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

• US 10,075,922 B2
• Filed: 07/05/2017
• Issued: 09/11/2018
• 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): Orgad, Edan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lalchinthang, Vanneilian
• Application Number:
  US15/642,237
• Publication Number:
  US 20170303203A1
• Time in Patent Office: 433 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:

registering and linking by a processor included in a tracking server a group of mobile devices to track locations of the mobile devices;

forming by the processor a location-based subgroup of mobile devices from the registered group of mobile devices based on location data and proximity information received from a first mobile device included in the registered group of mobile devices, the location-based subgroup of mobile devices including mobile devices within a first predetermined radius of a specific location;

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

transmitting control signals by the processor to each of the mobile devices in the located-based subgroup to conserve battery power of one or more mobile devices in the location-based subgroup, wherein transmitting control signals by the processor includes;

selecting at least one of the mobile devices in the location-based subgroup having a highest level of power as a first selected mobile device, and

signaling to the mobile devices in the location-based subgroup other than the first selected mobile device to shut down at least one of radio functions that are used to provide location data or proximity information while tracking a location of each of the mobile devices in the location-based subgroup using a proximity sensor on the first selected mobile device,

wherein the mobile devices in the location-based subgroup other than the first selected mobile device stop transmitting at least one of the location data or the proximity information provided by the at least one of the radio functions, and

wherein at least one of the location data or the proximity information from the first selected mobile device respectively includes the location data or the proximity information of each of the mobile devices in the location-based 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 location-based subgroup of mobile devices; and

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

3. The method of claim 1, wherein transmitting control signals further comprises:

signaling to each of the mobile devices in the location-based subgroup to shut down at least one of the radio function to provide location data or the radio function to provide proximity information for a length of time inversely proportional to the level of power associated with each of the mobile devices in the location-based subgroup.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein transmitting control signals further comprises:

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

5. The method of claim 4, wherein transmitting control signals further comprises:

signaling to the first and the second selected mobile devices to shut down their radio functions to provide at least one of the location data or the 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 by the processor characteristics associated with each of the mobile devices in the location-based subgroup.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein transmitting control signals further comprises:

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

signaling to the identified mobile devices to shut down at least one of the radio function to provide location data or the function to provide proximity information.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, by the processor, 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 second 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.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

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

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

a processor;

a communication interface; and

a memory storage coupled to the processor and the communication interface, the memory storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to;

register and link a group of mobile devices to track locations of the mobile devices,

form a location-based subgroup of mobile devices from the registered group of mobile devices based on location data and proximity information received from a first mobile device included in the registered group of mobile devices, the location-based subgroup of mobile devices including mobile devices within a first predetermined radius of a specific location,

query and receive via the communication interface a level of power associated with each of the mobile devices in the location-based subgroup, and

transmit control signals via the communication interface to each of the mobile devices in the location-based subgroup to conserve battery power of one or more mobile devices in the location-based subgroup, wherein transmitting control signals includes;

selecting at least one of the mobile devices in the location-based subgroup having a highest level of power as a first selected mobile device, and

signaling to the mobile devices in the location-based subgroup other than the first selected mobile device to shut down at least one of radio functions that are used to provide location data or proximity information while tracking a location of each of the mobile devices in the location-based subgroup using a proximity sensor on the first selected mobile device,

wherein the mobile devices in the location-based subgroup other than the first selected mobile device stop transmitting at least one of the location data or the proximity information provided by the at least one of the radio functions, and

wherein at least one of the location data or the proximity information from the first selected mobile device respectively includes the location data or the proximity information of each of the mobile devices in the location-based subgroup.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 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 location-based subgroup of mobile devices, and

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

12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein transmitting control signals further comprises:

signaling via the communication interface to each of the mobile devices in the location-based subgroup to shut down at least one of the radio function to provide the location data or the radio function to provide the proximity information for a length of time inversely proportional to the level of power associated with each of the mobile devices in the location-based subgroup.

13. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein transmitting control signals further comprises:

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

signaling via the communication interface to the mobile devices in the location-based subgroup other than the first and the second selected mobile devices to turn off at least one of the radio function to provide the location data or the radio function to provide the proximity information.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein transmitting control signals further comprises:

signaling via the communication interface to the first and the second selected mobile devices to shut down at least one of the radio function to provide the location data or the radio function to provide the proximity information for a length of time inversely proportional to the level of power associated with the first and second selected mobile devices, respectively.

15. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein, when the processor executes the instructions stored in memory, the processor further:

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

16. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein, when the processor executes the instructions stored in memory, the processor further:

sends via the communication interface a query for characteristics associated with each of the mobile devices in the location-based subgroup.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein transmitting control signals further comprises:

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

signaling via the communication interface to the identified mobile devices to shut down at least one of the function to provide location data or the function to provide proximity information.

18. 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, the method comprising:

registering and linking by a processor included in a tracking server a group of mobile devices to track locations of the mobile devices;

forming a location-based subgroup of mobile devices from the registered group of mobile devices based on location data and proximity information received from a first mobile device included in the registered group of mobile devices, the location-based subgroup of mobile devices including mobile devices within a first predetermined radius of a specific location;

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

transmitting control signals to each of the mobile devices in the location-based subgroup to conserve battery power of one or more mobile devices in the location-based subgroup, wherein transmitting control signals includes;

selecting at least one of the mobile devices in the location-based subgroup having a highest level of power as a first selected mobile device, and

signaling to the mobile devices in the location-based subgroup other than the first selected mobile device to shut down at least one of radio functions that are used to provide location data or proximity information while tracking a location of each of the mobile devices in the location-based subgroup using a proximity sensor on the first selected mobile device,

wherein the mobile devices in the location-based subgroup other than the first selected mobile device stop transmitting at least one of the location data or the proximity information provided by the at least one of the radio functions, and

wherein at least one of the location data or the proximity information from the first selected mobile device respectively includes the location data or the proximity information of each of the mobile devices in the subgroup.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 18, having instructions that, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to perform a method 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 location-based subgroup of mobile devices; and

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

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 18, wherein transmitting control signals further comprises:

signaling to each of the mobile devices in the location-based subgroup to shut down at least one of the radio function to provide the location data or the radio function to provide the proximity information for a length of time inversely proportional to the level of power associated with each of the mobile devices in the location-based subgroup.

21. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 18, having instructions that, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to perform a method further comprising:

querying and receiving characteristics associated with each of the mobile devices in the location-based subgroup.

22. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 21, wherein transmitting control signals further comprises:

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

signaling to the identified mobile devices to shut down at least one of the radio function to provide the location data or the radio function to provide the proximity information.