Method and apparatus for executing location dependent application in a mobile handset

摘要

Methods and mobile handsets provide applications with access to locality identifier information heretofore not shared with applications. By accessing the locality identifier from memory, applications can provide location-specific services, such as alarms and location-specific themes. The locality identifier can be compared to a criteria table in memory to determine if an application should be notified or activated. The criteria table may include time and date criteria, so application notification can depend upon time, date and location information.

主权项

1. A method for managing an application on a mobile handset, comprising:
obtaining, by a cell tower identifier (CellID) monitor from an air interface of the mobile handset, a locality identifier of a cellular tower within range of the mobile handset; storing, by the CellID monitor, the locality identifier in a memory accessible by the application; setting, by the CellID monitor, a flag in memory accessible to the application each time the locality identifier stored in memory is changed; determining periodically, by an application dispatcher, whether the flag has been set by the CellID monitor, and upon determining that the flag has been set, the application dispatcher clearing the flag and comparing the locality identifier to a criteria table containing locality identifier values associated with particular applications; notifying, by an application dispatcher, the application when the locality identifier matches a locality identifier value in the criteria table associated with the application; comparing, by an application dispatcher, current time and date to time and date criteria stored in the criteria table when the locality identifier matches a locality identifier value in the criteria table; and notifying, by an application dispatcher, the application when the locality identifier matches a locality identifier value in the criteria table associated with the application and current time and date satisfy the time and date criteria associated with the matched locality identifier value, wherein the mobile handset is a cellular telephone, further comprising informing the application when the cellular telephone communication link is handed over to another cellular tower, and wherein the application is of a theme setting application that sets a theme on the mobile handset based upon an action parameter associated with the locality identifier in the criteria table, a text message generating application and an application controlling a Bluetooth transceiver on the mobile handset.