Method for dynamic creation of a GeoFence in a wireless system

• US 8,536,999 B2
• Filed: 12/15/2008
• Issued: 09/17/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/16/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Holcman, Alejandro R., Aryan, Babak, Steenstra, Jack B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tweel, Jr., John A
• Application Number:
  US12/334,950
• Publication Number:
  US 20100017126A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,737 Days
• Field of Search: 340/539.13, 340/573.3, 342/357.33, 342/357.34, 455/456.1, 701/469
• US Class Current: 340/539.13
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0227 System arrangements with a plurality of child units
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0233 System arrangements with pre-alarms, e.g. when a first distance is exceeded
• 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 21/22 responsive to presence or absence of persons
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences

Abstract

A method and apparatus for creating a dynamic GeoFence area by determining an instant reference point using a first set of pseudorange measurements received by a GeoFence device, defining the dynamic GeoFence area referenced to the instant reference point, determining a position fix using a second set of pseudorange measurements, and comparing the position fix to the dynamic GeoFence area. In one aspect, an alert message based on the comparison results is presented to a user.

Claims

1. A method for creating a dynamic geo-fence area comprising:

determining an instant reference point using a first set of pseudorange measurements received by a geo-fence device;

defining the dynamic geo-fence area referenced to the instant reference point;

determining a position fix using a second set of pseudorange measurements, wherein the second set of pseudorange measurements is obtained by a tracked device separate from the geo-fence device; and

comparing the position fix to the dynamic geo-fence area.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising presenting an alert message.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising activating the geo-fence device to perform the processes recited in claim 1.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the determining the instant reference point and the determining the position fix are performed by a position determining entity.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the defining the dynamic geo-fence area is performed by a position tracking and management entity.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the comparing the position fix to the dynamic geo-fence area is performed by the position tracking and management entity.

7. The method of claim 2 wherein the alert message is presented when the position fix is outside the dynamic geo-fence area.

8. The method of claim 2 wherein the alert message is presented when the position fix is inside the dynamic geo-fence area.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising updating the position fix and comparing the updated position fix to the dynamic geo-fence area.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising waiting a wait time before updating the position fix.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the wait time is a variable time period.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein the wait time is a variable time period dependent upon at least one sensor measurement.

13. The method of claim 1 further comprising updating the instant reference point.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising redefining the dynamic geo-fence area based on the updated instant reference point.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising updating the position fix.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising comparing the updated position fix to the redefined dynamic geo-fence area.

17. A method for creating a dynamic geo-fence area comprising:

determining an instant reference point using a first set of pseudorange measurements received by a geo-fence device;

defining the dynamic geo-fence area referenced to the instant reference point;

determining a position fix using a second set of pseudorange measurements, wherein the second set of pseudorange measurements is obtained by a tracked device separate from the geo-fence device;

comparing the position fix to the dynamic geo-fence area;

updating the position fix after a first wait time;

updating the instant reference point after a second wait time and redefining the dynamic geo-fence area based the updated instant reference point; and

comparing the updated position fix to the redefined dynamic geo-fence area.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the first wait time equals the second wait time.

19. The method of claim 17 wherein an alert message is presented when the position fix is outside the dynamic geo-fence area.

20. The method of claim 17 wherein an alert message is presented when the position fix is inside the dynamic geo-fence area.

21. The method of claim 17 wherein the determining the instant reference point and determining the position fix are performed by a position determining entity.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein the defining the dynamic geo-fence area is performed by a position tracking and management entity.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein the comparing the position fix to the dynamic geo-fence area is performed by the position tracking and management entity.

24. The method of claim 17 further comprising activating the geo-fence device to perform the processes recited in claim 17.

25. A method for monitoring dynamic geo-fence areas comprising:

defining n quantity of dynamic geo-fence areas for n quantity of tracked devices;

monitoring the n quantity of dynamic geo-fence areas to determine overlap between the n quantity of dynamic geo-fence areas; and

presenting an alert message if at least one of the n quantity of dynamic geo-fence areas does overlap with at least one other of the n quantity of dynamic geo-fence area.

26. The method of 25 wherein the defining n quantity of dynamic geo-fence areas is performed by a position tracking and management entity.

