METHODS, SYSTEMS, DEVICES, AND COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCTS FOR IMPLEMENTING CONDITION ALERT SERVICES

• US 20090109020A1
• Filed: 10/29/2007
• Published: 04/30/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T BLS Intelectual Property Inc (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T BLS Intelectual Property Inc (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Tischer, Steven
• Granted Patent: US 8,428,856 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/539.130
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/085 using electronic data carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0967 Systems involving transmission of highway information, e.g. weather, speed limits transmission of navigation instructions to the vehicle G08G1/0968
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096741 where the source of the transmitted information selects which information to transmit to each vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096775 where the origin of the information is a central station

Abstract

Methods, systems, devices, and computer program products for implementing condition alert services are provided. A method includes receiving information elements from a source that identify a condition, aggregating the information elements from the source with information elements from other sources that identify the same condition, and creating a composite file that includes the aggregated information elements representing each of the sources. The method also includes generating a condition alert from the composite file and transmitting the condition alert to a recipient communications device.

Claims

1. A method for implementing centralized condition alert management services, comprising:

receiving information elements from a source that identify a condition;

aggregating the information elements from the source with information elements from other sources that identify the same condition;

creating a composite file that includes the aggregated information elements representing each of the sources;

generating a condition alert from the composite file; and

transmitting the condition alert to a recipient communications device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the information elements include at least one of:

condition type;

time of condition discovery;

time of condition occurrence;

location of condition;

data that identify the measurements, scope, and magnitude of the condition;

positional and angular data identifying a point of view and distance of the condition with respect to the communications device at the time of capture;

an identification of the communications device; and

a media file capturing at least one of audio, video, and static image of the condition.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the source includes at least one of:

a mobile communications device; and

a stationary communications device,

wherein the stationary communications device services communications devices associated with a defined geographic proximity within range of the conditions.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising categorizing the information elements by condition types, the condition types include at least one of:

traffic conditions;

road conditions;

weather conditions; and

health and safety conditions.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the condition alert includes an option for requesting validation of the condition, the method further comprising:

validating the accuracy of the information elements and providing a validation response to the recipient communications device upon request.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving information elements from multiple sources that identify multiple conditions; and

applying rules to the information elements to determine a response action and assigning a priority value to each of the conditions in response to application of the rules,

wherein transmitting the condition alert to a recipient communications device includes transmitting condition alerts having high priority values to recipient communications devices before transmitting condition alerts with low priority values to recipient communications devices.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the response actions include at least one of:

notifying emergency response systems when the priority value meets or exceeds a threshold value set by the rules; and

identifying a current location of the recipient communications device, and transmitting the condition alert to the recipient communications device when the current location substantially matches a location of the condition.

8. A centralized system for implementing centralized condition processing and alert services, comprising:

a host system; and

a centralized condition alert management application executing on the host system, the centralized condition alert management application implementing a method, comprising;

receiving information elements from a source that identify a condition,

aggregating the information elements from the source with information elements from other sources that identify the same condition,

creating a composite file that includes the aggregated information elements representing each of the sources,

generating a condition alert from the composite file, and

transmitting the condition alert to a recipient communications device.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the information elements include at least one of:

condition type;

time of condition discovery;

time of condition occurrence;

location of condition;

data that identify the measurements, scope, and magnitude of the condition;

positional and angular data identifying a point of view and distance of the condition with respect to the communications device at the time of capture;

an identification of the communications device; and

a media file capturing at least one of audio, video, and static image of the condition.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the source includes at least one of:

a mobile communications device; and

a stationary communications device,

wherein the stationary communications device services communications devices associated with a defined geographic proximity within range of the conditions.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the centralized condition alert management application further implements:

categorizing the information elements by condition types, the condition types include at least one of;

traffic conditions;

road conditions;

weather conditions; and

health and safety conditions.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the condition alert includes an option for requesting validation of the condition, the method further comprising:

validating the accuracy of the information elements and providing a validation response to the recipient communications device upon request.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein the centralized condition alert management application further implements:

receiving information elements from multiple sources that identify multiple conditions; and

applying rules to the information elements to determine a response action and assigning a priority value to each of the conditions in response to application of the rules,

wherein transmitting the condition alert to a recipient communications device includes transmitting condition alerts having high priority values to recipient communications devices before transmitting condition alerts with low priority values to recipient communications devices.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the response actions include at least one of:

notifying emergency response systems when the priority value meets or exceeds a threshold value set by the rules; and

identifying a current location of the recipient communications device, and transmitting the condition alert to the recipient communications device when the current location substantially matches a location of the condition.

15. A computer program product for implementing centralized condition alert management services, the computer program product including instructions for causing a computer to implement a method, comprising:

receiving information elements from a source that identify a condition;

aggregating the information elements from the source with information elements from other sources that identify the same condition;

creating a composite file that includes the aggregated information elements representing each of the sources;

generating a condition alert from the composite file; and

transmitting the condition alert to a recipient communications device.

16. A method for implementing proximity-based condition alerts, comprising:

collecting information elements by a communications device that identify a condition;

creating a condition file that includes the information elements and a condition file identifier;

determining a destination address for notification of the condition; and

generating and transmitting a condition alert to the destination address, the condition alert including the condition file.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the information elements include at least one of:

condition type;

time of condition discovery;

time of condition occurrence;

location of condition;

data that identify the measurements, scope, and magnitude of the condition;

positional and angular data identifying a point of view and distance of the condition with respect to the communications device at the time of capture;

an identification of the communications device; and

a media file capturing at least one of audio, video, and static image of the condition.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein collecting information elements by a communications device that identify a condition includes at least one of:

capturing a media file via a recording component of the communications device;

capturing the distance of the condition via a range finder in communication with the communications device;

capturing angular data using a triangulation calculation component;

capturing at least one of temperature, altitude, and velocity via sensors of the communication device; and

capturing a timestamp of the condition using a clock feature of the communications device.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the information elements are automatically acquired by the recording component, the range finder, the triangulation calculation component, the sensors, and the clock feature via an activation option on the communications device.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein determining a destination address for notification of the condition includes:

detecting a recipient communications device in proximity of the communications device; and

acquiring the destination address of the recipient communications device from the recipient communications device.

21. A communications device for implementing proximity-based condition alerts, comprising:

a processor unit; and

a condition alert application executing on the processor unit, the condition alert application implementing a method, comprising;

collecting information elements that identify a condition,

creating a condition file that includes the information elements and a condition file identifier,

determining a destination address for notification of the condition, and

generating and transmitting a condition alert to the destination address, the condition alert including the condition file.

22. The communications device of claim 21, wherein the information elements include at least one of:

condition type;

time of condition discovery;

time of condition occurrence;

location of condition;

data that identify the measurements, scope, and magnitude of the condition;

positional and angular data identifying a point of view and distance of the condition with respect to the communications device at the time of capture;

an identification of the communications device; and

a media file capturing at least one of audio, video, and static image of the condition.

23. The communications device of claim 21, further comprising:

a recording component for capturing a media file that identifies the condition;

a range finder for capturing the distance of the condition;

a triangulation calculation component for capturing angular data of the condition;

sensors for capturing at least one of;

temperature, altitude, and velocity; and

a clock feature capturing a timestamp of the condition.

24. The communications device of claim 23, further comprising an activation option;

wherein the information elements are automatically acquired by the recording component, the range finder, the triangulation calculation component, the sensors, and the clock feature via the activation option.

25. The communications device of claim 21, wherein determining a destination address for notification of the condition includes:

detecting a recipient communications device in proximity of the communications device; and

acquiring the destination address of the recipient communications device from the recipient communications device.