Method and Apparatus for Dynamic Position Reporting Rate Determination

• US 20160247330A1
• Filed: 02/20/2015
• Published: 08/25/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/20/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Rork, Joseph Paul, Bullister, Kevin Michael, Zechel, Kelly Lee
• Granted Patent: US 9,578,455 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/207 with respect to certain areas, e.g. forbidden or allowed areas with possible alerting when inside or outside boundaries
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences

Abstract

A system includes a processor configured to receive a geo-fence definition defining a geographic perimeter or point. The processor is also configured to receive a vehicle location. Further, the processor is configured to determine a distance from the vehicle location to a most proximate geo-fence point and determine a reporting-rate that varies based on proximity to the geo-fence. The processor is also configured to report a vehicle location at intervals defined by the reporting-rate.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a processor configured to;

receive a geo-fence definition defining a geographic perimeter or point;

receive a vehicle location;

determine a distance from the vehicle location to the geo-fence;

determine a variable reporting rate that varies based on the distance to the geo-fence; and

report a vehicle location at intervals defined by the variable reporting rate.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the variable reporting rate varies inversely with the distance to the geo-fence.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to receive a plurality of geo-fence definitions for a plurality of geo-fences.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the processor is configured to determine a single variable reporting rate based on a closest one of the plurality of geo-fences;

and to report a vehicle proximity to each geo-fence at intervals defined by the single variable reporting-rate.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein the processor is configured to determine individual variable reporting rates for each geo-fence and to report a vehicle proximity to each geo-fence at intervals defined by the individual variable reporting rates for each geo-fence.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to determine the variable reporting rate based on a user-defined variable reporting rate corresponding to a present distance from the closest geo-fence point.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein reporting the vehicle location includes reporting a distance to the closest geo-fence point.

8. A computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving a vehicle location and heading;

receiving a geo-fence definition;

determining if the vehicle is traveling towards the geo-fence based on the heading;

determining, via a computer, a variable reporting rate based on vehicle proximity to the geo-fence when the vehicle is traveling towards the geo-fence, and based on a standard reporting rate otherwise; and

reporting a vehicle location at intervals defined by the variable or standard reporting rate based on vehicle heading.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the determining a variable reporting rate based on the vehicle proximity to the geo-fence includes varying the reporting rate inversely with the vehicle proximity to the geo-fence.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein determining if the vehicle is traveling towards the geo-fence includes determining if a heading defined by an arc in front of the vehicle indicates travel towards any point of the geo-fence.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising receiving a present road indicator, and determining if the vehicle is traveling towards the geo-fence based on the present road indicator and the vehicle heading.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the standard reporting rate is a user-defined rate.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the reporting rate based on the vehicle proximity to the geo-fence is user defined and varies at discrete intervals from the geo-fence.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the discrete intervals are based on distance from the geo-fence.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the discrete intervals are based on projected travel time to the geo-fence.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the projected travel time is based on a vehicle speed and a distance to the geo-fence.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the projected travel time is based on a road speed limit and a distance to the geo-fence.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the reporting includes reporting the vehicle proximity to the geo-fence.

19. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, storing instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform a method comprising:

receiving a geo-fence definition;

receiving a vehicle route;

defining a plurality of reporting-rate changes along the route, at defined points along the route, based on proximity of each defined point to the geo-fence;

varying a variable reporting rate as a vehicle reaches each of the defined points, based on the reporting-rate change defined for each point; and

reporting a vehicle location at intervals based on the variable reporting rate.

20. The storage medium of claim 19, wherein the method further includes:

determining if a vehicle has gone off-route; and

while the vehicle is off-route, utilizing a reporting rate varying based on a vehicle proximity to the geo-fence.