Determining whether a mobile device user is substantially stationary within a geo-fence

A computer program product in a non-transitory computer-readable storage media, the computer program product comprising a set of computer program instructions stored in memory and executed by a hardware processor to carry out operations to determine a motion state of a mobile device, the operations comprising:

• storing a data table that includes a first index, a second index, and set of table values, the set of table values being a defined set of motion states that include a substantially stationary state of the mobile device, a substantially moving state of the mobile device, and a no change state, the first index and the second index of the data table cross-referencing a last reported activity and a probable activity selected from a set of activities representing relative degrees of movement of the mobile device, the last reported activity having triggered a last reported motion state for the mobile device, the last reported activity being indexed by the first index, and the probable activity being indexed by the second index;
• receiving data and determining a probable activity of the mobile device, wherein the probable activity has a confidence value associated therewith;
• indexing into the data table using the last reported activity in the first index and the probable activity in the second index to determine a new motion state for the mobile device, the new motion state being defined by the data table value stored at an intersection of data table values as determined by the first index and the second index;
• comparing the new motion state to the last reported motion state to characterize the new motion state as substantially stationary or substantially moving or no change, the new motion state being characterized as substantially stationary when the probable activity is relatively slower than the last reported activity, irrespective of whether the mobile device is in true motion, and the new motion state being characterized as substantially moving when the probable activity is relatively faster than the last reported activity;
• and
• upon a determination from indexing into the data table that the new motion state of the mobile device is substantially stationary, determining, using a whitelist or a blacklist, whether to associate a marker with a geo-location of the mobile device.

A mobile device, comprising:

• a hardware processor;
• one or more low power sensors;
• computer memory storing computer program instructions that perform operations to determine and report a motion state of the mobile device, the operations comprising:
• storing a data table that includes a first index, a second index, and set of table values, the set of table values being a defined set of motion states that include a substantially stationary state of the mobile device, a substantially moving state of the mobile device, and a no change state, the first index and the second index of the data table cross-referencing a last reported activity and a probable activity selected from a set of activities representing relative degrees of movement of the mobile device, the last reported activity having triggered a last reported motion state for the mobile device, the last reported activity being indexed by the first index, and the probable activity being indexed by the second index;
• receiving data and determining a probable activity of the mobile device, wherein the probable activity has a confidence value associated therewith;
• indexing into the data table using the last reported activity in the first index and the probable activity in the second index to determine a new motion state for the mobile device, the new motion state being defined by the data table value stored at an intersection of data table values as determined by the first index and the second index;
• comparing the new motion state to the last reported motion state to characterize the new motion state as substantially stationary or substantially moving or no change, the new motion state being characterized as substantially stationary when the probable activity is relatively slower than the last reported activity, irrespective of whether the mobile device is in true motion, and the new motion state being characterized as substantially moving when the probable activity is relatively faster than the last reported activity;
• and
• upon a determination from indexing into the data table that the new motion state of the mobile device is substantially stationary, determining, using a whitelist or a blacklist, whether to associate a marker with a geo-location of the mobile device.