Geographic-based communication service system with more precise determination of a user's known geographic location

The geographic-based communications service system as recited in claim

• wherein the user of the portable computing device is physically located at or proximate to a first vendor location of a first vendor;
• wherein the at least one access point is operable to determine the first vendor location of a plurality of possible vendor locations in which the portable computing device is located;
• wherein the service provider is operable to provide information to the portable computing device, wherein the information corresponds to the first vendor.

A geographic-based communications service system, comprising:

• a portable computing device, wherein said portable computing device is configured to communicate in a wireless manner;
• a network;
• a plurality of wireless access points coupled to said network and arranged at known geographic locations, wherein at least one of the plurality of access points is configured to communicate with the portable computing device in a wireless manner, wherein the at least one access point is further configured to determine a relative geographic location of the portable computing device relative to the known geographic location of the at least one access point, wherein the at least one of the plurality of access points is configured to communicate with the portable computing device in a wireless manner in a first geographic area of the at least one access point, wherein the at least one access point is further configured to determine the geographic location of the portable computing device in a second smaller geographic area within the first geographic area.

A method for providing a geographic-based communications service in a network system, wherein the network system includes a plurality of wireless access points coupled to a network and arranged at known geographic locations, the method comprising:

• a portable computing device communicating in a wireless manner with a first access point, wherein the first access point is operable to communicate with the portable computing device in a first geographic area of the first access point;
• and
• determining a geographic location of the portable computing device in a second smaller geographic area within the first geographic area.

A shopping mall-based geographic-based communications service system, comprising:

• a portable computing device, wherein said portable computing device is configured to communicate in a wireless manner;
• a network;
• a plurality of wireless access points coupled to said network and arranged at known geographic locations in the shopping mall, wherein at least one of the plurality of access points is configured to communicate with the portable computing device in a wireless manner, wherein the at least one access point is operable to communicate with the portable computing device in a first geographic area of the first access point, wherein the at least one access point is further configured to determine a geographic location of the portable computing device in a second smaller geographic area within the first geographic area.

An airport-based geographic-based communications service system, comprising:

• a portable computing device, wherein said portable computing device is configured to communicate in a wireless manner;
• a network;
• a plurality of wireless access points coupled to said network and arranged at known geographic locations in the airport, wherein at least one of the plurality of access points is configured to communicate with the portable computing device in a wireless manner, wherein the at least one access point is operable to communicate with the portable computing device in a first geographic area of the first access point, wherein the at least one access point is further configured to determine a geographic location of the portable computing device in a second smaller geographic area within the first geographic area.

A geographic-based communications service system, comprising:

• a portable computing device, wherein said portable computing device is configured to communicate in a wireless manner;
• a network;
• a plurality of wireless access points coupled to said network and arranged at known geographic locations in a mass-transit station, wherein at least one of the plurality of access points is configured to communicate with the portable computing device in a wireless manner, wherein the at least one access point is operable to communicate with the portable computing device in a first geographic area of the first access point, wherein the at least one access point is further configured to determine a geographic location of the portable computing device in a second smaller geographic area within the first geographic area.

A geographic-based communications service system, comprising:

• a portable computing device, wherein said portable computing device is configured to communicate in a wireless manner;
• a network;
• a plurality of wireless access points coupled to said network and arranged at known geographic locations, wherein at least one of the plurality of access points is configured to communicate with the portable computing device in a wireless manner using wireless Ethernet, wherein the at least one access point is operable to communicate with the portable computing device in a first geographic area of the first access point using wireless Ethernet, wherein the at least one access point is further configured to determine a geographic location of the portable computing device in a second smaller geographic area within the first geographic area.