Position Based Personal Service Patents (Class 455/456.3)
  • Patent number: 9727910
    Abstract: Location-based notification to a user before the user engages in a transaction at a location. Embodiments determine a location of a store at which the user is in or near by using positioning data received at a mobile communication device and determines a potential transaction amount for the user at the store and generates budget data based at least in part on a budget goal identified from a local memory of the mobile communication device or received from a remotely hosted financial management system. Budget data is presented to the user, e.g., in the form of a message, notification, or warning on the mobile communication device to inform the user about budget items relevant to a merchant at that location. The user may choose to initiate or complete a transaction at the location with or without involving the financial management system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Assignee: INTUIT INC.
    Inventor: Eddy W. Wu
  • Patent number: 9730009
    Abstract: An electronic device has a processor, a Wi-Fi radio, a first database and a second database. The first database includes geolocation and identity information of a sparse subset of a global catalog of Wi-Fi access points. The second database includes locally stored location-based content. The processor: (i) controls the Wi-Fi radio so as to detect one or more Wi-Fi access points proximate to the electronic device, (ii) makes an identification of the one or more detected Wi-Fi access points, (iii) makes a coarse determination of a location of the electronic device by comparing the identification of the one or more detected Wi-Fi access points with the geolocation identity information in the first database, (iv) selects location based content corresponding to the coarse determination from the second database or from a server, and (v) outputs the selected location-based content to a user of the electronic device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Mete Rodoper, Arvind Thiagarajan
  • Patent number: 9721262
    Abstract: Systems and methods of the present invention facilitate the sale of products, such as goods and/or services. Specifically, merchants of products provide incentives for consumers that may be defined by time and geography to drives sales of the products, such as during low demand periods. Moreover, the present invention allows consumers to search for and claim time-sensitive incentives from merchants; specifically, incentives requiring instant or nearly instant acceptance and/or redeemability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Inventor: Douglas Krone
  • Patent number: 9723440
    Abstract: An activity based, location aware content delivery system runs a content delivery process that operates to detect a current location of a mobile device user, and to identify a first instance of content corresponding to the current mobile device location. The instance of content is used to identify a priority activity the mobile device user was previously engaged in at another location that has a pointer to a second instance of media content that is sent to the mobile device user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: CUSEUM, Inc.
    Inventor: Brendan Ciecko
  • Patent number: 9716683
    Abstract: An example approach is provided for causing, at least in part, a generation of token data associated with at least one scheduled meeting between at least one first user and at least one second user. The approach also involves causing, at least in part, a transmission of the token data to at least one first device associated with the at least one first user and at least one second device associated with the at least one second user. The approach further involves causing, at least in part, a sharing of location information between the at least one first device and the at least one second device based, at least in part, on the token data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2017
    Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy
    Inventors: Zhuoyuan Liao, Hongrui Shen, Bing Lin, Yaochu Que, Naichen Cui
  • Patent number: 9710827
    Abstract: A communication device is removable and operable within a vehicle and is in communication with a data network as the communication device travels in the vehicle. Vehicle identification data is obtained from the communication device, and a type of media file supported by a media system of the vehicle is determined based upon the vehicle identification data. Media content is obtained in a format corresponding to the determined type of media file. When the communication device is within a desired range of a target location, the media content is transmitted to the communication device for presentation on the media system of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventors: Wayne Crolley, Jeffrey Paul Johnson
  • Patent number: 9705761
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a system and a method for presenting network hotspot information and relates to the field of network information technologies. The system comprises: a web page capturing module configured to capture a web page containing network hotspot information on a current network; a web page analyzing module configured to analyze the web page to acquire body information of the web page; a region identification module configured to perform region identification on the body information to acquire a corresponding region which the body information belongs to and perform quantity statistics on the web pages belonging to the same region; and a presenting module configured to present a result of the quantity statistics in a manner of map coloring. The system and the method according to the present invention may objectively and intuitively reflect the network hotspot information in various regions through performing the region identification on the web page containing network hotspot information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2017
    Assignee: Beijing Qihoo Technology Co. Ltd.
