Response systems and methods for notification systems for modifying future notifications

• US 20040254985A1
• Filed: 11/12/2003
• Published: 12/16/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Electronic Communication Technologies LLC (f/k/a Eclipse IP, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Legalview Assets, Ltd.
• Inventors: Horstemeyer, Scott A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,119,716 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/205
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2325/304 Boats
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/102 a signal being sent to a remote location, e.g. a radio signal being transmitted to a police station, a security company or the owner
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/33 of global position, e.g. by providing GPS coordinates
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3407 specially adapted for specific applications
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3438 Rendez-vous, i.e. searching a destination where several users can meet, and the routes to this destination for these users; Ride sharing, i.e. searching a route such that at least two users can share a vehicle for at least part of the route
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/362 received from an external device or application, e.g. PDA, mobile phone or calendar application
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/134 Hyperlinking
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0631 Resource planning, allocation, distributing or scheduling for enterprises or organisations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06316 Sequencing of tasks or work
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/083 Shipping
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0833 Tracking
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/109 Time management, e.g. calendars, reminders, meetings or time accounting
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/382 insuring higher security of transaction
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40 Authorisation, e.g. identification of payer or payee, verification of customer or shop credentials; Review and approval of payers, e.g. check credit lines or negative lists
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0231 Awarding of a frequent usage incentive independent of the monetary value of a good or service purchased, or distance travelled
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0241 Advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0257 User requested
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0259 based on store location
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0261 based on user location
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0265 : Vehicular advertisement
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0267 : Wireless devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0269 : based on user profile or attribute
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0273 : Determination of fees for advertising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0609 : Buyer or seller confidence or verification
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/127 : to a central station ; Indicators in a central station
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/20 : Monitoring the location of vehicles belonging to a group, e.g. fleet of vehicles, countable or determined number of vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/205 : Indicating the location of the monitored vehicles as destination, e.g. accidents, stolen, rental
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 : for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/487 : Arrangements for providing information services, e.g. recorded voice services or time announcements

Abstract

Response systems and methods are disclosed for communications in connection with a computer-based notification system and a personal communications device (e.g., telephone, pager, computer, PDA, etc.) associated with a party. One such representative response method, among others, can be summarized by the following steps: initiating a notification communication to a personal communications device associated with a party; receiving a response communication from the party'"'"'s personal communications device; and modifying a manner in which future notification communications are implemented, based upon the response. A representative response system, among others, has mechanisms for implementing the foregoing steps.

Claims

1. A method for communications in connection with a computer-based notification system, comprising:

initiating a notification communication to a personal communications device associated with a party;

receiving a response communication from the party'"'"'s personal communications device, indicating that the party has received the notification communication and is now occupied with a task associated with the notification communication; and

refraining from sending any further notification communications to the party'"'"'s personal communications device, until detection of one or more events that indicate that the party is no longer occupied with the task and can perform another task associated with another notification communication.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more events comprises at least receipt of a second communication from the party'"'"'s personal communications device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more events comprises at least expiration of a predefined time period.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more events comprises at least arrival or departure of a mobile thing at or from a location, respectively.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of refraining from sending notification communications to one or more additional personal communications devices.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of initiating the notification communication is performed when a mobile thing is a predetermined proximity with respect to a location.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the steps are performed with a single computer system, a plurality of computers that are communicatively coupled, or a computer system having a distributed architecture.

8. A method for communications in connection with a computer-based notification system, comprising:

initiating a first notification communication to a personal communications device associated with a party;

receiving a response communication from the party'"'"'s personal communications device;

refraining from sending notification communications to the party'"'"'s personal communications device after receiving the response communication;

initiating a second notification communication to the party'"'"'s personal communications device, one or more other personal communications devices, or both, after detection of occurrence of one or more events.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the one or more events comprises at least receipt of a second communication from the party'"'"'s personal communications device.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the one or more events comprises at least expiration of a predefined time period.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the one or more events comprises arrival, presence, or departure of a mobile thing with respect to a location.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the one or more events comprises scanning a machine readable code on an object.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the one or more events comprises actuation of a manually or automatically actuated switch that is associated with a mobile thing.

14. The method of claim 8, further comprising the step of refraining from sending notification communications to one or more additional personal communications devices.

15. The method of claim 8, wherein the step of initiating a first notification communication is performed when a mobile thing is a predetermined proximity with respect to a location.

16. The method of claim 8, wherein the steps are performed with a single computer system, a plurality of computers that are communicatively coupled, or a computer system having a distributed architecture.

17. The method of claim 8, further comprising the steps of:

monitoring travel data associated with a mobile thing;

performing the step of initiating the first notification communication based upon the relationship of a mobile thing to a location; and

performing the step of initiating the second notification communication based upon the relationship of the mobile thing or another mobile thing to the location or another location.

18. A method for communications in connection with a computer-based notification system and a personal communications device associated with a party, comprising:

receiving a notification communication with the personal communications device associated with the party from the notification system;

communicating a response communication from the party'"'"'s personal communications device, indicating that the party has received the notification communication and is now occupied with a task associated with the notification communication; and

causing the notification system to refrain from sending any further notification communications to the party'"'"'s personal communications device, until detection of one or more events, indicating that the party is no longer occupied with the task and can perform another task associated with another notification communication.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the response is generated by a physical action taken by the party associated with the personal communications device.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the response is generated by physically detecting the presence of the party associated with the personal communications device.

21. A method for communications in connection with a computer-based notification system, comprising:

initiating a notification communication to a personal communications device associated with a party;

receiving a response communication from the party'"'"'s personal communications device; and

modifying a manner in which future notification communications are implemented, based upon the response.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the step of modifying comprises refraining from sending notification communications to the party'"'"'s personal communications device after receiving the response communication, until detection of one or more events.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the one or more events comprises at least one or more of the following:

receipt of a second communication from the party'"'"'s personal communications device;

expiration of a predefined time period;

or arrival or departure of a mobile thing at or from a location, respectively.

24. The method of claim 22, further comprising the step of refraining from sending notification communications to one or more additional personal communications devices.

25. The method of claim 21, wherein the step of initiating the notification communication is performed when a mobile thing is a predetermined proximity with respect to a location.

26. The method of claim 21, wherein the steps are performed with a single computer system, a plurality of computers that are communicatively coupled, or a computer system having a distributed architecture.

27. The method of claim 21, wherein the response is generated by a physical action taken by the party associated with the personal communications device.

28. The method of claim 21, wherein the response is generated by physically detecting the presence of the party associated with the personal communications device.

29. A method for a notification system, comprising the steps of:

scheduling an arrival or departure time for a mobile thing in relation to a stop location;

scheduling a notification communication to a personal communications device;

monitoring travel data pertaining to the mobile thing;

determining that the mobile thing will be delayed in arriving or departing from the stop location;

initiating a communication session with a communications device; and

during the communication session, reporting a travel status of the mobile thing indicating that the mobile thing will be delayed and enabling cancellation of the scheduled notification communication.

30. The method of claim 29, further comprising the step of providing a report regarding travel status of the mobile thing during the communication session.

31. The method of claim 29, further comprising the step of comparing planned timing of the mobile thing along a route to updated vehicle status information in order to determine whether the mobile thing will be delayed.