Response systems and methods for notification systems

• US 7,064,681 B2
• Filed: 06/02/2004
• Issued: 06/20/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Electronic Communication Technologies LLC (f/k/a Eclipse IP, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Legalview Assets, Ltd.
• Inventors: Horstemeyer, Scott A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Tai T.
• Application Number:
  US10/858,684
• Publication Number:
  US 20040243664A1
• Time in Patent Office: 748 Days
• Field of Search: 340/994, 340/573.4, 340/991, 340/992, 340/993, 701/204, 701/213, 701/207, 701/211
• US Class Current: 340/994
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2325/304 Boats
• 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: G01C 21/3407 specially adapted for specific applications
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3438 Rendez-vous, i.e. searching a destination where several users can meet, and the routes to this destination for these users; Ride sharing, i.e. searching a route such that at least two users can share a vehicle for at least part of the route
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/362 received from an external device or application, e.g. PDA, mobile phone or calendar application
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/134 Hyperlinking
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0631 Resource planning, allocation, distributing or scheduling for enterprises or organisations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06316 Sequencing of tasks or work
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/083 Shipping
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0833 Tracking
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/109 Time management, e.g. calendars, reminders, meetings or time accounting
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/382 insuring higher security of transaction
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40 Authorisation, e.g. identification of payer or payee, verification of customer or shop credentials; Review and approval of payers, e.g. check credit lines or negative lists
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0231 Awarding of a frequent usage incentive independent of the monetary value of a good or service purchased, or distance travelled
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0241 Advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0257 User requested
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0259 based on store location
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0261 based on user location
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0265 : Vehicular advertisement
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0267 : Wireless devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0269 : based on user profile or attribute
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0273 : Determination of fees for advertising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0609 : Buyer or seller confidence or verification
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/127 : to a central station ; Indicators in a central station
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/20 : Monitoring the location of vehicles belonging to a group, e.g. fleet of vehicles, countable or determined number of vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/205 : Indicating the location of the monitored vehicles as destination, e.g. accidents, stolen, rental
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 : for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/487 : Arrangements for providing information services, e.g. recorded voice services or time announcements

Abstract

Response systems and methods are disclosed for communications in connection with an automated computer-based notification system. One representative response method, among others, can be summarized by the following steps: initiating a notification communication to a personal communications device device (e.g., telephone, pager, computer, PDA, etc.) associated with a party; and during the notification communication, receiving a response from the party'"'"'s personal communications device, indicating that the party associated with the personal communications device has received notice. A representative response system has mechanisms for performing the foregoing steps.

Claims

1. A method for communications in connection with a computer-based notification system, comprising:

initiating a notification communication to a personal communications device associated with a party, the notification communication relating to a task to be performed;

during the notification communication, receiving a response from the party'"'"'s personal communications device, indicating whether or not the party associated with the personal communications device will perform the task;

when the party is willing to perform the task, refraining from sending any further notification communications to provoke performance of the task and monitoring for detection of one or more events to indicate accomplishment of the task by the party, the one or more events comprising at least one of the following;

receipt of a second communication from the party'"'"'s personal communications device;

expiration of a predefined time period;

or arrival or departure of a mobile thing at or from a location, respectively; and

when the party is not willing to perform the task, initiating another notification communication to another personal communications device associated with another party in order to request assistance in the task from the another party.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of initiating the notification communication is performed when a mobile thing is a predetermined proximity with respect to a location.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the steps are performed with a single computer system, a plurality of computers that are communicatively coupled, or a computer system having a distributed architecture.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the response is generated by a physical action taken by the party associated with the personal communications device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the response is generated by physically detecting the presence of the party associated with the personal communications device.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of refraining from sending notification communications to one or more additional personal communications devices, once receiving the response.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of modifying the manner in which future notification communications are to be sent, based upon the response, by modifying data associated with future notification communications.

8. A system for communications in connection with a computer-based notification system, comprising:

means for initiating a notification communication to a personal communications device associated with a party, the notification communication relating to a task to be performed;

means for receiving a response from the party'"'"'s personal communications device, indicating whether or not the party associated with the personal communications device is willing to perform the task;

means for, when the party is willing to perform the task, refraining from sending any further notification communications to provoke performance of the task and monitoring for detection of one or more events to indicate accomplishment of the task by the party, the one or more events comprising at least one of the following;

receipt of a second communication from the party'"'"'s personal communications device;

expiration of a predefined time period;

or arrival or departure of a mobile thing at or from a location, respectively; and

means for initiating another notification communication to another personal communications device associated with another party in order to request assistance in the task from the another party when the party is not willing to perform the task.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the notification communication is performed when a mobile thing is a predetermined proximity with respect to a location.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the means elements are implemented with a single computer system, a plurality of computers that are communicatively coupled, or a computer system having a distributed architecture.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the response is generated by a physical action taken by the party associated with the personal communications device.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the response is generated by physically detecting the presence of the party associated with the personal communications device.

13. The system of claim 8, further comprising a means for causing the notification system to refrain from sending notification communications to one or more additional personal communications devices, once receiving the response.

14. The system of claim 8, further comprising a means for modifying the manner in which future notification communications are to be sent, based upon the response, by modifying data associated with future notification communications.