel information or arrangements (for example: reservations and/or entitlement to a discount for the next meal at a roadside eating place or lodgings for the night ahead; current information about goods/services available nearby and/or up ahead along the user's intended or predicted route of travel). Such information is obviously helpful to travelers and has the potential to bring in one-time customers who happen to be passing near a merchant of goods or services (such as hotels, restaurants, and the like).

#Embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to the drawings, in which:

#FIG. 1 schematically illustrates an apparatus of the present invention in the form of a centralized base station (which is shown in communication with a merchant) and a portable telephone of the present invention, both of which can execute a method of the present invention;

#FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating the components of a mobile telephone of the present invention, such as the portable telephone of FIG. 1; and

#The same reference numbers have been used in the different FIGS. to represent corresponding elements, where practical.

#In the present application, by one item being “remote” from another is referenced that the two items are at least in different buildings, and may be at least one, five, ten, one hundred or one thousand miles apart. By a “processor” in the present application includes a general purpose processor (such as a digital processor) suitably programmed to carry out the functions required by it, or functionally equivalent hardware and/or software combinations. A “memory” references any device on which machine accessible data can be stored, for example a magnetic storage media such as magnetic disc (such as a floppy disc) or magnetic tape; optical storage media such as optical disc, optical tape, solid state electronic storage devices such as random access memory (RAM), or read only memory (ROM). Such memory may or may not be removable (that is, reversibly taken in an out from the apparatus which reads it without requiring repairs to that apparatus or memory, and preferably by hand without the need for tools). A “telephone” of a mobile telephone includes an audio and/or video receiver and an audio and/or video transmitter. A “mobile unit” references any mobile device. Such mobile devices may, for example, either be a component of a propelled apparatus (such as a self-propelled apparatus, such as an automobile) or may be portable. A “portable” unit is one which can be readily carried by an individual and typically weighs, for example, less than 10 pounds in weight, and often less than 5 or even 2 pounds, and currently even less than 1 pounds (including a battery usually housed within the unit, which typically weighs less than 2 or 1 pounds, or currently less than 0.5 pounds). “Promotional material” includes any descriptive material provided by a merchant or another for provision to third parties, such as material describing or promoting a service or product (although it need not relate to a product or service but could, for example, be a public service type of material).

#Referring first to FIG. 1, a base station 17 of the present invention is shown in communication over a line 8, telephone exchange 16 and line 2 with a remote merchant station which includes a computer 10, display 14 and user interface in the form of keyboard 12. Other lines 4 and 6 allow other remote merchant stations to communicate with network router 16 and hence with base station 17. Lines 2, 4, 6, 8 and exchange 16 form a first network through which multiple merchant stations can communicate with centralized base station 17. It will be understood that one or more of lines 2, 4, 6, or 8 could instead be wireless connections in whole or in part, such as radio or satellite connections. For example, the merchant station could itself could be a portable telephone or other suitable portable unit (such as a portable computer with wireless modem) which can receive and transmit merchant business information and location to base station 17. Each of the multiple merchant stations can provide a unique merchant identification code from its computer 10 (which may, for example, have been previously assigned by base station 17). Alternatively, any particular remote merchant station communicating with the router 16 may in some cases be identified by its connection to router 16. This is particularly true in the case where line 2 is a telephone line and router 16 is a telephone exchange, in which case a caller identification code (“caller ID code”), in the form of a first network address (e.g. the telephone number of that phone) is added to a calling signal routed through router 16. For the sake of simplicity only one router 16 is shown between first phone 10 and centralized base station 17, but others could be present. Note that in this case also, base station 17 may have its own caller ID.