System and method for determining mobile device location

• US 8,521,152 B2
• Filed: 07/23/2012
• Issued: 08/27/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Smith Micro Software Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Wavemarket Incorporated (Gen Digital Inc.)
• Inventors: Hotes, Scott, Polito, Anthony, Roumeliotis, Tasos
• Primary Examiner(s): MIZRAHI, DIANE D
• Application Number:
  US13/555,429
• Publication Number:
  US 20120289252A1
• Time in Patent Office: 400 Days
• Field of Search: 455/432, 455/456.1, 370/338, 340/568.1
• US Class Current: 455/423
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/34 Power consumption
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/02213 Receivers arranged in a network for determining the position of a transmitter
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/08 Mobility data transfer

Abstract

A computer-implemented mobile device locating method is provided. The method includes determining a current cell sector of a mobile device and comparing the current cell sector with a cell sector list of previously determined cell sectors. A current location of the mobile device is determined if the current cell sector is not listed in the cell sector list. The current location is compared with a last determined location. The current cell sector is added to the cell sector list if the current location is substantially the same as the last determined location. The cell sector list is cleared if the current location is not substantially the same as the last determined location.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented mobile device locating method comprising:

(a) determining a current cell sector of a mobile device;

(b) comparing the current cell sector with a cell sector list of previously determined cell sectors;

(c) determining a current location of the mobile device when the current cell sector is not listed in the cell sector list;

(d) comparing the current location with at least one prior determined location comprising a last determined location;

(e) adding the current cell sector to the cell sector list when the current location is substantially the same as the last determined location;

(f) clearing the cell sector list when the current location is not substantially the same as the last determined location; and

(g) repeating steps (a)-(f) after a first predetermined period of time.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising in the step (f) adding the current cell sector to the cell sector list after the clearing of the cell sector list.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

(h) determining the current location of the mobile device;

(i) comparing the current location with the last determined location;

(j) clearing the cell sector list when the current location is not substantially the same as the last determined location; and

(k) repeating steps (h)-(j) after a second predetermined period of time greater than the first predetermined period of time.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising in the step (j), adding the current cell sector to the cell sector list after the clearing of the cell sector list.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein step (g) comprises continually repeating steps (a)-(f) after the first predetermined period of time, and step (k) comprises continually repeating steps (h)-(j) after the second predetermined period of time.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein step (g) comprises continually repeating steps (a)-(f) after the first predetermined period of time, and step (k) comprises continually repeating steps (h)-(j) after the second predetermined period of time until the current location is not substantially the same as the last determined location, the method further comprising:

(l) setting an end moving time stamp when the current location is not substantially the same as the last determined location;

(m) determining the current location after a third predetermined period of time less than the second predetermined period of time;

(n) clearing the cell sector list and extending the end moving time stamp by a fourth predetermined period of time when the current location is not substantially the same as the last determined location;

(o) comparing a current time with the end moving time stamp; and

(p) repeating steps (l)-(o) until the current time exceeds the end moving time stamp, and repeating steps (h)-(k) when the current time exceeds the end moving time stamp.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

(q) determining the current cell sector after a fifth predetermined period of time;

(r) comparing the current cell sector with the cell sector list; and

(s) adding the current cell sector to the cell sector list and extending the end moving time stamp by a sixth predetermined period of time when the current cell sector is not listed;

wherein step (p) comprises repeating steps (l)-(o) and (q)-(s) until the current time exceeds the end moving time stamp.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising in the step (n) adding the current cell sector to the cell sector list after the clearing of the cell sector list.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the first predetermined period of time is substantially equal to the fifth predetermined period of time.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the fourth predetermined period of time is substantially equal to the sixth predetermined period of time.

11. The method of claim 3, wherein step (g) comprises continually repeating steps (a)-(f) after the first predetermined period of time, and step (k) comprises continually repeating steps (h)-(j) after the second predetermined period of time until an indication of an external action is generated, the method further comprising:

(l) setting an end moving time stamp when an indication of an external action is generated;

(m) determining the current location after a third predetermined period of time less than the second predetermined period of time;

(n) clearing the cell sector list and extending the end moving time stamp by a fourth predetermined period of time when the current location is not substantially the same as the last determined location;

(o) comparing a current time with the end moving time stamp; and

(p) repeating steps (l)-(o) until the current time exceeds the end moving time stamp, and repeating steps (a)-(f) and (h)-(k) when the current time exceeds the end moving time stamp.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the indication of an external action comprises at least one of an indication from an accelerometer that the mobile device is accelerating and an indication from a light sensor of a change in a level of incident radiation on the mobile device.

13. The method of claim 3, wherein step (g) comprises continually repeating steps (a)-(f) after the first predetermined period of time, and step (k) comprises continually repeating steps (h)-(j) after the second predetermined period of time until a current time substantially corresponds to a prior day'"'"'s time which substantially corresponds to a location change, the method further comprising:

(l) setting an end moving time stamp when the current time substantially corresponds to the prior day'"'"'s time substantially corresponding to the location change;

(m) determining the current location after a third predetermined period of time less than the first predetermined period of time;

(n) clearing the cell sector list and extending the end moving time stamp by a fourth predetermined period of time when the current location is not substantially the same as the last determined location;

(o) comparing a current time with the end moving time stamp; and

(p) repeating steps (l)-(o) until the current time exceeds the end moving time stamp, and repeating steps (a)-(f) and (h)-(k) when the current time exceeds the end moving time stamp.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

(c1) receiving an indication from an accelerometer that the mobile device is at least one of accelerating and moving; and

(c2) determining the current location of the mobile device in response to the indication that the mobile device is at least one of accelerating and moving.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

(c1) receiving an indication from a light sensor of a change in a level of incident radiation on the mobile device; and

(c2) determining the current location of the mobile device in response to the indication from the light sensor.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

(c1) identifying and saving times corresponding to location changes;

(c2) determining the current location of the mobile device in response to a current time being substantially equal to a prior day'"'"'s time corresponding to a location change.

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

in step (d) comparing the current location with a plurality of last determined locations;

in step (e) adding the current cell sector to the cell sector list when the current location is substantially the same as the plurality of last determined locations; and

in step (f) clearing the cell sector list when the current location is not substantially the same as the plurality of last determined locations.