# US 9,521,610 B2 · Method and apparatus for selecting a service instance > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,521,610 B2 - Document ID: US9521610B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/710,800 - Filed: 2015-05-13 - Published: 2016-11-17 - Granted: 2016-12-13 - Earliest claimed: 2015-05-13 - Assignees: Motorola Solutions, Inc. - Applicants: Motorola Solutions, Inc - Inventors: Lin Lin; Anthony R. Metke; Juana E. Nakfour; Karen M. Suttmann - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9521610B2 ## CPC - H04W 48/18: Selecting a network or a communication service - H04L 67/34: {involving the movement of software or configuration parameters (network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416)} - H04W 4/021: Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences - H04W 4/90: Services for handling of emergency or hazardous situations, e.g. earthquake and tsunami warning systems [ETWS] - H04W 4/08: User group management - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) ## Abstract A method and apparatus are provided that select an instance of a service for use by a mobile device. A list of multiple instances of the service is assembled, wherein each instance of the service of the multiple instances of the service is hosted by a different mobile device of multiple mobile devices. For each of the multiple instances of the service, situational information and environmental information is determined in association with the mobile device hosting the instance, wherein the situational information comprises information associated with an operating condition of a user of the hosting mobile device and wherein the environmental information comprises information associated with environmental conditions in which the hosting mobile device is operating. An instance of the service then is selected from among the multiple instances based on the environmental information and the situational information determined for each of the multiple instances. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of selecting an instance of a service for use by a mobile device, the method comprising: assembling a list of a plurality of instances of a service, wherein each instance of the service of the plurality of instances of the service is hosted by a different mobile device of a plurality of mobile devices; for each instance of the service of the plurality of instances of the service, determining situational information associated with the mobile device hosting the instance of the service, wherein the situational information comprises information associated with an operating condition of a user of the mobile device, the operating condition taken from the group consisting of motion of the mobile device, orientation of the mobile device, a geographical location of the mobile device, if the user has drawn a gun, if a user is involved in a chase, and if a user is involved in surveillance; for each instance of the service of the plurality of instances of the service, determining environmental information associated with the mobile device hosting the instance of the service, wherein the environmental information comprises information associated with environmental conditions in which the mobile device is operating, the environmental conditions taken from the group consisting of a level of smoke in the operating environment of the mobile device, a level of ambient light in the operating environment of the mobile device, and a level of sound in the operating environment of the mobile device; and selecting an instance of the service from among the plurality of instances of the service based on the environmental information and the situational information determined for each of the plurality of instances of the service. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein determining situational information comprises determining a situational information grade, wherein the situational information grade is compared to a situational information grade threshold to determine whether or not the mobile device is able to host the service. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, further comprising: determining whether a service instance is available for use based on the situational information grade. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein determining environmental information comprises determining an environmental information grade; wherein the environmental information grade is compared to a environmental information grade threshold to determine whether or not the mobile device is able to host the service. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, further comprising: determining whether a service instance is available for use based on the environmental information grade. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein selecting an instance of the service from among the plurality of instances of the service comprises: for each instance of the service of the plurality of instances of the service, determining a service selection grade based on the environmental information and the situational information associated with the mobile device hosting the instance of the service; and selecting an instance of the service based on the service selection grades determined for each instance of the service of the plurality of instances of the service. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, wherein selecting an instance of the service based on the service selection grades comprises selecting an instance of the service having a highest service selection grade. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, wherein determining a service selection grade for each instance of the service comprises: determining an environmental information grade for the instance of the service based on the environmental information associated with the mobile device hosting the instance of the service; determining a situational information grade for the instance of the service based on the situational information associated with the mobile device hosting the instance of the service, wherein the situational information grade is compared to a threshold to determine whether or not the mobile device is able to host the service; and determining a service selection grade for the instance of the service based on the environmental information grade and the situational information grade. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein determining the environmental information grade for the instance of the service comprises adjusting the environmental information grade based on an environmental information parameter and wherein determining the situational information grade for the instance of the service comprises adjusting the situational information grade based on a situational information parameter. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, further comprising, for one or more instances of the service of the plurality of instances of the service: performing one or more of: comparing the environmental information grade for the instance of the service to an environmental information grade threshold; comparing the situational information grade for the instance of the service to a situational information grade threshold; and based on the comparison of the environmental information grade to the environmental information grade threshold or the situational information grade to the situational information grade threshold, determining that the instance of the service is unavailable for use by the mobile device. ### Claim 11 An apparatus for selecting an instance of a service for download to a mobile device, the apparatus comprising: a processor; an at least one memory device that is configured to store instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to implement a service instance assignment manager that is configured to perform the following functions: assemble a list of a plurality of instances of a service, wherein each instance of the service of the plurality of instances of the service is hosted by a different mobile device of a plurality of mobile devices; for each instance of the service of the plurality of instances of the service, determine situational information associated with the mobile device hosting the instance of the service, wherein the situational information comprises information associated with an operating condition of a user of the mobile device, the operating condition taken from the group consisting of motion of the mobile device, orientation of the mobile device, a geographical location of the mobile device, if the user has drawn a gun, if a user is involved in a chase, and if a user is involved in surveillance; for each instance of the service of the plurality of instances of the service, determine environmental information associated with the mobile device hosting the instance of the service, wherein the environmental information comprises information associated with environmental conditions in which the mobile device is operating, the environmental conditions taken from the group consisting of a level of smoke in the operating environment of the mobile device, a level of ambient light in the operating environment of the mobile device, and a level of sound in the operating environment a the mobile device; and select an instance of the service from among the plurality of instances of the service based on the environmental information and the situational information determined for each of the plurality of instances of the service. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the service instance assignment manager is configured to determine situational information by determining a situational information grade and to determine whether a service instance is available for use based on the situational information grade, wherein the situational information grade is compared to a situational information grade threshold to determine whether or not the mobile device is able to host the service. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the service instance assignment manager is configured to determine environmental information by determining an environmental information grade and to determine whether a service instance is available for use based on the environmental information grade. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the service instance assignment manager further is configured to select an instance of the service from among the plurality of instances of the service by: for each instance of the service of the plurality of instances of the service, determining a service selection grade based on the environmental information and the situational information associated with the mobile device hosting the instance of the service; and selecting an instance of the service based on the service selection grades determined for each instance of the service of the plurality of instances of the service. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the service instance assignment manager further is configured to select an instance of the service by selecting an instance of the service having a highest service selection grade. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the service instance assignment manager further is configured to determine a service selection grade for each instance of the service by: determining an environmental information grade for the instance of the service based on the environmental information associated with the mobile device hosting the instance of the service; determining a situational information grade for the instance of the service based on the situational information associated with the mobile device hosting the instance of the service; and determining a service selection grade for the instance of the service based on the environmental information grade and the situational information grade. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the service instance assignment manager further is configured to determine the environmental information grade for the instance of the service by adjusting the environmental information grade based on an environmental information parameter, and wherein the service instance assignment manager further is configured to determine the situational information grade for the instance of the service comprises adjusting the situational information grade based on a situational information parameter. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the service instance assignment manager further is configured to, for one or more instances of the service of the plurality of instances of the service: perform one or more of: comparing the environmental information grade for the instance of the service to an environmental information grade threshold; comparing the situational information grade for the instance of the service to a situational information grade threshold; and based on the comparison of the environmental information grade to the environmental information grade threshold or the situational information grade to the situational information grade threshold, determine that the instance of the service is unavailable for use by the mobile device. ### Claim 19 (depends on 11) The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the apparatus is a mobile device. ### Claim 20 (depends on 11) The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the apparatus is a server.