Category-based fence

• US 10,218,835 B2
• Filed: 12/22/2017
• Issued: 02/26/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Marti, Lukas M., Ma, Shannon M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Khai M
• Application Number:
  US15/852,431
• Publication Number:
  US 20180124231A1
• Time in Patent Office: 431 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/00 Arrangements for software engineering testing or debugging G06F11/36; administrative, planning or organisation aspects of software project management G06Q10/06
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/445 Program loading or initiating bootstrapping G06F9/4401; security arrangements for program loading or initiating G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4843 by program, e.g. task dispatcher, supervisor, operating system
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72457 according to geographic location
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/02 Arrangements for optimising operational condition
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/06 Selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS]; Services to user groups; One-way selective calling services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/33 for indoor environments, e.g. buildings
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/50 Service provisioning or reconfiguring
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

Techniques of category-based fence are described. A category-based fence can correspond to a group of signal sources instead of a point location fixed to latitude and longitude coordinates. The group of signal sources can represent a category of entities, e.g., a particular business chain. The signal sources can be distributed to multiple discrete locations. A category-based fence associated with the group, accordingly, can correspond to multiple locations instead of a single point location and a radius. Each signal source in the group can be associated with a category identifier unique to the group and uniform among signal sources in the group. The category identifier can be programmed into each signal source. A mobile device can enter the category-based fence by entering any of the discrete locations when the mobile device detects the signal identifier. The mobile device can then execute an application program associated with the category-based fence.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

detecting, by a wireless subsystem of a mobile device located at a first location, a first signal from a first signal source, the first signal including a first signal source identifier that matches a category identifier that is associated with a category-based fence, the category-based fence being a location-agnostic virtual fence corresponding to a group of signal sources located at a plurality of locations;

in response to detecting the first signal from the first signal source, notifying an application subsystem of the mobile device that the mobile device has entered the category-based fence;

detecting, by the wireless subsystem of the mobile device located at a second location that is different from the first location, a second signal from a second signal source, the second signal including a second signal source identifier that matches the category identifier; and

in response to detecting the second signal from the second signal source, notifying the application subsystem of the mobile device that the mobile device has entered the category-based fence,

wherein the application subsystem is configured to trigger a function of the mobile device that is associated with the category-based fence in response to entry into the category-based fence by the mobile device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the wireless subsystem is configured to detect entry into the category-based fence when the wireless subsystem changes states from:

i) detecting no signals that include a signal source identifier that matches the category identifier, to ii) detecting one or more signals that include a signal source identifier that matches the category identifier.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the wireless subsystem is configured to detect entry into the category-based fence or exit from the category-based fence while the application subsystem is in a sleep mode.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the wireless subsystem is configured to activate the application subsystem upon detecting entry into the category-based fence or exit from the category-based fence.

5. The method of claim 1, comprising:

determining, by the wireless subsystem, that at least a portion of the first signal source identifier and at least a portion of the second signal source identifier matches the category identifier; and

providing, by the wireless subsystem, to the application subsystem, the category identifier,

wherein the application subsystem is configured to trigger the function based on the received category identifier.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the category identifier is registered at the wireless subsystem.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the application subsystem is configured to activate an application program associated with the received category identifier.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the function is triggered while the mobile device is in a state in which the mobile device is unable to determine an estimated geographic location of the mobile device.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the application subsystem is configured to receive one or more application programs from an application server.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the application subsystem is configured to activate one of the application programs associated with the category-based fence in response to entry into the category-based fence by the mobile device.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the location-agnostic virtual fence is defined by signal sources having no geographic location information.

12. A mobile device comprising:

one or more processors; and

a non-transitory storage device storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising;

detecting, by a wireless subsystem of the mobile device, a first signal from a first signal source while the mobile device is located at a first location, the first signal including a first signal source identifier that matches a category identifier that is associated with a category-based fence, the category-based fence being a location-agnostic virtual fence corresponding to a group of signal sources located at a plurality of locations;

in response to detecting the first signal from the first signal source, notifying an application subsystem of the mobile device that the mobile device has entered the category-based fence;

detecting, by the wireless subsystem of the mobile device, a second signal from a second signal source while the mobile device is located at a second location that is different from the first location, the second signal including a second signal source identifier that matches the category identifier; and

in response to detecting the second signal from the second signal source, notifying the application subsystem of the mobile device that the mobile device has entered the category-based fence,

wherein the application subsystem is configured to trigger a function of the mobile device that is associated with the category-based fence in response to entry into the category-based fence by the mobile device.

13. The mobile device of claim 12, wherein the wireless subsystem is configured to detect entry into the category-based fence or exit from the category-based fence while the application subsystem is in a sleep mode.

14. The mobile device of claim 13, wherein the wireless subsystem is configured to activate the application subsystem upon detecting entry into the category-based fence or exit from the category-based fence.

