BlackBerry Limited v. Facebook, Inc. et al
Filing
1
COMPLAINT Receipt No: 0973-21360760 - Fee: $400, filed by Plaintiff BlackBerry Limited. (Attachments: # 1 Exhibit A, # 2 Exhibit B, # 3 Exhibit C, # 4 Exhibit D, # 5 Exhibit E, # 6 Exhibit F, # 7 Exhibit G, # 8 Exhibit H, # 9 Exhibit I, # 10 Exhibit J) (Attorney James R Asperger added to party BlackBerry Limited(pty:pla))(Asperger, James)
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EXHIBIT E
EXHIBIT E
Page 180
USOO8429236B2
(12) United States Patent
(10) Patent No.:
(45) Date of Patent:
BrOWn et al.
RESPONSIVE TO STATUS OF RECIPIENT
APPLICATION
2005, 0083,902 A1*
2006/0194598 A1*
(75) Inventors: Michael S. Brown, Waterloo (CA):
Gerhard D. Klassen, Waterloo (CA)
1471695 A1
03.019319 A2
Harrysson, Andreas, Extended European Search Report, Apr. 20.
2010, Munich, Germany.
EP10151178.0-2412, Extended European Search Report, Jun. 8,
2010, Munich Germany.
Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this
patent is extended or adjusted under 35
U.S.C. 154(b) by 753 days.
* cited by examiner
Primary Examiner — Zarni Maung
(74) Attorney, Agent, or Firm — Trop Pruner & Hu, P.C.
Dec. 23, 2009
Prior Publication Data
US 2010/O262664 A1
Oct. 14, 2010
(57)
Related U.S. Application Data
(60) Provisional application No. 61/167,772, filed on Apr.
8, 2009.
(51) Int. Cl.
G06F 15/16
G06F 12/00
(2006.01)
(2006.01)
(52) U.S. Cl.
USPC ........................................... 709/206: 709/207
(58) Field of Classification Search .......... 709/206-207,
709/223 229, 250
See application file for complete search history.
(56)
U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
5,974,559 A * 10/1999 Bannai .......................... T13,330
7,403,972 B1*
2001/OOO5859 A1*
2003/0O27571 A1
ABSTRACT
Selecting and modifying the transmission rates and sizes of
status update messages transmitted by a mobile communica
tions device to a recipient application based on use of the
updates by the recipient application improves resource utili
Zation or accuracy. During one mode of operation, a mobile
communications device transmits status messages using a
conservative message transmission mode. This allows the
mobile communications device to transmit a greater number
of status updates forfuture processing by the recipient appli
cation while conserving resources. When the recipient appli
cation is actively processing status updates from the mobile
References Cited
6,134,446 A
10, 2004
3, 2003
OTHER PUBLICATIONS
(21) Appl. No.: 12/645,873
(65)
4, 2005 HaShimoto .
370,349
8, 2006 Kim et al. ..................... 455,509
FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS
EP
WO
(73) Assignee: Research in Motion Limited, Waterloo,
Ontario (CA)
(22) Filed:
Apr. 23, 2013
2004/0198354 A1 * 10/2004 Pettine, Jr. ................. 455,435.1
2005/0054344 A1* 3/2005 Jung et al. ......
... 455,432.3
(54) TRANSMISSION OF STATUS UPDATES
(*) Notice:
US 8,429,236 B2
10, 2000 Sasuta et al.
7/2008 Lau et al. ...................... TO9,206
communications device, the mobile communications device
transmits the status messages using an accelerated message
transmission mode with a different number of status updates
in each status message and different delay between status
messages, which may reduce delay or improve accuracy.
Similarly, the mobile communications device may reduce the
number of status updates transmitted by applying algorithm
based filters described herein based on the expected usage by
the recipient application.
6/2001 Okuyama et al. ............. 709/245
18 Claims, 12 Drawing Sheets
2/2003 Karlsson et al.
Transmit status messages comprising
one or more status updates to a
recipient application using a
conservative message transmission
400
determine that the recipient
application isactively processing the
420
mode
status updates
Transmit status messages to the
recipient application using a
440
accelerated message transmission
Determine that the recipient
the status updates
application is not actively processing
resume transmitting status messages
to the recipient application using the
conservative message transmission
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5
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Apr. 23, 2013
Sheet 1 of 12
US 8,429,236 B2
105
110
120
100
as
12 \l
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114
N
/
116
122
124
M
M
126
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M
N
101
101A
101B
Status Update
101C
101z
160
N
Figure 1
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Sheet 2 of 12
US 8,429,236 B2
25OB
Conservative
ACCelerated
Message Transmission Mode
Message Transmission Mode
Figure 2
Figure 3
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Sheet 3 of 12
Transmit status messages comprising
one or more status updates to a
recipient application using a
conservative message transmission
400
mode
Determine that the recipient
application is actively processing the
status updates
Transmit status messages to the
recipient application using an
accelerated message transmission
420
440
mode
Determine that the recipient
application is not actively processing
the status updates
Resume transmitting status messages
to the recipient application using the
Conservative message transmission
mode
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Sheet 4 of 12
US 8.429,236 B2
122
124
- 126
521
C.
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524
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517
527
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- 522
/ 526
Page 185
U.S. Patent
622C
Apr. 23, 2013
Sheet 5 of 12
-CD
US 8,429,236 B2
622B
620A
110
250
630
612
622A
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720
Apr. 23, 2013
\
Sheet 6 of 12
US 8,429,236 B2
Network Server
710
702
715
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b
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114
250
116
Figure 7
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Sheet 7 of 12
Transmit status messages comprising
one or more status updates to a
recipient application using a
conservative message transmission
US 8,429,236 B2
800
mode
810
Notice a record added to a database,
the record indicates that the recipient
application is actively processing
status updates
820
A 830
-------------------------
Transmit status messages to the
recipient application using an
accelerated message transmission
-->
Optionally start a timer
mode
-----------------------Notice the record deleted from the
database
840
880
860
------------y ------
Resume transmitting status messages
to the recipient application using the
conservative message transmission
mode
Figure 8
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Sheet 8 of 12
US 8,429,236 B2
Transmit status messages
Comprising one or more status
updates to a recipient application
using a conservative message
transmission mode
Notice a record added to a
database, the record indicates
that the recipient application is
actively processing status
updates
924
Check timestamp in the record
lftimestamp is not older than a
predefined amount, modify
message transmission mode
if timestamp is older than a
predefined amount, ignore
record
Transmit status messages to the
recipient application using an
accelerated message
930
transmission node
940
Start a timer
950
Timer expires without change in
timestamp
Monitor for updated timestamp
Resume transmitting status
messages to the recipient
application using the
conservative message
Notice an updated timestamp in
the record
transmission mode
Reset Tinner
956
Figure 9
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Sheet 9 of 12
Transmit status messages Comprising
one or more status updates to a
recipient application using a
conservative message transmission
US 8.429.236 B2
1000
mode
1010
Receive a request message indicating
the recipient application is actively
processing the Status updates
Transmit status messages to the
recipient application using an
accelerated message transmission
O ptiO al ly St2 rt 2 ti m er
O
mode
- - - - - - - -
Receive a logoff message indicating
the recipient application not actively
processing the status updates
-
-
-
-------------
1050
1
1040
1080Y-----|--
Resume transmitting status messages
to the recipient application using the
conservative message transmission
mode
Figure 10
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Sheet 10 of 12
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Apply One or More
1130
Fitters to the Status Update
---4-----------
1140
---------- (140
Discard Status Update if it
Discard Status Update if it
includes indicia that accuracy
includes indicia that the
of the measurement is ow
reasurement is unreliable
Determine Threshold based
Calculate Moving Average
one or more previous Status
previous Status Updates and
Discard Status Update if the
change from Last Accepted
Status Update is less than the
Discard Status Update if
change between Moving
AVerage and last accepted
status update is less than the
threshold
threshold
based on One or more
optionally, modify the process
used to determine the
theshold
- - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - -
if discarded, do not store or
If not discarded, store Status
transmit Status Update
Update and update Last
Accepted Status Update
118O
1190
- Transmit status. Update in
next Status Message
Figure 11
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Sheet 11 of 12
- 1202
Figure 12
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Sheet 12 of 12
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Network
Connectivity
Recipient Callback
Module
H
1360
*
R
location Middle
O
or
Filter Module
too.
- - - caval
Figure 13
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1390
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1.
2
device based on the state of the recipient application in accor
TRANSMISSION OF STATUS UPDATES
RESPONSIVE TO STATUS OF RECIPIENT
APPLICATION
dance with at least one of the embodiments described in this
disclosure.
FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating the use of a synchronized
database to determine the State of the recipient application in
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED
APPLICATIONS
This disclosure claims the priority of U.S. Provisional
Application No. 61/167,772, filed Apr. 8, 2009, the content of
which is incorporated in its entirety herein.
accordance with at least one of the embodiments described in
this disclosure.
FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a synchronized database
with a group of recipient applications in accordance with at
10
FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating the useof a shared database
in a server to determine the state of the recipient application in
BACKGROUND
The present application relates generally to status updates
transmitted from a mobile communications device, and in
particular to location updates transmitted from a mobile com
munications device to a recipient application.
While telephony in the past was limited to voice calls at
fixed locales, modern mobile communications devices may
be used in a variety of locations. Furthermore, modern mobile
communications devices Support a large variety of data-en
abled applications, including applications that utilize data
generated or collected at the mobile communications device.
This may include, for example, applications that are aware of
the location of the mobile communications device. Taking
advantage of these capabilities, users of mobile communica
tions devices are increasingly mobile and Social.
least one of the embodiments described in this disclosure.
accordance with at least one of the embodiments described in
this disclosure.
15
FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating a method of altering the
message transmission mode of a mobile communications
device using a record in a database to determine the state of
the recipient application inaccordance with at least one of the
embodiments described in this disclosure.
FIG. 9 is a flowchart illustrating a method of altering the
message transmission mode of a mobile communications
device using a record in a database in conjunction with a
timestamp and timer to determine the state of the recipient
application in accordance with at least one of the embodi
25
ments described in this disclosure.
FIG. 10 is a flowchart illustrating a method of altering the
message transmission mode of a mobile communications
device using a request message to determine the state of the
recipient application in accordance with at least one of the
Transmissions from the mobile communications device
over a wireless communications system consume resources
that would be desirable to conserve. This is especially true for
a mobile communications device that consumes power when
it is transmitting a signal. Each transmission from the mobile
communications device consumes power from the battery on
30
the device and utilizes a wireless communications channel
35 SUC.
embodiments described in this disclosure.
FIG. 11 is a flowchart illustrating a method executed in a
mobile communications device for filtering status updates to
be sent by the mobile communications device in accordance
with at least one of the embodiments described in this disclo
during the transmission.
To conserve resources, a solution for efficient transmission
FIG. 12 illustrates a wireless communications system
including an embodiment of a mobile communications
of status updates from mobile communications devices
would provide an advance in the field.
device in accordance with at least one of the embodiments
described in this disclosure.
40
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating a processor and related
components suitable for implementing at least one of the
embodiments described in this disclosure.
