Mobile state determination of location aware devices

• US 8,886,457 B2
• Filed: 03/31/2011
• Issued: 11/11/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Brandt, Eli U.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tarcza, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): GOLDMAN, RICHARD A
• Application Number:
  US13/077,708
• Publication Number:
  US 20120253656A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,321 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 701/444
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/20 Instruments for performing navigational calculations G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3484 Personalized, e.g. from learned user behaviour or user-defined profiles

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for determining the mode of travel of a location aware device. Data from the location aware device is received, which includes location aware data about the speed, location, and navigational route of the location aware device and data about the connection of the location aware device to a power source. These features of data from the location aware device are used to determine the mode of travel of the location aware device. The data from the location aware device can also be used to determine preferred routes of navigation, speed of roads, and traffic on roads.

Claims

1. A method for determining a mode of travel for a user of a location aware device, the method comprising:

receiving, by a computer system, data from a location aware device indicating locations of the location aware device at different times;

calculating, by the computer system, a travel speed of the location aware device based on the received data;

comparing, by the computer system, the calculated travel speed to a plurality of thresholds;

determining, by the computer system, a plurality of potential modes of travel of a user of the location aware device based on the calculated travel speed being included in at least two thresholds from the plurality of thresholds; and

responsive to determining the plurality of potential modes of travel, selecting, by the computer system from the plurality of potential modes of travel, a mode of travel of the user based on information received from the location aware device indicating whether the location aware device is connected to an external power source.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the mode of travel is selected to be a vehicle if the information indicates that the location aware device is connected to the external power source.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the mode of travel is selected to be non-motorized travel if the information indicates that the location aware device is not connected to the external power source.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the information indicates that the location aware device is permanently connected to the external power source.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the information indicates that the location aware device is temporarily connected to the external power source.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving data from the location aware device that indicates that the location aware device is held or carried by the user.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving data comprising a speed of the location aware device.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving data comprising an acceleration of the location aware device.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the travel speed of the location aware device is estimated as a speed at a designated percentile in a probability distribution of speeds.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the mode of travel is selected to be a vehicle if the calculated travel speed is greater than a threshold amount of a threshold from the plurality of thresholds and the information received from the location aware device indicates that the location aware device is connected to an external power source.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the mode of travel is determined to be a bicycle if the calculated travel speed is between certain threshold amounts associated with thresholds from plurality of thresholds and the information received from the location aware device indicates that the location aware device is not connected to an external power source.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the mode of travel is determined to be walking if the calculated travel speed is below a threshold amount of a threshold from the plurality of thresholds and the information received from the location aware device indicates that the location aware device is not connected to an external power source.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining an acceleration of the location aware device; and

selecting the mode of travel of the user based on the acceleration and the received information indicating whether the location aware device is connected to an external power source.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a navigational route of the location aware device based on a plurality of locations of the location aware device; and

selecting the mode of travel of the user based on the determined navigational route and the received information indicating whether the location aware device is connected to an external power source.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the mode of travel is selected to be a vehicle based on the navigational route following a highway.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the mode of travel is selected to be walking based on the navigational route following a walking path.

17. The method of claim 14, further comprising determining a suggested travel route for the user based on the selected mode of travel.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein determining the suggested travel route is responsive to a request for directions from the user.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the travel speed of the location aware device is calculated based on an average speed of a road, the average speed of the road determined based on speeds of a plurality location aware devices.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the location aware device determines the locations of the location aware device at different times using a geospatial satellite system.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein the location aware device determines the locations of the location aware device at different times using a location based service.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein the location aware device determines the locations of the location aware device at different times using dead reckoning.

23. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of potential modes of travel of the user include a vehicle travel mode and a biking travel mode.

24. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing executable computer program instructions for determining a mode of travel for a location aware device, the computer program instructions comprising instructions for:

receiving data from a location aware device indicating locations of the location aware device at different times;

calculating a travel speed of the location aware device based on the received data;

comparing the calculated travel speed to a plurality of thresholds;

determining a plurality of potential modes of travel of a user of the location aware device based on the calculated travel speed being included in at least two thresholds from the plurality of thresholds; and

responsive to determining the plurality of potential modes of travel, selecting, from the plurality of potential modes of travel, a mode of travel of the user based on information received from the location aware device indicating whether the location aware device is connected to an external power source.

25. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 24, wherein the mode of travel is selected to be a vehicle if the information indicates that the location aware device is connected to the external power source.

26. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 24, wherein the mode of travel is selected to be non-motorized travel if the information indicates that the location aware device is not connected to the external power source.

27. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 24, wherein the information indicates that the location aware device is permanently connected to the external power source.

28. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 24, wherein the information indicates that the location aware device is temporarily connected to the external power source.

29. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 24, further comprising receiving data from the location aware device that indicates that the location aware device is held or carried by the user.

30. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 24, further comprising receiving data comprising a speed of the location aware device.

31. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 24, further comprising receiving data comprising an acceleration of the location aware device.

32. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 24, wherein the travel speed of the location aware device is estimated as a speed at a designated percentile in a probability distribution of speeds.

33. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 24,

wherein the mode of travel is selected to be a vehicle if the calculated travel speed is greater than a threshold amount of a threshold from the plurality of thresholds and the information received from the location aware device indicates that the location aware device is connected to an external power source.

34. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 24, wherein the mode of travel is selected to be a bicycle if the calculated travel speed is between certain threshold amounts associated with thresholds from plurality of thresholds and the information received from the location aware device indicates that the location aware device is not connected to an external power source.

35. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 24, wherein the mode of travel is determined to be walking if the calculated travel speed is below a threshold amount of a threshold from plurality of thresholds and the information received from the location aware device indicates that the location aware device is not connected to an external power source.

36. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 24, further comprising:

determining an acceleration of the location aware device; and

selecting the mode of travel of the user based on the acceleration and the received information indicating whether the location aware device is connected to an external power source.

37. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 24, further comprising:

determining a navigational route of the location aware device based a plurality of locations of the location aware device; and

selecting the mode of travel of the user based on the determined navigational route and the received information indicating whether the location aware device is connected to an external power source.

38. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 37, wherein the mode of travel is selected to be a vehicle based on the navigational route following a highway.

39. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 37, wherein the mode of travel is selected to be walking based on the navigational route following a walking path.

40. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 37, further comprising determining a suggested travel route for the user based on the selected mode of travel.

41. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 40, wherein determining the suggested travel route is responsive to a request for directions from the user.

42. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 24, wherein travel speed of the location aware device is calculated based on an average speed of a road, the average speed of the road determined based on speeds of a plurality location aware devices.

43. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 24, wherein the location aware device determines the locations of the location aware device at different times using a geospatial satellite system.

44. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 24, wherein the location aware device determines the locations of the location aware device at different times using a location based service.

45. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 24, wherein the location aware device determines the locations of the location aware device at different times using dead reckoning.

46. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 37, wherein the plurality of potential modes of travel of the user include a vehicle travel mode and a biking travel mode.

47. A computer system for determining a mode of travel for a location aware device, the system comprising:

a computer processor; and

a computer program executable by the computer processor and performing actions comprising;

receiving data from a location aware device operated by a user;

calculating a speed at which the location aware device is traveling based on the received data;

determining one or more potential modes of travel of the user based on the calculated speed;

responsive to the calculated speed being attributable to a plurality of modes of travel, selecting a mode of travel of the user from the plurality based on information received from the location aware device indicating whether the location aware device is connected to an external power source, the plurality of modes of travel including a vehicle travel mode and a biking travel mode;

determining a suggested travel route for the user based on the selected mode of travel; and

transmitting information associated with the suggested travel route to the location aware device.

48. The system of claim 47, wherein the vehicle travel mode is selected if the information indicates that the location aware device is connected to the external power source.

49. The system of claim 47, wherein the biking travel mode is selected if the information indicates that the location aware device is not connected to the external power source.

50. The system of claim 47, wherein the information indicates that the location aware device is permanently connected to the external power source.

51. The system of claim 47, wherein the information indicates that the location aware device is temporarily connected to the external power source.

52. The system of claim 47, further comprising receiving data from the location aware device that indicates that the location aware device is held or carried by the user.

53. The system of claim 47, wherein the travel speed of the location aware device is calculated based on a probability distribution of speeds.

54. The system of claim 47, wherein the vehicle travel mode is selected based on the information indicating that the location aware device is connected to an external power source and determining that a navigational route of the location aware device follows a highway.

55. The system of claim 47, wherein the biking travel mode is selected based on the information indicating that the location aware device is connected to an external power source and determining that a navigational route follows a biking path.

56. The system of claim 47, wherein the suggested travel route is determined responsive to a request for directions from the user.

57. The system of claim 47, wherein the speed of the location aware device is calculated based on an average speed of a road, the average speed of the road determined based on speeds of a plurality of location aware devices.

58. The system of claim 47, wherein the speed is calculated based on location information of the location aware device, the location aware device determining the location information using a geospatial satellite system.

59. The system of claim 47, wherein the speed is calculated based on location information of the location aware device, the location aware device determining the location information using a location based service.

60. The system of claim 47, wherein the speed is calculated based on location information of the location aware device, the location aware device determining the location information using dead reckoning.