IP Library Granted Patent US 9,756,607
Granted Patent B1
US 9,756,607 · App. 15/334,330 · Granted Sep 5, 2017

Automated notification muting responsive to predicted location

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,756,607
App. No.
15/334,330
Granted
Sep 5, 2017
Kind
B1
Abstract

In response to determining a physical presence of a person within a geographic micro-location area defined by virtual micro-location area boundaries, a computer processor determines a dwell time as an elapsed time that the person dwells within the micro-location area after determining the physical presence of the person. In response to the dwell time meeting a message trigger threshold, the computer processor determines whether the person is likely to be within the micro-location area at the end of a relevancy time period as a function of current geographic location position of the person, speed and direction of motion of the person, and distance to the micro-location area boundaries. If unlikely that the person will be within the micro-location area at the end of the relevancy time period, the processor mutes transmission to the person of a message associated with dwelling within the micro-location area for the trigger time.

Claims (69)

1. A computer-implemented method for notification muting in response to predicted location relative to a micro-location area, comprising executing on a computer processor the steps of:

in response to determining a physical presence of a person within a geographic micro-location area that is defined by virtual micro-location area boundaries, determining a dwell time as an elapsed amount of time that the person dwells within the micro-location area as bounded by the micro-location area boundaries after determining the physical presence of the person;

in response to determining that the dwell time meets a message trigger threshold time, determining whether the person is likely to be within the micro-location area at an end of a relevancy period of time elapsed after a current time as a function of a current geographic location position of the person, a speed of motion of the person, a direction of motion of the person, and a distance from the current geographic location position to the micro-location area boundaries;

in response to determining that the dwell time meets the message trigger threshold time, determining whether the person is likely to be outside and proximate to the micro-location area at the end of the relevancy time period as a function of the current location position of the person within the micro-location area, the speed of motion of the person, and the distance to the micro-location boundaries;

in response to determining that it is likely that the person will not be within the micro-location area at the end of the relevancy time period, muting transmission to the person of a message that is associated with dwelling within the micro-location area for the trigger time; and

in response to determining that the person is likely to be outside and proximate to the micro-location area at the end of the relevancy time period, transmitting the message associated with dwelling within the micro-location area for the trigger time to the person.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

setting the relevancy period of time as a minimum time indicated by historical data that a person requires to receive and process content of the message associated with dwelling within the micro-location area for the trigger time.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising

increasing the relevancy time period in response to a determination selected from the group consisting of:

determining that the speed of motion is below a browsing speed threshold;

determining that the direction of motion varies during the dwell time; and

determining that the speed of motion is below the browsing speed threshold and that the direction of motion varies during the dwell time.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

decreasing the relevancy time period in response to a determination selected from the group consisting of:

determining that the speed of motion is above a non-browsing speed threshold;

determining that the direction of motion is a straight line between entry and exit points of the micro-location area boundaries during the dwell time; and

determining that the speed of motion is above the non-browsing speed threshold and that that the direction of motion is the straight line between the entry and exit points of the micro-location area boundaries during the dwell time.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

decreasing the message trigger threshold time in response to determining that the physical presence of the person within the geographic micro-location area is subsequent in time to a previous presence of the person within the geographic micro-location area for a previous dwell time that met the message trigger threshold time, and that a transmission of the message associated with dwelling within the micro-location area for the trigger time was muted in response to determining that it was not likely that the previous presence of the person would continue within the micro-location area until an end of a relevancy time period applicable to the previous presence of the person within the geographic micro-location area for the previous dwell time.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of determining whether the person is likely to be outside and proximate to the micro-location area during the relevancy period of time is further in response to determining a drop in the speed of motion below a browsing speed threshold during the relevancy period.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

integrating computer-readable program code into a computer system comprising a processor, a computer readable memory in circuit communication with the processor, and a computer readable storage medium in circuit communication with the processor; and

wherein the processor executes program code instructions stored on the computer-readable storage medium via the computer readable memory and thereby performs the steps of determining the dwell time in response to determining the physical presence of the person within the micro-location area defined by the virtual micro-location area boundaries, determining whether the person is likely to be within the micro-location area at the end of the relevancy period after the current time in response to determining that the dwell time meets the message trigger threshold time, determining whether the person is likely to be outside and proximate to the micro-location area at the end of the relevancy time period in response to determining that the dwell time meets the message trigger threshold time, muting the transmission of the message in response to determining that it is likely that the person will not be within the micro-location area at the end of the relevancy time period, and transmitting the message associated with dwelling within the micro-location area for the trigger time to the person in response to determining that the person is likely to be outside and proximate to the micro-location area at the end of the relevancy time period.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the computer-readable program code is provided as a service in a cloud environment.

