Automated geo-fence boundary configuration and activation

• US 8,508,349 B2
• Filed: 11/30/2012
• Issued: 08/13/2013
• 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:
  US13/690,819
• Publication Number:
  US 20130106592A1
• Time in Patent Office: 256 Days
• Field of Search: 340/426.19, 340/426.22, 340/426.18, 340/426.2, 340/426.1, 340/426.36, 340/539.13, 340/5.72, 340/5.1, 340/5.2, 340/5.61, 701/201, 701/202, 701/207, 701/213
• 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. An onboard device comprising:

a processor mechanically coupled to an asset;

a global positioning system (GPS) module communicatively coupled to the processor, the GPS module configured to receive position data from GPS satellites;

a computer-readable storage medium communicatively coupled to the processor, the storage medium storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to;

responsive to a trigger event, activate a geo-fence boundary for the asset, wherein activating the geo-fence boundary comprises;

reading data indicative of a current location of the asset from the GPS module;

defining a geo-fence boundary surrounding the asset based on the current location of the asset; and

activating the geo-fence boundary; and

subsequent to activating the geo-fence boundary, monitor asset location with respect to the geo-fence boundary, wherein monitoring asset location with respect to the geo-fence boundary comprises reading data indicative of successive positions of the asset from the GPS module.

2. The onboard device of claim 1 wherein the trigger event is selected from the group consisting of:

detection that the asset has not moved in a preselected period of time;

when the asset comprises a vehicle;

detection that a key has been removed from an ignition; and

detection that an engine has been turned off;

detection that the asset is in a particular location; and

determination that a preset time has been reached.

3. The onboard device of claim 2 wherein the instructions further cause the processor to:

detect movement of the asset beyond the defined geo-fence boundary; and

responsive to detecting movement of the asset beyond the defined geo-fence boundary, issue an alert.

4. The onboard device of claim 3 wherein the instructions causing the processor to issue an alert comprise instructions causing the processor to issue the alert based on a notification rule set for the asset.

5. The onboard device of claim 1 wherein the trigger event comprises a user-specified condition in which a geo-fence should be activated.

6. The onboard device of claim 1 wherein an administrator configuration comprises the trigger event.