Geo-Fence Entry and Exit Notification System
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method is provided for determining when a mobile communications device has crossed a geo-fence. The method comprises (a) providing a mobile communications device (209) equipped with an operating system and having a location detection application resident thereon, wherein the mobile communications device is in communication with a server (211) over a network (203), and wherein the server maintains a geo-fence database (213); (b) receiving, from the operating system, a notification that (i) the location of the mobile communications device has changed by an amount that exceeds a predetermined threshold, or (ii) that a period of time has passed; (c) querying the operating system for a data set comprising the general location of the mobile communications device and the corresponding location accuracy; (d) transmitting the data set to the server; and (e) receiving from the server, in response, a set of geo-fences (205) proximal to the general location.
71 Citations
41 Claims
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1-22. -22. (canceled)
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23. A method for determining the location of a mobile communications device with respect to a geo-fence, comprising:
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providing a mobile communications device equipped with an operating system and having a location detection application resident thereon; providing a server which is in communication with the local detection application over a network, and which maintains a geo-fence database; querying the operating system for a first data set comprising the general location of the mobile communications device and the corresponding location accuracy; transmitting the first data set to the server; receiving from the server, in response to the transmission of the first data set, a first set of geo-fences in the proximity of the general location; receiving, from the operating system, a notification that the location of the mobile communications device has changed by an amount that exceeds a predetermined threshold; querying the operating system for a second data set comprising the general location of the mobile communications device and the corresponding location accuracy; transmitting the second data set to the server; receiving from the server, in response to the transmission of the second data set, a second set of geo-fences in the proximity of the general location; if the location defined in the second data set is within a predefined distance of the nearest geo-fence, then (a) using the GPS location detection to obtain a third data set comprising the GPS location of the mobile communications device, (b) comparing the GPS location to the second set of geo-fences, and (c)(i) if the GPS location is not within the predefined distance of the nearest geo-fence, then using the location defined in the second data set as the location of the mobile communications device, (ii) if the GPS location is within a new geo-fence distinct from the geo-fence defined in the second data set, then (1) marking the new geo-fence as having been entered, and (2) sending a message to the server indicating entry of the new geo-fence, (iii) if the GPS location is not within the geo-fence defined in the second data set, then sending a message to the server indicating that the geo-fence defined in the second data set has been exited.
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24. A method for determining when a mobile communications device has crossed a geo-fence, comprising:
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providing a mobile communications device equipped with an operating system and having a location detection application resident thereon, wherein the mobile communications device is in communication with a server over a network, and wherein the server maintains a geo-fence database; receiving, from the operating system, a notification that (a) the location of the mobile communications device has changed by an amount that exceeds a predetermined threshold, or (b) that a period of time has passed; querying the operating system for a data set comprising the general location of the mobile communications device and the corresponding location accuracy; transmitting the data set to the server; receiving from the server, in response to the transmission of the data set, a set of geo-fences proximal to the general location; wherein, if the location defined in the data set is within a predefined distance of the nearest geo-fence in the set of geo-fences, then (a) ascertaining the GPS location of the mobile communications device, and (b) comparing the GPS location to the nearest geo-fence defined by the data set; wherein, if the GPS location is within a geo-fence that was previously not entered, then (a) marking the geo-fence as entered, and (b) sending a message to the server indicating entry of the geo-fence; wherein, if the GPS location is not within the predefined distance of the nearest geo-fence in the first set of geo-fences, then using the location defined in the data set as the location of the mobile communications device; and wherein, if the GPS location is within a new geo-fence distinct from the geo-fence indicated by the data set, then (1) marking the new geo-fence as having been entered, and (2) sending a message to the server indicating entry of the new geo-fence, and (iii) if the GPS location is not within the geo-fence indicated by the data set, then sending a message to the server indicating that the geo-fence defined in the data set has been exited. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39)
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40. A system, comprising:
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a mobile communications device equipped with an operating system and having a location detection application resident thereon; and a server, in communication with the local detection application over a network, which maintains a geo-fence database; wherein the location detection application queries the operating system for a first data set containing the general location of the mobile communications device and the corresponding location accuracy; wherein the location detection application transmits the first data set to the server; wherein the server responds to the transmission of the first data set with a first set of geo-fences in the proximity of the general location; wherein the operating system notifies the location detection application when the mobile communications device has moved beyond a threshold amount; and wherein the location detection application retrieves a second data set containing the current general location of the mobile communications device and the corresponding current location accuracy from the operating system.
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41-44. -44. (canceled)
Specification