Dynamic Geofence Radius Adjustment for Device Resource Management

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing location-based service systems face challenges in managing dynamically sized geofences and beacons, particularly in optimizing resource usage on user devices, ensuring time-restricted services, and coordinating multiple providers without interference.

Innovation Solution

The system implements an active zone management system that dynamically creates and adjusts geofences and beacons based on user device limitations, a time-window zone management system for scheduling services, and a multi-provider management system for secure, centralized coordination of location-based services.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If multiple geofences and beacons are monitored on a user device, then location-based service coverage is improved, but device resource consumption (battery, processing, memory) increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelocation-based service coverageVSAvoiddevice resource consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically adjusts the active zone radius based on the number of location-based service zones monitored. When many geofences/beacons are monitored, the active zone radius is reduced to minimize location updates and resource consumption. When fewer zones are monitored, the radius is expanded to improve service coverage. This dynamic adjustment resolves the contradiction between service coverage and resource consumption.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system segments the monitoring area into an active zone (where location updates are frequently checked) and an inactive zone (where location updates are reduced or suspended). By dividing the service area into these segments, the system can provide comprehensive location-based service coverage while minimizing resource consumption in areas where precise location tracking is not currently needed.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Adaptability or versatility

If the active zone radius is increased to improve service coverage, then more location-based service zones are included, but the number of location updates and resource usage increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveservice coverage areaVSAvoidlocation update frequency

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The active zone radius is dynamically adjusted based on the number of location-based service zones. The system automatically reduces the radius when many zones are monitored to decrease location update frequency, and expands the radius when fewer zones are monitored to maintain service coverage. This dynamic adjustment resolves the contradiction between coverage area and update frequency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

3Measurement precision

If time-restricted services are implemented, then service precision is improved, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveservice delivery accuracyVSAvoidtime-window management complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces an intermediary time-window management system that handles the complexity of time-restricted services. This intermediary layer manages the time windows for each location-based service zone, determining whether a user's entry into a geofence or proximity to a beacon should trigger a notification based on the current time. By separating the time management logic from the core location-based service logic, the system achieves precise time-restricted service delivery while managing complexity through modular design.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

4Adaptability or versatility

If multiple providers offer location-based services, then service variety is improved, but coordination and interference management becomes more difficult

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveservice provider varietyVSAvoidmulti-provider coordination complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the management of multiple providers into a unified active zone management system. All location-based service zones from multiple providers are consolidated within a single active zone framework, allowing centralized management of the active zone radius and location update frequency. This merging approach enables multiple providers to operate simultaneously while sharing the burden of resource management, reducing the coordination complexity that would arise from separate management systems for each provider.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentUS10104605B1Location-based service zone management for a geographic region

Publication Date: 2018.10.16 AMAZON TECH INC

AI summary

Disclosed are various embodiments for managing location-based service zones. Specifically, a dynamically sized geographic region surrounding a client device location can be created. Location-based service zones within the geographic region can be selected. If the amount of location-based service zones identified within the geographic region exceed a client-supported limit, a subset of location-based service zones are selected and sent to the client device for monitoring.