Automated detection of vehicle parking and location

A mobile computing device comprising:

• one or more processors;
• a motion sensor;
• a motion module;
• a parking module;
• a data repository configured to store a position history of the mobile computing device;
• and
• a positioning system,
• wherein the motion module is configured to determine, based on first motion data generated by the motion sensor of the mobile computing device, that a user associated with the mobile computing device is riding in a vehicle, determine, based on second motion data generated by the motion sensor, that a change in an angle of the mobile computing device relative to gravity satisfies a threshold amount of change, and, responsive to determining that the change in the angle satisfies the threshold amount of change:
• initiate, at a first position of the mobile computing device, storage of third motion data generated by the motion sensor, wherein the first position is a reference position, and determine, based on the third motion data, that the user of the mobile computing device is traveling on foot, wherein the reference position corresponds to a location at which the user exited the vehicle,
• wherein the positioning system is configured to receive an external signal, determine, based on the external signal, a second position of the mobile computing device, wherein the second position is a current position of the mobile computing device that is different from the reference position,
• wherein the parking module is operable by the one or more processors to, responsive to determining the second position of the mobile computing device:
• determine, based on the third motion data and the current position, the reference position of the mobile computing device, and store an indication of the reference position as the location at which the user exited the vehicle, and
• wherein the parking module is operable by the one or more processors to retrieve the position history from the data repository, the position history including a plurality of previously determined reference positions of the mobile computing device, wherein the reference position of the mobile computing device is included in the plurality of previously determined reference positions, determine a subset of the plurality of previously determined reference positions, wherein each determined reference position from the subset is located within a threshold distance from an updated current position of the mobile computing device, and output, for display, a graphical indication of one or more of the subset of the plurality of previously determined reference positions.

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium encoded with instructions that, when executed, cause at least one of a plurality of processors of a mobile computing device to:

• determine, based on first motion data generated by a motion sensor of the mobile computing device, that a user associated with the mobile computing device is riding in a vehicle;
• determine, based on second motion data generated by the motion sensor of the mobile computing device, that a change in an angle of the mobile computing device relative to gravity satisfies a threshold amount of change;
• responsive to determining that the change in the angle satisfies the threshold amount of change:
• initiate, at a first position of the mobile computing device, storage of third motion data generated by the motion sensor, wherein the first position is a reference position;
• and
• determine, based on the third motion data, that the user of the mobile computing device is traveling on foot, wherein the reference position corresponds to a location at which the user exited the vehicle;
• determine, based on an external signal received by the mobile computing device, a second position of the mobile computing device, wherein the second position is a current position of the mobile computing device that is different from the reference position;
• responsive to determining the second position of the mobile computing device:
• determine, based on the third motion data and the current position, the reference position of the mobile computing device;
• and
• store and indication of the reference position as the location at which the user exited the vehicle;
• retrieve a position history of the mobile computing device, the position history including a plurality of previously determined reference positions of the mobile computing device, wherein the reference position of the mobile computing device is included in the plurality of previously determined reference positions;
• determine a subset of the plurality of previously determined reference positions, wherein each determined reference position form the subset is located within a threshold distance from an updated current position of the mobile computing device;
• and
• output, for display, a graphical indication of one or more of the subset of the plurality of previously determined reference positions.