Automated geo-fence boundary configuration and activation

• US 8,362,887 B2
• Filed: 05/31/2012
• Issued: 01/29/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gordon Howard Associates Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Gordon Howard Associates Incorporated
• Inventors: Morgan, Gerald A., Schwarz, Stanley G.
• Primary Examiner(s): PHAM, TOAN NGOC
• Application Number:
  US13/485,407
• Publication Number:
  US 20120242470A1
• Time in Patent Office: 243 Days
• Field of Search: 340/426.19, 340/426.18, 340/426.1, 340/426.2, 340/426.22, 340/426.36, 340/425.5, 340/5.1, 340/5.2, 340/5.72, 340/5.6, 340/5.61, 340/539.13, 340/988, 340/568.1, 701/201, 701/202, 701/207, 701/213, 342/357.2, 342/357.25
• US Class Current: 340/426.19
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/04 operating on the propulsion system, e.g. engine or drive motor
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/10 actuating a signalling device
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/102 a signal being sent to a remote location, e.g. a radio signal being transmitted to a police station, a security company or the owner
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/33 of global position, e.g. by providing GPS coordinates
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/42 Determining position
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0027 of actual mobile position, i.e. position determined on mobile
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/40 Business processes related to the transportation industry shipping G06Q10/083
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/205 Indicating the location of the monitored vehicles as destination, e.g. accidents, stolen, rental
• 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 4/022 with dynamic range variability

Abstract

A geo-fence is defined and established automatically based on a current location of an asset along with some range or distance, avoiding the need for a user to manually specify a location by drawing a perimeter, specifying a point location, or by any other means. Once established, the geo-fence can be activated so as to notify the owner of the asset and/or some other entity of movement of the asset beyond the boundary specified by the geo-fence. In one embodiment, the geo-fence can be automatically activated upon certain conditions, or can be manually activated, or any combination thereof.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving a signal indicative of activation of geo-fence monitoring;

determining location of a vehicle to create a determined location;

establishing a geo-fence boundary based on the determined location;

activate monitoring of the vehicle within the geo-fence boundary; and

thereafter

issuing an alert if unable to monitor vehicle location.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein issuing the alert further comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of:

a possible geo-fence boundary violation;

tampering with an onboard device; and

disablement of an onboard device.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising, prior to issuing the alert:

receiving a signal that indicates operability of an onboard device coupled to the vehicle, the receiving at an operations center and the signal received periodically over a first period of time;

determining absence of receipt of the signal in a second period of time following the first period of time.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein receiving the signal further comprises periodically receiving data indicative of position of the vehicle.

5. The method of claim 3:

wherein establishing the geo-fence boundary further comprises establishing the geo-fence boundary by the onboard device based on location of the vehicle; and

wherein receiving further comprises receiving data indicative of location of the vehicle relative to the geo-fence boundary.

6. The method of claim 3:

wherein establishing the geo-fence boundary further comprises establishing the geo-fence boundary at the operations center, the establishing based on the determined location; and

wherein receiving further comprises receiving data indicative of location of the vehicle.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein establishing the geo-fence boundary further comprises determining the determined location by receiving signals from at least one GPS satellite.

8. A system comprising:

a processor;

a memory coupled to the processor, the memory storing a program that, when executed by the processor to;

receive a signal indicative of activation of geo-fence monitoring;

determine location of a vehicle to create a determined location;

establish a geo-fence boundary based on the determined location;

activate monitoring of the vehicle within the geo-fence boundary; and

thereafter

issue an alert if unable to monitor vehicle location.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein when the processor issues, the program causes the processor to issue the alert based on at least one selected from the group of:

a possible geo-fence boundary violation;

tampering with an onboard device; and

disablement of an onboard device.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the program causes the processor to, prior to issuing the alert:

receive a signal that indicates operability of an onboard device coupled to the vehicle, the receiving at an operations center and the signal received periodically over a first period of time; and

determine absence of receipt of the signal in a second period of time following the first period of time.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein when the processor receives, the program further causes the processor to periodically receive data indicative of position of the vehicle.

12. The system of claim 10:

wherein when the program establishes, the program further causes the processor to establish the geo-fence boundary by the onboard device based on location of the vehicle; and

wherein when the program receives, the program further causes the processor to receive data indicative of location of the vehicle relative to the geo-fence boundary.

13. The system of claim 10:

wherein when the program establishes, the processor further causes the program to establish the geo-fence boundary at the operations center, the establishing based on the determined location; and

wherein when the program receives, the processor further causes the program to receive data indicative of location of the vehicle.

14. The system of claim 8 wherein when the program establishes, the processor further causes the program to establish the geo-fence boundary based on determining the determined location by receiving signals from at least one GPS satellite.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by a processor, causes the processor to:

receive a signal indicative of activation of geo-fence monitoring;

determine location of a vehicle to create a determined location;

establish a geo-fence boundary based on the determined location;

activate monitoring of the vehicle within the geo-fence boundary; and

thereafter

issue an alert if unable to monitor vehicle location.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 wherein when the processor issues, the instructions causes the processor to issue the alert based on at least one selected from the group of:

a possible geo-fence boundary violation;

tampering with an onboard device; and

disablement of an onboard device.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 wherein the instructions cause the processor to, prior to issuing the alert:

receive a signal that indicates operability of an onboard device coupled to the vehicle, the receiving at an operations center and the signal received periodically over a first period of time;

determine absence of receipt of the signal in a second period of time following the first period of time.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17 wherein when the processor receives, the instructions further causes the processor to periodically receive data indicative of position of the vehicle.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17:

wherein when the processor establishes, the instructions further causes the processor to establish the geo-fence boundary by the onboard device based on location of the vehicle; and

wherein when the program receives, the program further causes the processor to receive data indicative of location of the vehicle relative to the geo-fence boundary.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17:

wherein when the processor establishes, the instructions further causes the processor to establish the geo-fence boundary at the operations center, the establishing based on the determined location; and

wherein when the program receives, the processor further causes the program to receive data indicative of location of the vehicle.

21. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 wherein when the processor establishes, the instructions further causes the processor to establish the geo-fence boundary based on determining the location by receiving signals from at least one GPS satellite.