The disclosure will be more clearly understood by refer
ence to the following detailed description of example
embodiments and in conjunction with the accompanying
drawings by way of illustration. In the drawings, like numer
als describe Substantially similar components throughout the
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
45
Modern mobile communications devices may have the
capability of collecting or generating information. This infor
several views.
mation may be included in a status update, where each status
FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating asystem in which a mobile update has information that has been collected or generated
communications device is transmitting status messages to a 50 since the previous status update. A mobile communications
recipient application over a wireless communications net device may be configured to generate or collect a plurality of
work in accordance with at least one of the embodiments
status updates during a period of time, and include the plu
described in this disclosure.
rality of status updates in a status message transmitted over a
FIG. 2 is a sequence diagram wherein a mobile communi wireless network to a recipient application.
cations device is generating status updates and transmitting 55 A recipient application may be any software, hardware,
status messages to a non-active recipient application using a component, or collection of components that processes status
conservative message transmission mode in accordance with updates from a mobile communications device and generates
at least one of the embodiments described in this disclosure.
an output based on the status updates. A recipient application
FIG. 3 is a sequence diagram wherein a mobile communi that is producing an output around the same time that it is
cations device is generating status updates and transmitting 60 processing the status updates is said to be actively processing
status messages to a recipient application that is actively the status updates. This might also be called real-time, near
processing status updates and the mobile communications real-time, concurrently processing, or other termsunderstood
device is transmitting status messages using an accelerated by a person of skill in the art to mean that the recipient
message transmission mode inaccordance with at least one of application is processing the status updates to produce an
65 output based on the status updates soon after receiving the
the embodiments described in this disclosure.
FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a method of altering the status updates. A recipient application that is not actively
message transmission mode of a mobile communications processing status updates to generate an output is also called
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status updates transmitted to a recipient application by apply
ing algorithm-based filters based on the expected usage by the
recipient application. By using the algorithm-based filters
4
updates for greater accuracy of current status, the mobile
communications device may operate in an accelerated mes
sage transmission mode. The accelerated message transmis
sion mode may have less delay between transmissions of
status messages and may include fewer status updates in each
status message. As a non-limiting example, a status message
in the accelerated message transmission mode might include
only one status update.
For Some recipient applications, the recipient application is
capable of generating a more useful output when the recipient
application has a large number of status updates to process.
For example, the recipient application may have improved
accuracy, granularity, or reliability when the recipient appli
cation has a large number of measured data points available to
process. Some examples of these recipient applications may
include, without limitation, Supervisory Control And Data
Acquisition (SCADA) systems, location applications, pres
ence applications, weather applications, and predictive model
applications. A non-active recipient application that will pro
cess status updates at Some point in the future may use col
lected Status updates to determine historical status. By
increasing the delay between status messages and including
more status updates in each status message, the conservative
message transmission mode provides a greater number of
status updates (than might otherwise be available at a selected
status message transmission rate) for improved accuracy of
historical status, while conserving resources. But when a
recipient application is actively processing status updates
(e.g., in “near real-time') it is desirable for a mobile commu
nications device to send status updates to a recipient applica
tion with less delay. Thus, when the recipient application is
actively processing status updates, the mobile communica
tions device may transmit status messages using the acceler
ated message transmission mode.
One type of recipient application, used as an example in
this disclosure, is a location application that processes loca
tion updates from a mobile communications device.
Examples of location applications may include a mapping
application, tracking application, or reporting application.
For example, when used as a mapping application, the loca
tion application may generate an output comprising a map
displayed on a screen that shows the current location, and
optionally, the historical location, of a moving device. This
type of recipient application may be used in a variety of
situations, e.g., police may track the location of squad cars,
distribution companies may track the whereabouts of delivery
vehicles, businesses or government agencies may track the
location of mobile employees, or parents may track the loca
described in this disclosure, the mobile communications
tion of children.
3
a “non-active recipient application' in this disclosure. The
non-active recipient application may be, for example, an
application running as a background process, an idle appli
cation, or a recipient application that is not launched, or any
other component that is not producing an output soon after
receiving the status updates.
This disclosure describes arrangements which enable a
mobile communications device to transmit status updates
efficiently over a wireless network to a recipient application.
In one solution, the mobile communications device utilizes
different message transmission modes based on the activity of
the recipient application—i.e., whether or not the recipient
application is actively processing status updates. The differ
ent message transmission modes may implement different
amounts of delay between status messages and number of the
status updates included in each status message. In one imple
mentation, the mobile communications device may automati
cally select a different message transmission mode when the
mobile communications device determines that the recipient
application is actively processing status updates. By selecting
between different message transmission modes, the mobile
communications device is able to conserve resources during
times when the recipient application is not actively process
ing the status updates. This disclosure also describes several
ways in which the mobile communications device may deter
mine that the recipient application is actively processing sta
tus updates. In various embodiments, the mobile communi
cations device determines whether the recipient application is
actively processing ornot actively processing by one or more
of observing an indication in a synchronized database;
receiving an unsolicited request message from the recipient
application; receiving an unsolicited indication from an infra
structure element; Soliciting and receiving an indication from
the recipient application; or Soliciting and receiving an indi
cation from an infrastructure element. Moreover, in some
5
10
15
25
30
35
embodiments, the mobile communications device may deter
mine that the recipient application is not actively processing
after a defined period has elapsed since the most recent indi
cation that the recipient application is actively processing was
received. In some embodiments, the mobile communications
40
a mobile communications device to reduce the number of
45
device may use a timestamp in a synchronized database,
request message or indication to determine if the recipient
application is actively processing status updates.
This disclosure also describes arrangements which enable
device may discard a portion of status updates and reduce the 50 For one purpose, a location application may be used to
number of status updates to include in a status message. This display the location history of a mobile communications
device. The location application may provide a better granu
efficiently conserves resources that would otherwise be used
to transmit discarded status updates over a wireless network. larity regarding the location history of a mobile communica
As seen in the accompanying Figures, the present disclo tions device when the location application has a large number
Sure describes an arrangement by which the mobile commu 55 of historical location updates to process. For example, the
nications device may provide a plurality of status updates for location application may display a map showing a "bread
a recipient application while automatically selecting between crumb trail” representing the location history of a device.
different message transmission modes depending on the sta Typically, the location application would plot each data point,
tus of the recipient application. In a conservative message Such as a longitude and latitude, on a map. In some imple
transmission mode, the mobile communications device may 60 mentations, a line may be drawn connecting the data points to
conserve resources by increasing the delay between status infer the expected location for areas not directly measured or
messages and by increasing the number of status updates in reported. When there are a greater number of data points, the
each status message. As a non-limiting example, the conser breadcrumb trail may have greater accuracy or more exten
Vative message transmission mode may be useful when a sive history in relation to the map. When there are fewer data
non-active recipient application will process status updates at 65 points to render on the map, the breadcrumb trail may not be
Some point in the future for historical status. During the times accurate in relation to the roads or other items on the map, or
when a recipient application is actively processing the status the map may display a less extensive breadcrumb trail. For
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5
example, the breadcrumb trail may incorrectly appear to go
through buildings or obstacles on the map because the Smaller
number of data points less accurately represents the actual
path of the device. Similarly, if a location application is used
to calculate historical velocity for a moving device, a large
number oftime-stamped location measurements may provide
a more accurate determination the Velocity. For these pur
poses, it is desirable to have a large number of location mea
Surements available for the location application to process.
But for another purpose, a location application may be used
to display the current location of a mobile communications
device. The location application may provide better accuracy
regarding the current location of a mobile communications
device when the location application receives location
updates with less delay. In this case, it is desirable to decrease
the delay between the measurement of a data point to be
furnished in a status update and the time when the recipient
application processes the status update. By decreasing the
delay between status messages, the location application may
output the current location of the mobile communications
device with increased accuracy to the user of the recipient
application, such asthe police dispatcher, employer, or parent
using a location application to track the current location ofa
6
tus updates containing a mixture or combination of location
related information and general information. Moreover,
mobile communications device 110 could send a mixture of
status updates, some comprising location information and
others comprising information of a general nature. Recipient
application 250 could receive the any of these status updates
and select for processing those updates relevant to the recipi
ent application.
Mobile communications device 110 may take the general
10
15
device.
The present disclosure relates to mobile communications
systems, which may be implemented using a variety of elec
tronic and optical technologies, including but not limited to:
analog electronic systems; digital electronic systems; micro
processors and other processing elements; and Software and
otherwise embodied collections of steps, instructions, and the
like, for implementing methods, processes, or policies in
conjunction with such systems and processing elements. It
will be appreciated that in the relevant arts, various signal
leads, busses, data paths, data structures, channels, buffers,
message-passing interfaces, and other communications paths
may be used to implement a facility, structure, or method for
conveying information or signals, and are often functionally
equivalent. Accordingly, unless otherwise noted, references
to apparatus or data structures for conveying a signal or infor
mation are intended to refer generally to all functionally
equivalent apparatus and data structures.
FIG. 1 depicts an example embodiment of a communica
tions system 160 in which aspects of the present disclosure
may be implemented. As best seen in FIG. 1, system 160
includes a mobile communications device 110 adapted to
transmit (as shown by arrow 135) a status message 100 over
a wireless communications network 105 to a recipient appli
cation 250 running on a recipient mobile communications
device 120. Status message 100 is an instance of one status
message sent in a sequence of status messages. Status mes
sages, such as status message 100, may contain a plurality of
status updates 101 such as status updates 101A, 101B, 101C
and 101Z. Although four status updates 101A, 101B, 101C
and 101Z are shown, instances of status message 100 may
contain any suitable number of status updates, including one.
The recipient application 250 may for example (but with
out limitation) be a location application. In that case, each
status update 101A, 101B, 101C, and 101Z may be a location
update and may comprise, for example, any one or more of a
longitude, latitude, relative position, absolute position, alti
tude, Velocity, timestamp, or other location information col
lected by a location module in the mobile communications
device 110. Recipient application 250 could also be an appli
25
form of mobile communications device 1300 as described
further in connection with FIG. 13. In an example embodi
ment, mobile communications device 110 may further com
prise a message generator 112, a mode selector 114, and a
status update assembler 116. The status update assembler 116
may, for example, comprise a location module, data module,
or other module operative to generateor collect status updates
at the mobile communications device 110. The status update
assembler 116 may also comprise a filter module according to
another aspect of this disclosure, wherein the filter module
may discard or select for use status updates using algorithm
based filters based on the expected usage of the status update.
The mode selector 114 may be any component operable to
determine whether the recipient application 250 is actively
processing status updates from mobile communications
device 110 in accordance with this disclosure and to select a
message transmission mode. The mode selector 114 may, for
example, comprise a recipient callback module, timer, com
ponents to observe a local database, components to inspect a
request messagefroma recipientapplication, components to
30 compare a timestamp with the local time of the mobile com
munications device 110, or other modules operable to deter
mine whether the recipient application is actively processing
status updates from mobile communications device 110 in
accordance with this disclosure. The message generator 112,
35 responsive to the mode selector 114, is operable to generate
status messages comprising status updates and cause the sta
tus messages to be transmitted to recipient application 250
using the selected message transmission mode.
Recipient mobile communications device 120 may take the
40 general form of mobile communications device 1300 as
described further in connection with FIG. 13. The recipient
mobile communications device 120 may comprise one or
more components as described further in connection with
FIG. 13, Such as one or more processors, memory, network
45 connectivity, and input/output (including, but not limited to a
display). The recipient application 250 may be executed
using one or more of these components such that it is capable
of receiving status updates 101A, 101B, 101C and 101Z in
status message100 from mobile communications device 110.