    Inventor: Fuqiang Liu
  • Patent number: 9696431
    Abstract: It is disclosed to select a relative positioning method from a set of at least two different relative positioning methods that are for determining an estimate of a relative position between first and second entities. The method is selected in dependence on at least one of the following criteria: an estimated/measured distance between the first and second entities; a relative positioning capability, of at least one of the first entity, the second entity and at least one server entity associated with at least one of the first and second entities, to determine an estimate of a relative position between two entities; and an availability, at at least one of the at least one server entity, of a service providing data of at least one reference entity useable for determining an estimate of a relative position between the reference entity and one of the first and second entities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy
    Inventor: Lauri Wirola
  • Patent number: 9691106
    Abstract: A method, data processing system, and computer program product for locating people. A mobile data processing system identifies a number of degrees of separation from a requestor for use in searching for the people. The mobile data processing system searches a network data processing system for data structures that contain information about associations between the people that are within the number of degrees of separation from the requestor to generate an initial group of people. The mobile network data processing system identifies a group of people from the initial group of people that are within a geographic location based on a location of the mobile data processing system and a portion of the group of people who are online. The mobile data processing system displays the portion of the group of people on a display device for the mobile data processing system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: William Philip Shaouy, Matthew Adam Terry
  • Patent number: 9693280
    Abstract: Apparatus, methods, computer program products, and software are disclosed providing reduction of interference occurring sometime after a capacity booster cell activates, where a coverage area of a capacity booster cell is at least partially within a coverage area of a coverage cell. Techniques include handing off user equipment from the coverage cell to the capacity booster cell, creating by the capacity booster cell scheduling gaps in subframes of radio frames and scheduling user equipment connected to the capacity booster cell in the subframes not in the gaps, scheduling communications for user equipment connected to the coverage cell in the gaps, and performing one or more operations to reduce interference with the capacity booster cell for uplink transmissions from user equipment to the coverage cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: Nokia Solutions and Networks Oy
    Inventors: Rapeepat Ratasuk, Michael Bach
  • Patent number: 9686764
    Abstract: Disclosed are a positioning method, device and system in a multi-carrier system, relating to communications technology. When positioning in a multi-carrier system, the embodiments of the present invention respectively perform positioning measurements under a plurality of carriers and position user equipment according to the measurement results of the respectively performed positioning measurements under the plurality of carriers. Since the number of parameters for reference is increased when positioning, the positioning precision is improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2017
    Assignee: China Academy of Telecommunications Technology
    Inventors: Haiyang Quan, Wei Bao
  • Patent number: 9686364
    Abstract: Systems and methods providing a location-aware resource locator model for facilitating communication with networked electronic devices are generally disclosed herein. One embodiment includes a resource locator using a standard Uniform Resource Locator (URL) format, but enabling identification of one or more devices based on logical location information provided in the resource locator. The resource locator may also enable identification of the one or more devices based on logical proximity information (such as a logical term indicating a location property) relative to a dynamic location. Further disclosed embodiments include uses of a hierarchical structure to define logical terms and classes for use with a resource locator, and various location determination and lookup techniques used in connection with accessing an electronic device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2017
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Robert Bruce Bahnsen, Mallik Bulusu, Vincent J. Zimmer, Robert S. Gittins, Robert Swanson
  • Patent number: 9686734
    Abstract: A method may include receiving a request for content. The content may be associated with a content availability area. User devices located inside of the content availability area may be permitted access to the content. The method may include determining a first area entirely encompassed by the content availability area and/or a second area entirely encompassing the content availability area. The method may include obtaining first location information that identifies a location of a user device. The method may include selectively obtaining second location information based on whether the user device is located inside of the first area, outside of the second area, or outside of the first area and inside of the second area. The second location information may be more precise than the first location information, and may be used to determine whether the user device is located within the content availability area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2017
    Assignee: VERIZON PATENT AND LICENSING INC.
    Inventors: Sanjay Ahuja, Jianxiu Hao, Sameer Gavade, Om Prakash Jilla
  • Patent number: 9681271
    Abstract: An apparatus for providing a location-based service includes: a rules registry unit to register an event rule information based on an inheritance module for setting rules; a positioning information acquisition unit to obtain a positioning-related information of a user terminal device from a positioning apparatus; an event determining unit to determine whetheran event with respect to the event rule information occurs or not by using the positioning-related information to generate a determination result information; an event processing unit to generate a process information based on the determination result information; and a service providing unit configured to transmit the process information to the user terminal device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: SK TELECOM CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Moonok Joe, Kwanjae Lee, Sunyeon Kim, Kyungtae Kim, Minhyoung Lee
  • Patent number: 9681298
    Abstract: A method, system, and medium are provided for determining whether to allow a position-determining system to provide location information that describes a location of a mobile device. A series of steps are carried out in which information is exchanged between networked components. In an embodiment, a request for location information (e.g., map coordinates) is received together with contextual information (e.g., identification of a mobile device and identification of a requesting party). A set of rules, such as approved contextual information, is referenced to determine if the contextual information is permissible. Upon determining that the contextual information is permissible, the position-determining system is allowed to provide location information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: Sprint Communications Company L.P.
