Geo-fence selection system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2025317705-A1
Application number	US-202519240820-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 17, 2025
Priority date	Mar 6, 2018
Publication date	Oct 9, 2025
Grant date	—

Abstract

The present invention relates to improvements to systems and methods for determining a current location of a client device, and for identifying and selecting appropriate geo-fences based on the current location of the client device. An improved geo-fence selection system performs operations that include associating media content with a geo-fence that encompasses a portion of a geographic region, sampling location data from a client device, defining a boundary based on the sampled location data from the client device, detecting an overlap between the boundary and the geo-fence, retrieving the media content associated with the geo-fence, and loading the media content at a memory location of the client device, in response to detecting the overlap.

First claim

1 . A method comprising:
accessing location data associated with a client device, the location data comprising a plurality of data points that identify locations of the client device over a period of time; associating the location data with timestamps indicating times of day when the client device was at the identified locations; defining a boundary based on the location data from the client device; determining a pattern of movement of the client device based on the location data and the timestamps; predicting a future location of the client device based on the pattern of movement and a current time of day; identifying a geo-fence that encompasses the predicted future location, the geo-fence being associated with media content; and loading the media content at a memory location of the client device prior to the client device arriving at the predicted future location.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein defining the boundary comprises:
generating a bounding box that encompasses the plurality of data points that identify the locations of the client device.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein defining the boundary comprises:
identifying a central point from among the plurality of data points; and generating the boundary based on a radius that extends from the central point.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the pattern of movement comprises:
organizing the location data in a database according to corresponding timestamps; and identifying relationships between locations based on corresponding times of day.

5 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
detecting the client device at the predicted future location; accessing the memory location of the client device; and causing display of the media content at the client device.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the media content is presented within a media gallery that comprises a collection of media content at the client device.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the media content is presented in an ephemeral message at the client device.

8 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
identifying a social network connection associated with a user of the client device; determining that the social network connection is located within the geo-fence; and loading the media content at the client device based on determining that the social network connection is located within the geo-fence.

9 . A system comprising:
a memory; and at least one hardware processor coupled to the memory and comprising instructions that causes the system to perform operations comprising: accessing location data associated with a client device, the location data comprising a plurality of data points that identify locations of the client device over a period of time; associating the location data with timestamps indicating times of day when the client device was at the identified locations; defining a boundary based on the location data from the client device; determining a pattern of movement of the client device based on the location data and the timestamps; predicting a future location of the client device based on the pattern of movement and a current time of day; identifying a geo-fence that encompasses the predicted future location, the geo-fence being associated with media content; and loading the media content at a memory location of the client device prior to the client device arriving at the predicted future location.

10 . The system of claim 9 , wherein defining the boundary comprises:
generating a bounding box that encompasses the plurality of data points that identify the locations of the client device.

11 . The system of claim 9 , wherein defining the boundary comprises:
identifying a central point from among the plurality of data points; and generating the boundary based on a radius that extends from the central point.

12 . The system of claim 9 , wherein determining the pattern of movement comprises:
organizing the location data in a database according to corresponding timestamps; and identifying relationships between locations based on corresponding times of day.

13 . The system of claim 9 , further comprising:
detecting the client device at the predicted future location; accessing the memory location of the client device; and causing display of the media content at the client device.

14 . The system of claim 9 , wherein the media content is presented within a media gallery that comprises a collection of media content at the client device.

15 . The system of claim 9 , wherein the media content is presented in an ephemeral message at the client device.

16 . The system of claim 9 , further comprising:
identifying a social network connection associated with a user of the client device; determining that the social network connection is located within the geo-fence; and loading the media content at the client device based on determining that the social network connection is located within the geo-fence.

17 . A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a machine, cause the machine to perform operations comprising:
accessing location data associated with a client device, the location data comprising a plurality of data points that identify locations of the client device over a period of time; associating the location data with timestamps indicating times of day when the client device was at the identified locations; defining a boundary based on the location data from the client device; determining a pattern of movement of the client device based on the location data and the timestamps; predicting a future location of the client device based on the pattern of movement and a current time of day; identifying a geo-fence that encompasses the predicted future location, the geo-fence being associated with media content; and loading the media content at a memory location of the client device prior to the client device arriving at the predicted future location.

18 . The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 17 , wherein defining the boundary comprises:
generating a bounding box that encompasses the plurality of data points that identify the locations of the client device.

19 . The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 17 , wherein defining the boundary comprises:
identifying a central point from among the plurality of data points; and generating the boundary based on a radius that extends from the central point.

20 . The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 17 , wherein determining the pattern of movement comprises:
organizing the location data in a database according to corresponding timestamps; and identifying relationships between locations based on corresponding times of day.

Assignees

• Snap Inc

Inventors

• Ahmed Samir
• Gaur Amit
• Luo Jean
• Wen Yang

Classifications

• H04L67/52

  specially adapted for the location of the user terminal · CPC title

• H04W4/029

  Location-based management or tracking services · CPC title

• H04L67/06

  specially adapted for file transfer, e.g. file transfer protocol [FTP] · CPC title

• H04W4/027

  using movement velocity, acceleration information · CPC title

• H04L67/306

  User profiles · CPC title