50 In some embodiments, the recipient application 250 or the
recipient mobile communications device 120 may further
comprise components such as a status message processor
122, a status update processor 124, and a display 126. If
present, the status message processor 122 may receive status
55 messages from mobile communications device 110 and pro
vide the status updates included in each status message to the
status update processor 124. The status update processor 124
may operate as part of the recipient application 250 and may
be operable to indicate that recipient application 250 is
60 actively processing status updates. As a non-limiting
example, status update processor 124 may comprise a data
base record generator, a request message generator, a times
tamp generator, or any other component operable to indicate
that the recipient application 250 is actively processing status
cation unrelated to location, in which case mobile communi
cations device 110 could send, and recipient application 250 65 updates in accordance with this disclosure. The recipient
could receive, any Suitable status updates ofa general nature. application 250 may generate an output based on the status
updates
Further, mobile communications device 110 could sendEXHIBIT E and send the output to the display 126, if present. It is
sta
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7
understood that the recipient application 250 may generate
other types of output, not limited to visual output sent to a
display 126.
As best seen in FIG. 1, in an example embodiment accord
ing to an aspect of this disclosure, recipient application 250 is
located on recipient mobile communications device 120. In
other embodiments, recipient application 250 may be located
on any Suitable machine or machines operatively connected
to the wireless communications network 105. For example,
the recipient application 250 may existin one or more servers,
one or more mobile communications devices, a personal
computer, or a combination of one or more machines operable
to run components of a recipient application 250.
According to an aspect of this disclosure, in one state of
operation, recipient application 250 may be actively process
ing the status updates. Recipient application 250 is said to be
actively processing status updates when it is generating an
output based on the status updates soon after receiving the
status updates. In another state of operation, recipient appli
cation 250 may be a “non-active recipient application' and
may generate an output at Some point in the future based on
the collected Status updates. For purposes of this disclosure, a
recipient application 250 that is simply collecting and storing
the status updates without producing an output soon thereaf
ter is not actively processing the status updates and is called a
non-active recipient application. For example, in a one state
of operation, the non-active recipient application 250 may
collect the status updates 101 from the status message 100 and
store the status updates 101 for later use by the recipient
application 250. Alternatively, a non-active recipient applica
tion 250 could operate in a mode in which it ignores or
discards the status message 100 or the status updates 101. For
another example, a non-active recipient application 250 may
be stored on recipient mobile communications device 120 but
existin an inactive or non-executing state. In that example, the
status message 100 or status updates 101 may be ignored or
discarded by recipient mobile communications device 120
until a time when a recipient application 250 is executed and
is actively processing the status updates to generate an output.
In yet another example, the recipient application 250 might
store status message 100 in a buffer, queue, or similar storage
facility until the recipient application 250 enters an active
State.
10
15
25
30
8
may be, for example but without limitation, an image on a
screen, display, or monitor, a printout from a printer or plotter,
the activation of an indicator lamp, LED, or other indicia,
audible output such as Voice synthesis or audible tones,
mechanical vibration or a similar tactile indication, or any
other output which can be visually, audibly, or otherwise
sensed or understood by a user of the recipient application
250. In some embodiments, the recipient application 250 may
generate the output based on the information included in the
status updates 101 without including the information in the
output. In other embodiments, the generated output may com
prise information in the status updates 101 sent to an output
device. In FIG. 1, when the recipient application 250 is
actively processing the status updates it may generate an
output on the screen or display of the recipient mobile com
munications device 120. In the case where the recipient appli
cation 250 represents a location application, the output may
comprise a map showing the current and historical location of
mobile communications device 110 on the screen or display
of the recipient mobile communication device 120. These are
merely examples of the form in which an output may be
presented or conveyed to a user; one of skill in the art will
appreciate that other forms of output may also be used with
out departing from the scope of the present disclosure.
Mobile communications device 110 may be capable of
transmitting status messages using different message trans
mission modes. A conservative message transmission mode
may be used when the recipient application 250 is a non
active recipient application. An accelerated message trans
mission mode may be used when recipient application 250 is
actively processing the status updates. Mobile communica
tions device 110 may determine that the recipient application
250 is actively processing status updates, for example, using
one or more of the solutions described further in this disclo
35
40
Sure. In some implementations, the mobile communications
device 110 may automatically select the accelerated message
transmission mode in response to determining that the recipi
ent application is actively processing the status updates. Sub
sequently, mobile communications device 110 may automati
cally resume transmitting status messages using the
conservative message transmission mode after determining
that the recipient application is no longer actively processing
status updates.
The different message transmission modes may employ
different amounts of delay between status messages and may
employ different numbers of the status updates included in
each status message. A person skilled in the art will appreciate
that the delay between status messages might be described
using terms such as message rate, frequency of the status
messages, message delay, or message interval. A lower
amount of delay between each status message would repre
sent a faster message rate, while a greater amount of delay
between each status message represents a slower message
rate. One skilled in the art will appreciate that the delay
between status messages is not necessarily the same as delay
between status updates (which may be described as a status
update rate or measurement frequency). For example, in some
implementations, status updates may be created by the loca
In some implementations a recipient application 250 may
comprise two or more application components that are asso 45
ciated with each other, Such as a collector component and an
output component. The collector component may be used to
receive and store the status updates without actively process
ing the status updates to generate an output, and the output
component may be used to generate the output. Regardless of 50
whether the collector component and the output component
are executed by the same machine or by different machines,
they are referenced together as a recipient application 250 in
this disclosure. The recipient application 250 is said to be
actively processing the status updates when the output com 55
ponent of the recipient application 250 is actively processing
status updates to generate an output around the same time that
any component of the recipient application 250 is receiving
the status updates. If the output component of a recipient tion module or data module of the mobile communications
application 250 is not generating an output around the same 60 device 110 at a predetermined rate (status update rate), such
time that the status updates are received then the recipient as one status update every 30 seconds. For a mobile commu
application 250 is a non-active recipient application, regard nications device 110 to transmit all status updates generated
less of whether the collector component is collecting and at the status update rate, it may transmit status messages using
storing the status updates.
a conservative message transmission mode which may com
When recipient application 250 is actively processing the 65 prise one status message per hour (3600 seconds), where each
status updates 101, recipient application 250 generates an status message comprises one-hundred twenty (120) status
output based on the status updates 101. The generated output updates. To report the same number of status updates (120
EXHIBIT E
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total status updates per hour), the mobile communications
device 110 may utilize an accelerated message transmission
mode which may comprise one status message per thirty
seconds where each status message comprises one status
update. In this example, the conservative message transmis
sion mode and accelerated message transmission mode may
provide the same overall number of status updates to a recipi
ent application 250. However, the mobile communications
device 110 may generate status updates or status messages at
other-than-fixed or -predetermined frequencies or intervals;
the example described above is offered to describe the differ
ence between a status update rate and the frequency of status
10
In the conservative message transmission mode of FIG. 2,
the delay between status messages, such as status messages
200A, 200B, and200C, is represented by reference numerals
230A and 230B. After transmission of status message 200A.
the mobile communications device will delay for a period of
time 230A before transmitting the next status message 200B.
During the delay 230A, the mobile communications device
has generated or collected a plurality of status updates 201A,
201B, and 201C. When mobile communications device 110
10
messages.
A message transmission mode may be described by the
amount of delay between status messages, the number of
status updates in each status message, or by various other
variables that control the transmission of status messages.
Available status updates may be compiled into status mes
sages according various schemes, depending on which a first
example status message may contain one status update, or a
second example status message may contain a plurality of
status updates. In an embodiment, as status updates are gen
erated, they are compiled into a single status message, until
transmission of the status message is triggered or enabled in
accordance with the message transmission mode; thereafter,
Subsequent status updates are compiled into a new message.
In each message transmission mode, transmission of the sta
tus message may be triggered or enabled by the occurrence of
a specific time, or by elapsed time, or by the expiration of a
timer, or when the number of status updates present in the
message reaches a defined number, or when a number of
defined events is counted, or by the instance of some other
event. For example, each message transmission mode may
employ a respective, perhaps different, predetermined delay
between transmissions of status messages. Alternatively, the
message transmission mode may require the generation or
collection of a threshold number of status updates before
transmission of a status message. The threshold number of
status updates to include in each status message may be a
minimum or a maximum threshold limit. Alternatively, the
message transmission mode may have a predetermined num
ber of status updates and a predetermined delay between
status messages and may transmit a status message only when
one or both of these predetermined limits are reached. A
person skilled in the art will appreciate other variations which
may define a conservative message transmission mode and an
accelerated message transmission mode.
A conservative message transmission mode is desirable,
for example, when the recipient application 250 is not
actively processing the status updates, so that the mobile
communications device 110 may conserve resources while
nonetheless allowing the recipient application (that is not
actively processing status updates) to generate an output in
the future based on the status updates. FIG. 2 is a sequence
diagram illustrating mobile communications device 110
transmitting status updates using a conservative message
transmission mode. In FIG. 2, recipient application 250 is not
actively processing status updates, and therefore appears as a
non-active recipient application 250A. Mobile communica
tions device 110 is generating status updates 201, for example
201A, 201B, 201C, 201D, 201E, 201F, and 201G. Status
15
25
30
35
40
transmits status message 200B, status message 200B com
prises status updates 201A, 201B, and 201C. Although three
status updates 201A, 201B, and 201C are shown in this dia
gram, instances of status message 200 may contain any Suit
able number of status updates generated or collected during
the delay 230A. During the delay 230B, the mobile commu
nications device has generated or collected a plurality of
status updates 201D, 201E, 201F, and 201G, which will be
included in the transmission of status message 200C.
In FIG. 2, each status message 200A, 200B, and 200C is
representative of a status message 100 and status updates
201A, 201B, 201C, 201D, 201E, 201F, 201G are representa
tive of status updates 101. By including a plurality of status
updates in each status message, the mobile communications
device 110 may transmit status messages less frequently,
conserving resources. As a result of using the conservative
message transmission mode, a greater number of status
updates can be made available to a recipient application than
would be available if only one status update were transmitted
in a status message, enabling for more extensive historical
status information to be used by the recipient application
250A when it later processes the status updates.
When a recipient application 250 is actively processing
status updates it may be desirable for the mobile communi
cations device 110 to transmit status messages using the
accelerated message transmission mode. FIG.3 illustrates the
mobile communications device 110 transmitting status mes
sages, such as status messages 300A, 300B, 300C, 300D and
300E to a recipient application 250B that is actively process
ingthe status updates to generate an output based on the status
updates. The delay between status messages is represented by
reference numerals 330A, 330B, 330C, and 330D.
45
50
55
60
After transmitting a prior status message, the mobile com
munications device 110 generates or collects status update
301A. In this example, the delay 330A between the prior
status message and status message 300A is about the same as
the interval between the generation of status updates. In other
examples, the delay 330 may be sufficient for more than one
status update to be generated or collected during the delay.
