Methods, systems, and computer program products for message filtering based on previous path trajectories and probable destination

• US 20090005067A1
• Filed: 06/28/2007
• Published: 01/01/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mitre Corporation
• Original Assignee: Mitre Corporation
• Inventors: Marshall, James W., Ernst, Darrell E.
• Granted Patent: US 8,180,366 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/456.100
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 27/00 Alarm systems in which the alarm condition is signalled from a central station to a plurality of substations
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/212 using filtering or selective blocking
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/185 by embedding added-value information into content, e.g. geo-tagging

Abstract

Methods, systems and computer program products for filtering generally-broadcast messages received by a movable unit based on current spatial position, stored trajectory history, and probable future trajectories. A current spatial position of the movable unit is received and stored to form a stored trajectory history. A generally-broadcast message relating to a target geographical region is also received and stored. Potential trajectories of the movable unit are then computed over a pre-determined time based on at least one of the current spatial position, a current travel direction of the movable unit, and the stored trajectory history of the movable unit. The generally-broadcast message is then disseminated in response to at least one potential trajectory crossing into the target geographical region during the pre-determined time period. The generally-broadcast message may also be disseminated on the basis of specified user preferences.

Claims

1. A method for filtering messages received by a movable unit, comprising:

adding a current spatial position of the movable unit to a trajectory history of the movable unit;

receiving a generally-broadcast message relating to a target geographical region;

computing potential trajectories of the movable unit over a pre-determined time period based on at least one of;

(i) the current spatial position, (ii) a travel direction of the movable unit, and (iii) the trajectory history of the movable unit; and

disseminating the generally-broadcast message in response to at least one potential trajectory crossing into the target geographical region.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the current spatial position of the movable unit comprises at least one of a current longitude, a current latitude, and a current altitude the movable unit.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing at least one of:

(i) a current velocity of the movable unit and (ii) a time associated with the current spatial position of the movable unit.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the adding step further comprises receiving the current spatial position information from an external spatial positioning system.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the external spatial positioning system comprises at least one of a global positioning system (GPS) and a LORAN system.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the generally-broadcast message comprises at least one of a longitude, a latitude, and an altitude describing the target geographical region.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the computing step further comprises:

identifying paths within the trajectory history that cross into the target geographical region;

tracing the identified paths away from the target geographical region for the pre-determined time period to establish a set of candidate path segments;

computing the travel direction for the movable unit based at least the trajectory history; and

selecting a set of potential trajectories from the set of candidate path segments based on at least one of;

(i) the current spatial position of the movable unit matching the candidate path segments and (ii) the computed travel direction of the movable unit pointing towards the target geographical region.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the selecting step further comprises matching the current spatial position of the movable unit to the candidate path segments in response to the current spatial position falling within a pre-determined distance of spatial positions along the candidate path segments.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the computing further comprises:

identifying paths within the trajectory history that match the current spatial position of the movable unit;

tracing each identified path forward in time from the current spatial position of the movable unit for the pre-determined time period to generate a set of candidate path segments;

computing the travel direction of the movable unit based at least the trajectory history; and

generating a set of potential trajectories from the candidate path segments in response to at least one of;

(i) the candidate path segments crossing into the target geographical region and (ii) the computed travel direction of the movable unit pointing towards the target geographical region.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the paths within the trajectory history are identified in response to the current spatial position falling within a pre-determined distance of spatial positions along the paths within the trajectory history.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising disseminating the generally-broadcast message in response to the current spatial position of the movable unit falling within the target geographical region.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the disseminating further comprises at least one of:

(i) presenting the generally-broadcast message to a user, (ii) activating an aural alarm, (iii) activating a tactile alarm, (iv) activating a visual alarm, and (v) activating an additional device.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the generally-broadcast message further comprises one or more event-specific tags related to events within the target geographic region.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

storing event-specific tags related to events of interest to the movable unit; and

disseminating the generally-broadcast message in response to a match between the event-specific tags related to events within the target geographic region and the event-specific tags related to events of interest to the movable unit.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the event-specific tags represent at least one of:

(i) advertisements from merchants within the target geographical region, (ii) weather events within the target geographical region, (iii) emergencies within the target geographical region, and (iv) events of interest to residents and visitors of the target geographical region.

