Geofenced Anonymous Data Gathering for Area-Based Mobile Analytics
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current systems lack the ability to gather data regarding specific areas using geofence technology, preventing remote, automatic, and anonymous tracking of information.
Innovation Solution
A data gathering zone system utilizing a server and user computing devices to create a geofence-based zone, automatically collecting and aggregating anonymous data from mobile devices within the defined area.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If geofence technology is implemented for data gathering, then data collection capability is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a server as an intermediary component that manages geofence creation, data collection, and processing. The server receives geofence parameters from user devices, establishes the geofences, and aggregates data from multiple mobile devices, thereby distributing system complexity away from individual user devices and enabling robust data collection capabilities.
2Productivity
If automated data gathering is implemented, then productivity is improved, but loss of time for setup and configuration increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by allowing users to pre-configure geofence parameters, boundaries, and data collection settings before actual data gathering begins. The server stores these pre-configured geofence definitions and automatically activates them when needed, eliminating the need for manual setup during data collection operations and enabling rapid deployment.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables self-service through automatic geofence establishment and data aggregation. Once a user defines a geofence area and parameters, the server automatically creates the geofence, monitors for mobile devices within the area, collects data, and aggregates results without requiring continuous manual intervention. This automation significantly improves productivity while reducing ongoing time investment.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If anonymous data collection is implemented, then privacy protection is improved, but measurement precision may be reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes personally identifiable information from collected data while retaining useful behavioral and demographic patterns. The server processes raw data from mobile devices to aggregate anonymized statistics such as visit frequency, duration, and demographic categories without storing or transmitting individual device identifiers, thereby protecting privacy while maintaining measurement precision for analytical purposes.
Data Source
AI summary
Described is a data gathering zone system. The system includes a server having a memory for storing area information and a user computing device coupled to the server. The system may operate to allow a user to define a zone around a geographic area to establish a data zone. Mobile device signals that occur within the data zone are collected and aggregated by the server. The server may generate for display the gathered data within the geofenced zone for analysis.