SYSTEMS AND METHOD FOR CONFIGURING MOBILE DEVICE APPLICATOINS BASED ON LOCATION

• US 20140066101A1
• Filed: 08/02/2013
• Published: 03/06/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: eBay Inc.
• Original Assignee: eBay Inc.
• Inventors: Lyman, Nate, Russo, Frank
• Granted Patent: US 9,451,403 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/456.3
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• 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 4/50 Service provisioning or reconfiguring

Abstract

Methods and systems for automatically configuring mobile device applications based on location are described. In an example, methods and systems for enabling contextual in-store experience modification on a mobile device can include capabilities for altering the functionality of a mobile application based at least in part on the location of the mobile device. For example, a mobile shopping application can be configured to perform different functions depending upon the type of retail location the mobile device is currently in. Additionally, the mobile application can be configured to enable different functions between a retail location and a user'"'"'s residence, among other locations.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

monitoring, on a mobile device, a plurality of geofences representing physical locations;

detecting, based at least in part on a present location of the mobile device, entry into a first geofence of the plurality of geofences;

selecting, based on detecting entry into the first geofence, a mobile application configuration; and

configuring, on the mobile device, an application based on the selected mobile application configuration.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein configuring the application includes altering a function performed by the application according to the selected mobile application configuration.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein monitoring the plurality of geofences includes monitoring a plurality of types of geofences.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein selecting the mobile application configuration includes selecting a configuration associated with a first type of geofence of the plurality of types of geofences.

5. The method of claim 3, further including:

associating a type of geofence from the plurality of types of geofences with each geofence of the plurality of geofences; and

assigning a mobile application configuration to each type of geofence of the plurality of types of geofences.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting entry into the first geofence includes calculating a movement trajectory indicating that the mobile device is on a path into the first geofence.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein calculating the movement trajectory includes collecting and analyzing recent location data generated by the mobile device.

8. A mobile device comprising:

a processor;

a location generation circuit; and

a memory including instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the mobile device to;

monitor a plurality of geofences representing physical locations, the geofences stored in the memory;

detect, based at least in part on a present location of the mobile device generated by the location generation circuit, entry into a first geofence of the plurality of geofences;

select, based on detecting entry into the first geofence, a mobile application configuration stored in the memory; and

configure an application based on the selected mobile application configuration.

9. The mobile device of claim 8, wherein the instructions that cause the mobile device to configure the application further include instructions to alter a function performed by the application according to the selected mobile application configuration.

10. The mobile device of claim 8, wherein the instructions that cause the mobile device to monitor the plurality of geofences include instructions to monitor a plurality of types of geofences.

11. The mobile device of claim 10, wherein the instructions that cause the mobile device to select the mobile application configuration include instructions to select a configuration associated with a first type of geofence of the plurality of types of geofences.

12. The mobile device of claim 10, further including instructions that cause the mobile device to:

associate a type of geofence from the plurality of types of geofences with each geofence of the plurality of geofences; and

assign a mobile application configuration to each type of geofence of the plurality of types of geofences.

13. The mobile device of claim 8, wherein the instructions that cause the mobile device to detect entry into the first geofence include instructions to calculate a movement trajectory indicating that the mobile device is on a path into the first geofence.

14. The mobile device of claim 13, wherein the instructions to calculate the movement trajectory include instructions to collect and analyze recent location data generated by the mobile device.

15. A machine-readable storage medium including instructions that, when executed on a mobile device, cause the mobile device to:

monitor a plurality of geofences representing physical locations;

detect, based at least in part on a present location of the mobile device, entry into a first geofence of the plurality of geofences;

select, based on detecting entry into the first geofence, a mobile application configuration; and

configure an application based on the selected mobile application configuration.

16. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the instructions that cause the mobile device to configure the application further include instructions to alter a function performed by the application according to the selected mobile application configuration.

17. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the instructions that cause the mobile device to monitor the plurality of geofences include instructions to monitor a plurality of types of geofences.

18. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the instructions that cause the mobile device to select the mobile application configuration include instructions to select a configuration associated with a first type of geofence of the plurality of types of geofences.

19. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 17, further including instructions that cause the mobile device to:

associate a type of geofence from the plurality of types of geofences with each geofence of the plurality of geofences; and

assign a mobile application configuration to each type of geofence of the plurality of types of geofences.

20. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the instructions that cause the mobile device to detect entry into the first geofence include instructions to calculate a movement trajectory indicating that the mobile device is on a path into the first geofence.

21. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 20, wherein the instructions to calculate the movement trajectory include instructions to collect and analyze recent location data generated by the mobile device.