Systems and Methods of Intelligent Policy-Based Geo-Fencing

• US 20120284769A1
• Filed: 05/06/2011
• Published: 11/08/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/06/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Toleme, LLC
• Original Assignee: Toleme, LLC
• Inventors: Dixon, Kyle, Vazquez, Fernando
• Application Number:
  US13/102,715
• Publication Number:
  US 20120284769A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/1
• 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 4/20 Services signaling; Auxiliary data signalling, i.e. transmitting data via a non-traffic channel

Abstract

Systems and methods of intelligent policy-based geo-fencing provide the ability to associate a context to a geo-fence using conditions/rules/criteria and attributes retrieved in real-time to offer greater intelligence in determining if an action should be performed. Using policies and attributes uniquely associated with a geo-fence, geo-fence concepts may be enhanced to provide granular and flexible decision-making with regard to spatial awareness. The result of these dynamic decisions may then be mapped to any number of actions to produce alerts, notifications or messages.

Claims

1. A method of policy-based geo-fencing using a server-based geo-fencing system, said method comprising:

receiving an event;

evaluating at least one geo-fencing policy to produce a first result;

mapping said first result to at least one geo-fencing condition policy;

evaluating said at least one geo-fencing condition policy to produce a second result;

mapping said second result to at least one geo-fencing condition result action; and

invoking said at least one geo-fencing condition result action.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein a geo-fence associated with said server-based geo-fencing system is fixed.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein a geo-fence associated with said server-based geo-fencing system is mobile.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said at least one geo-fencing condition result action is selected from the group comprising:

sending an alert, message or notification, modifying a geo-fence, modifying a geo-fencing policy, sending another event to said geo-fencing system, and updating or modifying attributes in at least one storage device.

5. The method of claim 1, said event selected from the group comprising:

an asset-driven event, an attribute-driven event, and an anchor-driven event.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein upon receipt of said event, all qualified geo-fences are evaluated.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said first result is “

in,”

“

out,”

or “

indeterminate.”

8. The method of claim 5, wherein said attribute-driven event includes a change in at least one attribute selected from the group comprising:

time of day, hours worked, weather, DEFCON, and Air Quality Index.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said second result is “

true,”

“

false,”

or “

indeterminate.”

10. The method of claim 1, said method further comprising:

fetching real-time attribute values to be used in said evaluating said at least one geo-fencing condition policy to produce a second result, said real-time attribute values selected from the group comprising;

device attributes, asset attributes, landmark attributes, environment attributes, and geo-fence attributes.

11. The method of claim 1, said server-based geo-fencing system comprising:

at least one server and at least one storage device; and

at least one communication network,

wherein said at least one server receives signals from at least one event device through said at least one communication network.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein said at least one server transmits signals to at least one event device through said at least one communication network.

13. A method of geo-fencing using a server-based geo-fencing system, said method comprising:

invoking at least one geo-fencing condition result action by evaluating at least one geo-fencing policy and at least one geo-fencing condition policy.

14. The method of claim 13, said method further comprising:

mapping the result of evaluating said at least one geo-fencing policy to said at least one geo-fencing condition policy.

15. The method of claim 13, said method further comprising:

mapping the result of evaluating said at least one geo-fencing condition policy to said at least one geo-fencing condition result action.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein said at least one geo-fencing condition result action is selected from the group comprising:

sending an alert, message or notification, modifying a geo-fence, modifying a geo-fencing policy, sending an event, and updating or modifying attributes in at least one storage device.

17. The method of claim 13, said server-based geo-fencing system comprising:

at least one server and at least one storage device; and

at least one communication network,

wherein said at least one server receives signals from at least one event device through said at least one communication network.

18. A method for dynamically connecting assets to one another with a server-based geo-fencing system, said method comprising:

configuring a geo-fencing policy to require each asset within a group to remain within a predefined distance of the other assets within said group;

evaluating said geo-fencing policy and mapping said geo-fencing policy to at least one geo-fencing condition policy;

evaluating said geo-fencing condition policy and mapping said geo-fencing condition policy to at least one geo-fencing condition result action; and

invoking said at least one geo-fencing condition result action.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein each asset within said group is individually identified and evaluated by said server-based geo-fencing system.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein said assets define said group based on the condition that said assets abide by said geo-fencing condition policy.