Method for improving discovery of preferred mobile computing locations

• US 9,042,887 B2
• Filed: 08/13/2013
• Issued: 05/26/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/09/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Ayalur, Venkateswaran S., Taranowski, William F., Yan, Haijin
• Primary Examiner(s): Georgewill, Opiribo
• Application Number:
  US13/965,711
• Publication Number:
  US 20130331123A1
• Time in Patent Office: 651 Days
• Field of Search: 455/435.1, 455/456.1, 455/436
• US Class Current: 455/435.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management

Abstract

A method for improving discovery of preferred mobile computing locations includes monitoring sensor data corresponding to a mobile computing device (MCD) and monitoring non-GPS network data implemented by the mobile computing device. Additionally, the method determines whether sensor data and non-GPS network data indicate that the mobile computing device is stationary within a cell site as well as scanning any network that the mobile computing device is electronically linked to. In short, the method discovers an improved preferred mobile computing location based on the sensor data and non-GPS network data that provide reliable information that the mobile computing device is stationary within the cell site. The sensor data and non-GPS network data are converged when several corresponding scans produce overlapping results.

Claims

1. A method performed by a wireless device, comprising:

determining that mobile communication device (MCD) is transmitting a cell site change;

determining whether the MCD is currently in a cell site that has been placed in a bouncing cache;

determining whether a location monitor timer is active, if the current cell site is not in the bouncing cache;

adding the current cell site within the bouncing cache and restarting the location monitor timer, if the location monitor timer is active;

emptying the bouncing cache and placing the current cell site within the bouncing cache, if the location monitor timer is inactive; and

determining whether the MCD is stationary within a cell site based at least in part on whether the location monitor timer is active or inactive.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein if the current cell site is determined to be within a bouncing cache:

determining whether the location monitor timer is active; and

stopping a decay timer for the current cell site if the location monitor timer is inactive.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

capturing location data; and

starting a decay timer for all received cell sites except the current cell site within the bouncing cache.

4. The method according to claim 3, further comprising:

removing the current cell site from the bouncing cache when a decay timer expires.

5. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

starting the decay timer for a previously found cell site if the location monitor timer is inactive.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

capturing a location including all the cell sites in the bouncing cache when the location monitor timer expires.

7. A method performed by a wireless device, comprising:

determining that a mobile communication device (MCD) is transmitting a cell site change;

determining whether the MCD is currently in a cell site that has been placed in a bouncing cache, wherein if the current cell site is determined to be within a bouncing cache;

determining whether the location monitor timer is active; and

stopping a decay timer for the current cell site if the location monitor timer is inactive;

determining whether a location monitor timer is active, if the current cell site is not in the bouncing cache;

adding the current cell site within the bouncing cache and restarting the location monitor timer, if the location monitor timer is active; and

emptying the bouncing cache and placing the current cell site within the bouncing cache, if the location monitor timer is inactive.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

starting the decay timer for a previously found cell site if the location monitor timer is inactive.

9. The method according to claim 7, further comprising:

capturing a location including all the cell sites in the bouncing cache when the location monitor timer expires.

10. A method performed by a wireless device, comprising:

determining that a mobile communication device (MCD) is transmitting a cell site change;

determining whether the MCD is currently in a cell site that has been placed in a bouncing cache;

determining whether a location monitor timer is active, if the current cell site is not in the bouncing cache;

adding the current cell site within the bouncing cache and restarting the location monitor timer, if the location monitor timer is active;

emptying the bouncing cache and placing the current cell site within the bouncing cache, if the location monitor timer is inactive;

capturing location data; and

starting a decay timer for all received cell sites except the current cell site within the bouncing cache.

11. The method according to claim 10, further comprising:

removing the current cell site from the bouncing cache when a decay timer expires.