US20130231141A1 - Location-based services platform - Google Patents

Abstract

A platform for providing location-based services is disclosed. A location data collection client running on a mobile device periodically obtains data allowing determination of the geographic location of the mobile device (e.g., GPS, cell tower, or WiFi data) and transmits that data and mobile device-specific information to a location-based services (LBS) platform server. The LBS platform server determines geographic location of the mobile device from the received data. For example, the LBS platform server accesses databases associating latitude and longitude coordinates with cell tower data or WiFi data and updates mobile device location to maintain current location information for the mobile device, which can be used as a proxy for the location of a mobile device user. The LBS platform server further includes a set of APIs allowing third-party services providers to access to the location data.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
• This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 12/434,508, filed May 1, 2009, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/050,180, filed May 2, 2008, both of which are incorporated by reference herein in their entireties.
BACKGROUND
• This invention relates generally to location-based services, and more particularly to a platform providing location data to third-party service providers.
• Location-based services (LBS) make use of the geographical location of a mobile device, such as a mobile phone, to provide the mobile device with data relevant to the mobile device's geographical location. Providing LBS allows a third-party service provider or wireless service operator to deliver customized content to mobile devices. Data supplied via LBS may identify an entity, such as a person, business or other object that is near the geographic location of the mobile device, providing a mobile device user with data about the surrounding area. Additionally, LBS could allow movement of a mobile device over time to be tracked or transmission of information, such as notifications, alerts or coupons, to the mobile device when it is geographically near a specified location. The tracking of a device is generally used as a proxy to track a person or asset.
• The location data determining mobile device geographic location may be obtained using various methods and maintained in different formats. Because of this, different wireless operators and third-party service providers differently calculate and maintain mobile device geographic location data. Additionally, privacy considerations regarding mobile device geographic location data may be affected by contracts, regulations or policies specific to different wireless carriers. Accordingly, mobile device geographic location data is generally separately calculated and maintained by different wireless carriers, requiring third-party service providers offering LBS applications to develop separate applications specific to different wireless carriers. This need to separately develop and maintain wireless carrier-specific applications hinders the development and adoption of LBS applications offered by third-party providers. Further because wireless operators generally do not provide location to Providers, Providers generally need to build location based applications in the form of software downloadable to the mobile device or through proprietary hardware. Providers must generally choose between using Location Data provided by wireless operators or Location Data extracted from the mobile device.
SUMMARY
• Embodiments of the invention relate to a platform for providing location-based services. A location data collection client running on a mobile device periodically obtains data allowing determination of the geographic location of the mobile device (e.g., GPS, cell tower, or WiFi data) and transmits that data and mobile device-specific information to a location-based services (LBS) platform server. The LBS platform server determines geographic location of the mobile device from the received data. For example the LBS platform server accesses databases relating geographic locations to cell tower data or WiFi data (e.g., by the MAC addresses of access points) and identifies latitude and longitude coordinates associated with the cell tower data or WiFi data. In an embodiment, the LBS platform server may also receive data allowing determination of the geographic location of the mobile device from additional sources, such as a hardware device or a wireless operator. The LBS platform server updates mobile device location to maintain current location information for the mobile device, which can be used as a proxy for the location of a mobile device user. The LBS platform server further includes a set of APIs allowing third-party service providers to access to the location data. Various applications are enabled by this platform, including pull models where third-party services poll the location data and push models where the server sends the location data according to predefined algorithms.
• For example, an API stored on the LBS platform server allows a third-party service provider to retrieve a mobile device location from the LBS platform server in response to a data request or to determine other mobile devices or locations within a certain radius of the retrieved mobile device location. Another API stored on the LBS platform server allows the LBS platform server to push mobile device location to a third-party service provider when mobile device movement meets parameters specified by the third-party service provider or when the mobile device location is within a specified radius of another mobile device or specified location. In an embodiment, a third-party service provider may provide customized location logic to specify when mobile device location is transmitted from the LBS platform server to the third-party service provider. Additionally, the stored APIs may also include presentation or formatting layer, to simplify distribution of content or other data from the third-party content provider.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
• FIG. 1 is a high-level block diagram of a system environment for a platform providing location-based services invention, in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.
• FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a mobile device in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.
• FIG. 3 is a diagram of a location-based platform server in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.
• FIG. 4 is an event diagram of a third-party service provider generating location-based content in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.
• FIG. 5 is a flow chart of a method for providing location information about a mobile device in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.
• FIG. 6 is a flow chart of a method for updating data describing the geographic location of a mobile device in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.
