User intervention based on learned behavior in a tracking device environment

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10158976-B2
Application number	US-201815947246-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 6, 2018
Priority date	Jun 1, 2016
Publication date	Dec 18, 2018
Grant date	Dec 18, 2018

Abstract

A tracking system can provide intervention notifications to a user to notify the user that a tracking device is potentially lost or is in a predicted state. The tracking system may notify the user that a tracking device is potentially lost or in a predicted state based on a number of factors, including: a proximity of a tracking device to other tracking devices or a user's mobile device, a movement of a tracking device to more than a threshold distance away from a mobile device or other tracking devices, a location of a tracking device relative to a geographic location or to geographic boundaries, a usage or movement behavior of the tracking device, a usage or movement behavior of a user or owner of a tracking device, information received from an external source, or information received from sensors within the tracking device or a user's mobile.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for locating a tracking device, comprising:
determining, by a central tracking system, a current movement behavior of a tracking device of a user associated with a first mobile device based on a location of the tracking device received from the first mobile device or from a second mobile device different from the first mobile device, the tracking device different from the first mobile device and the second mobile device;
determining, by the central tracking system, a historical movement behavior of the tracking device of the user;
predicting, by the central tracking system, a future location at which the tracking device is expected to be at a future time based on the current movement behavior of the tracking device and the historical movement behavior of the tracking device;
in response to determining that the tracking device is more than a threshold distance away from the future location at the future time, identifying, by the central tracking system, the tracking device as potentially lost;
generating, by the central tracking system, a notification identifying the tracking device and indicating the tracking device is potentially lost; and
providing, by the central tracking system, the generated notification to the first mobile device of the user, the first mobile device of the user configured to display the notification to the user.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the historical movement behavior of the tracking device comprises periods of time during which the first mobile device, in response to detecting the tracking device within a threshold proximity of the first mobile device, provided a location of the first mobile device and an identity of the tracking device to the central tracking system.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the tracking device does not have location detection functionality.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the tracking device is not a smart phone.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the historical movement behavior includes the tracking device being located within a threshold distance of another tracking device.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the historical movement behavior includes movement behavior of the tracking device during a particular time period.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the historical movement behavior includes movement behavior of the tracking device within a threshold distance of a geographic location.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the tracking device is coupled to a pet, wherein the historical movement behavior includes the tracking device being within a threshold distance of a house, and wherein the current movement behavior includes the tracking device being outside of the threshold distance from the house.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the historic movement behavior indicates a lack of movement of the tracking device.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the tracking device is coupled to an item that is intended to remain stationary, and wherein the current movement behavior describes the tracking device moving.

11. A method for locating a tracking device, comprising:
determining, by a central tracking system, a current movement behavior of a first tracking device of a first user associated with a first mobile device based on a location of the first tracking device received from the first mobile device or from a second mobile device different from the first mobile device, the first tracking device different from the first mobile device and the second mobile device;
determining, by the central tracking system, a historical movement behavior of the first user;
predicting, by the central tracking system, a future location at which the tracking device is expected to be at a future time based on the current movement behavior of the first tracking device and the historical movement behavior of the first user;
in response to determining that the first tracking device is more than a threshold distance away from the future location at the future time, identifying, by the central tracking system, the first tracking device as potentially lost;
generating, by the central tracking system, a notification identifying the first tracking device and indicating the first tracking device is potentially lost; and
providing, by the central tracking system, the generated notification to the first mobile device of the first user, the first mobile device of the first user configured to display the notification to the user.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the historical movement behavior includes movement behavior of the first tracking device being near the first user.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the historical movement behavior includes the tracking device being communicatively connected to the first mobile device of the first user.

14. The method of claim 11 , wherein the historical movement behavior includes movement behavior during a predetermined time period.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the historical movement behavior includes the first user being at a geographic location during the predetermined time period, and wherein the current movement behavior includes the first tracking device not being near the first user.

16. The method of claim 11 , wherein the historical movement behavior includes movement behavior near a geographic location.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the first tracking device is a travel tracking device, the historical movement behavior includes the first user being at a travel hub, and the current movement behavior includes the first tracking device not being near the first user.

18. The method of claim 16 , wherein the historical movement behavior includes the user moving from a first geographic location to a second geographic location.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the historical movement behavior includes the user going to work, wherein the tracking device is a work tracking device, and the current movement behavior includes the tracking device not being near the user.

20. The method of claim 11 , wherein the historical movement behavior includes movement behavior of a second user.

Assignees

• Tile Inc

Inventors

• De Barros Chapiewski Guilherme
• Quintana Melody
• Kumar Mayank
• Lettau Tyler
• Patterson Wayne

Classifications

• H04L67/306

  User profiles · CPC title

• G08B13/2462

  Asset location systems combined with EAS (inventory, tracking, logistic G06Q10/00; entrance control systems G07C9/00) · CPC title

• G08B21/24

  Reminder alarms, e.g. anti-loss alarms · CPC title

• H04W4/029

  Location-based management or tracking services · CPC title

• G08B25/08

  using communication transmission lines {(G08B13/19658, G08B21/0286, G08B25/016 take precedence)} · CPC title