Enhancing User Services with Indoor Traffic Information

• US 20150038171A1
• Filed: 08/02/2013
• Published: 02/05/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/02/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Uilecan, Ioan Vlad, Mehta, Sarin Shreyas
• Granted Patent: US 9,113,309 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/456.3
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/206 specially adapted for indoor navigation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0833 Tracking
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/109 Time management, e.g. calendars, reminders, meetings or time accounting
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/027 using movement velocity, acceleration information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/33 for indoor environments, e.g. buildings

Abstract

In some implementations, a mobile device can collect location, time and speed information associated with a building. The mobile device can transmit the location, time and speed information to a server. The server can collect location, time and speed information from multiple mobile devices. The server can determine average wait times (e.g., indoor traffic information) associated with areas of interest at a business or indoor location. The server can deliver the average wait times to mobile devices. The mobile devices can use the indoor traffic information to adjust reminders, calendar events, suggest the best times to visit a business or suggest which of several businesses to visit.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, at a mobile device, indoor traffic information associated with plurality of locations from a server;

receiving, at the mobile device, user input identifying a location;

generating, by the mobile device, a timing suggestion based on the indoor traffic information associated with the identified location;

presenting, by the mobile device, the timing suggestion.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein generating a timing suggestion includes determining which of the plurality of locations has a shortest wait time based on the indoor traffic information.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein generating a timing suggestion includes determining what period of a day a user should visit the identified location.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein generating a timing suggestion includes suggesting an adjustment to a reminder based on the indoor traffic information.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein generating a timing suggestion includes determining what day of a week a user should visit the identified location.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving indoor traffic information includes receiving wait times corresponding to periods of a day for the location.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving indoor traffic information includes receiving wait times corresponding to days of a week for the location.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving indoor traffic information includes receiving wait times corresponding to areas of interest within a building at the location.

9. A system comprising:

one or more processors; and

a non-transitory computer-readable medium including one or more sequences of instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, causes;

receiving, at a mobile device, indoor traffic information associated with plurality of locations from a server;

receiving, at the mobile device, user input identifying a location;

generating, by the mobile device, a timing suggestion based on the indoor traffic information associated with the identified location;

presenting, by the mobile device, the timing suggestion.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein generating a timing suggestion includes determining which of the plurality of locations has a shortest wait time based on the indoor traffic information.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein generating a timing suggestion includes determining what period of a day a user should visit the identified location.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein generating a timing suggestion includes suggesting an adjustment to a reminder based on the indoor traffic information.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein generating a timing suggestion includes determining what day of a week a user should visit the identified location.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein receiving indoor traffic information includes receiving wait times corresponding to periods of a day for the location.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein receiving indoor traffic information includes receiving wait times corresponding to days of a week for the location.

16. The system of claim 9, wherein receiving indoor traffic information includes receiving wait times corresponding to areas of interest within a building at the location.