Multi-tier geofence detection

• US 8,504,061 B2
• Filed: 04/07/2010
• Issued: 08/06/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Grainger, Morgan, Huang, Ronald K., Mayor, Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Nimesh
• Application Number:
  US12/756,016
• Publication Number:
  US 20110250901A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,217 Days
• Field of Search: 455/411, 455/412.2, 455/456.1, 455/466.6, 455/5.2, 455/5.3, 455/525, 455/171.1, 455/181.1, 455/231, 368/14, 368/21, 368/10, 368/47, 370/328, 370/338
• US Class Current: 455/456.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• 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 4/50 Service provisioning or reconfiguring
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management

Abstract

Methods, program products, and systems for multi-tier geofence detection are disclosed. In general, in one aspect, a mobile device can be configured to perform a task when the mobile device enters a geographic region. The mobile device can monitor a current location using a multi-tier approach. A baseband subsystem can monitor a coarse location of the mobile device using various course location parameters, such as a mobile country code (MCC), a location area code (LAC), or a cell identifier (cell ID), as the mobile device moves closer to the geographic region. Upon determining that the mobile device is in a cell that intersects the geographic region, the baseband subsystem can transfer the monitoring to the application subsystem. The task can be performed when the application subsystem determines that the mobile device is currently located in the geographic region.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

receiving, by a mobile device, a request to perform a location-based task, the location-based task comprising operations of executing a program when the mobile device is located in a specified geographic region;

monitoring, using a baseband subsystem of the mobile device while an application subsystem of the mobile device is in a power-saving mode, a current location of the mobile device, including;

comparing at least a portion of a current location identifier received by the baseband subsystem from a cellular network with a first registered location identifier, the first registered location identifier corresponding to a first tier of location granularity and being registered with the baseband subsystem by the application subsystem; and

based on a result of the comparing, activating the application subsystem, wherein the application subsystem comprises an application processor, and the baseband subsystem comprises a baseband processor that consumes less power than the application subsystem when the application subsystem is activated;

triggering, by the application subsystem upon being activated, a change of location monitoring, the change of location monitoring including at least one of;

registering, at the baseband subsystem, a second location identifier corresponding to a second tier of location granularity for monitoring a current location;

or

transferring location monitoring to the application subsystem; and

performing the task by the mobile device upon determining, by either the baseband subsystem or the application subsystem, that the current location of the mobile device is within the geographic region.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the received current location identifier comprises a current location area code, the first registered location identifier comprises a registered location area code, and monitoring the current location of the mobile device by the baseband subsystem includes:

comparing the current location area code with the registered location area code; and

upon determining that the current location area code matches the registered location area code, activating the application subsystem of the mobile device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the received current location identifier comprises a current mobile country code, the first registered location identifier comprises a registered mobile country code, and monitoring the current location of the mobile device by the baseband subsystem includes:

comparing the current mobile country code with the registered mobile country code; and

upon determining that the current mobile country code matches the registered mobile country code, activating the application subsystem.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the received current location identifier comprises a current mobile network code, the first registered location identifier comprises a registered mobile network code, and monitoring the current location of the mobile device by the baseband subsystem includes:

comparing the current mobile network code with the registered mobile network code; and

upon determining that the current network code matches the registered network country code, activating the application subsystem.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the received current location identifier comprises a current cell identifier, the first registered location identifier comprises a registered cell identifier, and monitoring the current location of the mobile device by the baseband subsystem includes:

comparing the current cell identifier with the registered cell identifier; and

upon determining that the current cell identifier matches the registered cell identifier, activating the application subsystem.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein transferring location monitoring to the application subsystem includes invoking an application program that triangulates the current location based on locations of one or more wireless access gateways, the application program executing by the application subsystem of the mobile device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein transferring location monitoring to the application subsystem includes determining the current location using a global positioning system (GPS) signal.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein:

performing the location-based task includes invoking an application program by the application subsystem.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the wireless access gateways include wireless access points of a wireless local area network.

