Electrical computers and digital processing systems: multicomput – Computer-to-computer direct memory accessing
Reexamination Certificate
2000-10-06
2004-11-30
Jean, Frantz B. (Department: 2151)
Electrical computers and digital processing systems: multicomput
Computer-to-computer direct memory accessing
C709S216000, C709S217000, C709S218000, C709S219000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06826598
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND
1. Technical Field
This invention relates to the location-dependent storage and retrieval of information. The invention also relates to apparatus and methods for transmitting information to mobile and roaming users in a telecommunications system.
2. Description of Related Art
In conventional telecommunications, a given user is associated with a given telecommunications terminal (e.g. a conventional telephone, or a computer with a modem, or a facsimile unit). However, more recently, users have become mobile. In addition to mobile telephones (for example digital cellular telephones such as those conforming to the GSM standard) other types of portable terminal include pagers (either tone pagers or message pagers which can receive short textual messages and display them); so called “personal digital assistants” (PDA's) and portable facsimile or computer units adapted to communicate via cellular networks using dedicated modems. Users may also move to and from fixed terminals.
At the same time, the volume and types of formats of information which can be transmitted is increasing, and new, so called “multi-media” formats, consisting of single sets of information presented in multiple media (such as for example image, text and audio files) are entering use. An increasing volume of such information is available via the World Wide Web (“the Web”).
The telecommunications channels through which information is delivered comprise channels of varying bandwidth, including optical fibre links; coaxial copper links; conventional subscriber telephone lines; infra-red local area networks; and radio frequency channels. Of these, radio frequency channels especially are used for mobile communications, although in certain areas infra red links are possible. However, radio frequency channels which are used in mobile communications generally have available the lowest bandwidth due to demands on the RF spectrum and to the channel conditions within the RF spectrum. Thus the amount of information which a mobile user on a radio frequency link can currently receive and select from is relatively limited.
European patent application EP-A-0718784 describes a system for retrieving information based on a user-defined profile. A server acting on behalf of the client identifies information on the basis of the user-defined profile, to generate a personalised newspaper which is delivered to the user. This provides for an automatic sorting of the large volume of data available on the World Wide Web to generate a subset of the information available which is tailored to a users specific interest. However, the system is only used for providing a personalised newspaper delivered in electronic form to a static user.
International patent publication No WO94/30023 describes a GSM telecommunications system whereby data records may be downloaded onto subscriber identity modules in the system by broadcasting the data to a subscriber. The distribution of messages to subscriber identity modules in a specific area is possible, for example for advertising purposes. However, only a limited amount of data can be broadcast in such a manner for storage on the subscriber identity modules.
International patent publication No W093/01665 describes a telecommunications system in which mobile users are able to receive localised information data from base stations in the system. Each base station is provided with a localised information database, containing information pertaining to the local area, which can be received by a mobile user being served by the base station on request. The user is able to download selected portions of the information contained in the localised information database by stating selections on a mobile terminal. However, the amount of information available to the user is limited to that stored in the localised information database. furthermore, all mobile users in a cell receive the same information, and the information is localised only to the extent that the base stations are separated.
International patent publication no. WO96/07110 describes a navigation information system whereby route guidance information, or possibly other locality-dependent information, may be provided to a user of a cellular telephone network. The user, on requesting service, identifies a destination, which a server specifically allocated to that user uses to formulate a route. The cellular telephone of the user automatically signals tracking information to the server as the user travels. When the user's position falls within predefined “overlay areas”, messages directing the user along the route are automatically generated and transmitted the cellular telephone of the user. This document describes the possibility of providing other locality-dependent information, such as information about local facilities, tourist attractions, weather forecasts and public transport information.
Our earlier international application PCT/GB96/00252, published 15 Aug. 1996, describes a multimedia telecommunications system employing reconfigurable agents. Aspects of this document are incorporated herein by reference.
Our earlier international application PCT/GB97/00890, published 9 Oct. 1997, describes a telecommunication system in which a user is tracked, and the identity of a terminal which he may at any time be using is stored. The capabilities (i.e. formats in which signals can be accepted and/or output) of terminal equipment in the vicinity of the user is stored. Therefore, rather than attempting (unsuccessfully) to deliver a high bandwidth signal to a low bandwidth mobile terminal, the system directs the signal to a nearby terminal which can support a better representation of the signal. The nearby terminal may accept and output the signal in its original form, or the network may convert the signal to a different format which can be accepted by the nearby terminal.
Our earlier international application PCT/GB98/01056, published 22 Oct. 1998, describes a telecommunications system in which a location directory stores location-dependent data identifying information sources which are associated with individually defined localities. The data is accessed by a personal agent which filters the data using preference data and presents a shortlist of information sources which are relevant in the locality of the user.
A paper entitled Knowledge and Location, Isabel Novoa, Mark Wilby, presented at International Joint Conference on Artificial Intelligence, Montreal, 1995, describes a model for the management of information in a distributed environment. The model proposed is a flexible addressing system based on a tree-like nodal network, representing a distributed database. In order to locate information within the database, routing information is provided by nodes within the network. If a node receives a request for routing information, it first checks a database local to the node to determine whether the requested information is present. If not, the request is passed to a parent of the node. If the information is present, the routing request may be passed to a destination child node whereby eventually the address required is found. The system is implemented in order to allow disassociation between the address of a mobile user, and the routing information whereby the address may be accessed.
BRIEF SUMMARY
In accordance with one aspect of the invention there is provided a method of storing and/or retrieving location-based information, the method comprising:
storing, in a distributed network of data storage devices accessible simultaneously from a plurality of remote user terminals, data defining a plurality of first localities in relation to which information storage is accessible; and
selecting ones of said first localities to represent second localities for which information is to be stored and/or retrieved such that:
i) said first and second localities bear a predetermined locational relationship; and
ii) said first and second localities bear a predetermined relationship in size.
This aspect allows the level of generality of information being st
Brookland Alan Richard
Moore Robert Peter
Plasse Delphine
Titmuss Richard John
British Telecommunications public limited company
Jean Frantz B.
Nixon & Vanderhye P.C.
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