Method and System for Communicating Arrival Notifications

• US 20080243386A1
• Filed: 03/27/2007
• Published: 10/02/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Jain, Mukul, Kumar, Sanjeev, Patel, Labhesh, Khouri, Joseph F.
• Application Number:
  US11/691,891
• Publication Number:
  US 20080243386A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/300
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0962 having an indicator mounted inside the vehicle, e.g. giving voice messages

Abstract

A method for communicating an arrival notification includes receiving a first destination and determining a location of the first destination. The method further includes calculating an estimated time of arrival for a mobile endpoint to arrive at the location of the first destination and sending a notification message indicating the estimated time of arrival to a communication device associated with the first destination.

Claims

1. A method for communicating an arrival notification, comprising:

receiving a first destination;

determining a location of the first destination;

calculating an estimated time of arrival, the estimated time of arrival indicating an estimated time for a mobile endpoint to arrive at the location of the first destination;

sending a notification message to a communication device associated with the first destination, the notification message indicating the estimated time of arrival.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving position information associated with the mobile endpoint; and

determining a position of the mobile endpoint from the position information.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the position information comprises global positioning system signals.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a change in the estimated time of arrival; and

sending an update message to the communication device associated with the first destination location, the update message indicating the change in the estimated time of arrival.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising determining that the change in the estimated time of arrival is greater than a threshold value.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising prompting a user to specify one or more items intended to be purchased at the destination.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the notification message further indicates the one or more items intended to be purchased at the destination.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising receiving a status message in response to sending the notification message, the status message indicating one or more of:

an availability of the one or more items intended to be purchased;

sale information;

a coupon code; and

a second destination where the one or more items intended to be purchased are available.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising sending a notification message to an alternate destination, the alternate destination comprising a competing destination of the first destination.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising prompting a user with a list of one or more alternate destinations, the one or more alternate destinations comprising one or more competing destinations of the first destination.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

selecting a second destination;

determining a location of the second destination;

calculating an estimated time of arrival for the mobile endpoint to arrive at the location of the second destination;

sending a notification message to a communication device associated with the second destination, the notification message comprising the estimated time of arrival; and

sending an update message to the communication device associated with the first location, the update message indicating a change in the estimated time of arrival.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the notification message is anonymous with respect to an identity associated with the mobile endpoint.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving the notification message at a communication device associated with a destination location.

14. A method for communicating directions, comprising:

receiving an input comprising a product intended to be purchased;

sending a request message, the request message indicating the product intended to be purchased; and

receiving, from a first destination, availability information associated with the product intended to be purchased;

determining a location of the first destination; and

providing directions to the first destination.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein:

the product intended to be purchased is associated with a radio frequency identification number; and

the request message comprises the radio frequency identification number.

16. A system for communicating an arrival notification, comprising a mobile endpoint comprising:

a processor operable to;

determine a location of a first destination; and

calculate an estimated time of arrival, the estimated time of arrival indicating an estimated time for the mobile endpoint to arrive at the location of the first destination; and

an interface coupled to the processor and operable to send a notification message to a communication device associated with the first destination, the notification message indicating the estimated time of arrival.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein:

the interface is further operable to receive position information associated with the mobile endpoint; and

the processor is further operable to determine a position of the mobile endpoint from the position information.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the position information comprises global positioning system signals.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein:

the processor is further operable to determine a change in the estimated time of arrival; and

the interface is further operable to send an update message to the communication device associated with the first destination location, the update message indicating the change in the estimated time of arrival.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the processor is further operable to determine that the change in the estimated time of arrival is greater than a threshold value.

21. The system of claim 16, wherein the processor is further operable to prompt a user to specify one or more items intended to be purchased at the destination.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the notification message further indicates the one or more items intended to be purchased at the destination.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the interface is further operable to receive a status message in response to sending the notification message, the status message indicating one or more of:

an availability of the one or more items intended to be purchased;

sale information;

a coupon code; and

a second destination where the one or more items intended to be purchased are available.

24. The system of claim 16, wherein the interface is further operable to send a notification message to an alternate destination, the alternate destination comprising a competing destination of the first destination.

