Location-based application program management

• US 8,620,344 B2
• Filed: 04/07/2010
• Issued: 12/31/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Huang, Ronald K., Grainger, Morgan
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Nimesh
• Application Number:
  US12/755,802
• Publication Number:
  US 20110250875A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,364 Days
• Field of Search: 455/456.1, 455/412.1, 455/456.3, 455/466.6, 455/502, 455/503, 455/525, 455/171.1, 455/181.1, 455/231, 368/14, 368/21, 368/10, 368/47, 370/328, 370/338, 342/125, 342/127
• US Class Current: 455/456.1
• 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 4/026 using orientation information, e.g. compass
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/38 for collecting sensor information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/50 Service provisioning or reconfiguring
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 60/00 Affiliation to network, e.g. registration; Terminating affiliation with the network, e.g. de-registration
• 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 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/16 Gateway arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

Methods, program products, and systems for location-based application program management are described. A mobile device can receive a first application program to be executed in an application subsystem. The first application program can be configured to be invoked or notified when the mobile device is located at a defined location. The mobile device can register the first application program to a second application program that executes in a baseband subsystem. The mobile device can set the application subsystem to a power-saving operating mode. The second application program can monitor a current location of the mobile device. When the mobile device is currently located at the defined location, the second application program can set the application subsystem to an active operating mode, and invoke the first application program.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method, the method comprising:

receiving, by a mobile device, an input associating a geographic area with an application program, the input specifying that the application program shall be invoked when the mobile device enters the geographic area, wherein the application program is configured to execute in an application subsystem of the mobile device, the application subsystem comprising an application processor;

submitting, by the mobile device and to a server, a request for information on monitoring whether the mobile device has entered the user-defined geographic area;

receiving, by the mobile device and from the server, an identifier of a wireless access gateway, the identifier being associated with the geographic area;

registering, by the mobile device, the identifier of the wireless access gateway to a baseband subsystem of the mobile device, the baseband subsystem having a baseband processor that consumes less power than the application processor when the application subsystem is activated;

monitoring, by the baseband subsystem of the mobile device while the application subsystem is in a power-saving operation mode, a wireless signal received by the mobile device, including determining that the wireless signal is associated with the registered identifier of the wireless access gateway;

notifying, by the baseband subsystem, the application subsystem of the mobile device that the mobile device has entered the geographic area; and

in response, activating the application subsystem and executing the application program by the application subsystem.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein:

the input includes a user input defining the geographic area.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the request includes at least one of coordinates of the geographic area or an identifier of the application program.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

after registering the identifier to the baseband subsystem, setting the application subsystem to the power-saving operation mode.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 4, wherein registering the identifier of the wireless access gateway comprises storing the identifier of the wireless access gateway and an identifier of the application program in the baseband subsystem.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the wireless access gateway includes a cell tower of a cellular communications network.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the wireless access gateway includes a wireless access point of a wireless local area network.

8. A system comprising:

a mobile device; and

a non-transitory storage device storing instructions operable to cause the mobile device to perform operations comprising;

receiving, by the mobile device, an input associating a geographic area with an application program, the input specifying that the application program shall be invoked when the mobile device enters the geographic area, wherein the application program is configured to execute in an application subsystem of the mobile device, the application subsystem comprising an application processor;

submitting, by the mobile device and to a server, a request for information on monitoring whether the mobile device has entered the user-defined geographic area;

receiving, by the mobile device and from the server, an identifier of a wireless access gateway, the identifier being associated with the geographic area;

registering, by the mobile device, the identifier of the wireless access gateway to a baseband subsystem of the mobile device, the baseband subsystem having a baseband processor that consumes less power than the application processor when the application subsystem is activated;

monitoring, by the baseband subsystem of the mobile device while the application subsystem is in a power-saving operation mode, a wireless signal received by the mobile device, including determining that the wireless signal is associated with the registered identifier of the wireless access gateway;

notifying, by the baseband subsystem, the application subsystem of the mobile device that the mobile device has entered the geographic area; and

in response, activating the application subsystem and executing the application program by the application subsystem.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the wireless access gateway includes at least one of a cell tower of a cellular communications network or a wireless access point of a wireless local area network, the identifier includes at least one or a cell identifier, location area code, or mobile country code when the wireless access gateway includes the cell tower, the identifier includes a media access control address when the wireless access gateway includes the wireless access point.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the input includes a user input defining the geographic area.

11. The system of claim 8, the operations further comprising, after registering the identifier to the baseband subsystem, setting the application subsystem to the power-saving operation mode.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein:

registering the identifier of the wireless access gateway comprises storing the identifier of the wireless access gateway and an identifier of the application program in the baseband subsystem.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein the request includes at least one of coordinates of the geographic area or an identifier of the application program.

14. A non-transitory storage device storing a computer program product operable to cause a data processing device to perform operations comprising:

receiving, by a mobile device, an input associating a geographic area with an application program, the input specifying that the application program shall be invoked when the mobile device enters the geographic area, wherein the application program is configured to execute in an application subsystem of the mobile device, the application subsystem comprising an application processor;

submitting, by the mobile device and to a server, a request for information on monitoring whether the mobile device has entered the user-defined geographic area;

receiving, by the mobile device and from the server, an identifier of a wireless access gateway, the identifier being associated with the geographic area;

registering, by the mobile device, the identifier of the wireless access gateway to a baseband subsystem of the mobile device, the baseband subsystem having a baseband processor that consumes less power than the application processor when the application subsystem is activated;

monitoring, by the baseband subsystem of the mobile device while the application subsystem is in a power-saving operation mode, a wireless signal received by the mobile device, including that the wireless signal is associated with the registered identifier of the wireless access gateway;

notifying, by the baseband subsystem, the application subsystem of the mobile device that the mobile device has entered the geographic area; and

in response, activating the application subsystem and executing the application program by the application subsystem.

15. The non-transitory storage device of claim 14, the operations further comprising:

after registering the identifier to the baseband subsystem, setting the application subsystem to the power-saving operation mode.

16. The non-transitory storage device of claim 14, wherein the wireless access gateway includes a cell tower of a cellular communications network.

17. The non-transitory storage device of claim 14, wherein the wireless access gateway includes a wireless access point of a wireless local area network.

18. The non-transitory storage device of claim 14, wherein the input includes a user input defining the geographic area.

19. The non-transitory storage device of claim 18, wherein the request includes at least one of coordinates of the geographic area or an identifier of the application program.

20. The non-transitory storage device of claim 18, wherein requesting the identifier of the wireless access gateway occurs when the mobile device moves from a first location area of a cellular network to a second location area of the cellular network.

21. The non-transitory storage device of claim 14, wherein registering the identifier of the wireless access gateway comprises storing the identifier of the wireless access gateway and an identifier of the application program in the baseband subsystem.