ClickTime Australia: How Offline Mode & Location Tracking Work

Understanding Offline Mode vs GPS Off

ClickTime Mobile: Offline Mode & Location Tracking Explained

There are four possible device scenarios to account for:

  1. Optimal Condition: Device has both internet access and GPS/location services enabled.

  2. Limited Location Access: Device is connected to the internet, but GPS/location services are disabled or unavailable.

  3. No Location, Internet Only: Device has internet access, but neither GPS nor any form of location data is available.

  4. Offline & No Location: Device has no internet connection and no access to GPS or location services.



ScenarioInternet ConnectionGPS Signal (Location Service)Detection of Exit When Driving?Explanation for End-Users
OptimalYESYES (Enabled)YES - Instant & Highly AccurateThe system uses the fast, precise GPS signal as you drive away. This is the fastest and most accurate detection.

Limited GPS Location AccessYESNO (Off/Blocked)YES - Reliable, Low LatencyThe system uses your available internet connection to triangulate your position using Wi-Fi and cell towers (Network Location). This is reliable for site sizes of 150 or more.

No GPS Location, Internet OnlyNOYES (Enabled)YES - Reliable, Moderate LatencyThe system uses the raw GPS satellite signal (which does not require the internet) to get your location. The Exit is detected as soon as your location is confirmed outside the boundary.

Offline & No GPS LocationNONO (Off/Blocked)NO - Detection FailsThe system has no data source to confirm your new location as you drive away. The app will be stuck assuming you are still inside the geofence. The Exit will only register when connection/GPS is restored.


1. Geofence Detection with No Internet

If the device has a GPS signal (or another location source) but no internet connection:

  • Native Geofencing APIs
    ClickTime uses native geofencing on iOS and Android. These native geofencing run in the background—even if the app is closed (but not forced killed) or the device is rebooted—and use GPS, Wi-Fi, and cell tower triangulation to detect geofence transitions (ENTER or EXIT).
    No internet is required for this detection.

  • Event Caching
    When a geofence event is detected, it is saved locally in the device’s internal database. This includes the location and timestamp of the transition.

  • Delayed Upload
    Once the device reconnects to the internet, cached geofence events are automatically uploaded to the server during the next sync.


2. Geofence Detection with No GPS Signal

If the device has no internet and no GPS/location services, geofence detection becomes unreliable:

  • Motion Detection Philosophy
    The ClickTime will use motion-detection  (accelerometer, gyroscope, magnetometer) to determine if the device is moving or stationary.
    ➤ If stationary, GPS is usually powered down to save battery.

  • No Location = No Transition Detection
    Without movement and without GPS or other location sources, the device cannot determine its current position. Therefore, it cannot detect geofence entry or exit.

  • Location Source Diversity
    The system tries to use alternative sources like Wi-Fi, cell towers, or cached locations. However, if all location sources are unavailable or disabled, geofence detection fails.


Conclusion

ClickTime handles offline scenarios effectively by caching geofence events locally. However, for geofence transitions to be detected, the device must be able to access some form of location data (GPS, Wi-Fi, or cell tower).
Without any usable location data, geofence transitions cannot be detected, cached, or reported.

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