Multi-tier geofence detection

• US 8,868,104 B2
• Filed: 08/05/2013
• Issued: 10/21/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Grainger, Morgan, Huang, Ronald K., Mayor, Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Nimesh
• Application Number:
  US13/959,626
• Publication Number:
  US 20140045521A1
• Time in Patent Office: 442 Days
• Field of Search: 455/456.1, 455/421.1, 455/503, 455/502, 455/525, 455/171.1, 455/181.1, 455/456.3, 455/456.6, 455/457, 455/67.11, 455/231, 368/14, 368/21, 368/10, 368/47, 370/328, 370/338
• US Class Current: 455/456.1
• 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 4/50 Service provisioning or reconfiguring
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management

Abstract

Methods, program products, and systems for multi-tier geofence detection are disclosed. In general, in one aspect, a mobile device can be configured to perform a task when the mobile device enters a geographic region. The mobile device can monitor a current location using a multi-tier approach. A baseband subsystem can monitor a coarse location of the mobile device using various course location parameters, such as a mobile country code (MCC), a location area code (LAC), or a cell identifier (cell ID), as the mobile device moves closer to the geographic region. Upon determining that the mobile device is in a cell that intersects the geographic region, the baseband subsystem can transfer the monitoring to the application subsystem. The task can be performed when the application subsystem determines that the mobile device is currently located in the geographic region.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

receiving, by a mobile device, a request to perform a location-based task, the location-based task comprising operations of executing a program when the mobile device is located in a specified geographic region, the program operable to present a user interface item on the mobile device, change data stored on the mobile device, or cause the mobile device to communicate with another device;

determining, based on a mobile country code (MCC) received by the mobile device, that the mobile device is located in a first region enclosing at least a portion of the specified geographic region, the first region corresponding to a country in which a cellular service provider providing the MCC operates;

upon determining that the mobile device is in the first region, triggering the mobile device to determine whether the mobile device is located in a second region using a location area code (LAC), the second region being inside of the first region and enclosing at least a portion of the specified geographic region, the second region corresponding to a location area being defined by the cellular service provider;

upon determining that the mobile device is in the second region, triggering the mobile device to determine whether the mobile device is located in a third region using a cellular identifier, the third region being inside of the second region and enclosing at least a portion of the specified geographic region, the third region corresponding to a cell of the cellular service provider;

upon determining that the mobile device is in the third region, triggering the mobile device to determine that the mobile device is located in the specified geographic region using a wireless system; and

in response to determining that the mobile device is located in the specified geographic region, executing the program.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first region, the second region, or the third region is a bounding polygon of the country, the location area, or the cell, respectively.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein triggering the mobile device to determine whether the mobile device is located in the second region includes, upon determine that the mobile device is located in the first region using the MCC:

determining the cellular service provider using the MCC and a received mobile network code (MNC); and

registering one or more LACs of the cellular service provider to be monitored by the mobile device, the one or more LACs including the LAC corresponding to the second region.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein triggering the mobile device to determine whether the mobile device is located in the third region includes, upon determine that the mobile device is located in the second region using the LAC, registering one or more cell identifiers corresponding to the LAC to be monitored by the mobile device, the one or more cell identifiers including the cell identifier corresponding to the third region.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the wireless system comprises a wireless local area network (WLAN) including one or more wireless access points.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein determining that the mobile device is located in the specified geographic region based on locations of the wireless access points.