15. The mobile device of claim 12, the operations comprising:

determining, by the wireless subsystem, that at least a portion of the first signal source identifier and at least a portion of the second signal source identifier matches the category identifier; and

providing, by the wireless subsystem, to the application subsystem, the category identifier,

wherein the application subsystem is configured to trigger the function based on the received category identifier.

16. The mobile device of claim 15, wherein the category identifier is registered at the wireless subsystem.

17. The mobile device of claim 15, wherein the application subsystem is configured to activate an application program associated with the received category identifier.

18. The mobile device of claim 12, wherein the function is triggered while the mobile device is in a state in which the mobile device is unable to determine an estimated geographic location of the mobile device.

19. The mobile device of claim 12, wherein the application subsystem is configured to receive one or more application programs from an application server.

20. The mobile device of claim 19, wherein the application subsystem is configured to activate one of the application programs associated with the category-based fence in response to entry into the category-based fence by the mobile device.

21. The mobile device of claim 12, wherein the location-agnostic virtual fence is defined by signal sources having no geographic location information.

22. A non-transitory storage device storing instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:

detecting, by a wireless subsystem of a mobile device, a first signal from a first signal source while the mobile device is located at a first location, the first signal including a first signal source identifier that matches a category identifier that is associated with a category-based fence, the category-based fence being a location-agnostic virtual fence corresponding to a group of signal sources located at a plurality of locations;

in response to detecting the first signal from the first signal source, notifying an application subsystem of the mobile device that the mobile device has entered the category-based fence;

detecting, by the wireless subsystem of the mobile device, a second signal from a second signal source while the mobile device is located at a second location that is different from the first location, the second signal including a second signal source identifier that matches the category identifier; and

in response to detecting the second signal from the second signal source, notifying the application subsystem of the mobile device that the mobile device has entered the category-based fence,

wherein the application subsystem is configured to trigger a function of the mobile device that is associated with the category-based fence in response to entry into the category-based fence by the mobile device.

23. A method comprising:

causing a function associated with a category-based fence to be triggered on a mobile device in response to the mobile device receiving a first signal from a first signal source when the mobile device is located at a first location, the first signal including a first signal source identifier that matches a category identifier that is associated with the category-based fence, the category-based fence being a location-agnostic virtual fence corresponding to a group of signal sources located at a plurality of locations; and

causing the function associated with the category-based fence to be triggered on the mobile device in response to the mobile device receiving a second signal from a second signal source when the mobile device is located at a second location, the second signal including a second signal source identifier that matches the category identifier,

wherein the function is associated with a specification that specifies that the function is to be triggered in response to entry into the category-based fence by the mobile device.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein an application subsystem causes the function associated with the category-based fence to be triggered on the mobile device.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the first notification and the second notification are received from a wireless subsystem of the mobile device.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the wireless subsystem is configured to detect entry into the category-based fence when the wireless subsystem changes states from:

i) detecting no signals that include a signal source identifier that matches the category identifier, to ii) detecting one or more signals that include a signal source identifier that matches the category identifier.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein the wireless subsystem is configured to detect entry into the category-based fence or exit from the category-based fence while the application subsystem is in a sleep mode.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the wireless subsystem is configured to activate the application subsystem upon detecting entry into the category-based fence or exit from the category-based fence.

29. The method of claim 25, comprising:

receiving an indication that at least a portion of the first signal source identifier and at least a portion of the second signal source identifier matches the category identifier; and

receiving, from the wireless subsystem, the category identifier,

wherein the application subsystem is configured to trigger the function based on the received category identifier.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the category identifier is registered at the wireless subsystem.

31. The method of claim 29, wherein the application subsystem is configured to cause an application program associated with the received category identifier to be activated.

32. The method of claim 25, comprising receiving one or more application programs from an application server.

33. The method of claim 32, comprising activating one of the application programs associated with the category-based fence in response to entry into the category-based fence by the mobile device.

34. The method of claim 23, wherein the function is triggered while the mobile device is in a state in which the mobile device is unable to determine an estimated geographic location of the mobile device.

35. The method of claim 23, wherein the location-agnostic virtual fence is defined by signal sources having no geographic location information.

36. A method comprising:

receiving a first indication that a first signal has been received from a first signal source by a mobile device located at a first location, the first signal including a first signal source identifier that matches a category identifier that is associated with a category-based fence, the category-based fence being a location-agnostic virtual fence corresponding to a group of signal sources located at a plurality of locations;

in response to receiving the first indication, causing a function associated with the category-based fence to be triggered on the mobile device, wherein the function is associated with a specification that specifies that the function is to be triggered in response to entry into the category-based fence by the mobile device;

receiving a second indication that a second signal has been received from a second signal source by the mobile device located at a second location, the second signal including a second signal source identifier that matches the category identifier; and

in response to receiving the second indication, causing the function associated with the category-based fence to be triggered on the mobile device at the second location.