Automated user notification system

• US 6,529,723 B1
• Filed: 07/06/1999
• Issued: 03/04/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/06/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Televoke (Uber Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Bentley, Rick
• Primary Examiner(s): Kincaid, Lester G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mehrpour, Naghmeh
• Application Number:
  US09/347,389
• Time in Patent Office: 1,337 Days
• Field of Search: 455/405, 455/404, 455/410, 455/423, 455/38.4, 455/456, 455/457, 455/425, 455/466, 455/517, 455/671, 455/345, 455/346, 342/357.01, 342/5.61, 342/5.62, 342/5.63, 340/426, 340/5.72, 340/539, 340/427, 340/428, 340/573.1, 340/537.4, 701/29, 701/45, 701/49
• US Class Current: 455/405
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2325/205 Mobile phones
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/1004 Alarm systems characterised by the type of sensor, e.g. current sensing means using door lock sensors B60R25/1001
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/102 a signal being sent to a remote location, e.g. a radio signal being transmitted to a police station, a security company or the owner
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/33 of global position, e.g. by providing GPS coordinates
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/1016 Telecontrol
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/18 wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42 Systems providing special services or facilities to subscribers specially adapted for wireless communication networks H04W4/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/00 Supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 68/00 User notification, e.g. alerting and paging, for incoming communication, change of service or the like
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/06 using polling
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/18 Processing of user or subscriber data, e.g. subscribed services, user preferences or user profiles; Transfer of user or subscriber data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/20 Transfer of user or subscriber data

Abstract

The present invention provides an automated user notification system for monitoring user items and notifying a user when selected conditions occur. A first portion of the notification system comprises a network operations center (NOC). The NOC stores user information about one or more user items and is further coupled to a plurality of communication devices that can automatically contact a user. A second portion of the notification system comprises at least one detector. The detector monitors one or more user items and provides information regarding selected conditions of the user items to the NOC via a communication link. When the information is received by the NOC, the NOC automatically matches the received information to information stored at the NOC to determine if a condition exist wherein the user should be automatically notified.

Claims

1. A method of acquiring status information, the method utilizing remote communication between a user and a mobile user object, the method comprising the steps of:

inputting a user initiated status request to an automatic network operations center via a user interface, wherein said user initiated status request corresponds to at least one monitored feature of said mobile user object, and wherein said inputting step occurs on demand;

transmitting said user initiated status request to said automatic network operations center via a first communication link;

receiving said user initiated status request by said automatic network operations center, wherein said receiving step occurs automatically without human intervention;

transmitting said user initiated status request to a control module coupled to said mobile user object via a second communication link, wherein said transmitting said user initiated status request step uses a first communication module coupled to said automatic network operations center and a second communication module coupled to said control module, wherein said mobile user object is one of a plurality of objects coupled to said automatic network operations center, and wherein said user initiated status request transmitting step occurs automatically without human intervention;

polling said mobile user object to determine a status associated with said at least one monitored feature in response to said user status request, wherein said polling step is automatically performed by said control module without human intervention;

transmitting said status associated with said at least one monitored feature to said automatic network operations center via said first and second communication modules and said second communication link, wherein said status transmitting step occurs automatically without human intervention; and

notifying said user of said status associated with said at least one monitored feature by said automatic network operations center via a notification interface, wherein said notifying step is performed in accordance with a set of notification instructions stored within said automatic network operations center, wherein said notifying step occurs automatically without human intervention.

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

detecting an event occurrence associated with said mobile user object by a sensor coupled to said mobile user object;

transmitting a notification signal from said control module coupled to said sensor to said automatic network operations center, wherein said notification signal corresponds to said detected event occurrence, wherein said notification signal transmitting step uses said second communication module coupled to said control module;

receiving said notification signal by said first communication module coupled to said automatic network operations center via said second communication link, wherein said notification signal receiving step occurs automatically without human intervention; and

notifying said user of said detected event occurrence by said automatic network operations center via said notification interface, wherein said notifying said user of said detected event occurrence step is performed in accordance with said set of notification instructions stored within said automatic network operations center, wherein said notifying step occurs automatically without human intervention.

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

inputting said set of notification instructions to said automatic network operations center via said user interface;

transmitting said set of notification instructions to said automatic network operations center via said first communication link;

receiving said set of notification instructions by said automatic network operations center, wherein said step of receiving said set of notification instructions occurs automatically without human intervention; and

storing said set of notification instructions within said automatic network operations center, wherein said storing step is performed automatically by said automatic network operations center without human intervention.

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

inputting a user modification of said set of notification instructions to said automatic network operations center via said user interface;

transmitting said user modification of said set of notification instructions to said automatic network operations center via said first communication link;

receiving said user modification by said automatic network operations center, wherein said user modification receiving step occurs automatically without human intervention; and

modifying said set of notification instructions, wherein said modifying step is performed automatically by said automatic network operations center without human intervention.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of selecting an Internet coupled device as said user interface.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said set of notification instructions includes at least one instruction pertaining to a category of notification interface to be used by said automatic network operations center.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said set of notification instructions includes at least one instruction pertaining to user contact information.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said category of notification interface includes electronic mail, facsimile, paging, and telephone.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of selecting a bi-directional wireless communication channel as said second communication link.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of selecting said at least one monitored feature from the group consisting of ignition switch status, door lock status, transmission status, tachometer status, engine operating status, engine emission status, accessory device status, air bag status, and window status.

