Enhancing user services with indoor traffic information

• US 9,113,309 B2
• Filed: 08/02/2013
• Issued: 08/18/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/02/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Uilecan, Ioan Vlad, Mehta, Sarin Shreyas
• Primary Examiner(s): Beamer, Temica M
• Application Number:
  US13/958,290
• Publication Number:
  US 20150038171A1
• Time in Patent Office: 746 Days
• Field of Search: 455/456.1, 455/456.3, 455/456.5, 455/414.1, 455/414.2, 455/414.3
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/206 specially adapted for indoor navigation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0833 Tracking
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/109 Time management, e.g. calendars, reminders, meetings or time accounting
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/027 using movement velocity, acceleration information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/33 for indoor environments, e.g. buildings

Abstract

In some implementations, a mobile device can collect location, time and speed information associated with a building. The mobile device can transmit the location, time and speed information to a server. The server can collect location, time and speed information from multiple mobile devices. The server can determine average wait times (e.g., indoor traffic information) associated with areas of interest at a business or indoor location. The server can deliver the average wait times to mobile devices. The mobile devices can use the indoor traffic information to adjust reminders, calendar events, suggest the best times to visit a business or suggest which of several businesses to visit.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, by a server computer, indoor location information from a plurality of mobile devices operating inside the indoor location, the indoor location information including current locations and speeds of the plurality of mobile devices and timestamps indicating when the indoor location information was collected by the plurality of mobile devices;

generating, by the server computer, indoor traffic information for an area of interest inside the indoor location based on the received indoor location information, the indoor traffic information indicating a pattern of movement of the plurality of mobile devices in the area of interest;

receiving, by the server computer, input from a client mobile device, the input requesting a timing suggestion;

generating, by the server computer the timing suggestion based on the indoor traffic information associated with the indoor location; and

providing to the client mobile device the timing suggestion.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein generating a timing suggestion includes determining a wait time based on the indoor traffic information.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein generating a timing suggestion includes determining what period of a day a user should visit the indoor location.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein generating a timing suggestion includes suggesting an adjustment to a reminder based on the indoor traffic information.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein generating a timing suggestion includes determining what day of a week a user should visit the indoor location.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein providing indoor traffic information includes providing wait times corresponding to periods of a day for the indoor location.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein providing indoor traffic information includes providing wait times corresponding to days of a week for the indoor location.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the indoor location is a building and the indoor traffic information includes wait times corresponding to areas of interest within the building.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one area of interest is defined by a geofence.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the input is a search request and the timing suggestion is a recommendation for a business to visit based on a wait time for the business.

9. A system comprising:

one or more processors; and

a non-transitory computer-readable medium including one or more sequences of instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to perform operations comprising;

receiving, by a server computer, indoor location information from a plurality of mobile devices operating inside the indoor location, the indoor location information including current locations and speeds of the plurality of mobile devices and timestamps indicating when the indoor location information was collected by the plurality of mobile devices;

generating, by the server computer, indoor traffic information for an area of interest inside the indoor location based on the received indoor location information, the indoor traffic information indicating a pattern of movement of the plurality of mobile devices in the area of interest;

receiving input from a client mobile device, the input requesting timing information;

generating the timing suggestion based on the indoor traffic information associated with the indoor location; and

providing to the client mobile device the timing suggestion.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein generating a timing suggestion includes determining a wait time based on the indoor traffic information.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein generating a timing suggestion includes determining what period of a day a user should visit the indoor location.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein generating a timing suggestion includes suggesting an adjustment to a reminder based on the indoor traffic information.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein generating a timing suggestion includes determining what day of a week a user should visit the indoor location.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein providing indoor traffic information includes providing wait times corresponding to periods of a day for the indoor location.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein providing indoor traffic information includes providing wait times corresponding to days of a week for the indoor location.

16. The system of claim 9, wherein the indoor location is a building and the indoor traffic information includes wait times corresponding to areas of interest within the building.

19. The system of claim 9, wherein at least one area of interest is defined by a geofence.

20. The system of claim 9, wherein the input is a search request and the timing suggestion is a recommendation for a business to visit based on a wait time for the business.