• The Figures depict various embodiments of the present invention for purposes of illustration only. One skilled in the art will readily recognize from the following discussion that alternative embodiments of the structures and methods illustrated herein may be employed without departing from the principles of the invention described herein.
DETAILED DESCRIPTIONLocation-Based Services Platform Architecture
• Embodiments of the invention may be implemented using various architectures, such as the example architecture illustrated inFIG. 1. In this embodiment, location-based services (LBS) platform comprises one or moremobile devices110, anetwork120, a location-based platform (LBS)server130 and a third-party service provider140. The LBS platform may also include alocation database135. WhileFIG. 1 depicts a single third-party service provider140, in other embodiments multiple third-party service provides140 are included in the LBS platform.
• The one or moremobile devices110 include onboard processing capabilities and data communication capabilities, such as Bluetooth, WiFi, RF, infrared and ultrasonic sound, as well as input/output functionalities. For example, amobile device110 comprises a mobile phone, a personal digital assistant, a smart phone, a navigation device or a laptop computer. However, amobile device110 may be any device capable of processing data and communicating data that can be moved between geographic locations, such as a watch or a car. Themobile device110 also receives input from a user and presents output to the user. Amobile device110 is described in more detail below in conjunction withFIG. 2. As further described in conjunction withFIG. 2, the one or moremobile devices110 include a locationdata collection client225 which extracts data from the mobile device. The extracted data may comprise global positioning system (GPS) data describing the latitude and longitude of themobile device110, cell-tower data identifying one or more cell towers that are geographically nearest to themobile device110 or data identifying one or more wireless access points geographically nearest to themobile device110. In one configuration the locationdata collection client225 extracts data from a location API executing on themobile device110 obtaining GPS data and/or additional location data from themobile device110. In an embodiment, the locationdata collection client225 also extracts data specific to themobile device110, such as a device type, a timestamp when data was extracted or an International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) number or other product key, such as IMEA number.
• Thenetwork120, which may comprise any combination of local area and/or wide area networks using wireless communication systems, communicates data between the one or moremobile devices110, the LBSplatform server130 and/or the third-party service provider140. In an embodiment, thenetwork120 uses a combination of wireless and wired communication systems to communicate data. To communicate data between the one or moremobile devices110, the LBSplatform server130 and/or the third-party service provider140, thenetwork120 may employ a secure web service using Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) and/or Hypertext Transfer Protocol over Secure Socket Layer (HTTPS). Alternatively, thenetwork120 may use the Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) for data communication.
• The LBSplatform server130 communicates with the one or moremobile devices110 and/or the third-party service provider140 via thenetwork120. The LBSplatform server120 receives data from a locationdata collection client225 running on amobile device110 and processes the received data to determine the geographic location of themobile device110 or extract data associated with themobile device110, such as device type or timestamp associated with data extraction. In an embodiment, the LBSplatform server130 communicates with alocation database135 which determinesmobile device110 geographic location from a locationdata collection client225.
• For example, the locationdata collection client225 extracts data identifying one or more cell towers geographically closest to themobile device110. The data identifying the one or more cell towers is received by the LBSplatform server130, which communicates the data identifying the one or more cell towers to thelocation database135 including latitude and longitude coordinates associated with various cell towers. The latitude and longitude coordinates of the one or more cell towers identified by the locationdata collection client225 are transmitted from thelocation database135 to the LBSplatform server130 to identify the current position of themobile device110. In an embodiment, the LBSplatform server130 or thelocation database135 may use a reverse geo-coder to convert the latitude and longitude coordinates of the identified one or more cell towers as a street address, a city, a zip code or a country.
• As another example, the locationdata collection client225 extracts data identifying one or more wireless access point geographically closest to themobile device110. The data identifying the cell towers is received by theLBS platform server130, which communicates the data identifying the one or more wireless access points to thelocation database135 including latitude and longitude coordinates associated with various wireless access points. The latitude and longitude coordinates of the one or more wireless access points identified by the locationdata collection client225 are transmitted from thelocation database135 to theLBS platform server130 to identify the current position of themobile device110. In an embodiment, theLBS platform server130 or thelocation database135 may use a reverse geo-coder to convert the latitude and longitude coordinates of the identified one or more wireless access points as a street address, a city, a zip code or a country.
• Although shown inFIG. 1 as separate from theLBS platform server130, in other embodiments, thelocation database135 is included in theLBS platform server130 to allow local determination ofmobile device110 geographic location. For example, theLBS platform server130 includes one or more databases associating latitude and longitude coordinates with various wireless access points or associating latitude and longitude coordinates with various cell towers.
• As further described below in conjunction withFIG. 3, theLBS platform server130 include one or more application programming interfaces (APIs) to allow integration of applications with theLBS platform server130. The one or more APIs allow a third-party service provider140 to access geographic locations of one or moremobile devices110 from theLBS platform server130, enabling the third-party service provider140 to provide amobile device110 with content customized according to the geographic position of themobile device110. Privacy settings stored by theLBS platform server130 may be used to regulate data about amobile device110 provided to the third-party service provider140 by an API.