10. A system comprising:

an interface configured for receiving a request to perform a location-based task, the location-based task comprising executing a program when a mobile device is located in a specified geographic region;

an application subsystem comprising an application processor; and

a baseband subsystem comprising a baseband processor configured for monitoring a current location of the mobile device while the application subsystem of the mobile device is in a power-saving mode, monitoring the current location comprising;

comparing at least a portion of a current location identifier received by the baseband subsystem from a cellular network with a first registered location identifier, the first registered location identifier corresponding to a first tier of location granularity and being registered with the baseband subsystem by the application subsystem;

based on a result of the comparing, activating the application subsystem, wherein the application subsystem comprises an application processor, and the baseband subsystem comprises a baseband processor that consumes less power than the application subsystem when the application subsystem is activated; and

triggering, by the application subsystem upon being activated, a change of location monitoring, the change of location monitoring including at least one of;

registering, at the baseband subsystem, a second location identifier corresponding to a second tier of location granularity for monitoring a current location;

or

transferring location monitoring to the application subsystem,

wherein the application subsystem performs the task upon determining, by either the baseband subsystem or the application subsystem, that the current location of the mobile device is within the geographic region.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the received current location identifier comprises a current location area code, the first registered location identifier comprises a registered location area code, and monitoring the current location of the mobile device by the baseband processor includes:

comparing the current location area code with the registered location area code; and

upon determining that the current location area code matches the registered location area code, activating the application subsystem of the mobile device.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the received current location identifier comprises a current mobile country code, the first registered location identifier comprises a registered mobile country code, and monitoring the current location of the mobile device by the baseband processor includes:

comparing the current mobile country code with the registered mobile country code; and

upon determining that the current mobile country code matches the registered mobile country code, activating the application subsystem of the mobile device.

13. A computer program product, tangibly stored on a mobile device, operable to cause the mobile device to perform operations comprising:

receiving a request to perform a location-based task, the location-based task comprising operations of executing a program when the mobile device is located in a specified geographic region;

monitoring, using a baseband subsystem of the mobile device while an application subsystem of the mobile device is in a power-saving mode, a current location of the mobile device, including;

comparing at least a portion of a current location identifier received by the baseband subsystem from a cellular network with a first registered location identifier, the first registered location identifier corresponding to a first tier of location granularity and being registered with the baseband subsystem by the application subsystem; and

based on a result of the comparing, activating the application subsystem, wherein the application subsystem comprises an application processor, and the baseband subsystem comprises a baseband processor that consumes less power than the application subsystem when the application subsystem is activated;

triggering, by the application subsystem upon being activated, a change of location monitoring, the change of location monitoring including at least one of;

registering, at the baseband subsystem, a second location identifier corresponding to a second tier of location granularity for monitoring a current location;

or

transferring location monitoring to the application subsystem; and

performing the task by the mobile device upon determining, by either the baseband subsystem or the application subsystem, that the current location of the mobile device is within the geographic region.

14. The product of claim 13, wherein the received current location identifier comprises a current location area code, the first registered location identifier comprises a registered location area code, and monitoring the current location of the mobile device by the baseband subsystem includes:

comparing the current location area code with the registered location area code; and

upon determining that the current location area code matches the registered location area code, activating the application subsystem of the mobile device.

15. The product of claim 13, wherein the received current location identifier comprises a current mobile country code, the first registered location identifier comprises a registered mobile country code, and monitoring the current location of the mobile device by the baseband subsystem includes:

comparing the current mobile country code with a registered mobile country code; and

upon determining that the current mobile country code matches the registered mobile country code, activating the application subsystem.

16. The product of claim 13, wherein the received current location identifier comprises a current mobile network code, the first registered location identifier comprises a registered mobile network code, and monitoring the current location of the mobile device by the baseband subsystem includes:

comparing the current mobile network code with the registered mobile network code; and

upon determining that the current network code matches the registered network country code, activating the application subsystem.

17. The product of claim 13, wherein the received current location identifier comprises a current cell identifier, the first registered location identifier comprises a registered lo cell identifier, and monitoring the current location of the mobile device by the baseband subsystem includes:

comparing the current cell identifier with the registered cell identifier; and

upon determining that the current cell identifier matches the registered cell identifier, activating the application subsystem.

18. The product of claim 13, wherein transferring location monitoring to the application subsystem includes invoking an application program that triangulates the current location based on locations of the one or more wireless access gateways, the application program executing in the application subsystem of the mobile device.