System and method for automatically generating a third party notification when a traveler is overdue
First Claim
1. A system for generating a third party notification when a first party traveler is overdue at one or more waypoints, said system comprising:
- means for specifying said one or more waypoints;
means for determining an overdue time for each of said one or more waypoints;
means for determining if said traveler has not arrived at any of said one or more waypoints by a respective overdue time; and
means for notifying an external third party in response to determining that said traveler has not arrived at any of said one or more waypoints by said respective overdue time, wherein said external third party is different from service provider personnel affiliated with a service provider that comprises a computer facility which issues said third party notification.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and system for generating a notification for a third party when a traveler is overdue at one or more waypoints. A traveler or other person specifies waypoints the traveler will pass during a trip. In response to the traveler beginning the trip, a latest arrival time is determined for the first waypoint. If the traveler has not arrived at a waypoint by the determined latest arrival time, a notification is generated for a third party. Conversely, if the traveler reaches the waypoint before the determined latest arrival time, no notification is generated. In either case, if there are remaining waypoints, a latest arrival time is determined for the next waypoint and the process continues.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A system for generating a third party notification when a first party traveler is overdue at one or more waypoints, said system comprising:
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means for specifying said one or more waypoints;
means for determining an overdue time for each of said one or more waypoints;
means for determining if said traveler has not arrived at any of said one or more waypoints by a respective overdue time; and
means for notifying an external third party in response to determining that said traveler has not arrived at any of said one or more waypoints by said respective overdue time, wherein said external third party is different from service provider personnel affiliated with a service provider that comprises a computer facility which issues said third party notification. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method for generating a third party notification when a traveler is overdue at one or more waypoints, said method comprising the steps of:
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specifying said one or more waypoints;
determining an overdue time for each of said one or more waypoints;
determining if said traveler has not arrived at any of said one or more waypoints by said respective overdue time, said determining including receiving signals at a central computer facility of a service provider from a GPS-enabled device located proximate to the traveler; and
notifying a third party subscriber in response to determining that said traveler has not arrived at a most recent one of said one or more waypoints by said respective overdue time, wherein said third party subscriber has an account with said central computing facility that includes a password for accessing said third party notification. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 15, 16, 17)
receiving an arrival message at a service provider in response to a GPS-enabled cell phone arriving at any of said one or more waypoints;
setting a timer to said respective overdue time for one of said waypoints;
canceling said timer in response to receiving said arrival message from said GPS-enabled cell phone; and
in response to not receiving said arrival message before said timer expires, determining said traveler is overdue.
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11. The method of claim 9, wherein:
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said step for specifying one or more waypoints includes one of a plurality of methods from among (1) displaying a map on an Internet website and receiving waypoint information and (2) receiving information via a telephone; and
said step for notifying said third party includes one of a plurality of methods from among (1) displaying overdue notifications for said traveler via a password-protected website, such that said third party may access said website to review said overdue notifications and (2) placing a call to one or more specified numbers associated with the third party and playing a specified message.
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15. The method as described by claim 11, wherein said step for specifying one or more waypoints comprises receiving information via a telephone.
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16. The method as described by claim 11, wherein said step for notifying said third party comprises placing a call to one or more specified numbers and playing a specified message.
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17. The method as described by claim 11, wherein said step for notifying said third party comprises displaying overdue notifications for said traveler via a password-protected website.
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12. A method for generating a third party notification when a traveler is overdue at one or more waypoints, said method comprising the steps of:
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specifying said one or more waypoints;
determining an overdue time for each of said one or more waypoints;
determining if said traveler has not arrived at any of said one or more waypoints by said respective overdue time; and
notifying an external third party in response to determining that said traveler has not arrived at any of said one or more waypoints by said respective overdue time, wherein said external third party is not an internal personnel of a service provider that issues said third party notification. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14)
sending an arrival message to a service provider in response to a GPS-enabled cell phone arriving at any of said one or more waypoints;
setting a timer to said respective overdue time for one of said waypoints;
canceling said timer in response to receiving said arrival message from said GPS-enabled cell phone; and
in response to not receiving said arrival message before said timer expires, determining said traveler is overdue.
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14. The method as described by claim 12, wherein said step for specifying one or more waypoints comprises displaying a map on an Internet website and receiving waypoint information.
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18. A computer program product comprising:
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a computer readable medium; and
computer program code on said computer readable medium for generating a notification for a third party when a traveler is overdue at one or more waypoints, wherein said third party is notified via a mechanism for notification external/remote to a computer system on which said program code is executing, said computer program code further comprising;
computer program code for specifying said one or more waypoints;
computer program code for determining an overdue time for each of said one or more waypoints;
computer program code for determining if said traveler has not arrived at any of said one or more waypoints by said respective overdue time; and
computer program code for notifying said third party in response to determining that said traveler has not arrived at any of said one or more waypoints by said respective overdue time, wherein said program code initiates a remote notification to an external third party. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
computer program code for receiving an arrival message at a service provider in response to a GPS-enabled cell phone arriving at any of said one or more waypoints; and
computer program code for setting a timer to said respective overdue time for one of said waypoints;
computer program code for canceling said timer in response to receiving said arrival message from said GPS-enabled cell phone; and
computer program code for, in response to not receiving said arrival message before said timer expires, determining said traveler is overdue.
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20. The computer program product of claim 18, further comprising program code for displaying overdue notifications for said traveler via a password-protected website that is accessible by said third party.
Specification