• FIG. 2 illustrates an embodiment of amobile device110 for use in a location-based service (LBS) platform, such as the embodiments described above. In the embodiment shown inFIG. 2, themobile device110 comprises aprocessor210, adata store220, aninput device230, anoutput device240, apower supply250, acommunication module260 and a Global Positioning System (GPS)module270. It should be understood, however, that not all of the above components are required for themobile device110, and this is not an exhaustive list of components for all embodiments of themobile device110 or of all possible variations of the above components. Amobile device110 may have any combination of fewer than all of the capabilities and components described herein.
• Theprocessor210,data store220, and thepower supply250, such as a battery or any other suitable power source enable themobile device110 to perform computing functionalities. Theprocessor210 is coupled to theinput device230 and theoutput device240 enabling applications running on the smart pen100 to use these devices. In one embodiment, thedata store220 comprises a small amount of random access memory (RAM) and a larger amount of flash or other persistent memory, allowing applications, such as the locationdata collection client225, to be stored and executed by themobile device110. This allows the locationdata collection client225 to extract data from themobile device110 describing geographic location of the mobile device. The mobile device also executes an operating system or other software supporting one or more input modalities, for receiving input from theinput device230 and/or one or more output modalities presenting data via theoutput device240, such as audio playback or display of visual data.
• Theoutput device240 may comprise any suitable display system for providing visual feedback, such as an organic light emitting diode (OLED) display. Theoutput device240 may also include a speaker or other audio playback device to provide auditory feedback. For example, theoutput device240 may communicate audio feedback (e.g., prompts, commands, and system status) according to an application running onmobile device110 using the speaker and also display word phrases, static or dynamic images, or prompts as directed by the application using the display. Theinput device240 comprises any suitable device for receiving input from a user, such as a keyboard, touch-sensitive display or gesture capture system.
• Thecommunication module260 comprises a wireless communication circuit allowing wireless communication with the network120 (e.g., via Bluetooth, WiFi, RF, infrared, or ultrasonic). For example, thecommunication module260 identifies and communicates with one or more wireless access points using WiFi or identifies and communicates with one or more cell towers using RF. In an embodiment, thecommunication module260 also includes a jack for receiving a data cable (e.g., Mini-USB or Micro-USB). TheGPS module270 determines geographic location of themobile device110 by timing signals received from GPS satellites to calculate distance from theGPS module270 and each GPS satellites.
• The locationdata collection client225 extracts data from theGPS module270 identifying the geographic location of theGPS module270 to identify the location of themobile device110. Additionally, the locationdata collection client225 extracts data from thecommunication module260 identifying one or more cell towers and/or wireless access points geographically near themobile device260. Data extracted by the locationdata collection client225 is transmitted via thecommunication module260 to aLBS platform server130 at predefined intervals. For example, at five-minute intervals, the locationdata collection client225 transmits data to theLBS platform server130 using thecommunication module260. In an embodiment, the frequency at which the locationdata collection client225 transmits data to the LBS platform server is increased or decreased based on different parameters, such as amount of movement by themobile device110, network usage, a specified maximum delay interval or use ofmobile device110 hardware. For example, if thepower supply250 operates at less than half of full capacity, the frequency of data transmission by the locationdata collection client225 is decreased.FIG. 6, further described below, illustrates an example method for modifying the frequency of data transmission by the locationdata collection client225 responsive topower supply250 life.
• FIG. 3 illustrates a block diagram of an embodiment of aLBS platform server130 for use in a location-based service (LBS) platform, such as the embodiments described above. In the embodiment shown inFIG. 3, theLBS platform server130 comprises adevice identifier store305, aprovider identifier store310, a device-provider association table320, a third-party service server330, anAPI generator340, aninternal location database350 and alocation calculator360. It should be understood, however, that not all of the above components are required for theLBS platform server130, and this is not an exhaustive list of components for all embodiments of theLBS platform server130 or of all possible variations of the above components. ALBS platform server130 may have any combination of fewer than all of the capabilities and components described herein.
• Thedevice identifier store305 is a persistent storage device including one or more device identifiers. As used herein, a “device identifier” refers to a combination of a client identifier associated with a locationdata collection client225 running on amobile device110 and a mobile device identifier, such as a serial number, IDMA number or other identifier associated with the mobile device. A device identifier is associated with amobile device110 running the locationdata collection client225 to uniquely identify themobile device110 by including a client identifier associated with the locationdata collection client225 and a mobile device identifier associated with themobile device110. For example, the client identifier is received by themobile device110 when the locationdata collection client225 is installed, or when the locationdata collection client225 is initially operated. This client identifier is combined with a mobile device identifier retrieved from themobile device110 by the location data collection client, and the client identifier and mobile device identifier are combined to generate the device identifier. In one embodiment, thedevice identifier store305 restricts access to the device identifiers received from one or moremobile devices110 running the locationdata collection client225 to prevent entities other than theLBS platform server130 from accessing the device identifiers. For example, third-party service providers140 are prevented from accessing thedevice identifier store305 to maintain the privacy of the identifiedmobile devices110.
