Apparatus and method for conservation of battery power of mobile devices within a location-based group

• US 9,730,163 B2
• Filed: 08/27/2013
• Issued: 08/08/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/27/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Life360 Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Life360 Incorporated
• Inventors: Haro, Alexander, Hulls, Christopher, Borsuk, Michael, Hood, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Grey, Christopher
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lalchinthang, Vanneilian
• Application Number:
  US14/011,433
• Publication Number:
  US 20150063181A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,442 Days
• Field of Search: 370311
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0254 detecting a user operation or a tactile contact or a motion of the device
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0258 controlling an operation mode according to history or models of usage information, e.g. activity schedule or time of day
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0274 by switching on or off the equipment or parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0277 according to available power supply, e.g. switching off when a low battery condition is detected
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A method of conserving battery power of mobile devices within a location-based group starts with server receiving location data and proximity information from each of the mobile devices. Location data received from first mobile device includes the first mobile device'"'"'s location. Proximity information received from first mobile device includes an identification of mobile devices within a predetermined radius of first mobile device'"'"'s location. Server identifies based on location data and proximity information a specific location and forms a subgroup of mobile devices that are within a predetermined radius of the specific location. Server queries and receives a level of power associated with each mobile devices in the subgroup and transmits control signals to each mobile devices in the subgroup to shut down radio functions based on the level of power. Other embodiments are also described.

Claims

1. A method of conserving battery power of mobile devices within a location-based subgroup comprising:

receiving, by a processor included in a server, location data and proximity information from each of a plurality of mobile devices, respectively, wherein the location data received from a first mobile device included in the plurality of mobile devices includes a location of the first mobile device and the proximity information received from the first mobile device includes an identification of mobile devices that are within a first predetermined radius of the location of the first mobile device, wherein the proximity information received from the first mobile device is generated by a proximity sensor included in the first mobile device;

identifying by the processor, based on the location data and the proximity information, a specific location;

forming by the processor a subgroup of mobile devices including mobile devices within a second predetermined radius of the specific location;

querying and receiving by the processor a level of power associated with each of the mobile devices in the subgroup; and

transmitting control signals by the processor to each of the mobile devices in the subgroup to shut down functions to provide location data and proximity information based on the level of power, wherein transmitting control signals by the processor includes;

selecting one of the mobile devices in the subgroup having the highest level of power as a first selected mobile device, and signaling to the mobile devices in the subgroup other than the first selected mobile device to shut down the functions to provide location data and proximity information based on the level of power,

wherein the mobile devices in the subgroup other than the first selected mobile device stop transmitting location data and proximity information, and

wherein location data and proximity information from the first selected mobile device is associated with each of the mobile devices in the subgroup.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining by the processor if the specific location is included in a database to confirm that the specific location is associated with at least one mobile device in the subgroup of mobile devices; and

updating the database to associate the specific location with each of the mobile devices in the subgroup of mobile devices.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein transmitting control signals by the processor to each of the mobile devices in the subgroup to shut down functions to provide location data and proximity information based on the level of power further comprises:

signaling to each of the mobile devices in subgroup to shut down functions to provide location data and proximity information for a length of time inversely proportional to the level of power associated with each of the mobile devices in the subgroup.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein transmitting control signals by the processor to each of the mobile devices in the subgroup to shut down functions to provide location data and proximity information based on the level of power further comprises:

selecting another of the mobile devices in the subgroup having a second highest level of power as a second selected mobile device, and signaling to the mobile devices in the subgroup other than the first and the second selected mobile devices to turn off functions to provide location data and proximity information.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein transmitting control signals by the processor to each of the mobile devices in the subgroup to shut down functions to provide location data and proximity information based on the level of power further comprises:

signaling to the first and the second selected mobile devices to shut down their functions to provide location data and proximity information for a length of time inversely proportional to the level of power associated with the first and second selected mobile devices, respectively.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

querying and receiving a subgroup location data from one of the mobile devices in the subgroup having an active function to provide location data and proximity information, the subgroup location data being associated with each of the mobile devices in the subgroup.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

querying and receiving by the processor characteristics associated with each of the mobile devices in the subgroup.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the transmitting control signals by the processor to each of the mobile devices in the subgroup to shut down functions to provide location data and proximity information based on the level of power further comprises:

identifying mobile devices in the subgroup based on the characteristics received that have low power capability; and

signaling to the identified mobile devices to shut down the functions to provide location data and proximity information.

