Dynamic geo-fencing based on a popularity of a product

• US 10,255,619 B2
• Filed: 10/03/2016
• Issued: 04/09/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/03/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DoorDash, Inc.
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: DeLuca, Lisa Seacat, Greenberger, Jeremy A., Greenberger, Zachary M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Elchanti, Tarek
• Application Number:
  US15/283,602
• Publication Number:
  US 20180096392A1
• Time in Patent Office: 918 Days
• Field of Search: 4554563, 455405, 705 261, 705 269, 34053913
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0261 based on user location
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0267 Wireless devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences

Abstract

Approaches presented herein enable creating a dynamic geo-fence based on a popularity of a product. Specifically, a geo-fence at a venue (e.g., retail outlet, restaurant, ticket office, etc.) is established based on a reference point and an area having a range. A product is associated with the established geo-fence. The range of the area is dynamically modified (i.e., increased or decreased) based on a popularity of the product in order to optimize the flow of customers to the venue.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for creating a dynamic geo-fence related to a venue, the method comprising:

establishing, based on a reference point and an area having a range, the dynamic geo-fence;

associating a first product with the dynamic geo-fence, the product being an item that is being sold at the venue;

monitoring a number of units of the product sold at the venue over a predefined period of time;

comparing the number of units of the product sold at the venue over the predefined period of time to a predefined threshold in a geo-fence database; and

automatically optimizing a flow of customers to the venue by modifying the range of the area of the dynamic geo-fence based on a popularity of the product, by;

dynamically resizing the dynamic geo-fence to reduce the range of the area to a threshold range specified in the geo-fence database in response to the comparing indicating that the number of units sold at the venue over the predefined period of time exceeds the predefined threshold; and

dynamically resizing the dynamic geo-fence to expand the range of the area in response to the comparing indicating that the number of units sold at the venue over the predefined period of time does not exceed the predefined threshold.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting a notification related to the product to a mobile device of a user when the user enters the dynamic geo-fence.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the reference point includes a latitude coordinate and a longitude coordinate.

4. A computer readable storage device having a computer program product for creating a dynamic geo-fence related to a venue comprising program instructions stored on the computer readable storage device, which, when executed by a computer device, are configured to:

establish, based on a reference point and an area having a range, the dynamic geo-fence;

associate a product with the dynamic geo-fence, the product being an item that is being sold at the venue;

monitor a number of units of the product sold at the venue over a predefined period of time;

compare the number of units of the product sold at the venue over the predefined period of time to a predefined threshold in a geo-fence database; and

automatically optimize a flow of customers to the venue by modifying the range of the area of the dynamic geo-fence based on a popularity of the product, by;

dynamically resizing the dynamic geo-fence to reduce the range of the area to a threshold range specified in the geo-fence database in response to the comparing indicating that the number of units sold at the venue over the predefined period of time exceeds the predefined threshold; and

expanding the range of the area when in response to the comparing indicating that the number of units sold at the venue over the predefined period of time does not exceed the predefined threshold.

5. The computer program product of claim 4, further comprising program instructions to transmit a notification related to the product to a mobile device of a user when the user enters the dynamic geo-fence.

6. The computer program product of claim 4, wherein the reference point includes a latitude coordinate and a longitude coordinate and a measurement associated with the range is selected from a group consisting of:

feet, yards, meters, and miles.

7. A computer system for creating a dynamic geo-fence related to a venue, the computer system comprising:

a memory medium comprising program instructions;

a bus coupled to the memory medium; and

a processor for executing the program instructions, the instructions causing the system to;

establish, based on a reference point and an area having a range, the dynamic geo-fence;

associate a product with the dynamic geo-fence, the product being an item that is being sold at the venue;

monitor a number of units of the product sold at the venue over a predefined period of time;

compare the number of units of the product sold at the venue over the predefined period of time to a predefined threshold in a geo-fence database; and

automatically optimize a flow of customers to the venue by modifying the range of the area of the dynamic geo-fence based on a popularity of the product, by;

dynamically resizing the dynamic geo-fence to reduce the range of the area to a threshold range specified in the geo-fence database in response to the comparing indicating that the number of units sold at the venue over the predefined period of time exceeds the predefined threshold; and

expanding the range of the area when in response to the comparing indicating that the number of units sold at the venue over the predefined period of time does not exceed the predefined threshold.

8. The computer system of claim 7, further comprising program instructions to transmit a notification related to the product to a mobile device of a user when the user enters the dynamic geo-fence.