Location service authorization and indication

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11736494-B2
Application number	US-202117192149-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 4, 2021
Priority date	May 31, 2014
Publication date	Aug 22, 2023
Grant date	Aug 22, 2023

Abstract

An application can specify a location service authorization type to be enforced by a mobile device. After the user authorizes the location service through an authorization dialog, the application can receive location service according to the authorization type. A first authorization type allows the application to receive continuous location updates and location events from a location service on the mobile device only when the application is in use. A second authorization type allows the application to always receive continuous location updates and location events when the application is running in a foreground or background. A status indicator can be displayed to indicate the authorization associated with a received location service.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
presenting, by a processor, an authorization dialog on a display of a mobile device, the authorization dialog associated with a location service authorization type that determines one or more conditions for an application running on the mobile device that is allowed to receive location services;
receiving user input, through the authorization dialog, authorizing location service for the application according to the location service authorization type;

determining, by the processor, that the application is in use on the mobile device and requests location data of the mobile device from the location service according to the location service authorization type;
providing a location service for the application in accordance with the location service authorization type; and
displaying a status indicator having a visual appearance indicative of the location service authorization type of the provided location service.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the authorization dialog includes text provided by the application.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein enforcing the location service authorization type includes:
determining that the location service authorization type specifies that the application will receive location updates only when the application is determined to be in use;

determining that the application is not in use; and
responsive to determining that the application is not in use, presenting a notification on the display that can be selected by the user to bring the application into use.

4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising:
determining that the application is in use by confirming that the application is in use.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein providing a location service for the application in accordance with the location service authorization type comprises:
responsive to determining that the application requests location data of the mobile device, determining, by the processor, whether the one or more conditions are met that allow the application running on the mobile device to receive the location services; and
enforcing, by the processor, based upon whether the one or more conditions are met, the location service authorization type for the application, wherein enforcing the location service authorization type includes determining that the location service authorization type specifies that the application will always receive location updates and location events when the application is running in foreground or background, or caused to be running in the background.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the authorization dialog is configured to be displayed only once on the display.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the location service authorization type is determined statically using metadata of the application.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein displaying the status indicator includes displaying a first status indicator having a first visual appearance to indicate a first location service type.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein displaying the status indicator includes displaying a second status indicator having a second visual appearance different than the first visual appearance to indicate a second location service type.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
displaying a settings pane on the display including a user interface element for specifying the location service authorization type for the application;
receiving input through the user interface element, the input specifying a new location service authorization type for the application; and
replacing the location service authorization type with the new location service authorization type.

11. A system comprising:
a display;
one or more processors;
memory coupled to the one or more processors and configured to store instructions, which, when executed by the one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:
presenting an authorization dialog on a display of a mobile device, the authorization dialog associated with a location service authorization type that determines one or more conditions for an application running on the mobile device that is allowed to receive location services;
receiving user input, through the authorization dialog, authorizing location service for the application according to the location service authorization type;

determining that the application is in use on the mobile device and requests location date of the mobile device from the location service according to the location service authorization type;
providing a location service for the application in accordance with the location service authorization type; and
displaying a status indicator having a visual appearance indicative of the location service authorization type of the provided location service.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the authorization dialog includes text provided by the application.

13. The system of claim 11 , wherein enforcing the location service authorization type includes:
determining that the location service authorization type specifies that the application will receive location updates only when the application is determined to be in use;

determining that the application is not in use; and
responsive to determining that the application is not in use, presenting a notification on the display that can be selected by the user to bring the application into use.

14. The system of claim 13 , further comprising:
determining that the application is in use by confirming that the application is in use.

15. The system of claim 11 , wherein providing a location service for the application in accordance with the location service authorization type comprises:
responsive to determining that the application requests location data of the mobile device, determining whether the one or more conditions are met that allow the application running on the mobile device to receive the location services; and
enforcing, based upon whether the one or more conditions are met, the location service authorization type for the application, wherein enforcing the location service authorization type includes determining that the location service authorization type specifies that the application will always receive location updates and location events when the application is running in foreground or background, or caused to be running in the background.

16. The system of claim 11 , wherein the authorization dialog is configured to be displayed only once on the display.

17. The system of claim 11 , wherein the location service authorization type is determined statically using metadata of the application.

18. The system of claim 11 , wherein displaying the status indicator includes displaying a first status indicator having a first visual appearance to indicate a first location service type.

19. The system of claim 18 , wherein displaying the status indicator includes displaying a second status indicator having a second visual appearance different than the first visual appearance to indicate a second location service type.

20. The system of claim 11 , further comprising:
displaying a settings pane on the display including a user interface element for specifying the location service authorization type for the application;
receiving input through the user interface element, the input specifying a new location service authorization type for the application; and
replacing the location service authorization type with the

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Rhee Stephen J
• Driscoll Adam M
• Bartunek Jeffrey Michael
• Huang Ronald K
• Neuenschwander Erik
• Coffman Patrick
• Tribble Guy L

Classifications

• H04L63/107 Primary

  wherein the security policies are location-dependent, e.g. entities privileges depend on current location or allowing specific operations only from locally connected terminals · CPC title

• H04M1/72403

  with means for local support of applications that increase the functionality · CPC title

• H04M1/72457

  according to geographic location · CPC title

• H04W4/02

  Services making use of location information · CPC title

• H04W4/029

  Location-based management or tracking services · CPC title