Predicting routes using wireless networks

• US 9,094,792 B2
• Filed: 09/19/2014
• Issued: 07/28/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/22/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Nagaraj, Suresh
• Primary Examiner(s): Sarwar, Babar
• Application Number:
  US14/491,645
• Publication Number:
  US 20150011242A1
• Time in Patent Office: 312 Days
• Field of Search: 455/404.2, 455/414.1, 455418-420, 455/422.1, 4554561-457, 455/550.1, 455/556.2, 4554351-453, 455/436, 370/328, 370/338, 370/331, 370/332
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0018 Transmission from mobile station to base station
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/02529 not involving signal parameters, i.e. only involving identifiers
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/02585 at least one of the measurements being a non-radio measurement
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/006 with additional information processing, e.g. for direction or speed determination
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/005 Moving wireless networks

Abstract

The disclosed implementations provide a system and method of predicting routes for mobile devices using wireless networks, including generating and sending content to a mobile device that is travelling on a predetermined route (e.g., a bus route determined by a transportation agency). The mobile device can scan for a wireless network that is installed on a vehicle travelling on a predetermined route. The system can predict which predetermined route the mobile device is travelling on by accessing a database that associates wireless networks with transportation vehicles. The system can confirm whether the mobile device is travelling on a predetermined route based on the device'"'"'s sensor measurements, timestamps collected over a period of time and the identity of the wireless network that is connected to the device. The system can send content to the mobile device based on the mobile device'"'"'s location and predicted future locations along the predetermined route.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, as part of a request made by a mobile device, data identifying a wireless network, wherein the wireless network is associated with a moving object in which the mobile device is located, and wherein the wireless network is in communication with the mobile device;

transmitting the data identifying the wireless network to a database storing associations between predetermined routes and data identifying wireless networks;

receiving, from the database, a predetermined route, wherein the predetermined route is an established path to be traveled by the moving object;

determining that the mobile device is moving along the predetermined route;

generating content based at least on the predetermined route; and

sending the content to the mobile device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the moving object is a bus, train, or plane.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the content is generated from one or more of the following sources:

a transportation agency, a local application program interface, or an advertising network.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the content includes information about a future destination along the predetermined route.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the indication that the mobile device is moving along the predetermined route comprises:

determining a strength of the wireless network at a first location of the mobile device; and

determining the strength of the wireless network maintains a consistent level at a second location of the mobile device, the second location located outside a radius of the first location.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the radius is a range of a general wireless network.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the locations are determined by location data or data associated with one or more sensors onboard the mobile device.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the request includes data associated with one or more sensors onboard the mobile device.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the data includes at least one of accelerometer data and location coordinates.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein determining that the mobile device is moving along the predetermined route comprises establishing the mobile device is moving along a same path as the moving object based on at least one of a calculated location or a calculated direction.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein determining that the mobile device is moving along the predetermined route comprises:

calculating a first location and a first direction of the moving object based at least on one of the predetermined route and a time received from the mobile device;

determining a second location and a second direction of the mobile device based on at least one of sensor data and the time received from the mobile device; and

establishing the mobile device is moving along a same path as the moving object based on at least one of the locations or the directions.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the database includes an entry identifying a wireless network, a service provider, a route, and a vehicle entity.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the database is an internal database or a third party database.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the request comprises data identifying the wireless network installed in the moving object.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the data identifying the wireless network comprises an identification code associated with the wireless network.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the data identifying the wireless network is generated by the mobile device based on a communication received by the mobile device from the wireless network.

17. The method of claim 14 comprising communicating the data identifying the wireless network to the database, and, in response, receiving data identifying the predetermined route.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the wireless network is associated with the mobile device by communicating an identification of the wireless network to the mobile device.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the database comprises an entry that includes data identifying the wireless network and data identifying the predetermined route.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the data identifying the wireless network comprises a Base Station Identification Code (BSID).

21. The method of claim 1, wherein the data identifying the wireless network comprises a media access control (MAC) address.

22. The method of claim 1, comprising determining whether to transmit the data identifying the wireless network to an internal database or a third party database, wherein the determination is based on a type of information specified in the request received from the mobile device.

23. The method of claim 1, comprising transmitting the data identifying the wireless network to an internal database storing an identification of a service provider, and transmitting the data identifying the wireless network to a third party database storing the predetermined route.