16. A system for filtering messages received by a movable unit, comprising:

a receiver for receiving a generally-broadcast message relating to a target geographical region;

means for adding a current spatial position of the movable unit to a trajectory history of the movable unit;

means for computing potential trajectories of the movable unit over a pre-determined time period based on at least one of;

(i) the current spatial position, (ii) a travel direction of the movable unit, and (iii) the trajectory history of the movable unit; and

means for disseminating the generally-broadcast message in response to at least one potential trajectory crossing into the target geographical region.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the current spatial position of the movable unit comprises at least one of a current longitude, a current latitude, and a current altitude the movable unit.

18. The system of claim 16, further comprising means for storing at least one of a current velocity of the movable unit and a time associated with the current spatial position of the movable unit.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein the adding means further comprises means for receiving the current spatial position information from an external spatial positioning system.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the external spatial positioning system comprises at least one of a global positioning system (GPS) and a LORAN system.

21. The system of claim 16, wherein the generally-broadcast message comprises at least one of a longitude, a latitude, and an altitude describing the target geographical region.

22. The system of claim 16, wherein the computing means further comprises:

identifying paths within the trajectory history that cross into the target geographical region;

tracing the identified paths away from the target geographical region for the pre-determined time period to establish a set of candidate path segments;

means for computing the travel direction for the movable unit based at least the trajectory history; and

means for selecting a set of potential trajectories from the set of candidate path segments based on at least one of;

(i) the current spatial position of the movable unit matching the candidate path segments and (ii) the computed travel direction of the movable unit pointing towards the target geographical region.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the selecting means further comprises matching the current spatial position of the movable unit to the candidate path segments in response to the current spatial position falling within a pre-determined distance of spatial positions along the candidate path segments.

24. The system of claim 16, wherein the computing means further comprises:

means for identifying paths within the trajectory history that match the current spatial position of the movable unit;

means for tracing each identified path forward in time from the current spatial position of the movable unit for the pre-determined time period to generate a set of candidate path segments;

means for computing the travel direction for the movable unit based at least the trajectory history; and

means for generating a set of potential trajectories from the candidate path segments in response to at least one of;

(i) the candidate path segments crossing into the target geographical region and (ii) the computed travel direction of the movable unit pointing towards the target geographical region.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the identifying means further comprises identifying the paths within the trajectory history in response to the current spatial position falling within a pre-determined distance of spatial positions along the paths within the trajectory history.

26. The system of claim 16, further comprising means for disseminating the generally-broadcast message in response to the current spatial position of the movable unit falling within the target geographical region.

27. The system of claim 16, wherein the disseminating means further comprises at least one of:

(i) means for presenting the generally-broadcast message to a user, (ii) means for activating an aural alarm, (iii) means for activating a tactile alarm, (iv) means for activating a visual alarm, and (v) means for activating an additional device.

28. The system, of claim 16, wherein the generally-broadcast message further comprises one or more event-specific tags related to events within the target geographic region.

29. The system of claim 28, further comprising:

means for storing event-specific tags related to events of interest to the movable unit; and

means for disseminating the generally-broadcast message in response to a match between the event-specific tags related to events within the target geographic region and the event-specific tags related to events of interest to the movable unit.

30. The system of claim 28, wherein the event-specific tags represent at least one of:

(i) advertisements from merchants within the target geographical region, (ii) weather events within the target geographical region, (iii) emergencies within the target geographical region, and (iv) events of interest to residents and visitors to the target geographical region.

31. A computer program product comprising a computer useable medium having computer program logic recorded thereon for enabling a processor to filter messages received by a movable unit, the computer program logic comprising:

means for enabling a processor to receive a generally-broadcast message relating to a target geographical region;

means for enabling a processor to generate a trajectory history of the movable unit;

means for enabling a processor to compute potential trajectories of the movable unit over a pre-determined time period based on at least one of;

(i) the current spatial position, (ii) a travel direction of the movable unit, and (iii) the trajectory history of the movable unit; and

means for enabling a processor to disseminate the generally-broadcast message in response to at least one potential trajectory crossing into the target geographical region.