Abstract: A cellular communications service provider authenticates a provider of a location-dependent service, such as a wireless hotspot. Once the cellular communications service provider is aware of potential use of the service by the user, it authenticates the service provider and provides an authentication to the user. Users can thus avoid untrustworthy providers of local services.

Abstract: A method for searching for a lost asset equipped with a short-range wireless transceiver includes a finder service sending out a search request including a lost-asset identifier, this request being sent over a mobile radio infrastructure to a plurality of mobile devices. These devices transmit on the request in their immediate vicinity using short-range wireless transceivers. Upon a mobile device receiving back a response from the lost asset, it returns a found message over the mobile radio infrastructure to the finder service. This message includes location data concerning the whereabouts of the lost asset or the message enables such data to be obtained by the finder service.

Abstract: A security document, comprises a printed document and one or more memory circuits adapted to be read wirelessly attached to or incorporated within the printed document, wherein data in the memory circuit is protected from access by an unauthorised reader, and wherein the memory circuit is physically isolated so as to inhibit physical tampering or to indicate when physical tampering has occurred. Methods of publishing and of reading such security documents are described.

Abstract: A method is provided of adapting a user interface to the user's current situation. The method involves a user specifying a home-area interface (83), for example, a web browser home page, and an “away” interface (84). When the user connects to a network (10) using a device (20) and calls up his/her browser home page, a determination is made of the location of the device in order to decide which version of the home page is to be served back to the user device by the home-page server of the user. In a preferred embodiment, the “away” home page (84) includes specific types of local data of interest to the user (such as best local restaurants). When asked to provide the “away” home page, the homepage server uses this information to find the URLs of local special interest web sites (122) carrying the relevant type of data, the server inserting these URLs in the “away” home page (84) before providing it to the user device (20) concerned.

Abstract: A wireless data network, which covers a first physical area and has a wireless node is increased by generating access control information for the wireless data network. The access control information is communicated to a second wireless network associated with a mains power supply, e.g. a lighting circuit, operative in at least one part of the first physical area located within a secure environment. The access control information is transmitted to the wireless node using the second wireless network. The access control information is changed from time to time (preferably at predetermined intervals). The preceding steps are repeated for each change.

Abstract: A wireless LAN comprises an access point with a data communicator for data communicated over different channels, each using a respective wireless technology, and at least one mobile communications device with a data communicator for data communicated over the channels and using the wireless technologies. A first of the channels uses a wireless technology operating at a first frequency bandwidth, and a second of the channels uses a different wireless technology operating at a second, non-overlapping frequency bandwidth. The wireless technology used for the downlink channel operates at a higher data rate than the wireless technology used for the uplink channel. The controller controls data communications over the downlink channel and the uplink channel to maximise the downlink data communication QoS.

Abstract: A method of monitoring frequency availability for a telecommunications network includes: establishing details of frequency spectrum usage in a database, said details to include one or more of time of use, frequency and geographic area of use; and providing query means for the database, to allow the contents of the database to be queried.

Abstract: A communication system comprising notification means arranged to locate a mobile unit and to transmit a notification to said mobile unit via a first telecommunication network when said mobile unit moves within the vicinity of an access node of a second network.

Abstract: Access to a wireless data network to nodes located in a defined operational area is limited by transmitting a network signal within the defined operational area while transmitting a wave that can cause destructive interference with the network signal into a prohibited area adjacent to the defined operational area. The wave that can cause destructive interference is produced by phase and/or amplitude modulating the network signal. The modulation of the network signal includes sweeping the phase and/or amplitude.

Abstract: A mobile device includes a communications subsystem by which data can be sent/received via the wireless-based communications infrastructures of localized communication hotspots traversed by the mobile device. To facilitate such transfers, the predicted track of the mobile device is used to determine what hotspots are likely to be traversed by the device. Communication resources of these hotspots are then managed to ensure that the device has appropriate utilization rights and/or bandwidth reservations for its data transfer needs.

Abstract: Businesses may offer their services not only through internet websites but also by short-range wireless portals (51A,B,C) intended to catch passers-by; indeed, this latter means of business promotion may be used instead of an internet site. A method is provided of gathering information from such portals (51A,B,C) for use in a database service system 40. More particularly, a mobile device (20) provided with a short-range wireless receiver (21) is moved within range of such a portal and collects information about the services available from the local entity operating the portal. The device (20) then uses a cellular radio network (10) to send this information, together with location data about the portal, to a remote database service system (40) holding similar information from other portals. The user of the mobile device can be credited with a reward by the database service system for collecting such information.

