Targeted messaging system and related methods

• US 20050262212A1
• Filed: 05/25/2005
• Published: 11/24/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/10/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: University of Florida Research Foundation, Incorporated (State University System of Florida)
• Original Assignee: University of Florida Research Foundation, Incorporated (State University System of Florida)
• Inventors: Arslan, Bekir, Hidalgo, Antonio E.
• Application Number:
  US11/136,917
• Publication Number:
  US 20050262212A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2503/08 Elderly
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0242 adapted to measure environmental factors, e.g. temperature, pollution
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0468 Built-in electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/002 Monitoring the patient using a local or closed circuit, e.g. in a room or building A61B5/0017 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0022 Monitoring a patient using a global network, e.g. telephone networks, internet
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0062 Arrangements for scanning
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02055 Simultaneously evaluating both cardiovascular condition and temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/024 Detecting, measuring or recording pulse rate or heart rate A61B5/0205, A61B5/021 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0531 Measuring skin impedance
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0816 Measuring devices for examining respiratory frequency measuring frequency of electric signals G01R23/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1112 Global tracking of patients, e.g. by using GPS
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1113 Local tracking of patients, e.g. in a hospital or private home
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/411 Detecting or monitoring allergy or intolerance reactions to an allergenic agent or substance
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7475 User input or interface means, e.g. keyboard, pointing device, joystick
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/005 with correlation of navigation data from several sources, e.g. map or contour matching G01C21/30 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/20 Instruments for performing navigational calculations G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/042 using digital processors G05B19/05 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 15/16 Combinations of two or more digital computers each having at least an arithmetic unit, a program unit and a register, e.g. for a simultaneous processing of several programs coordinating program control therefor G06F9/52; in regulating and control system G05B
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/109 Time management, e.g. calendars, reminders, meetings or time accounting
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/00 : Information and communication technology [ICT] specially adapted for implementation of business processes of specific business sectors, e.g. utilities or tourism healthcare informatics G16H
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 90/00 : Systems or methods specially adapted for administrative, commercial, financial, managerial or supervisory purposes, not involving significant data processing
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19658 : Telephone systems used to communicate with a camera, e.g. PSTN, GSM, POTS
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19684 : Portable terminal, e.g. mobile phone, used for viewing video remotely
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19697 : Arrangements wherein non-video detectors generate an alarm themselves
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/025 : System arrangements wherein the alarm criteria uses absence of reply signal after an elapsed time
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0263 : System arrangements wherein the object is to detect the direction in which child or item is located
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0275 : Electronic Article Surveillance [EAS] tag technology used for parent or child unit, e.g. same transmission technology, magnetic tag, RF tag, RFID
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/028 : Communication between parent and child units via remote transmission means, e.g. satellite network
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0283 : via a telephone network, e.g. cellular GSM
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/04 : responsive to non-activity, e.g. of elderly persons G08B21/06 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/008 : Alarm setting and unsetting, i.e. arming or disarming of the security system
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/009 : Signalling of the alarm condition to a substation whose identity is signalled to a central station, e.g. relaying alarm signals in order to extend communication range
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/016 : Personal emergency signalling and security systems emergency non-personal manually actuated alarm activators G08B25/12
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 27/006 : with transmission via telephone network
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/00 : Arrangements for transmitting signals characterised by the use of a wireless electrical link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 : using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/41 : Remote control of gateways
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/42 : Transmitting or receiving remote control signals via a network
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/50 : Receiving or transmitting feedback, e.g. replies, status updates, acknowledgements, from the controlled devices
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/51 : Remote controlling of devices based on replies, status thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/61 : Password, biometric
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/93 : Remote control using other portable devices, e.g. mobile phone, PDA, laptop
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 : for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 : for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2803 : Home automation networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/282 : based on user interaction within the home receiver circuitry for displaying additional information being controlled by a remote control apparatus H04N21/42204
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2836 : Protocol conversion between an external network and a home network controlling appliance services of a home automation network from a device located outside the home and the home network H04L12/2818; protocol conversion H04L69/08; adaptation of digital video signals for transport over a specific home network H04N7/24
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 : using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72415 : for remote control of appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72451 : according to schedules, e.g. using calendar applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72454 : according to context-related or environment-related conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72457 : according to geographic location
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72475 : specially adapted for disabled users
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/12 : including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion telephones including GPS signal receivers H04M2250/10