    Inventors: Ryan Alan Wick, Raymond Emilio Reeves, John Marvin Jones, Michael P. Mcmullen
  • Patent number: 9672725
    Abstract: A proximity-based reminder system includes one or more proximity detectors for determining whether a distance between two or more paired electronic devices satisfies various criteria. Data transmissions across a wide area network (WAN) are used to determine whether a distance between paired devices satisfies a first proximity condition. Transmissions across a local area network (LAN) are used to determine whether the distance between the paired devices satisfies a second proximity condition. When the first and second proximity conditions are satisfied, the proximity-based reminder system issues a reminder alert notification to one or more of the paired devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Dikla Dotan-Cohen, Lilach Perry, Liron Levin
  • Patent number: 9660828
    Abstract: A method for security and/or automation systems is described. In some embodiments, the method may include detecting departure data relating to at least one of an occupant and a premises, identifying a likelihood of an absence in relation to the premises based at least in part on the departure data, and sending a confirmation request based at least in part on the identifying for the occupant associated with the premises to confirm the absence. In some cases, the absence may include the premises being unoccupied for at least a portion of a predetermined time period. The predetermined time period may include at least one night.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2017
    Assignee: Vivint, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeremy B. Warren, Matthew J. Eyring, James E. Nye
  • Patent number: 9651988
    Abstract: PDAs can be used to provide their users with various functions. One such function is the ability to contact other users who are stored in the PDA as contacts, for example by telephone of text message. The decision as to whether or not a particular user should be contacted may be influenced by the location of that user. For example, if a contact is nearby, then it may be more likely that the user of the PDA would want to contact them. The present embodiments provide a PDA on which the location of one or more contacts can be displayed. Furthermore, the location of a particular contact can be shown on a map on the screen of the PDA simply by tilting the PDA through a predetermined angle about a horizontal axis. Thus, the map can be displayed in an intuitive and straightforward manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2017
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventor: Vladimir Khokhlov
  • Patent number: 9654918
    Abstract: Mobile device for communicating arrival information at a waypoint, communicating that information to a server, receiving a set of tasks (statically assigned or dynamically assigned) for the user (for example, from the server or from another user), displaying the set of tasks to the user, receiving a completion response (successful or unsuccessful) from the user, and proceeding to the next waypoint along a route/trip plan. A coordination server facilitates communication of a list of tasks assigned to a user to be performed at a specified location. The list of tasks is delivered to the user of the first mobile device by the coordination server (if such tasks exist) when the coordination server receives notification from the first mobile device indicating arrival at a specific location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2017
    Inventor: Madhavi Jayanthi
  • Patent number: 9652749
    Abstract: Mobile device for communicating arrival information at a waypoint, communicating that information to a server, receiving a set of tasks (statically assigned or dynamically assigned) for the user (for example, from the server or from another user), displaying the set of tasks to the user, receiving a completion response (successful or unsuccessful) from the user, and proceeding to the next waypoint along a route/trip plan. A coordination server facilitates communication of a list of tasks assigned to a user to be performed at a specified location. The list of tasks is delivered to the user of the first mobile device by the coordination server (if such tasks exist) when the coordination server receives notification from the first mobile device indicating arrival at a specific location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2017
    Inventors: Madhavi Jayanthi, Bindu Rama Rao
  • Patent number: 9648477
    Abstract: A method and system for providing emergency call (e-call) services is disclosed. A third-party service center receives a voice call from a vehicle. Signaling is automatically sent to the vehicle from the third-party service center over the voice call. Location information is received from the vehicle at the third-party service center in response to the signaling. Information is forwarded from the voice call and the location information to a public safety answering point (PSAP) determined by the third-party service center.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2017
    Assignee: Sirius XM Connected Vehicle Services Inc.
