Time-restricted location-based service zone management

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11240630-B2
Application number	US-202016911099-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 24, 2020
Priority date	May 22, 2017
Publication date	Feb 1, 2022
Grant date	Feb 1, 2022

Abstract

Disclosed are various embodiments for managing location-based service zones that are active during limited time periods. A notification of a trigger event relating to a location-based time zone can be received. The time the notification is received can be compared to time window that the location-based service zone is active. A notification of the trigger event is sent to a respective provider associated with the location-based service zone when the location-based service zone is active.

First claim

Therefore, the following is claimed:

1. A system, comprising:
at least one computing device; and
at least one application executable in the at least one computing device, wherein when executed the at least one application causes the at least one computing device to at least:
receive, from a client device, a first trigger event notification of a first trigger event associated with a location-based service zone monitored by the client device, the location-based service zone being active during a first time period and being inactive during a second time period, and the location-based service zone defining an area in which a user can experience a service associated with a provider device;
determine that the client device is opted-in with the service;
compare a timestamp associated with receipt of the first trigger event notification with the first time period to determine whether the location-based service zone was active when the first trigger event occurred;
in response to the location-based service zone being active when the first trigger event occurred, notify the provider device associated with the location-based service zone of an occurrence of the first trigger event;
receive, from the client device, a second trigger event notification of a second trigger event associated with the location-based service zone;
determine that the location-based service zone was inactive based at least in part on the second time period;
in response to the location-based service zone being inactive when the second trigger event occurred, notify the client device to remove monitoring of the location-based service zone; and
in response to the location-based service zone being inactive when the second trigger event occurred, determine to refrain from notifying the provider device of an occurrence of the second trigger event.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein, when executed, the at least one application further causes the at least one computing device to at least send data encoding the location-based service zone to the client device.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein, when executed, the at least one application further causes the at least one computing device to at least generate the timestamp.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein notifying the provider device associated with the location-based service zone of the occurrence of the first trigger event further comprises sending the provider device a notification to prepare items for pickup.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the location-based service zone defines a boundary surrounding a location associated with the provider device.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the occurrence of the first trigger event relates to the client device passing through the boundary.

7. A method, comprising:
receiving, via at least one computing device and from a client device, a first trigger event notification associated with a location-based service zone, the location-based service zone defining an area in which a user can experience a service associated with a provider device;
determining, via the at least one computing device, that the client device is opted-in with the service;
generating, via the at least one computing device, a timestamp associated with receipt of the first trigger event notification;
in an instance in which the timestamp indicates the first trigger event notification was received from the client device during a first time period when the location-based service zone is active, notifying, via the at least one computing device, the provider device associated with the location-based service zone of an occurrence of a trigger event;
receiving, via the at least one computing device and from the client device, a second trigger event notification associated with the location-based service zone;
in response to the second trigger event notification being received from the client device during a second time period when the location-based service zone was inactive, notifying, via the at least one computing device, the client device that the location-based service zone is in a stale state; and
in response to the second trigger event notification being received from the client device during the second time period when the location-based service zone was inactive, determining to refrain from notifying the provider device of an occurrence of a second trimer event.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein notifying the provider device of the occurrence of the trigger event comprises sending the provider device a notification to prepare items for pickup.

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein notifying the client device associated with the first trigger event notification comprises the at least one computing device sending at least one of: a pull notification or a push notification.

10. The method of claim 7 , wherein the location-based service zone being active is based at least in part on determining, via the at least one computing device, that the provider device is located in the location-based service zone.

11. The method of claim 7 , wherein the location-based service zone defines a boundary surrounding a location associated with the provider device.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the occurrence of the trigger event relates to the client device passing through the boundary.

13. The method of claim 7 , wherein notifying the client device that the location-based service zone is in the stale state further comprises sending, via the at least one computing device, a notification to the client device requesting that the client device remove information related to the location-based service zone.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the notification requesting that the client device remove the information related to the location-based service zone comprises a silent push notification or a non-silent push notification.

15. A system, comprising:
at least one computing device; and
at least one application executable in the at least one computing device, wherein when executed the at least one application causes the at least one computing device to at least:
receive, from a client device, a trigger event notification associated with a location-based service zone, the location-based service zone defining an area in which a user can experience a service associated with a provider device;
determine that the client device is opted-in with the service;
generate a timestamp associated with receipt of the trigger event notification;
in an instance in which the timestamp indicates the trigger event notification was received from the client device during a first time period when the location-based service zone is active, notify the provider device associated with the location-based service zone of an occurrence of a trigger event;
receive, from the client device, a second trigger event notification associated with the location-based service zone;
in response to the second trigger event notification being received from the client device when the location-based service zone was inactive, notify the client device to remove monitoring of the location-based service zone; and
in response to the second trigger event notification being received form the client device when the location-based service zone was inactive, determine to refrain from notifying the provider device of an occurrence of a second trigger event.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the location-based service zone is associated with at least one of a geofence or a beacon.

17. The system of claim 15 , wherein, when executed, the at least one application further causes the at least one compu

Assignees

• Amazon Tech Inc

Inventors

• Parshin Sergey
• Ducrou Jon Robert
• Hapgood Ryan
• Liu Qiwei
• Smith Raymond
• Sutula James Michael
• Winters Benjamin

Classifications

• H04L67/535

  Tracking the activity of the user (network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34) · CPC title

• H04L67/306

  User profiles · CPC title

• H04W4/025

  using location based information parameters · CPC title

• H04W4/023

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

• H04B7/0619

  using feedback from receiving side (feedback signaling for adaptive modulation/coding H04L1/0001) · CPC title