SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR STATISTICAL DYNAMIC GEOFENCING

• US 20140164118A1
• Filed: 12/06/2012
• Published: 06/12/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: eBay Inc.
• Original Assignee: eBay Inc.
• Inventors: Polachi, Neala F.
• Granted Patent: US 10,380,636 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14.57
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0259 based on store location
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0261 based on user location

Abstract

Systems and methods for statistical dynamic geofencing are discussed. For example, a method for statistical dynamic geofencing can include operations such as receiving a location-based campaign request, analyzing demographic data, determining a geofence parameter, generating a geofence, and distributing location-aware advertisements. The location-based campaign request can include a list of points of interest (POIs) and a target demographic parameter. The demographic data can include data from geographic areas surrounding at least a portion of the POIs as well as data related to the target demographic parameter. The geofence can be generated based at least in part on the geofence parameter, where the geofence parameter directly affects either the size or shape of the geofence. The location-aware advertisements are distributed to a plurality of mobile devices determined to be within the geofence.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, on an advertising server using one or more processors, a location-based campaign request including a list of points of interest (POIs) and a target demographic parameter;

analyzing, using the one or more processors, demographic data in geographic areas surrounding at least a portion of the POIs in the list of POIs, the demographic data including data related to the target demographic parameter;

determining a geofence parameter based on the analyzing the demographic data related to the target demographic parameter;

generating a geofence around a POI in the list of POIs based at least in part on the location-based campaign request, wherein a size or a shape of the geofence is based at least in part on the geofence parameter; and

distributing, over a network from the advertising server, location-aware advertisements to a plurality of mobile devices within the geofence.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, on the advertising server using the one or more processors, campaign result data including demographic data related to users of at least a portion of the plurality of mobile devices within the geofence;

analyzing, using the one or more processors, the campaign result data based on at least the target demographic parameter;

updating, using the one or more processors, the geofence parameter based on results of analyzing the campaign result data; and

updating, using the one or more processors, the geofence based at least in part on the updated geofence parameter.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the distributing the location-aware advertisements includes distributing to a second plurality of mobile devices within the updated geofence.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the updating the geofence includes changing the size of the geofence in response to a change in the geofence parameter based on the analyzing the campaign result data.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the changing the size of the geofence results in a larger predicted number of users with a demographic characteristic matching the target demographic parameter.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein the updating the geofence includes changing the shape of the geofence in response to a change in the geofence parameter.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the analyzing demographic data includes determining that the demographic data related to the target demographic parameter changes during the course of a day;

wherein the determining the geofence parameter includes determining a first geofence parameter representing a first time period during a day and a second geofence parameter during a second time period during the day; and

wherein the generating the geofence around the POI includes updating the size or shape of the geofence during the course of the day based at least in part on the first geofence parameter, the second geofence parameter, the first time period, and the second time period.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining the geofence parameter is based on analyzing the demographic data based on the target demographic parameter, wherein the target demographic parameter is selected from a group of demographic parameters including:

a population density;

a predicted target mobile device density;

a density of competitive points of interest;

a density of individuals with incomes above a predefined threshold;

a density of males;

a density of females; and

a density of individuals within a predefined age range.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving the location-based campaign request includes a plurality of target demographic parameters;

and

wherein determining the geofence parameter is based on analyzing the demographic data based at least in part on the plurality of target demographic parameters.

10. A system comprising:

a server communicatively coupled to a network and including one or more processors, the server adapted to execute;

a communication module configured to,

receive a location-based campaign request including a list of points of interest (POIs) and a target demographic parameter, and

distribute location-aware advertisements to a plurality of mobile devices within a geofence;

a rules engine configured to,

analyze demographic data in geographic areas surrounding at least portion of the POIs in the list of POIs, the demographic data including data related to the target demographic parameter, and

determine a geofence parameter based on the analyzing the demographic data related to the target demographic parameter; and

a generation module configured to generate the geofence around a POI in the list of POIs based at least in part on the location-based campaign request, wherein a size or a shape of the geofence is based at least in part on the geofence parameter.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the server is further adapted to execute a data collection module configured to receive campaign result data including demographic data related to users of at least a portion of the plurality of mobile devices within the geofence;

wherein the rules engine is further configured to,

analyze the campaign result data based on at least the target demographic parameter, and

update the geofence parameter based on results of analyzing the campaign result data; and

wherein the generation module is further configured to update the geofence based at least in part on the updated geofence parameter.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the communication module is configured to distribute the location-aware advertisements to a second plurality of mobile devices within the updated geofence.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the generation module changes the size of the geofence in response to a change in the geofence parameter based on receiving analysis of the campaign result data from the rules engine.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the generation module changing the size of the geofence results in a larger predicted number of users with a demographic characteristic matching the target demographic parameters being included within the geofence.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the generation module changes the shape of the geofence in response to a change in the geofence parameter.

16. The system of claim 10, wherein the rules engine determines that the demographic data related to the target demographic parameter changes over the course of a day, and determines a first geofence parameter representing a first time period during the day and a second geofence parameter during a second time period during the day;

and

wherein the generation module updates the size or the shape of the geofence during the course of the day based at least in part on the first geofence parameter, the second geofence parameter, the first time period, and the second time period.

17. The system of claim 10, wherein the rules engine determines the geofence parameter based on analyzing the demographic data based on the target demographic parameter, wherein the target demographic parameter is selected from a group of demographic parameters including:

a population density;

a predicted target mobile device density;

a density of competitive points of interest;

a density of individuals with incomes above a predefined threshold;

a density of males;

a density of females; and

a density of individuals within a predefined age range.

18. The system of claim 10, wherein the communication module receives a plurality of target demographic parameters;

and

wherein the rules engine determines the geofence parameter based on analyzing the demographic data based at least in part on the plurality of target demographic parameters.

19. A machine-readable storage medium including instructions that, when executed by a machine, cause the machine to:

receive a location-based campaign request including a list of points of interest (POIs) and a target demographic parameter;

analyze demographic data in geographic areas surrounding at least a portion of the POIs in the list of POIs, the demographic data including data related to the target demographic parameter;

determine a geofence parameter based on the analyzing the demographic data related to the target demographic parameter;

generate a geofence around a POI in the list of POIs based at least in part on the location-based campaign request, wherein a size or a shape of the geofence is based at least in part on the geofence parameter; and

distribute, over a network, location-aware advertisements to a plurality of mobile devices determined to be within the geofence.

20. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 19, further including instructions that cause the machine to:

receive campaign result data including demographic data related to users of at least a portion of the plurality of mobile devices that received the location-aware advertisements;

analyze the campaign result data based on at least the target demographic parameter;

update the geofence parameter based on results of analyzing the campaign result data; and

update the geofence based at least in part on the updated geofence parameter.