Non-intrusive region notification

• US 9,307,358 B2
• Filed: 06/09/2013
• Issued: 04/05/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Marti, Lukas M., Kazemi, Pejman Lotfali, Mayor, Robert, Ma, Shannon M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sabouri, Mazda
• Application Number:
  US13/913,492
• Publication Number:
  US 20140364103A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,031 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3209 Monitoring remote activity, e.g. over telephone lines or network connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/535 Tracking the activity of the user network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/60 Scheduling or organising the servicing of application requests, e.g. requests for application data transmissions using the analysis and optimisation of the required network resources admission control or resource allocation H04L47/70
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 19/04 the ringing-current being generated at the substations
• 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 4/21 for social networking applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/22 Processing or transfer of terminal data, e.g. status or physical capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/00 Reducing energy consumption in communication networks
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

Techniques of non-intrusive region notification are described. A mobile device can be programmed to trigger an application program when the mobile device enters or exits a region. The region can be defined by various virtual fencing technologies. If, at the time of entry or exit of a region, the mobile device is in a power-saving operating mode, the mobile device can transition to an active operating mode temporarily, register a fence-crossing event (entry or exit of the region) with the application program, and then transition back to the power-saving operating mode. The mobile device can launch the registered application program in response to the mobile device receiving a user input to enter the active operating mode. The application program can provide a user interface associated with the region on a display surface of the mobile device in place of a home screen or other user interface.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, by a processor of a mobile device from a sensor of the mobile device and when the processor is in a power-saving operating mode, a signal indicating that the mobile device has entered or exited a virtual fence;

transitioning, by the processor, from the power-saving operating mode to an active operating mode and staying in the active operating mode for a specified period of time before transitioning back to the power-saving operating mode, wherein during the active operating mode, the processor registers an event of the entry or exit of the virtual fence;

detecting an input for activating the processor of the mobile device; and

executing an application program based on the registered event, wherein execution of the application program is configured to be triggered by the event of entry or exit of the virtual fence, and wherein triggering the execution of the application program is delayed from the event of entry or exit to transitioning, in response to the input, from the bower-saving operating mode to the active operating mode.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the virtual fence is a geofence associated with a location or a proximity fence associated with a group of one or more signal sources.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the sensor comprises a radio frequency (RF) receiver configured to detect an RF signal identifying a signal source registered at the RF receiver, the signal source being an access point of a wireless local area network (WLAN) or a signal source of a personal area network (PAN).

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the signal source of the PAN includes a Bluetooth™

Low Energy (BTLE) beacon.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the signal includes a notification of the entry or exit; and

when the signal indicates the entry into the virtual fence, the sensor is configured to send additional notifications to the processor until the sensor detects the exit.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein registering the event comprises storing the event on a storage device until receiving a next signal or until execution of the application program.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting the input comprises detecting an action on a home button of the mobile device or a user gesture on a display surface of the mobile device for unlocking the mobile device.

8. The method of claim 1, comprising activating a display surface of the mobile device in response to the input.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein executing the application program comprises providing information related to the virtual fence for display on the display surface based on the event in a user interface of the application program.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein executing the application program is performed by the mobile device or a server connected to the mobile device.

11. A mobile device comprising:

a processor;

a sensor; and

a non-transitory storage device storing instructions operable to cause the processor to perform operations comprising;

receiving, from the sensor of the mobile device and when the processor is in a power-saving operating mode, a signal indicating that the mobile device has entered or exited a virtual fence;

transitioning from the power-saving operating mode to an active operating mode and staying in the active operating mode for a specified period of time before transitioning back to the power-saving operating mode, wherein during the active operating mode, the processor registers an event of the entry or exit of the virtual fence;

detecting an input for activating the processor of the mobile device; and

executing an application program based on the registered event, wherein execution of the application program is configured to be triggered by the event of entry or exit of the virtual fence, and wherein triggering the execution of the application program is delayed from the event of entry or exit to transitioning, in response to the input, from the power-saving operating mode to the active operating mode.

12. The mobile device of claim 11, wherein the virtual fence is a geofence associated with a location or a proximity fence associated with a group of one or more signal sources.

13. The mobile device of claim 11, wherein:

the sensor comprises a radio frequency (RF) receiver configured to detect an RF signal identifying a signal source registered at the RF receiver, the signal source being an access point of a wireless local area network (WLAN) or a signal source of a personal area network (PAN).

14. The mobile device of claim 13, wherein the signal source of the PAN includes a Bluetooth™

Low Energy (BTLE) beacon.

15. The mobile device of claim 11, wherein:

the signal includes a notification of the entry or exit; and

when the signal indicates the entry into the virtual fence, the sensor is configured to send additional notifications to the processor until the sensor detects the exit.

16. The mobile device of claim 11, wherein registering the event comprises storing the event on a storage device until receiving a next signal or until execution of the application program.

17. The mobile device of claim 11, wherein detecting the input comprises detecting an action on a home button of the mobile device or a user gesture on a display surface of the mobile device for unlocking the mobile device.

18. The mobile device of claim 11, comprising activating a display surface of the mobile device in response to the input.

19. The mobile device of claim 18, wherein executing the application program comprises providing information related to the virtual fence for display on the display surface based on the event in a user interface of the application program.

20. The mobile device of claim 11, wherein executing the application program is performed by the mobile device or a server connected to the mobile device.

21. A non-transitory storage device coupled to a mobile device and storing instructions operable to cause a processor of the mobile device to perform operations comprising:

receiving, from a sensor of the mobile device and when the processor is in a power-saving operating mode, a signal indicating that the mobile device has entered or exited a virtual fence;

transitioning from the power-saving operating mode to an active operating mode and staying in the active operating mode for a specified period of time before transitioning back to the power-saving operating mode, wherein during the active operating mode, the processor registers an event of the entry or exit of the virtual fence;

detecting an input for activating the processor of the mobile device; and

executing an application program based on the registered event, wherein execution of the application program is configured to be triggered by the event of entry or exit of the virtual fence, and wherein triggering the execution of the application program is delayed from the event of entry or exit to transitioning, in response to the input, from the power-saving operating mode to the active operating mode.

22. The non-transitory storage device of claim 21, wherein the virtual fence is a geofence associated with a location or a proximity fence associated with a group of one or more signal sources.

23. The non-transitory storage device of claim 21, wherein:

the sensor comprises a radio frequency (RF) receiver configured to detect an RF signal identifying a signal source registered at the RF receiver, the signal source being an access point of a wireless local area network (WLAN) or a signal source of a personal area network (PAN).

24. The non-transitory storage device of claim 23, wherein the signal source of the PAN includes a Bluetooth™

Low Energy (BTLE) beacon.

25. The non-transitory storage device of claim 21, wherein:

the signal includes a notification of the entry or exit; and

when the signal indicates the entry into the virtual fence, the sensor is configured to send additional notifications to the processor until the sensor detects the exit.

26. The non-transitory storage device of claim 21, wherein registering the event comprises storing the event on a storage device until receiving a next signal or until execution of the application program.

27. The non-transitory storage device of claim 21, wherein detecting the input comprises detecting an action on a home button of the mobile device or a user gesture on a display surface of the mobile device for unlocking the mobile device.

28. The non-transitory storage device of claim 21, comprising activating a display surface of the mobile device in response to the input.

29. The non-transitory storage device of claim 28, wherein executing the application program comprises providing information related to the virtual fence for display on the display surface based on the event in a user interface of the application program.

30. The non-transitory storage device of claim 21, wherein executing the application program is performed by the mobile device or a server connected to the mobile device.