Patents by Inventor Glenn Donald MacGougan

Glenn Donald MacGougan has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 9429437
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer program products for determining the location and direction of travel of a mobile device using map vector constraints is disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2016
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Glenn Donald MacGougan, Stephen J. Rhee, Robert Mayor, Ronald K. Huang
  • Publication number: 20160219397
    Abstract: System and method for submitting a location of a mobile device to a public service for providing emergency assistance are described. A mobile device can determine that a user is making an emergency call from the mobile device. The mobile device can then enable a location determination function of the mobile device and determine a location of the mobile device. The mobile device can determine the location in multiple attempts, including, in a first time window, attempting to determine a location with low uncertainty and, if the attempt fails, determining a location with high uncertainty in a second time window. The mobile device can then submit the location to a dispatcher through a mobile network operator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 8, 2015
    Publication date: July 28, 2016
    Applicant: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Robert Mayor, Glenn Donald MacGougan
  • Patent number: 9389316
    Abstract: In some implementations, a tightly-coupled elevation-assisted location estimate can be calculated based on digital elevation model (DEM) elevation measurements and global navigation satellite system (GNSS) data. The DEM elevation measurements and GNSS data can be provided as input to an estimator (e.g., a Kalman filter) to calculate an estimated geographic location of a mobile device. In some implementations, DEM elevation data can be filtered before being provided to the Kalman filter for estimating the geographic location of the mobile device. The DEM elevation data can be filtered in response to detecting bridge and/or tunnel events that indicate that the DEM elevation data does not accurately represent the actual elevation of the mobile device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2016
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Glenn Donald MacGougan, Robert Mayor
  • Patent number: 9386414
    Abstract: System and method for submitting a location of a mobile device to a public service for providing emergency assistance are described. A mobile device can determine that a user is making an emergency call from the mobile device. The mobile device can then enable a location determination function of the mobile device and determine a location of the mobile device. The mobile device can determine the location in multiple attempts, including, in a first time window, attempting to determine a location with low uncertainty and, if the attempt fails, determining a location with high uncertainty in a second time window. The mobile device can then submit the location to a dispatcher through a mobile network operator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2016
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Mayor, Glenn Donald MacGougan
  • Patent number: 9360559
    Abstract: Information such as altitude or speed limits for a specific geographic region can be utilized to improve position and velocity estimation for a mobile device using inequality constraints. The inequality constraints can be used as pseudo-measurements when needed to improve position and velocity estimation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2016
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventor: Glenn Donald MacGougan
  • Publication number: 20160142979
    Abstract: In general, in one aspect, a method includes receiving, on a mobile device, an indication that an application executing on the mobile device has entered a background state, determining, based on data received from a location system of the mobile device, that the mobile device has remained within a geographic area during a time interval, the geographic area being defined by a radius determined according to an application type of the application, and disabling at least a portion of the location system of the mobile device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 22, 2016
    Publication date: May 19, 2016
    Inventors: Glenn Donald MacGougan, Jay N. Bruins, Robert Mayor, Ronald Keryuan Huang, Stephen J. Rhee
  • Patent number: 9253600
    Abstract: Methods, program products, and systems of location estimation using a probability density function are disclosed. In general, in one aspect, a server can estimate an effective altitude of a wireless access gateway using harvested data. The server can harvest location data from multiple mobile devices. The harvested data can include a location of each mobile device and an identifier of a wireless access gateway that is located within a communication range of the mobile device. The server can calculate an effective altitude of the wireless access gateway using a probability density function of the harvested data. The probability density function can be a sufficient statistic of the received set of location coordinates for calculating an effective altitude of the wireless access gateway. The server can send the effective altitude of the wireless access gateway to other mobile devices for estimating altitudes of the other mobile devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2016
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Lukas M. Marti, Glenn Donald MacGougan, Robert Mayor, Ronald K. Huang, Jason Dere, Yefim Grosman
  • Patent number: 9253728
