초록 ▼

Methods, apparatus, and business techniques are disclosed for use in mobile network communication systems. A mobile unit such as a smart phone is preferably equipped with a wireless local area network connection and a wireless wide area network connection. The local area network connection is used t

Methods, apparatus, and business techniques are disclosed for use in mobile network communication systems. A mobile unit such as a smart phone is preferably equipped with a wireless local area network connection and a wireless wide area network connection. The local area network connection is used to establish a position-dependent ecommerce network connection with a wireless product or service access device supplied by a vendor. A negotiation sequence is carried out to electronically contract the services of the negotiated wireless peripheral from the vendor using a prepaid ecommerce protocol. The negotiated wireless peripheral is a general product or service vending device and the mobile unit acts as a digital authentication and payment device with digital pre-paid payment capabilities. The techniques are useful in many applications to include ticketing and admission systems to events and other types of services that involve ticketing.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. A method for use in a computerized handheld device that includes a built-in area-constrained display and at least one transceiver for wirelessly accessing an Internet, the method comprising: receiving, via a wireless Internet access connection, a first graphical user interfac

What is claimed is: 1. A method for use in a computerized handheld device that includes a built-in area-constrained display and at least one transceiver for wirelessly accessing an Internet, the method comprising: receiving, via a wireless Internet access connection, a first graphical user interface adapted for display on the built-in area-constrained display; displaying the first graphical user interface on the built-in area-constrained display; executing a handshake sequence to gain access to a peripheral augmentation device that provides a non-area-constrained display, in accordance with a wireless local area network protocol; in accordance with an affirmative result of the handshake sequence, coupling to a remote server an indication that the computerized handheld device has at its disposal a non-area constrained display; receiving, via the wireless Internet access connection, a second graphical user interface adapted for display on the non-area-constrained display; and transmitting to the peripheral augmentation device, using the wireless local area network protocol, a representation of the second graphical user interface for display on the non-area-constrained display. 2. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the peripheral augmentation device comprises a negotiated wireless peripheral device, and the handshake sequence occurs within a position-dependent ecommerce session between the computerized handheld device and the negotiated wireless peripheral device, the method further comprising: submitting, via the position-dependent ecommerce session, an access credential; validating the access credential; and in response to the validating, receiving an indication that the negotiated wireless peripheral device will grant access to use the non-area-constrained display. 3. The method in accordance with claim 2, wherein the access credential is a member of the group consisting of an indication of a credit account, a debit payment from a debit account, a digital cash instrument, and a verification that the computerized handheld device is associated with a registered user of the peripheral augmentation device. 4. The method in accordance with claim 2, wherein the handshake sequence is carried out with a member of a group consisting of the negotiated wireless peripheral device and a remote management server that provides management services for a plurality of geographically dispersed negotiated wireless peripheral devices. 5. The method in accordance with claim 4, wherein the wireless local area network protocol is a Bluetooth protocol. 6. The method in accordance with claim 4, wherein the wireless local area network protocol is an IEEE 802.11 protocol. 7. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the peripheral augmentation device comprises an external wireless display peripheral device controlled by a user of the computerized handheld device, and wherein the wireless local area network protocol is a Bluetooth protocol. 8. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the second graphical user interface comprises a desktop computer style graphical user interface. 9. A method comprising: receiving from a wireless handheld device a first indication that the wireless handheld device has a capability of displaying graphical content on a built-in area-constrained display; in response to receipt of the first indication, coupling to the wireless handheld device a first graphical user interface adapted for display on the built-in area-constrained display; receiving from the wireless handheld device a second indication that the wireless handheld device further has a capability to display graphical content on a non-area constrained display external to the wireless handheld device; and in response to receipt of the second indication, coupling to the wireless handheld device a second graphical user interface adapted for display on the non-area-constrained display. 10. The method in accordance with claim 9, wherein the first and second graphical user interfaces are supplied by an application service provider (ASP) server, the first graphical user interface corresponds to an area-constrained user interface to a server-hosted application program, and the second graphical user interface comprises a full desktop computer style graphical user interface to the server-hosted application program. 