Tracking device status with respect to other devices and zones of a virtual geo-fence

• US 9,226,150 B2
• Filed: 03/14/2013
• Issued: 12/29/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Li, Hong C., Wouhaybi, Rita H., Shah, Rahul C., Wan, Chieh-Yih, Bogia, Douglas P.
• Primary Examiner(s): DOAN, KIET M
• Application Number:
  US13/830,687
• Publication Number:
  US 20140273921A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,020 Days
• Field of Search: 455/456.1, 455/405, 455/406, 455/456.3, 455/404.1, 455/411, 455/41.2, 370/254, 370/338, 705/14.58, 705/27.12
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/022 with dynamic range variability
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/023 using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/08 User group management

Abstract

Systems and methods may provide for identifying a virtual geo-fence for a plurality of devices. Additionally, a condition may be detected with respect to two or more devices in the plurality of devices, wherein a status determination may be conducted as to whether at least one of the two or more devices has left the virtual geo-fence based on the condition.

Claims

1. An apparatus to manage devices, comprising:

a policy manager to identify a virtual geo-fence for a plurality of devices;

a sensor hub to detect a condition with respect to two or more devices in the plurality of devices, wherein the condition includes at least a proximity of at least one of the two or more devices to at least another of the two or more devices; and

a device manager to conduct a status determination as to whether at least one of the two or more devices has left the virtual geo-fence based on the condition,

wherein at least one of the two or more devices is to be tracked relative to another of the two or more devices to enable one or more automated functions of at least one of the two or more devices, and the sensor hub is to receive a battery life message from at least one of the two or more devices to detect the condition.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the virtual geo-fence is to include a plurality of zones having one or more of a non-persistent zone, a persistent zone and a non-stationary zone.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the non-stationary zone is to be associated with an anchor device in the plurality of devices, and wherein the device manager is to determine that the two or more devices remain together.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the device manager is to conduct a user authentication and share a level of trust with one or more other devices in the non-stationary zone if the user authentication is successful.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the device manager is to initiate an application based on the status determination, and wherein the application includes one or more of a telecommunications application, a takeover application and a data transfer application.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the device manager is to generate one or more alerts based on the status determination, wherein the one or more alerts indicate that at least one of the two or more devices is outside one of the plurality of zones.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the device manager is to place at least one of the two or more devices in a separated mode based on the status determination.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sensor hub is to sense a loss of proximity between the two or more devices to detect the condition.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the policy manager is to define one or more of the plurality of zones based on one or more of user input and historical usage data.

13. The method of claim 1, further including:

conducting a user authentication; and

sharing a level of trust with one or more other devices in the non-stationary zone if the user authentication is successful.

10. A method of managing devices, comprising:

identifying a virtual geo-fence for a plurality of devices;

detecting a condition with respect to two or more devices in the plurality of devices, wherein the condition includes at least a proximity of at least one of the two or more devices to at least another of the two or more devices; and

conducting a status determination as to whether at least one of the two or more devices has left the virtual geo-fence based on the condition,

wherein at least one of the two or more devices is tracked relative to another of the two or more devices to enable one or more automated functions of at least one of the two or more devices, and detecting the condition includes receiving a battery life message from at least one of the two or more devices.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the virtual geo-fence includes a plurality of zones having one or more of a non-persistent zone, a persistent zone and a non-stationary zone.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the non-stationary zone is associated with an anchor device in the plurality of devices, and wherein the method further includes determining that the two or more devices remain together.

14. The method of claim 10, further including initiating an application on at least one of the two or more devices based on the status determination, wherein the application includes one or more of a telecommunications application, a takeover application and a data transfer application.

15. The method of claim 10, further including generating one or more alerts based on the status determination, wherein the one or more alerts indicate that at least one of the two or more devices is outside one of the plurality of zones.

16. The method of claim 10, further including placing at least one of the two or more devices in a separated mode based on the status determination.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein detecting the condition includes sensing a loss of proximity between the two or more devices.

18. The method of claim 10, wherein identifying the virtual geo-fence includes defining one or more of the plurality of zones based on one or more of user input and historical usage data.

19. At least one non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising a set of instructions which, if executed by a computing device, cause the computing device to:

identify a virtual geo-fence for a plurality of devices;

detect a condition with respect to two or more devices in the plurality of devices, wherein the condition includes at least a proximity of at least one of the two or more devices to at least another of the two or more devices; and

conduct a status determination as to whether at least one of the two or more devices has

left the virtual geo-fence based on the condition, wherein at least one of the two or more devices is to be tracked relative to another of the two or more devices to enable one or more automated functions of at least one of the two or more devices, and

wherein the instructions, if executed, cause a computing device to receive a battery life message from at least one of the two or more devices to detect the condition.

20. The at least one medium of claim 19, wherein the virtual geo-fence is to include a plurality of zones having one or more of a non-persistent zone, a persistent zone and a non-stationary zone.

21. The at least one medium of claim 20, wherein the non-stationary zone is to be associated with an anchor device in the plurality of devices, and wherein the instructions, if executed, cause a computing device to determine that the two or more devices remain together.

22. The at least one medium of claim 20, wherein the instructions, if executed, cause a computing device to:

conduct a user authentication; and

share a level of trust with one or more other devices in the non-stationary zone if the user authentication is successful.

23. The at least one medium of claim 19, wherein the instructions, if executed, cause a computing device to initiate an application based on the status determination, and wherein the application includes one or more of a telecommunications application, a takeover application and a data transfer application.

24. The at least one medium of claim 19, wherein the instructions, if executed, cause a computing device to generate one or more alerts based on the status determination, wherein the one or more alerts indicate that at least one of the two or more devices is outside one of the plurality of zones.

25. The at least one medium of claim 19, wherein the instructions, if executed, cause a computing device to place at least one of the two or more devices in a separated mode based on the status determination.

26. The at least one medium of claim 19, wherein the instructions, if executed, cause a computing device to sense a loss of proximity between the two or more devices to detect the condition.

27. The at least one medium of claim 19, wherein the instructions, if executed, cause a computing device to define one or more of the plurality of zones based on one or more of user input and historical usage data.