GEO-FENCING NOTIFICATIONS SUBSCRIPTIONS

• US 20160057572A1
• Filed: 08/20/2014
• Published: 02/25/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/20/2014
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Dole, Daniel, Bojorquez Alfaro, Roberto
• Application Number:
  US14/464,042
• Publication Number:
  US 20160057572A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/02 Protecting privacy or anonymity, e.g. protecting personally identifiable information [PII]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/64 using geofenced areas
• 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 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements

Abstract

Systems and methods disclosed herein may include processing geo-fence related notifications. A current location of a computing device may be determined and a plurality of geo-fences accessible by the computing device may be scanned. Upon detecting the current location is within at least one of the plurality of geo-fences, at least one notification associated with the at least one geo-fence may be acquired. The at least one notification may be displayed at a display of the computing device. The current location may be within a threshold distance of a point of interest, and the at least one notification may provide information about the point of interest. The at least one notification may include a consumer review about the point of interest.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for processing geo-fence related notifications, comprising:

determining a current location of a computing device;

scanning a plurality of geo-fences accessible by the computing device;

upon detecting the current location is within at least one of the plurality of geo-fences, acquiring at least one notification associated with the at least one geo-fence, the at least one notification stored in a user profile of a user posting the at least one notification; and

displaying the at least one notification at a display of the computing device.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein:

the current location is within a threshold distance of a point of interest; and

the at least one notification provides information about the point of interest.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the at least one notification comprises a consumer review about the point of interest.

4. The method according to claim 1, comprising:

automatically providing an alert at the computing device that the acquired at least one notification is available for display.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of geo-fences comprise at least a first portion of public geo-fences that are accessible without user authentication, and at least a second portion of private geo-fences that are accessible upon user authentication.

6. The method according to claim 5, comprising:

providing authentication information authorizing access to the second portion of private geo-fences.

7. The method according to claim 6, comprising:

authorizing access to the user profile based on the authentication information, the user profile associated with the at least one geo-fence and the at least one notification.

8. The method according to claim 1, comprising:

accessing the user profile associated with the at least one geo-fence.

9. The method according to claim 8, comprising:

verifying the computing device has crossed the at least one geo-fence.

10. The method according to claim 9, comprising:

acquiring the at least one notification from the user profile, upon successful verification the computing device has crossed the at least one geo-fence.

11. One or more computer-readable media selected from the group consisting of:

volatile memory, non-volatile memory, magnetic disk storage, magnetic tape storage, CD-ROM, DVD, and Blu-Ray disc, the one or more computer-readable media having instructions stored thereon for executing a method for processing geo-fence related notifications, the stored instructions comprising;

instructions to determine a current location of a computing device;

instructions to scan a plurality of available geo-fences accessible by the computing device;

instructions to, upon detecting the current location is within a threshold distance from at least one of the plurality of geo-fences;

identify a user profile from a plurality of user profiles, the identified user profile associated with the at least one geo-fence, the user profile comprising a plurality of notifications for the at least one geo-fence; and

access at least one notification of the plurality of notifications within the user profile, the at least one notification associated with the at least one geo-fence; and

automatically display the at least one notification upon entry of the at least one geo-fence by the computing device.

12. The one or more computer-readable media according to claim 11, further including:

instructions to provide subscription verification information for verifying a subscription to the user profile associated with the at least one geo-fence.

13. The one or more computer-readable media according to claim 12, wherein the subscription verification information comprises a desired rating and the stored instructions further include:

instructions to verify the user profile is associated with a rating that is at least as high as the desired rating.

14. The one or more computer-readable media according to claim 12, the stored instructions further including:

instructions to verify the subscription to the user profile based on the subscription verification information; and

instructions to receive the at least one notification upon successful verification of the subscription.

15. The one or more computer-readable media according to claim 12, the stored instructions further including instructions to receive the at least one notification upon:

successful verification of the subscription; and

detecting the computing device has entered the at least one geo-fence.

16. The one or more computer-readable media according to claim 11, the stored instructions further including:

instructions to access attribute information associated with the at least one notification.

17. The one or more computer-readable media according to claim 15, wherein the attribute information comprises:

a privacy setting, the privacy setting designating the at least one notification as one of a private notification or a public notification; and

a duration setting designating an expiration date of the at least one notification.

18. One or more computer-readable media selected from the group consisting of:

volatile memory, non-volatile memory, magnetic disk storage, magnetic tape storage, CD-ROM, DVD, and Blu-Ray disc, the one or more computer-readable media having instructions stored thereon for executing a method for processing geo-fence related notifications, the stored instructions comprising;

instructions to generate a notification for a point of interest, wherein the notification comprises one of an audio message, a video message or a text message;

instructions to select a geographic location associated with the point of interest;

instructions to create a geo-fence for the geographic location, the geo-fence encompassing the point of interest;

instructions to designate attribute information for the notification, the attribute information comprising;

a privacy setting, the privacy setting designating the notification as a private notification or a public notification; and

a duration setting designating an expiration date of the notification; and

instructions to store the notification, the attribute information and the geo-fence in a subscription-based user profile, thereby associating the notification with the geo-fence.

19. The one or more computer-readable media according to claim 18, wherein the attribute information further comprises:

a user rating for an owner of the user profile, the user rating associated with at least another notification in connection with at least another geo-fence available for access within the user profile.

20. The one or more computer-readable media according to claim 18, the stored instructions further including:

instructions to receive current location information of a computing device;

instructions to receive subscription verification information for verifying a subscription to the user profile; and

instructions to, upon successful verification of the subscription to the user profile and the current location information is within the geo-fence, provide the notification to the computing device.