Using location-based request data for identifying beacon locations

• US 9,813,870 B2
• Filed: 07/11/2016
• Issued: 11/07/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Yahoo Holdings, Inc. (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Naaman, Mor
• Primary Examiner(s): Vu, Thai
• Application Number:
  US15/206,343
• Publication Number:
  US 20160323713A1
• Time in Patent Office: 484 Days
• Field of Search: 4554042, 4554141, 4554142, 4554561, 4554565, 4554566
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/025 using location based information parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/003 locating network equipment
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices

Abstract

System and method are directed towards determining an approximate location of a cell tower (CT), using at least implicit location information obtained from a plurality of mobile devices obtained while each mobile device user employs a location based application. Also obtained are CT identifiers associated with a cell tower each mobile device is currently employing. When a sufficient number of mobile devices provide implicit location information for a given CT identifier, an approximate location may be determined. Subsequently, when a mobile device provides a CT identifier for which an approximate location has been determined, the approximate location information may be used to assist the user of the mobile device. For example, the user might access a location based application and automatically have an approximate location of the user'"'"'s mobile device be provided to the application transparent to the user.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

launching and executing, by a mobile client device, a location based application, the location based application selected from a group of location based applications consisting of a search application, a map application, and a social networking application;

receiving, by the mobile client device, a cell tower identifier from a cell tower the mobile client device is currently employing;

identifying, by the mobile client device, implicit location information via the location based application, said implicit location information identifiable from said execution of the location based application;

determining, by the mobile client device, a relationship between the cell tower identifier and the implicit location information, said relationship based as least in part upon a frequency said cell tower identifier is referenced within said implicit location information;

determining, by the mobile client device, a coverage area for the cell tower based on the determined relationship between the implicit location information and the cell tower identifier;

providing, by the mobile client device, the coverage area for the cell tower to the location based application;

configuring, by the mobile client device, an output of the location based application based on the coverage area; and

communicating, via the mobile client device, said output.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving of the implicit location information further comprises receiving location information from a user during use of the search application to narrow a result of the search.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the cell tower is a cell tower for which the mobile client device is currently using to communicate.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving of the implicit location information further comprises receiving a plurality of implicit location information from a plurality of mobile client devices.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising refining the coverage area of the cell tower.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the refining of the coverage area further comprises using a Global Positioning System (GPS) data to identify a location of the mobile client device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining of the coverage area for the cell tower further comprises determining a location for the cell tower.

8. A system comprising:

a processor;

a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium for tangibly storing thereon program logic for execution by the processor, the program logic comprising;

launching logic executed by the processor for launching and executing a location based application, the location based application selected from a group of location based applications consisting of a search application, a map application, and a social networking application;

cell tower identifier logic executed by the processor for receiving a cell tower identifier from a cell tower the mobile client device is currently employing;

implicit location information identifying logic executed by the processor for identifying implicit location information via the location based application, said implicit location information identifiable from said execution of the location based application;

determination logic executed by the processor for determining a relationship between the cell tower identifier and the implicit location information, said relationship based as least in part upon a frequency said cell tower identifier is referenced within said implicit location information;

coverage area determining logic executed by the processor for determining a coverage area for the cell tower based on the determined relationship between the implicit location information and the cell tower identifier;

coverage area providing logic executed by the processor for providing the coverage area for the cell tower to the location based application;

output configuring logic executed by the processor for configuring an output of the location based application based on the coverage area; and

output logic executed by the processor for communicating said output.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the implicit location information receiving logic further comprises location information receiving logic executed by the processor for receiving location information from a user during use of the search application to narrow a result of the search.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the cell tower is a cell tower for which the processor is currently using to communicate.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the implicit location information receiving logic further comprises logic for receiving a plurality of implicit location information from a plurality of processors.

12. The system of claim 8, further comprising refining coverage area logic executed by the processor for refining the coverage area of the cell tower.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the refining coverage area logic for refining the coverage area further comprises logic for using a Global Positioning System (GPS) data to identify a location of the processor.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein the coverage area determining logic further comprises location determining logic executed by the processor for determining a location for the cell tower.

15. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium tangibly encoded with computer-executable program code, that when executed by a processor of a mobile client device, performs a method comprising:

launching and executing, by the processor, a location based application, the location based application selected from a group of location based applications consisting of a search application, a map application, and a social networking application;

receiving, by the processor, a cell tower identifier from a cell tower the mobile client device is currently employing;

identifying, by the processor, implicit location information via the location based application, said implicit location information identifiable from said execution of the location based application;

determining, by the processor, a relationship between the cell tower identifier and the implicit location information, said relationship based as least in part upon a frequency said cell tower identifier is referenced within said implicit location information;

determining, by the processor, a coverage area for the cell tower based on the relationship between the implicit location information and the cell tower identifier;

providing, by the processor, the coverage area for the cell tower to the location based application;

configuring, by the processor, an output of the location based application based on the coverage area; and

communicating, via the processor, said output.

16. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the receiving of the implicit location information further comprises receiving location information from a user during use of the search application to narrow a result of the search.

17. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15, further comprising refining the coverage area of the cell tower.

18. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the determining of the coverage area for the cell tower further comprises determining a location for the cell tower.