Secure location-based events and notifications

• US 10,182,305 B2
• Filed: 11/16/2015
• Issued: 01/15/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/24/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: United Parcel Service Of America Incorporated (United Parcel Service Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: United Parcel Service Of America Incorporated (United Parcel Service Incorporated)
• Inventors: Gillen, Robert J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wang-Hurst, Kathy
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tacsik, Ernest
• Application Number:
  US14/942,034
• Publication Number:
  US 20160316322A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,156 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0833 Tracking
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

Computer program products, methods, systems, apparatus, and computing entities are provided. In one embodiment, the location of entities (e.g., computing entities and establishments) can be monitored or identified to determine whether they are within a configurable/determinable distance/proximity from each other. Such determinations can be used to automatically provide notifications and/or allow or disallow events.

Claims

1. A method for using one or more configurable security parameters for providing notifications for events the method comprising:

receiving, via one or more processors, one or more configurable security parameters, wherein the one or more configurable security parameters (a) are input via a first interactive user interface by a customer, the first interactive user interface executing on a first customer computing entity associated with the customer, (b) define an event type comprising at least one of a pick-up or a delivery of an item, and (c) identify the first customer computing entity associated with the customer and a second computing entity associated with the customer;

storing, via the one or more processors, the one or more configurable security parameters in association with an account for the customer; and

responsive to receiving a request to allow or disallow an event;

identifying, via the one or more processors and based at least in part on the request, the account for the customer,

determining, via the one or more processors, an event type for the request, wherein the request originates from a carrier computing entity associated with a pickup/delivery person,

identifying, via the one or more processors, (a) the real-time geolocation of the first customer computing entity based at least in part on first location information generated by the first customer computing entity, (b) the real-time geolocation of the second customer computing entity based at least in part on second location information provided by the second customer computing entity, and (c) the real-time geolocation of the carrier computing entity based at least in part on third location information provided by the carrier computing entity, and

determining, via the one or more processors and based at least in part on their respective real-time geolocations, whether the first customer computing entity, the second customer computing entity, and the carrier computing entity are within a configurable distance from each other; and

responsive to determining that the first customer computing entity, the second customer computing entity, and the carrier computing entity are within the configurable distance from each other;

automatically providing, via the one or more processors, a notification for the first customer computing entity to display via the first interactive user interface, the notification (a) provided to a first electronic destination address for the first customer computing entity, and (b) comprising an indication that the event is allowed, and

automatically providing, via the one or more processors, a notification to for the carrier computing entity to display via a third interactive user interface, the notification (a) provided to a third electronic destination address for the carrier computing entity, and (b) comprising an indication that the pickup/delivery person is allowed to perform the event.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising monitoring the first customer computing entity, the second customer computing entity, and the carrier computing entity.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the monitoring is performed on a periodic basis, a regular basis, or a continuous basis.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the monitoring is performed in response to one or more triggers.

5. An apparatus for using one or more configurable security parameters for providing notifications for events, the apparatus comprising at least one processor and at least one memory including program code, the at least one memory and the program code configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to at least:

receive one or more configurable security parameters, wherein the one or more configurable security parameters (a) are input via a first interactive user interface by a customer, the first interactive user interface executing on a first customer computing entity associated with the customer, (b) define an event type comprising at least one of a pick-up or a delivery of an item, and (c) identify the first customer computing entity associated with the customer and a second customer computing entity associated with the customer;

store the one or more configurable security parameters in association with an account for the customer; and

responsive to receiving a request to allow or disallow an event;

identify, based at least in part on the request, the account for the customer,

determine an event type for the request, wherein the request originates from a carrier computing entity associated with a pickup/delivery person,

identify (a) the real-time geolocation of the first customer computing entity based at least in part on first location information generated by the first customer computing entity, (b) the real-time geolocation of the second customer computing entity based at least in part on second location information provided by the second customer computing entity, and (c) the real-time geolocation of the carrier computing entity based at least in part on third location information provided by the carrier computing entity, and

determine, based at least in part on their respective real-time geolocations, whether the first customer computing entity, the second customer computing entity, and the carrier computing entity are within a configurable distance from each other; and

responsive to determining that the first customer computing entity, the second customer computing entity, and the carrier computing entity are within the configurable distance from each other;

automatically provide a notification for the first customer computing entity to display via the first interactive user interface, the notification (a) provided to a first electronic destination address for the first customer computing entity, and (b) comprising an indication that the event is allowed; and

automatically provide a notification to for the carrier computing entity to display via a third interactive user interface, the notification (a) provided to a third electronic destination address for the carrier computing entity, and (b) comprising an indication that the pickup/delivery person is allowed to perform the event.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the memory and program code are further configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to monitor the first customer computing entity, the second customer computing entity, and the carrier computing entity.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the monitoring is performed on a periodic basis, a regular basis, or a continuous basis.

8. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the monitoring is performed in response to one or more triggers.

9. A computer program product for using one or more configurable security parameters for providing notifications for events, the computer program product comprising at least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program code portions stored therein, the computer-readable program code portions comprising:

an executable portion configured to receive one or more configurable security parameters, wherein the one or more configurable security parameters (a) are input via a first interactive user interface by a customer, the first interactive user interface executing on a first customer computing entity associated with the customer, (b) define an event type comprising at least one of a pick-up or a delivery of an item, and (c) identify the first customer computing entity associated with the customer and a second customer computing entity associated with the customer;

an executable portion configured to store the one or more configurable security parameters in association with an account for the customer; and

an executable portion configured to, responsive to receiving a request to allow or disallow an event;

identify, based at least in part on the request, the account for the customer,

determine an event type for the request, wherein the request originates from a carrier computing entity associated with a pickup/delivery person,

identify (a) the real-time geolocation of the first customer computing entity based at least in part on first location information generated by the first customer computing entity, (b) the real-time geolocation of the second customer computing entity based at least in part on second location information provided by the second customer computing entity, and (c) the real-time geolocation of the carrier computing entity based at least in part on third location information provided by the carrier computing entity, and

determine, based at least in part on their respective real-time geolocations, whether the first customer computing entity, the second customer computing entity, and the carrier computing entity are within a configurable distance from each other; and

an executable portion configured to, responsive to determining that the first customer computing entity, the second customer computing entity, and the carrier computing entity are within the configurable distance from each other,

automatically provide a notification for the first customer computing entity to display via the first interactive user interface, the notification (a) provided to a first electronic destination address for the first customer computing entity, and (b) comprising an indication that the event is allowed, and

automatically provide a notification to the carrier computing entity to display via a third interactive user interface, the notification (a) provided to a third electronic destination address for the carrier computing entity, and (b) comprising an indication that the pickup/delivery person is allowed to perform the event.

10. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein the memory and program code are further configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to monitor the first customer computing entity, the second customer computing entity, and the carrier computing entity.

11. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein the monitoring is performed on a periodic basis, a regular basis, or a continuous basis.

12. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein the monitoring is performed in response to one or more triggers.