Dynamic geo-fence size adjustment

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9894478-B1
Application number	US-201715626476-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Jun 19, 2017
Priority date	Jun 19, 2017
Publication date	Feb 13, 2018
Grant date	Feb 13, 2018

Abstract

In one embodiment, a method for dynamically adjusting a location based geo-fence based on current or predicted weather is provided. The method includes determining a target number of users to be reached for an area using a geo-fence and receiving an indication of a predicted meteorological event for the area covered by the geo-fence. The method further includes generating a predicted number of users that will trigger the geo-fence based on: a desired location, a current size, and a predicted effect the predicted meteorological event will have on the number users that trigger the geo-fence. The method further includes, responsive to the predicted number of users being below a threshold, increasing the size of the geo-fence such that the predicted number of users at least meets the threshold and sending a notification to a given user of the number of users in response to the given user triggering the geo-fence.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:
determining, by one or more computer processors, a target number of users to be reached for an area using a geo-fence;
receiving, by one or more computer processors, an indication of a predicted meteorological event for the area covered by the geo-fence;
generating, by one or more computer processors, a predicted number of users that will trigger the geo-fence based on:
a desired location of the geo-fence,
a current size of the geo-fence, and
a predicted effect the predicted meteorological event will have on the number of users that trigger the geo-fence;

responsive to the predicted number of users being below a threshold, increasing, by one or more computer processors, the area covered by the geo-fence such that the predicted number of users at least meets the threshold; and
sending, by one or more computer processors, a notification to a given user of the number of users in response to the given user triggering the geo-fence.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the geo-fence is configured to increase the area covered by the geo-fence to at most a maximum area based on a maximum distance the given user is predicted to travel in a time period in which the geo-fence is active.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2 , further comprising:
responsive to a determination that the geo-fence has been increased to the maximum area and that the predicted number of users remains below the threshold, modifying, by one or more computer processors, the notification such that a threshold number of users of the predicted number of users is predicted to respond to an offer included in the notification.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 3 , wherein the offer included in the notification relates to an availability of items relating to the weather-related event.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the predicted effect the predicted meteorological event will have on the number users that trigger the geo-fence is determined by analyzing historical data from one or more previous meteorological events.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:
upon receiving the indication of the predicted meteorological event, creating, by one or more computer processors, one or more additional geo-fences in a projected path of the predicted meteorological event;
monitoring, by one or more computer processors, an actual path of the predicted meteorological event; and
moving, by one or more computer processors, the one or more additional geo-fences to stay ahead of the predicted meteorological event.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:
upon receiving an indication that the predicted meteorological event has passed, decreasing, by one or more processors, the size of the one or more additional geo-fences.

8. A computer program product comprising:
one or more computer readable storage media and program instructions stored on the one or more computer readable storage media, wherein the one or more computer readable storage media are not transitory signals per se, the program instructions comprising:
program instructions to determine a target number of users to be reached for an area using a geo-fence;
program instructions to receive an indication of a predicted meteorological event for the area covered by the geo-fence;
program instructions to generate a predicted number of users that will trigger the geo-fence based on:
a desired location of the geo-fence,
a current size of the geo-fence, and
a predicted effect the predicted meteorological event will have on the number of users that trigger the geo-fence;

program instructions to, responsive to the predicted number of users being below a threshold, increase the area covered by the geo-fence such that the predicted number of users at least meets the threshold; and
program instructions to send a notification to a given user of the number of users in response to the given user triggering the geo-fence.

9. The computer program product of claim 8 , wherein the geo-fence is configured to increase the area covered by the geo-fence to at most a maximum area based on a maximum distance the given user is predicted to travel in a time period in which the geo-fence is active.

10. The computer program product of claim 9 , further comprising:
program instructions to, responsive to a determination that the geo-fence has been increased to the maximum area and that the predicted number of users remains below the threshold, modify the notification such that a threshold number of users of the predicted number of users is predicted to respond to an offer included in the notification.

11. The computer program product of claim 10 , wherein the offer included in the notification relates to an availability of items relating to the weather-related event.

12. The computer program product of claim 8 , wherein the predicted effect the predicted meteorological event will have on the number users that trigger the geo-fence is determined by analyzing historical data from one or more previous meteorological events.

13. The computer program product of claim 8 , further comprising:
program instructions to, upon receiving the indication of the predicted meteorological event, create one or more additional geo-fences in a projected path of the predicted meteorological event;
program instructions to monitor an actual path of the predicted meteorological event; and
program instructions to move the one or more additional geo-fences to stay ahead of the predicted meteorological event.

14. The computer program product of claim 8 , further comprising:
program instructions to, upon receiving an indication that the predicted meteorological event has passed, decrease the size of the one or more additional geo-fences.

15. A computer system comprising:
one or more computer processors;
one or more computer readable storage media;
program instructions stored on the computer readable storage media for execution by at least one of the one or more processors, the program instructions comprising:
program instructions to determine a target number of users to be reached for an area using a geo-fence;
program instructions to receive an indication of a predicted meteorological event for the area covered by the geo-fence;
program instructions to generate a predicted number of users that will trigger the geo-fence based on:
a desired location of the geo-fence,
a current size of the geo-fence, and
a predicted effect the predicted meteorological event will have on the number of users that trigger the geo-fence;

program instructions to, responsive to the predicted number of users being below a threshold, increase the area covered by the geo-fence such that the predicted number of users at least meets the threshold; and
program instructions to send a notification to a given user of the number of users in response to the given user triggering the geo-fence.

16. The computer system of claim 15 , wherein the geo-fence is configured to increase the area covered by the geo-fence to at most a maximum area based on a maximum distance the given user is predicted to travel in a time period in which the geo-fence is active.

17. The computer system of claim 16 , further comprising:
program instructions to, responsive to a determination that the geo-fence has been increased to the maximum area and that the predicted number of users remains below the threshold, modify the notification such that a threshold number

Assignees

• IBM

Inventors

• Deluca Lisa Seacat
• Greenberger Jeremy A
• Sandonato Nicholas R

Classifications

• H04W4/022 Primary

  with dynamic range variability · CPC title

• H04W4/021

  Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences · CPC title