MUTABLE GEO-FENCING SYSTEM

• US 20170287006A1
• Filed: 03/30/2017
• Published: 10/05/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Snap, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Snap, Inc.
• Inventors: Azmoodeh, Farnaz, Sellis, Peter, Yang, Jinlin
• Granted Patent: US 11,900,418 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0261 based on user location
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0272 Period of advertisement exposure
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/58 based on statistics of usage or network monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8033 location-dependent, e.g. business or home
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/022 with dynamic range variability
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing

Abstract

In various embodiments, boundaries of geo-fences can be made mutable based on principles described herein. The term “mutable” refers to the ability of a thing (in this case, the boundary of a geo-fence) to change and adjust. In a typical embodiment, a mutable geo-fence system is configured to generate and monitor a geo-fence that encompasses a region, in order to dynamically vary the boundary of the geo-fence based on a number of boundary variables. The term “geo-fence” as used herein describes a virtual perimeter (e.g., a boundary) for a real-world geographic area. A geo-fence could be a radius around a point (e.g., a store), or a set of predefined boundaries. Boundary variables, as used herein, refers to a set of variables utilized by the mutable geo-fence system in determining a location of the boundary of the geo-fence.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving geo-location data that defines a location of interest;

generating a geo-fence based on the geo-location data, the geo-fence having a boundary that encompasses a first region that includes the location of interest;

dividing the first region encompassed by the geo-fence into a set of cells, each cell among the set of cells representing a portion of the first region;

detecting a message from a device located within a cell from among the set of cells that form the first region, the message including media content associated with the location of interest;

calculating a usage metric of the cell based on the message from the device and the media content associated with the location of interest, the usage metric indicating at least a number of messages transmitted from the cell that include the media content associated with the location of interest over a predefined period of time; and

adjusting the boundary of the geo-fence to encompass a second region that includes the location of interest based on the usage metric and a location of the cell within the first region, the second region including the cell from among the set of cells.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

calculating a predicted usage metric of the geo-fence based on at least the usage metric of the cell, and a size of the geo-fence;

receive campaign information that includes a duration and media content;

calculating a value of the geo-fence based on the campaign information and the predicted usage metric; and

assigning the value to the geo-fence.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein the value of the geo-fence includes a value per period of time, wherein the period of time is determined based on the predicted usage metric.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein the value of the geo-fence includes a value per device that is exposed to a campaign defined by the campaign information.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the media content identifies the location of interest.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the media content includes image data, audio data, video data, and media overlays.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the message includes an ephemeral message.

8. A system comprising:

a memory; and

at least one hardware processor couple to the memory and comprising instructions that cause the system to perform operations comprising;

receiving geo-location data that defines a location of interest;

generating a geo-fence based on the geo-location data, the geo-fence having a boundary that encompasses a first region that includes the location of interest;

dividing the first region encompassed by the geo-fence into a set of cells, each cell among the set of cells representing a portion of the first region;

detecting a message from a device located within a cell from among the set of cells that form the first region, the message including media content associated with the location of interest;

calculating a usage metric of the cell based on the message from the device and the media content associated with the location of interest, the usage metric indicating at least a number of messages transmitted from the cell that include the media content associated with the location of interest over a predefined period of time; and

adjusting the boundary of the geo-fence to encompass a second region that includes the location of interest based on the usage metric and a location of the cell within the first region, the second region including the cell from among the set of cells.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the instructions cause the system to perform operations further comprising:

calculating a predicted usage metric of the geo-fence based on at least the usage metric of the cell, and a size of the geo-fence;

receive campaign information that includes a duration and media content;

calculating a value of the geo-fence based on the campaign information and the predicted usage metric; and

assigning the value to the geo-fence.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the value of the geo-fence includes a value per period of time, wherein the period of time is determined based on the predicted usage metric.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the value of the geo-fence includes a value per device that is exposed to a campaign defined by the campaign information.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the media content identifies the location of interest.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein the media content includes image data, audio data, video data, and media overlays.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein the message includes an ephemeral message.

15. A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a machine, cause the machine to perform operations including:

receiving geo-location data that defines a location of interest;

generating a geo-fence based on the geo-location data, the geo-fence having a boundary that encompasses a first region that includes the location of interest;

dividing the first region encompassed by the geo-fence into a set of cells, each cell among the set of cells representing a portion of the first region;

detecting a message from a device located within a cell from among the set of cells that form the first region, the message including media content associated with the location of interest;

calculating a usage metric of the cell based on the message from the device and the media content associated with the location of interest, the usage metric indicating at least a number of messages transmitted from the cell that include the media content associated with the location of interest over a predefined period of time; and

adjusting the boundary of the geo-fence to encompass a second region that includes the location of interest based on the usage metric and a location of the cell within the first region, the second region including the cell from among the set of cells.

16. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 15, further comprising instructions that cause the machine to perform operations further comprising:

calculating a predicted usage metric of the geo-fence based on at least the usage metric of the cell, and a size of the geo-fence;

receive campaign information that includes a duration and media content;

calculating a value of the geo-fence based on the campaign information and the predicted usage metric; and

assigning the value to the geo-fence.

17. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein the value of the geo-fence includes a value per period of time, wherein the period of time is determined based on the predicted usage metric.

18. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein the value of the geo-fence includes a value per device that is exposed to a campaign defined by the campaign information.

19. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the media content identifies the location of interest.

20. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the media content includes image data, audio data, video data, and media overlays.