Monitoring geofence exit

• US 8,626,187 B2
• Filed: 06/03/2011
• Issued: 01/07/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/03/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Grosman, Yefim, Marti, Lukas M., Grainger, Morgan, Mayor, Robert, Huang, Ronald K.
• Primary Examiner(s): CAI, WAYNE HUU
• Application Number:
  US13/152,972
• Publication Number:
  US 20120309409A1
• Time in Patent Office: 949 Days
• Field of Search: 455/404.2, 455/433, 4554561-4566, 455/457, 455/420, 455/421, 455/422.1
• US Class Current: 455/456.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72457 according to geographic location
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/06 including a wireless LAN interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/10 including a GPS signal receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 Discovering, processing access restriction or access information

Abstract

Methods, program products, and systems for monitoring geofence exits using wireless access points are disclosed. In general, in one aspect, a mobile device can detect one or more entry gateways that are wireless access points selected for monitoring a geofence. The mobile device can determine that the mobile device is located in the geofence based on the detection. The mobile device can monitor the entry gateways and one or more exit gateways, which can be wireless access points observable by the mobile device when the mobile device is in the geofence. When the mobile device determines, after a number of scans using a wireless processor, that the entry gateways and exit gateways are unobservable, the mobile device can use an application processor to determine whether the mobile device has exited from the geofence.

Claims

1. A method performed by a mobile device, comprising:

determining that the mobile device is inside of a first geofence defined by a plurality of first wireless access points and a second geofence defined by a plurality of second wireless access points, including determining that the mobile device has detected a signal from at least one of the first wireless access points and at least one of the second wireless access points;

creating a temporary geofence, including designating a current location of the mobile device as a fence location of the temporary geofence, the temporary geofence intersecting both the first geofence and the second geofence;

identifying one or more common gateways for monitoring the temporary geofence, the common gateways including one or more wireless access points observable by the mobile device when the mobile device is located in both of the first geofence and the second geofence;

designating at least one of the identified common gateways as an exit gateway for monitoring an exit from the temporary geofence;

detecting an exit of the mobile device from the temporary geofence, including determining that, for at least a threshold number of scans, the exit gateway is unobservable by the mobile device; and

upon detecting the exit from the temporary geofence, determining that the mobile device exited the first geofence or the second geofence.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining that the mobile device is inside of the first geofence and second geofence comprises:

detecting the signal by a wireless processor of the mobile device.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein detecting the exit of the mobile device from the first geofence or the second geofence comprises:

determining that the exit gateway is unobservable by the wireless processor; and

then

determining that the mobile device exited the first geofence or second geofence using an application processor of the mobile device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the temporary geofence has a pre-specified radius.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the second geofence intersects the first geofence.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the exit gateway is a wireless access point not previously selected for monitoring a geofence but is observable by the mobile device when the mobile device is located at the fence location of the temporary geofence.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein determining that the mobile device exited the first geofence or the second geofence comprises:

determining a new location of the mobile device; and

determining that the mobile device exited the first geofence or the second geofence based on a comparison between the new location and a location of the first geofence or a location of the second geofence.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein detecting that the mobile device exited the first geofence or the second geofence comprises:

determining, based on the comparison, that the mobile device is still located in both the first geofence and the second geofence;

creating a second temporary geofence; and

determining that the mobile device exited the first geofence or the second geofence when the mobile device exits the second temporary geofence.

9. A non-transitory storage device storing computer program product configured to cause a mobile device to perform operations comprising:

determining that the mobile device is inside of a first geofence defined by a plurality of first wireless access points and a second geofence defined by a plurality of second wireless access points, including determining that the mobile device has detected a signal from at least one of the first wireless access points and at least one of the second wireless access points;

creating a temporary geofence, including designating a current location of the mobile device as a fence location of the temporary geofence, the temporary geofence intersecting both the first geofence and the second geofence;

identifying one or more common gateways for monitoring the temporary geofence, the common gateways including one or more wireless access points observable by the mobile device when the mobile device is located in both of the first geofence and the second geofence;

designating at least one of the identified common gateways as an exit gateway for monitoring an exit from the temporary geofence;

detecting an exit of the mobile device from the temporary geofence, including

determining that, for at least a threshold number of scans, the exit gateway is unobservable by the mobile device; and

upon detecting the exit from the temporary geofence, determining that the mobile device exited the first geofence or the second geofence.