• Similarly, theprovider identifier store310 is a persistent storage device including one or more provider identifiers that uniquely identify third-party service providers140. When a third-party service provider140 desires to provide an application or other content at least partially dependent on the geographic location of amobile device110, theprovider identifier store310 generates and stores a provider identifier uniquely identifying the third-party service provider140. The generated provider identifier is also transmitted to the third-party service provider140 and used to later request data from theLBS platform server130. Maintaining separate provider identifiers and device identifiers allows theLBS platform server130 to preserve the privacy of differentmobile devices110 while allowing a third-party service provider140 to receive at least a subset of data associated withmobile devices110.
• Additionally, the third-party service provider140 may also locally store and maintain a user identifier associated with different users ofmobile devices110 that receive content from the third-party service provider140. While the device identifier stored by theLBS server130 in thedevice identifier store305 uniquely identifies amobile device140, the third-party service provider140 locally maintains user identifiers describing different users who receive content from the third-party service provider140. Because the third-party service provider140 identifies individual users receiving content while theLBS platform server130 identifies individualmobile devices110 whose location is tracked, the third-party service provider140 cannot use the device to obtain location data from theLBS server130.
• To communicate device location data to a third-party service provider140, the LBS server includes a device-provider association table320 mapping mobile device identifiers to provider identifiers. In an embodiment, the device-provider association table320 also uses data from the third-party service provider140, such as user identifier or other user data, to identify amobile device110 associated with a user of the third-party service provider140. For example, the device-provider association table320 associates a device identifier with a combination of a provider identifier and a user identifier from the third-party service provider140. This enables the device-provider association table320 to map amobile device110 to a particular user of the third-party service provider140. In an embodiment, the device-provider association table320 comprises a lookup table associating a device identifier with a provider identifier or associating a device identifier with a combination of provider identifier and user-specific data, such as a login, key, email address or other data used by the third-party service provider140 to uniquely identify users. Additionally, the device-provider association table320 may include permissions associated with different device identifiers limiting the data associated with amobile device110 that may be communicated to a third-party service provider140.
• To simplify exchange ofmobile device110 location data with a third-party service provider140, the third-party service server330 includes predefined APIs for providing subsets of data to the third-party service provider140. In one embodiment, the third-party service server330 includes a push API and a pull API. If the push API is used, theLBS platform server130 transmits updated location information to a third-party service provider140 when new geographic location data is received from a locationdata collection client225 running on amobile device110. This allows theLBS platform server130 to push updated location data to the third-party service provider140 as amobile device110 changes location. In an embodiment, the location data communicated to the third-party service provider140 is regulated by device-specific settings, such as permissions associated with a device identifier included in the device-provider association table320.
• For example, a permission associated with a device identifier specifies whether the location of the correspondingmobile device110 is communicated to the third-party service provider140 as latitude and longitude coordinates, street names, city name, county name or country name. Permissions associated with a device identifier also allow a user of themobile device110 to identify third-party service providers140 are able to receive location information associated with themobile device140, allowing the user to regulate access to the location information. Additionally, a permission allows a user of themobile device110 to identify the granularity of the location information communicated to a third-party service provider140. For example, a permission allows a third-party service provider140 to receive latitude and longitude coordinates associated with themobile device110, while another permission allows a different third-party service provider140 to merely receive data indicating the city where themobile device110 is located. An additional permission may allow a user to regulate the length of time that location data is communicated to a third-party service provider140.
• By pushing updated location data to a third-party service provider140, an API allows the third-party service provider140 to automatically provide content or applications when amobile device110 is near a specified location or othermobile device110. In an embodiment, the push API may receive parameters from a third-party service provider140 to transmit geographic location to the third-party service provider140 when the parameters are satisfied, reducing the amount of communication between theLBS platform server130 and the third-party service provider140. For example, the push API communicates an update or notification message to the third-party service provider140 when themobile device110 is within a predefined radius of an entity, such as anothermobile device110 or a specific location. As another example, the push API communicates a notification message to a third-party service provider140 when the location of amobile device110 exceeds a threshold or when the location of themobile device110 changes at more than a predefined rate.
• The pull API transmits the geographic location of amobile device110 responsive to theLBS platform server130 receiving a request from a third-party service provider140. The third-party service server330 allows the third-party service provider140 to determine the location of amobile device110 and provide content to themobile device110 customized to the geographic location of themobile device110. For example, the pull API allows a third-party service provider140 to retrieve latitude and longitude coordinates of amobile device110, the method used to calculated the latitude and longitude of the mobile device110 (e.g., GPS data, cell tower identification, wireless access point identification, etc.), a timestamp specifying when the latitude and longitude coordinates were calculated, and/or geocoded data, such as a street address, associated with the latitude and longitude coordinates from the LBS platform server. As another example, the pull API allows a third-party service provider140 to retrieve data from theLBS platform server130 describing locations themobile device110 had previously accessed within a specified time interval, allowing the third-party service provider110 to generate a history ofmobile device110 locations. As another example, the pull API allows the third-party service provider140 to determine the current location of amobile device110 and identify locations or othermobile devices110 within a specified radius of the current location of themobile device110.