    Inventors: Gregory Charles Corley, Tod Farrell, Barry Garrison, Scott Nelson, Thomas Barton Schalk
  • Patent number: 9648615
    Abstract: A plurality of time slots are allocated during which a location procedure is performed for one or more target wireless devices. Select ones of a plurality of wireless access points at different positions are assigned to each time slot such that multiple wireless access points assigned to a given time slot are sufficiently separated. In addition, wireless access points are assigned to a corresponding one of a plurality of groups for each time slot such that wireless access points assigned to a group tune to a channel used by a wireless access point in the group that transmits one or more frames that are intended to provoke one or more response frames from the one or more wireless devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2017
    Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Shaunak Joshi, Paul J. Stager, Brian D. Hart, Santosh Pandey, Matthew A. Silverman
  • Patent number: 9647974
    Abstract: A method (300) and apparatus are disclosed for event notification. An apparatus that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a presence services system (PSS) (102) can have a controller (104) that manages operations of a communications interface (110). The controller can be programmed to monitor (302) presence information of a plurality of communication devices of an end user operating in a communications system, and receive (316) a request from a calendar reminder system (CRS) for access to the presence information. Additional embodiments are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2017
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventors: Steven M. Wollmershauser, Yolius Diroo, Edward Walter, Brian Wilson, William R. Hurst, Anil Kumar Doradla
  • Patent number: 9641966
    Abstract: A method and system for provision of a notification based on location of a target device and heuristic information, the method maintaining, in a storage module, a location profile of a target mobile device based on heuristic information for the target mobile device; receiving the current location of the target mobile device; verifying whether the current location deviates from the location profile; and if the current location deviates from the location profile, triggering a notification to an observer device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: BlackBerry Limited
    Inventor: Andrey Li
  • Patent number: 9628951
    Abstract: A GPS capability of a mobile device may be turned on in order to ascertain an updated current location and then be turned off. Position relative to the geofence may be determined based on the updated current location and a time to fence value that provides an estimate of how soon an individual carrying the mobile device could cross the geofence may be calculated. The GPS capability may be kept turned off for a delay time period that is based at least in part on the calculated time to fence value. After the delay time period, the GPS capability of the mobile device may be turned back on and the cycle of turning on the GPS, ascertaining an updated current location and turning off the GPS may continue. An indication of the position of the mobile device relative to the geofence may be transmitted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Soumitri Kolavennu, Kevin L. Weirich
  • Patent number: 9622040
    Abstract: Apparatus is configured: to transmit angle-of-departure positioning messages from which a mobile device can calculate a direction to the mobile device from the apparatus; and to transmit a point of interest packet data unit for providing an emergency navigation service to a mobile device, the point of interest packet data unit comprising first data indicating a location of a first emergency point of interest and data indicating that the location relates to an emergency point of interest.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy
    Inventors: Jari Tapani Syrjarinne, Juha Salokannel
  • Patent number: 9619626
    Abstract: A method and a user terminal for identifying exercise information of a user are provided. The method includes detecting air pressure information at a location of the user terminal; identifying a state of a topography at the location of the user terminal by using the detected air pressure information; analyzing vertical movement and horizontal movement of the user terminal to identify movement information of the user terminal; and identifying the exercise information of the user according to the identified movement information of the user terminal and the identified state of the topography at the location of the user terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Jeong-Gwan Kang, Sun-Young Park, Nam-Hoon Kim, Hyeon-Seong Kim, Hyun-Su Hong, Myung-Sik Kim
  • Patent number: 9622330
    Abstract: Systems, methods, apparatus (e.g., mobile computing devices), and computer-readable media are described herein for lighting control. In various embodiments, a mobile computing device may receive input indicative of a desired lighting property adjustment for a lighting effect sensed by a light sensor of the mobile computing device. The mobile computing device may identify one or more LED-based lighting units that contribute to the sensed lighting effect. The mobile computing device may then generate, for wireless transmission to the one or more contributing LED-based lighting units, an instruction configured to cause at least some of the one or more contributing LED-based lighting units to implement the desired lighting property adjustment. In various embodiments, one or more user inputs of the mobile computing device may be selectively enabled, based on a detected lighting context, to receive the input indicative of a desired lighting property adjustment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: PHILIPS LIGHTING HOLDING B.V.