When status message 300A is transmitted, it includes status
update 301A. Similarly, during the delay 330B, the mobile
communications device 110 generates or collects status
update 301 B. After delay 330B, the mobile communications
device 110 transmits status message 300B comprising status
update 301B. Each status message 300A300B,300C, 300D,
and 300E in FIG. 3 is an instance of a generalized status
message, such as the status message 100 described earlier in
connection with FIG. 1. In FIG. 3, each status message 300
comprises a single status update 301 according to one imple
mentation of the accelerated message transmission mode.
In general, status messages would be transmitted more
frequently in accelerated message transmission mode than in
the conservative message transmission mode. In an embodi
ment, the delay between status messages would be a shorter
fixed intervalin the conservative message transmission mode
and a longer fixed interval in the accelerated message trans
updates may be generated at predetermined regular time
intervals or may be generated irregularly, Such as upon the
occurrence of a triggering event or during a random time
interval. Additionally, status updates may be discarded or 65
filtered using algorithm-based filters further described in con mission mode. In an embodiment, the time between status
nection with FIG. 11.
messages
EXHIBIT E may be variable in each mode, but on average taken
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11
over a plurality of status messages, the time between status
messages in accelerated message transmission mode is
shorter than the time between status messages in conservative
message transmission mode. In an embodiment, in the accel
erated message transmission mode, status messages would be
transmitted at the same rate as status updates are generated,
Such that each status message contains one status update (e.g.,
status message 300B); while in conservative message trans
mission mode, status messages are transmitted less fre
quently than status updates are generated, such that at least
Some status messages contain more than one status updates
(e.g., status message 200B), or Such that the average number
of status updates contained in status messages exceeds 1. In
Some embodiments, status updates (cf., status messages) may
be generated at a rate which does not vary depending on the
message transmission mode, while in other embodiments,
status updates may be generated more frequently in acceler
ated message transmission mode than in conservative mes
sage transmission mode.
FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating an example method of
altering the message transmission mode ofa mobile commu
nications device based on the state of the recipient application
12
sion mode. Further variations of this method may use a timer
at the mobile communications device to determine when to
10
15
local time of the mobile communications device, or other
modules operable to determine whether the recipient appli
cation is actively processing status updates from mobile com
munications device in accordance with this disclosure. The
mode selector may operate in conjunction with one or more
processors, memory, a computing apparatus, or any compo
in accordance with at least one of the embodiments described
in this disclosure. The steps or operations described herein are
examples. There may be many variations to these steps or
operations without departing from the scope of this disclo
Sure. For instance, where appropriate, the steps may be per
formed in a differing order, or steps may be added, deleted, or
modified. At step 400, the mobile communications device
transmits status messages with one or more status updates to
a recipient application using a conservative message trans
mission mode as generally shown in the example of FIG. 2.
The status updates may be generated or collected by a status
update assembler, such as status update assembler 116 of
FIG. 1. The status update assembler 116 may comprise, for
example, one or more of a location module, data module, or
other module operative to generate or collect status updates at
25
nents in the mobile communications device described in FIG.
30
13. The mode selector is capable of executing logic to deter
mine that the recipient application is actively processing sta
tus updates in accordance with this disclosure. If present, the
mode selector may provide an indication to the message
generator to cause status messages to be sent usingthe accel
erated message transmission mode.
FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example embodiment of
a system in which information concerning the processing
state of the recipient application 250 of recipient mobile
35
communications device 120 is made available in a database
the mobile communications device. The mobile communica
tions device may transmit status messages using a message
generator, Such as message generator 112 of FIG. 1, operable
to generate status messages comprising status updates and
cause the status messages to be transmitted to recipient appli
cation 250 using the selected message transmission mode.
At step 420, the mobile communications device determines
that the recipient application is actively processing the status
updates. This disclosure describes as non-limiting examples
several ways that the mobile communications device may
40
45
munications device 120. In FIG. 5, each mobile communica
make this determination. In one embodiment described in
recipient application is actively processing status updates. In
another embodiment, the mobile communications device
512 (which may be a shared, replicated, or synchronized
database) in the memory 511 of the mobile communications
device 110. In this figure, mobile communications device 110
is a wirelessly connected mobile communications device
transmitting status messages over a wireless communications
network 105. The recipient application 250 in FIG.5 may be,
for example (but without limitation) a location application on
a recipient mobile communications device 120. As noted
previously, the recipient application 250 may be located on
one or more machines, rather than a recipient mobile com
tions device comprises memory which is sufficient to store a
database in each mobile communications device. Database
connection with FIGS. 4-8, the mobile communications
device utilizes a record in a database that indicates that a
resume transmitting status messages to the recipient applica
tion at the conservative message transmission mode. In yet
further variations, a time stamp may be used when determin
ing whether the recipient application is actively processing
status updates.
The mobile communications device may implement step
420 using a mode selector, such as the mode selector 114 of
FIG.1. The mode selector may be any component operable to
determine whether the recipient application is actively pro
cessing status updates from mobile communications device
in accordance with this disclosure and to select a message
transmission mode. Forexample, but without limitation, the
mode selector may comprise one or more of a recipient call
back module, timer, components to observe a local database,
components to inspect a request message from a recipient
application, components to compare a timestamp with the
50
512 is stored in the memory 511 of mobile communications
device 110. Database 522 is stored in the memory 521 of
recipient mobile communications device 120. The databases
512, 522 are synchronized databases so that data records in
database 512 are replicated duplicates of data records stored
in database 522, and vice versa. For example, data records
514 in database 512 are duplicates of data records 524 on
may receive a request message as described in FIG. 10, where
the request message comprises at least one of an indication
that the recipient application is actively processing the status 55
updates or an explicit request to transmit status messages database 522.
In one embodiment of the system of FIG. 5, recipient
using the accelerated message transmission mode. Other
ways of making the determination could also be used. Upon mobile communications device 120 has a display 126 and a
determining that the recipient application is actively process recipient application 250 (e.g., location application) capable
ingthe status updates at step 420, the mobile communications 60 of presenting or displaying on the display 126 a map showing
device begins transmitting status messages to the recipient the current location ofmobile communications device 110. In
application at the accelerated message transmission mode at other embodiments, the recipient application 250 generates
step 440. At step 460, the mobile communications device an output which may be, for example but without limitation,
determines that the recipient application is not actively pro an image on a screen, display, or monitor, a printout from a
cessing the status updates. At step 480, the mobile commu 65 printer or plotter, the activation of an indicator lamp, LED, or
nications device resumes transmitting status messages to the other indicia, audible output Such as voice synthesis or
recipient application at the conservative message transmis audible tones, mechanical vibration or a similar tactile indi
EXHIBIT E
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US 8,429,236 B2
13
cation, or any other output which can be visually, audibly, or
otherwise sensed or understood by a user of the recipient
application 250.
When recipient mobile communications device 120 is run
ning the recipient application 250 in a such a way that recipi
ent application 250 is actively processing the status updates
from mobile communications device 110, the recipient appli
cation 250 adds a data record 526 to the database 522 which
indicates that it is actively processing the status updates from
mobile communications device 110. For example, the data
record may comprise an identifier of the mobile communica
tions device 110 and an indication that recipient mobile com
munications device 120 is actively processing the current
location of mobile communications device 110. The recipient
application 250 may utilize a status update processor, such as
status update processor 124 or other component to add the
10
mobile communications device 110 stores the one or more
15
data record 526 to the database 522. In some embodiments,
the data record 526 may also comprise additional informa
tion, such as (but not limited to) a timestamp 527 indicating
when the recipient application 250 began actively processing
the status updates.
25
30
35
40
added to database 512 and determines that the recipient appli
cation 250 is actively processing status updates from mobile
communications device 110. Upon making this determina
When the recipient application 250 is not actively process
ing status updates from mobile communications device 110.
the recipient application 250 removes the data record 526
from database 522. Alternatively, if the recipient application
250 is no longer executing on recipient mobile communica
tions device 120, the recipient mobile communications
device 120 may remove the data record 526 from database
522. Database 512 and database 522 are synchronized data
bases using database synchronizer 530 so that when data
record 526 is removed from database 522 the data record 516
is also removed from database 512. When mobile communi
cations device 110 notices that the data record 16 has been
removed, it determines that the recipient application 250 is
not actively processing status updates from recipient mobile
communications device 120 and resumes transmitting status
messages at the conservative message transmission mode.
FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a an example embodiment
ofa system in which information concerning the processing
state of a plurality or group of recipient applications is dis
tributed using a shared, replicated, or synchronized database.
The system of FIG. 6 has some similarities to that of FIG. 5
but includes a plurality or group of mobile communications
devices and corresponding recipient applications. In FIG. 6.
the five mobile communications devices 110, 620A, 620B,
45
526 to be added as data record 516 to database 512, mobile
communications device 110 notices the data record 516
status updates in database 512, which causes a database
update message to be sent to recipient mobile communica
tions device 120 using the database synchronizer 530. When
the database synchronizer 530 is utilized to transmit one or
more status updates according to the current message trans
mission mode, the database update message is analogous to a
Status message.
When the data record 526 is added to database 522, a
database synchronizer 530 adds the corresponding data
record 516 to database 512. The database synchronizer 530
may be implemented as any protocol, process, program, State
machine, or the like, including a database synchronization
process, which allows mobile communications device 110
and recipient mobile communications device 120 to maintain
synchronized databases 512 and 522 respectively. Some
examples of information exchange protocols (or elements
thereof) by which database synchronizer 530 may operate
include: an SMS message carrying database updates, an email
message with database updates, a network protocol used for
database updates. In some implementations, the database
synchronizer 530 employs database update messages sent
through a message exchange service, such as a peer-to-peer
server that operates in the wireless communications network
105 to retransmit database update messages to each mobile
communications device maintaining a synchronized data
base. For example, when data record 526 is added to database
522, recipient mobile communications device 120 may send
a database update message to a network based centralized
relay server which retransmits the database update message
to mobile communications device 110. The database syn
chronizer 530 may be initiated at a regular time interval or
upon any change in any synchronized database.
After the database synchronizer 530 causes the data record
14
tamp 517. Alternatively, the data record 516 may specify a
selection among several predefined modes having different
delays or thresholds.
