a geo - fence is defined and established automatically based on a current location of an asset along with some range or distance , avoiding the need for a user to manually specify a location by drawing a perimeter , specifying a point location , or by any other means . once established , the geo - fence can be activated so as to notify the owner of the asset and / or some other entity of movement of the asset beyond the boundary specified by the geo - fence . in one embodiment , the geo - fence can be automatically activated upon certain conditions , or can be manually activated , or any combination thereof .