    Inventors: Tatiana Aleksandrovna Lashina, Bartel Marinus Van De Sluis, Philip Steven Newton, Dzmitry Viktorovich Aliakseyeu, Tim Dekker
  • Patent number: 9622055
    Abstract: A device to automatically provide differing information levels according to a predetermined social hierarchy includes a memory and a processor. The memory stores social templates corresponding to unique social signatures and being selectable to provide, for each level of the predetermined social hierarchy, a corresponding differing amount of information to each member of the predetermined social hierarchy and/or a social networking service. The processor receives sensor data from a sensor set which detects sensor data related to an environment of a communication device, creates a detected social signature from the received sensor data, determines which of the social signatures of the social templates has the greatest correspondence with the created social signature, retrieves from the memory the determined one social template having the greatest correspondence, and provides only as much information as allowed in the retrieved social template.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: e.Digital Corporation
    Inventors: Patrick O'Neal Nunally, Kevin Bostenero, Dustin Cameron Mitchell
  • Patent number: 9609071
    Abstract: Methods and devices for data transmission may comprise a computer system comprising: a reception module configured to receive and store condition data assigned to data elements of a data delivery unit; a context checking module configured to check whether a second mobile communication terminal, external to the computer system, satisfies one or more conditions defined by the condition data; and a data transmission module configured to trigger transmission of context-specific data elements from the computer system via the mobile radio network to the first mobile communication terminal. The computer system may be configured to obtain, from a networking unit of the mobile radio network, current attribute data associated with the second mobile communication terminal, and the context checking module may be configured to check, based on these current attribute data and respective condition data, whether the second mobile communication terminal satisfies the conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: Swisscom AG
    Inventors: Marc Danzeisen, Marc Heissenbuttel, Stefan Mauron, Jan Linder
  • Patent number: 9603017
    Abstract: A method, system and apparatus for enhancing the security of a beacon device are herein disclosed. A service device includes a service communication unit and a service control unit. The service communication unit communicates with at least one terminal and a beacon device, and transmits and receives data required to enhance the security of the beacon device. The service control unit performs control so as to receive pieces of identification information from the terminal and the beacon device, to check the received pieces of identification information and then perform validation based on the times at which the pieces of identification information have been generated and whether authentication keys match each other, to extract service information in response to the result of the validation, and to transmit the extracted service information to the terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: SK PLANET CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Chul Yong Shin, Jae Hyung Huh
  • Patent number: 9600674
    Abstract: A wireless face-to-face bilateral communication method between at least two users of a service provider, each having a token device, and at least one having a user-defined profile, comprising: between a sending token device and a receiving token device, transmitting unique electronic transaction tokens between a consenting sending party and a consenting or optionally consenting receiving party wherein said transaction tokens may be used for single use, party-approved after-contact, computer-network facilitated access to each other's profile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Inventors: Dan Coffing, Lou Bonfiglio
  • Patent number: 9594772
    Abstract: A method, system, computer program product and computer program for generating a multi-modal journey itinerary comprising: receiving, from a user, a desired destination; determining the user's current location; determining the user's current mode of transport; accessing a multi-modal route graph; determining, in response to determining the user's current location and of determining the user's current mode of transport, a user's position in the multi-modal route graph; and calculating, in response to determining the user's position in the multi-modal route graph, a multi-modal journey itinerary from the user's position in the multi-modal route graph to the desired destination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2017
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Anna Bridgen, Andrew Flatt, Richard W. Pilot
  • Patent number: 9593842
    Abstract: The illumination device generally has at least one light source and an attachment assembly that connects the light source to a computing device. The light source may be one or more LEDs or a light panel using electroluminescent lighting. The illumination device includes a power source coupled to the light source and a light control mechanism to change at least one of an operative state or an intensity of the light source. The illumination device may also be integrally connected to the computing device. A light cover is implemented to cover the light source and diffuse light emanating therefrom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2017
    Assignee: LuMee LLC
    Inventors: Allan Shoemake, William Winter, Juan Fernandez, Paul McGrath, Juan David Londoño Restrepo, Robert Pedersen
  • Patent number: 9596639
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention are directed to systems, methods and computer program products for minimizing data overhead in a cellular network. In one embodiment, a method includes determining, by a mobile device connected to the cellular network via a connection point, that the connection point has limited capacity; determining, by the mobile device, location information including location data indicating a current location of the mobile device; and determining, by the mobile device, an offload alternative connection point based on the determined location of the mobile device. In some cases, the method includes initiating disconnecting of the mobile device from a current connection point; and initiating connecting the mobile device to the offload alternative connection point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2017
    Assignees: Sony Corporation, Sony Mobile Communications Inc.
