Providing information to a computing device based on known location and user information
A geographic-based communications service system has a mobile unit for transmitting/receiving information, and access points connected to a network. The access points are arranged in a known geographic locations and transmit and receive information from the mobile unit. When one of the access points detects the presence of the mobile unit, it sends a signal to the network indicating the location of the mobile unit and the information requested by the mobile unit. Based on the signal received from the access point, the network communicates with information providers connected to the network and provides data to the mobile unit through the access point corresponding to the location of the mobile unit.
1. A method for providing geographic-based information, the method comprising:
determining a geographic location of a computing device connected to a network, managed by a network service provider, via a wireless access point based on a geographic location of the wireless access point;
receiving identification information indicating a user of the computing device;
determining a user profile comprising user habits or past services used by the user based on the identification information;
determining a business that is dependent on the geographic location of the computing device;
transmitting, via the network and the wireless access point, content to the computing device, wherein the content comprises a customized message based on the user profile and the geographic location of the computing device, wherein the customized message provides information about promotions of goods or services offered by the business related to the geographic location of the computing device and wherein the message is selected based on the user profile and the business, wherein the business is not the network service provider or the user.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the content includes weather information.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the information is further dependent upon demographic information of the user of the computing device.
4. The method of claim 3 ,
wherein the demographic information indicates the content is desired by the user.
5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
the computing device transmitting the identification information indicating the user of the computing device.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the geographic location of the access point is determined by accessing a management information base (MIB), wherein the MIB comprises information including the geographic location of the wireless access point.
7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the wireless access point comprises a portion of the MIB, wherein the portion comprises information including the geographic location of the wireless access point.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the geographic location of the wireless access point is determined by its proximity to another geographic location.
9. The method of claim 1 ,
wherein the computing device is a portable computing device.
10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving a destination;
wherein the content indicates a route from the geographic location of the computing device to the destination.
11. A geographic-based system, comprising:
one or more wireless access points coupled to a network managed by a network service provider and arranged at geographic locations; and
an information provider coupled to the network, wherein the information provider is operable to:
determine a geographic location of a computing device based on a geographic location of a first access point of the one or more wireless access points wherein the computing device accesses the network via the first wireless access point;
determine identification information indicating a user of the computing device;
determining a user profile comprising user habits or past services used by the user based on the identification information;
determining a business that serves the geographic location of the computing device;
transmit information to the computing device, wherein the information comprises a customized message based on the user profile and the geographic location of the computing device, wherein the customized message provides information about promotions of goods or services offered by the business related to the geographic location of the first wireless access point and wherein the customized message is selected based on the user profile and the business, wherein the business is not the network service provider or the user.
12. The geographic-based system of claim 11 , wherein the information provider is further configured to receive, from the computing device, identification information indicating the user of the computing device.
13. The geographic-based system of claim 11 , further comprising: the network.
14. The geographic-based system of claim 11 , further comprising: a memory coupled to the network, wherein the memory includes the geographic location of the first wireless access point.
15. The geographic-based system of claim 11 , wherein the information includes weather information.
16. The geographic-based system of claim 11 , wherein the information is further dependent upon a destination; and
wherein the information includes itinerary information indicating a route from the geographic location of the first wireless access point to the destination.
17. The geographic-based system of claim 11 , wherein the profile information indicates content that is desired by the user.
18. The geographic-based system of claim 11 , wherein the geographic location of the first wireless access point is relative to its proximity to another geographic location.
19. The geographic-based system of claim 11 ,
wherein the computing device is a portable computing device.
20. An information provider system for providing geographic-based information for a computing device, the system comprising:
a processor;
a memory coupled to the processor, wherein the memory stores program instructions which are executable by the processor to:
determine a geographic location of a computing device connected to a network managed by a network service provider based on a geographic location of a first wireless access point of one or more wireless access points, wherein the computing device accesses the network via the first wireless access point;
determine identification information indicating a user of the computing device;
determining a user profile comprising user habits or past services used by the user based on the identification information;
determining a business that serves the geographic location of the computing device;
transmit information to the computing device, wherein a content of the information comprises a customized message based on the user profile and the geographic location of the computing device, wherein the customized message provides information about promotions of goods or services offered by a business related to the geographic location of the first wireless access point and wherein the message is selected based on the user profile and the business, therein the business is not the network service provider or the user.
21. The information provider system of claim 20 ,
wherein the network includes one or more of a local area network and a wide area network.
22. The information provider system of claim 20 , wherein the information includes weather information.
23. The information provider system of claim 20 , wherein the information includes a ground map.
24. The information provider system of claim 20 ,
wherein the computing device is a portable computing device.
25. The information provider system of claim 20 , wherein the program instructions are further executable by the processor to:
receive a destination;
wherein at the information indicates a route from the geographic location of the computing device to the destination.
26. The information provider system of claim 20 ,
wherein the network is operable to transmit at least one of first information and the second information to the computing device.