Systems, methods and computer program products for responding to AMBER alerts

• US 7,039,387 B2
• Filed: 11/06/2003
• Issued: 05/02/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/06/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: May, Frank P., Macolly, Henry Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Trost, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): Vu, Michael
• Application Number:
  US10/702,845
• Publication Number:
  US 20050101286A1
• Time in Patent Office: 908 Days
• Field of Search: 455/404, 455/404.1, 455/521, 340/539.1, 340/573.4, 342/357.09, 379/265.04, 379/266.01, 379/59, 379/57, 705/8, 705/13, 705/37, 705/51
• US Class Current: 455/404.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06311 Scheduling, planning or task assignment for a person or group
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/04 Trading; Exchange, e.g. stocks, commodities, derivatives or currency exchange
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/20 for the management or administration of healthcare resources or facilities, e.g. managing hospital staff or surgery rooms
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/205 Broadcasting
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/04 for emergency applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42 Systems providing special services or facilities to subscribers specially adapted for wireless communication networks H04W4/00

Abstract

An AMBER alert gateway includes a central telephone number that is configured to receive telephone calls from individuals in response to potential sightings related to AMBER alerts. An interactive voice response system is configured to selectively direct telephone calls that are responsive to a selected AMBER alert to a selected authority who is responsible for the selected AMBER alert. Efficient processing of potential sightings thereby may be provided. Related systems, methods and computer program products also are disclosed.

Claims

1. A mobile worlcforce communication system for a commercial business with a mobile sales and/or service workforce comprising:

a mobile workforce dispatch system that is configured to dispatch the mobile workforce of the commercial business to perform sales and/or service tasks for the commercial business;

a plurality of wireless terminals that are carried by the mobile workforce of the commercial business and are configured to communicate with the mobile workforce dispatch system to allow the mobile workforce to respond to dispatches to perform the sales and/or service tasks for the commercial business;

the mobile workforce dispatch system being further configured to accept an AMBER alert notification and to broadcast a mobile workforce AMBER alert message that comprises a description of an abductee and an identification of a location of an abduction, to the plurality of wireless terminals in response thereto so that the mobile workforce can be apprised of an AMBER alert while performing the sales and/or service tasks for the commercial business; and

an AMBER gateway that is configured to receive a telephone call directly from a member of the mobile workforce of the commercial business without going through the mobile workforce dispatch system, in response to a potential sighting related to an AMBER alert and to direct the telephone call to an authority who is responsible for the AMBER alert.

2. A mobile workforce communication system according to claim 1 wherein the AMBER gateway is configured to receive a telephone call at a central telephone number from a member of the mobile workforce of the commercial business in response to a potential sighting related to an AMBER alert.

3. A mobile workforce corrununication system according to claim 2 wherein the central number is *AMBER for wireless telephone calls.

4. A mobile workforce communication system according to claim 1 wherein the AMBER gateway is configured to direct the telephone call to an authority who is responsible for the AMBER alert based upon a geographic area of the potential sighting.

5. A mobile workforce communication system according to claim 1 wherein the AMBER gateway is configured to direct the telephone call to an authority who is responsible for the AMBER alert by directing the telephone call to an overide telephone number for the AMBER alert.

6. A mobile workforce communication system according to claim 1 wherein the AMBER gateway is further configured to disconnect itself from the telephone call from the member of the mobile workforce of the commercial business after directing the telephone call to the authority who is responsible for the AMBER alert.

7. A mobile workforce communication system according to claim 1 wherein the AMBER gateway comprises an interactive voice response system that is configured to receive the telephone call from the member of the mobile workforce of the commercial business in response to the potential sighting related to the AMBER alert and to direct the telephone call to the authority who is responsible for the AMBER alert.

8. A mobile workforce communication system according to claim 1 wherein the mobile workforce AMBER alert message comprises the entire AMBER alert notification.

9. A mobile workforce communication system according to claim 1 wherein the mobile workforce dispatch system is configured to accept an AMBER alert notification that relates to a governmental jurisdiction and is further configured to broadcast a mobile workforce AMBER alert message only to selected ones of the plurality of wireless terminals that are located in the governmental jurisdiction.

10. A mobile workforce system for a commercial business having a mobile sales and/or service workforce comprising:

a mobile workforce communication system;

a plurality of wireless terminals that are carried by the mobile workforce of the commercial business and are configured to communicate with the mobile workforce communication system, to allow the mobile workforce to perform sales and/or service tasks for the commercial business;

the mobile workforce communication system being further configured to accept an AMBER alert notification and to broadcast a mobile workforce AMBER alert message that comprises a description of an abductee and an identification of a location of an abduction, to the plurality of wireless tenninals in response thereto so that the mobile workforce of the commercial business can be apprised of an AMBER alert while performing the sales and/or service tasks for the commercial business; and

an AMBER gateway that is configured to receive a telephone call directly from a member of the mobile workforce of the commercial business without going through the mobile workforce communication system in response to a potential sighting related to an AMBER alert and to direct the telephone call to an authority who is responsible for the AMBER alert.

11. A mobile workforce system according to claim 10 wherein the AMBER gateway is configured to receive a telephone call at a central telephone number from a member of the mobile workforce of the commercial business in response to a potential sighting related to an AMBER alert.

12. A mobile workforce system according to claim 11 wherein the central number is *AMBER for wireless telephone calls.

13. A mobile worlcforce system according to claim 10 wherein the AMBER gateway is configured to direct the telephone call to an authority who is responsible for the AMBER alert based upon a geographic area of the potential sighting.

14. A mobile workforce system according to claim 10 wherein the AMBER gateway is configured to direct the telephone call to an authority who is responsible for the AMBER alert by directing the telephone call to an override telephone number for the AMBER alert.

15. A mobile workforce communication system according to claim 10 wherein the AMBER gateway is further configured to disconnect itself from the telephone call from the member of the mobile workforce of the commercial business after directing the telephone call to the authority who is responsible for the AMBER alert.

16. A mobile workforce conununication system according to claim 10 wherein the AMBER gateway comprises an interactive voice response system that is configured to receive the telephone call from the member of the mobile workforce of the commercial business in response to the potential sighting related to the AMBER alert and to direct the telephone call to the authority who is responsible for the AMBER alert.