Method and system for communicating travel alerts to mobile devices

• US 20070194940A1
• Filed: 01/19/2007
• Published: 08/23/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/21/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Kalpana Valluru
• Original Assignee: Kalpana Valluru
• Inventors: Valluru, Kalpana
• Application Number:
  US11/655,404
• Publication Number:
  US 20070194940A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/573.4
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/02 Alarms for ensuring the safety of persons

Abstract

The present invention is directed to an improved method of communicating a travel alert to at least one mobile device on a travel route affected by the travel alert. The method comprises pushing a travel alert to at least one mobile device from a command center in selective communication with the at least one mobile device which may communicate with the command center through a mobile network rather than through the computer network. This method further comprises receiving a communication from a user terminal selectively linked to an organization terminal via the computer network, wherein the communication comprises at least one travel parameter associated with the at least one mobile device. The method then comprises the step of executing a software portion in response to a travel alert, wherein the software portion analyzes the travel alert and the step of automatically communicating the travel alert to the at least one mobile device if at least one travel parameter is associated with the travel alert.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method for pushing a travel alert to at least one mobile device, comprising:

a) providing a command center in selective communication with one or more external devices, wherein the command center comprises;

i) an organization terminal communicatively linked to a computer network wherein the organization terminal comprises a memory portion and a processor portion and wherein the memory portion contains therein a software portion executable by the processor; and

ii) an optional telephonic communications device;

b) receiving a communication from a user terminal selectively linked to the organization terminal via the computer network, wherein the communication comprises at least one travel parameter associated with the at least one mobile device;

c) storing in the memory portion the at least one travel parameter associated with the at least one mobile device;

d) receiving a travel alert in an email, a text message, or a telephone call from at least one source communicatively linked with the central command center; and

e) executing the software portion in response to the travel alert, wherein the software portion analyzes the travel alert to determine whether the at least one parameter is associated with the travel alert; and

f) automatically communicating the travel alert to the at least one mobile device if the at least one travel parameter is associated with the travel alert.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising analyzing said travel alert to verify accuracy against a transit authority'"'"'s publicly available information prior to communicating the traffic alert to the at least one mobile device.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising including an indication in the travel alert as to whether the travel alert is verified or unverified against a transit authority'"'"'s publicly available information.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one mobile device is in communication with the computer network via wired or wireless means and wherein the at least one mobile device communicates with the command center over the computer network.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the travel alert is communicated to the at least one mobile device in an email format.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the travel alert is communicated to the at least one mobile device in a text message format.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one mobile device has no access to the computer network.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the travel alert is communicated to the at least one mobile device in a text message format.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one source of the travel alert is a mobile terminal having access to the computer network.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one source is a mobile terminal having no access to the computer network.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one source is a transit authority'"'"'s website communicatively linked with the command center via the computer network.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the transit authority'"'"'s website includes travel alerts.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the transit authority'"'"'s website includes a video feed from a camera monitoring an arrival and departure board.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the transit authority'"'"'s website includes a video feed from a camera monitoring an arrival and departure platform.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the source is a landline telephone.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the source is a stationary terminal communicatively linked to the computer network.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one travel parameter is a metropolitan area.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising receiving at least one additional travel parameter associated with the metropolitan area, wherein the at least one additional travel parameter is a transit type.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising receiving additional transit information comprising a preferred departure location and at least one preferred departure time.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the command center further comprises at least one server for storing the at least one travel parameter associated with the at least one mobile device.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein the command center further comprises at least one server for storing the software portion.

22. A computer implemented method for receiving a travel alert in real time and communicating that travel alert to a first mobile device, comprising:

a) providing a command center in selective communication with one or more external devices, wherein the command center comprises;

i) an organization terminal communicatively linked to a computer network wherein the organization terminal comprises a memory portion and a processor portion and wherein the memory portion contains therein a software portion executable by the processor; and

ii) an optional telephonic communications device;

b) receiving a communication from a user terminal selectively linked to the organization terminal via the computer network, wherein the communication comprises travel route and contact information associated with the first mobile device which has no direct access to the computer network and which is communicatively linked with the command center for receiving a travel alert in a text message format;

c) storing in the memory portion the travel route and contact information associated with the first mobile device;

d) receiving a travel alert from at least one source communicatively linked with the central command center; and

e) executing the software portion in response to the travel alert, wherein the software portion analyzes the traffic alert to determine whether the travel route information is affected by the travel alert; and

f) automatically communicating the travel alert to the first mobile device if the travel route information affected by the traffic alert.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the at least one source is a second mobile device.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the second mobile device has no direct access to the computer network.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the second mobile device is pager capable of receiving and sending text messages.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein the second mobile device is a personal computing device capable of receiving and sending text messages.

27. The method of claim 24, wherein the second mobile device is a cellular telephone capable of receiving and sending text messages.

28. The method of claim 23, wherein the second mobile device is in direct communication with the computer network and wherein the second mobile device delivers the travel alert to the command center in an email format.

29. The method of claim 22, wherein the at least one source is publicly available information displayed on a website accessible by the organization terminal through the computer network.

30. The method of claim 22, wherein the travel route information comprises a city, a transit type, a route name, a starting location and direction of travel, and one or more times of expected travel.

31. An improved system for communicating a travel alert to at least one mobile device on a travel route affected by the travel alert, the system comprising:

a) a computer network communicatively linking a plurality of external terminals to a registry for storing travel route information and contact information associated with a plurality of mobile devices having no direct communication with the computer network; and

b) a centralized command center which receives travel alerts from external sources and communicates with the registry to identify mobile devices in the registry having associated travel route information including a travel route affected by the travel alert, the centralized command center being communicatively linked with the mobile devices enabling the centralized command center to push the travel alert to mobile devices identified in the registry as having associated travel route information affected by the travel alert.

32. The system of claim 31, wherein the plurality of external terminals are devices such as computers, personal computing devices, cell phones, or any other devices capable of accessing the computer network via wired or wireless means.

33. The system of claim 32, further comprising a server for storing the travel information associated with the mobile devices.

34. The system of claim 33, wherein the server stores one or more award credits associated with the mobile devices that deliver verified travel alerts.

35. The system of claim 31, wherein the travel alert originates from a mobile device disposed along the affected travel route.

36. The system of claim 31, wherein the travel alert originates from publicly available resources.