# US 2014/0155022 A1 · Methods and apparatus to monitor usage of mobile devices > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0155022 A1 - Document ID: US20140155022A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/706,244 - Filed: 2012-12-05 - Published: 2014-06-05 - Earliest claimed: 2012-12-05 - Inventors: Anil Kandregula - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140155022A1 ## CPC - G06Q 30/0201: Market modelling; Market analysis; Collecting market data - G06Q 10/40: Business processes related to social networking or social networking services - G06Q 30/0205: {based on location or geographical consideration} - G06Q 30/0242: Determining effectiveness of advertisements - H04M 15/58: {based on statistics of usage or network monitoring} - H04W 4/50: Service provisioning or reconfiguring - H04W 24/08: Testing, {supervising or monitoring} using real traffic - H04M 1/72457: according to geographic location - H04M 2250/52: including functional features of a camera - G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - H04M: TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION (circuits for controlling other apparatus via a telephone cable and not involving telephone switching apparatus G08) - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) ## Abstract Methods and apparatus are disclosed to identify usage of mobile devices are disclosed. An example method includes detecting user interaction with a mobile device. An example method includes identifying an application in a foreground of a display of the mobile device is identified. Whether the application in the foreground is an application of interest is determined. An image representing the display of the mobile device is captured if the application in the foreground is an application of interest. The image is transmitted to a monitoring data collection site. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method to identify usage of mobile devices, the method comprising: identifying, with a processor, an application in a foreground of a display of the mobile device; determining whether the application in the foreground is an application of interest; capturing an image representing the display of the mobile device if the application in the foreground is an application of interest; and transmitting the image to a monitoring data collection site. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method as described in claim 1, further comprising storing the image in a memory of the mobile device. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method as described in claim 1, further comprising storing an association of the application in the foreground with the image. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method as described in claim 1, further comprising storing a timestamp in association with the image. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method as described in claim 1, further comprising: determining a geographic location of the mobile device; and storing the geographic location of the mobile device in association with the image. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method as described in claim 1, wherein detecting user interaction with the mobile device further comprises polling an application programming interface of the mobile device. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method as described in claim 1, further comprising waiting a threshold period of time before capturing a subsequent image. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method as described in claim 7, wherein the waiting occurs only when the application in the foreground is unchanged. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method as described in claim 1, further comprising detecting user interaction with the mobile device prior to identifying an application in the foreground of the display of the mobile device. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method as described in claim 1, further comprising detecting if the application in the foreground of the display of the mobile device has changed prior to determining whether the application in the foreground is the application of interest. ### Claim 11 An apparatus to identify usage of a mobile device, the apparatus comprising: an application monitor to identify an application within the foreground of a display of the mobile device; an image capturer to capture an image of the display of the mobile device when the application within the application within the foreground of the display is an application of interest; a data storer to store the captured image in a memory of the mobile device; and a data communicator to transmit the captured image to a monitoring data collection site. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The apparatus as described in claim 11, further comprising a location identifier to determine a geographic location of the mobile device when the image is captured. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The apparatus as described in claim 12, wherein the data storer is to store the location of the mobile device in association with the captured image. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The apparatus as described in claim 11, wherein the data storer is to store an identifier of the application within the foreground of the display in association with the captured image. ### Claim 15 A tangible machine-readable storage medium comprising instructions which, when executed, cause a machine to at least: detect user interaction with a mobile device; identify an application in a foreground of a display of the mobile device when the user interaction is detected; determine whether the application in the foreground is an application of interest; capture an image representing the display of the mobile device if the application in the foreground is an application of interest; and transmit the image to a monitoring data collection site. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The machine-readable medium as described in claim 15, further comprising instructions which, when executed, cause the machine to store the image in a memory of the mobile device. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The machine-readable medium as described in claim 15, further comprising instructions which, when executed, cause the machine to store an association of the application in the foreground with the image. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The machine-readable medium as described in claim 15, further comprising instructions which, when executed, cause the machine to store a timestamp in association with the image. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The machine-readable medium as described in claim 15, further comprising instructions which, when executed, cause the machine to at least: determine a geographic location of the mobile device; and store the geographic location of the mobile device in association with the image. ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) The machine-readable medium as described in claim 15, further comprising instructions which, when executed, cause the machine to detect user interaction with the mobile device further comprises polling an application programming interface of the mobile device. ### Claim at position 21 21-42. (canceled)