System for providing extensible location-based services

Abstract

A system for providing location-based services to a mobile device regularly determines the location of the mobile device. Using the device location, the system queries a database of virtual geographic regions to determine if the location of the mobile device falls within one or more of the virtual geographic regions. The virtual geographic regions correspond to service entities that have purchased, rented, leased, or otherwise acquired the virtual geographic regions. If the mobile device is within a virtual geographic region, the system notifies the mobile device. A location-based services application installed on the mobile device launches an applet for the entity that acquired the virtual geographic region within which the mobile device is located. When the mobile device is located within overlapping virtual geographic regions, the system generates a prioritization scheme that defines which of the corresponding service entities should be displayed on the mobile device, and in what order.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A product comprising:
 a memory;   instructions stored in the memory that, when executed, cause a computer processor to:
 determine a current location of a mobile device; 
 determine whether the current location falls within one or more virtual geographic region acquired by a service entity that provides good or services, wherein each virtual geographic region is defined by at least one geographic coordinate stored in a database; and 
 based on a determination that the current location falls within at least one virtual geographic region, display an applet window corresponding to the service entity that acquired the at least one virtual geographic region on the mobile device. 
   
     
     
         2 . The product of  claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the computer processor to, based on a determination that the current location falls within multiple overlapping virtual geographic regions:
 generate a prioritization scheme that prioritizes service entities corresponding to each of the multiple overlapping virtual geographic regions; and   display the service entities corresponding to the multiple overlapping virtual geographic regions on the mobile device according to the prioritization scheme   
     
     
         3 . The product of  claim 2 , wherein the prioritization scheme is based on behavioral data of a user using the mobile device. 
     
     
         4 . The product of  claim 3 , wherein the behavioral data comprises temporal behavioral data. 
     
     
         5 . The product of  claim 2 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the computer processor to determine a direction of movement of the mobile device. 
     
     
         6 . The product of  claim 5 , wherein the prioritization scheme is based on the direction of movement of the mobile device. 
     
     
         7 . The product of  claim 2 , wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the computer processor to update the prioritization scheme as the location of the mobile device changes. 
     
     
         8 . The product of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more virtual geographic region is further defined by a radius extending from the at least one geographic coordinate. 
     
     
         9 . The product of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more virtual geographic region is defined by multiple geographic coordinates that define a boundary of the one or more virtual geographic region. 
     
     
         10 . The product of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more virtual geographic region is a virtual area on a map purchased by the corresponding service entity, and the at least one geographic coordinate is defined by the corresponding service entity. 
     
     
         11 . A system for providing location-based services, comprising:
 a computer processor; and   a memory connected with the computer processor, the memory comprising instructions that, when executed, cause the computer processor to:
 determine a current location of a mobile device; 
 determine whether the current location falls within one or more virtual geographic region acquired by a service entity that provides good or services, wherein each virtual geographic region is defined by at least one geographic coordinate stored in a database; and 
 based on a determination that the current location falls within at least one virtual geographic region, display the service entity corresponding to the service entity that acquired the at least one virtual geographic region on the mobile device. 
   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the computer processor to, based on a determination that the current location falls within multiple overlapping virtual geographic regions:
 generate a prioritization scheme that prioritizes service entities corresponding to each of the multiple overlapping virtual geographic regions; and   display the service entities corresponding to the multiple overlapping virtual geographic regions on the mobile device according to the prioritization scheme   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the prioritization scheme is based on behavioral data of a user using the mobile device. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the behavioral data comprises temporal behavioral data. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the computer processor to determine a direction of movement of the mobile device. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the prioritization scheme is based on the direction of movement of the mobile device. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the computer processor to update the prioritization scheme as the location of the mobile device changes. 
     
     
         18 . The product of  claim 11 , wherein the one or more virtual geographic region is further defined by a radius extending from the at least one geographic coordinate. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the one or more virtual geographic region is defined by multiple geographic coordinates that define a boundary of the one or more virtual geographic region. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the one or more virtual geographic region is a virtual area on a map purchased by the corresponding service entity, and the at least one geographic coordinate is defined by the corresponding service entity. 
     
     
         21 . A method for providing location-based services, comprising:
 determining a current location of a mobile device;   determining whether the current location falls within one or more virtual geographic region acquired by a service entity that provides good or services, wherein each virtual geographic region is defined by at least one geographic coordinate stored in a database; and   based on a determination that the current location falls within at least one virtual geographic region, displaying an applet window on the mobile device corresponding to the service entity that acquired the at least one virtual geographic region.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising, based on a determination that the current location falls within multiple overlapping virtual geographic regions:
 generating a prioritization scheme that prioritizes service entities corresponding to each of the multiple overlapping virtual geographic regions; and   displaying the service entities corresponding to the multiple overlapping virtual geographic regions on the mobile device according to the prioritization scheme   
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the prioritization scheme is based on behavioral data of a user using the mobile device. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the behavioral data comprises temporal behavioral data. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 22 , further comprising determining, using the computer processor, a direction of movement of the mobile device. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the prioritization scheme is based on the direction of movement of the mobile device. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 22 , further comprising updating, using the computer processor, the prioritization scheme as the location of the mobile device changes. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the one or more virtual geographic region is further defined by a radius extending from the at least one geographic coordinate. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the one or more virtual geographic region is defined by multiple geographic coordinates that define a boundary of the one or more virtual geographic region. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the one or more virtual geographic region is a virtual area on a map purchased by the corresponding service entity, and the at least one geographic coordinate is defined by the corresponding service entity.