Geo-Fence Generation and Updating Based on Device Movement Patterns

• US 20130225196A1
• Filed: 02/27/2012
• Published: 08/29/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Michael I. Ingrassia Jr
• Inventors: James, Bryan J., Ingrassia, Michael I. Jr.
• Application Number:
  US13/406,406
• Publication Number:
  US 20130225196A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/456.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/022 with dynamic range variability
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

The disclosed implementations provide a system and method of generating or updating a geo-fence surrounding a geographic region based on movement patterns of a device operating within the geographic region. In some implementations, an anchor location is selected by a user or application. A default geo-fence can be generated to surround a region containing the anchor point. Data points are collected by the device based on sensor data and time stamps collected over a selectable period of time. The system analyzes the data points to generate a geo-fence surrounding a geographic region containing the anchor location (if no default geo-fence is defined) or updates the default geo-fence to encompass more or less of the geographic region.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

determining an anchor location;

monitoring a movement of a mobile device in relation to the anchor location; and

generating or updating a geo-fence surrounding a region containing the anchor location based at least on the monitored movement of the mobile device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein monitoring the movement of the mobile device comprises receiving input indicating the movement of the mobile device, wherein the input is sensor data from one or more sensors onboard the mobile device.

3. The method of claim 2, where the sensor data includes at least one of accelerometer data and location coordinates.

4. The method of claim 3, where the location coordinates include longitude and latitude.

5. The method of claim 1, generating a default geo-fence surrounding the region containing the anchor location.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein monitoring the movement of the mobile device comprises:

collecting a plurality of data points over a period of time, wherein the data points include location coordinates and dwell time; and

generating a movement pattern based on the plurality of data points collected over the period of time.

7. The method of claim 6, where the geo-fence surrounds a geographic region associated with a subset of data points in the plurality of data points that satisfy a threshold associated with the dwell time.

8. The method of claim 7, where the data points are collected within a maximum radius around the anchor location.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising associating the geo-fence with a label.

10. The method of claim 8, where the anchor location is determined from a contact list or address book stored onboard the device or accessible by the device through a network service.

11. A system comprising:

one or more processors;

memory coupled to the one or more processors and configured to store instructions, which, when executed by the one or more processors, causes the processors to perform operations comprising;

determining an anchor location;

monitoring a movement of a mobile device through a plurality of locations in relation to the anchor location, wherein the mobile device was physically present at each of the plurality of locations; and

generating or updating a geo-fence surrounding a region containing the anchor location based at least on the monitored movement of the mobile device and the plurality of locations at the mobile device was physically present.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein monitoring the movement of the mobile device comprises receiving input indicating the movement of the mobile device through the plurality of locations, wherein the input is sensor data from one or more sensors onboard the mobile device.

13. The system of claim 12, where the sensor data includes at least one of accelerometer data and location coordinates.

14. The system of claim 13, where the location coordinates include longitude and latitude.

15. The system of claim 11, generating a default geo-fence surrounding the region containing the anchor location.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein monitoring the movement of the mobile device through the plurality of locations comprises:

collecting a plurality of data points over a period of time, wherein the data points include location coordinates and dwell time; and

generating a movement pattern based on the plurality of data points collected over the period of time.

17. The system of claim 16, where the geo-fence surrounds a geographic region associated with a subset of data points in the plurality of data points that satisfy a threshold associated with the dwell time.

18. The system of claim 17, where the data points are collected within a maximum radius around the anchor location.

19. The system of claim 11, further comprising associating the geo-fence with a label.

20. The system of claim 18, where the anchor location is determined from a contact list or address book stored onboard the device or accessible by the device through a network service.

21. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions executable by data processing apparatus to perform operations comprising:

determining an anchor location;

monitoring a movement of a mobile device in relation to the anchor location; and

generating or updating a geo-fence surrounding a region containing the anchor location based at least on the monitored movement of the mobile device.

22. The medium of claim 21, wherein the movement identifies a plurality of locations at which the mobile device is physically present.

23. The medium of claim 21, wherein generating the geo-fence surrounding the region comprises:

generating a default geo-fence surrounding the region containing the anchor location; and

updating the default geo-fence based at least on the monitored movement of the mobile device.

24. The medium of claim 21, wherein the anchor location is determined from a contact list or address book stored onboard the device or accessible by the device through a network service.

25. The medium of claim 21, wherein monitoring the movement of the mobile device comprises:

collecting a plurality of data points over a period of time, wherein the data points include location coordinates and dwell time; and

generating a movement pattern based on the plurality of data points collected over the period of time.