Automated proximity notification

• US 6,823,188 B1
• Filed: 07/26/2000
• Issued: 11/23/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Stern, Edith H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Corsaro, Nick
• Assistant Examiner(s): Orgad, Edan
• Application Number:
  US09/625,928
• Time in Patent Office: 1,581 Days
• Field of Search: 455/456, 455/41, 455/457, 455/550, 455/556, 455/557, 455/566, 455/435, 455/440, 455/67.1, 455/414, 455/403, 455/418, 455/419, 455/420, 455/456.1, 455/456.2, 455/456.3, 455/41.2, 455/41.3, 455/866, 455/414.1, 455/414.2, 455/414.3, 455/435.1
• US Class Current: 455/456.1
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0962 having an indicator mounted inside the vehicle, e.g. giving voice messages

Abstract

The disclosed system and method for automated proximity determination and notification is useful to enable a customer or client of a business or other enterprise (e.g. a public library, a government facility, etc) to automatically obtain a predetermined service, on arrival at a destination associated with the business or enterprise, without having to communicate orally with representatives of the business/enterprise. A portable programmable wireless communication device is carried by users of such services. The device, termed a PLAD (pervasive location aware device), receives a program and proximity notification parameters associated with each destination to be visited, when service is reserved relative to the destination. Thereafter, as its user travels to the destinations, the PLAD is activated and uses the program information and parameters acquired in the reservation process to perform a proximity notification transmission characteristic of this invention as the device reaches a predetermined range of proximity to a destination. For that purpose, the PLAD calculates its distance to each currently valid destination at which a service is reserved, and sends a proximity notification signal to an address associated with a respective destination when its distance to the respective destination is less than a predetermined threshold radius limit acquired during the reservation process. Receiving equipment at the address uses the proximity notification signal to arrange for prompt execution of a reserved service when the user of the PLAD arrives at the respective destination. The PLAD also can be used in a reverse context—when its user is at a specific location and the service is being delivered to that location by a vehicle carrying another PLAD operated by or for a business/enterprise—to alert the user to the imminent arrival of that vehicle.

Claims

1. A PLAD (pervasive location aware device) communicating instrument, said instrument enabling a user thereof to coordinate implementation of a broad variety of services at multiple remote sites at which said user may conduct different business transactions, and wherein coordination of said services is based on varied relations of proximity of said PLAD instrument to said sites;

said PLAD instrument comprising;

means for communicating directly with individual ones of said sites;

means cooperative with said communicating means for storing diverse program applications associated with services to be performed at said sites;

each application enabling said PLAD to detect when it is within a variably determined range of proximity to a site associated with the application, determination of said range being set as a variable function by the respective application; and

means responsive to detection that the respective PLAD instrument is within said variably determined range of proximity to a site associated with a said application for initiating proximity notification communications between said PLAD and said associated site;

said communications serving to activate a process at said associated site to provide a service to the user of said instrument while said user is at a known distance from said site;

efficient preparations of said service at said multiple sites involving lead time factors that are related to proximity ranges which are variably set by multiple applications associated with said sites;

as a result of which said time factors can be different from each other at different said sites.

2. A PLAD instrument in accordance with claim 1 wherein said program applications are stored in modifiable form, whereby said applications and data specified therein can be modified in association with currently relevant sites as their usage relative to formerly relevant but currently irrelevant sites is not required;

and wherein said program applications and data specified therein are subject to modification by communications with sources external to the respective instrument, in association with reservations of functions to be performed at currently relevant sites.

3. A PLAD instrument in accordance with claim 1 wherein said proximity notification communications instigated by each said program application includes information which is contained in the application and serves to identify a reservation associated with a particular service function scheduled to be provided to said instrument'"'"'s user at a site with that application.

4. A PLAD in accordance with claim 3 wherein said proximity notification communications instigated by each said application include information indicating the respective PLAD'"'"'S actual location in relation to a site associated with that application.

5. A PLAD in accordance with claim 1 wherein said means for storing said program application is capable of simultaneously storing plural program applications associated with plural different service sites.

6. A PLAD in accordance with claim 5 wherein said plural program applications and said proximity detecting means are useful to apply different proximity range limits, relative to respective sites associated with individual said applications, thereby to determine when the respective PLAD is within different thresholds of proximity to said respective sites.

