Advance notification systems and methods utilizing a computer network

• US 20030146854A1
• Filed: 12/20/2002
• Published: 08/07/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/18/1993
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Shipping & Transit, LLC
• Original Assignee: Arrivalstar SA
• Inventors: Jones, M. Kelly
• Granted Patent: US 6,748,320 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/988
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/123 indicating the position of vehicles, e.g. scheduled vehicles; Managing passenger vehicles circulating according to a fixed timetable, e.g. buses, trains, tramstransmission of navigation instructions to vehicles G08G1/0968

Abstract

An advance notification system notifies users of the impending arrival of a vehicle, for example, an overnight package delivery vehicle, at a particular vehicle stop. The system generally includes an on-board vehicle control unit (VCU) for each vehicle and a base station control unit (BSCU) for sending messages to user computers in order to inform the users when the vehicle resides at a certain predefined time period, distance, prior stop, and/or location point from the vehicle stop. Moreover, vehicle tracking, the BSCU, a computer network (e.g., the Internet), and software located on a user computer may be combined in a plurality of configurations for launching and communicating a message of the impending arrival of a particular vehicle before it arrives. Significantly, the computer message is to advise of the impending arrival and preferably will exhibit a distinctive display and/or sound on the recipient computer so that the recipient is informed of the message. The VCU sends vehicle location and/or stop information to the BSCU, the BSCU compares the vehicle route stop list with route management software, then determines when to send an impending arrival message by preferences, normally chosen by the system operator or a user preparing to receive the advance notification message. The user computer displays information associated with the impending arrival of a vehicle in the form of the name of the vehicle, when the vehicle has finished a previous delivery, the miles before a stop, the time before arriving, and/or an actual location of a vehicle when a vehicle reaches a certain point/place. Additionally, other addressable communication devices could be used in place of or in addition to the computer message, such as personal pagers, mobile telephones, television box descramblers, etc. Users may also contact the computer site and/or computer address for impending arrival information.

Claims

1. A method for an advance notification system for notifying a user of an impending arrival of a vehicle at a vehicle stop, the system comprising (a) a user telephone interface associated with said user, (b) a system telephone interface, and (c) a system control for monitoring travel of said vehicle in relation to said vehicle stop and for initiating a telephone call with said system telephone interface to the user telephone interface before the vehicle reaches said vehicle stop to thereby indicate impending arrival of the vehicle at said vehicle stop, the method comprising the steps of:

permitting said user to solicit a vehicle progress report relating to arrival of said vehicle at said vehicle stop by the following steps;

permitting establishment of a telephone communication link between said user telephone interface and said system telephone interface; and

providing said vehicle progress report from said system control to said user during said telephone communication link.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said progress report includes a time when a previous call was initiated by said system telephone interface to said user telephone interface.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

maintaining a reference caller identification number associated with said user telephone interface; and

when said telephone communication link is established, determining whether said telephone communication link is authorized by comparing a caller identification number associated with said telephone communication link with said reference caller identification.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

permitting said user telephone interface to solicit a report corresponding to a previous telephone call made by said system telephone interface to said user telephone interface including the following steps;

permitting establishment of a telephone communication link between said user telephone interface and said system telephone interface; and

providing said report from said system control to said user telephone interface during said telephone communication link.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising the step of indicating in said report whether said user telephone interface was answered when said system telephone interface initiated said previous telephone call to said user telephone interface.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

permitting said user to define a preset notification time period when the user is to receive a telephone call prior to arrival of the vehicle at the vehicle stop to thereby indicate impending arrival, by the following steps;

establishing a telephone communication link with said system telephone interface; and

providing said preset notification time period to said system control during said telephone communication link.

7. An advance notification system for notifying a user of an impending arrival of a vehicle at a vehicle stop and for permitting a user to solicit a vehicle progress report relating to arrival of said vehicle at said vehicle stop, comprising:

a user telephone interface associated with said user;

a system control for monitoring travel of said vehicle in relation to said vehicle stop;

a system telephone interface in communication with said system control, said system telephone interface for establishing a telephone connection with said user telephone interface at a time before said vehicle reaches said vehicle stop; and

vehicle progress report generator associated with said system control for permitting said user to solicit a vehicle progress report relating to arrival of said vehicle at said vehicle stop by providing said vehicle progress report from said system control to said user telephone interface during a telephone communication link between said user and said system telephone interface.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein said vehicle progress report generator further configured to specify in said vehicle progress report a time when a previous call was initiated by said system telephone interface to said user telephone interface.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein said vehicle progress report generator is further configured to indicate in said report whether said user telephone interface was answered when said system telephone interface initiated said previous telephone call to said user telephone interface.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein said system control further comprises means for permitting said user to define a preset notification time period when the user is to receive a telephone call prior to arrival of said vehicle at said vehicle stop by providing said preset notification time period to said system telephone interface over a telephone communication link established between said user and said system telephone interface.