• In addition to the third-party service server330, the LBS platform server includes anAPI generator340 which allows a third-party service provider140 to generate customized rules or parameters for receiving location data associated with amobile device110. While the Third-party service server330 includes predefined APIs for performing predefined functions and returning predefined data, theAPI generator340 allows a third-party service provider140 to customize when location data is communicated from theLBS platform server130 to the third-party service provider140. Additionally, theAPI generator340 allows a third-party service provider140 to customize the format in which data is communicated to the third-party service provider140. For example, theAPI generator340 specifies that a street address describing the location of the third-party service provider140 is transmitted to the third-party service provider140.
• Theinternal location database350 comprises a persistent storage device, or combination of a persistent storage device and a non-persistent storage device, storing data received from locationdata collection clients225 running onmobile devices110 and stores data describing geographic location of themobile devices110. In one embodiment, theinternal location database350 stores latitude and longitude coordinates extracted from aGPS module270 of amobile device110. Data in theinternal location database350 describing geographic location of amobile device110 is associated with a device identifier from thedevice identifier store350 to create a pairing of device identifier and geographic location of themobile device110 associated with the device identifier.
• However, because the locationdata collection client225 extracts different types of data from amobile device110 for determining geographic position, data from the locationdata collection client225 may be converted into latitude and longitude coordinates of themobile device110. For example, the locationdata collection client225 extracts data identifying a wireless access point or cell tower geographically near themobile device110. Thelocation calculator360 converts received data into latitude and longitude coordinates using a variety of methods. For example, thelocation calculator360 includes and retrieves the latitude and longitude coordinates of the cell tower or wireless access point received from themobile device110. In one embodiment, thelocation calculator360 locally stores latitude and longitude coordinates associated with cell towers or wireless access points. Alternatively, thelocation calculator360 transmits data to anexternal location database135 which determines latitude and longitude coordinates and transmits the latitude and longitude coordinates to thelocation calculator360.
Providing Location Based Services
• FIG. 4 shows an event diagram of an example process for a third-party service provider140 to generating location-based content using data from a location based services (LBS)platform server130. The actions described inFIG. 4 can be implemented by various computer systems executing instructions that cause the described actions. Those of skill in the art will recognize that one or more of the actions may be implemented in embodiments of hardware and/or software or combinations thereof. For example, instructions for performing the described actions are embodied or stored within a computer readable storage medium. Other embodiments can include different and/or additional steps than the ones described here.
• When the locationdata collection client225 is installed on amobile device110 or when the locationdata collection client225 is used for the first time on amobile device110, a client identifier is generated405 by server and received405 by the locationdata collection client225 running on themobile device110. The client identifier uniquely identifies the locationdata collection client225 running on themobile device110. Thelocation collection client225 then extracts a mobile device identifier from themobile device110, such as an electronic serial number or international mobile equipment identity number. Thelocation collection client225 then combines the mobile device identifier and the client identifier to generate a device identifier which is transmitted415 from themobile device110 to theLBS platform server130, where it is stored425 in thedevice identifier store305. Storing425 the device identifier allows theLBS platform server130 to subsequently identify themobile device110 running the locationdata collection client225.
• When a third-party service provider140 requests access to theLBS platform server130, a publisher identifier uniquely identifying the third-party service provider140 is generated by theLBS platform server130, stored in thepublisher identifier store310 and transmitted415 to the third-party service provider140. The third-party service provider140stores420 the publisher identifier for later access to theLBS platform server140. This allows theLBS platform server130 to locally store device identifiers and publisher identifiers which uniquely identifymobile devices110 and third-party service providers140, respectively, communicating with theLBS platform server130.
• After transmitting415 the device identifier, the locationdata collection client225extracts435 data from themobile device110. For example, the location data collection client extracts435 latitude and longitude coordinates from aGPS module270 of themobile device110,extracts435 data identifying a cell tower geographically near themobile device110 orextracts435 data identifying a wireless access point geographically near themobile device110. However, these are merely examples of data extracted435 by the locationdata collection client225, and any data suitable for determining a location associated with themobile device110 may be extracted435. Additionally, the locationdata collection client225 may also extract435 data associated with themobile device110, such as the device type, a timestamp identifying the time at which data was extracted or other data.
• The extracted data is transmitted440 to theLBS platform server130 which uses the extracted data to determine445 the location of themobile device110 and associated the determined location with the stored device identifier. For example, theLBS platform server130 uses alocation calculator360 to determine the latitude and longitude coordinates of a cell tower or wireless access point identified by the extracted data. In one embodiment, the extracted data is transmitted440 to the LBS platform server at a predetermined frequency, such as every five minutes. Alternatively, the locationdata collection client225 modifies the frequency at which the extracted data is transmitted440 based on characteristics of themobile device110, such as network usage orpower supply250 life. An example of modification of the transmission frequency is further described below in conjunction withFIG. 6.
