Use of previously-calculated position fix for location based query

• US 20080194273A1
• Filed: 02/08/2007
• Published: 08/14/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/08/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Palm, Inc. (TCL Technology Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Paulson, Janell, Kansal, Sachin
• Granted Patent: US 8,014,793 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/456.3
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/20 Instruments for performing navigational calculations G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/29 Geographical information databases
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/024 Guidance services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

A computing device is provided for responding to a location-based query. The computing device receives the query, determines that a current position fix is unavailable, retrieves from memory a previously-calculated position fix calculated before receipt of the location-based query, and provides a response to the query based on the previously-calculated position fix.

Claims

1. A method for responding to a location-based query, comprising:

receiving a location-based query;

determining that a current position fix is unavailable;

retrieving from memory a previously-calculated position fix calculated before receipt of the location-based query; and

;

providing a response to the query based on the previously-calculated position fix.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the query is for a point of interest.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein determining that a current position fix is unavailable comprises determining that insufficient satellite data is available.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining whether the previously-calculated position fix meets a criteria and providing the response to the query based on whether the criteria is met.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the criteria comprises a predetermined time parameter since the previously-calculated position fix was calculated.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the criteria comprises a predetermined speed parameter at which a mobile computing device was traveling when the previously-calculated position fix was calculated.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein the determination of whether the criteria is met is based on an estimate of a current position based on map data associated with the previously-calculated position.

8. The method of claim 4, wherein the response to the query comprises an indication that the previously-calculated position fix is unreliable based on whether the criteria is met.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

periodically calculating position fixes regardless of whether a request for a position fix is received from an application or a user; and

updating the previously-calculated position fix based on each new periodically-calculated position fix.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the query is received from a user input device of a mobile computing device.

11. A mobile computing device, comprising:

a user interface configured to receive a query;

a location determination circuit configured to provide location data for the mobile computing device;

a memory configured to store a first location data; and

a processing circuit configured to determine that calculation of new location data is unavailable and to respond to the query based on the first location data.

12. The mobile computing device of claim 11, wherein the mobile computing device comprises a smartphone.

13. The mobile computing device of claim 11, wherein the processing circuit is configured to determining whether the first location data meets a plurality of criteria, wherein the response to the query is based on whether the criteria are met.

14. The mobile computing device of claim 11, wherein the location determination circuit is configured to periodically calculate the location data regardless of whether a request for a location data is received from an application operable on the processing circuit, wherein the processing circuit is configured to update the first location data with the new periodically-calculated location data.

15. A mobile computing device for responding to a location-based query, comprising:

means for receiving a location-based query;

means for determining that a current position fix is unavailable;

means for retrieving from memory a previously-calculated position fix calculated before receipt of the location-based query; and

means for providing a response to the query based on the previously-calculated position fix.

16. The mobile computing device of claim 15, wherein the query is for a point of interest.

17. The mobile computing device of claim 15, wherein the means for determining that a current position fix is unavailable comprising means for determining that insufficient satellite data is available.

18. The mobile computing device of claim 15, further comprising means for determining whether the previously-calculated position fix meets a plurality of criteria and providing the response to the query based on whether the criteria are met.

19. The mobile computing device of claim 15, further comprising:

means for periodically calculating position fixes regardless of whether a request for a position fix is received from an application or a user; and

means for updating the previously-calculated position fix based on each new periodically-calculated position fix.

20. The mobile computing device of claim 15, wherein mobile computing device comprises a smartphone.