CATEGORY-BASED FENCE
First Claim
1. A method comprising:
- receiving, by a mobile device, an application program, the application program being configured to activate upon entering a category-based fence, the category-based fence corresponding to a signal source group including a plurality of signal sources and being associated with an identifier of the signal source group, wherein the category-based fence is distributed in a plurality of discrete geographic locations, each discrete geographic location corresponding to one or more of the signal sources, each of the signal sources being configured to broadcast the identifier;
registering the identifier for monitoring by the mobile device;
detecting, by the mobile device, a signal from a signal source, the signal including a signal source identifier that matches the registered identifier;
determining, based on the match, that the mobile device has entered one of the discrete geographic locations of the category-based fence; and
activating the application program upon the determining.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
Techniques of category-based fence are described. A category-based fence can correspond to a group of signal sources instead of a point location fixed to latitude and longitude coordinates. The group of signal sources can represent a category of entities, e.g., a particular business chain. The signal sources can be distributed to multiple discrete locations. A category-based fence associated with the group, accordingly, can correspond to multiple locations instead of a single point location and a radius. Each signal source in the group can be associated with a category identifier unique to the group and uniform among signal sources in the group. The category identifier can be programmed into each signal source. A mobile device can enter the category-based fence by entering any of the discrete locations when the mobile device detects the signal identifier. The mobile device can then execute an application program associated with the category-based fence.
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Citations
30 Claims
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1. A method comprising:
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receiving, by a mobile device, an application program, the application program being configured to activate upon entering a category-based fence, the category-based fence corresponding to a signal source group including a plurality of signal sources and being associated with an identifier of the signal source group, wherein the category-based fence is distributed in a plurality of discrete geographic locations, each discrete geographic location corresponding to one or more of the signal sources, each of the signal sources being configured to broadcast the identifier; registering the identifier for monitoring by the mobile device; detecting, by the mobile device, a signal from a signal source, the signal including a signal source identifier that matches the registered identifier; determining, based on the match, that the mobile device has entered one of the discrete geographic locations of the category-based fence; and activating the application program upon the determining. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A method, comprising:
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associating, by a system comprising one or more processors, a unique identifier with an application program, the unique identifier representing a category-based fence, the application program configured to be activated on a mobile device when the mobile device enters the category-based fence; causing a representation of the unique identifier to be stored on multiple signal sources; defining the category-based fence using a plurality of discrete locations, including causing the signal sources to be distributed to the discrete locations, wherein a designated communication range of a first signal source located at a first location does not reach a second location where a second signal source is located; and causing the mobile device to activate the application program when the mobile device detects the unique identifier at any of the discrete locations. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9)
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10. A method comprising:
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determining, by a mobile device, an estimated location of the mobile device, the estimated location comprising a geographic area; determining a point of interest database based on the geographic area and a category identifier, the category identifier being associated with a group of signal sources, each signal source having a signal source identifier and being placed at a discrete location within the geographic area, wherein the point of interest database stores the signal source identifiers of signal sources in the group; detecting a signal source identifier by scanning a plurality of communication channels; determining that at least a portion of the detected signal source identifier matches one of the signal source identifiers stored in the point-of-interest database; and activating an application program associated with the category identifier based on the match. - View Dependent Claims (11)
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12. A system comprising:
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a mobile device; and a storage device coupled to the mobile device, the storage device storing computer instructions operable to cause the mobile device to perform operations comprising; receiving an application program, the application program being configured to activate upon entering a category-based fence, the category-based fence corresponding to a signal source group including a plurality of signal sources and being associated with an identifier of the signal source group, wherein the category-based fence is distributed in a plurality of discrete geographic locations, each discrete geographic location corresponding to one or more of the signal sources, each of the signal sources being configured to broadcast the identifier; registering the identifier for monitoring; detecting a signal from a signal source, the signal including a signal source identifier that matches the registered identifier; determining, based on the match, that the mobile device has entered one of the discrete geographic locations of the category-based fence; and activating the application program upon the determining. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A system comprising:
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one or more processors; and a storage device coupled to the one or more processors, the storage device storing computer instructions operable to cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising; associating a unique identifier with an application program, the unique identifier representing a category-based fence, the application program configured to be activated on a mobile device when the mobile device enters the category-based fence; causing a representation of the unique identifier to be stored on multiple signal sources; defining the category-based fence using a plurality of discrete locations, including causing the signal sources to be distributed to the discrete locations, wherein a designated communication range of a first signal source located at a first location does not reach a second location where a second signal source is located; and causing the mobile device to activate the application program when the mobile device detects the unique identifier at any of the discrete locations. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19)
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20. A system comprising:
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a mobile device; and a storage device coupled to the mobile device, the storage device storing computer instructions operable to cause the mobile device to perform operations comprising; determining an estimated location of the mobile device, the estimated location comprising a geographic area; determining a point of interest database based on the geographic area and a category identifier, the category identifier being associated with a group of signal sources, each signal source having a signal source identifier and being placed at a discrete location within the geographic area, wherein the point of interest database stores the signal source identifiers of signal sources in the group; detecting a signal source identifier by scanning a plurality of communication channels; determining that at least a portion of the detected signal source identifier matches one of the signal source identifiers stored in the point-of-interest database; and activating an application program associated with the category identifier based on the match. - View Dependent Claims (21)
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22. A non-transitory storage device coupled to a mobile device, the non-transitory storage device storing computer instructions operable to cause the mobile device to perform operations comprising:
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receiving an application program, the application program being configured to activate upon entering a category-based fence, the category-based fence corresponding to a signal source group including a plurality of signal sources and being associated with an identifier of the signal source group, wherein the category-based fence is distributed in a plurality of discrete geographic locations, each discrete geographic location corresponding to one or more of the signal sources, each of the signal sources being configured to broadcast the identifier; registering the identifier for monitoring by the mobile device; detecting a signal from a signal source, the signal including a signal source identifier that matches the registered identifier; determining, based on the match, that the mobile device has entered one of the discrete geographic locations of the category-based fence; and activating the application program upon the determining. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25)
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26. A non-transitory storage device coupled to a system including one or more processors, the non-transitory storage device storing computer instructions operable to cause the system to perform operations comprising:
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associating a unique identifier with an application program, the unique identifier representing a category-based fence, the application program configured to be activated on a mobile device when the mobile device enters the category-based fence; causing a representation of the unique identifier to be stored on multiple signal sources; defining the category-based fence using a plurality of discrete locations, including causing the signal sources to be distributed to the discrete locations, wherein a designated communication range of a first signal source located at a first location does not reach a second location where a second signal source is located; and causing the mobile device to activate the application program when the mobile device detects the unique identifier at any of the discrete locations. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28)
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29. A non-transitory storage device coupled to a mobile device, the non-transitory storage device storing computer instructions operable to cause the mobile device to perform operations comprising:
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determining an estimated location of the mobile device, the estimated location comprising a geographic area; determining a point of interest database based on the geographic area and a category identifier, the category identifier being associated with a group of signal sources, each signal source having a signal source identifier and being placed at a discrete location within the geographic area, wherein the point of interest database stores the signal source identifiers of signal sources in the group; detecting a signal source identifier by scanning a plurality of communication channels; determining that at least a portion of the detected signal source identifier matches one of the signal source identifiers stored in the point-of-interest database; and activating an application program associated with the category identifier based on the match. - View Dependent Claims (30)
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Specification