Mobile device monitoring and analysis
DCFirst Claim
1. A computer-implemented method for reporting a location of a mobile computing device, the method comprising:
- attempting to determine the location of the mobile computing device using a satellite based global positioning system;
determining that the location determination using the satellite-based global positioning system failed;
in response to determining that the location determination using the satellite-based global positioning system failed, attempting to determine the location of the mobile computing device by triangulating respective measured distances of the mobile computing device from two or more wireless telephone network base stations;
determining that the location determination by triangulating failed;
in response to determining that the location determination by triangulating failed, determining that the mobile computing device is sufficiently near a wireless device with a known location to communicate with the wireless device;
in response to determining that the mobile computing device is near a wireless device, reporting the location of the wireless device as the location of the mobile computing device; and
estimating the location of the wireless device from locations of one or more other mobile computing devices reported by the other mobile computing devices when those other mobile computing devices were sufficiently near the wireless device to communicate with the wireless device.
2 Assignments
Litigations
1 Petition
Accused Products
Abstract
Numerous mobile devices report their respective locations to a server which collects the location reports to provide real-time pedestrian traffic information, e.g., as a map that shows locations of individual mobile devices. Distribution of mobile devices in a geographic area more closely represents overall population locations and densities. Each device is identified by a digital fingerprint, formed from a number of system and device configuration parameters. Each mobile device is configured to periodically report its location, e.g., at a predetermined time interval and/or whenever the mobile device determines its location for another reason. A known location of a wireless network access point to which a mobile device is connected can serve as an estimated location of the mobile device.
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Citations
12 Claims
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1. A computer-implemented method for reporting a location of a mobile computing device, the method comprising:
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attempting to determine the location of the mobile computing device using a satellite based global positioning system; determining that the location determination using the satellite-based global positioning system failed; in response to determining that the location determination using the satellite-based global positioning system failed, attempting to determine the location of the mobile computing device by triangulating respective measured distances of the mobile computing device from two or more wireless telephone network base stations; determining that the location determination by triangulating failed; in response to determining that the location determination by triangulating failed, determining that the mobile computing device is sufficiently near a wireless device with a known location to communicate with the wireless device; in response to determining that the mobile computing device is near a wireless device, reporting the location of the wireless device as the location of the mobile computing device; and
estimating the location of the wireless device from locations of one or more other mobile computing devices reported by the other mobile computing devices when those other mobile computing devices were sufficiently near the wireless device to communicate with the wireless device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A tangible computer readable medium useful in association with a computer that includes one or more processors and a memory, the computer readable medium including computer instructions that are configured to cause the computer, by execution of the computer instructions in the one or more processors from the memory, to report a location of the computer by at least:
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attempting to determine the location of the computer using a satellite-based global positioning system; determining whether the location determination using the satellite-based global positioning system succeeded; in response to determining that the location determination using the satellite-based global positioning system succeeded, reporting the location determined using the satellite-based global positioning system as the location of the computer; in response to determining that the location determination using the satellite-based global positioning system failed, attempting to determine the location of the computer by triangulating respective measured distances of the computer from two or more wireless telephone network base stations; determining whether the location determination by triangulating succeeded; in response to determining that the location determined by triangulating succeeded, reporting the location determination by triangulating as the location of the computer; in response to determining that the location determination by triangulating failed, determining that the computer is sufficiently near a wireless device with a known location to communicate with the wireless device; in response to determining that the computer is near a wireless device, reporting the location of the wireless device as the location of the computer; and estimating the location of the wireless device from locations of one or more other mobile computing devices reported by the other mobile computing devices when those other mobile computing devices were sufficiently near the wireless device to communicate with the wireless device. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8)
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9. A computer system comprising:
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at least one processor; a computer readable medium that is operatively coupled to the processor; network access circuitry that is operatively coupled to the processor; and location reporting logic (i) that executes at least in part in the processor from the computer readable medium and (ii) that, when executed, causes the computer system to report a location of the computer system by at least; attempting to determine the location of the computer system using a satellite-based global positioning system; determining whether the location determination using the satellite-based global positioning system succeeded; in response to determining that the location determination using the satellite-based global positioning system succeeded, reporting the location determined using the satellite-based global positioning system as the location of the computer system; in response to determining that the location determination using the satellite-based global positioning system failed, attempting to determine the location of the computer system by triangulating respective measured distances of the computer system from two or more wireless telephone network base stations; determining whether the location determination by triangulating succeeded; in response to determining that the location determined by triangulating succeeded, reporting the location determination by triangulating as the location of the computer system; in response to determining that the location determination by triangulating failed, determining that the computer system is sufficiently near a wireless device with a known location to communicate with the wireless device; in response to determining that the computer system is near a wireless device, reporting the location of the wireless device as the location of the computer system; and estimating the location of the wireless device from locations of one or more other mobile computing devices reported by the other mobile computing devices when those other mobile computing devices were sufficiently near the wireless device to communicate with the wireless device. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12)
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Specification