Methods, Devices, and Computer Readable Storage Devices for Providing Optimized Location Information

• US 20150156603A1
• Filed: 11/29/2013
• Published: 06/04/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Zellner, Samuel N.
• Granted Patent: US 9,668,086 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/046 involving vehicles, e.g. floating traffic data [FTD] or vehicle traffic prediction
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/40 for vehicles, e.g. vehicle-to-pedestrians [V2P]

Abstract

Optimized location information is provided for a location based service. An event is detected which is indicative of an error in the location based service which degrades the performance of the location based service. A cause the error is determined, and is initiated the determined cause.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

detecting, by a processor, an event indicative of an error in a location based service which degrades the performance of the location based service;

determining, by the processor, a cause of the error; and

the determined cause.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the error degrades the performance of the location based service for at least one of a user of the location based service, a service provider, and a third party, and the error includes at least one of a conflict between a map and an actual location of a user of the location based service, an inability of a location system to determine a location of the user, detection of movement of the user that is inconsistent with a map provided for the location based service, a lack of availability of the map for the location based service, and an error reported by the user.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the cause of the error includes at least one of a user of the location based service, a map provided by the location based service, a location system providing location information for the location based service, processing by the location based service, and a component within a network providing the location based service.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising, responsive to determining that the cause of the error is the map, determining whether the error caused by the map is associated with a plurality of users, wherein initiating resolution of the error comprises updating the map for the plurality of users if the error caused by the map is determined to be associated with the plurality of users.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the location system includes a plurality of network components and an application executing on a mobile communication device, and the method further comprises determining whether the error is caused by a network component among the plurality of network components or the application responsive to determining that the cause of the error is the location system, wherein if the error is determined to be caused by the network component, initiating resolution of the error comprises selecting a different location system to provide location information for the location based service, and wherein if the error is determined to be caused by the application, initiating resolution of the error comprises directing the mobile communication device to execute a different application.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein if the cause of the error is determined to be the user, and the error includes a modification to the map by the user, initiating resolution of the error comprises:

determining a number of times the modification to the map by the user has occurred;

determining whether the number of times the modification to the map by the user has occurred meets a threshold; and

adjusting the map responsive to determining that the number of times the modification to the map by the user has occurred meets the threshold.

7. The method of claim 3, further comprising modifying the map or selecting an alternative map source, responsive to determining that the cause of the error is the map.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining whether the detected event is of a magnitude that meets a threshold, wherein determining the cause of the error and initiating resolution of the error are performed depending upon whether the detected event is of a magnitude that meets the threshold.

9. A device, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory having instructions stored thereon which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising;

detecting, an event indicative of an error in a location based service which degrades the performance of the location based service;

determining a cause of the error; and

the determined cause.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein the cause of the error includes at least one of a user of the location based service, a map provided by the location based service, a location system providing location information for the location based service, processing by the location based service, and a component within a network providing the location based service.

11. The device of claim 10, wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the processor to perform determining whether the error caused by the map is associated with a plurality of users responsive to determining that the cause of the error is the map, wherein initiating resolution of the error comprises updating the map for the plurality of users if the error caused by the map is determined to be associated with the plurality of users.

12. The device of claim 10, wherein the location system includes a plurality of network components and an application executing on a mobile communication device, and the instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the processor to perform:

determining whether the error is caused by a network component among the plurality of network components or the application responsive to determining that the cause of the error is the location system, wherein if the error is determined to be caused by the network component, initiating resolution of the error comprises selecting a different location system to provide location information for the location based service, and wherein if the error is determined to be caused by the application, initiating resolution of the error comprises directing the mobile communication device to execute a different application.

13. The device of claim 10, wherein if the cause of the error is determined to be the user, and the error includes a modification to the map by the user, initiating resolution of the error comprises:

determining a number of times the modification to the map by the user has occurred;

determining whether the number of times the modification to the map by the user has occurred meets a threshold; and

adjusting the map responsive to determining that the number of times the modification to the map by the user has occurred meets the threshold.

14. The device of claim 10, wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the processor to perform modifying the map or selecting an alternative map source, responsive to determining that the cause of the error is the map.

15. A computer readable storage device having instructions stored thereon which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

detecting, an event indicative of an error in a location based service which degrades the performance of the location based service;

determining a cause of the error; and

the determined cause.

16. The computer readable storage device of claim 15, wherein the cause of the error includes at least one of a user of the location based service, a map provided by the location based service, a location system providing location information for the location based service, processing by the location based service, and a component within a network providing the location based service.

17. The computer readable storage device of claim 16, wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the processor to perform determining whether the error caused by the map is associated with a plurality of users responsive to determining that the cause of the error is the map, wherein initiating resolution of the error comprises updating the map for the plurality of users if the error caused by the map is determined to be associated with the plurality of users.

18. The computer readable storage device of claim 16, wherein the location system includes a plurality of network components and an application executing on a mobile communication device, and the instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the processor to perform:

determining whether the error is caused by a network component among the plurality of network components or the application responsive to determining that the cause of the error is the location system, wherein if the error is determined to be caused by the network component, initiating resolution of the error comprises selecting a different location system to provide location information for the location based service, and wherein if the error is determined to be caused by the application, initiating resolution of the error comprises directing the mobile communication device to execute a different application.

19. The computer readable storage device of claim 16, wherein if the cause of the error is determined to be the user, and the error includes a modification to the map by the user, initiating resolution of the error comprises:

determining a number of times the modification to the map by the user has occurred;

determining whether the number of times the modification to the map by the user has occurred meets a threshold; and

adjusting the map responsive to determining that the number of times the modification to the map by the user has occurred meets the threshold.

20. The computer readable storage device of claim 16, wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the processor to perform modifying the map or selecting an alternative map source, responsive to determining that the cause of the error is the map.