Abstract: A distributed telemetry method is effected by coordinating the taking of readings of a parameter by mobile phone users, the parameter readings being then sent to a service system together with location information on the users. Collating the readings and location information enables a representation to be generated of the geographic variation of the measured parameter. Incentives can be offered to encourage cell phone users to participate in the telemetry method.

Abstract: The proximity of potential customers to a shop is detected, for example, by detecting short-range communication devices carried by passers-by. The interests of the detected passers-by are then determined by reference to specific interests transmitted by the passer-by devices and/or by reference to customer profile data. The discovered interests of the current passers-by are then used to select content for display on a shop-window electronic display during a next display slot. Passers-by who may be particularly interested in the displayed content are preferably sent an alert. In other embodiments, the targeted audience is a static group, such as train passengers, with the targeted information being displayed at a station.

Abstract: In order to facilitate the management of content items intended to be hosted by one or more content server systems, each item has associated behavior data that specifies a desired commercial behavior of that item as a function of at least one variable. The commercial behavior specified by the behavior data concerns, for example, placement, promotion or pricing of the content item. When a commercial decision is required concerning an item, its relevant behavior data, together with a current value of the said at least one variable concerned, is used to make the decision. By giving the content items their own autonomous behavior, the content provider is freed from being continually asked to make decisions regarding commercialization of the items.

Abstract: A mobile telecommunications device (10, 12, 14, 16) has both short range, piconet, telecommunications ability and long range cellular telecommunications ability. Mobile items of personal property, eg a pair of glasses (18) can be lost by an individual. The telecommunications devices (10, 12, 14, 16) keep an activity log of the times of existence and members of piconets of which they have been members. If a lost item (18) is not in the present piconet (26) of a user's device (10) it can backtrack through its activity log to find the last piconet for which both it and the missing item (18) were members, and can identify from the activity log what other devices (12, 14, 16) were present in that particular piconet. The device (10) can then contact the devices (12, 14, 16) and determine whether the missing item 18 is presently part of their piconet, and hence can locate the missing item if it is present in one of their piconets.

Abstract: A portable entertainment machine (1) is used for storing, displaying and swapping digital objects such as virtual swap cards or tokens, video clips, or game features relating to a game that can be played on the machine. The machine has a selected article window display (8) in which the user can display digital objects, or icons (8a, 8b, 8c, 8d) corresponding to digital objects, that have been selected by the machine user as being potentially available for swapping with another machine.

Abstract: A method is disclosed of transferring data to a first communications device having a first transceiver for communication at a first data rate over a long range, and a second transceiver for communication at a second, higher data rate over a short range. The method includes forming a co-ordinated short-range wireless network using the first communications device and at least one second communications device of a similar type. Communication is then initiated between the first communications device and said at least one second communications device to establish whether that second communications device has data required by the first communications device. The first communications device then communicates, upon the first communications device receiving confirmation that a second communications device has the required data, with a service provider using its first transceiver to request permission for the transfer of the required data from said communications device to the first communications device.

Abstract: In order to restrict access to content data held on a removable data carrier (83) or included in an electronic file, equipment (70) for accessing this content is arranged only to be enabled upon a location condition being satisfied. This condition is tested for by obtaining current-location data (67) representing the current location of the equipment, and comparing the current-location data with authorized-location data representing a predetermined authorized location or locality for operation of the equipment. The authorized location data may be stored in the equipment itself, in a remote system (42), or in the removable data media or received data file.

Abstract: A mobile telephone (10), an advertiser, broadcasts an advertisement over a wireless short range piconet link to another mobile telephone (12), a consumer. The advertisement is broadcast with a predetermined set of classification tags and the consumer phone (12) has a filter set to accept only certain advertisements. When an advertisement of interest is received by the consumer phone (12) it assesses whether to obtain further details via the piconet link and the advertiser phone (10) provides then automatically via the piconet link. When the consumer wishes to reply to the advertisement they contact the advertiser phone (10), or an advertiser device, via a long range cellular link (16).

Abstract: A mobile telephone (10), an advertiser, broadcasts an advertisement over a wireless short range piconet link to another mobile telephone (12), a consumer. The advertisement is broadcast with a predetermined set of classification tags and the consumer phone (12) has a filter set to accept only certain advertisements. When an advertisement of interest is received by the consumer phone (12) it requests further details automatically via the piconet link and the advertiser phone (10) provides then automatically via the piconet link. When the consumer wishes to reply to the advertisement they contact the advertiser phone (10), or an advertiser device, via a long range cellular link (16). An ASP advertisement broker (48) is interposed between the advertiser phone (10) and the consumer phone (12) for the long range telecommunication link.