IP Library › Granted Patent US 10,841,731
Granted Patent B2
US 10,841,731 · App. 16/148,960 · Granted Nov 17, 2020

Geofence compositions

Inventors: Namita Parab (Redmond, WA); Emmanouil Koukoumidis (Bellevue, WA); Norm Bryar (Seattle, WA)
Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
H04W4/021
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,841,731
App. No.
16/148,960
Granted
Nov 17, 2020
Kind
B2
Abstract

Architecture that enables geofence combinations and compositions where multiple correlated geofences are generated for an entity such as a point of interest. The geofences can have varying radii relative to a specific entity and represent distinct areas or aspects of the entity. The geofences can relate to correspondingly different categories to which the entity can belong. The geofences can be of differing shapes than circular, such as polygons (e.g., rectangles, squares, etc.). Moreover, these differently shaped geofences can be applied to a single entity. Each geofence of a geofence set associated with an entity can be assigned to represent different parts of an entity such as a part a shopping mall. Geofence composition is obtained by combining multiple primitive geofences to compose more complex geofence(s) for an entity and for embedding the relationship of the primitive geofences into such compositions.

Claims (38)

1. A system, comprising:

at least one processor; and

a memory storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, perform a method, comprising:

determining a plurality of characteristics of an entity,

wherein the plurality of characteristics comprise at least an entity type and an entity size;

automatically generating multiple virtual perimeters for the entity based, at least in part, on the plurality of characteristics;

triggering at least one virtual perimeter of the multiple virtual perimeters based, at least in part, on a detected location of a device; and

automatically generating and providing a notification when the at least one virtual perimeter of the multiple virtual perimeters has been triggered.

2. The system of claim 1 , further comprising instructions for specifying parameters for at least one of the multiple virtual perimeters.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein specifying parameters comprises receiving input that indicates a value for at least one of the parameters.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein a placement of at least one of the multiple virtual perimeters is based, at least in part, on map information associated with the entity.

5. The system of claim 1 , further comprising instructions for combining the multiple virtual perimeters into a single virtual perimeter.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein determining the plurality of characteristics of the entity comprises determining a layout of the entity.

7. The system of claim 1 , further comprising instructions for associating a first virtual perimeter of the multiple virtual perimeters with a first sub-entity of the entity and associating a second virtual perimeter of the multiple virtual perimeters with a second sub-entity of the entity.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein a first virtual perimeter of the multiple virtual perimeters originates from a first location and a second virtual perimeter of the multiple virtual perimeters originates from a second location that is different than the first location.

9. A method, comprising:

determining a plurality of characteristics of an entity, wherein the plurality of characteristics comprise at least an entity type and an entity size;

generating multiple virtual perimeters for the entity based, at least in part, on the plurality of characteristics;

automatically applying each virtual perimeter of the multiple virtual perimeters to a specific geographical point associated with the entity; and

when an electronic device triggers activation of at least one virtual perimeter of the multiple virtual perimeters, automatically generating a notification that indicates the electronic device has activated the virtual perimeter.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein a dimension of one or more of the virtual perimeters is based, at least in part, on the plurality of characteristics.

11. The method of claim 9 , further comprising instructions for specifying parameters for at least one of the multiple virtual perimeters.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein specifying parameters comprises receiving input that indicates a value for at least one of the parameters.

13. The method of claim 9 , further comprising receiving map information associated with the entity.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein a placement of at least one of the multiple virtual perimeters is based, at least in part, on the map information.

15. The method of claim 9 , further comprising obtaining layout information associated with the entity.

16. The method of claim 9 , wherein at least one of the multiple virtual perimeters is a geofence.

17. A system, comprising:

at least one processor; and

a memory storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, perform a method, comprising:

automatically generating multiple virtual perimeters for an entity based, at least in part, on a plurality of characteristics associated with the entity, wherein the plurality of characteristics comprise at least an entity type and an entity size;

specifying parameters for each of the multiple virtual perimeters;

automatically applying the multiple virtual perimeters to the entity relative to a specific geographical point of the entity;

detecting a triggering of at least one virtual perimeter of the multiple virtual perimeters based, at least in part, on a geographical location of an electronic device; and

automatically generating and providing a notification associated with the triggered virtual perimeter.

18. The system of claim 17 , wherein the parameters are based, at least in part, on the plurality of characteristics.

19. The system of claim 17 , further comprising instructions for receiving map information associated with the entity.

20. The system of claim 19 , where a location of at least one virtual perimeter of the multiple virtual perimeters is based, at least in part, on the map information.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 4, 2019
From: PARAB, NAMITA; KOUKOUMIDIS, EMMANOUIL; BRYAR, NORM
To: MICROSOFT CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 050268/0628 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 4, 2019
From: MICROSOFT CORPORATION
To: MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING, LLC
Reel/Frame 050273/0001 →
Continuity (2)
Continuation 14092967 · Nov 28, 2013
Related Publication 20190037343A1 · Jan 31, 2019