Controlling access to venue-related content, applications, and services

Abstract

A capability for controlling access by a mobile device to venue-related items associated with a venue is presented. A server may be configured to detect a presence of the mobile device at the venue and send a venue token toward the mobile device based on detection of the presence of the mobile device at the venue, where the venue token includes an indication of a venue-related item that the mobile device is permitted to access independent of a location of the mobile device. A mobile device may be configured to receive a venue token based on a presence of the mobile device at the venue where the venue token includes an indication of a venue-related item that the mobile device is permitted to access independent of a location of the mobile device, and send a request for the venue-related item toward a server based on the venue token.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus, comprising:
 a processor and a memory communicatively connected to the processor, the processor configured to:
 send, toward a mobile device (MD) based on a detection of a presence of the MD at a venue, a venue token comprising an indication of a venue-related item that the MD is permitted to access independent of a location of the MD; and 
 send, toward the MD based on the detection of the presence of the MD at the venue and separately from the sending of the venue token toward the MD, context information associated with the venue token. 
   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to detect the presence of the MD at the venue based on receipt of a message from a location server. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the indication of the venue-related item that the MD is permitted to access independent of the location of the MD is encoded within the venue token. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the indication of the venue-related item that the MD is permitted to access independent of the location of the MD comprises a Uniform Resource Identifier (URI) of the venue-related item. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to send the venue token via a first communication session and to send the context information via a second communication session. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the context information comprises at least one of user context information associated with a user of the MD, device context information associated with the MD, or venue context information associated with the venue. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the venue context information associated with the venue comprises at least one of context information for the venue, context information for an event or activity taking place at the venue, or context information related to the presence of the MD at the venue. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to:
 send, toward the MD based on the detection of the presence of the MD at the venue and separately from the sending of the venue token toward the MD, authentication information associated with the venue token.   
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the venue-related item comprises at least one of a content item, an application, or a service. 
     
     
         10 . A method, comprising:
 sending, by a processor toward a mobile device (MD) based on a detection of a presence of the MD at a venue, a venue token comprising an indication of a venue-related item that the MD is permitted to access independent of a location of the MD; and   sending, by the processor toward the MD based on the detection of the presence of the MD at the venue and separately from the sending of the venue token toward the MD, context information associated with the venue token.   
     
     
         11 . An apparatus, comprising:
 a processor and a memory communicatively connected to the processor, the processor configured to:
 receive, at a mobile device (MD), a venue token comprising an indication of a venue-related item that the MD is permitted to access independent of a location of the MD; 
 receive, at the MD separately from the receiving of the venue token at the MD, context information associated with the venue token; 
 generate, at the MD based on the venue token and the context information, a request for the venue-related item; and 
 send, from the MD toward a server, the request for the venue-related item. 
   
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the indication of the venue-related item that the MD is permitted to access independent of the location of the MD is encoded within the venue token. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the indication of the venue-related item that the MD is permitted to access independent of the location of the MD comprises a Uniform Resource Identifier (URI) of the venue-related item. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the processor is configured to receive the venue token via a first communication session and to receive the context information via a second communication session. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the context information comprises at least one of user context information associated with a user of the MD, device context information associated with the MD, or venue context information associated with the venue. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the venue context information associated with the venue comprises at least one of context information for the venue, context information for an event or activity taking place at the venue, or context information related to the presence of the MD at the venue. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the processor is configured to:
 receive, at the MD separately from the receiving of the venue token at the MD, authentication information associated with the venue token.   
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the authentication information comprises authentication credentials or an authentication function configured for generating authentication credentials. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the venue-related item comprises at least one of a content item, an application, or a service. 
     
     
         20 . A method, comprising:
 receiving, at a mobile device (MD), a venue token comprising an indication of a venue-related item that the MD is permitted to access independent of a location of the MD;   receiving, at the MD separately from the receiving of the venue token at the MD, context information associated with the venue token;   generating, at the MD based on the venue token and the context information, a request for the venue-related item; and   sending, from the MD toward a server, the request for the venue-related item.