Method and apparatus for determining a probability for a geo-fence

• US 9,119,034 B2
• Filed: 11/21/2013
• Issued: 08/25/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/2013
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Meredith, Sheldon Kent, Fix, Jeremy, Kosseifi, Mario
• Primary Examiner(s): TRAN, CONGVAN
• Application Number:
  US14/086,941
• Publication Number:
  US 20150141038A1
• Time in Patent Office: 642 Days
• Field of Search: 455/456.1, 455/456.2, 455/456.3, 455/456.5, 455/456.6, 455/404.2, 340/539.13
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/02 Processing of mobility data, e.g. registration information at HLR [Home Location Register] or VLR [Visitor Location Register]; Transfer of mobility data, e.g. between HLR, VLR or external networks

Abstract

A method, computer-readable storage device, and an apparatus for determining a probability for a particular geo-fence in a wireless network are disclosed. For example, the method receives a mobile identification, a location record, and an accuracy level, identifies a bin in a database of record, identifies one or more geo-fences in which the bin is located, identifies one or more geo-fences that are pre-associated with the mobile user endpoint device, determines an intersection of: the one or more geo-fences that are identified as being pre-associated with the user endpoint device, and the one or more geo-fences that are identified as being geo-fences in which the bin is located, and determines for each particular geo-fence in the intersection, the probability of being in the particular geo-fence, wherein the probability of being in the particular geo-fence is determined in accordance with the accuracy level associated with the location record.

Claims

1. A method for determining a probability for a particular geo-fence in a wireless network, comprising:

receiving, via a processor, a mobile identification for a mobile user endpoint device, a location record for the mobile user endpoint device, and an accuracy level associated with the location record of the mobile user endpoint device;

identifying, via the processor, a bin in a database of record, using the location record that is received for the mobile user endpoint device;

identifying, via the processor, one or more geo-fences in which the bin is located using the bin that is identified as an index;

identifying, via the processor, one or more geo-fences that are pre-associated with the mobile user endpoint device, using the mobile identification;

determining, via the processor, an intersection of;

the one or more geo-fences that are identified as being pre-associated with the user endpoint device, and the one or more geo-fences that are identified as being geo-fences in which the bin is located; and

determining, via the processor, for each particular geo-fence in the intersection that is determined, the probability of being in the particular geo-fence, wherein the probability of being in the particular geo-fence is determined in accordance with the accuracy level associated with the location record of the mobile user endpoint device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing to a user, for each particular geo-fence in the intersection that is determined, the probability of being in the particular geo-fence.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

recommending an action to be taken when the probability of being in the particular geo-fence is below a pre-determined threshold, wherein the action comprises notifying an operations personnel.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the location record that is received for the mobile user endpoint device comprises a latitudinal and a longitudinal coordinate of the mobile user endpoint device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile identification comprises an international mobile subscriber identity of the mobile user endpoint device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the probability of being in the particular geo-fence is determined by retrieving from the database in accordance with the accuracy level associated with the location record of the mobile user endpoint device.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the retrieving from the database is performed in near real time, wherein the probability of being in the particular geo-fence is pre-computed and stored in the database.

8. A computer-readable storage device storing a plurality of instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations for determining a probability for a particular geo-fence in a wireless network, the operations comprising:

receiving a mobile identification for a mobile user endpoint device, a location record for the mobile user endpoint device, and an accuracy level associated with the location record of the mobile user endpoint device;

identifying a bin in a database of record, using the location record that is received for the mobile user endpoint device;

identifying one or more geo-fences in which the bin is located using the bin that is identified as an index;

identifying one or more geo-fences that are pre-associated with the mobile user endpoint device, using the mobile identification;

determining an intersection of;

the one or more geo-fences that are identified as being pre-associated with the user endpoint device, and the one or more geo-fences that are identified as being geo-fences in which the bin is located; and

determining for each particular geo-fence in the intersection that is determined, the probability of being in the particular geo-fence, wherein the probability of being in the particular geo-fence is determined in accordance with the accuracy level associated with the location record of the mobile user endpoint device.

9. The computer-readable storage device of claim 8, further comprising:

providing to a user, for each particular geo-fence in the intersection that is determined, the probability of being in the particular geo-fence.

10. The computer-readable storage device of claim 8, further comprising:

recommending an action to be taken when the probability of being in the particular geo-fence is below a pre-determined threshold, wherein the action comprises notifying an operations personnel.

11. The computer-readable storage device of claim 8, wherein the location record that is received for the mobile user endpoint device comprises a latitudinal and a longitudinal coordinate of the mobile user endpoint device.

12. The computer-readable storage device of claim 8, wherein the mobile identification comprises an international mobile subscriber identity of the mobile user endpoint device.

13. The computer-readable storage device of claim 8, wherein the probability of being in the particular geo-fence is determined by retrieving from the database in accordance with the accuracy level associated with the location record of the mobile user endpoint device.

14. The computer-readable storage device of claim 13, wherein the retrieving from the database is performed in near real time, wherein the probability of being in the particular geo-fence is pre-computed and stored in the database.

15. An apparatus for determining a probability for a particular geo-fence in a wireless network, comprising:

a processor; and

a computer-readable storage device storing a plurality of instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations, the operations comprising;

receiving a mobile identification for a mobile user endpoint device, a location record for the mobile user endpoint device, and an accuracy level associated with the location record of the mobile user endpoint device;

identifying a bin in a database of record, using the location record that is received for the mobile user endpoint device;

identifying one or more geo-fences in which the bin is located using the bin that is identified as an index;

identifying one or more geo-fences that are pre-associated with the mobile user endpoint device, using the mobile identification;

determining an intersection of;

the one or more geo-fences that are identified as being pre-associated with the user endpoint device, and the one or more geo-fences that are identified as being geo-fences in which the bin is located; and

determining for each particular geo-fence in the intersection that is determined, the probability of being in the particular geo-fence, wherein the probability of being in the particular geo-fence is determined in accordance with the accuracy level associated with the location record of the mobile user endpoint device.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising:

providing to a user, for each particular geo-fence in the intersection that is determined, the probability of being in the particular geo-fence.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising:

recommending an action to be taken when the probability of being in the particular geo-fence is below a pre-determined threshold, wherein the action comprises notifying an operations personnel.

18. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the location record that is received for the mobile user endpoint device comprises a latitudinal and a longitudinal coordinate of the mobile user endpoint device.

19. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the mobile identification comprises an international mobile subscriber identity of the mobile user endpoint device.

20. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the probability of being in the particular geo-fence is determined by retrieving from the database in accordance with the accuracy level associated with the location record of the mobile user endpoint device.