System and method for providing centralized management and distribution of information to remote users

• US 10,055,972 B2
• Filed: 09/01/2017
• Issued: 08/21/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: United States Postal Service (Government of the United States of America)
• Original Assignee: United States Postal Service (Government of the United States of America)
• Inventors: Mendonca, Pat, Pruett, Jonathan C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pollack, Melvin H
• Application Number:
  US15/694,181
• Publication Number:
  US 20180012481A1
• Time in Patent Office: 354 Days
• Field of Search: 709203
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/1095 Meeting or appointment
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/04 Trading; Exchange, e.g. stocks, commodities, derivatives or currency exchange
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 27/00 Alarm systems in which the alarm condition is signalled from a central station to a plurality of substations
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 27/006 with transmission via telephone network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/00 User-to-user messaging in packet-switching networks, transmitted according to store-and-forward or real-time protocols, e.g. e-mail
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/025 for remote control or remote monitoring of applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/90 Services for handling of emergency or hazardous situations, e.g. earthquake and tsunami warning systems [ETWS]

Abstract

The invention includes systems, methods, and software applications for centrally maintaining information and automatically distributing relevant portions of the information to remote users. In one embodiment, a central server stores the information, which is maintained on the central server. Periodically, or each time the server information is updated, the server identifies the portion of the information that is relevant to each user and downloads the relevant portion of information to each user, for example to a mobile device such as a Blackberry™. The invention may be used to maintain and timely distribute information related to emergency response procedures, sales or servicing schedules, and delivery schedules, among other things.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

storing, by a processor, in a central data storage device, information regarding an organization and access rights for a plurality of users to the information;

determining, by the processor, a portion of the information that is relevant to a particular user of the plurality of users;

determining, by the processor, access rights of the particular user;

automatically communicating, by the processor, the portion of the information to a portable electronic device associated with the particular user based on the determined access rights;

detecting, by the processor, a trigger event; and

transmitting, by the processor, a trigger notification to the portable electronic device associated with the particular user in response to the trigger event, wherein in response to receipt of the trigger notification, the portable electronic device is configured to retrieve and display the portion of the information associated with the particular user.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the portable electronic device is at least one of a smart phone, personal digital assistant, and laptop computer.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the access rights are based on roles of the plurality of users within the organization.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the trigger event is at least one of occurrence of an emergency, change of a delivery or service schedule, or a problem experienced by the organization.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the trigger notification is at least one of an email, phone call, or fax.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

encrypting the portion of the information prior to transmitting to the portable electronic device.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the portable electronic device is configured to modify the received portion of the information.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the portable electronic device is configured to automatically contact a second user in response to receipt of the trigger notification.

3. The method of 1, wherein the data includes at least one of an emergency-response-related information, item-delivery-related information, service-visit-related information, and sales-visit-related information.

10. A system comprising:

a central storage device;

a processor; and

a memory, wherein the memory has stored therein instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to;

store in the central data storage device, information regarding an organization and access rights for a plurality of users to the information;

determine a portion of the information that is relevant to a particular user of the plurality of users;

determine access rights of the particular user;

automatically communicate the portion of the information to a portable electronic device associated with the particular user based on the determined access rights;

detect a trigger event; and

transmit a trigger notification to the portable electronic device associated with the particular user in response to the trigger event, wherein in response to receipt of the trigger notification, the portable electronic device is configured to retrieve and display the portion of the information associated with the particular user.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the portable electronic device is at least one of a smart phone, personal digital assistant, and laptop computer.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the data includes at least one of an emergency-response-related information, item-delivery-related information, service-visit-related information, and sales-visit-related information.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the access rights are based on roles of the plurality of users within the organization.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the trigger event is at least one of occurrence of an emergency, change of a delivery or service schedule, or a problem experienced by the organization.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the trigger notification is at least one of an email, phone call, or fax.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to:

encrypt the portion of the information prior to transmitting to the portable electronic device.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein the portable electronic device is configured to modify the received portion of the information.

18. The system of claim 11, wherein the portable electronic device is configured to automatically contact a second user in response to receipt of the trigger notification.