Automatic time zone detection in devices

US10503124B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING, LLC · US

Inventors

• Ronald S. Ruzicka · Issaquah, US
• Ken M. Sadahiro · Redmond, US
• Axel Andrejs · Sammamish, US
• Matthew D. Johnson · Pensacola, US
• Gregory R. Slayden · Kirkland, US
• Wen Li Looi · Calgary, CA

Key dates

• Filing date: Nov 10, 2015
• Grant date: Dec 10, 2019
• Expiry date: Apr 5, 2038

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H04W4/021
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

Methods, systems, apparatuses, and computer program products are provided for enabling devices to determine the time zone in which they are located. A mobile device may receive location information from one or more sources. Based thereon, the current location of the mobile device may be determined in terms of latitude and longitude. The indication of the current location may be converted to an index value according to a Hilbert curve (or other space-filling curve), and the index value applied to a time zone index file to determine the local time zone. A time zone setting of the mobile device may be updated accordingly. Furthermore, “geofencing” may be used by the mobile device to detect movement towards and through a time zone boundary, leading to a new time zone determination being initiated.