Triggered Location Services

• US 20100203902A1
• Filed: 02/08/2010
• Published: 08/12/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/09/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Wachter, Andreas K., Edge, Stephen W., Burroughs, Kirk Allan
• Granted Patent: US 9,125,018 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/456.300
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/20 Services signaling; Auxiliary data signalling, i.e. transmitting data via a non-traffic channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

Techniques for supporting triggered location services are described. In one design, at least one location related measurement for a terminal may be obtained and used to detect for a trigger event. For an equidistance triggered service, a trigger event may be declared if the distance traveled by the terminal exceeds a predefined distance. For a relative terminal to terminal triggered service, a trigger event may be declared if the terminal is inside or outside, or enters, or leaves a moving geographical target area defined by a reference terminal. For a velocity triggered service, a trigger event may be declared if the maximum velocity of the terminal exceeds a predefined velocity. For a time-distance-velocity combination triggered service, a trigger event may be declared based on distance traveled by the terminal, velocity of the terminal, and time since the last report. For all services, a report may be sent if a trigger event has occurred.

Claims

1. A method of supporting location services, comprising:

obtaining at least one location related measurement for a terminal, each location related measurement being for distance traveled by the terminal, or velocity of the terminal, or location of the terminal relative to a moving geographical target area; and

determining whether a trigger event has occurred based on the at least one location related measurement for the terminal.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one location related measurement is for the distance traveled by the terminal, and wherein the determining whether a trigger event has occurred comprises determining whether a trigger event has occurred based on the distance traveled by the terminal.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the determining the distance traveled by the terminal comprises

periodically determine the location of the terminal, and

determining the distance traveled by the terminal by accumulating distances between successive locations of the terminal since a last trigger event.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the determining the distance traveled by the terminal comprises determining the distance traveled by the terminal based on distance between a current location of the terminal and a starting location.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the determining the distance traveled by the terminal comprises determining the distance traveled by the terminal based on distance between a current location of the terminal and a starting location along a particular route.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein the determining whether a trigger event has occurred comprises determining that a trigger event has occurred if the distance traveled by the terminal exceeds a predefined distance.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one location related measurement is for the location of the terminal relative to the moving geographical target area, and wherein the determining whether a trigger event has occurred comprises determining whether a trigger event has occurred based on the location of the terminal relative to the moving geographical target area.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the determining the location of the terminal relative to the moving geographical target area comprises

determining location of a reference terminal, and

determining the moving geographical target area based on the location of the reference terminal.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the moving geographical target area is a circular area centered at the location of the reference terminal and having a predefined radius.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the determining whether a trigger event has occurred comprises determining that a trigger event has occurred if the location of the terminal matches a criterion with respect to the moving geographical target area, the criterion being inside, outside, entering, or leaving the moving geographical target area.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one location related measurement is for the velocity of the terminal, and wherein the determining whether a trigger event has occurred comprises determining whether a trigger event has occurred based on the velocity of the terminal.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the determining whether a trigger event has occurred comprises determining that a trigger event has occurred if the velocity of the terminal at any time since a last trigger event meets or exceeds a predefined velocity.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the determining whether a trigger event has occurred comprises determining that a trigger event has occurred if the velocity of the terminal is below a first level and thereafter meets or exceeds a second level.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one location related measurement is for the distance traveled by the terminal and the velocity of the terminal, and wherein the determining whether a trigger event has occurred comprises determining whether a trigger event has occurred based on the distance traveled by the terminal and the velocity of the terminal.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein whether a trigger event has occurred is determined based further on elapsed time since a last trigger event.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the determining whether a trigger event has occurred comprises

determining multiple expressions, each expression being for the distance traveled by the terminal relative to a predefined distance, or a maximum velocity of the terminal relative to a predefined velocity, or elapsed time relative to a predefined time, and

determining whether a trigger event has occurred based on a function of the multiple expressions.

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

sending a report if a trigger event has occurred.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one location related measurement for the terminal is obtained based on at least one signal exchanged between the terminal and a second terminal.

19. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

exchanging Secure User Plane Location (SUPL) messages to obtain the at least one location related measurement.

20. An apparatus for supporting location services, comprising:

means for obtaining at least one location related measurement for a terminal, each location related measurement being for distance traveled by the terminal, or velocity of the terminal, or location of the terminal relative to a moving geographical target area; and

means for determining whether a trigger event has occurred based on the at least one location related measurement for the terminal.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the at least one location related measurement is for the distance traveled by the terminal, and wherein the means for determining whether a trigger event has occurred comprises means for determining whether a trigger event has occurred based on the distance traveled by the terminal.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the means for determining whether a trigger event has occurred comprises means for determining that a trigger event has occurred if the distance traveled by the terminal exceeds a predefined distance.

23. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the at least one location related measurement is for the location of the terminal relative to the moving geographical target area, and wherein the means for determining whether a trigger event has occurred comprises means for determining whether a trigger event has occurred based on the location of the terminal relative to the moving geographical target area.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, further comprising:

means for determining location of a reference terminal, and

means for determining the moving geographical target area based on the location of the reference terminal.

25. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the at least one location related measurement is for the velocity of the terminal, and wherein the means for determining whether a trigger event has occurred comprises means for determining whether a trigger event has occurred based on the velocity of the terminal.

26. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the means for determining whether a trigger event has occurred comprises

means for determining a maximum velocity of the terminal since a last trigger event, and

means for determining that a trigger event has occurred if the maximum velocity exceeds a predefined velocity.

27. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the at least one location related measurement is for the distance traveled by the terminal and the velocity of the terminal, and wherein the means for determining whether a trigger event has occurred comprises means for determining whether a trigger event has occurred based on the distance traveled by the terminal and the velocity of the terminal.

28. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the means for determining whether a trigger event has occurred comprises

means for determining multiple expressions, each expression being for the distance traveled by the terminal relative to a predefined distance, or a maximum velocity of the terminal relative to a predefined velocity, or elapsed time relative to a predefined time, and

means for determining whether a trigger event has occurred based on a function of the multiple expressions.

29. An apparatus for supporting location services, comprising:

at least one processor configured to obtain at least one location related measurement for a terminal, each location related measurement being for distance traveled by the terminal, or velocity of the terminal, or location of the terminal relative to a moving geographical target area, and to determine whether a trigger event has occurred based on the at least one location related measurement for the terminal.

30. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the at least one processor is configured to determine the distance traveled by the terminal, and to determine whether a trigger event has occurred based on the distance traveled by the terminal.

31. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein the at least one processor is configured to determine that a trigger event has occurred if the distance traveled by the terminal exceeds a predefined distance.

32. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the at least one processor is configured to determine the location of the terminal relative to the moving geographical target area, and to determine whether a trigger event has occurred based on the location of the terminal relative to the moving geographical target area.

33. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein the at least one processor is configured to determine location of a reference terminal, and to determine the moving geographical target area based on the location of the reference terminal.

34. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the at least one processor is configured to determine the velocity of the terminal and to determine whether a trigger event has occurred based on the velocity of the terminal.

35. The apparatus of claim 34, wherein the at least one processor is configured to determine a maximum velocity of the terminal since a last trigger event, and to determine that a trigger event has occurred if the maximum velocity exceeds a predefined velocity.

36. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the at least one processor is configured to determine the distance traveled by the terminal and the velocity of the terminal, and to determine whether a trigger event has occurred based on the distance traveled by the terminal and the velocity of the terminal.

37. The apparatus of claim 36, wherein the at least one processor is configured to determine multiple expressions, each expression being for the distance traveled by the terminal relative to a predefined distance, or a maximum velocity of the terminal relative to a predefined velocity, or elapsed time relative to a predefined time, and to determine whether a trigger event has occurred based on a function of the multiple expressions.

38. A computer program product, comprising:

a computer-readable medium comprising;

code to cause at least one computer to obtain at least one location related measurement for a terminal, each location related measurement being for distance traveled by the terminal, or velocity of the terminal, or location of the terminal relative to a moving geographical target area, and

code to cause the at least one computer to determine whether a trigger event has occurred based on the at least one location related measurement for the terminal.

39. A method of supporting location services, comprising:

sending a request by a first terminal for velocity of a second terminal; and

receiving the velocity of the second terminal at the first terminal.

40. The method of claim 39, wherein the sending the request comprises sending the request to a location center, and wherein the receiving the velocity of the second terminal comprises receiving the velocity of the second terminal from the location center.

41. The method of claim 39, wherein the sending the request comprises sending the request to a location center, and wherein the receiving the velocity of the second terminal comprises receiving the velocity of the second terminal directly from the second terminal without going through the location center.

42. The method of claim 39, wherein the receiving the velocity of the second terminal comprises receiving the velocity of the second terminal a plurality of times based on the request.

43. The method of claim 39, wherein the velocity of the second terminal is determined based on measurement for a signal exchanged between the first terminal and the second terminal.

44. An apparatus supporting location services, comprising:

means for sending a request by a first terminal for velocity of a second terminal; and

means for receiving the velocity of the second terminal at the first terminal.

45. The apparatus of claim 44, wherein the means for sending the request comprises means for sending the request to a location center, and wherein the means for receiving the velocity of the second terminal comprises means for receiving the velocity of the second terminal from the location center.

46. The apparatus of claim 44, wherein the means for receiving the velocity of the second terminal comprises means for receiving the velocity of the second terminal a plurality of times based on the request.

47. An apparatus supporting location services, comprising:

at least one processor configured to send a request by a first terminal for velocity of a second terminal, and to receive the velocity of the second terminal at the first terminal.

48. The apparatus of claim 47, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to send the request to a location center, and to receive the velocity of the second terminal from the location center.

49. A computer program product, comprising:

a computer-readable medium comprising;

code to cause at least one computer to send a request by a first terminal for velocity of a second terminal, and

code to cause the at least one computer to receive the velocity of the second terminal at the first terminal.