10. The non-transitory storage device of claim 9, wherein determining that the mobile device is inside of the first geofence and second geofence comprises:

detecting the signal by a wireless processor of the mobile device.

11. The non-transitory storage device of claim 10, wherein detecting the exit of the mobile device from the first geofence or the second geofence comprises:

determining that the exit gateway is unobservable by the wireless processor; and

then

determining that the mobile device exited the first geofence or second geofence using an application processor of the mobile device.

12. The non-transitory storage device of claim 9, wherein the temporary geofence has a pre-specified radius.

13. The non-transitory storage device of claim 9, wherein the second geofence intersects the first geofence.

14. The non-transitory storage device of claim 9, wherein the exit gateway is a wireless access point not previously selected for monitoring a geofence but is observable by the mobile device when the mobile device is located at the fence location of the temporary geofence.

15. The non-transitory storage device of claim 14, wherein determining that the mobile device exited the first geofence or the second geofence comprises:

determining a new location of the mobile device; and

determining that the mobile device is in the first geofence or the second geofence based on a comparison between the new location and a location of the first geofence or a location of the second geofence.

16. The non-transitory storage device of claim 15, wherein detecting that the mobile device exited the first geofence or the second geofence comprises:

determining, based on the comparison, that the mobile device is still located in both the first geofence and the second geofence;

creating a second temporary geofence; and

determining that the mobile device exited the first geofence or the second geofence when the mobile device exits the second temporary geofence.

17. A system, comprising:

a mobile device; and

a non-transitory storage device storing computer program product configured to cause the mobile device to perform operations comprising;

determining that the mobile device is inside of a geofence defined by a plurality of first wireless access points and a second geofence defined by a plurality of second wireless access points, including determining that the mobile device has detected a signal from at least one of the first wireless access points and at least one of the second wireless access points;

creating a temporary geofence, including designating a current location of the mobile device as a fence location of the temporary geofence, the temporary geofence intersecting both the first geofence and the second geofence;

identifying one or more common gateways for monitoring the temporary geofence, the common gateways including one or more wireless access points observable by the mobile device when the mobile device is located in both of the first geofence and the second geofence;

designating at least one of the identified common gateways as an exit gateway for monitoring an exit from the temporary geofence; and

detecting an exit of the mobile device from the temporary geofence, including;

determining that, for at least a threshold number of scans, the exit gateway is unobservable by the mobile device; and

upon detecting the exit from the temporary geofence, determining that the mobile device exited the first geofence or the second geofence.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein determining that the mobile device is inside of the first geofence and second geofence comprises:

detecting the signal by a wireless processor of the mobile device.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein detecting the exit of the mobile device from the first geofence or the second geofence comprises:

determining that the exit gateway is unobservable by the wireless processor; and

then

determining that the mobile device exited the first geofence or second geofence using an application processor of the mobile device.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein the temporary geofence has a pre-specified radius.

21. The system of claim 17, wherein the second geofence intersects the first geofence.

22. The system of claim 17, wherein the exit gateway is a wireless access point not previously selected for monitoring a geofence but is observable by the mobile device when the mobile device is located at the fence location of the temporary geofence.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein determining that the mobile device exited the first geofence or the second geofence comprises:

determining a new location of the mobile device; and

determining that the mobile device exited the first geofence or the second geofence based on a comparison between the new location and a location of the first geofence or a location of the second geofence.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein detecting that the mobile device exited the first geofence or the second geofence comprises:

determining, based on the comparison, that the mobile device is still located in both the first geofence and the second geofence;

creating a second temporary geofence; and

determining that the mobile device exited the first geofence or the second geofence when the mobile device exits the second temporary geofence.