Patents by Inventor Morgan Grainger

Morgan Grainger 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).

  • Publication number: 20140045521
    Abstract: Methods, program products, and systems for multi-tier geofence detection are disclosed. In general, in one aspect, a mobile device can be configured to perform a task when the mobile device enters a geographic region. The mobile device can monitor a current location using a multi-tier approach. A baseband subsystem can monitor a coarse location of the mobile device using various course location parameters, such as a mobile country code (MCC), a location area code (LAC), or a cell identifier (cell ID), as the mobile device moves closer to the geographic region. Upon determining that the mobile device is in a cell that intersects the geographic region, the baseband subsystem can transfer the monitoring to the application subsystem. The task can be performed when the application subsystem determines that the mobile device is currently located in the geographic region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 5, 2013
    Publication date: February 13, 2014
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Morgan Grainger, Ronald K. Huang, Robert Mayor
  • Patent number: 8638720
    Abstract: Methods, program products, and systems for multi-tier detection of a geofence are disclosed. In general, in one aspect, a mobile device can be configured to perform a task when the mobile device enters a geographic region. The mobile device can monitor a current location using a multi-tiered approach. A baseband subsystem can monitor a coarse location of the mobile device using a CDMA system identifier, a CDMA network identifier, a CDMA zone identifier, or a CDMA base station identifier, in that order, as the mobile device moves closer to the geographic region. The baseband subsystem can notify an application subsystem when the mobile device is in a cell that intersects the geographic region. The application subsystem can perform the task upon notification.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2014
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Ronald K. Huang, Morgan Grainger, Jason Dere
  • Patent number: 8626187
    Abstract: Methods, program products, and systems for monitoring geofence exits using wireless access points are disclosed. In general, in one aspect, a mobile device can detect one or more entry gateways that are wireless access points selected for monitoring a geofence. The mobile device can determine that the mobile device is located in the geofence based on the detection. The mobile device can monitor the entry gateways and one or more exit gateways, which can be wireless access points observable by the mobile device when the mobile device is in the geofence. When the mobile device determines, after a number of scans using a wireless processor, that the entry gateways and exit gateways are unobservable, the mobile device can use an application processor to determine whether the mobile device has exited from the geofence.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2014
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Yefim Grosman, Lukas M. Marti, Morgan Grainger, Robert Mayor, Ronald K. Huang
  • Patent number: 8625490
    Abstract: A mobile device can store a set of first CDMA identifiers including, for example, system identifiers, network identifiers, or zone identifiers. Each first CDMA identifier can be associated with a first geographic location. The mobile device can determine a current location by matching a current first CDMA identifier with a stored first CDMA identifier. If a user desires a current location that has finer granularity, the mobile device can retrieve a set of second CDMA identifiers including, for example, base station identifiers. Each second CDMA identifiers can be associated with a second geographic location that has a finer granularity than that of the first geographic location. The mobile device can match a current second CDMA identifier from the retrieved second CDMA identifiers and designate the second geographic location associated with the matching second CDMA identifier as the current location that has the finer granularity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2014
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Ronald K. Huang, Morgan Grainger, Jason Dere
  • Patent number: 8620345
    Abstract: Methods, program products, and systems of determining a time zone based on location is disclosed. In general, in one aspect, a mobile device can store one or more geometric shapes using latitude and longitude coordinates. The geometric shapes can be associated with time zones. The mobile device can determine a current location. The mobile device can identify a geometric shape in which the mobile device is currently is located. The mobile device can determine the time zone associated with the identified geometric shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2013
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Ronald K. Huang, Morgan Grainger
  • Patent number: 8620344
    Abstract: Methods, program products, and systems for location-based application program management are described. A mobile device can receive a first application program to be executed in an application subsystem. The first application program can be configured to be invoked or notified when the mobile device is located at a defined location. The mobile device can register the first application program to a second application program that executes in a baseband subsystem. The mobile device can set the application subsystem to a power-saving operating mode. The second application program can monitor a current location of the mobile device. When the mobile device is currently located at the defined location, the second application program can set the application subsystem to an active operating mode, and invoke the first application program.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2013
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Ronald K. Huang, Morgan Grainger
  • Publication number: 20130332721
    Abstract: In some implementations, a computing device can be configured to automatically turn off notifications when generating a notification would cause a disturbance or be unwanted by a user. The device can be configured with quiet hours during which notifications that would otherwise be generated by the computing device can be suppressed. In some implementations, quiet hours can be configured as a time period with a start time and an end time. In some implementations, quiet hours can be derived from application data. For example, calendar data, alarm clock data, map data, etc. can be used to determine when quiet hours should be enforced. In some implementations, the device can be configured with exceptions to quiet hour notification suppression. In some implementations, the user can identify contacts to which the quiet hours notification suppression should not be applied.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Publication date: December 12, 2013