25. The system of claim 16, wherein the processor is further operable to prompt a user with a list of one or more alternate destinations, the one or more alternate destinations comprising one or more competing destinations of the first destination.

26. The system of claim 16, wherein, in response to a user selecting a second destination:

the processor is operable to;

determine a location of the second destination; and

calculate an estimated time of arrival for the mobile endpoint to arrive at the location of the second destination; and

the interface is operable to;

send a notification message to a communication device associated with the second destination, the notification message comprising the estimated time of arrival; and

send an update message to the communication device associated with the first location, the update message indicating a change in the estimated time of arrival.

27. The system of claim 16, wherein the notification message is anonymous with respect to an identity associated with the mobile endpoint.

28. A system for communicating directions, comprising a mobile endpoint comprising:

an interface operable to;

send a request message, the request message indicating a product intended to be purchased; and

receive, from a first destination, availability information associated with the product intended to be purchased; and

a processor operable to;

determine a location of the first destination; and

provide directions to the first destination.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein:

the product intended to be purchased is associated with a radio frequency identification number; and

the request message comprises the radio frequency identification number.

30. Logic embodied in a computer readable medium, the computer readable medium comprising code operable to:

determine a location of the first destination;

calculate an estimated time of arrival, the estimated time of arrival indicating an estimated time for the mobile endpoint to arrive at the location of the first destination; and

send a notification message to a communication device associated with the first destination, the notification message indicating the estimated time of arrival.

31. The logic of claim 30, wherein the code is further operable to:

receive position information associated with the mobile endpoint; and

determine a position of the mobile endpoint from the position information.

32. The logic of claim 31, wherein the position information comprises global positioning system signals.

33. The logic of claim 30, wherein the code is further operable to:

determine a change in the estimated time of arrival; and

send an update message to the communication device associated with the first destination location, the update message indicating the change in the estimated time of arrival.

34. The logic of claim 33, wherein the code is further operable to determine that the change in the estimated time of arrival is greater than a threshold value.

35. The logic of claim 30, wherein the code is further operable to prompt a user to specify one or more items intended to be purchased at the destination.

36. The logic of claim 35, wherein the notification message further indicates the one or more items intended to be purchased at the destination.

37. The logic of claim 36, wherein the code is further operable to receive a status message in response to sending the notification message, the status message indicating one or more of:

an availability of the one or more items intended to be purchased;

a coupon code;

sale information; and

a second destination where the one or more items intended to be purchased are available.

38. The logic of claim 30, wherein the code is further operable to send a notification message to an alternate destination, the alternate destination comprising a competing destination of the first destination.

39. The logic of claim 30, wherein the code is further operable to prompt a user with a list of one or more alternate destinations, the one or more alternate destinations comprising one or more competing destinations of the first destination.

40. The logic of claim 30, wherein, in response to a user selecting a second destination, the code is operable to:

determine a location of the second destination;

calculate an estimated time of arrival for the mobile endpoint to arrive at the location of the second destination;

send a notification message to a communication device associated with the second destination, the notification message comprising the estimated time of arrival; and

send an update message to the communication device associated with the first location, the update message indicating a change in the estimated time of arrival.

41. The logic of claim 30, wherein the notification message is anonymous with respect to an identity associated with the mobile endpoint.

42. Logic embodied in a computer readable medium, the computer readable medium comprising code operable to:

receive an input comprising a product intended to be purchased;

send a request message, the request message indicating the product intended to be purchased; and

receive, from a first destination, availability information associated with the product intended to be purchased;

determine a location of the first destination; and

provide directions to the first destination.

43. The logic of claim 42, wherein:

the product intended to be purchased is associated with a radio frequency identification number; and

the request message comprises the radio frequency identification number.

44. A system for communicating an arrival notification comprising:

means for determining a location of a first destination;

means for calculating an estimated time of arrival, the estimated time of arrival indicating a time for a mobile endpoint to arrive at the location of the first destination;

means for sending a notification message to a communication device associated with the first destination, the notification message indicating the estimated time of arrival; and

means for receiving the notification message at a communication device associated with the destination location.