Safe Zones in Tracking Device Environments

• US 20200027332A1
• Filed: 09/27/2019
• Published: 01/23/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TILE, INC. (Life360 Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: TILE, INC. (Life360 Incorporated)
• Inventors: Doxey, Robert, Puppala, Arunkumar, Patterson, Wayne
• Granted Patent: US 10,643,453 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0252 System arrangements wherein the child unit emits, i.e. the child unit incorporates the emitter
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0261 System arrangements wherein the object is to detect trespassing over a fixed physical boundary, e.g. the end of a garden
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0269 System arrangements wherein the object is to detect the exact location of child or item using a navigation satellite system, e.g. GPS
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0288 Attachment of child unit to child/article
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/24 Reminder alarms, e.g. anti-loss alarms
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/08 using communication transmission lines G08B13/19658, G08B21/0286, G08B25/016 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

A tracking system determines if a tracking device is located within a safe zone based on whether a set of safe conditions are satisfied. The set of safe conditions includes a geographic boundary or a geographic location and corresponding threshold distance. The set of safe conditions can also include a time window during which a safe zone is active. When a tracking device is within a safe zone (e.g., geographically and temporally), the tracking device is determined to be safe, and notifications associated with the tracking device can be minimized. The safe zones may be user-selected, user-defined, or determined based on data analytics. If a set of safe conditions are not satisfied, the tracking system generates and sends a notification to the user of the tracking device indicating that the tracking device may be lost.

Claims

1. A method for locating a tracking device of a user, comprising:

receiving, by a tracking system from a first mobile device, a location of the tracking device configured to operate in a normal operating mode;

determining, by the tracking system, a set of safe zone boundaries based on one or more safe zone criteria, the safe zone boundaries defining a safe zone; and

in response to determining that the received location of the tracking device is within the safe zone boundaries, configuring the tracking device to operate in a safe zone operating mode.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the safe zone boundaries are defined based on a history of behavior of the tracking device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the safe zone boundaries are associated with a time interval, and wherein the tracking device is configured to operate in the safe zone operating mode additionally in response to the tracking device being located within the safe zone boundaries during the time interval.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the safe zone boundaries are defined by a threshold distance from a geographic location.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the safe zone boundaries are based on a location of another tracking device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the safe zone boundaries are defined by a user of the tracking device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the safe zone boundaries are defined without input from a user of the tracking device.

8. A tracking system for locating a tracking device of a user, comprising:

a processor; and

a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing executing instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to perform steps comprising;

receiving, from a first mobile device, a location of the tracking device configured to operate in a normal operating mode;

determining a set of safe zone boundaries based on one or more safe zone criteria, the safe zone boundaries defining a safe zone; and

in response to determining that the received location of the tracking device is within the safe zone boundaries, configuring the tracking device to operate in a safe zone operating mode.

9. The tracking system of claim 8, wherein the safe zone boundaries are defined based on a history of behavior of the tracking device.

10. The tracking system of claim 8, wherein the safe zone boundaries are associated with a time interval, and wherein the tracking device is configured to operate in the safe zone operating mode additionally in response to the tracking device being located within the safe zone boundaries during the time interval.

11. The tracking system of claim 8, wherein the safe zone boundaries are defined by a threshold distance from a geographic location.

12. The tracking system of claim 8, wherein the safe zone boundaries are based on a location of another tracking device.

13. The tracking system of claim 8, wherein the safe zone boundaries are defined by a user of the tracking device.

14. The tracking system of claim 8, wherein the safe zone boundaries are defined without input from a user of the tracking device.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing executable computer instructions that, when executed by a hardware processor of a tracking system, cause the hardware processor to perform steps, comprising:

receiving, by a tracking system from a first mobile device, a location of the tracking device configured to operate in a normal operating mode;

determining, by the tracking system, a set of safe zone boundaries based on one or more safe zone criteria, the safe zone boundaries defining a safe zone; and

in response to determining that the received location of the tracking device is within the safe zone boundaries, configuring the tracking device to operate in a safe zone operating mode.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the safe zone boundaries are defined based on a history of behavior of the tracking device.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the safe zone boundaries are associated with a time interval, and wherein the tracking device is configured to operate in the safe zone operating mode additionally in response to the tracking device being located within the safe zone boundaries during the time interval.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the safe zone boundaries are defined by a threshold distance from a geographic location.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the safe zone boundaries are based on a location of another tracking device.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the safe zone boundaries are defined by a user of the tracking device.