Google Inc.

Charles Mendis

Thomas Gregory Nourse

Debajit Ghosh

Reza Behforooz

Ana Maria Ulin Vazquez

George Thomas Baggott

Kenneth Norton

Taj Jay Campbell

A computer-implemented method and system for pre-fetching label and place page data from a remote, backend mapping system, and subsequently displaying the pre-fetched data, is disclosed. User activity data generated by execution of an application on the mobile device may be analyzed to determine geographic locations that indicate places the user is likely to be in the future. The user activity data may be analyzed at either the frontend or the backend to determine these geographic locations. Label and place page data corresponding to the geographic locations may then be retrieved from the mapping system and stored in a cache memory of the mobile computing device. The label and place page data may describe map features and include plain text, a data feed, or a URL. During periods of reduced connectivity to the mapping system, the mobile device may retrieve the stored label and place page data from the cache memory.

Method and apparatus for pre-fetching place page data based upon analysis of user activities

A method for displaying a compass heading implemented by a computerized mobile device includes displaying a compass heading on a display of a computerized mobile device according to a compass onboard the computerized mobile device if the computerized mobile device is traveling below a motion threshold. The method also includes displaying a compass heading on a display of a computerized mobile device according to a compass heading calculated using at least two coordinates for the computerized mobile device if the computerized mobile device is traveling above the motion threshold.

Compass heading display for a computerized mobile device

A location-based game is provided in which users with mobile devices leave footprints associated with locations they physically occupy, allowing the users to control and interact with physical locations on computerized maps.

Location-based map game mechanics

Implementations of the present disclosure include obtaining one or more queries, processing data stored in a data store based on at least one query of the one or more queries to identify a plurality of users, the plurality of users sharing a commonality that is a subject of the at least one query, generating one or more query-based social circles, the plurality of users populating a query-based social circle of the one or more query-based social circles, the query-based social circle being directed to the commonality and defining a distribution list for distributing digital content provided by one or more users of the plurality of users, and transmitting social circle data corresponding to the query-based social circle to display a representation of the query-based social circle to at least one user of the plurality of users.

Query-based user groups in social networks

Map tile data for displaying graphic elements of a web-based mapping system in a smart phone or other mobile computing device may be pre-fetched to the device based on device activities. For example, a user activity system may receive user activity data from the mobile device. The user activity system may then extract geographic location data from the user activity data and send the geographic location data to a mapping system via a network connection. The mapping system may then match map tile data to the geographic location data extracted from the user activity data and send the matched map tile data to the mobile computing device for cache storage at the mobile computing device. The user activity system may also analyze the user activity data to determine whether the extracted geographic location data is relevant enough to warrant pre-fetching the tile data.

Map tile data pre-fetching based on user activity analysis

Systems and methods display data relevant to a user's trip along an inferred route and destination of a user device. First, the method receives a current device location from the device. Next, historical route and destination data of users that traveled through the current device location is retrieved. Determining a most likely route and destination of the user is determined. Points of interest along the inferred route are retrieved. The points of interest and the inferred route are transmitted to the device. Furthermore, a module calculates whether there is enough extant battery capacity to sustain the inferred route to the inferred destination.

System and method for predicting user route and destination

A method for geolocating photographs is implemented in a computing device. The method includes receiving a photograph captured by a user as data stored on a computer-readable medium, receiving location history data for the user, determining a time at which the photograph was captured based on an object depicted in the photograph, determining a geographic location at which the photograph was captured using the determined time and the location history data.

Determining the location at which a photograph was captured

A method and system for reporting a user location are described. Aspects of the invention minimize the need to report a current location of a user device to a remote server by attempting to predict a most likely location or most likely destination of the user device. As long as the user device does not leave a certain area defined in relation to the predetermined location or destination, the user device refrains from reporting to the remote server. The likely location or likely destination may be determined using a schedule generated from heat map information stored on the remote server. The schedule is used to determine where the user is likely to be traveling based upon the user's current location and/or the time of day.

System and method for providing location reporting services

Systems and methods are provided for obtaining a signature for a place. A server receives information about a place, such as name of the place, from client devices when the devices are at the place, and data related to wireless transmission stations detected by the client devices. The data comprises wireless transmission station identifiers and signal strength information. The server associates the information about the place with the data. Systems and methods are also provided for detecting a place for a client device. The server receives data related to one or more wireless transmission stations detected by the client device when the device is at the place. The data comprises wireless transmission station identifiers and signal strength information. The server compares the set of data with signatures of places, selects a signature based on the comparison, and transmits to the client device information about the place in the selected signature.

Automatic place detection

To determine a location at which a photograph was captured using a camera, a time at which the photograph was captured is determined using an image depicted in the photograph. User location data indicative of respective locations of a user at a plurality of instances of time during a time period is received. The time period includes the determined time and a location of the user at the time the photograph was captured corresponds to the location of the camera at the time the photograph was captured. The location at which the photograph was captured is determined using the determined time and the user location data.

In one embodiment, a client device generates a location fingerprint. The fingerprint may include various data identified by scanning for WiFi network devices such as the MAC addresses of nearby WiFi access location as well as the respective signal strengths. For each fingerprint location, the client device attempts to use a GPS receiver to scan for GPS satellite signals and identify current GPS latitude and longitude coordinates. After a predetermined period of time, the success or failure of the attempt is recorded and included in the fingerprint. When the client device returns to the location, identified by reviewing the fingerprint, the client device may activate or inhibit the GPS receiver based on the success information of the fingerprint. If the stored data indicates a low success rate, other location identification techniques may be used.

Smart GPS use

A method, computer program product, and system are provided to update geographic location information for an electronic device. The method can include transmitting the geographic location information for the electronic device to a server device at a first time interval. A determination can be made regarding whether the electronic device is in communication with a third-party device. If the electronic device is in communication with the third-party device, then updated geographic location information for the electronic device is transmitted to the server device at a second time interval, where the second time interval is shorter than the first time interval.

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Mountain View, CA, United States of America

Charles Mendis