Geographical web browser, methods, apparatus and systems
A geographical web browser allows a user to navigate a network application such as the Word Wide Web by physically navigating in geographical coordinates. For example, a geographical web browser is implemented in a mobile unit such as a dashboard computer. The mobile unit includes one or more transducers such as antennas and is operative to receive locally broadcast signals or to operate a global positioning system (GPS) receiver. As the mobile unit navigates into different physical localities, different web pages are displayed by the geographical web browser. For example, a user desiring to buy a house can set the web browser to a real estate web page. Instead of clicking on a hyperlink to access web pages of properties in an area, the user drives into a first area and automatically receives web pages relating to homes in that area. When the mobile unit crosses town and enters a second area, a new set of web pages is downloaded relating to properties in the second area. The geographical web browser, methods, apparatus and systems disclosed herein enable improved road-navigation and traffic management, advertisement, and related services.
1. A method, comprising:
receiving an unsolicited data packet at a mobile unit using a wireless communication protocol, wherein the unsolicited data packet includes:
a pointer indicating a web page stored remotely from the mobile unit; and
an identifier indicative of content related to the web page;
determining, at the mobile unit, that the identifier included in the unsolicited data packet corresponds to one or more stored preference parameters;
in response to the determining, displaying a user-selectable notification at the mobile unit; and
in response to receiving an indication of a selection of the user-selectable notification at the mobile unit, transmitting, via the wireless communication protocol, a request packet configured to request at least a portion of the web page indicated by the pointer to be downloaded to the mobile unit.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the request packet comprises an address of a remote network server.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the address comprises a URL indicative of an application layer address of the remote network server.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the identifier comprises an indication of at least one information class.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the unsolicited data packet further includes an address field usable to address the unsolicited data packet to the mobile unit.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the unsolicited data packet is a broadcast packet configured to be received by a plurality of mobile units.
7. A mobile device, comprising:
a processor, and
memory coupled to the processor, the memory having instructions stored thereon that in response to execution by the mobile device, cause the mobile device to perform operations including:
receiving an unsolicited data packet via a cellular communication network, wherein the unsolicited data packet includes:
data content related to one or more web pages; and
an identifier indicative of the data content;
determining that the data content is not to be blocked from display, the determining including comparing the identifier to one or more stored indications of preference parameters;
in response to the determining, displaying a user-selectable notification; and
in response to receiving an indication of a selection of the user-selectable notification, displaying at least a portion of the one or more web pages.
8. The mobile device of claim 7 , wherein the portion of the one or more web pages displayed in response to the receiving the indication of the selection includes a hierarchically selectable portion.
9. The mobile device of claim 7 , wherein the portion of the one or more web pages displayed in response to the receiving the indication of the selection is less than the entirety of the one or more web pages.
10. The mobile device of claim 7 , wherein the receiving the unsolicited data packet includes receiving an unsolicited data packet that has been addressed to the mobile unit.
11. The mobile device of claim 7 , wherein the receiving the unsolicited data packet includes receiving an unsolicited broadcast data packet that has been configured to be received by a plurality of recipients.
12. A mobile device, comprising:
a processor, and
memory coupled to the processor, the memory having instructions stored thereon that, in response to execution by the mobile device, cause the mobile device to perform operations including:
receiving an unsolicited data packet from a public access wireless local area network station, wherein the unsolicited data packet contains:
a pointer to a web page stored remotely from the mobile device; and
an identifier indicative of the web page;
determining that the identifier corresponds to one or more stored preference parameters;
in response to the determining, displaying a user-selectable notification; and
in response to receiving an indication of a selection of the user-selectable notification, transmitting via the public access wireless local area network station a request packet configured to request that the web page be downloaded.
13. The mobile device of claim 12 , wherein the transmitting the request packet includes transmitting the request packet to an address specified by the pointer.
14. The mobile device of claim 12 , wherein the transmitting the request packet includes transmitting the request packet to an application layer address associated with a remote network device.
15. The mobile device of claim 12 , wherein the receiving the unsolicited data packet includes receiving an unsolicited data packet that includes an identifier comprising an indication of at least one information class.
16. The mobile device of claim 12 , wherein the receiving the unsolicited data packet includes receiving an unsolicited data packet including an address field indicating the mobile device.
17. The mobile device of claim 12 , wherein the receiving the unsolicited data packet includes receiving an unsolicited broadcast packet that is configured to be received by a plurality of mobile units.
18. A method, comprising:
receiving, at a mobile device, an unsolicited data packet from a public access wireless local area network station, wherein the unsolicited data packet includes:
data content corresponding to a web page; and
an identifier indicative of the data content;
determining, at the mobile device, that the web page is not to be blocked from display, wherein the determining includes comparing the identifier to one or more stored preference parameters; in response to the determining, displaying a user-selectable notification at the mobile device; and
in response to receiving an indication of a selection of the user-selectable notification at the mobile device, displaying at least a portion of the web page at the mobile device.
19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the portion of the web page displayed in response to the receiving the indication of the selection is hierarchically selectable.
20. The method of claim 18 , wherein the unsolicited data packet further includes an address field usable to address the unsolicited data packet to the mobile device.
21. The method of claim 18 , wherein the unsolicited data packet is a broadcast packet configured to be received by a plurality of mobile units.