ADDING GEO-FENCES BASED ON TIME

• US 20140248910A1
• Filed: 03/04/2013
• Published: 09/04/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Dave, Swapnil R., Rao, Kaustubh M.
• Granted Patent: US 9,215,559 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/456.3
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• 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 4/023 using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/024 Guidance services

Abstract

A user can create geo-fences by providing a first identifier, e.g., a name of a store or a category of merchandise, and a location-based function that is triggered when the user'"'"'s mobile device crosses a boundary of a geo-fence. An elapsed time that the geo-fences are not triggered can be monitored. If the elapsed time exceeds a threshold, additional geo-fences can be added based on a second identifier that is associated with the additional geo-fences. Whether the elapsed time is going to exceed the threshold can be predicted, and the additional geo-fences added at the time of the prediction, which may be before the elapsed time actually exceeds the threshold. Additionally, the user can be prompted regarding adding additional geo-fences before or after the elapsed time might exceed the threshold.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, at a first device from a user, a first request to establish one or more first geographical areas for a mobile device for triggering a location-based function, the first request including a first identifier that identifies a first set of one or more locations for establishing the one or more first geographical areas;

identifying a start time for establishing the one or more first geographical areas;

monitoring a location of the mobile device to identify whether one of the first geographical areas is triggered by the mobile device crossing a boundary of one of the first geographical areas;

monitoring an elapsed time relative to the start time where none of the first geographical areas are triggered;

when the elapsed time exceeds a threshold, establishing one or more additional geographical areas based on a second identifier that identifies a second set of locations not in the first set of locations; and

monitoring the location of the mobile device to identify whether one of the first geographical areas or one of the additional geographical areas is triggered by the mobile device crossing a boundary of one of the first geographical areas or one of the additional geographical areas.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

predicting whether the elapsed time will reach the threshold before any one of the first geographical areas are triggered; and

if the prediction indicates that the elapsed time will reach the threshold before any one of the first geographical areas are triggered, establishing the one or more additional geographic areas before the elapsed reaches the threshold.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein monitoring the elapsed time includes:

receiving a route to be traveled by the mobile device;

comparing the route to the one or more first geographical areas to determine whether the mobile device will trigger a first geographical area before the elapsed time exceeds the threshold,

wherein the one or more additional geographical areas are established in response to a determination that the mobile device will not trigger a first geographical area before the elapsed time exceeds the threshold.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

comparing the route to the second set of locations to identify locations within a threshold distance of the route, wherein the additional geographical areas are established for the identified locations.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

determining whether any one of the additional geographical areas for the identified locations will be triggered along the route before any one of the first geographical areas; and

establishing the additional geographical areas for the identified locations that will be triggered along the route before any one of the first geographical areas

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

notifying the user that the elapsed time exceeds the threshold; and

prompting the user as to whether the additional geographical areas are to be established.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the one or more additional geographical areas are established in response to an affirmative indication from the user.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

selecting the second identifier based on the first identifier.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the location-based function is an alert provided to the user when a geographical area is triggered

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the second identifier identifies both the second set of locations and the first set of locations.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the first device is the mobile device.

12. A method comprising:

receiving, at a first device from a user, a first request to establish one or more first geographical areas for a mobile device for triggering a location-based function, the first request including a first identifier that identifies a first set of one or more locations for establishing the one or more first geographical areas;

prompting the user regarding adding geographical areas;

receiving one or more second identifiers that identify a second set of locations not in the first set of locations;

establishing one or more additional geographical areas based on the one or more second identifiers; and

monitoring the location of the mobile device to identify whether one of the first geographical areas or one of the additional geographical areas is triggered by the mobile device crossing a boundary of one of the first geographical areas or one of the additional geographical areas.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the prompt regarding adding geographical areas informs the user that the first set of one or more locations has been expanded.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the one or more additional geographical are established only if a response from the user indicates that other geographical areas are to be added.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the one or more second identifiers identify both the second set of locations and the first set of locations.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the one or more second identifiers are received from the user.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the prompt includes a list of one or more additional identifiers.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

receiving, from the user, a selection of the one or more second identifier from the list.

19. A computer product comprising a non-transitory computer readable medium storing a plurality of instructions that when executed control a computer system, the instructions comprising:

receiving, from a user, a first request to establish one or more first geographical areas for a mobile device for triggering a location-based function, the first request including a first identifier that identifies a first set of one or more locations for establishing the one or more first geographical areas;

identifying a start time for establishing the one or more first geographical areas;

monitoring a location of the mobile device to identify whether one of the first geographical areas is triggered by the mobile device crossing a boundary of one of the first geographical areas;

monitoring an elapsed time relative to the start time where none of the first geographical areas are triggered;

when the elapsed time exceeds a threshold, establishing one or more additional geographical areas based on a second identifier that identifies a second set of locations not in the first set of locations; and

monitoring the location of the mobile device to identify whether one of the first geographical areas or one of the additional geographical areas is triggered by the mobile device crossing a boundary of one of the first geographical areas or one of the additional geographical areas.

20. The computer product of claim 19, further comprising:

predicting whether the elapsed time will reach the threshold before any one of the first geographical areas are triggered; and

if the prediction indicates that the elapsed time will reach the threshold before any one of the first geographical areas are triggered, establishing the one or more additional geographic areas before the elapsed reaches the threshold.

21. The computer product of claim 19, further comprising:

notifying the user that the elapsed time exceeds the threshold; and

prompting the user as to whether the additional geographical areas are to be established.

22. The computer product of claim 19, wherein monitoring the elapsed time includes:

receiving a route to be traveled by the mobile device;

comparing the route to the one or more first geographical areas to determine whether the mobile device will trigger a first geographical area before the elapsed time exceeds the threshold,

wherein the one or more additional geographical areas are established in response to a determination that the mobile device will not trigger a first geographical area before the elapsed time exceeds the threshold.