COMMUNICATION MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS AND METHODS

• US 20110282680A1
• Filed: 05/18/2011
• Published: 11/17/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Charter Solutions International
• Original Assignee: Charter Solutions International
• Inventors: Beveridge, Derek, Pfeffer, Thomas, Patel, Vishrut
• Application Number:
  US13/110,912
• Publication Number:
  US 20110282680A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/1.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0833 Tracking
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/14 Travel agencies

Abstract

A computer system that is adapted for: (A) displaying a geographical map on a display screen; (B) displaying a plurality of icons on the geographical map, each of which generally represents the current location of at least one individual; (C) allowing a user to select a group of the icons; and (D) after the user selects the group of icons, providing messaging functionality for allowing the user to send a common message to the respective portable computing devices of at least substantially all of the individuals who correspond to the selected group of icons. In particular embodiments, the system allows the user to send the message by executing a single activity, such as selecting a single button. The system may also be configured to approximate the current location of an individual based on the individual'"'"'s current travel itinerary.

Claims

1. A communication management system comprising:

a computer processor; and

a memory in communication with the computer processor, wherein said communication management system is adapted for;

displaying a geographical map on a display screen;

displaying a first icon in a first location on said map, said first icon representing at least a first particular individual, and said first location on said map corresponding at least generally to a current physical location of said first particular individual;

displaying a second icon in a second location on said map, said second icon representing at least a second particular individual, and said second location on said map corresponding at least generally to a current physical location of said second particular individual;

allowing a user to select a group of icons, said group of icons comprising both said first and second icons; and

after said user selects said group of icons, providing messaging functionality for allowing said user to send a common message to;

a first portable computing device associated with said first individual; and

a second portable computing device associated with said second individual.

2. The communication management system of claim 1, wherein said communication management system is adapted to allow said user to send said common message to said first and second portable computing devices by executing a single action.

3. The communication management system of claim 2, wherein said single action is selecting a particular button on a computer display.

4. The communication management system of claim 1, wherein said messaging functionality allows:

said first user to respond to said common message; and

said second user to respond to said common message.

5. The communication management system of claim 4, wherein:

said common message asks said user whether said user would like to make a change to their current travel itinerary.

6. The communication management system of claim 4, wherein said communication management system is adapted to change an appearance of said first icon in response to receiving a response, from said first user, to said common message.

7. The communication management system of claim 4, wherein said communication management system is adapted for:

in response to receiving, from said first user, a first type of response to said common message, changing an appearance of said first icon in a first way; and

in response to receiving, from said first user, a second type of response to said common message, changing an appearance of said first icon in a second way.

8. The communication management system of claim 7, wherein:

said step of changing an appearance of said first icon in said first way comprises changing the color of said first icon to a first color; and

said step of changing an appearance of said first icon in said second way comprises changing the color of said first icon to a second color.

9. The communication management system of claim 4, wherein said communication management system is adapted for:

in response to receiving, from said first user, a first type of response to said common message, changing a status of said first user to a first status; and

in response to receiving, from said first user, a second type of response to said common message, changing a status of said first user to a second status.

10. The communication management system of claim 9, wherein said communication management system is adapted to allow a user to filter the display of said first and second icons based on the respective statuses of said first and second individuals.

11. The communication management system of claim 1, wherein said step of allowing said user to select said group of icons comprises allowing said user to select said group of icons by forming a polygon around said group of icons.

12. A communication management system comprising:

a computer processor; and

a memory in communication with said computer processor, wherein said communication management system is adapted for automatically approximating a location of a particular individual based, at least in part, on said individual'"'"'s current travel itinerary.

13. The communication management system of claim 12, wherein said communication management system is adapted for approximating a location of said particular individual based, at least in part, on one or more of the following types of information obtained from the individual'"'"'s current travel itinerary:

(1) a flight reservation;

(2) a rental car reservation;

(3) a hotel reservation;

(4) a train reservation;

or

(5) a bus reservation.

14. The communication management system of claim 12, wherein said communication management system is adapted for:

identifying, based on said individual'"'"'s current travel itinerary, an address where the individual is to stay on the current date; and

using the address as the individual'"'"'s current location for purposes of tracking the individual'"'"'s position.

15. The communication management system of claim 12, wherein said communication management system is adapted for:

identifying, based on said individual'"'"'s current travel itinerary, an airport where the individual is scheduled to arrive on the current date; and

using the address as the individual'"'"'s current location for purposes of tracking the individual.

16. The communication management system of claim 12, wherein said communication management system is adapted for executing the following steps:

(A) determine whether the communication management system has access to information regarding the current position of the individual'"'"'s mobile device and, if so, use this information to approximate the location of the individual; and

(B) if the communication management system determines, at Step (A), that said communication management system does not have access to information regarding the current position of the individual'"'"'s mobile device, determine whether the communication management system has access to information regarding the address where the individual is scheduled to stay on the current date and, if so, use this address to approximate the location of the individual.

17. The communication management system of claim 16, wherein said communication management system is further adapted for:

(C) if the communication management system determines, at said Step (B), that said communication management system does not have access to information regarding the address where the individual is scheduled to stay on the current date, determine whether the communication management system has access to information regarding the individual'"'"'s most recent arrival point and, if so, use this most recent arrival point to approximate the location of the individual.

18. The communication management system of claim 17, wherein said most recent arrival point is determined from an electronic travel itinerary associated with said individual.

19. The communication management system of claim 17, wherein said most recent arrival point is selected from a group consisting of:

an airport, a train station, and a bus station.

20. A computer readable medium storing computer executable instructions for:

displaying a geographical map on a display screen;

displaying a first icon in a first location on said map, said first icon representing at least a first particular individual, and said first location on said map corresponding at least generally to a current physical location of said first particular individual;

displaying a second icon in a second location on said map, said second icon representing at least a second particular individual, and said second location on said map corresponding at least generally to a current physical location of said second particular individual;

allowing a user to select a group of icons, said group of icons comprising both said first and second icons; and

after said user selects said group of icons, providing messaging functionality for allowing said user to send a common message to;

a first portable computing device associated with said first individual; and

a second portable computing device associated with said second individual.

21. The computer readable medium of claim 20, wherein said computer readable medium further stores computer executable instructions for allowing said user to send said common message to said first and second portable computing devices by executing a single action.

22. The computer readable medium of claim 20, wherein said messaging functionality allows:

said first user to respond to said common message; and

said second user to respond to said common message.

23. The computer readable medium of claim 22, wherein said computer readable medium further stores computer executable instructions for:

in response to receiving, from said first user, a first type of response to said common message, changing an appearance of said first icon in a first way; and

in response to receiving, from said first user, a second type of response to said common message, changing an appearance of said first icon in a second way.