Systems and methods for providing location-based arrival monitoring and notification

• US 20040263385A1
• Filed: 07/27/2004
• Published: 12/30/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/24/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Nguyen, Hong Thi, Adamczyk, Maria
• Application Number:
  US10/899,855
• Publication Number:
  US 20040263385A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 342/357.395
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0072 Transmission between mobile stations, e.g. anti-collision systems
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0269 System arrangements wherein the object is to detect the exact location of child or item using a navigation satellite system, e.g. GPS
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13097 Numbering, addressing
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13098 Mobile subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13103 Memory
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13141 Hunting for free outlet, circuit or channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13333 Earth satellites
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13374 Paging

Abstract

Systems and methods for notifying a user that a specified person is within a specified distance of a specified meeting location are disclosed. A method according to the invention includes receiving a location signal that represents a current location of a specified party, storing identity data that represents an identity of the specified party and location data that represents a specified location, and determining from the location signal and the location data whether the specified party has arrived at the specified location. Such a method can also include transmitting a notification message if the specified party has arrived at the specified location.

Claims

1. A computer-readable medium encoded with computer executable instructions to perform a method, comprising:

receiving, via a user interface, an identity of a party and location data corresponding to a geographic location; and

determining whether the party has arrived at the geographic location.

2. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, further comprising executable instructions for receiving a location signal that represents a current location of the party.

3. The computer-readable medium of claim 2, further comprising executable instructions for determining from the location signal and the location data whether the party has arrived at the geographic location.

4. The computer-readable medium of claim 2, further comprising executable instructions for:

storing distance data that represents a distance from the geographic location; and

determining from the location signal, the location data, and the distance data whether the party has arrived at the geographic location.

5. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, further comprising executable instructions for receiving, via the user interface, an identity of a contact.

6. The computer-readable medium of claim 5, further comprising executable instructions for notifying the contact that the party has arrived at the geographic location.

7. The computer-readable medium of claim 5, further comprising executable instructions for:

receiving, via the user interface, data corresponding to a communications pathway associated with the contact; and

notifying the contact via the communications pathway that the party has arrived at the geographic location.

8. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, further comprising executable instructions for:

storing identity data that represents an identity of the party; and

storing location data that represents the geographic location.

9. A computer-readable medium encoded with computer executable instructions to perform a method, comprising:

determining whether one or more location devices are currently located at a respective user-specified location from a location signal that is associated with the respective location device, wherein the location signal represents a current location of the associated device; and

providing a notification that one or more user-specified parties associated with the respective location devices have arrived at the specified location.

10. The computer-readable medium of claim 9, further comprising executable instructions for providing a notification to a user-specified contact that a party associated with a location device has arrived at a respective user-specified location.

11. A computer-readable medium encoded with computer executable instructions to perform a method, comprising:

providing an interface adapted to receive an identity of a third party and a geographic location associated with the third party; and

determining whether the third party has arrived at the geographic location.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 11, further comprising executable instructions for receiving a location signal that represents a current geographic location of the third party.

13. A system, comprising:

a receiver for receiving a location signal that represents a current location of a user-specified party;

a transmitter for transmitting data representing the current location of the user-specified party to a notification server adapted to transmit a notification message if the user-specified party has arrived at a user-specified location.

14. The system of claim 13, further comprising means for determining a current location of a user-specified party from the location signal.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the location signal includes global positioning signals.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the current location of the user-specified party is determined in terms of latitude and longitude.

17. A system for providing arrival notification, the system comprising:

an interface via which a user can access a notification service;

means for determining whether the user is a subscriber to the notification service and, if the user is not a subscriber, for allowing the user to subscribe;

means for receiving identity data that represents an identity of a user-specified contact and location data that represents a user-specified location;

a device for storing the identity and location data; and

a device for retrieving the identity and location data.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein a user-specific name and password are used to determine if a user is a subscriber.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the interface is at least one of a telephone and computer.

20. The system of claim 17, further comprising:

means for receiving distance data that represents a specified distance from the user-specified location, contact data that represents an identity of a user-specified contact, and pathway data that represents a user-specified communication pathway;

a device for storing the location data, identity data, distance data, and pathway data; and

a device for retrieving the location data, identity data, distance data, and pathway data.