• TheLBS platform server130 then stores the determined location of themobile device110 in theinternal location database350, which associates the determined location with the device identifier. This allows theLBS platform server130 to locally maintain record of the location associated with a device identifier. The mobile device location data stored in theinternal location database350 and associated with a device identifier may be accessed by the third-party application provider140 for generation of content customized to the location of themobile device110.
• For example, when amobile device110 requests450 a service, such as an application or other content, from the third-party service provider140, the third-party service provider140 obtains location information associated with themobile device110 from theLBS platform server130. The third-party service may be requested450 by a mobile device user subscribing to the third-party service provider140 or installing an application from the third-party service provider140. In one embodiment, when the third-party service is requested, a mobile device user provides a user identifier, such as a username or email address, allowing the third-party service provider140 to uniquely identify the mobile device user.
• The third-party service provider140 transmits455 the publisher identifier of the third-party service provider140 and the user identifier to theLBS platform server130, which determines460 the device identifier associated with the transmitted publisher identifier and user identifier. Using the device-provider association table320 to correlate a device identifier with a provider identifier and user identifier pair allows the third-party service provider140 to obtain location data from theLBS platform server130 without accessing themobile device110. This increases the privacy of themobile device110.
• After determining460 the device identifier associated with the provider identifier and user identifier from the device-provider association table320, location data associated with the determined device identifier is retrieved465 from theinternal location database350. The location data associated with the determined device identifier is transmitted470 from theLBS platform server130 to the third-party service provider140. In an embodiment, the Third-party service server330 and/or theAPI generator340 specifies the format in which the location data is transmitted470 to the third-party service provider140. For example, theAPI generator340 specifies when location data is transmitted from theLBS platform server130 to a third-party service provider140.
• After receiving the location data, the third-party service provider140 uses the location data to provide the requested service. For example, the third-party service provider140 uses the location data to generate content, such as notifications, updates or coupons, associated with the device location. The third-party service is then transmitted475 from the third-party service provider140 to themobile device110. Various formats, such as text messages, email messages, web page updates or any other suitable format, may be used to transmit475 the location data to the third-party service provider140. Hence, theLBS platform server130 and locationdata collection client225 determine the geographic location of amobile device110, and theLBS platform server130 allows a third-party service provider140 to access the geographic location of themobile device110 without directly accessing themobile device110. This enables the third-party service provider140 to incorporate geographic location specific features into its services while preserving the privacy of mobile device users by using theLBS platform server130, rather than themobile device110, to disseminate location information.
• FIG. 5 is a flow chart of one embodiment of method for aLBS platform server130 providing location information about a location of amobile device110. The actions described inFIG. 5 can be implemented by a processor executing instructions that cause the described actions. Those of skill in the art will recognize that one or more of the actions may be implemented in embodiments of hardware and/or software or combinations thereof. For example, instructions for performing the described actions are embodied or stored within a computer readable storage medium. Other embodiments can include different and/or additional steps than the ones described here.
• TheLBS platform server130 stores505 a device identifier received from amobile device110 running the locationdata collection client225 in thedevice identifier store305. The device identifier comprises a combination of a client identifier generated by theLBS platform server130 when the locationdata collection client225 is installed or first run on themobile device110 and a mobile device identifier, such as an ESN or IMEI number, extracted from themobile device110 by the locationdata collection client225. The device identifier uniquely identifies themobile device110 running the locationdata collection client225. To allow a third-party provider140 to access stored location data, the LBS platform server generates510 and stores a provider identifier, which uniquely identifies a third-party provider140, in theprovider identifier store310. The provider identifier is also transmitted from theLBS platform server130 to the third-party service provider140, so that subsequent communications between LBS platform server and third-party service provider include the provider identifier.
• As the third-party service provider140 allocates content, applications or other services on a per-user basis rather than a per-device basis, the third-party service provider140 maintains user data, such as user identifiers, such as login name, email addresses or any other identifier that uniquely identifies a user. The user data and provider identifier is received520 by theLBS platform server130 to identify users of the third-party service provider140. However, theLBS platform server130 stores location information for differentmobile devices110 rather than for individual users. Accordingly, the device-provider association table320 maps530 a stored device identifier to the received user data and provider data. This allows the device-provider association table320 to identify amobile device110, using the device identifier, corresponding to a user of the third-party service140.
• When theLBS platform server130 receives540 a request from the third-party service provider140, including the provider identifier and user data, for a location of a third-party service provider user, the LBS platform server determines550 the device identifier associated with the provider identifier and user data included in the request using the device-provider association table320. Location data associated with the determined device identifier is then retrieved560 from theinternal location database350 and communicated to the third-party service provider140 according to an API included in the Third-party service server330 or theAPI generator340.
