MASS NOTIFICATION SYSTEM

• US 20090117926A1
• Filed: 10/30/2008
• Published: 05/07/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/02/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dustin J. Sterlino
• Original Assignee: Dustin J. Sterlino
• Inventors: Sterlino, Dustin J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,600,357 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/466
• 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: H04M 2242/14 with services dependent on location where the service is an information service H04M2242/15; services independent of location H04M3/42229
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5158 in combination with automated outdialling systems devices for signalling identity of wanted subscriber H04M1/26
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5166 in combination with interactive voice response systems or voice portals, e.g. as front-ends

Abstract

A method is disclosed for mass population notification of lost items. A user indicates a location in the proximity of where an item was lost and can also enter information describing the lost item and possibly upload a picture of the item. The user can select how many residents that he wants to notify about the lost item. The user'"'"'s item description and contact information is processed to create a short voice message and/or text message to be delivered to the residents around the location where his item was lost. A map can be displayed to the user that graphically displays the area that is covered by the phone numbers found or an estimate of the phone number coverage selected by the user.

Claims

1. A method of mass population notification of lost items, the method comprising:

receiving a location in the proximity of where an item was lost;

determining a set of phone numbers within an area around the location;

creating an audio and/or text message containing information regarding the lost item; and

sending the audio and/or text message to the set of phone numbers.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving step receives information describing the lost item.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving step receives contact information of an owner of the lost item.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the creating step includes the information describing the lost item in the audio and/or text message.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the creating step includes the contact information in the audio and/or text message.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining step receives a number defining a size of the set of phone numbers.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining step searches online phone number databases for the set of phone numbers within the area around the location.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein a service charges a user a fee for the sending the audio and/or text message to the set of phone numbers.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the fee is determined by a number of phone numbers in the set of phone numbers.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying a map showing a coverage area of the set of phone numbers within the area around the location.

11. A computer-readable medium carrying one or more sequences of instructions for mass population notification of lost items, which instructions, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to carry out the steps of:

receiving a location in the proximity of where an item was lost;

determining a set of phone numbers within an area around the location;

creating an audio and/or text message containing information regarding the lost item; and

sending the audio and/or text message to the set of phone numbers.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the receiving step receives information describing the lost item.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the receiving step receives contact information of an owner of the lost item.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein the creating step includes the information describing the lost item in the audio and/or text message.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the creating step includes the contact information in the audio and/or text message.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the determining step receives a number defining a size of the set of phone numbers.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the determining step searches online phone number databases for the set of phone numbers within the area around the location.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein a service charges a user a fee for the sending the audio and/or text message to the set of phone numbers.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 18, wherein the fee is determined by a number of phone numbers in the set of phone numbers.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 11, further comprising:

displaying a map showing a coverage area of the set of phone numbers within the area around the location.