Safe zones in tracking device environments

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10991229-B2
Application number	US-202016827705-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 23, 2020
Priority date	Dec 21, 2016
Publication date	Apr 27, 2021
Grant date	Apr 27, 2021

Abstract

A tracking system determines if a tracking device is located within a safe zone based on whether a set of safe conditions are satisfied. The set of safe conditions includes a geographic boundary or a geographic location and corresponding threshold distance. The set of safe conditions can also include a time window during which a safe zone is active. When a tracking device is within a safe zone (e.g., geographically and temporally), the tracking device is determined to be safe, and notifications associated with the tracking device can be minimized. The safe zones may be user-selected, user-defined, or determined based on data analytics. If a set of safe conditions are not satisfied, the tracking system generates and sends a notification to the user of the tracking device indicating that the tracking device may be lost.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for locating a tracking device of a user, comprising:
receiving, by a tracking system from a mobile device, a location of the tracking device;
identifying, by the tracking system, a geographic boundary in which the location of the tracking device is located;
determining, by the tracking system, that the mobile device has crossed the geographic boundary and that the mobile device is not communicatively coupled to the tracking device; and
providing, by the tracking system, a notification to the mobile device indicating that the tracking device may have been left behind unless the geographic boundary is associated with a safe zone, wherein the tracking device is configured to operate in a safe zone operating mode when located within the safe zone during a time interval associated with the safe zone.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the safe zone is defined based on a history of behavior of the tracking device.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the safe zone is defined by a threshold distance from a geographic location.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the safe zone is based on a location of another tracking device.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the safe zone is defined by a user of the tracking device.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the safe zone is defined without input from the user of the tracking device.

7. A tracking system for locating a tracking device of a user, comprising:
a processor; and
a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing executing instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to perform steps comprising:
receiving, by a tracking system from a mobile device, a location of the tracking device;
identifying, by the tracking system, a geographic boundary in which the location of the tracking device is located;
determining, by the tracking system, that the mobile device has crossed the geographic boundary and that the mobile device is not communicatively coupled to the tracking device; and
providing, by the tracking system, a notification to the mobile device indicating that the tracking device may have been left behind unless the geographic boundary is associated with a safe zone, wherein the tracking device is configured to operate in a safe zone operating mode when located within the safe zone during a time interval associated with the safe zone.

8. The tracking system of claim 7 , wherein the safe zone is defined based on a history of behavior of the tracking device.

9. The tracking system of claim 7 , wherein the safe zone is defined by a threshold distance from a geographic location.

10. The tracking system of claim 7 , wherein the safe zone is based on a location of another tracking device.

11. The tracking system of claim 7 , wherein the safe zone is defined by a user of the tracking device.

12. The tracking system of claim 7 , wherein the safe zone is defined without input from the user of the tracking device.

13. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing executable computer instructions that, when executed by a hardware processor of a tracking system, cause the hardware processor to perform steps, comprising:
receiving, by a tracking system from a mobile device, a location of the tracking device;
identifying, by the tracking system, a geographic boundary in which the location of the tracking device is located;
determining, by the tracking system, that the mobile device has crossed the geographic boundary and that the mobile device is not communicatively coupled to the tracking device; and
providing, by the tracking system, a notification to the mobile device indicating that the tracking device may have been left behind unless the geographic boundary is associated with a safe zone, wherein the tracking device is configured to operate in a safe zone operating mode when located within the safe zone during a time interval associated with the safe zone.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 13 , wherein the safe zone is defined based on a history of behavior of the tracking device.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 13 , wherein the safe zone is defined by a threshold distance from a geographic location.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 13 , wherein the safe zone is based on a location of another tracking device.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 13 , wherein the safe zone is defined by a user of the tracking device.

Assignees

• Tile Inc

Inventors

• Doxey Robert
• Puppala Arunkumar
• Patterson Wayne

Classifications

• G08B21/0261

  System arrangements wherein the object is to detect trespassing over a fixed physical boundary, e.g. the end of a garden · 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

  Location-based management or tracking services · CPC title

• G08B21/0252

  System arrangements wherein the child unit emits, i.e. the child unit incorporates the emitter · CPC title

• G08B21/0288

  Attachment of child unit to child/article · CPC title