Super geo-fences and virtual fences to improve efficiency of geo-fences

1. A method comprising:

storing geo-fence data for a plurality of geo-fences;

receiving a request for updated geo-fence data from a client system;

selecting, at a server system with one or more processors, one or more geo-fences based on the request;

generating a super geo-fence that encompasses the selected geo-fences;

estimating, based on data received from the client system, a speed of travel of the client system;

determining a super geo-fence reduction factor based on the estimated speed of travel of the client system and reducing a size of the super geo-fence based on the determined reduction factor to create a reduced super geo-fence that is positioned and sized based on both the position of the selected geo-fences and the reduction factor; and

transmitting the reduced super geo-fence and the selected one or more geo-fences to the client system.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the client system stores geo-fence data for a fixed number of geo-fences at a given time.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the selecting the one or more geo-fences further includes:

determining a geo-fence density based on a number of geo-fences in an area around the client system.

4. The method of claim 3 , further including:

determining whether the geo-fence density is greater than a predetermined density value; and

in accordance with a determination that the geo-fence density is greater than the predetermined density value, selecting a respective number of geo-fences, wherein the respective number of geo-fences is greater than the fixed number of geo-fences that can be stored simultaneously at the client system.

5. The method of claim 4 , further including, in accordance with a determination that the geo-fence density is greater than the predetermined density value:

transmitting the selected geo-fences to an application stored at the client system, such that the application stored at the client system adds geo-fence data as needed to the client system.

6. The method of claim 4 , further including, in accordance with a determination that the geo-fence density is greater than the predetermined density value:

grouping the selected geo-fences into a first group and a second group;

generating a second super geo-fence for geo-fences included in the first group; and

transmitting geo-fences in the second group and the second geo-fence to the client system.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the request is triggered based on the client system determining that it has crossed a stored super geo-fence boundary.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the selecting the one or more geo-fences to send to the client system in response to the requests further includes:

determining a location associated with the client system; and

determining one or more geo-fences based on the location associated with the client system.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the selecting the one or more geo-fences to send to the client system in response to the request further includes:

determining, for one or more potential geo-fences, a time-to-reach value; and

selecting one or more geo-fences based on the time-to-reach value for each of the potential geo-fences.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the selecting the one or more geo-fences to send to the client system in response to the request further includes:

determining one of more user preferences for a user of the client system; and

selecting one or more geo-fences based on the user preferences.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the reduction factor is a fixed value.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the reduction factor is a percentage.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein each respective geo-fence includes location information associated with the geo-fence including one or more boundaries.

14. A server system comprising:

one or more processors configured to include:

a storage module configured to store geo-fence data for a plurality of geo-fences;

a receiving module configured to receive a request for updated geo-fence data from a client system;

a selecting module configured to select one or more geo-fences based on the request;

a generating module configured to generate a super geo-fence that encompasses the selected geo-fences;

a reducing module configured to:

estimate, based on data received from the client system, a speed of travel of the client system; and

determine a super geo-fence reduction factor based on the estimated speed of travel of the client system and

reduce the size of the super geo-fence based on the determined reduction factor to create a reduced super geo-fence that is positioned and sized based on both the position of the selected geo-fences and the reduction factor; and

a transmitting module configured to transmit the reduced super geo-fence and the selected one or more geo-fences to the client system.

15. The server system of claim 14 , wherein the client system stores geo-fence data for a fixed number of geo-fences at a given time.

16. The server system of claim 15 , further comprising:

an evaluating module to determine a geo-fence density based on a number of geo-fences in an area around the client system.

17. The server system of claim 16 , further comprising:

a comparing module to determine whether the geo-fence density is greater than a predetermined density value; and

a selecting module to, in accordance with a determination that the geo-fence density is greater than the predetermined density value, selecting a respective number of geo-fences, wherein the respective number of geo-fences is greater than the fixed number of geo-fences that can be stored simultaneously at the client system.

18. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors of a machine, cause the machine to perform operations comprising:

storing geo-fence data for a plurality of geo-fences;

receiving a request for updated geo-fence data from a client system;

selecting one or more geo-fences based on the request;

generating a super geo-fence that encompasses the selected geo-fences;

estimating, based on data received from the client system, a speed of travel of the client system;

determining a super geo-fence reduction factor based on the estimated speed of travel of the client system and reducing a size of the super geo-fence based on the determined reduction factor to create a reduced super geo-fence that is positioned and sized based on both the position of the selected geo-fences and the reduction factor; and

transmitting the reduced super geo-fence and the selected one or more geo-fences to the client system.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 18 , wherein the client system stores geo-fence data for a fixed number of geo-fences at a given time.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 19 , wherein the operations for selecting one or more geo-fences further comprise:

determining a geo-fence density based on a number of geo-fences in an area around the client system.