In the case where database synchronizer 530 is initiated
automatically whenever a change occurs to a synchronized
database 512, 522, mobile communications device 110 may
utilize the database update messages created by database
synchronizer 530 as status messages. For example, the mobile
communications device 110 may store one or more status
updates in the memory 511 of the mobile communications
device until atime when it must senda Status message accord
ing to the current message transmission mode. At that time,
50
620C and 620D are part ofa group of mobile communications
devices. The group of mobile communications devices may
be of any size but for this example is a small static set of
members or users having some relation to everyone else, e.g.
family, sports team, group of friends, co-workers, Small busi
ness, club or organization, various associations or relation
ships, etc. Each user of the group may opt-in to publish their
location information from their mobile communications
device to the other mobile communications devices in the
group. In one implementation, each mobile communications
messages at an accelerated message transmission mode that is 55 device maintains a stored history (e.g. 24 hour location his
different from the conservative message transmission mode. tory) showing the location history of other mobile communi
In variations of this embodiment, the data record 516 may cations devices in the group. Each mobile communications
comprise additional information. For example, the data device that has opted-in to publishing location information
record 516 may specify a preferred message transmission will send status messages using either a conservative message
mode to use for the accelerated message transmission mode. 60 transmission mode or an accelerated message transmission
The data record 516 may comprise an explicit request to mode to the other mobile communications devices. It is pos
receive status messages using the accelerated message trans sible for each mobile communications device in the group to
mission mode, a duration specifying how long the recipient view the current or historical location of the other members of
application requests the accelerated message transmission the group that have opted-in to publishing location informa
mode, or a timestamp indicating when the recipient applica 65 tion to the group members. Forexample, mobile communi
tion began actively processing the status updates. As a non cations device 620A may have a recipient application 250
limiting example, the additional information may bea times (e.g. E
EXHIBIT mapping application) that is actively processing status
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tion, mobile communications device 110 transmits status
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US 8,429,236 B2
15
updates and generating an output with the current status for
16
indicating that it is actively processing status updates from
mobile communications device 110 and mobile communica
tions device 620B.
mobile communications device 110. The added record is
In FIG. 6, five mobile communications devices 110, 620A,
620B, 620C and 620D are maintaining replicated records in
synchronized databases 612, 622A, 622B, 622C and 622D,
respectively. In this example, a database synchronizer 630
(similar to FIG. 5) is used to synchronize databases 12, 22A,
22B, 22C, so that all synchronized databases 612, 622A,
622B, 622C and 622D contain replicated data records and
each database is completely synchronized. In another
example, the database synchronizer 630 may only synchro
nize a portion of each database 612, 622A, 622B, 622C, and
622D so that each database has a synchronized portion that
matches a synchronized portion of another database in the
group. The database synchronizer 630 is used to exchange
and synchronize the shared data so that the shared data is
maintained at each synchronized database 612, 622A, 622B,
622C and 622D. In this example, there is no master copy
controlled by a central entity but rather a copy of the shared
data is maintained at each member by exchanging database
update messages via the database synchronizer 630. The data
base synchronizer 630 may employ any of the technologies
described earlier in connection with the database synchro
nizer 530 of FIG. 5. As a non-limiting example, database
synchronizer 630, may comprise database update messages
sent through a message exchange service. Such as a peer-to
peer server that operates in the wireless communications
network 105 to retransmit database update messages to each
mobile communications device maintaining a synchronized
10
15
Subsequently replicated to synchronized databases 612.
622B, 622C and 622D by the database synchronizer 630.
Upon noticing the record added to database 612, mobile
communications device 110 begins transmitting status mes
sages using the accelerated message transmission mode. In
one implementation, the status messages may be sent using
the accelerated message transmission mode only to the recipi
ent application 250 on mobile communications device 620A
while status messages sent to the other mobile communica
tions devices 620B, 620C and 620D continue to be sent using
the conservative message transmission mode. In another
implementation, when mobile communications device 110
transmits the status messages using the accelerated message
transmission mode, mobile communications device 110
transmits the status messages using the accelerated message
transmission mode to all of the other mobile communications
devices 620A, 620B, 620C and 620D in the group.
One benefit to the embodiments of FIGS. 5 and 6 is the
25
30
effective use of resources. For example, mobile communica
tions device 110 only transmits status messages using the
accelerated message transmission mode when there is a
recipient application that is actively processing the status
messages. During other times, mobile communications
device 110 transmits status messages using the conservative
message transmission mode to provide a historical status
updates while conserving radio resources and reducing bat
tery consumption. In FIGS. 5 and 6, status messages are sent
directly to each recipient mobile communications device and
database.
each databases is a local database on each mobile communi
Initially, mobile communications devices 610, 620A,
620B, 620C and 620D are not using a recipient application
250 or the recipient application 250 is not actively processing
status updates. In this initial state, mobile communications
device 110 may transmit status messages to mobile commu
nications devices 620A, 620B, 620C and 620D using the
conservative message transmission mode. When any one of
cations device. One benefit to this example is that privacy and
security concerns about the location history and current status
are minimized since the status updates are not sent to a third
party database and the indication that the recipient applica
tion is actively processing the status updates is not shared
outside of the group.
FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an example embodiment
according to an aspect of the present disclosure in which a
shared database 702 in a server 720 is employed to determine
the state of the recipient application. The server 720 com
prises memory 710 capable of storing a database 702. The
memory 710 also stores computer readable instructions for
operating a processor 715 according to this disclosure. The
35
mobile communications device 620A, 620B, 620C or 620D
launches a location application, the mobile communications
device 620A, 620B, 620C or 620D may have a large number
of location updates to display an accurate output of historical
location because each status message sent using the conser
Vative message transmission mode may comprise more than
one status update measured during the delay between status
messages associated with the conservative message transmis
40
45
sion mode.
In FIG. 6, mobile communications device 620A launches a
recipient application 250 that is actively processing status
updates from mobile communications device 110. In this
example, the recipient application 250 may be a location
application that is generating an output on the display of
mobile communications device 620A and is actively process
ing the location updates to display the current location of
mobile communications device 110. The recipient applica
tion 250 may also display the historical status, such as loca
tion history of mobile communications device 110 using the
previously received status updates. Because the recipient
application 250 is actively processing the status updates to
display the current location and there may be some delay from
the last status message sent using the conservative message
transmission mode, the current location of mobile communi
50
55
60
database 702 maintains data records, such as data records
704, 706, that are accessible by one or more mobile commu
nications devices using database access manager 730. The
one or more mobile communications devices may, for
example (but without limitation) be subscribers to a service
which provides them access to utilize the server 720 and
database 702. The data records 704 may comprise informa
tion about the group, status updates, or configuration infor
mation regarding each Subscriber or member of the group.
The database access manager 730 may use or incorporate any
appropriate protocol, System, program, or process (as shown
by arrow 731) which allows mobile communications device
110 and recipient mobile communications device 120 to
access the data records in database 702. Some examples of
database access manager 730 accessing 731 data records in
database 702 may include: a hypertext transfer protocol
(HTTP) request and response, a SMS message used for
request and response, a structured query language (SQL)
command included in a message, or any network protocol
cations device 110 may not be accurate until more status
messages are received from mobile communications device used for database access from a client machine to a host
110. To indicate that it is actively processing status updates 65 database-enabled application. The database access manager
from mobile communications device 110, the recipient appli 730 may initiate a connection at a regular time interval by the
cation 250 adds a record to the synchronized database 622A client, may receive a database update sent by theserver 720 at
EXHIBIT E
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US 8,429,236 B2
17
a regular time interval, or may receive an irregularly trans
mitted message sent by the server 720 in response to a change
18
be added, deleted, or modified. Beginning at step 800, the
in database 702.
sages 100 with one or more status updates to a non-active
recipient application 250 (such as, non-active recipient appli
cation 250A) using a conservative message transmission
mode. At some point, recipient application 250 may begin
actively processing status updates from mobile communica
tions device 110 (such as, recipient application 250B). When
the recipient application 250 begins actively processing status
updates from mobile communications device, recipient appli
cation 250 or some other component of the recipient mobile
communications device 120 may cause a record, such as 526
Continuing with FIG. 7, recipient mobile communications
device 120 launches a recipient application 250 that is
actively processing status messages from mobile communi
cations device 110. Using database access manager 730,
recipient mobile communications device 120 causes a data
record 706 to be added tothe database 702 indicating that it is
running the recipient application 250 and that the recipient
application 250 is actively processing location updates from
mobile communications device 110. Alternatively, the recipi
ent application 250 may add data record 706 to database 702
using the database access manager 730. Alternatively, the
server may add record 706 in response to a request from
recipient application 250. Data record 706 may comprise
additional information, which may include but is not limited
to, a timestamp 707.
mobile communications device 110 transmits status mes
10
or 706 to be added to a database, such as 522 or 702. If the
15
record 526 was added to a synchronized database 522, the
database synchronizer 530 adds the corresponding data
record 516 to database 512. At step 810, the mobile commu
nications device 110 notices in a database 512, 702 that a data
access manager 730 to access database 702. Upon noticing
record 516, 706 has been added indicating that the recipient
application 250 is actively processing status updates from
mobile communications device 110. By noticing the data
the record 706 added to database 702, mobile communica
record 516,706 in the database 512,702, the mobile commu
Mobile communications device 110 also uses database
tions device 110 begins transmitting status messages using
the accelerated message transmission mode. As in other
embodiments, the status messages may be sent directly to the
recipient mobile communications device 120 or to a group of
mobile communications devices. In this example, mobile
communications device 110 sends status messages, such as
status message 700, directly to recipient mobile communica
nications device 110 determines that the recipient application
250 is actively processing status updates from mobile com
munications device 110. When the mobile communications
25
tions device 120.
Alternatively, mobile communications device 110 may
send the status messages to database 702 using database
access manager 730, where the status messages comprise data
records with status updates that are added to database 702.
When status updates are stored in database 702, the recipient
application could be any recipient application which pro
cesses the status updates stored in the database 702, such as a
server-based location application or a location running on a
mobile communications device. For example, the recipient
application could comprise a collector application running on
server 720 and an output application running on a recipient
mobile communications device 120. When the output appli
cation on recipient mobile communications device 120 is
launched and actively processes status updates to generate an
output, it causes an indication in database 702 to indicate that
it is actively processing the status updates. Upon determining
that the recipient application (output application) is actively
processing the status updates, mobile communications device
110 transmits the status messages using the accelerated mes
sage transmission mode
In FIG. 7, when the recipient application 250 is no longer
actively processing the status updates, it causes data record
706 to be removed from the database702. Upon noticing data
record 706 is removed from the database 702, mobile com
30
35
device 110 makes this determination, it begins transmitting
status messages using the accelerated message transmission
mode at step 820. At step 830, the mobile communications
device 110 may optionally start a timer that will expire after
a predetermined period of time. In one method, the timer is
used so that when the timer expires at step 860, the mobile
communications device 110 will resume transmitting status
messages 100 using the conservative message transmission
mode 880. The timer may also be used to cause the mobile
communications device 110 to check database 512, 702 to
determine if the data record 516, 706 has been altered or
removed. Regardless of whether the timer has expired, if the
mobile communications device 110 notices in step 840 that
the data record 516, 706 is removed from the database 512,
40
45
50
702 (indicating that the recipient application 250 is no longer
actively processing status messages), the mobile communi
cations device will resume transmitting status messages using
theconservative message transmission mode 880. The timer
may be implemented using any appropriate timing arrange
ment, including a processor coupled with memory and appro
priate program code, a logic encoded timer apparatus, an R-C
circuit, or any other module of a mobile communications
device capable of causing an expiration of the timer after a
predetermined period of time.
FIG. 9 is a flowchart illustrating an example embodiment
according to an aspect of the present disclosure of a method of
altering the message transmission mode ofa mobile commu
nications device using a timestamp and timerto determine the
state of the recipient application in accordance with at least
munications device 110 determines that the recipient appli one of the embodiments described in this disclosure. The
cation 250 is no longer actively processing the status updates 55 steps or operations described herein are examples. There may
and resumes transmitting the status messages using the con be many variations to these steps or operations without
departing from the scope of the disclosure. For instance,
servative message transmission mode.
FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating a an example embodiment where appropriate, the steps may be performed in a differing
ofa method according to an aspect of the present disclosure of order, or steps may be added, deleted, or modified. Beginning
altering the message transmission mode ofa mobile commu 60 at step 900, the mobile communications device 110 transmits
nications device using a database to determine the state of the status messages 100 with one or more status updates to a
recipient application in accordance with at least one of the non-active recipient application 250 (Such as, non-active
embodiments described in this disclosure. The steps or opera recipient application 250A) using the conservative message
tions described herein are examples. There may be many transmission mode. At some point, recipient application 250
variations to these steps or operations without departing from 65 may begin actively processing status updates from mobile
the scope of the disclosure. For instance, where appropriate, communications device 110 (such as, recipient application
the steps may be performed in a differing order, or steps EXHIBIT E When the recipient application 250 begins actively
may 250B).
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US 8,429,236 B2
19
processing status updates from mobile communications
device, recipient application 250 or some other component of
the recipient mobile communications device 120 may cause a
20
message transmissions or indicating that the recipient appli
cation is actively processing the status messages.
FIG. 10 describes an example embodiment of a method
according to an aspect of the present disclosure of a method of
altering the message transmission mode ofa mobile commu
nications device using a request message to determine the
state of the recipient application in accordance with at least
record, such as 526 or 706 to be added to a database, such as
522 or 702. If the record 526 was added to a synchronized
database 522, the database synchronizer 530 adds the corre
sponding data record 516 to database 512. At step 910, the
one of the embodiments described in this disclosure. The
mobile communications device 110 notices a record 516,706
added to a database 512, 702 indicating that the recipient
application 250 is actively processing status updates from
10
mobile communications device 110. In this embodiment, the
record 516,706 also comprises a time stamp indicating when
the recipient application 250 began actively processing the
status updates. At step 920, the mobile communications
device 110 checks the timestamp to calculate the amount of
time that has passed from the time stamp to the current time
on the mobile communications device 110. At step 922, if the
amount of time passed is greater than a predetermined
amount or threshold, mobile communications device ignores
record 516,706 for purposes of determining that the recipient
application 250 is actively processing status updates and the
mobile communications device 110 continues transmitting
status messages, such as status message 100 using the con
servative message transmission mode. At Step 924, if the
amount of time passed is less than a predetermined amount of
15
25
time 924, the mobile communications device 110 determines
that the recipient application 250 is actively processing status
updates from mobile communications device 110. At step
930, the mobile communications device 110 begins transmit
ting the status messages 200 using an accelerated message
transmission mode. At step 940, the mobile communications
device 110 begins a timer configured to expire after a prede
termined period of time. At step 950, while transmitting status
messages 200 using an accelerated message transmission
30
35
mode, the mobile communications device 110 monitors the
record 516, 706 in the database 512, 702 for any changes in
the timestamp 517, 707. In this example, the recipient appli
cation 250 is aware of the predetermined time period. If the
recipient application 250 is still actively processing the status
messages, the recipient application 250 will modify the
record 516,706 in the database 512, 702 to update the times
tamp 527,707 to a later timestamp. At step 954, the mobile
communications device 110 notices that the timestamp has
been updated and resets the timer at step 956. While the timer
is running, the mobile communications device 110 continues
transmitting status messages using the accelerated message
transmission mode while monitoring for updates to the times
tamp 517,707 in the record 516, 706. At step 970, if the
timestamp 517,707 is not updated before the timer expires at
step 960, the mobile communications device 110 resumes
transmitting status messages using theconservative message
transmission mode. Alternatively, if the mobile communica
40
45
50
tions device notices that the record 516,706 has been deleted
from the database 512, 702, indicating that the recipient
application 250 is no longer actively processing status mes
sages, the mobile communications device 110 will resume
transmitting status messages 100 using the conservative mes
sage transmission mode.
In the previous descriptions, the method used by the mobile
communications device to determine that the recipient appli
cation is actively processing the status messages has been a
recordina database. A person skilled in the art will appreciate
55
steps or operations described herein are examples. There may
be many variations to these steps or operations without
departing from the scope of the disclosure. For instance,
where appropriate, the steps may be performed in a differing
order, or steps may be added, deleted, or modified.
Beginning at step 1000, the mobile communications device
110 transmits status messages, such as status message 100,
with one or more status updates to a non-active recipient
application 250 (such as, non-active recipient application
250A) using a conservative message transmission mode. At
step 1010, the mobile communications device 110 receives a
request message indicating that the recipient application 250
is actively processing status updates from the mobile com
munications device 110. The request message may be any
message which bears an indication that the recipient applica
tion 250 is actively processing status updates from the mobile
communications device 110. The request message may be
received using any protocol, process, program, state machine,
mode selector, or combination of components which allows
mobile communications device 110 to receive the request
message and observe the indication that the recipient appli
cation 250 is actively processing status updates from the
mobile communications device 110. A request message
which may be formatted to include the indication that the
recipient application is actively processing status updates
from mobile communications device 110 may include, for
example but without limitation: an SMS message, and email
message, a PIN message, a database update message, an
HTTP message, an XML message, or any other message
which may be received over a wireless communications net
work and formatted to include an indication that the recipient
application is actively processing status updates from mobile
communications device 110. In one example, the mobile
communications device 110 receives the request message
directly from the recipient application 250 or from one or
more components of recipient mobile communications
device 120. In other examples, the request message may be a
message received from a service provider, network provider,
law enforcementagency, network application, network server
or from any source able to determine or indicate that the
recipient application 250 is actively processing status updates
from the mobile communications device 110. For example, in
a system comprising the elements described with respect FIG.
7, the request message may be received from the network
server 720, recipient application 250, recipient mobile com
munications device120, status message processor 122, status
update processor 124, any other component of the recipient
mobile communications device 120, or from any component
of the network server 720.
Upon receiving the request message, the mobile commu
nications device 110 determines that the recipient application
60 250 is actively processing status updates from mobile com
munications device 110. In response to this determination, the
mobile communications device 110 begins transmitting sta
tus messages 200 using the accelerated message transmission
that other methods are available for the mobile communica
mode at step 1020. At step 1030, the mobile communications
tions device to make this determination. For example, in some 65 device 110 may optionally start a timer to expire after a
predetermined period of time. The timer is used so that when
in some embodiments, the mobile communications device
may receive a request message seeking more frequent status the timer expires at step 1040, the mobile communications
EXHIBIT E
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21
device 110 may resume transmitting status messages 100
using the conservative message transmission mode after a
predetermined period of time at step 1060. Alternatively, if
the mobile communications device 110 receives a message
1050, such as a "log-off message, indicating that the recipi
ent application 250 is no longer actively processing status
messages, the mobile communications device 110 will
resume transmitting status messages using the conservative
message transmission mode 1060.
In other example embodiments of this method, the request
message may comprise additional information. For example,
the request message may specify a preferred message trans
mission mode to use for the accelerated message transmission
mode. The request message may comprise an explicit request
to receive status messages using the accelerated message
transmission mode, a durationspecifying how long the recipi
ent application requests the accelerated message transmission
mode, or a timestamp indicating when the recipient applica
tion began actively processing the status updates. If included,
the timestamp may be used in a manner similarto the times
tamp described in connection with FIG. 9 to decide whether
to ignore the request message if the difference between the
timestamp and the current time on the mobile communica
tions device is greater than a predetermined period of time.
In some embodiments, the recipient application may real
ize improvements by receiving status messages transmitted
using an accelerated message transmission mode when it is
actively processing status updates. In other embodiments or
other applications, the recipient application may realize
improvements by receiving status messages transmitted
using a conservative message transmission mode even when
it is actively processing status updates. In this disclosure, a
first message transmission mode and a second message trans
mission mode are different message transmission modes, one
faster than the other. Each status message sent using the first
message transmission mode and the second message trans
mission mode may have different numbers of status updates
included in the status message. Determining which message
10
15
22
based filters based on the expected usage by the application.
This may be used for status updates transmitted over a wire
less network to a recipient application, and may also be used
for status updates used by a local application running on the
mobile communications device which generates the status
updates.
In an example embodiment in which the method of FIG. 11
may be implemented, the mobile communications device 110
comprises a location module or data module which is able to
generate status updates. Sometimes the location module or
data module may generate a status update that is erroneous or
unnecessary. For example, a location module using GPS may
generate erroneous measurements when indoors or in poor
GPS coverage areas. In some location modules the location
module may generate many different measurements of the
current location even when the mobile communications
recipient application, mobile communications networks
device is stationary in a singleactual location. In Such cases,
the mobile communications device is said to be “loitering in
one location. The algorithm-based filters described in this
disclosure may be used, for example, to detect loitering, and
to reduce the number of the status updates generated into
fewer status updates representing the actual location of the
device during times when the device is loitering.
Instep 1110, mobile communications device 110 generates
a status update using a location module or data module in the
mobile communications device. The status update is sent to a
filter module which applies one or more members of a group
1120 of filtering steps (described further in greater detail)
used to reduce status updates. The filter module may be
implemented using the processor and memory of the mobile
communications device, or may be logic encoded in a filter
apparatus in the mobile communications device. These filters
are described in more detail below. If the status update is not
discarded byany of the filters implemented in group 1120, the
mobile communications device 110 stores the status update in
the memory of the mobile communications device 110 and
updates a portion of the memory used to store the last
accepted status update in step 1180. The last accepted status
update is used as a variable input for some of the filters which
may be applied in any filter steps in group 1120. At step 1190,
the mobile communications device 110 may optionally trans
mit the status update as part of a status message sent accord
ing to other embodiments in this disclosure. If the status
update is discarded by any filter step in group 1120, then the
status update is not stored or transmitted 1170 and is other
wise not used by the mobile communications device 110.
This disclosure describes as non-limiting examples four
separate filters, and group 1120 may comprise one or more of
these filters, which may be applied individually or in combi
nation with each other. Although the filtering steps of group
available for the mobile communications device to transmit
1120 are shown in FIG. 11 as elements of a method, which
25
30
35
transmission mode is faster than the other and the number of
status updates in each status message depends on the nature
and requirements of the recipient application. For the
examples described in this disclosure, the accelerated mes
sage transmission mode is “faster” than the conservative mes
sage transmission mode and each status message sent using
the accelerated message transmission mode includes a fewer
number of status updates.
In these examples, the selection of the message transmis
sion modemay be further modified by other factors, including
without limitation: relative location of recipient application,
40
distance from the mobile communications device to the
50
45
might be implemented for example in a Software-controlled
computer system, one of skill in the art will appreciate that the
55 filters could also be implemented using any other Suitable
filtering arrangement, including for example, appropriate
communications device.
digital filter circuits or other appropriate hardware. Although
FIG. 11 is a flowchart illustrating an example embodiment the filtering steps are described and shown in a particular
ofa method according to an aspect of the present disclosure order, the filters may be implemented in a different order.
for filtering status updates to be sent by the mobile commu 60 A first filter may be implemented by filtering step 1130,
nicationsdevice. The steps or operations described herein are where the status update is discarded if it includes indicia that
examples. There may be many variations to these steps or accuracy of the measurement is low. For example, the loca
operations without departing from the scope of this disclo tion module or data module may provide a status update
Sure. For instance, where appropriate, the steps may be per which comprises a measurement and an indication of the
formed in a differing order, or steps may be added, deleted, or 65 accuracyof the measurement. If the indication of the accuracy
modified. The method may reduce the number of status is below a threshold, the status update is discarded in step
updates provided to an application by applying algorithm
1130.
