Operating Geographic Location Systems

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016142979-A1
Application number	US-201615004642-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 22, 2016
Priority date	Apr 30, 2012
Publication date	May 19, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

In general, in one aspect, a method includes receiving, on a mobile device, an indication that an application executing on the mobile device has entered a background state, determining, based on data received from a location system of the mobile device, that the mobile device has remained within a geographic area during a time interval, the geographic area being defined by a radius determined according to an application type of the application, and disabling at least a portion of the location system of the mobile device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 - 33 . (canceled)

34 . A method comprising:
receiving, on a mobile device, an indication that an application executing on the mobile device has entered a background state; receiving data representing a type of the application executing on the mobile device; selecting a boundary specific to the type of application; determining, based on data received from a location system of the mobile device, that the mobile device has remained within a geographic area during a time interval, the geographic area being defined by the boundary; and disabling at least a portion of the location system of the mobile device.

35 . The method of claim 34 , wherein the boundary is defined by a radius stored in association with the data representing the type of application.

36 . The method of claim 34 , comprising determining that the application executing on the mobile device is not assigned an application type applicable to determining the boundary defining the geographic area; and
determining an application type of the application executing on the mobile device based on second data received from the location system of the mobile device.

37 . The method of claim 36 , wherein the second data received from the location system of the mobile device comprises data indicative of acceleration of the mobile device.

38 . The method of claim 36 , wherein the second data received from the location system of the mobile device comprises data indicative of speed of the mobile device.

39 . The method of claim 34 , comprising
determining, based on data received from the location system of the mobile device, that the mobile device has exited a second geographic area, the second geographic area being defined by a second boundary determined according to an application type of the application; and enabling the portion of the location system of the mobile device.

40 . The method of claim 34 , comprising
receiving, on the mobile device, an indication that the application executing on the mobile device has entered a foreground state; and enabling the portion of the location system of the mobile device.

41 . The method of claim 34 , wherein the mobile device is a wireless mobile device.

42 . The method of claim 34 , comprising
determining, based on an absence of data received by the location system, that the mobile device is in a location of a type other than a type of location associated with the application executing on the mobile device, and disabling at least a portion of the location system of the mobile device.

43 . The method of claim 34 , wherein disabling at least a portion of the location system of the mobile device comprises determining an activity of a user of the mobile device based on data indicative of movement patterns of the mobile device.

44 . The method of claim 34 , wherein the location system of the mobile device comprises an accelerometer, and the data received from the accelerometer indicates that the device has remained stationary during the time interval.

45 . A system comprising:
a mobile device configured to receive an indication that an application executing on the mobile device has entered a background state; receive data representing a type of the application executing on the mobile device; select a boundary specific to the type of application; determine, based on data received from a location system of the mobile device, that the mobile device has remained within a geographic area during a time interval, the geographic area being defined by the boundary; and disable at least a portion of the location system of the mobile device.

46 . The system of claim 45 , wherein the mobile device is configured to define the boundary based on a radius stored in association with the data representing the type of application.

47 . The system of claim 45 , wherein the mobile device is configured to
determine that the application executing on the mobile device is not assigned an application type applicable to determining the boundary defining the geographic area; and determine an application type of the application executing on the mobile device based on second data received from the location system of the mobile device.

48 . The system of claim 47 , wherein the second data received from the location system of the mobile device comprises data indicative of acceleration of the mobile device.

49 . The system of claim 47 , wherein the second data received from the location system of the mobile device comprises data indicative of speed of the mobile device.

50 . The system of claim 45 , wherein the mobile device is configured to
determine, based on data received from the location system of the mobile device, that the mobile device has exited a second geographic area, the second geographic area being defined by a second boundary determined according to an application type of the application; and enable the portion of the location system of the mobile device.

51 . The system of claim 45 , wherein the mobile device is configured to
receive an indication that the application executing on the mobile device has entered a foreground state; and enable the portion of the location system of the mobile device.

52 . The system of claim 45 , wherein the mobile device is a wireless mobile device.

53 . The system of claim 45 , wherein the mobile device is configured to
determine, based on an absence of data received by the location system, that the mobile device is in a location of a type other than a type of location associated with the application executing on the mobile device, and disable at least a portion of the location system of the mobile device.

54 . The system of claim 45 , wherein disabling at least a portion of the location system of the mobile device comprises determining an activity of a user of the mobile device based on data indicative of movement patterns of the mobile device.

55 . The system of claim 45 , wherein the location system of the mobile device comprises an accelerometer, and the data received from the accelerometer indicates that the device has remained stationary during the time interval.

56 . A computer program product stored on a storage device and configured to cause a mobile device to perform operations comprising:
receiving, on a mobile device, an indication that an application executing on the mobile device has entered a background state; receiving data representing a type of the application executing on the mobile device; selecting a boundary specific to the type of application; determining, based on data received from a location system of the mobile device, that the mobile device has remained within a geographic area during a time interval, the geographic area being defined by the boundary; and disabling at least a portion of the location system of the mobile device.

57 . The computer program product of claim 56 , wherein the boundary is defined by a radius stored in association with the data representing the type of application.

58 . The computer program product of claim 56 , the operations comprising
determining that the application executing on the mobile device is not assigned an application type applicable to determining the boundary defining the geographic area; and determining an application type of the application executing on the mobile device based on second data received from the

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Macgougan Glenn Donald
• Bruins Jay N
• Mayor Robert
• Huang Ronald Keryuan
• Rhee Stephen J

Classifications

• H04M2250/10

  including a GPS signal receiver · CPC title

• H04M2250/12

  including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion · CPC title

• H04W4/021 Primary

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

• H04W52/0254 Primary

  detecting a user operation or a tactile contact or a motion of the device · CPC title

• H04W88/02

  Terminal devices · CPC title