Dynamic geofencing techniques for GPS enabled communication devices
Techniques are disclosed for managing a spontaneously created geofenced area among a plurality of communication devices communicable with a communication server. The communication server receives, from a location enabled first communication device, an instruction to create a geofence around itself. Upon receiving location data from the first and a location enabled second communication devices, the communication server compares the location data of the first and second communication devices to determine how close they are to one another. When the first and second communication devices are within a predetermined distance of one another, the communication server creates a geofence around the first communication device. The communication server will then periodically poll and receiving updated location data for the first and second communication devices. The communication server then recalculates the geofence boundary based on the location of the first communication device. The communication server also notifies the first communication device any time the second communication device ventures beyond the boundary of the geofence.
1. A first location enabled screenless communication device configured to track location data of a second location enabled screenless communication device wherein the first and second location enabled screenless communication devices are directly communicable with one another peer-to-peer, comprising one or more processors configured to execute instructions to:
receive an instruction to create a geofence around the location enabled screenless first communication device;
send a request for location data directly to the second location enabled screenless communication device;
receive the requested location data directly from the second location enabled screenless communication device;
compare the location data of the first and second location enabled screenless communication devices to determine how close they are to one another;
create a geofence around the first location enabled screenless communication device when the first and second communication location enabled screenless communication devices are within a predetermined distance of one another;
periodically poll and receive updated location data for the first and second location enabled screenless communication devices;
recalculate the geofence boundary based on the location of the first location enabled screenless communication device each time updated location data for the first location enabled screenless communication device is received; and
notify the first location enabled screenless communication device when the second location enabled screenless communication device ventures beyond the boundary of the geofence.
2. The first location enabled screenless communication device of claim 1 , further comprising one or more processors configured to execute instructions to:
receive from the first location enabled screenless communication device a specific radius for the geofence in the instruction to create a geofence; and
set a predetermined default radius for the geofence when a specific radius for the geofence is not received from the first location enabled screenless communication device in the instruction to create a geofence.
3. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising a plurality of instructions that when executed enable processing circuitry within a first location enabled screenless communication device to execute instructions to track location data of a second location enabled screenless communication device wherein the first and second location enabled screenless communication devices are directly communicable with one another peer-to-peer, the instructions to:
receive an instruction to create a geofence around the location enabled screenless first communication device;
send a request for location data directly to the second location enabled screenless communication device;
receive the requested location data directly from the second location enabled screenless communication device;
compare the location data of the first and second location enabled screenless communication devices to determine how close they are to one another;
create a geofence around the first location enabled screenless communication device when the first and second communication location enabled screenless communication devices are within a predetermined distance of one another;
periodically poll and receive updated location data for the first and second location enabled screenless communication devices;
recalculate the geofence boundary based on the location of the first location enabled screenless communication device each time updated location data for the first location enabled screenless communication device is received; and
notify the first location enabled screenless communication device when the second location enabled screenless communication device ventures beyond the boundary of the geofence.
4. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 3 further comprising a plurality of instructions that when executed enable processing circuitry to:
receive from the first location enabled screenless communication device a specific radius for the geofence in the instruction to create a geofence; and
set a predetermined default radius for the geofence when a specific radius for the geofence is not received from the first location enabled screenless communication device in the instruction to create a geofence.
5. A method of tracking location data among a plurality of location enabled screenless communication devices directly communicable with one another peer-to-peer, comprising:
in a first location enabled screenless communication device:
receiving an instruction to create a geofence around the location enabled screenless first communication device;
obtaining location data directly from a second location enabled screenless communication device using a peer-to-peer communication link;
initially creating the geofence around the first location enabled screenless communication device when the first and second location enabled screenless communication devices are within a predetermined distance of one another;
periodically receiving updated location data directly from the second location enabled screenless communication device;
recalculating the geofence boundary based on the location of the first location enabled screenless communication device each time updated location data for the first location enabled screenless communication device is received;
comparing the location data for both the first and second location enabled screenless communication devices to determine if the second location enabled screenless communication device is within the geofence boundary of the first location enabled screenless communication device; and
alerting the first location enabled screenless communication device when the second location enabled screenless communication device is outside the geofence boundary.
6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the instruction to create a geofence around the location enabled screenless first communication device includes a specific radius for the geofence.
7. The method of claim 6 , comprising: setting a predetermined default radius for the geofence when the instruction to create a geofence around the location enabled screenless first communication device does not include a specific radius for the geofence.
8. The method of claim 5 , wherein the first location enabled screenless communication device and the second location enabled screenless communication device are equipped with LoRa transceivers and directly communicable with one another peer-to-peer over a LoRa protocol.