Dynamic geofence based on members within

• US 9,867,000 B2
• Filed: 03/06/2017
• Issued: 01/09/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/04/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: eBay Inc.
• Original Assignee: eBay Inc.
• Inventors: Zises, Matthew Scott
• Primary Examiner(s): Ajibade Akonai, Olumide T
• Application Number:
  US15/450,565
• Publication Number:
  US 20170180932A1
• Time in Patent Office: 309 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0261 based on user location
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/08 User group management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/21 for social networking applications

Abstract

In one embodiment, a method comprises receiving, via a first portable electronic device, contextual information and a geolocation relating to a first user in a network-based system and receiving, via a second portable electronic device, contextual information and a geolocation relating to a second user in the network-based system. A common element in the received contextual information relating to the first and second users is identified.

In response to an identification of the common element, a boundary for a geofence is defined based on the geolocation of the first or second user. The geolocation of the first or second user is automatically monitored and the boundary of the geofence is dynamically adjusted based on the identified common element and a change in the geolocation of the first or second user. In one example, the boundary of the geofence is redefined to exclude at least one member from a population of the geofence.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, via a first portable electronic device, contextual information and a geolocation relating to a first user in a network-based system;

receiving, via a second portable electronic device, contextual information and a geolocation relating to a second user in the network-based system;

identifying a common element in the received contextual information relating to the first user, and the received contextual information relating to the second user, wherein the common element is not pre-identified and is identified upon a comparison of the first and second contextual information;

in response to an identification of the common element, defining a boundary for a geofence based on the geolocation of the first or second users;

automatically monitoring the geolocation of the first or second user;

dynamically adjusting the boundary of the geofence based on the identified common element and a change in the geolocation of the first or second user; and

redefining the boundary of the geofence to exclude at least one member from a population of the geofence, the exclusion based on an identified change in geolocation or contextual information relating to the at least one excluded member.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising monitoring an aspect of the common element included in the received first or second contextual information and adjusting the boundary of the geofence based on a change in the aspect.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising monitoring the geolocation of the first or second user and adjusting the boundary of the geofence based on a change in the geolocation.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising identifying a population size of members connected to the network-based system to be included within the defined geofence, the population size based on an identification of the common element in received contextual information relating to at least one member of the population and the received contextual information relating to the first or second user.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the first and second users are included in the population.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the boundary of the geofence is defined based on a geolocation of the at least one member.

7. The method of claim 4, further comprising monitoring the contextual information relating to the first or second user or the at least one member, and redefining the boundary of the geofence based on a change in the contextual information or a desired population size to be included with the geofence.

8. The method of claim 4, further comprising redefining the boundary of the geofence based on an identified change in the geolocation or the contextual information relating to at least one member of the population, or to the first or second user.

9. The method of claim 4, further comprising redefining the boundary of the geofence to include at least one new member in the population, the inclusion based on a geolocation of the at least one new member, or an identification of a common element in received contextual information relating to the at least one new member and the contextual information relating to at least one other member of the population.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising monitoring the contextual information or geolocation relating to the first or second user, and dynamically redefining the boundaries of the geofence based on movement of the first or second user within a geographic region of the networked-based system, or an identified change in the contextual information relating to the first or second user.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising defining a boundary for the geofence based on a predetermined distance between the respective geolocations of the first and second user.

12. A system comprising at least one module, executing on one or more computer processors, to perform operations comprising, at least:

receiving, via a first portable electronic device, contextual information and a geolocation relating to a first user in a network-based system;

receiving, via a second portable electronic device, contextual information and a geolocation relating to a second user in the network-based system;

identifying a common element in the received contextual information relating to the first user, and the received contextual information relating to the second user, wherein the common element is not pre-identified and is identified upon a comparison of the first and second contextual information;

in response to an identification of the common element, defining a boundary for a geofence based on the geolocation of the first or second users;

automatically monitoring the geolocation of the first or second user;

dynamically adjusting the boundary of the geofence based on the identified common element and a change in the geolocation of the first or second user; and

redefining the boundary of the geofence to exclude at least one member from a population of the geofence, the exclusion based on an identified change in geolocation or contextual information relating to the at least one excluded member.

13. A non-transitory machine readable medium, including instructions, which when performed by a machine, causes the machine to perform operations including, at least:

receiving, via a first portable electronic device, contextual information and a geolocation relating to a first user in a network-based system;

receiving, via a second portable electronic device, contextual information and a geolocation relating to a second user in the network-based system;

identifying a common element in the received contextual information relating to the first user, and the received contextual information relating to the second user, wherein the common element is not pre-identified and is identified upon a comparison of the first and second contextual information;

in response to an identification of the common element, defining a boundary for a geofence based on the geolocation of the first or second users;

automatically monitoring the geolocation of the first or second user;

dynamically adjusting the boundary of the geofence based on the identified common element and a change in the geolocation of the first or second user; and

redefining the boundary of the geofence to exclude at least one member from a population of the geofence, the exclusion based on an identified change in geolocation or contextual information relating to the at least one excluded member.