    Inventors: Erik Bengtsson, Vanja Plicanic Samuelsson, Zhinong Ying, Rickard Ljung
  • Patent number: 9591087
    Abstract: A method and system is provided for creating an intelligent social network between a plurality of devices participating in a social network over internet. Particularly, the disclosure provides a method and system for creating an intelligent social network of a plurality of devices, wherein an intent of at least one user of a first device is detected by one or more of subsequent devices out of the plurality of devices based on one or more pre-defined parameters; a match between one or more common intent of the user of the first device and the one or more users of the one or more subsequent devices is detected and information pertaining to the same is transmitted for enabling communication and formation of intelligent social network between the first device and the one or more of subsequent devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: Tata Consultancy Services Limited
    Inventors: Priyanka Sinha, Chirabrata Bhaumik, Avik Ghose
  • Patent number: 9591689
    Abstract: Example embodiments presented herein are directed towards a system and method for detachment in wireless communication systems. Some example embodiments are directed towards detaching a user from a wireless communications network without providing any signaling towards the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (publ)
    Inventors: Yong Yang, Gunnar Rydnell, Ann-Christine Sander
  • Patent number: 9571565
    Abstract: A method is provided to manage access to a social network from a mobile device, which has a user ID. The method is executed by a server, which manages accesses for a plurality of social networks, each social network being associated with a location and a time window. The method includes: receiving a request from the mobile device to join a social network, the request comprising at least information on the location of the mobile device and the user ID; gathering a timestamp associated with the received request; retrieving at least one social network associated with the location of the mobile device and a time window comprising the time indicated by the timestamp and registering the user ID in association to the at least one social network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: ORANGE
    Inventors: Teresa Jimenez Arreola, Fanny Monier
  • Patent number: 9565530
    Abstract: Techniques are provided which may be implemented in various methods, apparatus, and/or articles of manufacture to allow a mobile device to obtain certain location service(s) and/or the like from one or more computing devices that have been authorized for use. For example, in certain implementations, an authorizing location server may obtain a first message from a mobile device indicating a first set of location servers, determine a second set of location servers based, at least in part, on the first set of location servers, and transmit a second message to the mobile device indicating that the second set of location servers are authorized for location service related access by the mobile device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2017
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Stephen William Edge, Andreas Klaus Wachter, Philip Hawkes
  • Patent number: 9565261
    Abstract: A method of communicating location information relating to a first user of a first communication client from a first user terminal over a communications system to a second user terminal, the first user terminal executing the first communication client and the second user terminal executing a second communication client, the method comprising: the second communication client displaying a list of contacts associated with a second user of the second communication client, the list of contacts comprising a first contact representing the first user; the first user terminal determining a location of the first user; the first user terminal storing the determined location in a store of the first user terminal; the first communication client reading the stored location from the store; the first communication client generating a message comprising a visual indication of the location read from the store; transmitting the message from the first user terminal to the second user terminal; and displaying the visual indicatio
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2017
    Assignee: Skype
    Inventors: Aram Nicholas Babaian, Veiko Raime, Mark McLaughlin
  • Patent number: 9563641
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus related to adjusting the ranking of a suggestion for a geographic location based on determining how many of one or more users visited the geographic location after receiving the suggestion. In some implementations the one or more users may belong to first grouping of users and the ranking may be adjusted only for suggestions to the first grouping of users. In some implementations it may be determined if a second grouping of users visited the geographic location after receiving the suggestion. In some implementations a property of the given geographic location may be determined based on a comparison of how many of the second grouping of users visited the given geographic location after receiving the suggestion and how many of the one or more users visited the given geographic location after receiving the suggestion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2017
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Andrew Tomkins, Shanmugasundaram Ravikumar
  • Patent number: 9560621
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present application relate to a method, apparatus, and system for determining a location of a terminal. The method includes acquiring a Media Access Control (MAC) address of a network equipment used by a terminal to access a network, determining whether a database indicating locations associated with respective MAC addresses includes the acquired MAC address, and in the event that the database indicating locations associated with respective MAC addresses includes the acquired MAC address, determining that a current location of the terminal corresponds to a location associated with the acquired MAC address that is stored in the database, and outputting the current location of the terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2017
    Assignee: Alibaba Group Holding Limited
    Inventor: Xiaojian Li
  • Patent number: 9554267