    Abstract: In general, in one aspect, a method includes receiving, on a mobile device, an indication that an application executing on the mobile device has entered a background state, determining, based on data received from a location system of the mobile device, that the mobile device has remained within a geographic area during a time interval, the geographic area being defined by a radius determined according to an application type of the application, and disabling at least a portion of the location system of the mobile device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2016
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Glenn Donald MacGougan, Jay N. Bruins, Robert Mayor, Ronald K. Huang, Stephen J. Rhee
  • Publication number: 20150347351
    Abstract: Among other things, we describe a method that includes, on an electronic device, determining that a current quality metric of signals received by a location system of the electronic device does not meet a threshold quality metric, and based on the determination, selecting a recommendation for changing a position of the device in a manner that would alter the current quality metric. This aspect can also include corresponding systems, apparatus, and computer program products stored on a storage device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 30, 2014
    Publication date: December 3, 2015
    Inventors: Pejman Lotfali Kazemi, Glenn Donald MacGougan, Robert Mayor
  • Publication number: 20150350833
    Abstract: Among other things, we describe a method that includes, on an electronic device, receiving, from a first location system of the electronic device, first data indicative of a first location of the device at a first time, comparing the first data to second data indicative of a second location of the device at a second time, the second data having been received from a second location system of the electronic device, and based on the comparison, determining whether the first data meets a threshold of location data integrity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 30, 2014
    Publication date: December 3, 2015
    Inventors: Pejman Lotfali Kazemi, Glenn Donald MacGougan, Robert Mayor
  • Publication number: 20150334678
    Abstract: Crowd-sourced location data from client devices is processed using enhanced filtering techniques in non-realtime by a centralized server process to improve the accuracy and reliability of georeferenced geodata. At a server computer, enhanced filtering techniques make use of future information to improve georeferencing of the geodata. In some implementations, the server computer can be configured to implement batch processing of raw GNSS data and other crowd-sourced location data (e.g., wireless scan data, inertial sensor data) using, for example, a smoothing filter or batch estimator. Augmentation data (e.g., satellite ephemeris data, clock offset and ionospheric delay) and sensor data independent of client devices can also be used by the server computer to augment the crowd-sourced location data to further improve georeferencing of geodata.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2014
    Publication date: November 19, 2015
    Inventors: Glenn Donald MacGougan, Robert Mayor, Ronald K. Huang
  • Patent number: 8938262
    Abstract: In some implementations, a location of a mobile device can be determined by calculating an average of the locations of wireless signal transmitters that have transmitted signals received by the mobile device. In some implementations, locations are weighted with coefficients and the average is a weighted average. In some implementations, the locations of the wireless signal transmitters are determined based on identification information encoded in the wireless signals received by the mobile device. The identification information can include an identifier for a wireless signal transmitter. The identification information can include characteristics of the received wireless signal that can be used to identify wireless signal transmitters. In some implementations, identification information from one signal can be combined with identification information from another signal to determine a location of a wireless transmitter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2015
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Glenn Donald MacGougan, Lukas M. Marti, Robert Mayor, Ronald K. Huang, Jason Dere, Yefim Grosman
  • Publication number: 20140364144
    Abstract: Methods, program products, and systems of location estimation using a probability density function are disclosed. In general, in one aspect, a server can estimate an effective altitude of a wireless access gateway using harvested data. The server can harvest location data from multiple mobile devices. The harvested data can include a location of each mobile device and an identifier of a wireless access gateway that is located within a communication range of the mobile device. The server can calculate an effective altitude of the wireless access gateway using a probability density function of the harvested data. The probability density function can be a sufficient statistic of the received set of location coordinates for calculating an effective altitude of the wireless access gateway. The server can send the effective altitude of the wireless access gateway to other mobile devices for estimating altitudes of the other mobile devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 25, 2014
    Publication date: December 11, 2014
    Inventors: Lukas M. Marti, Glenn Donald MacGougan, Robert Mayor, Ronald K. Huang, Jason Dere, Yefim Grosman
  • Patent number: 8903414