9. A system, comprising:

a processor;

a computer readable memory in circuit communication with the processor; and

a computer readable storage medium in circuit communication with the processor;

wherein the processor executes program instructions stored on the computer-readable storage medium via the computer readable memory and thereby:

in response to determining a physical presence of a person within a geographic micro-location area that is defined by virtual micro-location area boundaries, determines a dwell time as an elapsed amount of time that the person dwells within the micro-location area as bounded by the micro-location area boundaries after determining the physical presence of the person;

in response to determining that the dwell time meets a message trigger threshold time, determines whether the person is likely to be within the micro-location area at an end of a relevancy period of time elapsed after a current time as a function of a current geographic location position of the person, a speed of motion of the person, a direction of motion of the person, and a distance from the current geographic location position to the micro-location area boundaries;

in response to determining that the dwell time meets the message trigger threshold time, determining whether the person is likely to be outside and proximate to the micro-location area at the end of the relevancy time period as a function of the current location position of the person within the micro-location area, the speed of motion of the person, and the distance to the micro-location boundaries;

in response to determining that it is likely that the person will not be within the micro-location area at the end of the relevancy time period, mutes transmission to the person of a message that is associated with dwelling within the micro-location area for the trigger time; and

in response to determining that the person is likely to be outside and proximate to the micro-location area at the end of the relevancy time period, transmitting the message associated with dwelling within the micro-location area for the trigger time to the person.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the processor executes the program instructions stored on the computer-readable storage medium via the computer readable memory and thereby further:

sets the relevancy time period as a minimum time indicated by historical data that a person requires to receive and process content of the message associated with dwelling within the micro-location area for the trigger time.

11. The system of claim 9 , wherein the processor executes the program instructions stored on the computer-readable storage medium via the computer readable memory and thereby further:

increases the relevancy time period in response to a determination selected from the group consisting of:

determining that the speed of motion is below a browsing speed threshold;

determining that the direction of motion varies during the dwell time; and

determining that the speed of motion is below the browsing speed threshold and that the direction of motion varies during the dwell time.

12. The system of claim 9 , wherein the processor executes the program instructions stored on the computer-readable storage medium via the computer readable memory and thereby further:

decreases the relevancy time period in response to a determination selected from the group consisting of:

determining that the speed of motion is above a non-browsing speed threshold;

determining that the direction of motion is a straight line between entry and exit points of the micro-location area boundaries during the dwell time; and

determining that the speed of motion is above the non-browsing speed threshold and that that the direction of motion is the straight line between the entry and exit points of the micro-location area boundaries during the dwell time.

13. The system of claim 9 , wherein the processor executes the program instructions stored on the computer-readable storage medium via the computer readable memory and thereby further:

decreases the message trigger threshold time in response to determining that the physical presence of the person within the geographic micro-location area is subsequent in time to a previous presence of the person within the geographic micro-location area for a previous dwell time that met the message trigger threshold time, and that a transmission of the message associated with dwelling within the micro-location area for the trigger time was muted in response to determining that it was not likely that the previous presence of the person would continue within the micro-location area until an end of a relevancy time period applicable to the previous presence of the person within the geographic micro-location area for the previous dwell time.

14. The system of claim 9 , wherein the processor executes the program instructions stored on the computer-readable storage medium via the computer readable memory and thereby further:

determines whether the person is likely to be outside and proximate to the micro-location area at the end of the relevancy time period in response to determining a drop in the speed of motion below a browsing speed threshold during the relevancy period.

15. A computer program product for notification muting in response to predicted location relative to a micro-location area, the computer program product comprising:

a computer readable storage medium having computer readable program code embodied therewith, wherein the computer readable storage medium is not a transitory signal per se, the computer readable program code comprising instructions for execution by a processor that cause the processor to:

in response to determining a physical presence of a person within a geographic micro-location area that is defined by virtual micro-location area boundaries, determine a dwell time as an elapsed amount of time that the person dwells within the micro-location area as bounded by the micro-location area boundaries after determining the physical presence of the person;

in response to determining that the dwell time meets a message trigger threshold time, determine whether the person is likely to be within the micro-location area at an end of a relevancy period of time elapsed after a current time as a function of a current geographic location position of the person, a speed of motion of the person, a direction of motion of the person, and a distance from the current geographic location position to the micro-location area boundaries;

in response to determining that the dwell time meets the message trigger threshold time, determining whether the person is likely to be outside and proximate to the micro-location area at the end of the relevancy time period as a function of the current location position of the person within the micro-location area, the speed of motion of the person, and the distance to the micro-location boundaries;

in response to determining that it is likely that the person will not be within the micro-location area at the end of the relevancy time period, mute transmission to the person of a message that is associated with dwelling within the micro-location area for the trigger time;

in response to determining that the person is likely to be outside and proximate to the micro-location area at the end of the relevancy time period, transmitting the message associated with dwelling within the micro-location area for the trigger time to the person.

16. The computer program product of claim 15 , wherein the computer readable program code instructions for execution by the processor further cause the processor to increase the relevancy time period in response to a determination selected from the group consisting of:

determining that the speed of motion is below a browsing speed threshold;

determining that the direction of motion varies during the dwell time; and

determining that the speed of motion is below the browsing speed threshold and that the direction of motion varies during the dwell time.

