Method for updating location information on a wireless device

• US 8,509,677 B2
• Filed: 02/23/2007
• Issued: 08/13/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/23/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Fahmy, Samer, Klassen, Gerhard, Wormald, Chris
• Primary Examiner(s): MIZRAHI, DIANE D
• Application Number:
  US11/678,106
• Publication Number:
  US 20080207224A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,363 Days
• Field of Search: 4554561- 6
• US Class Current: 455/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0284 Relative positioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

A method is provided for updating a position of a mobile device coupled to a wireless communication network via one of a plurality of base stations. The method comprising the following steps. A position of the mobile device is determined. The mobile device then waits for a predefined trigger notification before determining an updated position of the mobile device. The predefined trigger notification is generated in response to a motion trigger. A device configured to implement the method as well as a computer readable medium comprising instructions to implement the method are also provided.

Claims

1. A method for updating a position of a mobile device coupled to a wireless communication network via one of a plurality of base stations, the method comprising:

determining a position of the mobile device; and

waiting for a predefined trigger notification before determining an updated position of the mobile device, the predefined trigger notification being generated in response to either a motion trigger or a time trigger, the time trigger being reset upon detection of the motion trigger, the time trigger comprising expiration of a polling time period, the polling time period determinative of a polling frequency, the polling frequency being reduced when the mobile device is determined to be stationary.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the motion trigger comprises a change in base station with which the mobile device communicates.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile device is determined to be stationary when no motion trigger is detected after a predefined number of detected time triggers.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the predefined time period is changed in small segments.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the predefined time period is changed in large segments.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the predefined time period is changed in accordance with time-of-day settings.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the time-of-day settings are determined from a calendar application executing on the mobile device.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the time-of-day settings are set by a user of the mobile device.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the time-of-day settings are set by a system administrator of the mobile device.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of detecting a pattern of a plurality of generated motion triggers for further determining a likelihood that the mobile device is in motion.

11. A mobile device coupled to a wireless communication network via one of a plurality of base stations, the mobile device comprising:

a positioning device configured to retrieve a position of the mobile device; and

a microprocessor configured to enable the positioning device to retrieve the position in response to a predefined trigger notification, the predefined trigger notification being generated in response to either a motion trigger or a time trigger, the time trigger being reset upon detection of the motion trigger, the time trigger comprising expiration of a polling time period, the polling time period determinative of a polling frequency, the polling frequency being reduced when the mobile device is determined to be stationary.

12. The mobile device of claim 11, further comprising a communication subsystem for generating the motion trigger in response to a change of base station.

13. The mobile device of claim 11, wherein wherein the mobile device is determined to be stationary when no motion trigger is detected after a predefined number of detected time triggers.

14. The mobile device of claim 11, wherein the predefined time period is changed in small segments.

15. The mobile device of claim 11, wherein the predefined time period is changed in large segments.

16. The mobile device of claim 11, wherein the predefined time period is changed in accordance with time-of-day settings.

17. The mobile device of claim 16, further comprising a calendar application, wherein the time-of-day settings are determined from the calendar application.

18. The mobile device of claim 16, wherein the microprocessor is further configured to detect a pattern of a plurality of generated motion triggers for further determining a likelihood that the mobile device is in motion.

19. A computer readable medium comprising instructions which, when executed on a mobile device coupled to a wireless communication network via one of a plurality of base stations, cause the mobile device to:

determine a position of the mobile device; and

wait for a predefined trigger notification before determining an updated position of the mobile device, the predefined trigger notification being generated in response to either a motion trigger or a time trigger, the time trigger being reset upon detection of the motion trigger, wherein the time trigger comprising expiration of a polling time period, the polling time period determinative of a polling frequency, the polling frequency being reduced when the mobile device is determined to be stationary.