9. An apparatus for conserving battery power of mobile devices within a location-based subgroup comprising:

a processor;

a communication interface to;

receive a location data and proximity information from each of a plurality of mobile devices, respectively, wherein the location data received from a first mobile device included in the plurality of mobile devices includes a location of the first mobile device and the proximity information received from the first mobile device includes an identification of mobile devices that are within a first predetermined radius of the location of the first mobile device, wherein the proximity information received from the first mobile device is generated by a proximity sensor included in the first mobile device, and

transmit a query to each of the mobile devices in a subgroup and receive a level of power associated with each of the mobile devices in the subgroup in response to the query, and

transmit control signals to each of the mobile devices in the subgroup; and

a memory storage storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to;

receive the location data and the proximity information from the communication interface,

identify, based on the location data and the proximity information, a specific location,

form the subgroup of mobile devices that include mobile devices within a second predetermined radius of the specific location,

signal to the communication interface to send the query and receiving the level of power associated with each of the mobile devices in the subgroup from the communication interface, and

signal to the communication interface to transmit the control signals to each of the mobile devices in the subgroup to shut down functions to provide location data and proximity information based on the level of power, wherein transmitting control signals by the processor includes;

selecting one of the mobile devices in the subgroup having the highest level of power as a first selected mobile device, and signaling to the mobile devices in the subgroup other than the first selected mobile device to shut down the functions to provide location data and proximity information based on the level of power,

wherein the mobile devices in the subgroup other than the first selected mobile device stop transmitting location data and proximity information, and

wherein location data and proximity information from the first selected mobile device is associated with each of the mobile devices in the subgroup.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 further comprising:

a database storing historical data including location data associated with a plurality of mobile devices,

wherein, when the processor executes the instructions stored in memory, the processor further;

determines if the specific location is included in the database to confirm that the specific location is associated with at least one mobile device in the subgroup of mobile devices, and

updates the database to associate the specific location with each of the mobile devices in the subgroup of mobile devices.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the processor signaling to the communication interface to transmit control signals to each of the mobile devices in the subgroup to shut down functions to provide location data and proximity information based on the level of power further comprises:

signaling to the communication interface to transmit control signals to each of the mobile devices in subgroup to shut down functions to provide location data and proximity information for a length of time inversely proportional to the level of power associated with each of the mobile devices in the subgroup.

12. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the processor signaling to the communication interface to transmit control signals to each of the mobile devices in the subgroup to shut down functions to provide location data and proximity information based on the level of power further comprises:

selecting another of the mobile devices in the subgroup having a second highest level of power as a second selected mobile device, and

signaling to the communication interface to transmit control signals to the mobile devices in the subgroup other than the first and the second selected mobile devices to turn off functions to provide location data and proximity information.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the processor signaling to the communication interface to transmit control signals to each of the mobile devices in the subgroup to shut down functions to provide location data and proximity information based on the level of power further comprises:

signaling to the communication interface to transmit control signals to the first and the second selected mobile devices to shut down functions to provide location data and proximity information for a length of time inversely proportional to the level of power associated with the first and second selected mobile devices, respectively.

14. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein, when the processor executes the instructions stored in memory, the processor further:

signals to the communication interface to send a second query to one of the mobile devices in the subgroup having an active function to provide location data and proximity information, the second query requesting a subgroup location data that is associated with each of the mobile devices in the subgroup.

15. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein, when the processor executes the instructions stored in memory, the processor further:

signals to the communication interface to send a query for characteristics associated with each of the mobile devices in the subgroup.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the processor signaling to the communication interface to transmit control signals to each of the mobile devices in the subgroup to shut down functions to provide location data and proximity information based on the level of power further comprises:

identifying mobile devices in the subgroup based on the characteristics received that have low power capability; and

signaling to the communication interface to transmit control signals to the identified mobile devices to shut down the functions to provide location data and proximity information.

17. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon instructions that, when executed by a processor, causes the processor to perform a method for conserving battery power of mobile devices within a location-based subgroup comprising:

receiving location data and proximity information from each of a plurality of mobile devices, respectively, wherein the location data received from a first mobile device included in the plurality of mobile devices includes a location of the first mobile device and the proximity information received from the first mobile device includes an identification of mobile devices that are within a first predetermined radius of the location of the first mobile device, wherein the proximity information received from the first mobile device is generated by a proximity sensor included in the first mobile device;

identifying, based on the location data and the proximity information, a specific location;

forming a subgroup of mobile devices including mobile devices within a second predetermined radius of the specific location;

querying and receiving level of power associated with each of the mobile devices in the subgroup; and

transmitting control signals to each of the mobile devices in the subgroup to shut down functions to provide location data and proximity information based on the level of power, wherein transmitting control signals by the processor includes;

selecting one of the mobile devices in the subgroup having the highest level of power as a first selected mobile device, and signaling to the mobile devices in the subgroup other than the first selected mobile device to shut down the functions to provide location data and proximity information based on the level of power,

wherein the mobile devices in the subgroup other than the first selected mobile device stop transmitting location data and proximity information, and

wherein location data and proximity information from the first selected mobile device is associated with each of the mobile devices in the subgroup.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17, further comprising:

determining if the specific location is included in a database to confirm that the specific location is associated with at least one mobile device in the subgroup of mobile devices; and

updating the database to associate the specific location with each of the mobile devices in the subgroup of mobile devices.