Centralized data store for providing all place-related data to applications on a mobile device

1. A method of managing place data for a wireless device, the method comprising:

receiving place data for place-related content from a plurality of applications executable on the wireless device;

storing the place data received from the applications of the wireless device in a place data store in a memory of the wireless device, the place data store storing the place data for each of a plurality of places;

in response to a place data request from any one of the plurality of applications of the wireless device, providing the place data from the place data store to the one application, wherein all place data requests from the applications of the wireless device are communicated to the place data store; and

monitoring, by the wireless device, usage of the place data of a place while the wireless device is located at the place;

deriving contextual information about the place and personal preferences of a user of the wireless device with respect to the place; and

integrating the contextual information as additional place-related content in the place data store.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein each place comprises a physical location or a virtual location.

3. The method as claimed in claim 2 wherein storing place data in the place data store comprises storing, for each place:

a place tag identifying the place; and

location coordinates for the physical location or a user-specified virtual location descriptor that identifies the virtual location to the user.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein providing the place data store comprises storing, for each place:

a data identifier that identifies an application associated with the place data.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein storing place data in the place data store comprises storing, for each place:

a set of rules specifying how the data is to be shared, accessed, persisted or visually presented.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein storing place data in the place data store comprises storing data that includes, for each place:

a set of relationships identifying places, persons or events related to the place.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the place data comprises, for each place, one or more of:

a data identifier that identifies an application associated with the place data;

an expiry date;

a set of rules specifying how the data is to be shared, accessed, persisted or visually presented;

a set of actions to be performed at the place; and

a set of relationships identifying persons, places and events related to the place.

8. The method as claimed in claim 1 further comprising:

registering an application for proximity notification;

if the wireless device is within a predetermined proximity of a place, providing a proximity notification to the application.

9. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein place data is associated with at least one application selected from the group comprising: a mapping application; a communication application; a contacts application; a calendar application; a task managing application; and a third party application.

10. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein place data is obtained from a first application selected from the group comprising: a mapping application; a communication application; a contacts application; a calendar application; a task managing application; and a third party application, and is accessible to other applications in the group.

11. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions in code which when loaded into a memory and executed by a processor of a wireless device cause the wireless device to:

receive place data for place-related content from a plurality of applications executable on the wireless device;

store the place data received from the applications of the wireless device in a place data store in a memory of the wireless device, the place data store storing the place data for each of a plurality of places;

in response to a place data request from any one of the plurality of applications of the wireless device, provide the place data from the place data store to the one application, wherein all place data requests from the applications of the wireless device are communicated to the place data store

monitor, by the wireless device, usage of the place data of a place while the wireless device is located at the place;

derive contextual information about the place and personal preferences of a user of the wireless device with respect to the place; and

integrate the contextual information as additional place-related content in the place data store.

12. The computer-readable medium as claimed in claim 11 wherein each place comprises a physical location or a virtual location.

13. The computer-readable medium as claimed in claim 12 comprising code to store for each place:

a place tag identifying the place; and

location coordinates for the physical location or a user-specified virtual location descriptor that identifies the virtual location to the user.

14. The computer-readable medium as claimed in claim 13 comprising code for storing data that includes, for each place:

a set of relationships identifying contacts related to the place.

15. The computer-readable medium as claimed in claim 11 comprising code for storing, for each place:

a data identifier that identifies an application associated with the place data; and

a set of rules specifying how the data is to be shared, accessed, persisted or visually presented.

16. The computer-readable medium as claimed in claim 11 , wherein place data is associated with at least one application selected from the group comprising: a mapping application; a communication application; a contacts application; a calendar application; a task managing application; and a third party application.

17. The computer-readable medium as claimed in claim 11 , wherein place data is obtained from a first application selected from the group comprising: a mapping application; a communication application; a contacts application; a calendar application; a task managing application; and a third party application, and is accessible to other applications in the group.

18. A wireless device comprising:

a position-determining subsystem for determining a position of the wireless device;

a memory storing place data for place-related content for the wireless device in a place data store for each of a plurality of places, wherein the place data is received from a plurality of applications executable on the wireless device;

a processor operatively coupled to the memory for executing at least one of the plurality of applications, to determine when place data is required for the one application, and to obtain the place data required for the one application from the place data store, wherein all place data requests from the applications of the wireless device are communicated to the place data store;

wherein the processor is further configured to:

monitor, by the wireless device, usage of the place data of a place while the wireless device is located at the place;

derive contextual information about the place and personal preferences of a user of the wireless device with respect to the place; and

integrate the contextual information as additional place-related content in the place data store.

19. The wireless device as claimed in claim 18 wherein each place comprises a physical location or a virtual location.

20. The wireless device as claimed in claim 19 wherein the place data store comprises, for each place:

a place tag identifying the place; and

location coordinates for the physical location or a user-specified virtual location descriptor that identifies the virtual location to the user.

21. The wireless device as claimed in claim 18 wherein the place data store comprises, for each place:

a set of rules specifying how the data is to be shared, accessed, persisted or visually presented.

22. The wireless device as claimed in claim 18 wherein the place data store comprises data that includes, for each place:

a set of relationships identifying persons, places and events related to the place.

23. The wireless device as claimed in claim 18 wherein the place data store comprises, for each place:

an expiry date; and

a set of actions to be performed at the place.

24. The wireless device as claimed in claim 18 wherein the place data store comprises data from removable data sources when connected to the wireless device.

25. The wireless device as claimed in claim 18 , wherein place data is associated with at least one application selected from the group comprising: a mapping application; a communication application; a contacts application; a calendar application; a task managing application; and a third party application.

26. The wireless device as claimed in claim 18 , wherein place data is obtained from a first application selected from the group comprising: a mapping application; a communication application; a contacts application; a calendar application; a task managing application; and a third party application, and is accessible to other applications in the group.