Updating Mobile Device Location
• FIG. 6 is a flow chart of an example method for updating data describing the geographic location of amobile device110. The actions described inFIG. 6 can be implemented by a processor executing instructions that cause the described actions. Those of skill in the art will recognize that one or more of the actions may be implemented in embodiments of hardware and/or software or combinations thereof. For example, instructions for performing the described actions are embodied or stored within a computer readable storage medium. Other embodiments can include different and/or additional steps than the ones described here.
• After initial installation and upon activation, a locationdata collection client225 extracts data from themobile device110, such as latitude and longitude coordinates from aGPS module270, a location API on themobile device110 or identifiers associated with wireless access points or cell towers accessed by acommunication module260. At least a portion of the extracted data may be used to identify or calculation the geographic location of themobile device110. The extracted data is transmitted605 from themobile device110 to a location based services (LBS)platform server130 at a defined frequency, such as every five minutes. To conserve mobile device resources, such as allocated bandwidth or power supply life, the transmission frequency may be modified based on characteristics of themobile device110.
• While the locationdata collection client225 is running, the extracted data is used to determine610 whether themobile device110 is stationary. Themobile device110 is determined610 to be stationary if the location of the mobile device has not changed during the prior three transmission periods. For example, if themobile device110 remains in the same location for twenty minutes and the transmission frequency is five minutes, the mobile device is considered to be stationary.
• Responsive to determining610 themobile device110 is stationary, the data transmission frequency is decreased650. For example, the transmission frequency is decreased650 so the extracted data is transmitted one hour later. The transmission frequency may be further decreased650 if themobile device110 remains stationary. For example, if themobile device110 is still stationary after an hour, the extracted data is transmitted again after two hours and if themobile device110 again remains stationary, the transmission frequency is further decreased650 so the extracted data is transmitted at four hour intervals. However, when the extracted data changes, indicating that themobile device110 has changed position, the transmission frequency is increased to its original defined value.
• Responsive to determining610 themobile device110 is not stationary, the locationdata collection client225 continues to transmit620 data according to the defined transmission frequency. The power of themobile device110 is also determined630, and the data transmission frequency is modified640 according to the determined power, allowing the data transmission frequency to be automatically decreased to conserve power. For example, if the mobile device power is determined630 to be less than or equal to half of its full capacity, the data transmission frequency is decreased (e.g., data is transmitted at10 minute intervals rather than5 minute intervals). This allows the locationdata collection client225 to modify data transmission to allow for accurate determination of currentmobile device110 location while efficiently using mobile device resources.
SUMMARY
• The foregoing description of the embodiments of the invention has been presented for the purpose of illustration; it is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed. Persons skilled in the relevant art can appreciate that many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above disclosure.
• Some portions of this description describe the embodiments of the invention in terms of algorithms and symbolic representations of operations on information. These algorithmic descriptions and representations are commonly used by those skilled in the data processing arts to convey the substance of their work effectively to others skilled in the art. These operations, while described functionally, computationally, or logically, are understood to be implemented by computer programs or equivalent electrical circuits, microcode, or the like. Furthermore, it has also proven convenient at times, to refer to these arrangements of operations as modules, without loss of generality. The described operations and their associated modules may be embodied in software, firmware, hardware, or any combinations thereof.
• Any of the steps, operations, or processes described herein may be performed or implemented with one or more hardware or software modules, alone or in combination with other devices. In one embodiment, a software module is implemented with a computer program product comprising a computer-readable medium containing computer program code, which can be executed by a computer processor for performing any or all of the steps, operations, or processes described.
• Embodiments of the invention may also relate to an apparatus for performing the operations herein. This apparatus may be specially constructed for the required purposes, and/or it may comprise a general-purpose computing device selectively activated or reconfigured by a computer program stored in the computer. Such a computer program may be stored in a tangible computer readable storage medium, which include any type of tangible media suitable for storing electronic instructions, and coupled to a computer system bus. Furthermore, any computing systems referred to in the specification may include a single processor or may be architectures employing multiple processor designs for increased computing capability.
• Embodiments of the invention may also relate to a computer data signal embodied in a carrier wave, where the computer data signal includes any embodiment of a computer program product or other data combination described herein. The computer data signal is a product that is presented in a tangible medium or carrier wave and modulated or otherwise encoded in the carrier wave, which is tangible, and transmitted according to any suitable transmission method.
• Finally, the language used in the specification has been principally selected for readability and instructional purposes, and it may not have been selected to delineate or circumscribe the inventive subject matter. It is therefore intended that the scope of the invention be limited not by this detailed description, but rather by any claims that issue on an application based hereon. Accordingly, the disclosure of the embodiments of the invention is intended to be illustrative, but not limiting, of the scope of the invention, which is set forth in the following claims.

