US 12,127,074 B2Granted

Generating unexpected location notifications

AssigneeApple Inc.

InventorsAndreas E. Schobel, Swaminathan Jayaraman, Paul W. Salzman, Kevin M. Lynch, Tommy Rochette, Albert R. Howard, Siva Ganesh Movva, Thomas Chathoth Abraham, Frank De Jong, Rachel F. Needle, David John Williams, Raghunandan K. Pai, Swadesh Bhattacharya

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Abstract

In some implementations, a first computing device can send notifications at times that the first computing device is not in an expected location. A user of a second computing device can remotely configure an expected location for the first computing device, which may be a particular location for a certain period of time. During that time, the first computing device can monitor its own location and check whether it is within the expected location. If the first computing device unexpectedly leaves or fails to enter the expected location, the first computing device may transmit a notification to the second computing device. Similarly, if the first computing device loses connectivity with other devices, a server device may notify the second computing device that the location of the first computing device cannot be determined.

Claims21

Dependent claims

A method comprising:

receiving, by a first device associated with a first user, expected location configuration from a second device associated with a second user, the expected location configuration specifying a time period defined by a start time and an end time, and a geographical area within which the first device is expected to be during the specified time period;
determining, by the first device, a current time is within the time period specified in the expected location configuration;
determining, by the first device, that, at each of a plurality of times between the start time of the time period and the current time, a location of the first device has been distinct from the geographical area specified by the expected location configuration;
and
in response to determining that the location of the first device has been distinct from the geographical area specified by the expected location configuration at each of the plurality of times between the start time and the current time, sending, by the first device, a first notification to the second device indicating that the first device is not within the geographical area.

2 more elements

A non-transitory computer readable medium including one or more sequences of instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the processors to perform operations comprising:

receiving, by a first device associated with a first user, expected location configuration from a second device associated with a second user, the expected location configuration specifying a time period defined by a start time and an end time, and a geographical area within which the first device is expected to be during the specified time period;
determining, by the first device, a current time is within the time period specified in the expected location configuration;
determining, by the first device, that, at each of a plurality of times between the start time of the time period and the current time, a location of the first device has been distinct from the geographical area specified by the expected location configuration;
and
in response to determining that the location of the first device has been distinct from the geographical area specified by the expected location configuration at each of the plurality of times between the start time and the current time, sending, by the first device, a first notification to the second device indicating that the first device is not within the geographical area.

2 more elements

A system comprising:

one or more processors;
and
a non-transitory computer readable medium including one or more sequences of instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the processors to perform operations comprising:
receiving, by a first device associated with a first user, expected location configuration from a second device associated with a second user, the expected location configuration specifying a time period defined by a start time and an end time, and a geographical area within which the first device is expected to be during the specified time period;
determining, by the first device, a current time is within the time period specified in the expected location configuration;
determining, by the first device, that, at each of a plurality of times between the start time of the time period and the current time, a location of the first device has been distinct from the geographical area specified by the expected location configuration;
and
in response to determining that the location of the first device has been distinct from the geographical area specified by the expected location configuration at each of the plurality of times between the start time and the current time, sending, by the first device, a first notification to the second device indicating that the first device is not within the geographical area.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 17/575,888Filed 14 Jan 2022 · continuation
Priority: 6 May 2019
Published: US 2022/0141623 A15 May 2022
Granted: 22 Oct 2024
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification18 codes

H04W 4/029
Services making use of location information: location-based management or tracking services
G08B 21/0255
Data exchange details, e.g. data protocol: system arrangements wherein the parent unit emits, i.e. the parent unit incorporates the emitter
G08B 21/0261
Child monitoring systems using a transmitter-receiver system carried by the parent and the child: system arrangements wherein the object is to…
G08B 21/0277
Child monitoring systems using a transmitter-receiver system carried by the parent and the child: communication between units on a local network,…

Family

Application62/843,942Us provisional application · filed 6 May 2019
Application16/845,297Parent of this continuation · filed 10 Apr 2020
US 2022/0141623 A1Pre-grant publication · published 5 May 2022
US 11,228,864 B2Parent of this continuation
US 2020/0359175 A1Published application
US 12,127,074 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.