USE OF GEOFENCES FOR LOCATION-BASED ACTIVATION AND CONTROL OF SERVICES

• US 20150140994A1
• Filed: 07/21/2014
• Published: 05/21/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/03/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kirupa Pushparaj, Mani Partheesh
• Original Assignee: Kirupa Pushparaj, Mani Partheesh
• Inventors: Partheesh, Mani, Pushparaj, Kirupa
• Granted Patent: US 9,674,658 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/420
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2816 Controlling appliance services of a home automation network by calling their functionalities arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station; in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom H04Q9/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2841 Wireless
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/285 Generic home appliances, e.g. refrigerators
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72415 for remote control of appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72457 according to geographic location
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a geofence service that enables various remote control and automatic operations based a user'"'"'s current geographic position as determined by the user'"'"'s mobile device'"'"'s current geographic location. The geofence service enables the user to define one or more geofences based on specific geographic locations. Such geofences may be applied against several geofence applications for remote and automatic control of devices. In one embodiment, the mobile device'"'"'s volume or power control settings are adjusted based on the user'"'"'s location inside or outside a geofence. In one embodiment, temperature setting of a building or house is controlled based on user'"'"'s proximity to a geofence. In one embodiment, electrical appliances within a home are activated and controlled automatically based on user'"'"'s current geographic location.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

establishing a plurality of geofences associated with a temperature setup control action, wherein each of the plurality of geofences has an associated and distinct temperature value or temperature range value, the temperature value or the temperature range value corresponding to a temperature setting in a temperature control device controlled by the temperature setup control action;

determining, based at least in part on a geographic location identifying capability in a user'"'"'s mobile computing device, a user'"'"'s current geographic location;

upon determining that the user is in a first geofence of the plurality of geofences based on the determined current geographic location, setting the temperature control device at a first temperature value or within a first temperature range value, the first temperature value or the first temperature range value corresponding to the first geofence;

determining, based at least in part on the geographic location identifying capability in the user'"'"'s mobile computing device, that the user has moved from the first geofence to a second geofence of the plurality of geofences; and

upon determining that the user has moved to the second geofence, changing the temperature setting in the temperature control device to a second temperature value or a second temperature range value, the second temperature value or the second temperature range value corresponding to the second geofence.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the second geofence is embedded within the first geofence.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein at least two of the plurality of geofences have at least a partial overlap.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein a given geofence corresponds to a given geographic region based on one or more of:

a zip or postal identification information associated with the given geographic region;

a boundary established in a map identifying the given geographic region;

or

a substantially radial perimeter defining the given geographic location with respect to a particular geographic location.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the temperature control device is a temperature thermostat located at a particular geographic location associated with the user, further wherein the user'"'"'s mobile computing device is remote to the particular geographic location, and wherein the temperature setup control action controls the temperature setting of the temperature thermostat based at least in part on the user'"'"'s presence in a given geofence of the plurality of geofences.

6. A method, comprising:

establishing a plurality of virtual geofences, each virtual geofence established based at least in part on a geographic region determined by at least a partial radial boundary about a given geographic location, wherein each of the plurality of geofences is associated with a corresponding distinct action;

determining, based at least in part on a geographic location identifying capability in a user'"'"'s mobile computing device, a user'"'"'s current geographic location;

upon determining that the user is in a first geofence of the plurality of geofences based on the determined current geographic location, causing a first corresponding action to be performed;

determining, based at least in part on the geographic location identifying capability in the user'"'"'s mobile computing device, that the user has moved from the first geofence to a second geofence of the plurality of geofences; and

upon determining that the user has moved to the second geofence, causing a second corresponding action to be performed.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein:

the first corresponding action relates at least in part to a change in a temperature setting from a first temperature value to a second temperature value in a thermostat located in the given geographic location; and

the second corresponding action relates at least in part to a change in the temperature setting from the second temperature value to a third temperature value.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein:

the first corresponding action relates at least in part to a first change in operating status of a first electrical appliance located in the given geographic location; and

the second corresponding action relates at least in part to a second change in operating status of the first electrical appliance located in the given geographic location.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein:

the first corresponding action relates at least in part to a change in operating status of a first electrical appliance located in the given geographic location; and

the second corresponding action relates at least in part to a change in operating status of a second electrical appliance located in the given geographic location.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein each geofence is established by one or more of:

specifying a given distance value from the given geographic location; and

denoting a virtual boundary about the given geographic location in a virtual map that illustrates the given geographic location and geographic regions about the given geographic location.

11. The method of claim 6, wherein the first geofence is substantially concentrically located within the second geofence.

12. A method, comprising:

receiving, in association with a temperature control device located at a given geographic location, an indication of a user moving from a first geofence to a second geofence of a plurality of geofences, wherein each of the plurality of geofences has an associated and distinct temperature value or temperature range value, the temperature value or the temperature range value corresponding to a temperature setting in the temperature control device, and wherein geographic location identifying capabilities in the user'"'"'s device provides Information related to the user'"'"'s current geographic location, the current geographic location used at least in part to determine the user'"'"'s moving from the first geofence to the second geofence;

upon receiving the indication of the user moving from the first geofence to the second geofence, determining a first temperature value or first temperature range value associated with the second geofence; and

in response to the determination, causing the temperature setting in the temperature control device to be adjusted substantially to the first temperature value or within the first temperature range value.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the second geofence is embedded within the first geofence.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein at least two of the plurality of geofences have at least a partial overlap.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein a given geofence corresponds to a given geographic region based on one or more of:

a zip or postal identification information associated with the given geographic region;

a boundary established in a map identifying the given geographic region;

or

a substantially radial perimeter defining the given geographic location with respect to a particular geographic location.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the temperature control device is a temperature thermostat located at a particular geographic location associated with the user, further wherein the user'"'"'s mobile computing device is remote to the particular geographic location, and wherein the temperature setup control action controls the temperature setting of the temperature thermostat based at least in part on the user'"'"'s presence in a given geofence of the plurality of geofences.