Intelligent utilization of resources in mobile devices

• US 7,026,984 B1
• Filed: 11/08/2004
• Issued: 04/11/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/08/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Cingular Wireless II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cingular Wireless II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Thandu, Balasubramaniam K., Aithal, Prabha
• Primary Examiner(s): PHAN, DAO LINDA
• Application Number:
  US10/984,100
• Time in Patent Office: 519 Days
• Field of Search: 342/357.01, 342/357.06, 342/357.09, 342/357.12, 701/207, 701/213, 701/214, 701/215
• US Class Current: 342/357.74
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/34 Power consumption
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0225 using monitoring of external events, e.g. the presence of a signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0254 detecting a user operation or a tactile contact or a motion of the device
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A programmable intelligent activation module to intelligently allow access to GPS resources is provided. In accordance with pre-programmed settings, an intelligent activation module will control the frequency by which a GPS module is allowed to access a GPS or GSM network in order to acquire location information of a mobile device equipped with GPS equipment. By controlling access to a GPS or GSM network, network resources such as bandwidth are conserved unless actually needed as is determined by the intelligent activation module. Similarly, battery resources for the mobile device are also conserved in that unnecessary activation of the GPS module is prevented until such activation is actually needed. The intelligent activation module can be programmed with a variety of settings including speed, map deltas, final destination information, or settings as pre-determined by a user of the mobile device.

Claims

1. A method for intelligently utilizing resources in a mobile device, comprising:

receiving destination information;

determining a first delta associated with proximity of the mobile device to a destination as defined by the destination information;

accessing location based information over at least one network at a first frequency of time to obtain location information;

determining a second delta associated with proximity of the mobile device to the destination as reflected by the location information;

comparing the first delta with the second delta to determine a change between the first delta and the second delta;

determining a second frequency of time for accessing location based information over the at least one network, the second frequency of time being associated with the significance of the change between the first delta and the second delta; and

accessing location based information over the at least one network at the second frequency of time.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the location based information is GPS-related information.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the significance of the change between the first delta and the second delta thereby resulting in the determination of an associated second frequency of time is determined by the intelligent activation module.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the significance of change between the first delta and the second delta thereby resulting in the determination of an associated second frequency of time is determined in accordance with a predetermined user setting.

5. A method for intelligently utilizing resources in a mobile device, comprising:

receiving a first frequency of time at which a GPS module is to access location based information over at least one network;

receiving destination information;

receiving a distance from a final destination as defined by the destination information;

accessing location based information over the at least one network at the first frequency of time to obtain location information;

determining whether the mobile device is within the distance from the final destination as reflected by the location information; and

if the mobile device is within the distance from the final destination, accessing location based information over the at least one network at a more frequent frequency of time as is necessary to provide turn-by-turn directions to a user of the mobile device.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the location based information is GPS-related information.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the first frequency of time is determined by an intelligent activation module.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the first frequency of time is determined in accordance with a predetermined user setting.

9. The method of claim 5, further comprising determining whether the mobile device is within a certain distance from an intermediate destination as reflected by location based information accessed over the at least one network at the first frequency of time;

and accessing over the at least one network at a different frequency of time to provide turn-by-turn directions to the intermediate destination.