27. The method of 26 wherein the monitoring the n quantity of dynamic geo-fence areas is performed by the position tracking and management entity.

28. A geo-fence device comprising:

a hardware unit for receiving a first set of pseudorange measurements;

a processing unit for determining an instant reference point based on the first set of pseudorange measurements, wherein the processing unit further defines a dynamic geo-fence area based on the instant reference point; and

an interface unit for receiving a position fix, wherein the position fix is obtained by a tracked device separate from the geo-fence device, wherein the processing unit compares the position fix to the dynamic geo-fence area.

29. The geo-fence device of claim 28 wherein the processing unit presents an alert message on the basis of the comparing.

30. The geo-fence device of claim 28 further comprising a map application &

interface unit for receiving map information for use in defining the dynamic geo-fence area.

31. The geo-fence device of claim 28 further comprising a database management system for storing one or more of a map data, data associated with the dynamic geo-fence area or the position fix.

32. The geo-fence device of claim 31 further comprising a tracking engine for synthesizing the data associated with the dynamic geo-fence area and the position fix, and for calculating proximity of the position fix to the dynamic geo-fence area.

33. A computer-readable medium including program code stored thereon comprising:

program code to determine an instant reference point using a first set of pseudorange measurements received by a geo-fence device;

program code to define the dynamic geo-fence area referenced to the instant reference point;

program code to determine a position fix using a second set of pseudorange measurements, wherein the second set of pseudorange measurements is obtained by a tracked device separate from the geo-fence device; and

program code to compare the position fix to the dynamic geo-fence area.

34. The computer-readable medium of claim 33 further comprising program code to update the position fix and to compare the updated position fix to the dynamic geo-fence area.

35. The computer-readable medium of claim 33 further comprising program code to update the instant reference point.

36. The computer-readable medium of claim 35 further comprising program code to redefine the dynamic geo-fence area based on the updated instant reference point.

37. The computer-readable medium of claim 36 further comprising program code to update the position fix.

38. The computer-readable medium of claim 37 further comprising program code to compare the updated position fix to the redefined dynamic geo-fence area.

39. An apparatus, comprising:

means for determining an instant reference point using a first set of pseudorange measurements received by a geo-fence device;

means for defining the dynamic geo-fence area referenced to the instant reference point;

means for determining a position fix using a second set of pseudorange measurements, wherein the second set of pseudorange measurements is obtained by a tracked device separate from the geo-fence device; and

means for comparing the position fix to the dynamic geo-fence area.

40. The apparatus of claim 39, further comprising:

means for updating the position fix after a first wait time;

means for updating the instant reference point after a second wait time and redefining the dynamic geo-fence area based the updated instant reference point; and

means for comparing the updated position fix to the redefined dynamic geo-fence area.

41. An apparatus, comprising:

means for defining n quantity of dynamic geo-fence areas for n quantity of tracked devices;

means for monitoring the n quantity of dynamic geo-fence areas to determine overlap between the n quantity of dynamic geo-fence areas; and

means for presenting an alert message if at least one of the n quantity of dynamic geo-fence areas does overlap with at least one other of the n quantity of dynamic geo-fence area.

42. A method for monitoring dynamic geo-fence areas comprising:

defining n quantity of dynamic geo-fence areas for n quantity of tracked devices;

monitoring the n quantity of dynamic geo-fence areas to determine overlap between the n quantity of dynamic geo-fence areas; and

presenting an alert message if at least one of the n quantity of dynamic geo-fence areas does not overlap with at least one other of the n quantity of dynamic geo-fence area.

43. The method of 42 wherein the defining n quantity of dynamic geo-fence areas is performed by a position tracking and management entity.

44. The method of 43 wherein the monitoring the n quantity of dynamic geo-fence areas is performed by the position tracking and management entity.

45. An apparatus, comprising:

means for defining n quantity of dynamic geo-fence areas for n quantity of tracked devices;

means for monitoring the n quantity of dynamic geo-fence areas to determine overlap between the n quantity of dynamic geo-fence areas; and

means for presenting an alert message if at least one of the n quantity of dynamic geo-fence areas does not overlap with at least one other of the n quantity of dynamic geo-fence area.