Method and apparatus for providing location information

Abstract

A method of an electronic device and the electronic device including a first processor operable at a first power level and a second processor operable at a second power level are provided. The method includes receiving first location information of the electronic device from an external electronic device through at least one first sensor functionally connected with the first processor, and upon failure to identify second location information of the electronic device from the external electronic device through the at least one first sensor using the first processor, obtaining the second location information through at least one second sensor functionally connected with the second processor using the second processor.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method of an electronic device including a first processor operable at a first power level and a second processor operable at a second power level, the method comprising:
 receivingobtaining first location information of the electronic device from an external electronic device through at least one first sensor functionally connected with the first processor, the at least one first sensor identifying the first location information based on signals received from external electronic devices; 
 upon failure to identify second location information of the electronic device from the external electronic device through the at least one first sensor using the first processor, obtaining the second location information through at least one second sensor functionally connected with the second processor using the second processor; 
 based on at least one of the first location information or the second location information, determining whether the electronic device enters a geo-fence based on at least one of the first location information or the second location information; 
 when it is determined that the electronic device enters the geo-fence is entered using the first location information, determining that the geo-fence comprises an open zone; and 
 when it is determined that the electronic device enters the geo-fence is entered using the second location information, determining that the geo-fence comprises a shadow zone. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising receiving wherein the first location information is obtained using the first processor while the second processor is in a first state. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 2 , wherein the first state includes one of a deactivated state, a low-power state, or a sleep state of the second processor. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 2 , wherein the obtaining of the second location information includes switching the second processor from the first state to a second state. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 4 , wherein the second state includes one of an activated state, a high-power state, or a wakeup state of the second processor. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising, when the identification of the second location information using the first processor succeeds, maintaining a prior state of the second processor. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 enabling the first processor to obtain the first location information or the second location information to determine a distance relation with the geo-fence according to a request for a geo-fence service; and 
 determining whether the electronic device enters or exits the geo-fence according to the distance relation with the geo-fence. 
 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 7 , wherein the request for the geo-fence service includes geo-fence location information including a location and measure of the geo-fence. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 7 , wherein the determining of whether the electronic device enters the geo-fence comprises:
 when the distance relation with the geo-fence is determined using the first location information, determining that the geo-fence comprises an open zone; and 
 when the distance relation with the geo-fence is determined using the second location information, determining that the geo-fence comprises a shadow zone. 
 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 enabling the first processor to determine a period of obtaining the first location information or the second location information based on data obtained using at least one sensor; and 
 obtaining the first location information or the second location information according to the determined period of obtaining the first location information or the second location information. 
 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 10 , wherein the data includes at least one of at least one piece of sensing data obtained by the first processor, context data, or short-range wireless discovery data produced using the at least one piece of sensing data. 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 10 , wherein the determining of the period of obtaining the first location information or the second location information comprises: detecting a variation in a motion of the electronic device based on the data obtained using the at least one sensor;
 estimating a variation in a location of the electronic device expected according to the variation in the motion; and 
 determining the period of obtaining the first location information or the second location information based on the estimated variation in the location of the electronic device. 
 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 12 , wherein the estimating of the variation in the location of the electronic device expected according to the variation in the motion comprises:
 detecting a motion state of the electronic device based on the data; 
 comparing the data with a characteristic pattern of waveform according to a plurality of preset motion states of the electronic device to generate context data in accordance with the detected motion state; and 
 estimating a current location of the electronic device by comparing short-range wireless discovery data with one of cell identification (ID) information or pre-stored Wi-Fi list information. 
 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 10 , wherein the determining of the period of obtaining the first location information or the second location information comprises:
 detecting a short-range wireless discovery variation of the electronic device based on the data obtained using the at least one sensor; 
 estimating a variation in a location of the electronic device expected according to the short-range wireless discovery variation; and 
 determining the period of obtaining the first location information or the second location information based on the estimated variation in the location of the electronic device. 
 
     
     
       15. An electronic device, comprising:
 a memory configured to store location information of the electronic device received from an external electronic device; 
 a first processor operable at a first power level; and 
 a second processor operable at a second power level, 
 wherein the first processor is configured to:
 receiveobtain first location information of the electronic device from the external electronic device through at least one first sensor functionally connected with the first processor, the at least one first sensor identifying the first location information based on signals received from external electronic devices, 
 upon failure to identify second location information of the electronic device from the external electronic device through the at least one first sensor, transmit a notification corresponding to the failure to the second processor, 
 based on at least one of the first location information or the second location information, determine whether the electronic device enters a geo-fence based on at least one of the first location information or the second location information, 
 when it is determined that the electronic device enters the geo-fence is entered using the first location information, determine that the geo-fence comprises an open zone, and 
 when it is determined that the electronic device enters the geo-fence is entered using the second location information, determine that the geo-fence comprises a shadow zone. 
 
 
     
     
       16. The electronic device of  claim 15 , wherein the second processor is configured to:
 receive the notification, and 
 obtain the second location information through at least one second sensor functionally connected with the second processor based on the received notification. 
 
     
     
       17. The electronic device of  claim 16 ,
 wherein the at least one first sensor comprises a global positioning system (GPS) module, and 
 wherein the at least one second sensor includes at least one of a cell-based location information providing module, a Wi-Fi-based location information providing module, or a sensor-based location information providing module. 
 
     
     
       18. The electronic device of  claim 15 , wherein the first processor is further configured to:
 obtain the first location information or the second location information to determine a distance relation with the geo-fence according to a request for a geo-fence service, and 
 determine whether the electronic device enters and exits the geo-fence according to the distance relation with the geo-fence. 
 
     
     
       19. The electronic device of  claim 15 , wherein the first processor is further configured to:
 determine a period of obtaining the first location information or the second location information based on data obtained using at least one sensor, and 
 obtain the first location information or the second location information according to the determined period of obtaining the first location information or the second location information. 
 
     
     
       20. The electronic device of  claim 19 ,
 wherein the at least one first sensor includes at least one of an acceleration sensor, a gyro sensor, a geo-magnetic sensor, an altitude sensor, or a short-range wireless discovery sensor, and 
 wherein the short-range wireless discovery sensor includes at least one of a Wi-Fi module, a Bluetooth module, a radio frequency identification (RF ID) module, an infrared (IR) sensor, or an ultrasonic sensor. 
 
     
     
       21. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, which stores a program and commands configured to be executed by at least one processor to enable the at least one processor to perform at least one operation in an electronic device including a first processor operable at a first power level and a second processor operable at a second power level, the at least one operation comprising:
 receivingobtaining first location information of the electronic device from an external electronic device through at least one first sensor functionally connected with the first processor, the at least one first sensor identifying the first location information based on signals received from external electronic devices; 
 upon failure to identify second location information of the electronic device from the external electronic device through the at least one first sensor using the first processor, obtaining the second location information through at least one second sensor functionally connected with the second processor using the second processor; 
 based on at least one of the first location information or the second location information determining whether the electronic device enters a geo-fence based on at least one of the first location information or the second location information; 
 when it is determined that the electronic device enters the geo-fence is entered using the first location information, determining that the geo-fence comprises an open zone; and 
 when it is determined that the electronic device enters the geo-fence is entered using the second location information, determining that the geo-fence comprises a shadow zone.