Prefetching and caching map data based on mobile network coverage

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2015156609-A1
Application number	US-201213462476-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 2, 2012
Priority date	May 2, 2012
Publication date	Jun 4, 2015
Grant date	—

Abstract

When a mobile device is positioned in a first coverage area with first service parameters, it is determined that the mobile device is likely to enter a second coverage area with second service parameters. The mobile device has access to map data while in the first coverage area and the second coverage area. If it is determined that the first coverage area is more favorable to data transfer than the second coverage area using the service parameters, a request for map data for rendering a map of the second coverage area is generated when the mobile device is within the first coverage area, and prior to receiving a request to view the map of the second coverage area on the mobile device. The map data is received and stored on the mobile device for subsequent rendering.

First claim

1 . A method for acquiring map data for rendering a map on a mobile device that includes a radio communications transceiver for transmitting and receiving data via a wireless network, the method comprising:
automatically determining, at a time when the mobile device is positioned in a first coverage area, that the mobile device is likely to enter a second coverage area, wherein the wireless network is associated with first service parameters in the first coverage area and associated with second service parameters in the second coverage area, wherein the first service parameters and the second service parameters are indicative of one or both of (i) expected signal strength of the wireless network in the first coverage area and the second coverage area, respectively, and (ii) expected communications data rate of the wireless network in the first coverage area and the second coverage area, respectively, and wherein the mobile device has access to map data via the radio communications transceiver while in the first coverage area and the second coverage area; in response to determining that the mobile device is likely to enter the second coverage area, automatically determining that the first coverage area is more favorable to data transfer via the wireless network than the second coverage area using the first service parameters and the second service parameters; in response to determining that the first coverage area is more favorable to data transfer via the wireless network than the second coverage area, sending, via the wireless network, a request for map data for rendering a map of the second coverage area, wherein the request is sent when the mobile device is within the first coverage area, and wherein the request is sent prior to receiving a request to view the map of the second coverage area on the mobile device; receiving, at the mobile device and via the wireless network, the map data from a map data server; storing the map data in the non-transitory computer-readable medium; and in response to receiving the request to view the map of the second coverage area, rendering the map using the stored map data.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising electronically accessing a database of a service provider that services the second coverage area to determine a boundary of the second coverage area and the second service parameters.

3 - 4 . (canceled)

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein determining that the first coverage area is more favorable to data transfer via the wireless network than the second coverage area includes comparing the expected signal strength of the wireless network in the first coverage area to the expected signal strength of the wireless network in the second coverage area.

6 - 8 . (canceled)

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein receiving the map data from the map data server further includes receiving map data for a geographic region that includes a buffer zone extending from the perimeter of the second coverage area.

10 . A mobile device comprising:
a processor; a display in communication with the processor; a radio communications transceiver in communication with the processor; and a computer-readable medium in communication with the processor, the computer-readable medium storing instructions thereon that are executable to cause the processor to:
automatically determine, at a time when the mobile device is positioned in a first coverage area, that the mobile device is likely to enter a second coverage area, wherein the wireless network is associated with first service parameters in the first coverage area and associated with second service parameters in the second coverage area, wherein the first service parameters and the second service parameters are indicative of one or both of (i) expected signal strength of the wireless network in the first coverage area and the second coverage area, respectively, and (ii) expected communications data rate of the wireless network in the first coverage area and the second coverage area, respectively, and wherein the mobile device has access to map data via the radio communications transceiver while in the first coverage area and the second coverage area;
in response to determining that the mobile device is likely to enter the second coverage area, automatically determine that the first coverage area is more favorable to data transfer via the wireless network than the second coverage area using the first service parameters and the second service parameters;
in response to determining that the first coverage area is more favorable to data transfer via the wireless network than the second coverage area, sending, via the wireless network, a request for map data for rendering a map of the second coverage area, wherein the request is sent when the mobile device is within the first coverage area, and wherein the request is sent prior to receiving a request to view the map of the second coverage area on the mobile device;
receive, at the mobile device and via the wireless network, the map data from a map data server;
store the map data in the non-transitory computer-readable medium; and
in response to receiving the request to view the map of the second coverage area, render the map using the stored map data.

11 . (canceled)

12 . The mobile device of claim 10 , wherein in order to determine that the first coverage area is more favorable to data transfer via the radio communications transceiver than the second coverage area, the instructions on the computer-readable medium are further executable to cause the processor to compare the expected signal strength of the wireless network in the first coverage area with the expected signal strength of the wireless network in the second coverage area.

13 - 14 . (canceled)

15 . A method for acquiring map data for rendering a map on a mobile device that includes a radio communications transceiver for transmitting and receiving data via a wireless network, the method comprising:
receiving a signal indicating that the mobile device is likely to require map data for rendering a map of a target geographic region at the mobile device; in response to receiving the signal, automatically generating a first metric corresponding to transferring the map data to the mobile device via the wireless network and while the mobile device is in the target geographic region, wherein the first metric is indicative of one or both of (i) expected signal strength of the wireless network in the target geographic region and (ii) expected communications data rate of the wireless network in the target geographic region; automatically generating a second metric corresponding to transferring the map data to the mobile device via the radio communications transceiver and while the mobile device is in a current geographic region distinct from the target geographic region, wherein the second metric is indicative of one or both of (i) expected signal strength of the wireless network in the current geographic region and (ii) expected communications data rate of the wireless network in the current geographic region; determining, based on the generated first metric and the generated second metric, whether the mobile device should prefetch the map data; and if it is determined that the mobile device should prefetch the map data, causing the map data to be transferred from a map data server to the mobile device via the wireless network prior to the mobile device entering the target geographic region for subsequent rendering on the mobile device.

16 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising rendering the map of the target geographic region using the map data in response to determining that the mobile de

Assignees

• Davis Benjamin Max
• Berlin Daniel
• Bentley Daniel
• Google Inc

Inventors

• Davis Benjamin Max
• Berlin Daniel
• Bentley Daniel

Classifications

• H04W4/021 Primary

  Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences · CPC title