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Imran A. Chaudhri, Gregory Novick, Scott Forstall, Morgan Grainger, George R. Dicker, Tyler Hawkins
  • Publication number: 20130244690
    Abstract: Methods, program products, and systems for task management based on travel distance are disclosed. In general, in one aspect, a method executed on a mobile device can include receiving a request to perform a task in a first subsystem (e.g., an application subsystem) of the mobile device. The request can indicate that the task is to be performed when the mobile device travels at least a threshold distance. The mobile device can determine a duration of silence. The mobile device can configure a second subsystem (e.g., a baseband operating system) of the mobile device to send a notification to the first subsystem notifying that the mobile device has traveled after at least the duration of silence. The first subsystem can receive the notification and determine that the threshold distance has been satisfied based on the received notification. The first subsystem can perform the task upon the determining.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 4, 2013
    Publication date: September 19, 2013
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Ronald K. Huang, Morgan Grainger
  • Patent number: 8504059
    Abstract: Methods, program products, and systems for location filtering using mobile country code (MCC) is described. A mobile device can determine its geographic location using locations of access points of a wireless communications network to which the mobile device is connected. The mobile device can wirelessly receive identifiers of one or more access points of the wireless communications network and a current MCC through a cellular network. The mobile device can identify a polygon that is a bounding box of a geographic area that corresponds to the current MCC. The mobile device can select a set of access point locations from a location database using the received identifiers, where the access point locations are inside the identified polygon. The mobile device can determine a current location of the mobile device based on an average location of the selected set of access point locations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Ronald K. Huang, Patrick Piemonte, Morgan Grainger, Christopher Moore
  • Patent number: 8504061
    Abstract: Methods, program products, and systems for multi-tier geofence detection are disclosed. In general, in one aspect, a mobile device can be configured to perform a task when the mobile device enters a geographic region. The mobile device can monitor a current location using a multi-tier approach. A baseband subsystem can monitor a coarse location of the mobile device using various course location parameters, such as a mobile country code (MCC), a location area code (LAC), or a cell identifier (cell ID), as the mobile device moves closer to the geographic region. Upon determining that the mobile device is in a cell that intersects the geographic region, the baseband subsystem can transfer the monitoring to the application subsystem. The task can be performed when the application subsystem determines that the mobile device is currently located in the geographic region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Morgan Grainger, Ronald K. Huang, Robert Mayor
  • Patent number: 8396485
    Abstract: A mobile device can monitor a current location using a multi-tier approach. A baseband subsystem can monitor a coarse location of the mobile device using various course location parameters, such as a mobile country code (MCC), a location area code (LAC), or a cell identifier (cell ID), as the mobile device moves closer to the geographic region. Upon determining that the mobile device is in a cell that intersects the geographic region, the baseband subsystem can transfer the monitoring to the application subsystem. The task can be performed when the application subsystem determines that the mobile device is currently located in the geographic region. A beacon network can provide more accurate estimates of mobile device location and advertise location based services available to the mobile device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2013
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Morgan Grainger, Robert Mayor, Ronald K. Huang
  • Patent number: 8369837
    Abstract: Methods, program products, and systems for task management based on travel distance are disclosed. In general, in one aspect, a method executed on a mobile device can include receiving a request to perform a task in a first subsystem (e.g., an application subsystem) of the mobile device. The request can indicate that the task is to be performed when the mobile device travels at least a threshold distance. The mobile device can determine a duration of silence. The mobile device can configure a second subsystem (e.g., a baseband operating system) of the mobile device to send a notification to the first subsystem notifying that the mobile device has traveled after at least the duration of silence. The first subsystem can receive the notification and determine that the threshold distance has been satisfied based on the received notification. The first subsystem can perform the task upon the determining.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2013
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Ronald K. Huang, Morgan Grainger
  • Publication number: 20120307645
    Abstract: Methods, program products, and systems for monitoring geofence exits using wireless access points are disclosed. In general, in one aspect, the mobile device can select, from multiple wireless access points, one or more wireless access points for monitoring a geofence. Selecting the one or more wireless access points can include determining multiple geographic regions corresponding to the geofence. The mobile device can select the one or more wireless access points based on a maximum total number of wireless access points to be selected and an access point allowance for each of the geographic regions. The access point allowance can indicate a maximum number of wireless access points to be selected for the geographic region. The mobile device can detect a potential entry or exit of the geofence by monitoring the selected one or more wireless access points using a wireless processor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 3, 2011
    Publication date: December 6, 2012
    Applicant: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Yefim Grosman, Lukas M. Marti, Morgan Grainger, Robert Mayor, Ronald K. Huang
  • Publication number: 20120309409
