Lost device detection using geospatial location data

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10085121-B1
Application number	US-201715706576-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Sep 15, 2017
Priority date	Sep 15, 2017
Publication date	Sep 25, 2018
Grant date	Sep 25, 2018

Abstract

A network system detects lost client devices based on a comparison of geospatial locations transmitted by user and provider client devices during and after a service. The network system assigns a service status indicating that a service from a start location to a destination location is in progress and monitors the locations of the user and provider client devices during the duration of the service and for a specified period of time after the service ends. In response to determining that the user and provider client devices remain in proximity to each other after the service has ended, the network system notifies the user of the lost device.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for detecting a lost client device using received radio signals comprising:
receiving, at a network system including one or more processors, first geospatial locations of a first client device associated with a user of the network system and a second client device associated with a provider in the network system, the user and the provider each associated with a service;
responsive to determining that the first geospatial locations are within a threshold distance of each other, assigning a first service status to a record associated with the service;
periodically receiving at the network system from the user client device and the provider client device updated geospatial location information;
determining that the user client device and the provider client device remain within the threshold distance of each other based on a comparison of second geospatial locations of the user client device and the provider client device;
responsive to receiving input through the provider client device indicating a second service status, comparing third geospatial locations of the user client device and the provider client device; and
responsive to determining that the user client device and the provider client device remain within the threshold distance of each other, sending an alert to the user,
wherein sending the alert to the user comprises sending a notification to an email address associated with the user, to a secondary client device associated with the user, or using a messaging application to send a message to the secondary client device.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the sending the alert to the user comprises instructing the user client device to emit an audible noise or vibrate.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising sending a notification for display on the provider client device.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the input indicates a pressure change in a provider vehicle.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the input comprises user input indicating that the trip is complete.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising instructing the user client device to emit an audible noise or vibrate responsive to receiving the input.

7. A method comprising:
during providing of a transportation service, receiving periodic location information from a client device associated with a provider of the service and a client device associated with a user of the service;
receiving an indication from the provider client device that the transportation service is no longer being provided to the user; and
responsive to receiving the indication and to receiving updated location information from the devices indicating that the devices remain within a threshold location of each other for at least a threshold amount of time following the indication, sending an alert to the user,
wherein sending the alert to the user comprises sending a notification to an email address associated with the user, to a secondary client device associated with the user, or using a messaging application to send a message to the secondary client device.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein sending the alert to the user further comprises instructing the user client device to emit an audible noise or vibrate.

9. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing computer-executable instructions that, in response to executing, cause a device comprising a processor to perform operations, comprising:
monitoring a service status, the service including a transportation service provided by a provider to a user, the provider having a provider client device and a vehicle and the user having a user client device;
responsive to the service status indicating that the service is complete, and further responsive to location and sensor data for the provider and user client devices matching each other:
determining that the user client device is left in the vehicle; and
alerting the user,
wherein alerting the user comprises sending a notification to an email address associated with the user, to a secondary client device associated with the user, or using a messaging application to send a message to the secondary client device.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 9 , wherein alerting the user comprises instructing the user client device to emit an audible noise or vibrate.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 9 , further comprising alerting the provider.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 9 , wherein monitoring the service status comprises, responsive to the service status indicating that the service is in progress, instructing the provider client device and user client device to transmit geospatial location information to a network system.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 9 , wherein monitoring the service status comprises, responsive to the service status indicating that the service is in progress, instructing the provider client device and user client device to transmit unique radio signals and transmit received radio signals to a network system.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 13 , further comprising determining that the user client device is left in the vehicle responsive to received radio signals strength exceeding a signal strength threshold after the service status indicates that the service is complete.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 9 , further comprising assigning a service status indicating that the service is complete responsive to a pressure change in the vehicle.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 9 , further comprising assigning a service status indicating that the service is complete responsive to user input.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 9 , further comprising assigning a service status indicating that the service is complete responsive to location data from the provider client device indicating a first location at a destination location associated with the service and a second location greater than a threshold distance from the destination location.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 9 , further comprising assigning a service status indicating that the service is in progress responsive to location data from the provider client device indicating a first location at a pickup location associated with the service and a second location between the first location and a destination location associated with the service.

Assignees

• Uber Technologies Inc

Inventors

• Chokshi Karna
• O'Herlihy Michael
• Singleton Zach

Classifications

• G08B21/0277

  Communication between units on a local network, e.g. Bluetooth®, piconet, Zigbee®, Wireless Personal Area Networks [WPAN] · CPC title

• G08B21/0269

  System arrangements wherein the object is to detect the exact location of child or item using a navigation satellite system, e.g. GPS · CPC title

• H04W4/029 Primary

  Location-based management or tracking services · CPC title

• H04W4/023

  using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds · CPC title

• H04W4/42

  for mass transport vehicles, e.g. buses, trains or aircraft · CPC title