Real-Time Event Notification

• US 20110121966A1
• Filed: 01/27/2011
• Published: 05/26/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ServiceNow Incorporated
• Original Assignee: At&T Delaware Intellectual Property, Inc. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Cavanaugh, Craig
• Granted Patent: US 8,279,071 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/539.13
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/55 Push-based network services
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/10 including a GPS signal receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/18 Information format or content conversion, e.g. adaptation by the network of the transmitted or received information for the purpose of wireless delivery to users or terminals

Abstract

Methods, systems, and computer-readable media provide for the real-time notification of user events. According to various embodiments described herein, a user initiates a notification process in which the geographic location of a device associated with the user, as well as any desired activity data, is generated into a real-time notification for another party. The location of the user device is determined upon the initiation of the notification process. Original or pre-programmed messages may be posted on a website or delivered along with the location of the user device to any number of communication devices. The various embodiments provide an efficient manner of updating selected individuals with the location of a user and of providing those individuals with desired information.

Claims

1. A method for providing a notification, the method comprising:

receiving data associated with a user device, the data comprising location information associated with the user device and identification information associated with the user device;

determining a geographic location of the user device from the data;

retrieving a message corresponding to the data;

generating the notification comprising the message and the geographic location; and

providing the notification according to a notification rule.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the notification rule comprises a user-defined notification rule indicating a format for providing the notification and a destination for providing the notification.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the notification rule further comprises a carrier-defined notification rule and wherein the method further comprises:

resolving a conflict between the user-defined notification rule and the carrier-defined notification rule;

determining an applicable notification rule based on a resolution of the conflict; and

providing the notification according to the application notification rule.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the notification according to the notification rule comprises providing the notification in a first format to a first party and in a second format to a second party.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the message is stored in a user profile associated with the identification information.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the message corresponds to a current activity associated with the user device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the data further comprises a time stamp associated with the location information.

8. A system for providing a notification, the system comprising:

a memory having computer-executable instructions stored thereon for providing the notification; and

a processor functionally coupled to the memory, the processor operative to execute the computer-executable instructions which cause the processor to at least;

receive data associated with a user device, the data comprising location information associated with the user device and identification information associated with the user device,

determine a geographic location of the user device from the data,

retrieve a message corresponding to the data,

generate the notification comprising the message and the geographic location, and

provide the notification according to a notification rule.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the notification rule comprises a user-defined notification rule indicating a format for providing the notification and a destination for providing the notification.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the notification rule further comprises a carrier-defined notification rule and wherein the processor is further caused to at least:

resolve a conflict between the user-defined notification rule and the carrier-defined notification rule;

determine an applicable notification rule based on a resolution of the conflict; and

provide the notification according to the application notification rule.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein providing the notification according to the notification rule comprises providing the notification in a first format to a first party and in a second format to a second party.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the message is stored in a user profile stored on the memory, the user profile associated with the identification information.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein the message corresponds to a current activity associated with the user device.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein the data further comprises a time stamp associated with the location information.

15. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions stored thereon which, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to at least:

receive data associated with a user device, the data comprising location information associated with the user device and identification information associated with the user device;

determine a geographic location of the user device from the data;

retrieve a message corresponding to the data;

generate a notification comprising the message and the geographic location; and

provide the notification according to a notification rule.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the notification rule comprises a user-defined notification rule indicating a format for providing the notification and a destination for providing the notification.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the notification rule further comprises a carrier-defined notification rule and wherein the computer is further caused to at least:

resolve a conflict between the user-defined notification rule and the carrier-defined notification rule;

determine an applicable notification rule based on a resolution of the conflict; and

provide the notification according to the application notification rule.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein providing the notification according to the notification rule comprises providing the notification in a first format to a first party and in a second format to a second party.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the message is stored in a user profile associated with the identification information.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the message corresponds to a current activity associated with the user device.