Selective Location Determination

Abstract

Methods, program products, and systems for selective location determination are described. A mobile device can determine a location of the mobile device using various techniques. When there is a conflict between the locations determined using different techniques, the mobile device can select a most trustworthy location from the locations, and designate the most trustworthy location as a current location of the mobile device. The mobile device can determine a first location of the mobile device (e.g., a coarse location) using a cell identifier (cell ID) of a cellular network. The mobile device can determine a second location of the mobile device (e.g., a fine location) using one or more media access control (MAC) addresses of a WLAN. The first location and second location can be associated with confidence values that can indicate trustworthiness of the first location and second location.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method executed by a computer, including:
 receiving a set of raw locations from one or more location-aware mobile devices located in a cell of a cellular communications network;   determining a cell location to be associated with the cell using the set of raw locations;   determining a confidence value of the cell location, the confidence value based on a number of raw locations in the set; and   providing the cell location in association with the confidence value to a mobile device.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , where the confidence value is proportional to the number of raw locations in the set. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , where determining the confidence value includes adjusting the confidence value based on a stability of the cell location, the stability including a length of time during which the cell location is substantially unchanged. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , where determining the confidence value includes adjusting the confidence value based on a freshness of the raw locations, the freshness including a length of time that has elapsed since a last raw location of the raw locations was received. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , where each of the raw locations includes a latitude coordinate, a longitude coordinate, and an altitude coordinate. 
     
     
         6 . A system, comprising:
 one or more computers; and   a non-transitory storage device storing a computer program product configured to cause the one or more computers to perform operations comprising:
 receiving a set of raw locations from one or more location-aware mobile devices located in a cell of a cellular communications network; 
 determining a cell location to be associated with the cell using the set of raw locations; 
 determining a confidence value of the cell location based on a number of raw locations in the set; and 
 providing the cell location in association with the confidence value to a mobile device. 
   
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the confidence value is proportional to the number of raw locations in the set. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein determining the confidence value includes adjusting the confidence value based on a stability of the cell location, the stability including a length of time during which the cell location is substantially unchanged. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein determining the confidence value includes adjusting the confidence value based on a freshness of the raw locations, the freshness including a length of time that has elapsed since a last raw location of the raw locations was received. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein each of the raw locations includes a latitude coordinate, a longitude coordinate, and an altitude coordinate. 
     
     
         11 . A non-transitory storage device storing a computer program product configured to cause one or more computers to perform operations comprising:
 receiving a set of raw locations from one or more location-aware mobile devices located in a cell of a cellular communications network;   determining a cell location to be associated with the cell using the set of raw locations;   determining a confidence value of the cell location based on a number of raw locations in the set; and   providing the cell location in association with the confidence value to a mobile device.   
     
     
         12 . The non-transitory storage device of  claim 11 , wherein the confidence value is proportional to the number of raw locations in the set. 
     
     
         13 . The non-transitory storage device of  claim 11 , wherein determining the confidence value includes adjusting the confidence value based on a stability of the cell location, the stability including a length of time during which the cell location is substantially unchanged. 
     
     
         14 . The non-transitory storage device of  claim 11 , wherein determining the confidence value includes adjusting the confidence value based on a freshness of the raw locations, the freshness including a length of time that has elapsed since a last raw location of the raw locations was received. 
     
     
         15 . The non-transitory storage device of  claim 11 , wherein each of the raw locations includes a latitude coordinate, a longitude coordinate, and an altitude coordinate.