    Abstract: Methods, program products, and systems of location estimation using a probability density function are disclosed. In general, in one aspect, a server can estimate an effective location of a wireless access gateway using harvested data. The server can harvest location data from multiple mobile devices. The harvested data can include a location of each mobile device and an identifier of a wireless access gateway that is located within a communication range of the mobile device. The server can calculate an effective location of the wireless access gateway using a probability density function of the harvested data. The probability density function can be a sufficient statistic of the received set of location coordinates for calculating an effective location of the wireless access gateway. The server can send the effective location of the wireless access gateway to other mobile devices for estimating locations of the other mobile devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Lukas M. Marti, Glenn Donald MacGougan, Robert Mayor, Ronald K. Huang, Jason Dere, Yefim Grosman
  • Patent number: 8892391
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for determining a presumed activity associated with a mobile device. A plurality of sensor values detected by one or more sensors onboard the mobile device is received over a period of time. A plurality of derived values is calculated from the plurality of sensor values. The derived values are selectively combined to generate one or more abstract values. A presumed activity is identified from a plurality of possible activities based on a level of similarity between the one or more abstract values and expected values of each of the plurality of possible activities that correspond to the one or more abstract values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2014
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Xiaoyuan Tu, Ronald K. Huang, Christopher Moore, Glenn Donald MacGougan, Tusi Chowdhury
  • Patent number: 8892390
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for determining a motion state of a mobile device. Accelerometer data is received from accelerometer sensors onboard the mobile device, wherein the accelerometer data represents acceleration of the mobile device in three-dimensional space. An accelerometer signal vector representing at least a force due to gravity on the mobile device is determined. Two-dimensional accelerometer data orthogonal to the accelerometer signal vector is calculated. A motion state of the mobile device is determined based on the two-dimensional accelerometer data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2014
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Glenn Donald MacGougan, Robert Mayor, Ronald K. Huang
  • Publication number: 20140256306
    Abstract: Among other things, we describe a method that includes receiving, on a mobile device, an indication that an application executing on the mobile device has entered a background state, receiving, from the application, a value indicating a condition for providing location data to the application, disabling a resource associated with the application, while the resource associated with the application is disabled, storing location data received from a location system of the mobile device, and when the condition indicated by the value is met, enabling the resource associated with the application, and providing the stored location data to the application.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2014
    Publication date: September 11, 2014
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Glenn Donald MacGougan, Jay N. Bruins, Robert Mayor, Ronald K. Huang, Stephen J. Rhee, Jay L. Prunty, Pejman Lotfali Kazemi
  • Patent number: 8818411
    Abstract: Methods, program products, and systems of location estimation using a probability density function are disclosed. In general, in one aspect, a server can estimate an effective altitude of a wireless access gateway using harvested data. The server can harvest location data from multiple mobile devices. The harvested data can include a location of each mobile device and an identifier of a wireless access gateway that is located within a communication range of the mobile device. The server can calculate an effective altitude of the wireless access gateway using a probability density function of the harvested data. The probability density function can be a sufficient statistic of the received set of location coordinates for calculating an effective altitude of the wireless access gateway. The server can send the effective altitude of the wireless access gateway to other mobile devices for estimating altitudes of the other mobile devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Lukas M. Marti, Glenn Donald MacGougan, Robert Mayor, Ronald K. Huang, Jason Dere, Yefim Grosman
  • Patent number: 8738031
    Abstract: Among other things, we describe a method that includes receiving, on a mobile device, an indication that an application executing on the mobile device has entered a background state, receiving, from the application, a value indicating a condition for providing location data to the application, disabling a resource associated with the application, while the resource associated with the application is disabled, storing location data received from a location system of the mobile device, and when the condition indicated by the value is met, enabling the resource associated with the application, and providing the stored location data to the application.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Glenn Donald MacGougan, Jay N. Bruins, Robert Mayor, Ronald Keryuan Huang, Stephen J. Rhee, Jay L. Prunty, Pejman Lotfali Kazemi
  • Publication number: 20130346423
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer program products for determining the location and direction of travel of a mobile device using map vector constraints is disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 7, 2013
    Publication date: December 26, 2013
    Inventors: Glenn Donald MacGougan, Stephen J. Rhee, Robert Mayor, Ronald K. Huang