Systems and method for configuring mobile device applications based on location

• US 9,451,403 B2
• Filed: 08/02/2013
• Issued: 09/20/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: eBay Inc.
• Original Assignee: eBay Inc.
• Inventors: Lyman, Nate, Russo, Frank
• Primary Examiner(s): Beamer, Temica M
• Application Number:
  US13/958,340
• Publication Number:
  US 20140066101A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,145 Days
• Field of Search: 455/456.1, 455/456.2, 455/456.3, 455/422.1, 455/414.1, 455/414.2, 455/414.3
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• 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 4/50 Service provisioning or reconfiguring

Abstract

Methods and systems for automatically configuring mobile device applications based on location are described. In an example, methods and systems for enabling contextual in-store experience modification on a mobile device can include capabilities for altering the functionality of a mobile application based at least in part on the location of the mobile device. For example, a mobile shopping application can be configured to perform different functions depending upon the type of retail location the mobile device is currently in. Additionally, the mobile application can be configured to enable different functions between a retail location and a user'"'"'s residence, among other locations.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

monitoring, on a mobile device, a parent geofence that geographically encompasses a plurality of child geofences, each of the plurality of child geofences having a corresponding mobile application configuration, the mobile application configuration altering a function performed by an application on the mobile device;

detecting, based at least in part on a first location of the mobile device, entry into a first geofence of the plurality of child geofences;

selecting, based on the detecting entry into the first geofence, a first mobile application configuration corresponding to the first geofence;

configuring, on the mobile device, the application based on the first mobile application configuration;

altering the function performed by the application to include a first function the first function based on the first mobile application configuration;

detecting, based at least in part on a second location of the mobile device, entry into a second geofence of the plurality of child geofences;

selecting, based on the detecting entry into the second geofence, a second mobile application configuration corresponding to the second geofence;

re-configuring the application based on the second application configuration; and

altering the function performed by the application to include a second function, the second function based on the second mobile application configuration.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile application configuration provides an offer, a deal, inventory information, and store layout maps.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein monitoring the plurality of child geofences includes monitoring a plurality of types of geofences.

4. The method of claim 3, further including:

associating a type of geofence from the plurality of types of geofences with each geofence of the plurality of child geofences; and

assigning a mobile application configuration to each type of geofence of the plurality of types of geofences.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting entry into the first geofence includes calculating a movement trajectory indicating that the mobile device is on a path into the first geofence.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein calculating the movement trajectory includes collecting and analyzing recent location data generated by the mobile device.

7. A mobile device comprising:

one or more processors;

a location generation circuit; and

a memory including instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the mobile device to;

monitor a parent geofence that geographically encompasses a plurality of child geofences, the geofences stored in the memory;

detect, based at least in part on a first location of the mobile device generated by the location generation circuit, entry into a first geofence of the plurality of child geofences;

select, based on the detecting entry into the first geofence, a first mobile application configuration stored in the memory, the first mobile application configuration altering a function performed by an application on the mobile device;

configure the application based on the first mobile application configuration;

alter the function performed by the application to include a first function, the first function based on the first mobile application configuration;

detect, based at least in part on a second location of the mobile device entry into a second geofence of the plurality of child geofences;

select, based on the detecting entry into the second geofence, a second mobile application configuration corresponding to the second geofence; and

re-configure the application based on the second application configuration; and

alter the function performed by the application to include a second function, the second function based on the second mobile application configuration.

8. The mobile device of claim 7, wherein the mobile application configuration provides an offer, a deal, inventory information, and store layout maps.

9. The mobile device of claim 7, wherein the instructions that cause the mobile device to monitor the plurality of child geofences include instructions to monitor a plurality of types of geofences.

10. The mobile device of claim 9, wherein the instructions that cause the mobile device to select the mobile application configuration include instructions to select a configuration associated with a first type of geofence of the plurality of types of geofences.

11. The mobile device of claim 9, further including instructions that cause the mobile device to:

associate a type of geofence from the plurality of types of geofences with each geofence of the plurality of child geofences; and

assign a mobile application configuration to each type of geofence of the plurality of types of geofences.

12. The mobile device of claim 7, wherein the instructions that cause the mobile device to detect entry into the first geofence include instructions to calculate a movement trajectory indicating that the mobile device is on a path into the first geofence.

13. The mobile device of claim 12, wherein the instructions to calculate the movement trajectory include instructions to collect and analyze recent location data generated by the mobile device.

14. A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium including instructions that, when executed on a mobile device, cause the mobile device to perform operations comprising:

monitoring a parent geofence that geographically encompasses a plurality of child geofences;

detecting, based at least in part on a first location of the mobile device, entry into a first geofence of the plurality of child geofences;

selecting, based on the detecting entry into the first geofence, a first mobile application configuration corresponding to the first geofence;

configuring the application based on the first mobile application configuration;

altering the function performed by the application to include a first function the first function based on the first mobile application configuration;

detecting, based at least in part on a second location of the mobile device, entry into a second geofence of the plurality of child geofences;

selecting, based on the detecting entry into the second geofence, a second mobile application configuration corresponding to the second geofence; and

re-configuring the application based on the second application configuration; and

altering the function performed by the application to include a second function, the second function based on the second mobile application configuration.

15. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein the configuring the application comprises altering a function performed by the application according to the selected mobile application configuration.

16. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein the monitoring the plurality of child geofences comprises monitoring plurality of types of geofences.

17. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein the selecting the first mobile application configuration comprises selecting a configuration associated with a first type of geofence of the plurality of types of geofences.

18. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein the operations further comprise:

associating a type of geofence from the plurality of types of geofences with each geofence of the plurality of child geofences; and

assigning a mobile application configuration to each type of geofence of the plurality of types of geofences.

19. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein the detecting entry into the first geofence comprises calculating a movement trajectory indicating that the mobile device is on a path into the first geofence.

20. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 19, wherein the calculating the movement trajectory comprises collecting and analyzing recent location data generated by the mobile device.