17. The computer program product of claim 15 , wherein the computer readable program code instructions for execution by the processor further cause the processor to decrease the relevancy time period in response to a determination selected from the group consisting of:

determining that the speed of motion is above a non-browsing speed threshold;

determining that the direction of motion is a straight line between entry and exit points of the micro-location area boundaries during the dwell time; and

determining that the speed of motion is above the non-browsing speed threshold and that that the direction of motion is the straight line between the entry and exit points of the micro-location area boundaries during the dwell time.

18. The computer program product of claim 15 , wherein the computer readable program code instructions for execution by the processor further cause the processor to decrease the message trigger threshold time in response to determining that the physical presence of the person within the geographic micro-location area is subsequent in time to a previous presence of the person within the geographic micro-location area for a previous dwell time that met the message trigger threshold time, and that a transmission of the message associated with dwelling within the micro-location area for the trigger time was muted in response to determining that it was not likely that the previous presence of the person would continue within the micro-location area until an end of a relevancy time period applicable to the previous presence of the person within the geographic micro-location area for the previous dwell time.

19. The computer program product of claim 15 , wherein the computer readable program code instructions for execution by the processor further cause the processor to set the relevancy period of time as a minimum time indicated by historical data that a person requires to receive and process content of the message associated with dwelling within the micro-location area for the trigger time.

20. The computer program product of claim 15 , wherein the computer readable program code instructions for execution by the processor further cause the processor to determine whether the person is likely to be outside and proximate to the micro-location area during the relevancy period of time in response to determining a drop in the speed of motion below a browsing speed threshold during the relevancy period.

Assignments (20)
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Sep 19, 2022
From: GENERAC POWER SYSTEMS, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 061476/0745 →
AMALGAMATION Recorded Jul 25, 2022
From: 1339416 B.C. LTD.; ECOBEE TECHNOLOGIES INC.
To: 1339416 B.C. LTD.
Reel/Frame 060907/0090 →
CONTINUED - CHANGE OF JURISDICTION Recorded Apr 26, 2022
From: ECOBEE INC.
To: ECOBEE TECHNOLOGIES INC.
Reel/Frame 059805/0101 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Apr 26, 2022
From: 1339416 B.C. LTD.
To: ECOBEE TECHNOLOGIES ULC
Reel/Frame 059825/0668 →
AMALGAMATION Recorded Apr 26, 2022
From: 1339416 B.C. LTD.; ECOBEE TECHNOLOGIES INC.
To: 1339416 B.C. LTD.
Reel/Frame 059825/0888 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 20, 2022
From: ECOBEE TECHNOLOGIES ULC
To: GENERAC HOLDINGS INC.
Reel/Frame 059713/0780 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 20, 2022
From: GENERAC HOLDINGS INC.
To: GENERAC POWER SYSTEMS, INC.
Reel/Frame 059713/0799 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE RECEIVING PARTY FROM ECOBEE, INC. TO ECOBEE INC. PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 058568 FRAME: 0001. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded Feb 8, 2022
From: AMERICAN STOCK TRANSFER & TRUST COMPANY, LLC D/B/A AST TRUST COMPANY (CANADA)
To: ECOBEE INC.
Reel/Frame 058965/0106 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE RECEIVING PARTY NAME FROM ECOBEE, INC. TO ECOBEE INC. PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 058521 FRAME: 0001. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST. Recorded Feb 7, 2022
From: STRUCTURED ALPHA LP, BY ITS GENERAL PARTNER THOMVEST ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD.
To: ECOBEE INC.
Reel/Frame 059205/0822 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jan 31, 2022
From: 1339416 B.C. LTD.
To: ECOBEE TECHNOLOGIES ULC
Reel/Frame 058907/0363 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 31, 2022
From: ECOBEE TECHNOLOGIES ULC
To: GENERAC HOLDINGS INC.
Reel/Frame 058917/0069 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 31, 2022
From: GENERAC HOLDINGS INC.
To: GENERAC POWER SYSTEMS, INC.
Reel/Frame 058917/0161 →
MERGER AND CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jan 31, 2022
From: 1339416 B.C. LTD.; ECOBEE TECHNOLOGIES INC.
To: 1339416 B.C. LTD.
Reel/Frame 061001/0949 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jan 31, 2022
From: ECOBEE INC.
To: ECOBEE TECHNOLOGIES INC.
Reel/Frame 058905/0211 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Dec 16, 2021
From: AMERICAN STOCK TRANSFER & TRUST COMPANY, LLC D/B/A AST TRUST COMPANY (CANADA)
To: ECOBEE, INC.
Reel/Frame 058568/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Dec 16, 2021
From: STRUCTURED ALPHA LP, BY ITS GENERAL PARTNER THOMVEST ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD.
To: ECOBEE, INC.
Reel/Frame 058521/0001 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 19, 2020
From: ECOBEE INC.
To: AST TRUST COMPANY (CANADA)
Reel/Frame 052704/0656 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 15, 2020
From: INC., ECOBEE
To: STRUCTURED ALPHA LP
Reel/Frame 052678/0864 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 26, 2019
From: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
To: ECOBEE INC.
Reel/Frame 048701/0572 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 26, 2016
From: DELUCA, LISA SEACAT
To: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 040129/0394 →