    Abstract: Techniques to associate user data with a mobile device are described. In one embodiment, for example, an apparatus may comprise a service support component and a storage component. The services support component may be operative to receive a data package request from a service, the data package request comprising a network identifier for a mobile device associated with a user, and exchange a data package with the service in response to the data package request. The storage component may be operative to access the data package associated with the user based on the network identifier. Other embodiments are described and claimed. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2017
    Assignee: Facebook, Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel Kim, Yen-Ting Tung
  • Patent number: 9551775
    Abstract: A computing entity, such as a server, obtains a first, second, and third set of measurements based on wireless transmissions between one or more beacon devices, a wireless client device, and one or more wireless access points in a wireless network. The first set of measurements is associated with wireless transmissions from the beacon device(s) received at the wireless access points. The second set of measurements is associated with wireless transmissions between the wireless client device and the wireless access points. The third set of measurements is associated with wireless transmissions from beacon devices received at the wireless client device. An estimated location of the wireless client device is generated based on the first set of measurement data, the second set of measurement data, and the third set of measurement data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2017
    Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Raghuram Rangarajan, Brian D. Hart
  • Patent number: 9549387
    Abstract: The present techniques relate to reducing interference on conducted RF links by utilizing country information to determine where an electronic device is located, and using such information to select sub-bands or channels that are not available for wireless transmission to be used for transmission of signals via the conducted RF links. Because the conducted RF links operate on frequency bands that are different from the frequency bands used for wireless communications in a given country, there is less likelihood that wireless communications will create interference in the signals being transmitted via the conducted RF links.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Chia-Yiaw Chong, Hsin-Yuo Liu, Mohit Narang, Peter M. Agboh, Sathish Shanbhag Kota, Ruben Caballero
  • Patent number: 9544721
    Abstract: Techniques for address point data mining are described. An address point data mining method, system, or program product can determine geographic coordinates of an address based on geographic locations of one or more user devices. Each user device can be a mobile device operable to determine a location using a global navigation system (e.g., GPS), wireless signal triangulation, or other techniques. During the course of a time period (e.g., a day or week), the user device can stay at a location for a significant amount of time. The system can crosscheck this location with a geocoded geographic coordinates of a registered address (e.g., a billing address) that is associated with the mobile device. The system can determine whether the geocoded geographic coordinates are accurate based on result of the crosscheck.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2017
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Francois M. Jouaux, Guy L. Tribble, Rama Krishna Chitta
  • Patent number: 9538333
    Abstract: Techniques where a computer system is able to obtain information about a subject by communicating with a device that employs a limited range communication technology and is associated with the subject are described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2017
    Assignee: B2 Equity Holdings, Inc.
    Inventors: Bradley Alan Eaton, David Pyron Biggers, Jr., Dustin Paul Moore
  • Patent number: 9529350
    Abstract: An information processing apparatus controls position measurement performed by a position measurement device. The apparatus includes a memory and a processor that executes a process in the memory. The process includes acquiring schedule information associated with the position measurement device and including a start time and an end time, acquiring position information acquired by the position measurement device, and extending a position measurement cycle of the position measurement device compared to a position measurement cycle before the start time of the schedule information when positions that respectively correspond to a plurality of pieces of position information acquired between the start time and the end time are in a given area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2016
    Assignee: FUJITSU LIMITED
    Inventor: Hironori Sakakihara
  • Patent number: 9532399
    Abstract: A wireless access point manages wireless service to a multi-mode wireless communication device based on a wireless wide area network (WWAN) signal. The access point transmits a device proximity message to the WWAN based on the proximity of the multi-mode wireless communication device to the access point where the proximity is at least partially based on a WWAN signal. The device proximity message may indicate a request to perform an alternate network acquisition procedure to establish wireless service from an alternate network different than a current network providing service to the multi-mode wireless communication device. Where the current network is WWAN, and the WWAN signal is a WWAN reverse link signal transmitted by the communication device and received at the access point, the access point determines the proximity of the communication device to the access point at least partially based on the WWAN reverse link signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2016
    Assignee: Kyocera Corporation
    Inventor: Amit Kalhan
  • Patent number: 9514488
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for recommending content based on context such as location. In one aspect, a method includes receiving data that references a location of a mobile device, selecting, from among multiple, different applications that are available in an online application marketplace, one or more of the applications that are relevant to the location, and providing, by a recommendation server, a recommendation to the mobile device, where the recommendation identifies the one or more applications as applications that the user is likely to be interested in purchasing or downloading.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2016
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Bhaskar Mehta, Christian Sonntag, Ihar Mahaniok