EXHIBIT EIn some embodiments, the status update may comprise
Page 203
status messages, relative movement of the mobile communi
cations device,battery power on the mobile communications
device, priority indications associated with the recipient
application, or other activities being conducted at the mobile
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US 8,429,236 B2
23
a soft decision value where the accuracy of the status update
is reflected by the magnitude of the measurement in the soft
decision value.
A second filter may be implemented by filtering step 1140,
where the status update is discarded if it includes indicia that
the measurement is unreliable. For example, the location
module or data module may provide a status update which
comprises a measurement and the number of inputs used to
calculate the measurement. In the example ofa location mod
ule comprisinga GPS receiver, the GPS receiver may report
the number of satellite signals used to determine the location
measurement. If the number of inputs used to calculate the
measurement is below a predetermined threshold, the status
update is said to include indicia that the measurement is
unreliable. In step 1140, the filter discards the status update
5
10
15
based on the indicia that the measurement is unreliable.
A third filter may be implemented by filtering steps 1150
and 1160. In step 1150, the mobile communications device
110 determines a threshold based on one or more previous
status updates. This determination could be based on calcu
lation using a mathematical function associated with the mea
Surement data in the status update or may be based on a
predetermined threshold associated with the measurement
data. The threshold may be determined based on one or more
previous status updates. The threshold is a variable value that
may be determined by the filter module during filtering of
each status update or may be determined periodically and
used as a threshold for filtering several status updates. In step
25
1160, the mobile communications device calculates the dif
ference between the status update and the last accepted Status
update. If it is below the threshold, the status update is dis
carded. Forexample, if the current status update represents a
location less than 50 meters distance from the last accepted
status update, the current status update may be discarded. In
a variation to step 1160, the threshold may represent a maxi
mum change allowed and the status update may be discarded
if the status update is more than a threshold. In a further
variation, there may be separate thresholds representing mini
mum and maximum changes, and the status update may be
30
discarded if it is less than the minimum threshold or more than
the maximum threshold.
40
A fourth filter may be implemented by filtering steps 1150.
1155, 1165. At step 1150 the threshold is determined based on
one or more previous status updates. At step 1155, the filter
module calculates a moving average based on one or more
previous status updates and the current status update. The
moving average is an average of the measurements associated
with the one or more previous status updates. At step 1165,
the moving average is compared with the last accepted Status
update and if the difference is less than the threshold deter
mined by step 1150, the current status update is discarded. At
optional step 1167, the filter module may modify the process
used to determine the threshold in step 1150. As described
below, the optional modification 1167 of the threshold allows
for a changing threshold so that the filter module may discard
status updates when they are unnecessary for the accuracy of
recipient application or local application.
The threshold determined in step 1150 and the optional
modification to the threshold in step 1167 may be used for
both the third and fourth filter described in this disclosure.
Step 1150 and 1167 may be implemented in a threshold
determination module as part of the filter module. Using the
example of a location update, the threshold may be a distance
threshold. In a simple example the threshold may be a prede
24
implementing a mathematical function applied to the previ
ous status update or status updates. At optional step 1167, the
filter module may modify the process used to determine the
threshold in step 1150. Forexample, if multiple consecutive
status updates have been discarded by operation of step 1160
or step 1165, then the threshold may be increased. Using a
location update as an example, if 10 location updates have
been discarded because they are less than 50 meters distance
from the last accepted Status updated, the threshold may
increase to 150 meters. By increasing the radius, the filter
module will discard Status updates that represent measure
ments when a mobile communications device is generally
stationary at a location (e.g. loitering). Therefore if a certain
number of status updates include measurements within a
certain radius of the last accepted Status update and are
observed consecutively, then the radius is increased in size
periodically up to a predetermined maximum threshold
radius, such as 250 meters. In this example, the changing
threshold provides “stickiness' associated with the last
accepted Status update if the device is in one place for a long
period of time. By filtering and discarding status updates
using this changing threshold, the mobile communications
device 110 reduces the number of status updates that mustbe
sent in a status message used by a recipient application or the
number of status updates that must be processed by a local
application.
FIG. 12 illustrates an example embodiment of a wireless
communications system according to an aspect of the present
disclosure, including an example embodiment of a mobile
communications device 110. The mobile communications
device 110 is operable for implementing aspects of the dis
closure, but the disclosure should not be limited to these
35
implementations. Modern mobile communications devices
continue to benefit from improvements in processor design,
memory, battery solutions, manufacturing processes, and
Software design. Mobile communications devices may have a
variety of sizes, shapes, and features. For example, a mobile
communications device 110 may be (or be a part of) a smart
phone, wireless router, relay, laptop computer, tablet com
puter, GPS-enabled device, Navigation System, wireless
mobile tracking device or any other device which may trans
mit information via a wireless network 1200.
45
50
55
The mobile communications device 110 may include a
display 1202. The mobile communications device 110 may
also include a touch-sensitive surface, a keyboard or other
input keys generally referred as 1204 for input by a user. The
keyboard may be a full or reduced alphanumeric keyboard
such as QWERTY, Dvorak, AZERTY, and sequential types,
or a traditional numeric keypad with alphabet letters associ
ated with a telephone keypad. The input keys may include a
trackwheel, an exit or escape key, a trackball, and other navi
gational or functional keys, which may beinwardly depressed
to provide further input function. The mobile communica
tions device 110 may present options for the user to select,
controls for the user to actuate, and/or cursors or other indi
cators for the user to direct.
60
The mobile communications device 110 may further
accept data entry from the user, including numbers to dial or
various parameter values for configuring the operation of the
mobile communications device 110. The mobile communi
cations device 110 may further execute one or more software
or firmware applications in response to user commands.
These applications may configure the mobile communica
termined value, such as 50 meters distance from the last 65 tions device 110 to perform various customized functions in
accepted status update. In another example, the threshold response to user interaction. Additionally, the mobile com
may be calculated in a threshold determination module munications device 110 may be programmed and/or config
EXHIBIT E
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25
ured over-the-air, for example from a wireless base station, a
wireless access point, or a peer mobile communications
26
determination system and obtains the location data to be used
in a status update. The location determination system, in some
embodiments comprises a GPS (Global Positioning System)
device 110.
Among the various applications executable by the mobile
communications device 110 is, for example, a web browser,
which enables the display 1202 to show a web page. The web
page may be obtained via wireless communications with a
wireless network access node, a cell tower, a peer mobile
communications device 110, or any other wireless commu
nication network or system 1200. The network 1200 may be
coupled to awired network 1208, such as the Internet. Via the
receiver. The location determination, in Some embodiments,
5
communications device 110. In other embodiments, the loca
10
wireless link and the wired network, the mobile communica
tions device 110 can have access to information on various
servers, such as a server 1210. The server 1210 may provide
content that may be shown on the display 1202. Alternately,
the mobile communications device 110 may access the net
work 1200 through a peer mobile communications device 110
acting as an intermediary, in a relay type or hop type of
connection. A mobile communications device 110 may be
operable to transmit over one or more of any suitable wireless
networks 1200, including but not limited to Mobitex Radio
Network, DataTAC, GSM (Global System for Mobile Com
munication), GPRS (General Packet Radio System), TDMA
(Time Division Multiple Access), CDMA (Code Division
Multiple Access), CDPD (Cellular Digital Packet Data),
iDEN (integrated Digital Enhanced Network), EvDO (Evo
lution-Data Optimized) CDMA2000, EDGE (Enhanced Data
rates for GSM Evolution), UMTS (Universal Mobile Tele
communication Systems), HSDPA (High-Speed Downlink
Packet Access), IEEE 802.16e (also referred to as Worldwide
Interoperability for Microwave Access or “WiMAX), IEEE
802.11a, 802.11b and/or 802.11g (also referred to as wireless
local area network, “Wi-Fi' or “WLAN), 3GPP Long Term
Evolution (LTE), satellite communications and/or other wire
less networks.
The mobile communications device 110 and other compo
nents described above may include a processing component
that is capable of executing instructions related to the actions
described above. FIG. 13 illustrates an example embodiment
of a system 1300 that includes a processing component 1310
Suitable for implementing one or more of the embodiments
earlier described herein. In addition to the processor 1310
(which may be referred to as a central processor unit or CPU),
the system 1300 may include network connectivity devices
1320, random access memory (RAM) 1330, read only
memory (ROM) 1340, secondary storage 1350, and input/
output (I/O) devices 1360, location module 1390, data mod
ule 1395, filter module 1355. These components may com
15
25
30
35
40
and Galileo.
In Some embodiments of the mobile communications
device 110, the data module 1395 comprises a data acquisi
tion system and obtains measurement data to be used in a
status update. The data acquisition system, in some embodi
ments comprises a sensor and measurement processor. The
data acquisition system, in Some embodiments, may further
comprise a processor for calculated measurements based on
data received from the sensor or any other device or system
that provides measurement data to the mobile communica
tions device 110. In other embodiments, the data acquisition
system is a system that utilizes other components of the
mobile communications device 110 to acquire measurement
data, such as a USB, Bluetooth, or serial device connected by
a network connectivity device 1320.
The processor 1310 executes instructions, logic, codes,
computer programs, or Scripts that it may access from the
network connectivity devices 1320, RAM 1330, ROM 1340,
or secondary storage 1350 (which might include various disk
based systems such as hard disk, floppy disk, or optical disk).
While only one CPU 1310 is shown, multiple processors may
be present. Thus, while instructions may be discussed as
being executed by a processor, the instructions may be
executed simultaneously, serially, or otherwise by one or
multiple processors. The processor 1310 may, for example,
be implemented as one or more CPU chips or modules. The
processor 1310 may also be integrated with other functions of
mobile communications device 110 in or on a single chip or
The network connectivity devices 1320 may take the form
of modems, modem banks, Ethernet devices,universal serial
45
50
combined in various combinations with one another or with
other components not shown. These components may be
located in a single physical entity or in more than one physical
entity. Any actions described herein as being taken by the
processor 1310 might be taken by the processor 1310 alone or
by the processor 1310 in conjunction with one or more com
ponents shown or not shown in the drawing, such as a digital
signal processor (DSP) 1380. Although the DSP 1380, is
shown as a separate component, the DSP 1380 may be incor
porated into the processor 1310. Although the recipient call
tion determination system is asystem that calculates location
based on triangulation of radio signals or determination of the
radio transmissionpath length or range, or some proxy there
fore, of signals from several transmitters (e.g., LORAN).
Other location determination systems include GLONASS
module.
municate with one another via a bus 1370. In some cases,
Some of these components may not be present or may be
may further comprise a processor for calculated location
based on data received from the GPS receiver or any other
device or system that provides location data to the mobile
bus (USB) interface devices, serial interfaces, token ring
devices, fiber distributed data interface (FDDI) devices, wire
less local area network (WLAN) devices, radio transceiver
devices such as code division multiple access (CDMA)
devices, global system for mobile communications (GSM)
radio transceiver devices, worldwide interoperability for
microwave access (WiMAX) devices, and/or other well
known devices for connecting to networks. These network
connectivity devices 1320 may enable the processor 1310 to
communicate with the Internet or one or more telecommuni
cations networks or other networks from which the processor
1310 might receive information or to which the processor
1310 might output information. The network connectivity
devices 1320 might also include one or more transceiver
components 1325 capable of transmitting and/or receiving
60 data wirelessly.
back module 1345, filter module 1355, location module 1390,
The RAM 1330 might be used to store volatile data and
and data module 1395 are shown as separate components, any perhaps to store instructions that are executed by the proces
of them may be incorporated into the processor 1310 or may sor 1310. The ROM 1340 is a non-volatile memory device
be implemented using one or more components shown in that in some cases has a smaller memory capacity than the
65 memory capacity of the secondary storage 1350. ROM 1340
FIG. 13.
