Dynamic Meta Geo-fence Reduces Device Storage and Bandwidth

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Solution Overview

Problem

Communication Service Providers face inefficiencies in managing geo-fences due to the need for user devices to store and monitor numerous geo-fences, leading to increased storage, computational, and bandwidth usage, especially when only a subset of geo-fences are relevant to the user's location.

Innovation Solution

The implementation of a meta geo-fence system, where a user device generates a dynamic meta geo-fence based on adjacent geo-fences, allowing it to monitor and report only those within or touching the meta geo-fence, reducing the number of geo-fences that need to be stored and processed, and enabling targeted communications based on geolocation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a user device downloads and stores all geo-fences defined by a Communication Service Provider, then the device can monitor and report all geo-fence boundary crossings, but the storage space, computational resources, and bandwidth usage on the user device increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvegeo-fence monitoring completenessVSAvoidstorage space required
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the complete set of geo-fences into multiple groups or subsets. Instead of loading all geo-fences simultaneously, the system divides them into manageable segments that can be loaded dynamically based on user relevance, location context, or other criteria. This segmentation reduces the storage burden on user devices while maintaining comprehensive monitoring capabilities across different contexts.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies local quality by making different parts of the geo-fence system have different properties. Specifically, geo-fences are prioritized or weighted based on their relevance to specific users, locations, or contexts. High-priority geo-fences relevant to a user's current location are loaded and monitored, while lower-priority geo-fences are either not loaded or monitored with reduced intensity, optimizing resource usage while maintaining monitoring effectiveness.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Reliability

If a user device downloads and stores all geo-fences defined by a Communication Service Provider, then the device can monitor and report all geo-fence boundary crossings, but the computational power and processing requirements on the user device increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvegeo-fence monitoring completenessVSAvoidcomputational processing requirements
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the geo-fence monitoring task into multiple smaller sub-tasks corresponding to different geo-fence groups. Each segment can be processed independently, reducing the computational complexity at any given moment. The system processes only the relevant segments based on user context, location, and priorities, rather than continuously processing all geo-fences simultaneously.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies partial action by monitoring only a subset of geo-fences at any given time rather than all geo-fences continuously. The system dynamically adjusts which geo-fences are actively monitored based on user relevance, current location, and other contextual factors, performing just enough monitoring to maintain reliability without the full computational burden of monitoring everything at maximum intensity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

3Reliability

If a user device downloads and stores all geo-fences defined by a Communication Service Provider, then the device can monitor and report all geo-fence boundary crossings, but the bandwidth usage for downloading and synchronizing geo-fence data increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvegeo-fence monitoring completenessVSAvoidbandwidth consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts only the necessary subset of geo-fence data from the complete set provided by the Communication Service Provider. Instead of downloading and storing all geo-fences, the system extracts and downloads only those geo-fences that are relevant to the user's location, interests, and context. This extraction approach maintains monitoring completeness for relevant geo-fences while significantly reducing bandwidth consumption for data synchronization.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Data Source

PatentUS11334920B2System and method for dynamically retrieving and monitoring geofence activity
Publication Date: 2022.05.17 SALESFORCE INC
  • US11334920B2 patent drawing
  • US11334920B2 patent drawing
  • US11334920B2 patent drawing

AI summary

Systems, device and techniques are disclosed for dynamically retrieving and monitoring geo-fence activity. A meta geo-fence may be identified based on a user device geolocation. The meta geo-fence having a radius that is dynamically generated to include previously defined geo-fences within or touching the meta geo-fence. User device geolocation may be monitored in relation to the defined geo-fences included in the radius of the meta geo-fence. A communication may be sent to the user device when the user device reports that the user device has entered or exited one of the previously defined geo-fences within or touching the radius of the meta geo-fence.