7. A PLAD in accordance with claim 6 wherein service functions reserved at said plural sites can be different in character, and wherein said notification communications include transmissions from said PLAD enabling receiving equipment at said sites associated with individual ones of said plural destinations to prepare for execution of respective different functions at respective sites.

8. A PLAD in accordance with claim 5 wherein said means for storing said program applications is effective to receive said program applications via communications with sources associated with said plural sites, and wherein program applications received from said associated sources are suitable for providing proximity notifications within proximity ranges commensurate with service functions to be performed at respective sites.

9. A PLAD in accordance with claim 1 wherein said means for storing said program applications is able to store a said application in a reusable form, whereby the same application can be used repeatedly, at different times, relative to one associated site.

10. A PLAD in accordance with claim 1 wherein said stored program applications allow use of said PLAD alternatively while the respective PLAD is in motion relative to a stationary site representing a destination at which execution of a service has been reserved and also while the device is stationary at a location to which a service is being delivered.

11. A PLAD in accordance with claim 1 wherein side means for effecting proximity notification communications is capable of exchanging information with said sites pertinent to services to be performed at said sites, as directed by said associated applications, so that different services, involving different preparation lead times, can be efficiently prepared at said sites.

12. A PLAD in accordance with claim 11 wherein said pertinent information is useful to indicate alternate routes to a site currently communicating with said PLAD.

13. A system for providing a variety of proximity-dependent services comprising:

elements for receiving proximity notification signals from portable PLAD (pervasive location aware device) instruments carried by users of said services;

each said instrument being programmable, in association with said services to be provided, to;

a) determine their locations relative to plural different sites, and b) issue said proximity notification signals only when respective instruments are in program-specifiable ranges of proximity to individual ones of said sites; and

means responsive to said proximity notification signals to coordinate execution of said services with arrival of the respective instrument at various predetermined distances from said individual sites.

14. A system according to claim 13 for providing various services wherein at least one of said predetermined distances is 0.

15. A system according to claim 13 for providing various services wherein at least one of said predetermined distances is substantially greater than 0.

16. A system according to claim 13 wherein said various services include services to be performed directly for a user of said PLAD on specific dates at specific times, wherein said PLAD is programmable to provide proximity notification signals indicating said specific dates and times, and wherein at least one of said predetermined distances is 0.

17. A service providing system according to claim 15 wherein said services include services to be performed in respect to equipment located at said sites.

18. A method for providing a variety proximity-dependent services comprising:

receiving proximity notification signals from portable PLAD (pervasive location aware device) instruments;

said instruments being carried by users of said services and programmable to;

a) determine their locations relative to plural program-specifiable remote sites, and b) issue said proximity notification signals only when respective instruments are in program-specifiable relations of proximity to individual ones of said sites;

said program-specifiable proximity relations constituting variable distances associated with preparation of varied services at said individual sites; and

in response to reception of said proximity notification signals at a said site, coordinating implementation of a said service with arrival of a respective said instrument at said relation of proximity to the respective site, provided that a said service has been scheduled at the time of reception of said signals.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein said predetermined relation of proximity is at said respective site, and said notification signals include information identifying a date and time of a service scheduled for a user of said instrument.

20. The method of claim 18 wherein said predetermined relation of proximity is at a program-determined variable distance removed from said site, and said notification signals include information identifying a date and time of a service scheduled for a user of said instrument;

said variable removed distance being associated with a varied time required for efficient preparation of said scheduled service.

21. For a programmable PLAD (pervasive location aware device) instrument, a program transferable to said instrument from a network to which said instrument is connected, said program comprising:

elements for conditioning said instrument to determine its location relative to a remote site represented by a variable specified in said program; and

elements responsive to determination that said instrument is within a specific range of proximity to said specified site, said range being specified as a variable by said program, for conditioning said instrument to transmit signals to said specified site via said network, said signals containing information specified as variables by said program, said information indicating said instrument is within said specified range of proximity and a date and time of a service scheduled to be performed at said specified site for a specified user of said instrument.

22. A program in accordance with claim 21 wherein said program is transferable to said PLAD instrument through a communication network from a source associated with said specified site.

23. A program in accordance with claim 21 wherein said specified site is one at which performance of a service, at a date and time indicated by said program, has been reserved for a user of the respective PLAD identified by the program-derived information contained in said proximity notification signals.

24. A program in accordance with claim 23 wherein said relation of proximity is set so as to time the issuance of said proximity notification signals in a manner effective to coordinate performance of said reserved service with arrival of the user of said PLAD at said respective site.