Methods and systems for adjusting location querying frequency of a computing device

• US 9,351,113 B1
• Filed: 06/28/2013
• Issued: 05/24/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2013
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Sun, Zhentao
• Primary Examiner(s): Survillo, Oleg
• Assistant Examiner(s): Boustany, Jihad
• Application Number:
  US13/929,997
• Time in Patent Office: 1,061 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0281 Customer communication at a business location, e.g. providing product or service information, consulting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0806 for initial configuration or provisioning, e.g. plug-and-play
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences

Abstract

The present disclosure provides example methods operable by computing device. An example method may include querying a location of a computing device with a first frequency. The method may also include accumulating data on the computing device over a time period. The data may include respective locations of the computing device during the time period with respect to the time of day and at increments based on the first frequency. The method may also include determining a model of the location of the computing device with respect to the time of day based on the accumulated data. The method may also include comparing the current location of the computing device to the model. If the current location of the computing device is consistent with the model, the method may also include querying the location of the computing device with a second frequency.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

querying, via a communication interface of a computing device, a location of the computing device with a first frequency;

accumulating data on the computing device over a time period, wherein the data comprises at least (i) respective locations of the computing device during the time period with respect to a time of day, and (ii) information identifying a movement of the computing device with respect to the time of day;

based on the accumulated data, the computing device determining a model of the location and movement of the computing device with respect to the time of day;

comparing, by the computing device, a current location of the computing device, a current movement of the computing device, and a current time of day to the model;

if the comparison indicates that both (i) the current location of the computing device with respect to the current time of day is consistent with the model and (ii) the current movement of the computing device with respect to the current time of day is consistent with the model, then querying, via the communication interface of the computing device, the location of the computing device with a second frequency, wherein the second frequency is less than the first frequency; and

if the comparison indicates that either (i) the current location of the computing device with respect to the current time of day is inconsistent with the model or (ii) the current movement of the computing device with respect to the current time of day is inconsistent with the model, then querying, via the communication interface of the computing device, the location of the computing device with the first frequency until the current location is consistent with the model.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first frequency is about every 2 minutes.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the second frequency is about every 15 minutes.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein querying a location of a computing device comprises determining the location of the computing device with respect to a geofence.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

detecting a breach of the geofence in response to detection that the computing device has entered or exited a region bounded by the geofence.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

if the comparison indicates that both (i) the current location of the computing device with respect to the current time of day is inconsistent with the model and (ii) the current movement of the computing device with respect to the current time of day is inconsistent with the model, then querying, via the communication interface of the computing device, the location of the computing device with the first frequency until the current location is consistent with the model.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the information identifying a movement of the computing device with respect to the time of day comprises information indicating the computing device is stationary.

8. A computing device comprising:

a communication interface;

at least one processor;

data storage comprising program logic, that when executed by the at least one processor, cause the computing device to perform functions comprising;

querying, via the communication interface of the computing device, a location of the computing device with a first frequency;

accumulating data on the computing device over a time period, wherein the data comprises at least (i) respective locations of the computing device during the time period with respect to a time of day, and (ii) information identifying a movement of the computing device with respect to the time of day;

based on the accumulated data, determining a model of the location and movement of the computing device with respect to the time of day;

comparing a current location of the computing device, a current movement of the computing device, and a current time of day to the model;

if the comparison indicates that both (i) the current location of the computing device with respect to the current time of day is consistent with the model and (ii) the current movement of the computing device with respect to the current time of day is consistent with the model, then querying, via the communication interface of the computing device, the location of the computing device with a second frequency, wherein the second frequency is less than the first frequency; and

if the comparison indicates that either (i) the current location of the computing device with respect to the current time of day is inconsistent with the model or (ii) the current movement of the computing device with respect to the current time of day is inconsistent with the model, then querying, via the communication interface of the computing device, the location of the computing device with the first frequency until the current location is consistent with the model.

9. The computing device of claim 8, wherein querying a location of a computing device comprises determining the location of the computing device with respect to a geofence.

10. The computing device of claim 9, wherein the program logic is further executable by the at least one processor to carry out the function of:

detecting a breach of the geofence in response to detection that the computing device has entered or exited a region bounded by the geofence.

11. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon instructions, that when executed by a computing device, cause the computing device to carry out functions comprising:

querying, via a communication interface of the computing device, a location of the computing device with a first frequency;

accumulating data on the computing device over a time period, wherein the data comprises at least (i) respective locations of the computing device during the time period with respect to a time of day, and (ii) information identifying a movement of the computing device with respect to the time of day;

based on the accumulated data, the computing device determining a model of the location and movement of the computing device with respect to the time of day;

comparing, by the computing device, a current location of the computing device, a current movement of the computing device, and a current time of day to the model;

if the comparison indicates that both (i) the current location of the computing device with respect to the current time of day is consistent with the model and (ii) the current movement of the computing device with respect to the current time of day is consistent with the model, then querying, via the communication interface of the computing device, the location of the computing device with a second frequency, wherein the second frequency is less than the first frequency; and

if the comparison indicates that either (i) the current location of the computing device with respect to the current time of day is inconsistent with the model or (ii) the current movement of the computing device with respect to the current time of day is inconsistent with the model, then querying, via the communication interface of the computing device, the location of the computing device with the first frequency until the current location is consistent with the model.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein querying a location of a computing device comprises determining the location of the computing device with respect to a geofence.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the functions further comprise:

detecting a breach of the geofence in response to detection that the computing device has entered or exited a region bounded by the geofence.