Advance notification system and method utilizing user-definable notification time periods

• US 6,411,891 B1
• Filed: 04/26/2000
• Issued: 06/25/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/10/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Shipping & Transit, LLC
• Original Assignee: Global Research Systems, Inc.
• Inventors: Jones, Martin Kelly
• Primary Examiner(s): LOUIS JACQUES, JACQUES H
• Application Number:
  US09/558,713
• Time in Patent Office: 790 Days
• Field of Search: 701/201, 701/209, 701/207, 701/208, 701/210, 701/117, 340/990, 340/995, 340/998, 340/438, 340/439, 342/357.03, 342/357.09, 342/357.07, 342/457, 455/12.1, 455/13.1, 455/13.2
• US Class Current: 701/201
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management

Abstract

An advance notification system and method notifies users of the impending arrival of a transportation vehicle, for example, a school bus, at a particular vehicle stop. The system generally includes an on-board vehicle control unit (VCU) for each vehicle and a base station control unit (BSCU) for transmitting notification messages to users in order to inform the users when the vehicle is a certain predefined time period away from the vehicle stop. The VCU compares elapsed time and/or traveled distance to the programmed schedule time and/or traveled distance to determine if the vehicle is on schedule. If the vehicle is behind or ahead of schedule, the VCU calls the BSCU, which then adjusts its calling schedule accordingly. Significantly, a preset notification time period mechanism in the BSCU permits the user to contact the BSCU in order to define a preset notification time period when the user is to receive a notification message prior to arrival of a vehicle at a vehicle stop to thereby indicate impending arrival of the vehicle at the stop.

Claims

1. A method for an advance notification system, the method for allowing a user to define a preset notification time period when the user is to receive a notification prior to arrival of a vehicle at a vehicle stop to thereby indicate impending arrival of the vehicle at the vehicle stop, the advance notification system comprising (a) a user communication device associated with said user, (b) a system control for monitoring travel of said vehicle in relation to the vehicle stop, and (c) a system communication interface for establishing communication between said system control and said user communication device when said vehicle is at a location that corresponds with the preset notification time period from said vehicle stop, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) permitting said user to define said preset notification time period by the following steps;

(1) establishing a communication link with said system communication interface; and

(2) providing data indicative of said preset notification time period to said system control during said communication link.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

maintaining a reference caller identification number associated with said user communication device; and

when said communication link is established, determining whether said communication link is authorized by comparing a caller identification number associated with said communication link with said reference caller identification.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of providing said data to said system control by depressing touch tone buttons on said user communication device.

4. A method for an advance notification system for allowing a user to define a preset notification time period when the user receives a notification to indicate impending arrival of a vehicle at a vehicle stop, wherein the advance notification system comprises:

(a) a vehicle control unit disposed on said vehicle, said vehicle control unit having;

(1) a vehicle travel monitoring means;

(2) a vehicle transmitter adapted to transmit a travel signal based upon said vehicle travel monitoring means;

(3) a vehicle processor controlling said vehicle travel monitoring means and said vehicle transmitter; and

(b) a base station control unit having;

(1) a receiver adapted to receive said travel signal from said vehicle control unit;

(2) a base station communication interface;

(3) a base station processor controlling said receiver and said base station communication interface, said base station processor for establishing communication between said base station communication interface and a user communication device associated with said user when said vehicle is at said present notification time period from said vehicle stop;

and wherein the method comprises the steps of;

(a) permitting said user to define said preset notification time period by the following steps;

(1) establishing a communication link with said base station communication interface; and

(2) providing data indicative of said preset notification time period to said base station processor over said communication link.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising the step of providing said data to said base station processor by depressing touch tone buttons on said user communication device.

6. The method of claim 4, further comprising the steps of:

maintaining a reference caller identification number associated with said user communication device; and

when said communication link is established, determining whether said communication link is authorized by comparing a caller identification number associated with said communication link with said reference caller identification.

7. An advance notification system that allows a user to define a preset notification time period when the user is to receive a notification prior to arrival of a vehicle at a vehicle stop, the notification for indicating impending arrival of the vehicle at the vehicle stop, comprising:

a user communication device associated with said user;

a system control for monitoring travel of said vehicle in relation to the vehicle stop;

a system communication interface in communication with said system control, said system communication interface for establishing communication with said user communication device when said vehicle is at a location that corresponds with the preset notification time period from said vehicle stop; and

user configuration means associated with said system control, said user configuration means for permitting said user to define said preset notification time period by providing data indicative of said preset notification time period to said system communication interface over a communication link established between said user communication device and said system communication interface.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein said system control further comprises:

means for storing a reference caller identification number associated with said user communication device; and

means for, when said communication link is established, determining whether said communication link is authorized by comparing a caller identification number associated with said communication link with said reference caller identification.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein said system control is adapted to monitor a distance traveled by said vehicle.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein said system control is adapted to monitor time traveled by said vehicle.

11. An advance notification system that allows a user to define a preset notification time period when the user is to receive a notification prior to arrival of a vehicle at a vehicle stop, the notification for indicating impending arrival of the vehicle at the vehicle stop, comprising:

(a) a vehicle control unit disposed on said vehicle, said vehicle control unit having;

(1) a vehicle travel monitoring means;

(2) a vehicle transmitter adapted to transmit a travel signal based upon said vehicle travel monitoring means;

(3) a vehicle control means controlling said vehicle travel monitoring means and said vehicle transmitter; and

(b) a base station control unit having;

(1) a receiver adapted to receive said travel signal from said vehicle control unit;

(2) a base station communication interface;

(3) a base station control means controlling said receiver and said base station communication interface, said base station control means for establishing a communication connection between said base station communication interface and a user communication device when said vehicle is at a location corresponding with said preset notification time period from said vehicle stop, said user communication device associated with said user; and

(4) user configuration means associated with said base station control means, said user configuration means for permitting said user to define said preset notification time period by providing data indicative of said preset notification time period to said base station communication interface over a communication link established between said user communication device and said base station communication interface.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein said base station control means further comprises:

means for storing a reference caller identification number associated with said user communication device; and

means for, when said communication link is established, determining whether said communication link is authorized by comparing a caller identification number associated with said communication link with said reference caller identification.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein vehicle travel monitoring means monitors a distance traveled by said vehicle.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein vehicle travel monitoring means monitors a time traveled by said vehicle.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein said travel signal includes a time traveled by said vehicle.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein said travel signal includes a distance traveled by said vehicle.

17. A method for an advance notification system, the method for allowing a user to define a preset notification time period when the user is to receive a notification prior to arrival of a vehicle at a vehicle stop to thereby indicate impending arrival of the vehicle at the vehicle stop, the advance notification system comprising (a) a user communication device associated with said user, (b) system control for monitoring travel of said vehicle in relation to the vehicle stop, and (c) a system communication interface for establishing communication between said system control and said passenger telephone when said vehicle is at a location that corresponds with the preset notification time period from said vehicle stop, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) permitting said user to define said preset notification time period by the following steps;

(1) establishing a communication link with said system communication interface;

(2) receiving data indicative of said preset notification time period during said communication link; and

(3) interfacing said data with said system control.

18. An advance notification method, comprising the steps of:

establishing communication with a remote communication device associated with a user;

receiving data from said user communication device;

identifying a notification time period based on said data;

monitoring travel of a vehicle in relation to a vehicle stop;

determining, based on said monitoring step, whether said vehicle is within said notification time period from said vehicle stop; and

establishing communication with said remote communication device or another remote communication device associated with said user when said vehicle is within said preset notification time period from said vehicle stop.