METHOD, SYSTEM AND APPARATUS FOR DETERMINING GEOFENCE DATA BASED ON ESTIMATED TIME OF ARRIVAL

• US 20140135039A1
• Filed: 01/17/2014
• Published: 05/15/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: SARTIPI, Siamak, BECKETT, Jason Christopher
• Granted Patent: US 9,100,795 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/456.3
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0261 based on user location
• 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 4/027 using movement velocity, acceleration information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

An apparatus, method, and system for determining geofence data based on estimated time of arrival are provided. At a computing device, geofence data is determined, wherein geographic boundaries associated with the geofence data are based on a given estimated time of arrival (ETA) from one of the given location and a current location of a handheld communication device. Given location data associated with the given location is transmitted to the handheld communication device, via a communication interface, when the current location of the handheld communication device and the given location are each within the geographic boundaries such that the handheld communication device is transportable to the given location within the given estimated time of arrival.

Claims

1. A computing device comprising:

a memory;

a communication interface enabled to communicate with a handheld communication device; and

a processor enabled to;

determine geographic boundaries comprising a polygon with sides that extend along roads, the geographic boundaries based on a given estimated time of arrival (ETA) along the roads from one of a given location and a current location of the handheld communication device; and

transmit to the handheld communication device, via the communication interface, given location data, associated with a given location, when the current location of the handheld communication device and the given location are each within the geographic boundaries.

2. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the given ETA is one of:

from the given location to the current location; and

from the current location to the given location.

3. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the memory stores registration data associated with the handheld communication device, and the processor is further enabled to transmit the given location data only when the registration data is indicative that the handheld communication device is registered to receive data associated with the given location.

4. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the given location data comprises offer data associated with the given location.

5. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the processor is further enabled to transmit the given location data in a push operation.

6. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the processor is further enabled to:

receive, via the communication interface, search parameters from the handheld communication device; and

produce the given location data based on the search parameters, the given location data comprising only search results associated with given locations within the geographic boundaries, including the given location, wherein the given ETA is from the current location to the given location.

7. The computing device of claim 6, wherein the search results are sorted according to a respective ETA associated with each of the given locations.

8. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the processor is further enabled to transmit to the handheld communication device, via the communication interface, the given location data in a pull operation.

9. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the geographic boundaries are based on one or more of present traffic conditions, historical traffic conditions, data received from a map server, and data received from a traffic server.

10. A method comprising:

determining, at a computing device in communication with a handheld communication device, geographic boundaries comprising a polygon with sides that extend along roads, the geographic boundaries based on a given estimated time of arrival (ETA) along the roads from one of a given location and a current location of the handheld communication device; and

transmitting to the handheld communication device, via a communication interface at the communication device, given location data, associated with a given location, when the current location of the handheld communication device and the given location are each within the geographic boundaries.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein, wherein the given ETA is one of:

from the given location to the current location; and

from the current location to the given location.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein a memory of the computing device stores registration data associated with the handheld communication device, and the method further comprises transmitting the given location data only when the registration data is indicative that the handheld communication device is registered to receive data associated with the given location.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the given location data comprises offer data associated with the given location.

14. The method of claim 10, further comprising transmitting the given location data in a push operation.

15. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

receiving, via the communication interface, search parameters from the handheld communication device; and

producing the given location data based on the search parameters, the given location data comprising only search results associated with given locations within the geographic boundaries, including the given location, wherein the given ETA is from the current location to the given location.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the search results are sorted according to a respective ETA associated with each of the given locations.

17. The method of claim 10, further comprising transmitting to the handheld communication device, via the communication interface, the given location data in a pull operation.

18. The method of claim 10, wherein the geographic boundaries are based on one or more of present traffic conditions, historical traffic conditions, data received from a map server, and data received from a traffic server.

19. A computer program product, comprising a non-transitory computer usable medium having a computer readable program code adapted to be executed to implement a method comprising:

determining, at a computing device in communication with a handheld communication device, geographic boundaries comprising a polygon with sides that extend along roads, the geographic boundaries based on a given estimated time of arrival (ETA) along the roads from one of a given location and a current location of the handheld communication device; and

transmitting to the handheld communication device, via a communication interface at the communication device, given location data, associated with a given location, when the current location of the handheld communication device and the given location are each within the geographic boundaries.