Apple patents smarter location tracking that saves battery
Apple has filed a patent for a method that adjusts how often a device checks its location based on how the user is interacting with it. The system collects these location requests in the background and only wakes up the main processor at the end of a set time to process them and show the data.
In the filing’s own words
Techniques described herein relate to using user context information to determine when to request waypoint information. In an example, a method may include receiving an indication of an interaction at an electronic device. The method may also include detecting a trigger for requesting waypoint information at a frequency based at least in part on user context information. The user context information may include the interaction. The method may also include sending waypoint information requests at the frequency during a time interval. The method may also include, at an end of the time interval, waking an application processor to process the waypoint information requests and present waypoint information at a user interface of the electronic device.
What exactly they claim (claim 1)
1. A computer-implemented method, comprising: receiving an indication of an interaction at an electronic device; detecting a trigger for requesting waypoint information at a frequency based at least in part on user context information, wherein the user context information comprises the interaction; sending waypoint information requests at the frequency during a time interval; and at an end of the time interval, waking an application processor to process the waypoint information requests and present waypoint information at a user interface of the electronic device.
Facts
- Company
- Apple (Apple Inc.)
- Official title
- Capturing Location Data For Waypoint
- Publication number
- US20260298652A1
- Application number
- 19697299
- Filed
- Jun 3, 2026
- Published
- Oct 1, 2026
- Inventors
- 2
- Claims
- 20
Classified under
G01C 21/3664 Physics & computingH04W 4/021 Electricity & electronicsMore from Apple in Phones & computers
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Summaries are simplified from the filing’s own abstract and first claim. A patent filing is not a product announcement.
Patent data and drawings: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Nebula is not affiliated with or endorsed by the USPTO.