Adjusting GPS communication with a wireless device

• US 7,679,553 B1
• Filed: 08/01/2008
• Issued: 03/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/01/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Lee, Chunkwok
• Primary Examiner(s): PHAN, DAO LINDA
• Application Number:
  US12/184,603
• Time in Patent Office: 592 Days
• Field of Search: 342/357.02, 342/357.06, 342/357.12, 342/357.15, 701/213, 701/215
• US Class Current: 342/357.74
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/34 Power consumption

Abstract

Adjusting the GPS fix frequency of a wireless device is described. For example, a computer-implemented method according to one embodiment comprises: attempting GPS fix operations on a wireless device according to a first schedule; detecting one or more unsuccessful GPS fix operations; determining whether a location identified by a previous successful GPS fix operation is at or within a specified range from a first specified location; if the location identified by the previous successful GPS fix operation is at or within a specified range from a first specified location, then adjusting the wireless device to perform GPS fix operations according to a second schedule; and if the location identified by the previous successful GPS fix operation is not at or within a specified range from a first specified location, then adjusting the wireless device to perform GPS fix operations according to a third schedule.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

attempting GPS fix operations on a wireless device according to a first schedule;

detecting one or more unsuccessful GPS fix operations;

determining whether a location identified by a previous successful GPS fix operation is at or within a specified range from a specified location;

if the location identified by the previous successful GPS fix operation is at or within the specified range from the specified location, then adjusting the wireless device to perform the GPS fix operations according to a second schedule; and

if the location identified by the previous successful GPS fix operation is not at or within the specified range from the specified location, then adjusting the wireless device to perform the GPS fix operations according to a third schedule.

2. The method as in claim 1 wherein both the second schedule and the third schedule comprises increasing a time period between successive GPS fix operations relative to the first schedule.

3. The method as in claim 2 further comprising:

decreasing the time period between the successive GPS fix operations upon detecting a successful GPS fix operation.

4. The method as in claim 1 further comprising:

evaluating a time of day, day of week, date, or user calendar entries when determining the second schedule.

5. The method as in claim 1 wherein the third schedule comprises:

increasing a time period between the GPS fix operations after detecting N unsuccessful attempts, where N is greater than or equal to 1; and

increasing the time period between the GPS fix operations again after detecting M additional unsuccessful attempts, where M is greater than or equal to 1.

6. The method as in claim 1 wherein the specified location is a location of a user'"'"'s home.

7. The method as in claim 1 wherein the specified location is a location of a user'"'"'s business.

8. A system comprising at least one memory for storing program code and at least one processor for processing the program code to perform the operations of:

attempting GPS fix operations on a wireless device according to a first schedule;

detecting one or more unsuccessful GPS fix operations;

determining whether a location identified by a previous successful GPS fix operation is at or within a specified range from a first specified location;

if the location identified by the previous successful GPS fix operation is at or within the specified range from the specified location, then adjusting the wireless device to perform the GPS fix operations according to a second schedule; and

if the location identified by the previous successful GPS fix operation is not at or within the specified range from the specified location, then adjusting the wireless device to perform the GPS fix operations according to a third schedule.

9. The system as in claim 8 wherein both the second schedule and the third schedule comprises increasing a time period between successive GPS fix operations relative to the first schedule.

10. The system as in claim 9 comprising additional program code to cause the processor to perform the operations of:

decreasing the time period between the successive GPS fix operations upon detecting a successful GPS fix operation.

11. The system as in claim 8 comprising additional program code to cause the processor to perform the operations of:

evaluating a time of day, day of week, date, or user calendar entries when determining the second schedule.

12. The system as in claim 8 wherein the third schedule comprises:

increasing a time period between the GPS fix operations after detecting N unsuccessful attempts, where N is greater than or equal to 1; and

increasing the time period between the GPS fix operations again after detecting M additional unsuccessful attempts, where M is greater than or equal to 1.

13. The system as in claim 8 wherein the specified location is a location of a user'"'"'s home.

14. The system as in claim 8 wherein the specified location is a location of a user'"'"'s business.

15. A machine-readable medium having program code stored thereon which, when executed by a machine, causes the machine to perform the operations of:

attempting GPS fix operations on a wireless device according to a first schedule;

detecting one or more unsuccessful GPS fix operations;

determining whether a location identified by a previous successful GPS fix operation is at or within a specified range from a specified location;

if the location identified by the previous successful GPS fix operation is at or within the specified range from the specified location, then adjusting the wireless device to perform the GPS fix operations according to a second schedule; and

if the location identified by the previous successful GPS fix operation is not at or within the specified range from the specified location, then adjusting the wireless device to perform the GPS fix operations according to a third schedule.

16. The machine-readable medium as in claim 15 wherein both the second schedule and the third schedule comprises increasing a time period between successive GPS fix operations relative to the first schedule.

17. The machine-readable medium as in claim 16 comprising additional program code to cause the processor to perform the operations of:

decreasing the time period between the successive GPS fix operations upon detecting a successful GPS fix operation.

18. The machine-readable medium as in claim 15 comprising additional program code to cause the processor to perform the operations of:

evaluating a time of day, day of week, date, or user calendar entries when determining the second schedule.

19. The machine-readable medium as in claim 15 wherein the third schedule comprises:

increasing a time period between the GPS fix operations after detecting N unsuccessful attempts, where N is greater than or equal to 1; and

increasing the time period between the GPS fix operations again after detecting M additional unsuccessful attempts, where M is greater than or equal to 1.

20. The machine-readable medium as in claim 15 wherein the specified location is a location of a user'"'"'s home.

21. The machine-readable medium as in claim 15 wherein the specified location is a location of a user'"'"'s business.

22. A computer-implemented method comprising:

attempting GPS fix operations on a wireless device according to a first schedule;

detecting one or more unsuccessful GPS fix operations;

determining whether a location identified by a previous successful GPS fix operation is at or within a specified range from a specified location;

if the location identified by the previous successful GPS fix operation is at or within the specified range from the specified location, then adjusting the wireless device to perform the GPS fix operations according to a second schedule.

23. The method as in claim 22 further comprising:

detecting N unsuccessful GPS fix operations; and

responsively adjusting the wireless device to perform the GPS fix operations according to the second schedule, the second schedule comprising less frequent GPS fix operations relative to the first schedule.

24. A computer-implemented method comprising:

attempting GPS fix operations on a wireless device according to a first schedule;

determining whether a location identified by a previous successful GPS fix operation is at or within a specified range from a specified location, the specified location stored in a database and associated with a probability of achieving successful GPS fix operations;

if the location identified by the previous successful GPS fix operation is at or within the specified range from the specified location, then adjusting the wireless device to perform the GPS fix operations according to a second schedule based on the probability of achieving successful GPS fix operations associated with the specified location.