Vehicle Device Local Geofence Processing Reduces Server Load
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current systems for tracking vehicle distance driven for road usage charges face challenges in maintaining user privacy, managing processing loads on backend servers, and efficiently handling location data.
Innovation Solution
A method that involves a device in the vehicle detecting when it is turned on, determining its location, and transmitting this information to a backend server. The device then receives geofence definitions and periodically updates its location, comparing it to the geofence boundaries. Once the vehicle is turned off, the device calculates the distance driven and transmits this information along with an auditable record to the server.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If continuous periodic location reporting is implemented to track vehicle distance driven, then accurate road usage charge assessment is achieved, but processing load on backend servers increases dramatically
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the location tracking system into two parts: (1) the vehicle device that collects and stores location data locally, and (2) the backend server that only processes aggregated distance information. This segmentation allows continuous tracking at the vehicle level while reducing server processing requirements to handling only summary data and geofence definitions.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary action by having the vehicle device calculate distance driven locally using stored location fixes and geofence definitions before transmitting results to the server. This pre-processing of distance calculations at the vehicle level eliminates the need for the server to process individual location records, significantly reducing server processing load.
2Measurement precision
If continuous location data is transmitted to backend server for processing, then accurate distance measurement is achieved, but user privacy is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the necessary information (distance driven and geofence traversal counts) from the complete location data set and transmits only these aggregated metrics to the backend server. The detailed location information remains stored locally on the vehicle device, separating the privacy-sensitive data from the transmitted data and protecting user privacy while maintaining measurement accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The vehicle device acts as an intermediary that processes location data locally and transforms detailed location information into aggregated distance metrics before transmission. This intermediary function protects user privacy by preventing raw location data from reaching the server, while still enabling accurate distance measurement through local processing.
3Reliability
If all location fixes are stored and transmitted to create auditable record, then complete travel history is preserved, but data transmission volume and processing load increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts only essential audit information (distance driven, geofence definitions traversed, and selected location fixes) from the complete location data set. By transmitting only this extracted subset rather than all location fixes, the system maintains audit reliability while significantly reducing data transmission volume and server processing requirements.
Data Source
AI summary
A method and system utilizes a device in a vehicle to periodically determine a location of the vehicle and store, only locally at the device, the location data. The device first detects the vehicle being turned on and identifies the vehicle. After identifying the vehicle the device determines the present location of the vehicle and transmits the present location to a backend server. The server determines the applicable geofence definition including the location and transmits the geofence definition back to the device, whereupon the device commences periodic location fixes, storing each location locally at the device. While performing the location fixes, the device also monitors the present location relative to the geofence definition. If the vehicle is approaching a border or edge of a geofenced region, the device requests a new geofence definition from the server. When the vehicle is shut off, the device transmits the distance driven in each geofenced region to the server. Additionally, the device selects a subset of location fixes to create an auditable record of where the vehicle has travelled, and transmits the record to the server, and then deletes all locally stored location information.