Mobile computing and communication

Abstract

An application development platform enables applications to be created easily for, e.g., mobile devices that have short-range wireless communication capability. The development platform exposes a carefully chosen core set of services through an API. Each of the applications can broadcast its services to local and remote devices. Message delivery between devices is guaranteed even for messages that cannot be delivered directly by local short-range wireless transmission. Message delivery through other channels, including the Internet, can occur transparently to the user. Each device can be associated with an “owner”, which can be a person or a entity. Services can be customized to the owner based on stored information that maps owners to devices. Information associated with each of the owners of devices can be stored centrally and used in connection with providing the services at each of the mobile devices. Virtual GPS capabilities can be provided for mobile devices that do not have GPS chips.

1 - 13 . (canceled)  
     
     
         14 . A method comprising: 
 maintaining in a handheld wireless device a list of location-specific informational or transactional applications capable of receiving information and processing transactions specific to a given location;    on the device, making the applications available for use by entities other than the device; and    through a wireless communication channel, broadcasting information from the device indicative of the available applications.    
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14  in which the information is broadcast periodically.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14  in which another wireless device that receives the broadcast information accesses one of the available applications.  
     
     
         17 . Apparatus comprising: 
 a handheld wireless device containing a list of location-specific informational or transactional applications capable of receiving information and processing transactions specific to a given location; and    a medium storing a program that configures the wireless device to make the applications available for use by entities other than the device and to broadcast information over a wireless communication channel from the device about the available applications.    
     
     
         18 - 71 . (canceled)  
     
     
         72 . The method of  claim 14  in which the applications include an application for identifying an actual geographic location of the handheld device, and 
 in which making the application available includes transmitting the geographic location of the handheld device.    
     
     
         73 . The method of  claim 14  also comprising 
 maintaining in a second handheld wireless device a second list of location-specific informational or transactional applications capable of receiving information and processing transactions specific to a given location; 
 on the second device, making the applications available for use by entities other than the second device; and  
   through a wireless communication channel, broadcasting information from the second device indicative of the available applications on the second list,    in which the second list includes applications available on the first device.    
     
     
         74 . The method of  claim 14  in which the wireless communication channel comprises a Bluetooth interface.  
     
     
         75 . The method of  claim 14  in which the wireless communication channel comprises a mobile telephone communication interface.  
     
     
         76 . The method of  claim 16  in which 
 accessing one of the available applications includes updating a derived geographic location stored at the second wireless device based on information received from the first device.    
     
     
         77 . The method of  claim 76  in which updating the derived geographic location includes 
 receiving information over time from multiple other devices, the information representing the actual geographic locations of the other devices, and    updating the derived geographic location from time to time based on the information received over time from the other devices.    
     
     
         78 . A method comprising: 
 electronically storing, on a commonly accessible server, information about a user of a mobile device having short-range wireless communication capability,    providing a first client module on the device and a second client module at a fixed location, the first and second client modules and the server cooperating to enable a commercial transaction between the user and an operator of the second client module based on the electronically stored information.    
     
     
         79 . The method of  claim 78  further comprising: 
 at the second client module,    detecting the mobile device,    receiving, from the mobile device, an identification of the user,    receiving, from the server, the information about the user, the information usable to pay for a service, and    receiving authorization to pay for the service, and    transferring payment from the user to the operator of the second client module.    
     
     
         80 . The method of  claim 79  in which the authorization is received from a third device.  
     
     
         81 . The method of  claim 78  further comprising: 
 at the mobile device,    receiving, from the second client module, a request for authorization to pay for a service,    prompting the user to indicate an amount of the service to pay for, and    transmitting the amount of the service to pay for to the second client module.    
     
     
         82 . The method of  claim 78  further comprising: 
 at a third device,    receiving a request for authorization to pay for a service,    prompting the user to indicate an amount of the service to pay for, and    transmitting the indicated amount of the service to pay for to the second client module.    
     
     
         83 . The method of  claim 78  further comprising: 
 at a third device,    transmitting an identification of the mobile device and an amount of a service to pay for to the second client module;    at the second client module, crediting the amount of service to the user of the mobile device.    
     
     
         84 . The method of  claim 78  in which the second client module is a parking meter, and the electronically stored information comprises information usable to pay for parking.  
     
     
         85 . The method of  claim 84  further comprising: 
 at the mobile device,    informing the user about an amount of time remaining on the parking meter,    receiving, from the user, an instruction to pay for additional time, and    transmitting, to the parking meter, the instruction to pay for additional time.    
     
     
         86 . The method of  claim 85  in which the transmitting comprises direct communication from the mobile device to the parking meter using the short-range communication capability.  
     
     
         87 . The method of  claim 85  in which the transmitting comprises indirect communication from the mobile device to the parking meter through a third party using a long-range communication capability.  
     
     
         88 . An apparatus comprising: 
 a mobile device having a short-range wireless communication capability and a first client module,    the first client module being configured 
 to cooperate with a second client module on an electronic device at a fixed location and a publicly accessible database including information about a user of the mobile device,  
 to enable a commercial transaction between the user and an operator of the second client module based on the information.  
   
     
     
         89 . The apparatus of  claim 88  in which the first client module is configured to transmit to the second client module by direct communication from the mobile device to the electronic device using the short-range communication capability.  
     
     
         90 . An apparatus comprising: 
 an electronic device at a fixed location having a first client module, 
 the first client module being configured  
 to cooperate with a second client module on a mobile device having a short-range wireless communication capability and a publicly database including information about a user of the mobile device, and  
 to enable a commercial transaction between the user and an operator of the second client module based on the information.  
   
     
     
         91 . The apparatus of  claim 90  in which the electronic device comprises a parking meter, and the information comprises information usable to pay for parking.  
     
     
         92 . The apparatus of  claim 90  in which the first client module is also configured to: 
 receive, from a third device, an identification of the mobile device and an amount of a service to pay for;    credit the amount of service to the user of the mobile device.