Geo-fence management using a cluster analysis technique

• US 10,231,079 B2
• Filed: 11/03/2016
• Issued: 03/12/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/21/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Barron, Gilbert, Bordash, Michael J., Roehrs, Louis F., Slayton, Zachary P., Srivastava, Anurag
• Primary Examiner(s): Phuong, Dai A
• Application Number:
  US15/342,965
• Publication Number:
  US 20170055122A1
• Time in Patent Office: 859 Days
• Field of Search: 4554122-4143, 4554561-4563
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/00 Network planning, e.g. coverage or traffic planning tools; Network deployment, e.g. resource partitioning or cells structures
• 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 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management

Abstract

Disclosed aspects include geo-fence management using a cluster analysis technique. A set of dynamic user data is received from a set of users. The cluster analysis technique may be used to process the set of dynamic user data. Accordingly, a geo-fence opportunity event is detected using the cluster analysis technique. Based on a selection criterion with respect to the geo-fence opportunity event, it is determined to provide an opportunity for a subset of the set of users. In response to making the determination, the opportunity can be provided for/to the subset of the set of users.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of geo-fence management using a cluster analysis technique, the method comprising:

detecting, using the cluster analysis technique to process a set of dynamic user data associated with a set of users, a geo-fence opportunity event for a subset of the set of users based, at least in part, on a concentration of the subset of the set of users exceeding a threshold density with respect to a first geo-location;

establishing, in response to detecting the geo-fence opportunity event, a geo-fence corresponding to the first geo-location;

detecting a geo-location shift with respect to the subset of the set of users from the first geo-location to a second geo-location;

moving, in response to detecting the geo-location shift with respect to the subset of the set of users, the geo-fence from the first geo-location to the second geo-location;

providing, based on a selection criterion with respect to the geo-fence opportunity event, an opportunity for the subset of the set of users;

detecting a geo-location shift with respect to the subset of the set of users from the second geo-location to a third geo-location; and

delaying a movement of the geo-fence from the second geo-location to the third geo-location for a predetermined threshold period of time.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the set of dynamic user data has:

identification information which identifies one or more users,

location information which indicates location for one or more users, and

context information which indicates application context for one or more users.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the set of dynamic user data includes real-time user data, and wherein a management-user selects both the cluster analysis technique and the selection criterion.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

utilizing, by the cluster analysis technique which includes k-means clustering, demographic information with respect to real-time location events to offer opportunities for engagement or analytics.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

supporting, by the cluster analysis technique, geo-fencing with respect to an array of points.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

supporting, by the cluster analysis technique, geo-fencing with respect to a radius from a point.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the cluster analysis technique supports geo-fencing based on location and proximity data using technology selected from the group consisting of;

near field communication (NFC),

tags,

radio-frequency identification (RFID),

a wireless local area network (WLAN/Wi-Fi),

cell,

sensor, and

beacon; and

the set of dynamic user data is received by a service which supports;

user registration,

selection criteria,

opportunity notification, and

an interface for a management-user.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

monitoring the set of dynamic user data for a triggering event which indicates that a threshold number of users have a particular application context parameter;

identifying, based on the triggering event with respect to the set of dynamic user data, a trend which indicates a pattern of the users with respect to the particular application context parameter; and

determining, by comparing the trend with a group of opportunity events, the trend indicates the geo-fence opportunity event.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the selection criterion includes an evaluation of the set of dynamic user data with respect to a set of demographic data.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the selection criterion includes an evaluation of the set of dynamic user data with respect to a set of historical data.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

sending, to provide the opportunity for the subset of the set of users, a notification to engage the subset of the set of users with an offer.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

routing, to provide the opportunity for the subset of the set of users, the set of dynamic user data for data analysis to extract a pattern with respect to the subset of the set of users in order to transform the pattern into a new data structure.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

monitoring, to monitor the set of dynamic user data for the user geo-location shift, user movement with respect to a scale.

14. A system for geo-fence management using a cluster analysis technique, the system comprising:

a memory having a set of computer readable computer instructions, and

a processor for executing the set of computer readable instructions, the set of computer readable instructions including;

detecting, using the cluster analysis technique to process a set of dynamic user data associated with a set of users, a geo-fence opportunity event for a subset of the set of users based, at least in part, on a concentration of the subset of the set of users exceeding a threshold density with respect to a first geo-location;

establishing, in response to detecting the geo-fence opportunity event, a geo-fence corresponding to the first geo-location;

detecting a geo-location shift with respect to the subset of the set of users from the first geo-location to a second geo-location;

moving, in response to detecting the geo-location shift with respect to the subset of the set of users, the geo-fence from the first geo-location to the second geo-location;

providing, based on a selection criterion with respect to the geo-fence opportunity event, an opportunity for the subset of the set of users;

detecting a geo-location shift with respect to the subset of the set of users from the second geo-location to a third geo-location; and

delaying a movement of the geo-fence from the second geo-location to the third geo-location for a predetermined threshold period of time.

15. A computer program product for geo-fence management using a cluster analysis technique, the computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith, wherein the computer readable storage medium is not a transitory signal per se, the program instructions executable by a processor to cause the processor to perform a method comprising:

detecting, using the cluster analysis technique to process a set of dynamic user data associated with a set of users, a geo-fence opportunity event for a subset of the set of users based, at least in part, on a concentration of the subset of the set of users exceeding a threshold density with respect to a first geo-location;

establishing, in response to detecting the geo-fence opportunity event, a geo-fence corresponding to the first geo-location;

detecting a geo-location shift with respect to the subset of the set of users from the first geo-location to a second geo-location;

moving, in response to detecting the geo-location shift with respect to the subset of the set of users, the geo-fence from the first geo-location to the second geo-location;

providing, based on a selection criterion with respect to the geo-fence opportunity event, an opportunity for the subset of the set of users;

detecting a geo-location shift with respect to the subset of the set of users from the second geo-location to a third geo-location; and

delaying a movement of the geo-fence from the second geo-location to the third geo-location for a predetermined threshold period of time.