In some embodiments of the mobile communications
might be used to store instructions and perhaps data that are
device 110, the location module 1390 comprises a location read E
EXHIBIT during execution of the instructions. Access to both
Page 205
55
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US 8,429,236 B2
27
RAM 1330 and ROM 1340 is typically faster than to second
ary storage 1350. The secondary storage 1350 is typically
comprised of one or more disk drives or tape drives and might
be used for non-volatile storage of dataor as an over-flow data
storage device if RAM 1330 is not large enough to hold all
working data. However, the secondary storage 1350 could be
implemented using any appropriate storage technology,
including so-called “solid state disk.” FLASH, EEPROM, or
other generally non-volatile or persistent storage. Secondary
storage 1350 may be used to store programs that are loaded
into RAM 1330 when such programs are selected for execu
28
recipient application is still actively processing the status
updates during the predetermined period of time.
In one embodiment, the mobile communications device
10
stored in a network server.
In one example of this embodiment, when the record is
tion.
The I/O devices 1360 may include liquid crystal displays
(LCDS), touch screen displays, keyboards, keypads,
Switches, dials, mice, track balls, Voice recognizers, card
readers, paper tape readers, printers, video monitors, or other
well-known input devices. Also, the transceiver 1325 might
be considered to be a component of the I/O devices 1360
instead of or in addition to being a component of the network
connectivity devices 1320. Some or all of the I/O devices
1360 may be substantially similar to various components
depicted in the previously described drawing of the mobile
communications device 110, such as the display 1202and the
input 1204.
A person skilled in the art will appreciate that the embodi
ments described herein may be modified without departing
from the scope of the present disclosure. For example, in
Some embodiments, the conservative message transmission
mode and accelerated message transmission mode and asso
ciated settings may be preconfigured on mobile communica
removed from the database, the mobile communications
15
device determines that the recipient application is no longer
actively processing the status updates and then resumes trans
mitting status messages using the conservative message
transmission mode.
In a further example of this embodiment, the present dis
closure describes a method wherein the record further com
prises a timestamp indicating when the recipient application
began actively processing the status updates. In this example,
the mobile communications device may compare a current
time on the mobile communications device with the times
25
30
tions device. While the embodiments described herein
include a mobile communications device utilizing two mes
sage transmission modes, a person skilled in the art will
appreciate that multiple message transmission modes may be
used. Such as a decaying message transmission mode that is
used after transmitting using the accelerated message trans
mission mode, but before returning to the conservative mes
sage transmission mode. The mobile communications device
may utilize a priority indication in the data record to select
froma variety of message transmission modes depending on
the level of delay acceptable to the recipient application that
is actively processing the status updates.
Thus, there has been described herein methods and appa
ratus for selecting and modifying the transmission rates and
sizes of status update messages transmitted by a mobile com
munications device to a recipient application. In one embodi
determines that the recipient application is actively process
ingthe status updates by monitoring a database for a record in
the database, wherein the record comprises an indication that
the recipient application is actively processing the status
updates. In variations of this embodiment, the database may
be a synchronized database stored in the memory of the
mobile communications device or may be shared database
35
tamp, and if the difference between the current time and the
timestamp is greater than a predetermined period of time, the
mobile communications device may ignore the record for
purposes of determining that the recipient application is
actively processing the status updates. In this example, if the
timestamp in the record is updated during the time when the
mobile communications device is transmitting status mes
sages using the accelerated message transmission mode, then
the mobile communications device continues transmitting the
status messages using the accelerated message transmission
mode until the expiration of the predetermined time period
after the updated timestamp.
In another embodiment, the mobile communications
40
45
device determines that the recipient application is actively
processing the status updates by receiving a request message
from the recipient application comprising at least one of an
indication that the recipient application is actively processing
the status updates or an explicit request to receive status
messages using the accelerated message transmission mode.
Optionally, the request message may comprise a duration
specifying how long the recipient application desires to
received status messages using the accelerated message trans
mission mode.
In one example of this embodiment, the request message
mitting status messages to a recipient application uses a may further comprise a timestamp indicating when the recipi
conservative message transmission mode, wherein each sta ent application began actively processing the status updates.
tus message comprises one or more status updates, and upon 50 In this example, the mobile communications device may
determining that the recipient application is actively process compare a current time on the mobile communications device
ing the status updates, transmits status messages using an with the timestamp, and if the difference between the current
accelerated message transmission mode. In a further time and the timestamp is greater than a predetermined period
described embodiment, the status messages transmitted using of time, then the mobile communications device may ignore
the accelerated message transmission mode have less delay 55 the request message for purposes of determining that the
between status messages than the status messages transmitted recipient application is actively processing the status updates.
using the conservative message transmission mode.
In a further embodiment of this disclosure, each status
In connection with another embodiment, the present dis update comprises location data of the mobile communica
closure describes a method for determining that the recipient tions device and each status update may be generated at a
application is no longer actively processing the status 60 predetermined status update interval.
updates, and then resuming transmitting status messages
In a further embodiment of this disclosure, the recipient
application that is actively processing the status updates is a
using the conservative message transmission mode.
In yet a further embodiment, the present disclosure location application.
describes a method for resuming transmitting status messages
In a further embodiment of this disclosure, the recipient is
using the conservative message transmission mode after a 65 a second mobile communications device.
predetermined period of time unless the mobile communica
In a variation of the foregoing embodiments, each status
tions device makes a Subsequent determination thatEXHIBIT E transmitted using the conservative message trans
the message
Page 206
ment, a method in a mobile communications device for trans
Page 207
US 8,429,236 B2
29
mission mode comprises a batch of status updates comprising
two or more status updates, and each status message trans
mitted using the accelerated message transmission mode
comprises a single status update.
Further, embodiments described herein may be imple
mented in conjunction with amobile communications device,
comprising a transceiver, memory, one or more processors,
computer instructions stored in the memory, the computer
instructions being executable by the one or more processors
for implementing any of the methods described in this dis
10
closure.
Embodiments described herein may be realized as a com
puter program product, comprising a computer readable
medium, computer instructions stored on the computer read
able medium, the computer instructions being executable by
one or more processors in a mobile communications device
for implementing any of the methods described in this dis
15
and
Further, some embodiments may employ a method and
apparatus for filtering a status update based on a comparison
of a last accepted Status update and a comparison value based
on a current status update when the comparison value is less
8. The method of claim 5 wherein the record further com
than a determined threshold. The determined threshold is
based on one or more previous status updates. In some
previous comparison value associated with each of a prede
termined number of previous status updates is less than the
minimum threshold. In one embodiment, the comparison
value is calculated and represents the difference between the
last accepted Status update and the current status update. In
another embodiment, the comparison value is calculated and
represents the difference between the last accepted status
update and an average calculated with the current status
update and a plurality of previous status updates.
Although example embodiments of this disclosure have
been depicted and described in detail herein, it will be appar
25
30
35
ent to those skilled in the relevant art that various modifica
out departing from the concepts and embodiments disclosed
40
Scopeof the present Subject matter as defined in the following
claims.
What is claimed is:
1. A method in a mobile communications device that trans
mits status messages to a recipient application, each status
message including at least one status update, the method
comprising:
transmitting status messages using a first message trans
45
mission mode; and
upon determining that the recipient application is actively
processing status updates, transmitting status messages
using a second message transmission mode, the second
message transmission mode being different from the
first message transmission mode.
2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:
upon determining that the recipient application is no longer
actively processing status updates, resuming transmit
ting status messages using the first message transmis
prises a timestamp indicating when the recipient application
began actively processing status updates, the method further
comprising:
comparing a current time on the mobile communications
device with the timestamp, and if the difference between
the current time and the timestamp is greater than a
predetermined time period, ignoring the record for pur
poses of determining that the recipient application is
actively processing status updates.
9. The method of claim 5 wherein the database comprises
a shared database in a networked server.
tions, additions, Substitutions, and the like can be madewith
herein, and these are therefore considered to be within the
6. The method of claim 5 wherein the record further com
prises a duration specifying how long the mobile communi
cations device should transmit status messages using the sec
ond message transmission mode.
7. The method of claim 5 further comprising:
determining that the record was removed in the database;
resuming transmitting status messages using the first mes
Sage transmission mode.
closure.
embodiments, the determined threshold is increased if each
30
second message transmission mode, the mobile communica
tions device transmits status messages with less delay than
when the mobile communications device is transmitting sta
tus messages using the first message transmission mode.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein determining that the
recipient application is actively processing status updates
comprises monitoring a database for a record in the database,
wherein the record comprises an indication that the recipient
application is actively processing status updates.
50
10. The method of claim 1 wherein determining that the
recipient application is actively processing status updates
comprises:
receiving a request message from the recipient application
comprising at least one of an indication that the recipient
application is actively processing status updates or an
explicit request to receive status messages using the
second message transmission mode.
11. The method of claim 10 wherein the request message
further comprises a duration specifying how long the recipi
ent application requests to received status messages using the
second message transmission mode.
12. The method of claims 10 wherein the request message
further comprises a timestamp indicating when the recipient
application began actively processing status updates.
13. The method of claims 12 further comprising:
comparing a current time on the mobile communications
device with the timestamp, and if the difference between
the current time and the timestamp is greater than a
predetermined time period, then ignoring the request
message for purposes of determining that the recipient
application is actively processing status updates.
14. The method of claim 1 wherein:
55
when the mobile communications device is transmitting
status messages using the first transmission mode, each
status message includes more than one status update;
and
when the mobile communications device is transmitting
60
status messages using the second message transmission
3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:
resuming transmitting status messages using the first mes
mode, each status message includes one status update.
15. A mobile communications device, comprising:
Sage transmission mode after aperiod of time unless the
a mode selector configured to determine whether a recipi
mobile communications device makes a Subsequent
ent application is actively processing status updates and
determination that the recipient application is actively
processing status updates during the period of time. 65
to select a message transmission mode based on whether
the recipient application is actively processing status
4. The method of claim 1, wherein when the mobile com
updates; and
munications device is transmitting status messages using the
EXHIBIT E
Page 207
sion mode.
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US 8,429,236 B2
31
a message generator configured to generate status mes
Sages and to cause transmission of status messages from
the mobile communications device to a recipient appli
cation using the selected message transmission mode.
32
16. The mobile communications device of claim 15,
wherein the mode selector is configured to select a second
message transmission mode when the mode selector deter
mines that the recipient application is actively processing
status updates, and the mode selector is configured to select a
first message transmission mode when the mode selector
determines that the recipient application is not actively pro
cessing status updates.
10
17. The mobile communications device of claim 15,
wherein the mode selector comprises a component to observe
a local database for a record in the database, the record com
15
prising an indication that the recipient application is actively
processing status updates.
18. The mobile communications device of claim 15,
wherein the mode selector comprises a component to inspect
a request messagefrom the recipient application, the request
message including an indication that the recipient application
is actively processing status updates.
k
k
k
k
k
EXHIBIT E
Page 208
]]>
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