    Abstract: Methods, program products, and systems for monitoring geofence exits using wireless access points are disclosed. In general, in one aspect, a mobile device can detect one or more entry gateways that are wireless access points selected for monitoring a geofence. The mobile device can determine that the mobile device is located in the geofence based on the detection. The mobile device can monitor the entry gateways and one or more exit gateways, which can be wireless access points observable by the mobile device when the mobile device is in the geofence. When the mobile device determines, after a number of scans using a wireless processor, that the entry gateways and exit gateways are unobservable, the mobile device can use an application processor to determine whether the mobile device has exited from the geofence.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 3, 2011
    Publication date: December 6, 2012
    Applicant: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Yefim Grosman, Lukas M. Marti, Morgan Grainger, Robert Mayor, Ronald K. Huang
  • Publication number: 20120309376
    Abstract: Methods, program products, and systems for baseband location monitoring and related functions are disclosed. A mobile device can monitor its own current location using its baseband subsystem and decide whether to selectively activate its application subsystem based on whether particular conditions are satisfied by the current location. The mobile device can also correlate location and cellular signal information using its baseband subsystem and provide the correlated location and cellular signal information to a server. The server can receive the correlated location and cellular signal information from the baseband subsystems of a large number of widely distributed mobile devices and generate respective profiles of cellular network base stations that transmitted the cellular signals to the mobile devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 3, 2011
    Publication date: December 6, 2012
    Applicant: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Ronald K. Huang, Morgan Grainger, Robert Mayor
  • Publication number: 20120309413
    Abstract: Methods, program products, and systems for monitoring a geofence using wireless access points are disclosed. In general, in one aspect, a mobile device receives data defining a geofence. The mobile device can select, from multiple wireless access points, one or more wireless access points for monitoring the geofence. The selected wireless access points can be monitored by a wireless processor of the mobile device. The wireless processor can detect a potential entry of the geofence when at least one of the selected one or more wireless access points is detected. Upon a detection of the potential entry of the geofence by the wireless processor, the mobile device can use an application processor of the mobile device to determine whether the mobile device entered the geofence.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 3, 2011
    Publication date: December 6, 2012
    Inventors: Yefim Grosman, Lukas M. Marti, Morgan Grainger, Robert Mayor, Ronald K. Huang
  • Publication number: 20120177025
    Abstract: A mobile device can store a set of first CDMA identifiers including, for example, system identifiers, network identifiers, or zone identifiers. Each first CDMA identifier can be associated with a first geographic location. The mobile device can determine a current location by matching a current first CDMA identifier with a stored first CDMA identifier. If a user desires a current location that has finer granularity, the mobile device can retrieve a set of second CDMA identifiers including, for example, base station identifiers. Each second CDMA identifiers can be associated with a second geographic location that has a finer granularity than that of the first geographic location. The mobile device can match a current second CDMA identifier from the retrieved second CDMA identifiers and designate the second geographic location associated with the matching second CDMA identifier as the current location that has the finer granularity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 7, 2011
    Publication date: July 12, 2012
    Inventors: Ronald K. Huang, Morgan Grainger, Jason Dere
  • Publication number: 20120177010
    Abstract: Methods, program products, and systems for multi-tier detection of a geofence are disclosed. In general, in one aspect, a mobile device can be configured to perform a task when the mobile device enters a geographic region. The mobile device can monitor a current location using a multi-tiered approach. A baseband subsystem can monitor a coarse location of the mobile device using a CDMA system identifier, a CDMA network identifier, a CDMA zone identifier, or a CDMA base station identifier, in that order, as the mobile device moves closer to the geographic region. The baseband subsystem can notify an application subsystem when the mobile device is in a cell that intersects the geographic region. The application subsystem can perform the task upon notification.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 6, 2011
    Publication date: July 12, 2012
    Inventors: Ronald K. Huang, Morgan Grainger, Jason Dere
  • Publication number: 20120115512
    Abstract: A mobile device can monitor a current location using a multi-tier approach. A baseband subsystem can monitor a coarse location of the mobile device using various course location parameters, such as a mobile country code (MCC), a location area code (LAC), or a cell identifier (cell ID), as the mobile device moves closer to the geographic region. Upon determining that the mobile device is in a cell that intersects the geographic region, the baseband subsystem can transfer the monitoring to the application subsystem. The task can be performed when the application subsystem determines that the mobile device is currently located in the geographic region. A beacon network can provide more accurate estimates of mobile device location and advertise location based services available to the mobile device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 9, 2010
    Publication date: May 10, 2012
    Applicant: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Morgan Grainger, Robert Mayor, Ronald K. Huang
  • Publication number: 20110250901
    Abstract: Methods, program products, and systems for multi-tier geofence detection are disclosed. In general, in one aspect, a mobile device can be configured to perform a task when the mobile device enters a geographic region. The mobile device can monitor a current location using a multi-tier approach. A baseband subsystem can monitor a coarse location of the mobile device using various course location parameters, such as a mobile country code (MCC), a location area code (LAC), or a cell identifier (cell ID), as the mobile device moves closer to the geographic region. Upon determining that the mobile device is in a cell that intersects the geographic region, the baseband subsystem can transfer the monitoring to the application subsystem. The task can be performed when the application subsystem determines that the mobile device is currently located in the geographic region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 7, 2010
    Publication date: October 13, 2011
    Inventors: Morgan Grainger, Ronald K. Huang, Robert Mayor