System and method of providing advertisements to mobile devices

1. A method of providing advertisements to mobile devices, the method comprising:

receiving first data at a system server from a mobile device, wherein the first data includes an identification of the mobile device, an identification of communication equipment providing a first coverage region, and a first time, the first data indicating that the mobile device is within the first coverage region at the first time;

receiving a travel plan and a user preference at the system server from the mobile device, the travel plan identifying a beginning position and an ending position, the user preference indicating a preference for at least one service;

determining, at the system server, an approximate position of the mobile device along a path based at least partially on the first data and the travel plan;

selecting, at the system server, a service from a plurality of services at least partially based on the approximate position, the user preference, and the first time; and

sending an advertisement related to the selected service to the mobile device from the system server.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the approximate position of the mobile device along the path is determined without determining an approximate geographic location of the mobile device.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the approximate position along the path is determined at least in part by retrieving stored data identifying a portion of the path within the first coverage region.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the stored data is retrieved from a database that relates the first coverage region to a segment of a freeway.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the communication equipment includes a cellular tower, and wherein the first coverage region includes a cellular coverage region.

6. The method of claim 5 , further including:

receiving second data at the system server from the mobile device, the second data identifying a second cellular tower and a second time;

estimating, at the system server, a travel of the mobile device along the path, wherein the estimated travel includes a direction of travel, a rate of travel, or any combination thereof; and

wherein the service is selected based at least partially on the estimated travel of the mobile device along the path and a position on the path of a business providing the service.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the service is selected based at least partially on the approximate position located within a predetermined portion of the path.

8. The method of claim 6 , further comprising estimating, at the system server, a time of travel of the mobile device to the position of the business; and wherein the service is selected based at least partially on the estimated time of travel.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving, at the system server, second data identifying the mobile device within a second coverage region at a second time; and

determining, at the system server, a suspension of travel of the mobile device along the path.

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:

receiving, at the system server, third data identifying the mobile device within a third coverage region at a third time; and

determining, at the system server, a continuation of travel of the mobile device along the path.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the beginning position and the ending position are along a freeway route.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein a restaurant service is selected when the first time is associated with a common meal time.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein a lodging service is selected when the first time is associated with nighttime.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the approximate position of the mobile device is determined based at least in part on the travel plan and a distance traveled from the beginning position.

15. A system, comprising:

a processor; and

a processor readable medium accessible to the processor, the processor readable medium containing instructions executable by the processor to:

receive first transmitted data identifying a mobile device, a cellular tower, and a time;

query a first database to receive first stored data correlating the cellular tower to a segment of a freeway route;

receive a travel plan and a user preference from the mobile device, the travel plan identifying a beginning position and an ending position, the user preference indicating a service preference;

determine an approximate position of the mobile device along the freeway route based at least partially on the first stored data and the travel plan;

query a second database to receive second stored data correlating an available service to the time, to the user preference and to at least one predetermined position along the freeway route; and

send an advertisement related to the service to the mobile device.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the advertisement of the service conforms with the service preference, wherein the service preference specifies that a restaurant service is preferred when the time is associated with a common meal time, and wherein the service preference specifies that a lodging service is preferred when the time is associated with nighttime.

17. The system of claim 15 , wherein the approximate position of the mobile device is determined based at least in part on the travel plan and a distance traveled from the beginning position.

18. A mobile device, comprising:

a processor;

a processor readable medium accessible to the processor; and

a computer program embedded in the processor readable medium, the computer program comprising instructions executable by the processor to:

receive a travel plan and a user service preference from a user, the travel plan identifying a beginning position and an ending position;

transmit data to an advertisement provider system, the data identifying the mobile device, a first time, the travel plan, the user service preference, and a cellular tower providing cellular communication to the mobile device at the first time; and

communicate with the advertisement provider system to receive a selected advertisement, the selected advertisement selected based on at least the first time and the user service preference.

19. The mobile device of claim 18 , wherein the computer program further comprises instructions executable by the processor to periodically transmit the data at a time interval.

20. The mobile device of claim 18 , wherein the computer program is an applet.

21. The mobile device of claim 20 , wherein the applet includes an interface to receive input data to control an operation of the applet.

22. The mobile device of claim 21 , wherein the interface is accessible by the advertisement provider system via a transmission from the cellular tower.

23. A processor readable medium embodying executable instructions, the executable instructions including instructions to:

receive a travel plan and a user service preference from a user of a mobile device at a first time, the travel plan identifying a beginning position and an ending position; and

transmit data to an advertisement provider system, the data identifying the mobile device, the first time, the travel plan, a cellular tower providing cellular communication to the mobile device at the first time, and the user service preference, wherein the user service preference specifies that a restaurant service is preferred when the first time is associated with a common meal time, and wherein the user service preference specifies that a lodging service is preferred when the first time is associated with nighttime.