Granted Patent B2

US 9,344,133 · App. 10/562,566 · Granted May 17, 2016

Abstract

Claims (59)

1. An apparatus, comprising:

at least one processor and at least one memory including computer program code, the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to

store a set of tags and for each tag, store an associated network address, wherein each tag corresponds to a service and wherein the associated network address corresponds to a service provider of the service,

provide a user interface that enables a user to select one of the tags and cause the apparatus to initiate a connection to the network address associated with the tag,

estimate the location of the apparatus,

communicate with the network to request that the network transmit a communication that automatically alters the network address associated with a tag in dependence on the estimated location, and

automatically alter the network address associated with the tag in response to the communication received from the network.

2. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the user interface has a mode where a user can cause the apparatus to communicate with the network to request transmission of the communication automatically altering the network address associated with the tag.

3. An apparatus as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are further configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to communicate with the network automatically.

4. An apparatus as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are further configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to detect a service provider of the network to which the apparatus is connecting, and to communicate with the network in response to a change in the service provider.

5. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the tag and its associated network address are stored in the memory as a dynamic service card.

6. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the network address associated with the tag comprises at least one of:

a telephone number;

an email address; or

a uniform resource locator.

7. An apparatus, comprising:

at least one processor and at least one memory including computer program code, the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to

store a set of tags and for each tag, store an associated network address, wherein each tag corresponds to .a service and wherein the associated network address corresponds to a service provider of the service, and

communicate at least one instruction containing a tag and an associated network address with at least one mobile communication terminal, wherein

the at least one mobile communication terminal is configured to communicate with the apparatus to request that the apparatus transmit a communication that automatically alters the network address associated with a tag in dependence on the estimated location.

8. An apparatus as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the at least one instruction instructs the mobile communication terminal to automatically alter a network address associated with a tag stored in the mobile communication terminal to the network address associated with a tag stored in the apparatus.

9. An apparatus as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are further configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to store a list of associated tags for one or more of the at least one mobile communication terminal, wherein

the apparatus is configured to instruct the one or more of the at least one mobile communication terminal only to alter the network addresses associated with the tags associated with the mobile communication terminal identified in the list.

10. A method, comprising:

storing a set of tags and for each tag, storing an associated network address, wherein each tag corresponds to a service and wherein the associated network address corresponds to a service provider of the service;

providing a user interface that enables a user to select one of the tags and cause a mobile communication terminal to initiate a connection to the network address associated with the tag;

estimating the location of the mobile communication terminal;

communicating with the network to request that the network transmit a communication that automatically alters the network address associated with a tag in dependence on the estimated location; and

automatically altering the network address associated with the tag in response to the communication received from the network.

11. A method as claimed in claim 10 , further comprising:

estimating the location of the mobile communication terminal, wherein

the mobile communication terminal is configured to communicate with the network to request the network to transmit a communication automatically altering the network address associated with a tag in dependence on the location estimated by the mobile communication terminal.

12. A method as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the user interface has a mode where a user can cause the apparatus to communicate with the network to request transmission of the communication automatically altering the network address associated with the tag.

13. A method as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the mobile communication terminal communicates with the network automatically.

14. A method as claimed in claim 13 , further comprising:

detecting a service provider of the network to which the mobile communication terminal is connecting, and to communicate with the network in response to a change in the service provider.

15. A method as claimed in claim 10 , wherein the tag and its associated network address are stored as a dynamic service card.

16. A method as claimed in claim 10 , wherein the network address associated with the tag comprises at least one of:

a telephone number;

an email address; or

a uniform resource locator.

17. A method, comprising:

storing a set of tags and for each tag, storing an associated network address, wherein each tag corresponds to a service and wherein the associated network address corresponds to a service provider of the service; and

communicating at least one instruction containing a tag and an associated network address with at least one mobile communication terminal, wherein

the at least one mobile communication terminal is configured to communicate with a network to request that the network transmit a communication that automatically alters the network address associated with a tag in dependence on the estimated location.

18. A method as claimed in claim 17 , wherein the at least one instruction instructs the mobile communication terminal to automatically alter a network address associated with a tag stored in the mobile communication terminal to the network address associated with a tag stored in a network element.

19. A method as claimed in claim 17 , further comprising:

storing a list of associated tags for one or more of the at least one mobile communication terminal, and

instructing the one or more of the at least one mobile communication terminal only to alter the network addresses associated with the tags associated with the mobile communication terminal identified in the list.

20. A computer program embodied on a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, the program configured to control a processor to:

store a set of tags and for each tag, store an associated network address, wherein each tag corresponds to a service and wherein the associated network address corresponds to a service provider of the service;

provide a user interface that enables a user to select one of the tags and cause a mobile communication terminal to initiate a connection to the network address associated with the tag;

estimate the location of the mobile communication terminal;

communicate with the network to request that the network transmit a communication that automatically alters the network address associated with a tag in dependence on the estimated location; and

automatically alter the network address associated with the tag in response to the communication received from the network.

21. A computer program embodied on a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, the program configured to control a processor to:

store a set of tags and for each tag, store an associated network address, wherein each tag corresponds to a service and wherein the associated network address corresponds to a service provider of the service; and

communicate at least one instruction containing a tag and an associated network address with at least one mobile communication terminal, wherein

the at least one mobile communication terminal is configured to communicate with a network to request that the network transmit a communication that automatically alters the network address associated with a tag in dependence on the estimated location.

Assignments (10)