Rule-based actions using tracking data

• US 6,795,017 B1
• Filed: 02/28/2003
• Issued: 09/21/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Trimble Navigation Limited (Trimble Inc.)
• Original Assignee: At Road Incorporated
• Inventors: Tiwari, Anil, Nguyen, Kenny Man D., Puranik, Shirish, Nagda, Paresh
• Primary Examiner(s): Phan, Dao
• Application Number:
  US10/377,574
• Time in Patent Office: 571 Days
• Field of Search: 342/357.01, 342/357.06, 342/357.07, 701/213, 701/215
• US Class Current: 342/357.77
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0027 of actual mobile position, i.e. position determined on mobile
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0294 Trajectory determination or predictive filtering, e.g. target tracking or Kalman filtering

Abstract

A mobile device is configured to periodically report its tracking data. A rule set is applied to the tracking data. Based upon the application of the rule set, appropriate actions are taken.

Claims

1. A method, comprising

(a) configuring at least one rule at a server;

(b) downloading from the server to a mobile device a profile, the profile indicating how often the mobile device should report tracking data and the type of tracking data being reported;

(c) generating tracking data at the mobile device through implementation of a location determination method;

(d) uploading tracking data from the mobile device to the server according to the profile; and

(e) applying the at least one rule on the tracking data.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the server applies the at least one rule on the tracking data.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile device applies the at at least one rule on the tracking data.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the location determination method is GPS and the tracking data is GPS data.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the mobile device is a mobile telephone or a PDA.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the tracking data comprise location, velocity, and time.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein step (d) comprises determining if the velocity determined by the mobile device exceeds a maximum velocity threshold.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the tracking data comprise location and an indication of whether the mobile device has determined it has been stationary for a predetermined period of time.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the at least one rule comprises testing whether the mobile device is stationary and whether its location matches a predetermined location.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein step (d) further comprises applying the at least one rule on data that is not tracking data.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the data that is not tracking data is an indication of whether the mobile device has been used to make a purchase.

12. A system, comprising:

a network;

a server coupled to the network, wherein the server is configured to download a profile, the profile indicating how often a mobile device should report tracking data and the type of tracking data being reported; and

a GPS-enabled mobile device configured to periodically upload to the server tracking data according to the profile, wherein the sever is configured to apply at least one rule to the reported GPS data.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the tracking data comprise reported velocities, locations and time.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the at least one rule comprises testing whether a maximum velocity threshold is violated and wherein the server determines whether the reported velocities exceed the maximum velocity threshold.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the network is the Internet.