Ad hoc formation and tracking of location-sharing groups

• US 8,284,748 B2
• Filed: 07/07/2010
• Issued: 10/09/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/07/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Borghei, Hooman
• Primary Examiner(s): HO, DUC CHI
• Application Number:
  US12/831,956
• Publication Number:
  US 20120008526A1
• Time in Patent Office: 825 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 370/338
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/022 with dynamic range variability
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/023 using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/025 using location based information parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/08 User group management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/186 Processing of subscriber group data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]

Abstract

Methods, systems, and computer-readable media for forming and tracking a location-sharing group are disclosed. The location-sharing group can be performed ad hoc without the assistance of a central server. A geofence can be defined that encloses the current locations of the participating devices in the location-sharing group. The geographic location of the location-sharing group as a whole can be tracked and provided to the participating devices in the location-sharing group. Group-level location-sharing can be enabled. Departure of a participating device from the location-sharing group can be detected based on the current location and the coverage radius of each device in the location-sharing group. Entry of points of interest into the geofence of the location-sharing group can be detected and notified to the participating devices in the location-sharing group.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method performed by one or more data processing apparatus, the method comprising:

detecting formation of a location-sharing group between two or more mobile devices;

defining a geofence around the location-sharing group, the geofence encloses respective current geographic locations of the two or more mobile devices;

tracking a geographic location of the location-sharing group and a geographic coverage of the geofence around the location-sharing group; and

providing the geographic location of the location-sharing group to at least one of the two or more mobile devices in the location-sharing group.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein detecting formation of the location-sharing group further comprises:

receiving a group initiation request from a host device, the host device being one of the two or more mobile devices in the location-sharing group, and the group initiation request identifying the location-sharing group to be formed and one or more participating devices that have been invited to join the location-sharing group; and

subsequent to receiving the group initiation request, receiving a notification from the host device indicating that the location-sharing group has been formed, wherein the notification includes respective consents from the one or more participating devices to join the location-sharing group.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein detecting formation of the location-sharing group further comprises:

receiving a group invitation request from a host device, the host device being one of the two or more mobile devices in the location-sharing group, and the group initiation request identifying the location-sharing group to be formed and one or more participating devices that have been invited to join the location-sharing group; and

subsequent to receiving the group initiation request, receiving from each of the participating devices a respective consent to join the location-sharing group.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the location-sharing group is supported by one or more active network connections between the two or more mobile devices.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 4, wherein the one or more network connections include one or more of a Bluetooth network connection or a WiFi network connection.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein defining a geofence around the location-sharing group further comprises:

determining the respective current geographic locations of the two or more mobile devices;

determining a respective coverage radius for each of the two or more mobile devices;

determining a boundary of a combined coverage area that encloses the current geographic location of each mobile device by a distance equal to the coverage radius for the mobile device; and

using the boundary of the combined coverage area as the geofence around the location-sharing group.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 6, wherein determining the respective coverage radius for each of the two or more mobile devices further comprises:

determining a connection type for a network connection presently established between the mobile device and another mobile device in the location-sharing group; and

using a known connectivity range for the connection type as the coverage radius for the mobile device.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 6, wherein determining the coverage radius for each of the two or more mobile devices further comprises:

receiving the coverage radius from the mobile device, the coverage radius being a user-specified distance.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 6, wherein tracking the geographic location of the location-sharing group and a geographic coverage of the geofence around the location-sharing group further comprises:

monitoring the current geographic locations of the two or more mobile devices;

determining a current boundary of the combined coverage area that encloses the current geographic location of each mobile device by at least the coverage radius of the mobile device;

updating the geofence around the location-sharing group based on the current boundary of the combined coverage area; and

determining an updated geographic location for the location-sharing group based on the updated geofence around the location-sharing group.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the geographic location of the location-sharing group is based on a geometric center of the geofence around the location-sharing group.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining the current geographic locations of the two or more mobile devices;

