System and method for defining zones for location-based services

• US 10,313,837 B2
• Filed: 11/07/2018
• Issued: 06/04/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Greenberger, Jeremy A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Afshar, Kamran
• Assistant Examiner(s): Madani, Farideh
• Application Number:
  US16/183,153
• Publication Number:
  US 20190075427A1
• Time in Patent Office: 209 Days
• 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 4/023 using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 Discovering, processing access restriction or access information

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention provide a system and method for defining zones used in location-based services. A mobile device with administrative privileges is moved in a path within a venue. The path is recorded and the interior of the path forms a zone. Additionally, embodiments provide for modification of existing zones based on a recorded path from the mobile device.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for defining zones within a location detection system at a venue, comprising:

determining a first position of a mobile device within a venue;

initiating a path start for a first path based on user input through a screen of the mobile device, wherein the path start is a location corresponding to the first position of the mobile device;

after the path start is initiated, tracking locations of the mobile device as the mobile device is moved along the first path from the first position to a second position, while recording location information of the path;

after the moving of the mobile device along the first path, initiating a path end for the first path based on user input through the screen of the mobile device;

defining a region bounded by the tracked locations of the mobile device along the first path as a zone within the location detection system at the venue;

receiving a selection of the zone and an expand option;

tracking locations of the mobile device as the mobile device is moved along a second path;

expanding the zone to include space outlined by the second path;

receiving a zone valid period for the expanded zone; and

when the zone valid period elapses, reverting the expanded zone to the zone defined as the region bounded by the tracked locations of the mobile device along the first path.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting location information of the first path and the second path to a data server.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the second position is identical to the first position, whereby the first path forms a closed shape.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the second position is different from the first position, whereby the first path forms an open shape.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein initiating a path end further comprises synthesizing a line segment between the first position and the second position to form a closed shape that defines the first zone.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising presenting a representation of the first zone on the screen of the mobile device.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a zone shape for the first zone from a user.

8. A mobile device comprising:

a processor;

a memory coupled to the processor;

a network interface coupled to the processor;

a local receiver coupled to the processor;

wherein the memory contains instructions, which when executed by the processor, perform the steps of;

determining a first position of the mobile device within a venue;

initiating a path start for a first path based on user input through a screen of the mobile device, wherein the path start is a location corresponding to the first position of the mobile device;

after the path start is initiated, tracking locations of the mobile device as the mobile device is moved along the first path from the first position to a second position, while recording location information of the path;

after the moving of the mobile device along the first path, initiating a path end for the first path based on user input through the screen of the mobile device;

defining a region bounded by the tracked locations of the mobile device along the first path as a zone within the location detection system at the venue;

receiving a selection of the zone and an expand option;

tracking locations of the mobile device, as the mobile device is moved along a second path;

expanding the zone to include space outlined by the second path;

receiving a zone valid period for the expanded zone; and

when the zone valid period elapses, reverting the expanded zone to the zone defined as the region bounded by the tracked locations of the mobile device along the first path.

9. The mobile device of claim 8, further comprising a WiFi transceiver.

10. The mobile device of claim 8, further comprising a Bluetooth transceiver.

11. The mobile device of claim 8, wherein the memory further contains instructions, which when executed by the processor, perform the step of synthesizing a line segment between the first position and the second position to form a closed shape that defines the first zone.

12. The mobile device of claim 8, wherein the memory further contains instructions, which when executed by the processor, perform the step of presenting a representation of the first zone on the screen of the mobile device.

13. The mobile device of claim 8, wherein the memory further contains instructions, which when executed by the processor, perform the step of receiving a zone shape for the first zone from a user.

14. A computer program product for adjustment of an electronic display of an electronic device, comprising a computer readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith, the program instructions executable by a processor to cause the electronic device to:

determine a first position of a mobile device within a venue;

initiate a path start for a first path based on user input through a screen of the mobile device, wherein the path start is a location corresponding to the first position of the mobile device;

after the path start is initiated, track locations of the mobile device as the mobile device is moved along the first path from the first position to a second position, while recording location information of the path;

after the moving of the mobile device along the first path, initiate a path end for the first path based on user input through the screen of the mobile device;

define a region bounded by the tracked locations of the mobile device along the first path as a zone within the location detection system at the venue;

receive a selection of the zone and an expand option;

track locations of the mobile device, as the mobile device is moved along a second path;

expand the zone to include space outlined by the second path;

receive a zone valid period for the expanded zone; and

when the zone valid period elapses, revert the expanded zone to the zone defined as the region bounded by the tracked locations of the mobile device along the first path.

15. The computer program product of claim 14, wherein the program instructions executable by the processor to cause the electronic device further to:

transmit location information of the first path and the second path to a data server.

16. The computer program product of claim 14, wherein the second position is identical to the first position, whereby the first path forms a closed shape.

17. The computer program product of claim 14, wherein the second position is different from the first position, whereby the first path forms an open shape.

18. The computer program product of claim 14, wherein initiating a path end further comprises synthesizing a line segment between the first position and the second position to form a closed shape that defines the first zone.

19. The computer program product of claim 14, further comprising presenting a representation of the first zone on the screen of the mobile device.

20. The computer program product of claim 14, wherein the memory further contains instructions, which when executed by the processor, receive a zone shape for the first zone from a user.