Geofence system with integrated user interface

• US 20100042940A1
• Filed: 08/14/2008
• Published: 02/18/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/14/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Inventors: Dalcher, Joshua Robert, Monday, Steven Donald
• Application Number:
  US12/222,710
• Publication Number:
  US 20100042940A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/764
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0486 Drag-and-drop
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 29/106 using electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences

Abstract

A geofence system is provided. The geofence system includes a display device and a graphical user interface displayable on the display device. The graphical user interface is configured to display a map corresponding with a geographical area, and provide a graphical representation of a geofence. The graphical representation is overlaid on the displayed map and includes a control portion responsive to an input device configured to adjust an operational aspect of at least a portion of the geofence. The control portion is associated with a location on the map.

Claims

1. A geofence system, comprising:

a display device; and

a graphical user interface displayable on the display device, the graphical user interface configured to;

display a map corresponding with a geographical area; and

provide a graphical representation of a geofence, the graphical representation overlaid on the displayed map and including a control portion responsive to an input device configured to adjust an operational aspect of at least a portion of the geofence, the control portion associated with a location on the map.

2. The geofence system of claim 1, wherein the operational aspect includes at least one of the shape, size, location, and alarm conditions associated with the geofence.

3. The geofence system of claim 1, wherein the control portion includes at least one handle overlaid on the geofence, the at least one handle configured to be selectable and movable by the input device from a first location on the map associated with the handle to a second location on the map.

4. The geofence system of claim 3, wherein the geofence is a first geofence having predetermined shape and size, and the geofence system is configured to generate a second geofence when the handle of the first geofence is selected and moved by the input device from the first location to the second location, and wherein the second geofence has the same shape as that of the first geofence, and a size calculated based on the size of the first geofence, and the first and the second locations of the selected and moved handle.

5. The geofence system of claim 3, wherein the geofence is a first geofence, and the geofence system is configured to generate a second geofence when the handle of the first geofence is selected and moved by the input device from the first location to the second location, and wherein the second geofence has at least one of the shape and size different from that of the first geofence.

6. The geofence system of claim 1, wherein the control portion includes a center point of the geofence, the center point configured to be selectable and movable by the input device from a first location associated with the center point on the map to a second location on the map.

7. The geofence system of claim 6, wherein the geofence is a first geofence, and the geofence system is configured to generate a second geofence when the center point of the first geofence is selected and moved from the first location to the second location, and wherein the second geofence includes a center point at the second location, and has the same shape and size as that of the first geofence.

8. The geofence system of claim 1, wherein the geofence is created from selection of a pre-defined shape from a list of pre-defined shapes, or from a drawing generated by the geofence system responsive to input from a user through the input device.

9. A method of reconfiguring a geofence, comprising:

displaying a graphical representation of the geofence, the graphical representation overlaid on a map associated with an interactive user interface and including a control portion responsive to an input device, the control portion associated with a location on the map;

detecting a user interaction with the control portion of the graphical representation of the geofence; and

adjusting an operational aspect of the geofence based on the detected user interaction with the control portion.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein detecting a user interaction with the control portion includes detecting a user interaction with at least one of a center point of the geofence and a handle of the geofence.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the location on the map associated with the control portion is a first location, and wherein detecting a user interaction with the control portion includes detecting moving the control portion from the first location on the map to a second location on the map.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein adjusting the operational aspect of the geofence includes adjusting at least one of a shape, size, and location of the geofence.

13. A method of reconfiguring a geofence, comprising:

selecting a first geofence to be reconfigured and a control portion of the first geofence, the control portion associated with a first location on a map;

moving the selected control portion of the first geofence from the first location on the map to a second location on the map;

generating a second geofence based on at least one operational aspect of the first geofence; and

displaying the generated second geofence on the map.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the control portion includes a center point of the first geofence, wherein the center point is a first center point and is associated with the first location on the map, and wherein

selecting the first geofence includes selecting the center point of the first geofence;

moving the selected control portion includes moving the selected center point from the first location on the map to the second location on the map; and

generating the second geofence includes generating the second geofence with the same shape and size as that of the first geofence, and with a second center point located at the second location.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the control portion includes a plurality of handles, the method further including operating the plurality of handles simultaneously in a proportional mode, where moving any one of the handles results in a proportional sizing of the first geofence.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the control portion includes a plurality of handles, the method further including operating each one of the handles independently in a non-proportional mode, where moving one selected handle results in an adjustment of a portion of the geofence associated with the selected handle.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the first geofence is created through:

defining a plurality of defining points on the map;

generating a plurality of lines connecting the plurality of defining points to form a closed shape;

generating a plurality of handles on the lines; and

maintaining or modifying the closed shape to form the first geofence.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein

selecting the control portion includes selecting one of the handles, wherein the selected handle is associated with the first location on the map;

moving the selected control portion includes moving the selected handle from the first location on the map to the second location on the map; and

generating the second geofence includes generating the second geofence with at least one of the shape and size different from that of the first geofence.

19. The method of claim 13, wherein the control portion includes a center point and a handle associated with the first geofence, and wherein

selecting the control portion includes selecting the center point and selecting the handle;

moving the control portion includes moving the center point from a first location associated with the center point on the map to a second location associated with the center point on the map, and moving the handle from a first location associated with the handle on the map to a second location associated with the handle on the map; and

generating the second geofence includes generating the second geofence with at least one of the shape and size different from that of the first geofence, and with a center point located at the second location associated with the selected and moved center point.

20. The method of claim 13, wherein the control portion includes a center point and a handle associated with the first geofence, and wherein

selecting the control portion includes selecting the center point and selecting the handle;

moving the control portion includes moving the center point from a first location associated with the center point on the map to a second location associated with the center point on the map, and moving the handle from a first location associated with the handle on the map to a second location associated with the handle on the map; and

generating the second geofence includes generating the second geofence with a size different from that of the first geofence, with the same shape at that of the first geofence, and with a center point located at the second location associated with the selected and moved center point.