Managing use of location-identification services

• US 8,855,922 B1
• Filed: 10/02/2013
• Issued: 10/07/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/09/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Starenky, Victor, Kennberg, Alex
• Primary Examiner(s): Marc, McDieunel
• Application Number:
  US14/044,830
• Time in Patent Office: 370 Days
• Field of Search: 701/410, 455/404.2, 455/456.1, 455/456.5, 429/143, 429/147, 342/357.25, 342/387, 342/394, 340/998, 370/338
• US Class Current: 701/410
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/20 Instruments for performing navigational calculations G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/42 Determining position
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0252 Radio frequency fingerprinting
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/024 Guidance services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

In general, the subject matter described in this specification can be embodied in methods, systems, and program products for identifying a location of a mobile computing device. A first location estimate of a mobile computing device and an accuracy of the first location estimate is determined at a mobile computing device based on wireless signals received from one or more beacons. A time period based on the accuracy of the first location estimate is determined. One or more subsequent location estimates of the mobile computing device and respective accuracies are determined. The determination of the subsequent location estimates is stopped at an end of the time period. A preferred location estimate from the determined location estimates is determined at the mobile computing device.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for providing weather information on a mobile computing device, the method comprising:

determining, at the mobile computing device and based on wireless signals received from one or more beacons, a preferred location estimate of a user of the mobile computing device;

determining, whether the user is on vacation based on a comparison of the preferred location estimate to one or more favorite locations of the user;

displaying, on the mobile computing device, an extended weather forecast at the preferred location estimate if the user is on vacation; and

displaying, on the mobile computing device, the current weather if the user is not on vacation.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more beacons includes one or more satellites of a space-based location identification system.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more favorite locations comprise at least one of:

the user'"'"'s home, the user'"'"'s work, or a restaurant.

4. The method of claim 1, comprising obtaining the one or more favorite locations from a server.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether the user is on vacation comprises determining that the user is on vacation if the preferred location estimate is close to the one or more favorite locations of the user.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether the user is on vacation comprises determining that the user is not on vacation if the preferred location estimate is not close to the one or more favorite locations of the user.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein determining a preferred location estimate comprises:

determining a first location estimate of the mobile computing device and an accuracy of the first location estimate;

determining a time period based on the accuracy of the first location estimate, wherein the time period is a long time period if the accuracy of the first location estimate is below a threshold accuracy value, the time period is a short time period if the accuracy of the first location estimate is above the threshold accuracy value;

determining one or more subsequent location estimates of the mobile computing device and respective accuracies during the time period; and

determining the preferred location from the first location estimate and the one or more subsequent location estimates.

8. A computer program product, stored on a non-transitory tangible computer-readable storage medium, for identifying a location of a mobile computing device, the product comprising computer program instructions operable to cause a processor of the mobile computing device to perform operations comprising:

determining, at the mobile computing device and based on wireless signals received from one or more beacons, a preferred location estimate of a user of the mobile computing device;

determining, whether the user is on vacation based on a comparison of the preferred location estimate to one or more favorite locations of the user;

displaying, on the mobile computing device, an extended weather forecast at the preferred location estimate if the user is on vacation; and

displaying, on the mobile computing device, the current weather if the user is not on vacation.

9. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the one or more beacons includes one or more satellites of a space-based location identification system.

10. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the one or more favorite locations comprise at least one of:

the user'"'"'s home, the user'"'"'s work, or a restaurant.

11. The computer program product of claim 8, the computer program product further comprising computer program instructions operable to cause a processor to perform operations comprising:

obtaining the one or more favorite locations from a server.

12. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein determining whether the user is on vacation comprises determining that the user is on vacation if the preferred location estimate is close to the one or more favorite locations of the user.

13. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein determining whether the user is on vacation comprises determining that the user is not on vacation if the preferred location estimate is not close to the one or more favorite locations of the user.

14. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein determining a preferred location estimate comprises:

determining a first location estimate of the mobile computing device and an accuracy of the first location estimate;

determining a time period based on the accuracy of the first location estimate, wherein the time period is a long time period if the accuracy of the first location estimate is below a threshold accuracy value, the time period is a short time period if the accuracy of the first location estimate is above the threshold accuracy value;

determining one or more subsequent location estimates of the mobile computing device and respective accuracies during the time period; and

determining the preferred location from the first location estimate and the one or more subsequent location estimates.

15. A mobile computing device comprising:

a display device;

a non-transitory tangible computer-readable storage medium having a computer program product stored thereon for identifying a location of the mobile computing device, the product comprising computer program instructions operable to cause a processor of the mobile computing device to perform operations comprising;

determining, at the mobile computing device and based on wireless signals received from one or more beacons, a preferred location estimate of a user of the mobile computing device;

determining, whether the user is on vacation based on a comparison of the preferred location estimate to one or more favorite locations of the user;

displaying, via the display device, an extended weather forecast at the preferred location estimate if the user is on vacation; and

displaying, via the display device, the current weather if the user is not on vacation.

16. The mobile computing device of claim 15, wherein the one or more beacons includes one or more satellites of a space-based location identification system.

17. The mobile computing device of claim 15, wherein the one or more favorite locations comprise at least one of:

the user'"'"'s home, the user'"'"'s work, or a restaurant.

18. The mobile computing device of claim 15, the computer program product further comprising computer program instructions operable to cause a processor to perform operations comprising:

obtaining the one or more favorite locations from a server.

19. The mobile computing device of claim 15, wherein determining whether the user is on vacation comprises determining that the user is on vacation if the preferred location estimate is close to the one or more favorite locations of the user.

20. The mobile computing device of claim 15, wherein determining whether the user is on vacation comprises determining that the user is not on vacation if the preferred location estimate is not close to the one or more favorite locations of the user.

21. The mobile computing device of claim 15, wherein determining a preferred location estimate comprises:

determining a first location estimate of the mobile computing device and an accuracy of the first location estimate;

determining a time period based on the accuracy of the first location estimate, wherein the time period is a long time period if the accuracy of the first location estimate is below a threshold accuracy value, the time period is a short time period if the accuracy of the first location estimate is above the threshold accuracy value;

determining one or more subsequent location estimates of the mobile computing device and respective accuracies during the time period; and

determining the preferred location from the first location estimate and the one or more subsequent location estimates.