determining a respective coverage radius for each of the two or more mobile devices;

detecting that at least one of the two or more mobile devices is outside of the coverage radius of all other mobile devices in the location-sharing group; and

notifying the two or more mobile devices in the ad hoc network about the departure of the at least one mobile device from the location-sharing group.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 11, wherein the geographic location and geofence of the location-sharing group are based on the mobile devices that are currently participating in the location-sharing group.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 11, further comprising:

providing a suggested route for the departed mobile device to rejoin the location-sharing group.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 11, further comprising:

providing a suggested route to at least one of the mobile devices currently participating in the location-sharing group to recapture the departed mobile device.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting that a point of interest has crossed and entered the geofence of the location-sharing group; and

providing a notification to at least one of the two or more devices about the point of interest.

16. The computer-implemented method of claim 15, wherein the point of interest is a location of interest, and wherein the method further comprises:

storing a plurality of candidate locations of interest;

monitoring the relative positions between each candidate location of interest and the geofence that encloses the current geographic locations of the two or more mobile devices; and

determining that at least one of the candidate locations of interest has crossed and entered the geofence based on the relative positions between the candidate location of interest and the geofence.

17. The computer-implemented method of claim 15, wherein the point of interest is a device of interest, and wherein the method further comprises:

detecting a candidate device of interest, the candidate device of interest having an associated location;

monitoring the relative positions between the candidate device of interest and the geofence that encloses the current geographic locations of the two or more mobile devices; and

determining that the candidate device of interest has crossed and entered the geofence based on the relative positions between the candidate device of interest and the geofence.

18. A computer-implemented method performed by one or more data processing apparatus, comprising:

detecting formation of an ad hoc network between two or more mobile devices;

defining a geofence around the ad hoc network, the geofence encloses respective current geographic locations of the two or more mobile devices;

tracking a geographic location of the ad hoc network and a geographic coverage of the geofence around the ad hoc network;

determining that a point of interest has entered the geofence; and

notifying at least one mobile device in the ad hoc network about the point of interest.

19. A computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon, the instructions, when executed by one or more processors, cause the processors to perform operations comprising:

detecting formation of a location-sharing group between two or more mobile devices;

defining a geofence around the location-sharing group, the geofence encloses respective current geographic locations of the two or more mobile devices;

tracking a geographic location of the location-sharing group and a geographic coverage of the geofence around the location-sharing group; and

providing the geographic location of the location-sharing group to at least one of the two or more mobile devices in the location-sharing group.

20. A system, comprising:

one or more processors;

memory having instructions stored thereon, the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the processors to perform operations comprising;

detecting formation of a location-sharing group between two or more mobile devices;

defining a geofence around the location-sharing group, the geofence encloses respective current geographic locations of the two or more mobile devices;

tracking a geographic location of the location-sharing group and a geographic coverage of the geofence around the location-sharing group; and

providing the geographic location of the location-sharing group to at least one of the two or more mobile devices in the location-sharing group.

21. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon, the instructions, when executed by one or more processors, cause the processors to perform operations comprising:

detecting formation of an ad hoc network between two or more mobile devices;

defining a geofence around the ad hoc network, the geofence encloses respective current geographic locations of the two or more mobile devices;

tracking a geographic location of the ad hoc network and a geographic coverage of the geofence around the ad hoc network;

determining that a point of interest has entered the geofence; and

notifying at least one mobile device in the ad hoc network about the point of interest.

22. A system, comprising:

one or more processors;

memory having instructions stored thereon, the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the processors to perform operations comprising;

detecting formation of an ad hoc network between two or more mobile devices;

defining a geofence around the ad hoc network, the geofence encloses respective current geographic locations of the two or more mobile devices;

tracking a geographic location of the ad hoc network and a geographic coverage of the geofence around the ad hoc network;

determining that a point of interest has entered the geofence; and

notifying at least one mobile device in the ad hoc network about the point of interest.