Cache-based location determination

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9535154-B2
Application number	US-201113230321-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 12, 2011
Priority date	Sep 12, 2011
Publication date	Jan 3, 2017
Grant date	Jan 3, 2017

Abstract

One disclosed example provides a method including compiling and storing on the computing device a list of positioning signals each associated with a geographic location, detecting one or more currently available positioning signals, comparing the one or more currently available positioning signals to the list of positioning signals, and if one or more currently available positioning signals matches one or more matching positioning signals stored in the list, then determining the current geographic location based upon the one or more matching stored positioning signals.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. On a computing device, a method comprising:
obtaining, from a remote location information service, a list of positioning signals each associated with a geographic location;
locally storing the list of positioning signals to form a locally-stored list;
receiving, by a wireless communication device in communication with a processor, one or more currently available positioning signals;
comparing, by the processor, the one or more currently available positioning signals to the locally-stored list;
after comparing the one or more currently available positioning signals to the locally-stored list, when any of the one or more currently available positioning signals matches one or more matching positioning signals stored in the locally-stored list, then
determining, by the processor, a current geographic location of the computing device based upon the one or more matching stored positioning signals,
reporting, by the processor, the current geographic location to an application on the computing device, and
when a currently available wireless positioning signal does not match any positioning signals on the locally-stored list, then inferring, by the processor, an associated location for the currently available wireless positioning signal to form an inferred positioning signal, and adding the inferred positioning signal to the locally-stored list; and

after comparing the one or more currently available positioning signals to the locally-stored list, when no currently available positioning signals match any positioning signal stored in the locally-stored list, sending a request to the remote location information service for location information.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, in response to receiving location information from the remote location information service, updating the locally-stored list with any new positioning signals received from the remote location information service.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, where no location information is received from the remote location information service, storing the currently available positioning signals on the locally-stored list as location unavailable.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein comparing the one or more currently available positioning signals to the locally-stored list of positioning signals further comprises:
when one or more of the one or more currently available positioning signals matches a confirmed positioning signal stored in the locally-stored list, then
performing a validity check on each currently available positioning signal; and
when a currently available positioning signal does not pass the validity check, then determining the current geographic location based only on currently available positioning signals that match a confirmed positioning signal stored in the locally-stored list.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein comparing the one or more currently available positioning signals to the locally stored list of positioning signals further comprises:
when all the currently available positioning signals match only inferred positioning signals stored in the locally-stored list, then
performing a validity check on the currently available positioning signals;
when the currently available positioning signals pass the validity check, determining the current geographic location based on currently available positioning signals that match a positioning signal stored in the locally-stored list; and
when the currently available positioning signals do not pass the validity check, then sending a request to a remote location information service for location information.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, when one or more of the one or more currently available positioning signals matches a positioning signal stored in the locally-stored list, then determining the current geographic location based upon the one or more matching stored positioning signals and providing feedback to a remote location information service.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining the current geographic location of the computing device only if authorized by a user, administrator, and/or manufacturer of the computing device.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the positioning signals comprise wireless internet connection access points.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the positioning signals comprise one or more of cell phone communication towers, BLUETOOTH transmitters, radio frequency networks, and IP connection locations.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising analyzing, by the processor, the one or more currently available positioning signals to determine an address of each of the one or more currently available positioning signals, and wherein comparing the position signals to the locally-stored list comprises comparing each address to addresses in the locally-stored list.

11. A computing device, comprising:
a wireless communication device; and
a processor in communication with the wireless communication device, the processor being configured to
obtain, from a remote location information service, a list of positioning signals each associated with a geographic location;
locally store the list of positioning signals to form a locally-stored list;
receive, by the wireless communication device, one or more currently available wireless positioning signals;
compare, by the processor, the one or more currently available wireless positioning signals to the locally-stored list;
after comparing the one or more currently available positioning signals to the locally-stored list, when any of the one or more currently available wireless positioning signals matches a matching positioning signal stored in the locally-stored list, then
determine, by the processor, a current geographic location based upon the matching positioning signal,
report, by the processor, the current geographic location to an application on the computing device, and
for a currently available positioning signal that does not match any positioning signal on the locally stored list, infer, by the processor, an associated location based upon an identification of one or more known positioning signals detectable to form an inferred location, and add, by the processor, the inferred location to the locally stored list as an inferred positioning signal; and

after comparing the one or more currently available positioning signals to the locally-stored list, when no currently available wireless positioning signals match any positioning signal stored in the locally-stored list, then send a request to the remote location information service for location information.

12. The computing device of claim 11 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
detect an IP address location if no currently available wireless positioning signals are detected;
compare the IP address location to the locally stored list of positioning signals;
when the IP address location matching a matching positioning signal stored in the locally stored list, then determine the current geographic location based upon the matching positioning signal; and
when the IP address location not matching a positioning signal stored in the locally stored list, then send the request to a remote service for location information.

13. The computing device of claim 11 , wherein the processor is further configured to update the locally-stored list with any new positioning signals received from a remote service in response to a request for location information.

14. The computing device of claim 11 , wherein the computing device comprises a mobile device, and wherein the wireless c

Assignees

• Natucci Dino
• Inderhees Mark
• Dufalo Robert
• Microsoft Technology Licensing Llc

Inventors

• Natucci Dino
• Inderhees Mark
• Dufalo Robert

Classifications

• G01S5/0252 Primary

  Radio frequency fingerprinting · CPC title

• G01S19/34

  Power consumption · CPC title

• G01S1/00

  Beacons or beacon systems transmitting signals having a characteristic or characteristics capable of being detected by non-directional receivers and defining directions, positions, or position lines fixed relatively to the beacon transmitters; Receivers co-operating therewith (position fixing by co-ordinating a plurality of determinations of direction or position lines G01S5/00) · CPC title

• G01S5/0289

  of multiple transceivers, e.g. in ad hoc networks · CPC title

• G01S1/68

  Marker, boundary, call-sign, or like beacons transmitting signals not carrying directional information · CPC title