METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR IMPROVED GEOFENCING BACKGROUND

• US 20150281886A1
• Filed: 03/27/2014
• Published: 10/01/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2014
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Steiner, Itai
• Application Number:
  US14/227,070
• Publication Number:
  US 20150281886A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences

Abstract

The disclosure generally relates to a method and apparatus for determining a coarse geofence of a mobile device. An exemplary method includes: identifying, at the device, a first perimeter for the location, the first perimeter enclosed by a geofence region; identifying a second perimeter for the location, the second perimeter enclosing the geofence regions; and determining if the device is one of an inside the first perimeter or an outside the second perimeter. The exemplary steps can be implemented as part of a software, a firmware or a dedicated chipset.

Claims

1. An apparatus to detect a coarse geofence location of a mobile device, comprising:

a first module configured to identify a first boundary enclosed by the geofence perimeter and a second boundary enclosing the geofence perimeter;

a second module configured to determine if the mobile device is inside the first boundary or outside the second boundary.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a third module to transmit the coarse geofence location of the mobile device relative to the first boundary and/or the second boundary.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first boundary and the second boundary overlap.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of the first boundary and the second boundary is defined by a respective center coordinates and an area.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first module is further configured to define an inconclusive condition if the mobile device is not inside the first boundary and not outside the second boundary.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein one of the first or the second module is further configured to determine if the mobile device is within the geofence perimeter when the inconclusive conditions exist.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a processor configured to determine the first boundary and the second boundary as geometric areas relevant to the geofence perimeter.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein one of the first or the second module is further configured to notify a server when the mobile device enters or exists one of the first or the second boundaries.

9. A system comprising:

a memory;

a processor;

a radio;

one or more antennas;

a first module to identify a first boundary encompassed by the geofence region and a second boundary encompassing the geofence perimeter;

a second module configured to determine if the mobile device is inside the first boundary or outside the second boundary.

10. The system of claim 9, further comprising a third module to transmit a coarse geofence location of the mobile device relative to the first boundary and/or the second boundary.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the first boundary and the second boundary overlap.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein each of the first boundary and the second boundary is defined by a respective center coordinates and an area.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the first module is further configured to define an inconclusive condition if the mobile device is not inside the first boundary and not outside the second boundary.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein one of the first or the second module is further configured to notify a server when the mobile device enters or exists one of the first boundary or the second boundary.

15. A method to determine a coarse geofence location of a mobile device, the method comprising:

identifying, at the device, a first boundary for the location, the first boundary enclosed by a geofence perimeter;

identifying a second boundary for the location, the second boundary enclosing the geofence perimeter; and

determining if the device is inside the first boundary or outside the second boundary.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the first boundary and the second boundary overlap.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein each of the first boundary and the second boundary is defined by respective center coordinates and an area.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising defining an inconclusive condition if the device is not inside the first boundary and not outside the second boundary.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising determining if the device is within the geofence perimeter when the inconclusive conditions exist.

20. The method of claim 15, further comprising determining the first boundary and the second boundary as geometric areas relevant to the geofence perimeter.

21. The method of claim 15, further comprising notifying a server when the mobile device is either entering or exiting one of the first or the second boundaries.

22. A tangible computer-readable storage device containing a set of instructions to cause a computer to perform a process comprising identifying, at the device, a first boundary for the location, the first boundary enclosed by a geofence perimeter;

identifying a second boundary for the location, the second boundary enclosing the geofence perimeter; and

determining if the device inside the first boundary or an outside the second boundary.

23. The tangible computer-readable storage device of claim 22, wherein the instructions further cause the computer to define an inconclusive condition if the device is not inside the first boundary and not outside the second boundary.

24. The tangible computer-readable storage device of claim 22, wherein the instructions further cause the computer to determine if the device is within a geofence perimeter when the inconclusive conditions exist.

25. The tangible computer-readable storage device of claim 22, wherein the instructions further cause the computer to determine the first boundary and the second boundary as geometric areas relevant to the geofence perimeter.