Retrospective path analysis

• US 10,362,442 B2
• Filed: 11/30/2017
• Issued: 07/23/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bluedot Innovation Pty Ltd. (Bluedot Innovation, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Bluedot Innovation Pty Ltd. (Bluedot Innovation, Inc.)
• Inventors: Eldic, Filip
• Primary Examiner(s): Cai, Wayne H
• Application Number:
  US15/827,316
• Publication Number:
  US 20180199154A1
• Time in Patent Office: 600 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 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

To determine whether a mobile device has entered a geo-fenced region, a first geo-location of the mobile device at a first time is identified. Also, a second geo-location of the mobile device at a second time is identified. A potential travel path of the mobile device is determined between the first geo-location and the second geo-location. The potential travel path is in at least two dimensions. A determination is made as to whether the potential travel path intersects with the predetermined geo-fenced region. If the potential travel path intersects the predetermined geo-fenced region by an amount that satisfies an intersection requirement, a determination is made that the mobile device entered the predetermined geo-fenced region.

Claims

1. A method for geo-location determination of entry by a mobile device to a predetermined geo-fenced region, the mobile device having a geo-location determination mechanism, the mobile device having generated a multitude of past geo-location determinations at respective past times, the method comprising:

identifying a first geo-location of the mobile device generated at a first past time using the geo-location determination mechanism, the first geo-location being in at least two dimensions and having a first margin of error;

identifying a second geo-location of the mobile device generated at a second past time using the geo-location determination mechanism, the second geo-location being in at least two dimensions and having a second margin of error;

determining a retrospective travel path travelled by the mobile device in at least two dimensions between the first geo-location and the second geo-location of the mobile device having at least the first margin of error applied to the first geo-location of the path and a second margin of error applied to the second geo-location of the path;

determining an amount of intersection between the retrospective travel path and the predetermined geo-fenced region; and

determining, in response to the determined amount of intersection being greater than a predetermined amount, that the mobile device entered the predetermined geo-fenced region when traveling between the first geolocation and the second geo-location.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining that the mobile device entered the predetermined geo-fenced region comprises:

determining a percentage of intersection between the retrospective travel path and the predetermined geo-fenced region;

determining, in response to the determined percentage being greater than a predetermined percentage amount, that the mobile device entered the predetermined geo-fenced region.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the retrospective travel path is a direct path between the first geo-location and the second geo-location.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining automatically, in response to the first geo-location or the second geo-location being in the predetermined geo-fenced region, that the mobile device entered the predetermined geo-fenced region.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the method is performed by a server that receives the first geo-location and the second geo-location from the mobile device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the geo-location determination mechanism uses one or more of the following for the determination of the first past geo-location and the second past geo-location:

GPS, WiFi, cell tower triangulation, and inertial navigation.

7. The method of claim 1, the first and second margins of error being each of the at least two dimensions.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the first geo-location, the second geo-location, and the retrospective travel path are in three dimensions.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the amount of intersection between the retrospective travel path and the predetermined geo-fenced region depends on the speed or the direction of travel of the mobile device, or the location of the mobile device.

10. A computer program product for geo-location determination of entry by a mobile device to a predetermined geo-fenced region, the mobile device having a geo-location determination mechanism, and having generated a multitude of past geo-location determinations at respective past times, the computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium containing computer program code that when executed causes one or more processors to:

identify a first geo-location of the mobile device generated at a first past time using the geo-location determination mechanism, the first geo-location being in at least two dimensions and having a first margin of error;

identify a second geo-location of the mobile device generated at a second past time using the geo-location determination mechanism, the second geo-location being in at least two dimensions and having a second margin of error;

determine a retrospective travel path travelled by the mobile device in at least two dimensions between the first geo-location and the second geo-location of the mobile device having at least the first margin of error applied to the first geo-location of the path and a second margin of error applied to the second geo-location of the path;

determine an amount of intersection between the retrospective travel path and the predetermined geo-fenced region; and

determine, in response to the determined amount of intersection being greater than a predetermined amount, that the mobile device entered the predetermined geo-fenced region when traveling between the first geo-location and the second geo-location.

11. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein the code that causes the processor to determine that the mobile device entered the predetermined geo-fenced region further comprises code that when executed causes the processor to:

determine a percentage of intersection between the retrospective travel path and the predetermined geo-fenced region;

determine, in response to the determined percentage being greater than a predetermined percentage amount, that the mobile device entered the predetermined geo-fenced region.

12. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein the retrospective travel path is a direct path between the first geo-location and the second geo-location.

13. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein the computer program code further comprises code that when executed causes the processor to:

determine automatically, in response to the first geo-location or the second geo-location being in the predetermined geo-fenced region, that the mobile device entered the predetermined geo-fenced region.

14. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein the computer program code is executed by a server that receives the first geo-location and the second geo-location from the mobile device.

15. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein the geo-location determination mechanism uses one or more of the following for the determination of the first past geo-location and the second past geo-location:

GPS, WiFi, cell tower triangulation, and inertial navigation.

16. The computer program product of claim 10, the processor determines the amount of intersection between the retrospective travel path and the predetermined geo-fenced region based upon the speed or the direction of travel of the mobile device, or the location of the mobile device.

17. A computing system, comprising:

communications hardware configured to receive geo-location information from a geo-location determination mechanism of a computing device, comprising a multitude of past geo-location determinations generated at respective past times;

at least one processor for performing geo-location determination of entry by the computing device to a predetermined geo-fenced region defined in at least two dimensions, configured to;

identify a first geo-location of the computing device generated at a first past time using the geo-location determination mechanism, the first geo-location being in at least two dimensions and having a first margin of error;

identify a second geo-location of the computing device generated at a second past time using the geo-location determination mechanism, the second geo-location being in at least two dimensions and having a second margin of error;

determine a retrospective travel path travelled by the computing device in at least two dimensions between the first geo-location and the second geo-location of the mobile device having at least the first margin of error applied to the first geo-location of the path and a second margin of error applied to the second geo-location of the path;

determine an amount of intersection between the retrospective travel path and the predetermined geo-fenced region; and

determine, in response to the determined amount of intersection being greater than a predetermined amount, that the computing device entered the predetermined geo-fenced region when traveling between the first geo-location and the second geo-location.

18. The computing system of claim 17, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

determine a percentage of intersection between the retrospective travel path and the predetermined geo-fenced region;

determine, responsive to the determined percentage being greater than a predetermined percentage amount, that the computing device entered the predetermined geo-fenced region.

19. The computing system of claim 17, wherein the communications hardware and at least one processor are components of the computing device.

20. The computing system of claim 17, wherein the amount of intersection between the retrospective travel path and the predetermined geo-fenced region is determined based upon on the speed or the direction of travel of the mobile device, or the location of the mobile device.