System and method for automatically generating a third party notification when a traveler is overdue

• US 20030212486A1
• Filed: 05/09/2002
• Published: 11/13/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/09/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Hughes, Sarah Blodgett, Hughes, Duane Curtis
• Granted Patent: US 6,691,029 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/204
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/26 specially adapted for navigation in a road network
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0104 Measuring and analyzing of parameters relative to traffic conditions

Abstract

A method and system for generating a notification for a third party when a traveler is overdue at one or more waypoints. A traveler or other person specifies waypoints the traveler will pass during a trip. In response to the traveler beginning the trip, a latest arrival time is determined for the first waypoint. If the traveler has not arrived at a waypoint by the determined latest arrival time, a notification is generated for a third party. Conversely, if the traveler reaches the waypoint before the determined latest arrival time, no notification is generated. In either case, if there are remaining waypoints, a latest arrival time is determined for the next waypoint and the process continues.

Claims

1. A system for generating a notification for a third party when a traveler is overdue at one or more waypoints, said system comprising:

means for specifying said one or more waypoints;

means for determining an overdue time for each of said one or more waypoints;

means for determining if said traveler has not arrived at any of said one or more waypoints by said respective overdue time; and

means for notifying said third party in response to determining that said traveler has not arrived at any of said one or more waypoints by said respective overdue time.

2. The system as described by claim 1, wherein said means for determining if said traveler has not arrived at any of said one or more waypoints by said respective overdue time comprises processing means within a GPS-enabled cell phone capable of sending an arrival message to a service provider in response to said GPS-enabled cell phone arriving at any of said one or more waypoints.

3. The system as described by claim 2, wherein said means for determining if said traveler has not arrived at any of said one or more waypoints by said respective overdue time further comprises processing means within said service provider for:

a) setting a timer to said respective overdue time for one of said waypoints, b) cancelling said timer in response to receiving said arrival message from said GPS-enabled cell phone, and c) in response to not receiving said arrival message before said timer expires, determining said traveler is overdue.

4. The system as described by claim 1, wherein said means for specifying one or more waypoints comprises an Internet website that displays a map which said waypoints are specified.

5. The system as described by claim 1, wherein said means for specifying one or more waypoints comprises a telephone.

6. The system as described by claim 1, wherein said means for notifying said third party comprises means for placing a call to one or more specified numbers and playing a specified message.

7. The system as described by claim 1, wherein said means for notifying said third party comprises a password-protected website displaying overdue notifications for said traveler.

8. The system as described by claim 7, wherein said password-protected website includes actual arrival times for the waypoints said traveler has reached.

9. The system as described by claim 7, where in said password-protected website includes revised expected times for said waypoints based on actual progress of said traveler.

10. A method for generating a notification for a third party when a traveler is overdue at one or more waypoints, said method comprising the steps of:

specifying said one or more waypoints;

determining an overdue time for each of said one or more waypoints;

determining if said traveler has not arrived at any of said one or more waypoints by said respective overdue time; and

notifying said third party in response to determining that said traveler has not arrived at any of said one or more waypoints by said respective overdue time.

11. A method for generating a notification for a third party when a traveler is overdue at one or more waypoints, said method comprising the steps of:

specifying said one or more waypoints;

determining an overdue time for each of said one or more waypoints;

determining if said traveler has not arrived at any of said one or more waypoints by said respective overdue time; and

notifying said third party in response to determining that said traveler has not arrived at any of said one or more waypoints by said respective overdue time.

12. The method as described by claim 11, wherein said step for determining if said traveler has not arrived at any of said one or more waypoints by said respective overdue time comprises the step of sending an arrival message to a service provider in response to a GPS-enabled cell phone arriving at any of said one or more waypoints.

13. The method as described by claim 12, wherein said step for determining if said traveler has not arrived at any of said one or more waypoints by said respective overdue time further comprises the steps of:

setting a timer to said respective overdue time for one of said waypoints;

cancelling said timer in response to receiving said arrival message from said GPS-enabled cell phone; and

in response to not receiving said arrival message before said timer expires, determining said traveler is overdue.

14. The method as described by claim 11, wherein said step for specifying one or more waypoints comprises displaying a map on an Internet website and receiving waypoint information.

15. The method as described by claim 11, wherein said step for specifying one or more waypoints comprises receiving information via a telephone.

16. The method as described by claim 11, wherein said step for notifying said third party comprises placing a call to one or more specified numbers and playing a specified message.

17. The method as described by claim 11, wherein said step for notifying said third party comprises displaying overdue notifications for said traveler via a password-protected website.

18. A computer usable medium for generating a notification for a third party when a traveler is overdue at one or more waypoints, said computer usable medium comprising:

computer program code for specifying said one or more waypoints;

computer program code for determining an overdue time for each of said one or more waypoints;

computer program code for determining if said traveler has not arrived at any of said one or more waypoints by said respective overdue time; and

computer program code for notifying said third party in response to determining that said traveler has not arrived at any of said one or more waypoints by said respective overdue time.

19. The computer usable medium as described by claim 18, wherein said computer program code for determining if said traveler has not arrived at any of said one or more waypoints by said respective overdue time comprises the computer program code for sending an arrival message to a service provider in response to a GPS-enabled cell phone arriving at any of said one or more waypoints.

20. The computer usable medium as described by claim 19, wherein said computer program code for determining if said traveler has not arrived at any of said one or more waypoints by said respective overdue time further comprises:

computer program code for setting a timer to said respective overdue time for one of said waypoints;

computer program code for cancelling said timer in response to receiving said arrival message from said GPS-enabled cell phone; and

computer program code for, in response to not receiving said arrival message before said timer expires, determining said traveler is overdue.