11. The method in accordance with claim 9, wherein the first and second graphical user interfaces are supplied by an application service provider (ASP) server that provides a merchant web site that vends a member of the group consisting of a product and a service, the first graphical user interface corresponds to an area-constrained user interface to the merchant web site, and the second graphical user interface comprises a full-desktop-computer-type graphical user interface to the merchant web site. 12. A method for use in a system comprising an Internet server, a wireless handheld device, and a plurality of public access wireless local area network stations, the method comprising: establishing communication between the wireless handheld device and a selected one of the plurality of public access wireless local area network stations using a wireless local area network protocol; establishing an ecommerce session between the wireless handheld device and a member of the group consisting of the Internet server and the selected public access wireless local area network station, wherein the ecommerce session is position-dependent by virtue of the wireless handheld device using the communication with the selected public access wireless local area network station to support the ecommerce session; the wireless handheld device providing via the ecommerce session an access credential that is a member of the group consisting of a credit account payment, a debit account payment, a digital cash instrument, and a subscriber identity authentication; a member of the group consisting of the Internet server and the selected public access wireless local area network station validating the access credential; the selected public access wireless local area network station providing an Internet access connection to the wireless handheld device in response to the validating; and the wireless handheld device using the Internet access connection to connect with a remote server system that provides a user-customized portal function that aggregates plural user-selected data items of interest to a user of the wireless handheld device, from a plurality of remote network addresses, wherein the user-customized portal function provides a unified user interface to the user and is adapted to be displayed on an area-constrained user interface built into the wireless handheld device. 13. The method in accordance with claim 12, further comprising: the wireless handheld device communicating via a wireless local area network protocol with a peripheral augmentation device that provides a non-area-constrained display; reconfiguring the wireless handheld device to display graphical content on the non-area-constrained display; receiving from the remote server system a version of the unified user interface that is adapted for display on the non-area-constrained display; and transmitting, using the wireless local area network protocol, to the peripheral augmentation device, a representation of the version of the unified user interface that is adapted for display on the non-area-constrained display. 14. The method in accordance with claim 13, wherein the peripheral augmentation device is controlled by the user, and the wireless local area network protocol is a Bluetooth protocol. 15. The method in accordance with claim 13, wherein the peripheral augmentation device comprises a wireless negotiated peripheral device. 16. The method in accordance with claim 15, further comprising: establishing a further position-dependent ecommerce session between the wireless handheld device and the wireless negotiated peripheral device; the wireless handheld device submitting an access credential via the further position-dependent ecommerce session; a member of the group consisting of the Internet server and the selected public access wireless local area network station validating the access credential; and in response to the validating, receiving an indication that the negotiated wireless peripheral device will grant access to use the non-area-constrained display. 17. The method in accordance with claim 16, wherein the access credential is a member of the group consisting of an indication of a credit account, a debit payment from a debit account, a digital cash instrument, and a verification that the computerized handheld device is associated with a registered user of the negotiated wireless peripheral device. 18. The method in accordance with claim 12, wherein the wireless local area network protocol is a Bluetooth protocol, and the version of the unified user interface that is adapted for display on the non-area-constrained display provides a full desktop size graphical user interface. 19. The method in accordance with claim 12, wherein the user-customized portal function is provided by an application service provider (ASP) server that provides the user access to a plurality of application programs. 20. The method in accordance with claim 19, wherein the ASP server requires the user to enter a user name and password to gain access to the application programs provided by the ASP server. 21. The method in accordance with claim 19, wherein the user-customized portal function provides a user desktop type interface whereby a respective one of a plurality of application programs can be launched by selecting a respective icon. 22. A method for use in a system comprising a server system, a wireless handheld device, and a plurality of public access wireless local area network stations, the method comprising: in response to a request initiated by the wireless handheld device, establishing packet communication between the server system and the wireless handheld device via one or more of the plurality of public access wireless local area network stations; providing a user-customized portal function that aggregates plural distinct user-selected data items of interest to a user of the wireless handheld device, from a plurality of remote network addresses, to provide a first user-customized-content graphical user interface, wherein the first user-customized-content graphical user interface is adapted to be displayed on an area-constrained user interface built into the wireless handheld device; receiving a message indicative of the availability of a non-area constrained display external to the wireless handheld device; and in response to the message, the user-customized portal function providing a second user-customized-content graphical user interface adapted to be displayed on the non-area-constrained display. 23. A method for use in a system comprising a server system, a wireless handheld device, and a plurality of public access wireless local area network stations, the method comprising: in response to a request initiated by the wireless handheld device, establishing packet communication between the server system and the wireless handheld device via one or more of the plurality of public access wireless local area network stations; providing a user-customized portal function that aggregates plural distinct user-selected data items of interest to a user of the wireless handheld device, from a plurality of remote network addresses, to provide a user-customized-content graphical user interface, wherein the user-customized-content graphical user interface is adapted to be displayed on an area-constrained user interface built into the wireless handheld device; and coupling the user-customized-content graphical user interface to the wireless handheld device via one or more of the plurality of public access wireless local area network stations. 24. The method in accordance with claim 23, wherein the user-customized portal function provides access to at least one server-side application program supplied by an application service provider (ASP) server. 25. The method in accordance with claim 24, wherein the server-side application program provides a vending function for vending a member of the group consisting of digital music content and digital video content.