24. A computer-readable storage device having instructions stored thereon, which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

receiving, as part of a request made by a mobile device, data identifying a wireless network, wherein the wireless network is associated with a moving object in which the mobile device is located, and wherein the wireless network is in communication with the mobile device;

transmitting the data identifying the wireless network to a database storing associations between predetermined routes and data identifying wireless networks;

receiving, from the database, a predetermined route, wherein the predetermined route is an established path to be traveled by the moving object;

determining that the mobile device is moving along the predetermined route;

generating content based at least on the predetermined route; and

sending the content to the mobile device.

25. The computer-readable storage device of claim 24, wherein the moving object is a bus, train, or plane.

26. The computer-readable storage device of claim 24, wherein the content is generated from one or more of the following sources:

a transportation agency, a local application program interface, or an advertising network.

27. The computer-readable storage device of claim 24, wherein the content includes information about a future destination along the predetermined route.

28. The computer-readable storage device of claim 24, wherein determining the indication that the mobile device is moving along the predetermined route comprises:

determining a strength of the wireless network at a first location of the mobile device; and

determining the strength of the wireless network maintains a consistent level at a second location of the mobile device, the second location located outside a radius of the first location.

29. The computer-readable storage device of claim 28, wherein the radius is a range of a general wireless network.

30. The computer-readable storage device of claim 28, wherein the locations are determined by location data or data associated with one or more sensors onboard the mobile device.

31. The computer-readable storage device of claim 24, wherein the request includes data associated with one or more sensors onboard the mobile device.

32. The computer-readable storage device of claim 31, wherein the data includes at least one of accelerometer data and location coordinates.

33. The computer-readable storage device of claim 24, wherein determining that the mobile device is moving along the predetermined route comprises establishing the mobile device is moving along a same path as the moving object based on at least one of a calculated location or a calculated direction.

34. The computer-readable storage device of claim 24, wherein determining that the mobile device is moving along the predetermined route comprises:

calculating a first location and a first direction of the moving object based at least on one of the predetermined route and a time received from the mobile device;

determining a second location and a second direction of the mobile device based on at least one of sensor data and the time received from the mobile device; and

establishing the mobile device is moving along a same path as the moving object based on at least one of the locations or the directions.

35. The computer-readable storage device of claim 24, wherein the database includes an entry identifying a wireless network, a service provider, a route, and a vehicle entity.

36. The computer-readable storage device of claim 24, wherein the database is an internal database or a third party database.

37. The computer-readable storage device of claim 24, wherein the request comprises data identifying the wireless network installed in the moving object.

38. The computer-readable storage device of claim 37, wherein the data identifying the wireless network comprises an identification code associated with the wireless network.

39. The computer-readable storage device of claim 37, wherein the data identifying the wireless network is generated by the mobile device based on a communication received by the mobile device from the wireless network.

40. The computer-readable storage device of claim 37, the operations comprising communicating the data identifying the wireless network to the database, and, in response, receiving data identifying the predetermined route.

41. The computer-readable storage device of claim 24, wherein the wireless network is associated with the mobile device by communicating an identification of the wireless network to the mobile device.

42. The computer-readable storage device of claim 24, wherein the database comprises an entry that includes data identifying the wireless network and data identifying the predetermined route.

43. The computer-readable storage device of claim 24, wherein the data identifying the wireless network comprises a Base Station Identification Code (BSID).

44. The computer-readable storage device of claim 24, wherein the data identifying the wireless network comprises a media access control (MAC) address.

45. The computer-readable storage device of claim 24, the operations comprising determining whether to transmit the data identifying the wireless network to an internal database or a third party database, wherein the determination is based on a type of information specified in the request received from the mobile device.

46. The computer-readable storage device of claim 24, the operations comprising transmitting the data identifying the wireless network to an internal database storing an identification of a service provider, and transmitting the data identifying the wireless network to a third party database storing the predetermined route.

47. A system comprising:

one or more processors;

memory coupled to the one or more processors and configured to store instructions, which, when executed by the one or more processors, causes the processors to perform operations comprising;

receiving, as part of a request made by a mobile device, data identifying a wireless network, wherein the wireless network is associated with a moving object in which the mobile device is located, and wherein the wireless network is in communication with the mobile device;

transmitting the data identifying the wireless network to a database storing associations between predetermined routes and data identifying wireless networks;

receiving, from the database, a predetermined route, wherein the predetermined route is an established path to be traveled by the moving object;

determining that the mobile device is moving along the predetermined route;

generating content based at least on the predetermined route; and

sending the content to the mobile device.