Claims (20)

What is claimed is:

1. A method for providing location-based services at a location-based services (LBS) platform server, the method comprising:

receiving location data and a device identifier from a mobile device associated with a user of a third-party service provider, the location data related to a current location of the mobile device;

receiving a provider identifier and user specific data from the third-party service provider, the provider identifier uniquely identifying the third-party service provider, and the user-specific data uniquely identifying the user of the third-party service provider;

accessing a device-provider association table to map the received provider identifier and the received user-specific data to the device identifier of the mobile device associated with the user of the third-party service provider; and

providing location information to the third-party service provider, the location information describing a location of the mobile device.

2. The method ofclaim 1, further comprising determining the location information based on the location data received from the mobile device.

3. The method ofclaim 2, wherein the location data received from the mobile device comprises at least one of:

latitude and longitude coordinates for a current location of the mobile device;

an identifier for a wireless access point accessed by the mobile device; and

an identifier for a cell tower accessed by the mobile device; and

wherein the location information provided to the third-party service provider includes at least one of a street address, a city, a zip code, and a country.

4. The method ofclaim 1, wherein the device-provider association table associates the device identifier with the provider identifier, and further associates the device identifier with the user-specific data.

5. The method ofclaim 4, wherein the device-provider association table further associates the device identifier with permissions specifying restrictions on the location information that is provided to the third-party service provider.

6. The method ofclaim 1, wherein providing location information to the third-party service provider comprises:

sending the location information to the third-party service provider responsive to receiving the location data from the mobile device.

7. The method ofclaim 1, wherein providing location information to the third-party service provider comprises:

receiving one or more parameters from the third-party service provider, the parameters specifying one or more conditions relating to the location of the mobile device; and

determining whether the location information of the mobile device satisfies the received parameters; and

sending the location information to the third-party service provider responsive to determining that the received parameters have been satisfied.

8. The method ofclaim 7, wherein the received parameters are satisfied when the location information indicates that the mobile device is within a predefined radius of an entity.

9. The method ofclaim 7, wherein the received parameters are satisfied when the location information changes at more than a predefined rate.

10. The method ofclaim 1, further comprising:

storing the location information in a location database, the location information stored in association with the device identifier,

and wherein providing location information to the third-party service provider comprises:

receiving a request from the third-party service provider for the location of the user of the third-party service provider; and

sending the location information to the third-party service provider responsive to receiving the request.

11. The method ofclaim 10, further comprising:

identifying, to the third-party service provider, other mobile devices within a specified radius of the location of the mobile device.

12. The method ofclaim 10, further comprising:

sending a timestamp to the third-party service provider, the timestamp specifying when the location information was determined.

13. A location-based services (LBS) platform server, the LBS platform server comprising:

a location calculator configured to determine location information of a mobile device in communication with the LBS platform server using location data received from the mobile device;

a device-provider association table configured to:

receive, from a third-party service provider, a provider identifier uniquely identifying the third-party service provider and user-specific data uniquely identifying a user of the third-party service provider, and

map the received provider identifier and the received user-specific data to a device identifier of a mobile device associated with the user of the third-party service provider; and

a third-party services server configured to receive a device identifier from the device-provider association table and provide the location information of the mobile device associated with the received device identifier to the third-party service provider.

14. The LBS platform server ofclaim 13, wherein the location information provided to the third-party service provider is the same as the location data received from the mobile device associated with the user of the third-party service provider.

15. The LBS platform ofclaim 13, wherein the location data received from the mobile device comprises at least one of:

latitude and longitude coordinates for a current location of the mobile device,

an identifier for a wireless access point accessed by the mobile device, and

an identifier for a cell tower accessed by the mobile device, and

wherein the location information provided to the third-party service provider includes at least one of a street address, a city, a zip code, and a country.

16. The LBS platform server ofclaim 13, wherein the device-provider association table associates each device identifier with a provider identifier, and further associates each device identifier with user-specific data.

17. The LBS platform server ofclaim 13, wherein the device-provider association table further associates each device identifier with permissions specifying restrictions on the location information of the corresponding mobile device that is provided to the third-party service provider.

18. The LBS platform server ofclaim 13, wherein providing the determined location of the mobile device to the third-party service provider comprises:

sending the location information to the third-party service provider responsive to determining the location information of the mobile device.

19. The LBS platform server ofclaim 13, wherein providing the determined data of the mobile device to the third-party service provider comprises:

receiving one or more parameters from the third-party service provider, the parameters specifying one or more conditions relating to the location of the mobile device; and

responsive to determining the location information of the mobile device, determining whether the location information satisfies the received parameters; and

sending the location information to the third-party service provider responsive to determining that the received parameters have been satisfied.

20. The LBS platform server ofclaim 13, further comprising:

a location database containing the location information determined by the location calculator for each mobile device, each determined location information associated with a device identifier for the corresponding mobile device,

wherein providing the determined location of the mobile device associated the received device identifier to the third-party service provider comprises:

receiving a request for the location of the user of the third-party service provider;

responsive to receiving the request, retrieving, from the location database, the location information associated with the received device identifier;

sending the retrieved location information to the third-party service provider.

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