Method and Apparatus for Executing Location Dependent Application in a Mobile Handset

• US 20090209267A1
• Filed: 02/20/2008
• Published: 08/20/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/20/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Jagetiya, Vikas
• Granted Patent: US 8,744,478 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/456.100
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/109 Time management, e.g. calendars, reminders, meetings or time accounting
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72451 according to schedules, e.g. using calendar applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72457 according to geographic location
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/10 including a GPS signal receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

Methods and mobile handsets provide applications with access to locality identifier information heretofore not shared with applications. By accessing the locality identifier from memory, applications can provide location-specific services, such as alarms and location-specific themes. The locality identifier can be compared to a criteria table in memory to determine if an application should be notified or activated. The criteria table may include time and date criteria, so application notification can depend upon time, date and location information.

Claims

1. A method for managing an application on a mobile handset, comprising:

obtaining a locality identifier of a cellular tower within range of the mobile handset; and

storing the locality identifier in a memory accessible by the application.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

comparing the locality identifier to a list of locality identifier values associated with particular applications;

notifying the application if the locality identifier matches a locality identifier value in the list of locality identifier values associated with the application.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising activating the application if the application is not already active on the mobile handset.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising informing the application when the locality identifier stored in memory is changed.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising setting a flag in memory accessible to the application when the locality identifier stored in memory is changed.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile handset is a cellular telephone, further comprising informing the application when the cellular telephone communication link is handed over to another cellular tower.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

comparing the locality identifier to a criteria table containing locality identifier values associated with particular applications;

comparing current time and date to time and data criteria stored in the criteria table if the locality identifier matches a locality identifier value in the criteria table; and

notifying the application if the locality identifier matches a locality identifier value in the criteria table associated with the application and current time and date satisfy the time and date criteria associated with the matched locality identifier value.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

comparing the locality identifier to a criteria table containing locality identifier values associated with particular applications;

comparing current time and date to time and data criteria stored in the criteria table if the locality identifier matches a locality identifier in the criteria table; and

activating the application if the locality identifier matches a locality identifier value in the criteria table associated with the application and current time and date satisfy the time and date criteria associated with the matched locality identifier value.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein in the application sets a theme on the mobile handset in response to the locality identifier.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the application sounds an alarm when the locality identifier matches an alarm locality identifier value in the criteria table.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein the application generates a message to be sent from the mobile phone.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the application sounds an alarm when the locality identifier matches an alarm locality identifier value in the criteria table and current time and date satisfy alarm time and date criteria associated with the matched alarm locality identifier value.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the application sets a theme on the mobile handset when the locality identifier matches a theme locality identifier value in the criteria table and current time and date satisfy time and date criteria associated with the matched theme locality identifier value.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein the application generates a message to be sent from the mobile handset when the locality identifier matches a message locality identifier value in the criteria table and current time and date satisfy time and date criteria associated with the matched message locality identifier value.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the locality identifier is a CellID.

16. The method of claim 2, wherein the locality identifier is a RoutingID.

17. The method of claim 7, wherein the locality identifier is a LocationID.

18. A mobile handset, comprising:

an air interface;

a processor coupled to the air interface; and

a memory coupled to the processor,

wherein the processor is configured with processor executable software instructions to perform steps comprising;

obtaining a locality identifier of a cellular tower within range of the mobile handset; and

storing the locality identifier in a memory accessible by the application.

19. The mobile handset of claim 18, wherein the processor is configured with processor executable software instructions to perform steps further comprising:

comparing the locality identifier to a list of locality identifier values associated with particular applications;

notifying the application if the locality identifier matches a locality identifier value in the list of locality identifier values associated with the application.

20. The mobile handset of claim 18, wherein the processor is configured with processor executable software instructions to perform steps further comprising activating the application if the application is not already active on the mobile handset.

21. The mobile handset of claim 18, wherein the processor is configured with processor executable software instructions to perform steps further comprising informing the application when the locality identifier stored in memory is changed.

22. The mobile handset of claim 18, wherein the processor is configured with processor executable software instructions to perform steps further comprising setting a flag in memory accessible to the application when the locality identifier stored in memory is changed.

23. The mobile handset of claim 18, wherein the mobile handset is a cellular telephone, and wherein the processor is configured with processor executable software instructions to perform steps further comprising informing the application when the cellular telephone communication link is handed over to another cellular tower.

24. The mobile handset of claim 18, wherein the memory contains a criteria table containing locality identifier values associated with particular applications, and the processor is configured with processor executable software instructions to perform steps further comprising:

comparing the locality identifier to a criteria table containing locality identifier values associated with particular applications;

comparing current time and date to time and data criteria stored in the criteria table if the locality identifier matches a locality identifier value in the criteria table; and

notifying the application if the locality identifier matches a locality identifier value in the criteria table associated with the application and current time and date satisfy the time and date criteria associated with the matched locality identifier value.

25. The mobile handset of claim 18, wherein the memory contains a criteria table containing locality identifier values associated with particular applications, and the processor is configured with processor executable software instructions to perform steps further comprising:

comparing the locality identifier to a criteria table containing locality identifier values associated with particular applications;

comparing current time and date to time and data criteria stored in the criteria table if the locality identifier matches a locality identifier value in the criteria table; and

activating the application if the locality identifier matches a locality identifier value in the criteria table associated with the application and current time and date satisfy the time and date criteria associated with the matched locality identifier.

26. The mobile handset of claim 24, wherein in the application sets a theme on the mobile handset in response to the locality identifier.

27. The mobile handset of claim 24, wherein in the application generates an alarm on the mobile handset in response to the locality identifier.

28. The mobile handset of claim 24, wherein in the application generates a message to be sent from the mobile handset in response to the locality identifier.

29. The mobile handset of claim 25, wherein the application sounds an alarm when the locality identifier matches an alarm locality identifier value in the criteria table and current time and date satisfy alarm time and date criteria associated with the matched alarm locality identifier.

30. The mobile handset of claim 25, wherein the application sets a theme when the locality identifier matches a theme locality identifier value in the criteria table and current time and date satisfy theme time and date criteria associated with the matched theme locality identifier.

31. The mobile handset of claim 25, wherein the application generates a message to be sent from the mobile handset when the locality identifier matches a message locality identifier value in the criteria table and current time and date satisfy theme time and date criteria associated with the matched message locality identifier.

32. The mobile handset of claim 18, wherein the locality identifier is a CellID.

33. The mobile handset of claim 24, wherein the locality identifier is a RoutingID.

34. The mobile handset of claim 25, wherein the locality identifier is a LocationID.