Method and apparatus for reducing transmission of location information

• US 8,626,184 B2
• Filed: 04/29/2009
• Issued: 01/07/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Dicke, Ronald Anthony
• Primary Examiner(s): TAYLOR, BARRY W
• Application Number:
  US12/432,226
• Publication Number:
  US 20100279706A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,714 Days
• Field of Search: 455/456.1, 455/456.2, 455/456.3, 455/456.5
• US Class Current: 455/456.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72457 according to geographic location
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/10 including a GPS signal receiver
• 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 52/0274 by switching on or off the equipment or parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

Provided is a method and apparatus for reducing transmission of location information when tracking the geographic location of one or more mobile devices. A mobile device generates location information using GPS technology and provides the location information to a communication device on an ongoing basis. In a first embodiment, if the location information of the mobile device is not needed, then the communication device transmits a message indicating that the location information of the mobile device is not needed. Upon receiving the message, the mobile device stops providing location information to the communication device on the ongoing basis. This can reduce the amount of information that gets transferred over the air between users sharing their location information.

Claims

1. A method for execution in a communication device, the method comprising:

displaying a graphic representation of a location of a mobile device on a screen of the communication device at a given resolution;

receiving location information of the mobile device on an ongoing basis;

determining whether location information of the mobile device is needed;

determining a specified distance corresponding to a pixel of the screen at the given resolution and

if location information of the mobile device is not needed, transmitting a message to the mobile device indicating that location information of the mobile device is not needed;

if location information of the mobile device is needed, transmitting a message to the mobile device indicating the specified distance and that an update of location information of the mobile device is needed only if the mobile device travels the specified distance.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

requesting to receive location information of the mobile device on an ongoing basis.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether location information of the mobile device is needed comprises:

determining whether an application that uses location information of the mobile device is tracking the mobile device.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

at some time after transmitting the message indicating that location information of the mobile device is not needed;

determining whether location information of the mobile device is needed; and

if location information of the mobile device is needed;

transmitting a message indicating that location information of the mobile device is needed; and

receiving location information of the mobile device on an ongoing basis.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein determining whether location information of the mobile device is needed comprises:

determining whether an application that uses location information of the mobile device is tracking the mobile device.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying on a screen a graphic representation of a location of the mobile device on a map at a given resolution.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the communication device is mobile, the method further comprising:

receiving a message indicating a specified distance and that an update of location information of the mobile device is needed only if the mobile device travels the specified distance;

sending location information of the communication device on an ongoing basis;

receiving a message indicating that location information of the communication device is not needed; and

in response to the message, ceasing to send location information of the communication device on the ongoing basis.

8. A computer readable medium having computer executable instructions stored thereon for execution on a processor of a communication device or a mobile device so as to implement the method of claim 1.

9. A method for execution in a mobile device, the method comprising:

sending location information of the mobile device on an ongoing basis by sending an update of location information of the mobile device whenever the mobile device travels a specified distance, wherein the specified distance is sent by a communication device and determined based on a current screen resolution of the communication device;

receiving a message indicating that location information of the mobile device is not needed; and

in response to the message, ceasing to send location information of the mobile device on the ongoing basis.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

upon ceasing to send location information of the mobile device on the ongoing basis, turning off a GPS receiver used for determining the location information of the mobile device.

11. A communication device comprising:

a network interface;

a processor;

a location message reducer configured for;

receiving location information of a mobile device on an ongoing basis;

determining whether location information of the mobile device is needed;

if location information of the mobile device is not needed, transmitting a message indicating that location information of the mobile device is not needed;

if location information of the mobile device is needed, transmitting a message to the mobile device indicating a specified distance and that an update of location information of the mobile device is needed only if the mobile device travels the specified distance, wherein the specified distance is determined based on a current screen resolution; and

a screen for displaying a graphic representation of a location of the mobile device on a map at a given resolution;

wherein the location message reducer is further configured for determining the specified distance as a distance that corresponds to a pixel of the screen at the given resolution; and

wherein receiving location information of the mobile device on the ongoing basis comprises receiving an update of location information of the mobile device whenever the mobile device travels the specified distance.

12. The communication device of claim 11, wherein the communication device is a wired device.

13. The communication device of claim 11, wherein the communication device is mobile and the network interface is a wireless access radio.

14. The communication device of claim 11, further comprising:

an application that uses location information of the mobile device;

wherein determining whether location information of the mobile device is needed comprises;

determining whether the application is tracking the location of the mobile device.

15. A mobile device comprising:

a wireless access radio;

a processor; and

a location data provider configured for;

sending location information of the mobile device on an ongoing basis, by sending an update of location information of the mobile device whenever the mobile device travels a specified distance wherein the specified distance is sent by a communication device and determined based on a current screen resolution of the communication device corresponding to a pixel of the screen of the communication device at the current screen resolution;

receiving a message indicating that location information of the mobile device is not needed; and

in response to the message, ceasing to send location information of the mobile device on the ongoing basis.

16. The mobile device of claim 15, further comprising:

a GPS receiver used for determining location information of the mobile device;

wherein the location data provider is further configured for;

upon ceasing to send location information of the mobile device on the ongoing basis, turning off the GPS receiver.