7. A system mobile device comprising:

one or more processors; and

a non-transitory storage device storing computer instructions operable to cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising;

receiving, by a mobile device, a request to perform a location-based task, the location-based task comprising operations of executing a program when the mobile device is located in a specified geographic region, the program operable to present a user interface item on the mobile device, change data stored on the mobile device, or cause the mobile device to communicate with another device;

determining, based on a mobile country code (MCC) received by the mobile device, that the mobile device is located in a first region enclosing at least a portion of the specified geographic region, the first region corresponding to a country in which a cellular service provider providing the MCC operates;

upon determining that the mobile device is in the first region, triggering the mobile device to determine whether the mobile device is located in a second region using a location area code (LAC), the second region being inside of the first region and enclosing at least a portion of the specified geographic region, the second region corresponding to a location area being defined by the cellular service provider;

upon determining that the mobile device is in the second region, triggering the mobile device to determine whether the mobile device is located in a third region using a cellular identifier, the third region being inside of the second region and enclosing at least a portion of the specified geographic region, the third region corresponding to a cell of the cellular service provider;

upon determining that the mobile device is in the third region, triggering the mobile device to determine that the mobile device is located in the specified geographic region using a wireless system; and

in response to determining that the mobile device is located in the specified geographic region, executing the program.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein at least one of the first region, the second region, or the third region is a bounding polygon of the country, the location area, or the cell, respectively.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein triggering the mobile device to determine whether the mobile device is located in the second region includes, upon determine that the mobile device is located in the first region using the MCC:

determining the cellular service provider using the MCC and a received mobile network code (MNC); and

registering one or more LACs of the cellular service provider to be monitored by the mobile device, the one or more LACs including the LAC corresponding to the second region.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein triggering the mobile device to determine whether the mobile device is located in the third region includes, upon determine that the mobile device is located in the second region using the LAC, registering one or more cell identifiers corresponding to the LAC to be monitored by the mobile device, the one or more cell identifiers including the cell identifier corresponding to the third region.

11. The system of claim 7, wherein the wireless system comprises a wireless local area network (WLAN) including one or more wireless access points.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein determining that the mobile device is located in the specified geographic region based on locations of the wireless access points.

13. A non-transitory storage device storing computer instructions operable to cause one or more processors to perform operations comprising:

receiving, by a mobile device, a request to perform a location-based task, the location-based task comprising operations of executing a program when the mobile device is located in a specified geographic region, the program operable to present a user interface item on the mobile device, change data stored on the mobile device, or cause the mobile device to communicate with another device;

determining, based on a mobile country code (MCC) received by the mobile device, that the mobile device is located in a first region enclosing at least a portion of the specified geographic region, the first region corresponding to a country in which a cellular service provider providing the MCC operates;

upon determining that the mobile device is in the first region, triggering the mobile device to determine whether the mobile device is located in a second region using a location area code (LAC), the second region being inside of the first region and enclosing at least a portion of the specified geographic region, the second region corresponding to a location area being defined by the cellular service provider;

upon determining that the mobile device is in the second region, triggering the mobile device to determine whether the mobile device is located in a third region using a cellular identifier, the third region being inside of the second region and enclosing at least a portion of the specified geographic region, the third region corresponding to a cell of the cellular service provider;

upon determining that the mobile device is in the third region, triggering the mobile device to determine that the mobile device is located in the specified geographic region using a wireless system; and

in response to determining that the mobile device is located in the specified geographic region, executing the program.

14. The non-transitory storage device of claim 13, wherein at least one of the first region, the second region, or the third region is a bounding polygon of the country, the location area, or the cell, respectively.

15. The non-transitory storage device of claim 13, wherein triggering the mobile device to determine whether the mobile device is located in the second region includes, upon determine that the mobile device is located in the first region using the MCC:

determining the cellular service provider using the MCC and a received mobile network code (MNC); and

registering one or more LACs of the cellular service provider to be monitored by the mobile device, the one or more LACs including the LAC corresponding to the second region.

16. The non-transitory storage device of claim 13, wherein triggering the mobile device to determine whether the mobile device is located in the third region includes, upon determine that the mobile device is located in the second region using the LAC, registering one or more cell identifiers corresponding to the LAC to be monitored by the mobile device, the one or more cell identifiers including the cell identifier corresponding to the third region.

17. The non-transitory storage device of claim 13, wherein the wireless system comprises a wireless local area network (WLAN) including one or more wireless access points.

18. The non-transitory storage device of claim 17, wherein determining that the mobile device is located in the specified geographic region based on locations of the wireless access points.