Method and apparatus for dynamic position reporting rate determination

• US 9,578,455 B2
• Filed: 02/20/2015
• Issued: 02/21/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 02/20/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Rork, Joseph Paul, Bullister, Kevin Michael, Zechel, Kelly Lee
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Khoi
• Assistant Examiner(s): MOYER, DALE S
• Application Number:
  US14/627,747
• Publication Number:
  US 20160247330A1
• Time in Patent Office: 732 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/207 with respect to certain areas, e.g. forbidden or allowed areas with possible alerting when inside or outside boundaries
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences

Abstract

A system includes a processor configured to receive a geo-fence definition defining a geographic perimeter or point. The processor is also configured to receive a vehicle location. Further, the processor is configured to determine a distance from the vehicle location to a most proximate geo-fence point and determine a reporting-rate that varies based on proximity to the geo-fence. The processor is also configured to report a vehicle location at intervals defined by the reporting-rate.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a processor configured to;

receive a geo-fence definition defining a geographic perimeter;

receive a vehicle location;

determine a distance from the vehicle location to the geo-fence;

determine a variable reporting rate that varies inversely with the distance to the geo-fence; and

report a vehicle location at intervals defined by the variable reporting rate.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to receive a plurality of geo-fence definitions for a plurality of geo-fences.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to determine the variable reporting rate based on a user-defined variable reporting rate corresponding to a present distance from the closest geo-fence point.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein reporting the vehicle location includes reporting a distance to the closest geo-fence point.

5. A computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving a vehicle location and heading;

receiving a geo-fence definition;

determining if the vehicle is traveling towards the geo-fence based on the heading;

determining, via a computer, a variable reporting rate that varies inversely based on vehicle proximity to the geo-fence when the vehicle is traveling towards the geo-fence, and based on a standard reporting rate otherwise; and

reporting a vehicle location at intervals defined by the variable or standard reporting rate based on vehicle heading.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein determining if the vehicle is traveling towards the geo-fence includes determining if a heading defined by an arc in front of the vehicle indicates travel towards any point of the geo-fence.

7. The method of claim 5, further comprising receiving a present road indicator, and determining if the vehicle is traveling towards the geo-fence based on the present road indicator and the vehicle heading.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the standard reporting rate is a user-defined rate.

9. The method of claim 5, wherein the reporting rate based on the vehicle proximity to the geo-fence is user defined and varies at discrete intervals from the geo-fence.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the discrete intervals are based on distance from the geo-fence.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the discrete intervals are based on projected travel time to the geo-fence.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the projected travel time is based on a vehicle speed and a distance to the geo-fence.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the projected travel time is based on a road speed limit and a distance to the geo-fence.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the reporting includes reporting the vehicle proximity to the geo-fence.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, storing instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform a method comprising:

receiving a geo-fence definition;

receiving a vehicle route;

defining a plurality of reporting-rate changes along the route, at defined points along the route, based on proximity of each defined point to the geo-fence;

varying a variable reporting rate as a vehicle reaches each of the defined points, based on the reporting-rate change defined for each point, the changes representing a reporting rate that varies inversely with vehicle proximity to the geo-fence; and

reporting a vehicle location at intervals based on the variable reporting rate.