Method and apparatus for reducing transmission of location information

• US 9,237,421 B2
• Filed: 11/28/2013
• Issued: 01/12/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Dicke, Ronald Anthony
• Primary Examiner(s): TAYLOR, BARRY W
• Application Number:
  US14/093,001
• Publication Number:
  US 20140094190A1
• Time in Patent Office: 775 Days
• Field of Search: 455/456.2, 455/456.1, 455/456.3, 455/456.5
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72457 according to geographic location
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/10 including a GPS signal receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• 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 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/20 Services signaling; Auxiliary data signalling, i.e. transmitting data via a non-traffic channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0274 by switching on or off the equipment or parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

Provided is a method and apparatus for reducing transmission of location information when tracking the geographic location of one or more mobile devices. A mobile device generates location information using GPS technology and provides the location information to a communication device on an ongoing basis. In a first embodiment, if the location information of the mobile device is not needed, then the communication device transmits a message indicating that the location information of the mobile device is not needed. Upon receiving the message, the mobile device stops providing location information to the communication device on the ongoing basis. This can reduce the amount of information that gets transferred over the air between users sharing their location information.

Claims

1. A method executed by a second mobile device comprising:

determining a first boundary defining an area of possible locations for a first mobile device outside of which an update of location information of the first mobile device is needed based on both location and speed of the first mobile device;

transmitting a message indicating the first boundary and that an update of location information of the first mobile device is needed upon the first mobile device leaving the first boundary;

determining a second boundary defining an area of possible locations for the second mobile device outside of which location information of the first mobile device is needed;

requesting location information of the first mobile device if the second mobile leaves the second boundary;

upon receiving location information of the first mobile device;

determining whether further location tracking is needed;

if further location tracking is needed, going back to the steps of determining the first boundary and the second boundary for performing further location tracking; and

if further location tracking is not needed, executing a user notification.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the second boundary comprises determining the second boundary based on both location and speed of the second mobile device.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein determining the second boundary based on both location and speed of the second mobile device comprises:

if the second mobile device is moving faster than the first mobile device, the second boundary is determined to be larger than the first boundary; and

if the second mobile device is moving slower than the first mobile device, the second boundary is determined to be smaller than the first boundary.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein:

determining the first boundary and the second boundary comprises determining the first boundary and the second boundary such that the first mobile device and the second mobile device cannot be less than a predefined proximity distance of one another without at least one of the mobile devices leaving its respective boundary;

determining whether further location tracking is needed comprises determining whether the first mobile device and the second mobile device are within the predefined proximity distance of one another; and

if the first mobile device and the second mobile device are within the predefined proximity distance of one another, executing the user notification comprises indicating that the first mobile device is in vicinity of the second mobile device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein:

determining the first boundary and the second boundary comprises determining the first boundary and the second boundary such that the first mobile device and the second mobile device cannot be more than a predefined proximity distance of one another without at least one of the mobile devices leaving its respective boundary;

determining whether further location tracking is needed comprises determining whether the first mobile device and the second mobile device are separated by at least the predefined proximity distance of one another; and

if the first mobile device and the second mobile device are separated by at least the predefined proximity distance of one another, executing the user notification comprises indicating that the first mobile device is not in vicinity of the second mobile device.

6. A non-transitory computer readable medium having computer executable instructions stored thereon for execution on a processor of a second mobile device so as to perform acts of:

determining a first boundary defining an area of possible locations for a first mobile device outside of which an update of location information of the first mobile device is needed based on both location and speed of the first mobile device;

transmitting a message indicating the first boundary and that an update of location information of the first mobile device is needed upon the first mobile device leaving the first boundary;

determining a second boundary defining an area of possible locations for the second mobile device outside of which location information of the first mobile device is needed;

requesting location information of the first mobile device if the second mobile device leaves the second boundary;

upon receiving location information of the first mobile device;

determining whether further location tracking is needed;

if further location tracking is needed, going back to the steps of determining the first boundary and the second boundary for performing further location tracking; and

if further location tracking is not needed, executing a user notification.

7. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 6, wherein determining the second boundary comprises determining the second boundary based on both location and speed of the second mobile device.

8. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 7, wherein determining the second boundary based on both location and speed of the second mobile device comprises:

if the second mobile device is moving faster than the first mobile device, the second boundary is determined to be larger than the first boundary; and

if the second mobile device is moving slower than the first mobile device, the second boundary is determined to be smaller than the first boundary.

9. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 6, wherein:

determining the first boundary and the second boundary comprises determining the first boundary and the second boundary such that the first mobile device and the second mobile device cannot be less than a predefined proximity distance of one another without at least one of the mobile devices leaving its respective boundary;

determining whether further location tracking is needed comprises determining whether the first mobile device and the second mobile device are within the predefined proximity distance of one another; and

if the first mobile device and the second mobile device are within the predefined proximity distance of one another, executing the user notification comprises indicating that the first mobile device is in vicinity of the second mobile device.

10. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 6, wherein:

determining the first boundary and the second boundary comprises determining the first boundary and the second boundary such that the first mobile device and the second mobile device cannot be more than a predefined proximity distance of one another without at least one of the mobile devices leaving its respective boundary;

determining whether further location tracking is needed comprises determining whether the first mobile device and the second mobile device are separated by at least the predefined proximity distance of one another; and

if the first mobile device and the second mobile device are separated by at least the predefined proximity distance of one another, executing the user notification comprises indicating that the first mobile device is not in vicinity of the second mobile device.

11. An apparatus comprising:

a network interface;

a processor; and

a location message reducer configured for;

determining a first boundary defining an area of possible locations for a first mobile device outside of which an update of location information of the first mobile device is needed based on both location and speed of the first mobile device;

transmitting a message indicating the first boundary and that an update of location information of the first mobile device is needed upon the first mobile device leaving the first boundary;

determining a second boundary defining an area of possible locations for the apparatus outside of which location information of the first mobile device is needed;

requesting location information of the first mobile device if the apparatus leaves the secondary boundary;

upon receiving location information of the first mobile device;

determining whether further location tracking is needed;

if further location tracking is needed, going back to the steps of determining the first boundary and the second boundary for performing further location tracking; and

if further location tracking is not needed, executing a user notification.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein determining the second boundary comprises determining the second boundary based on both location and speed of the apparatus.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein determining the second boundary based on both location and speed of the apparatus comprises:

if the apparatus is moving faster than the first mobile device, the second boundary is determined to be larger than the first boundary; and

if the apparatus is moving slower than the first mobile device, the second boundary is determined to be smaller than the first boundary.

14. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein:

determining the first boundary and the second boundary comprises determining the first boundary and the second boundary such that the first mobile device and the apparatus cannot be less than a predefined proximity distance of one another without at least one of the first mobile device and the Apparatus leaving its respective boundary;

determining whether further location tracking is needed comprises determining whether the first mobile device and the apparatus are within the predefined proximity distance of one another; and

if the first mobile device and the apparatus are within the predefined proximity distance of one another, executing the user notification comprises indicating that the first mobile device is in vicinity of the apparatus.

15. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein:

determining the first boundary and the second boundary comprises determining the first boundary and the second boundary such that the first mobile device and the apparatus cannot be more than a predefined proximity distance of one another without at least one of the first mobile device and the apparatus leaving its respective boundary;

determining whether further location tracking is needed comprises determining whether the first mobile device and the apparatus are separated by at least the predefined proximity distance of one another; and

if the first mobile device and the apparatus are separated by at least the predefined proximity distance of one another, executing the user notification comprises indicating that the first mobile device is not in vicinity of the second mobile device.