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

coupling a GPS module to said control module; and

selecting a set of position coordinates as said at least one monitored feature.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of selecting an Internet link as said first communication link.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of coupling an IDB system to said control module.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of coupling an OBD system to said control module.

15. A method of remote communication between a user and a mobile user object, the method comprising the steps of:

inputting a user initiated control instruction to an automatic network operations center via a user interface, wherein said user initiated control instruction relates to at least one function associated with said mobile user object, wherein said user interface is separate from and remotely located from said user object, and wherein said automatic network operations center is separate from and remotely located from said mobile user object and said automatic network operations center is separate from and remotely located from said user interface;

transmitting said user initiated control instruction to said automatic network operations center via a first, distance insensitive, communication link;

receiving said user initiated control instruction by said automatic network operations center, wherein said receiving step occurs automatically without human intervention;

processing said user initiated control instruction by said automatic network operations center, wherein said processing step occurs automatically without human intervention;

generating a processed control instruction by said automatic network operations center in response to said user initiated control instruction, wherein said generating step occurs automatically without human intervention;

transmitting said generated, processed control instruction to a control module coupled to said mobile user object via a second, distance insensitive, communication link, wherein said transmitting said generated, processed control instruction step uses a first communication module coupled to said automatic network operations center and a second communication module coupled to said control module, wherein said mobile user object is one of a plurality of objects coupled to said automatic network operations center, wherein said control module is separate from and remotely located from said automatic network operations center, wherein said control instruction transmitting step occurs automatically without human intervention, and wherein said second, distance insensitive, communication link is a wireless link; and

controlling said at least one function associated with said mobile user object in response to said generated, processed control instruction and in accordance with said user initiated control instruction, wherein said controlling step is performed automatically by said control module without human intervention.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising the steps of:

determining a status associated with said at least one function, wherein said status is comprised of an indicator of whether the controlling step has been successfully completed, wherein said control module automatically performs said status determining step without human intervention;

transmitting a status indicator corresponding to said status associated with said at least one function to said automatic network operations center via said first and second communication modules and said second, distance insensitive, communication link, wherein said status indicator transmitting step occurs automatically without human intervention; and

notifying said user of said status indicator by said automatic network operations center via a notification interface, wherein said notifying step is performed in accordance with a set of notification instructions stored within said automatic network operations center, wherein said notifying step occurs automatically without human intervention.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising the steps of:

detecting an event occurrence associated with said mobile user object by a sensor coupled to said user object;

transmitting a notification signal from said control module coupled to said sensor to said automatic network operations center, wherein said notification signal corresponds to said detected event occurrence, wherein said notification signal transmitting step uses said second communication module coupled to said control module;

receiving said notification signal by said first communication module coupled to said automatic network operations center via said second, distance insensitive, communication link, wherein said notification signal receiving step occurs automatically without human intervention; and

notifying said user of said detected event occurrence by said automatic network operations center via said notification interface, wherein said notifying said user of said detected event occurrence step is performed in accordance with said set of notification instructions stored within said automatic network operations center, wherein said notifying step occurs automatically without human intervention.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising the steps of:

inputting said set of notification instructions to said automatic network operations center via said user interface;

transmitting said set of notification instructions to said automatic network operations center via said first, distance insensitive, communication link;

receiving said set of notification instructions by said automatic network operations center, wherein said step of receiving said set of notification instructions occurs automatically without human intervention; and

storing said set of notification instructions within said automatic network operations center, wherein said storing step is performed automatically by said automatic network operations center without human intervention.

19. The method of claim 15, further comprising the steps of:

inputting a user modification of said set of notification instructions to said automatic network operations center via said user interface;

transmitting said user modification of said set of notification instructions to said automatic network operations center via said first, distance insensitive, communication link;

receiving said user modification by said automatic network operations center, wherein said user modification receiving step occurs automatically without human intervention; and

modifying said set of notification instructions, wherein said modifying step is performed automatically by said automatic network operations center without human intervention.

20. The method of claim 15, further comprising the step of selecting an Internet coupled device as said user interface.

21. The method of claim 15, wherein said set of notification instructions includes at least one instruction pertaining to a category of notification interface to be used by said automatic network operations center.

22. The method of claim 15, wherein said set of notification instructions includes at least one instruction pertaining to user contact information.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein said category of notification interface includes electronic mail, facsimile, paging, and telephone.

24. The method of claim 15, further comprising the step of selecting a bi-directional wireless communication channel as said second, distance insensitive, communication link.

25. The method of claim 15, further comprising the step of selecting said at least one function associated with said mobile user object from the group consisting of ignition switch operation, engine operation, door lock position, and window position.

26. The method of claim 15, further comprising the step of selecting an Internet link as said first, distance insensitive, communication link.

27. The method of claim 15, further comprising the step of coupling an IDB system to said control module.

28. The method of claim 15, further comprising the step of coupling an OBD system to said control module.