Abstract

A system for targeted messaging includes a messaging platform for communicating messages to a target group, a target group selecting module for selecting the target group from a group of potential message recipients based upon the location of each potential message recipient relative to a predefined targeted region. A method of targeted messaging includes defining a targeted region, selecting a target group from a group of potential message recipients based upon the location of each potential message recipient relative to the targeted region, and transmitting a message to the selected target group.

Claims

1. A messaging system comprising:

a messaging platform for communicating messages to a target group; and

target group selecting module for selecting the target group from a group of potential message recipients based upon a location of each potential message recipient relative to a predefined targeted region.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of locatable wireless communication devices.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein each of the plurality of locatable wireless communication devices includes a GPS-based location module.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the target group selecting module selects the target group from the group of potential message recipients based upon each potential message recipient'"'"'s being within the targeted region during a prescribed time interval.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the target group selecting module identifies to a system user each potential message recipient who is within the targeted region.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising a polling module for polling each member of the selected target group.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the polling module polls each member of the selected target group who is within the prescribed message space within a prescribed time interval.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein each member of the selected target group responds to the polling module'"'"'s polling by transmitting a response.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the response is transmitted to at least one other member of the selected target group.

10. The system of claim 6, wherein the polling module concludes the polling within a prescribed period of time.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the polling module passes results of the polling to the messaging platform which transmits to members of the selected target group results of the polling.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the target group selecting module selects the target group by

observing at different intervals an amount of time that a potential message recipient is within the targeted region;

and

designating a potential message recipient to be a member of the target group based upon at least one of

number of time intervals that the potential message recipient is in the targeted region, and,

amount of time per different interval that the potential message recipient is in the targeted region.

13. A method of targeted messaging over a telecommunications system, the method comprising the steps of:

defining a targeted region;

selecting a target group from a group of potential message recipients based upon the location of each potential message recipient relative to the targeted region;

transmitting a message to the selected target group.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the step of selecting comprises selecting the target group from the group of potential message recipients based upon each potential message recipient'"'"'s being within the targeted region during a prescribed time interval.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising the step of polling each member of the selected target group.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the step of polling comprises polling each member of the selected target group who is within the targeted region during a prescribed time interval.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein each member of the selected target group responds to the polling by transmitting a response.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the response is transmitted to at least one other member of the selected target group.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the step of polling is concluded within a prescribed period of time.

20. The method of claim 17, further comprising the step of transmitting to members of the selected target group results of the polling.

21. The method of claim 13, wherein the step of selecting comprises

observing at different intervals an amount of time that each potential message recipient is within the targeted region;

and

deciding to designate a potential message recipient to be a member of the target group based upon at least one of

number of time intervals that the potential message recipient is in the targeted region, and,

amount of time per different interval that the potential message recipient is in the targeted region.

22. A computer readable storage medium for use with a telecommunication system, the storage medium comprising computer instructions for:

defining a targeted region;

selecting a target group from a group of potential message recipients based upon a location of each potential message recipient relative to the targeted region; and

transmitting a message to the selected target group.

23. The computer readable storage medium of claim 22, wherein the computer instruction for selecting a target group comprises a computer instruction for selecting the target group from the group of potential message recipients based upon each potential message recipient'"'"'s being within the targeted region during a prescribed time interval.

24. The computer readable storage medium of claim 22, wherein the computer instruction for selecting a target group comprises a computer instruction for:

observing at different intervals an amount of time that each potential message recipient is within the targeted region; and

deciding to designate a potential message recipient to be a member of the target group based upon at least one of

number of time intervals that the potential message recipient is in the targeted region, and,

amount of time per different interval that the potential message recipient is in the targeted region.

25. The computer readable storage medium of claim 22, further comprising a computer instruction for polling each member of the selected target group.