Multi-tiered detection of a geofence

• US 8,995,322 B2
• Filed: 01/27/2014
• Issued: 03/31/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/06/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Huang, Ronald K., Grainger, Morgan, Dere, Jason
• Primary Examiner(s): Yao, Kwang B
• Assistant Examiner(s): LOO, JUVENA W
• Application Number:
  US14/165,543
• Publication Number:
  US 20140141802A1
• Time in Patent Office: 428 Days
• Field of Search: 370310-349
• US Class Current: 370/310.2
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/2628 using code-division multiple access [CDMA] or spread spectrum multiple access [SSMA] H04B7/2618 takes precedence
• 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 60/02 by periodical registration
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/042 Public Land Mobile systems, e.g. cellular systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

Methods, program products, and systems for multi-tier detection of a geofence 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-tiered approach. A baseband subsystem can monitor a coarse location of the mobile device using a CDMA system identifier, a CDMA network identifier, a CDMA zone identifier, or a CDMA base station identifier, in that order, as the mobile device moves closer to the geographic region. The baseband subsystem can notify an application subsystem when the mobile device is in a cell that intersects the geographic region. The application subsystem can perform the task upon notification.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving, by a computer, a request from a mobile device, the request indicates that a task is to be triggered upon entry into a specified geographic region by the mobile device;

determining, by the computer, a country in which the geographic region is located, wherein determining the country includes determining a mobile country code (MCC) of the country and a bounding box of the country, the bounding box being defined by extreme geographical points of the country;

determining, by the computer, a first code division multiple access (CDMA) identifier for monitoring location of the mobile device, the first CDMA identifier being associated with a first CDMA location that intersects the specified geographic region, wherein the first CDMA location is determined using historical data;

determining, by the computer, a second CDMA identifier for monitoring location of the mobile device, the second CDMA identifier being associated with a second CDMA location that intersects the specified geographic region, the second CDMA location being inside of the first CDMA location and having finer granularity than that of the first CDMA location; and

providing geographic coordinates of the bounding box, the MCC, the first CDMA identifier, and the second CDMA identifier to the mobile device in response to the request.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the extreme geographical points of the country includes at least one of a easternmost point of the country, a westernmost point of the country, a northernmost point of the country, or a southernmost point of the country.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the historical data includes historical locations associated with the first CDMA identifier provided by one or more location-aware mobile devices.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first CDMA identifier includes at least one of a system identifier, a network identifier, or a zone identifier of a CDMA system.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the second CDMA identifier includes a base station identifier of the CDMA system.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the bounding box of the country includes one or more convex hulls of the country.

7. The method of claim 1, comprising determining the first CDMA location and second CDMA location based on the first CDMA identifier and the second CDMA identifier from a plurality of location-aware mobile devices and a location of each location-aware mobile device, each location being transmitted in association with a respective first CDMA identifier and second CDMA identifier by a location-aware mobile device to the computer.

8. A system comprising:

one or more processors; and

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

receiving, by a computer, a request from a mobile device, the request indicates that a task is to be triggered upon entry into a specified geographic region by the mobile device;

determining, by the computer, a country in which the geographic region is located, wherein determining the country includes determining a mobile country code (MCC) of the country and a bounding box of the country, the bounding box being defined by extreme geographical points of the country;

determining, by the computer, a first code division multiple access (CDMA) identifier for monitoring location of the mobile device, the first CDMA identifier being associated with a first CDMA location that intersects the specified geographic region, wherein the first CDMA location is determined using historical data;

determining, by the computer, a second CDMA identifier for monitoring location of the mobile device, the second CDMA identifier being associated with a second CDMA location that intersects the specified geographic region, the second CDMA location being inside of the first CDMA location and having finer granularity than that of the first CDMA location; and

providing geographic coordinates of the bounding box, the MCC, the first CDMA identifier, and the second CDMA identifier to the mobile device in response to the request.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the extreme geographical points of the country includes at least one of a easternmost point of the country, a westernmost point of the country, a northernmost point of the country, or a southernmost point of the country.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the historical data includes historical locations associated with the first CDMA identifier provided by one or more location-aware mobile devices.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the first CDMA identifier includes at least one of a system identifier, a network identifier, or a zone identifier of a CDMA system.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the second CDMA identifier includes a base station identifier of the CDMA system.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein the bounding box of the country includes one or more convex hulls of the country.

14. The system of claim 8, the operations comprising determining the first CDMA location and second CDMA location based on the first CDMA identifier and the second CDMA identifier from a plurality of location-aware mobile devices and a location of each location-aware mobile device, each location being transmitted in association with a respective first CDMA identifier and second CDMA identifier by a location-aware mobile device to the one or more processors.

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

receiving, by a computer, a request from a mobile device, the request indicates that a task is to be triggered upon entry into a specified geographic region by the mobile device;

determining, by the computer, a country in which the geographic region is located, wherein determining the country includes determining a mobile country code (MCC) of the country and a bounding box of the country, the bounding box being defined by extreme geographical points of the country;

determining, by the computer, a first code division multiple access (CDMA) identifier for monitoring location of the mobile device, the first CDMA identifier being associated with a first CDMA location that intersects the specified geographic region, wherein the first CDMA location is determined using historical data;

determining, by the computer, a second CDMA identifier for monitoring location of the mobile device, the second CDMA identifier being associated with a second CDMA location that intersects the specified geographic region, the second CDMA location being inside of the first CDMA location and having finer granularity than that of the first CDMA location; and

providing geographic coordinates of the bounding box, the MCC, the first CDMA identifier, and the second CDMA identifier to the mobile device in response to the request.

16. The non-transitory storage device of claim 15, wherein the extreme geographical points of the country includes at least one of a easternmost point of the country, a westernmost point of the country, a northernmost point of the country, or a southernmost point of the country.

17. The non-transitory storage device of claim 15, wherein the historical data includes historical locations associated with the first CDMA identifier provided by one or more location-aware mobile devices.

18. The non-transitory storage device of claim 15, wherein the first CDMA identifier includes at least one of a system identifier, a network identifier, or a zone identifier of a CDMA system.

19. The non-transitory storage device of claim 18, wherein the second CDMA identifier includes g a base station identifier of the CDMA system.

20. The non-transitory storage device of claim 15, wherein the bounding box of the country includes one or more convex hulls of the country.

21. The non-transitory storage device of claim 15, the operations comprising determining the first CDMA location and second CDMA location based on the first CDMA identifier and the second CDMA identifier from a plurality of location-aware mobile devices and a location of each location-aware mobile device, each location being transmitted in association with a respective first CDMA identifier and second CDMA identifier by a location-aware mobile device to the one or more processors.