Stop list generation systems and methods based upon tracked PCD's and responses from notified PCD's

• US 7,113,110 B2
• Filed: 06/02/2004
• Issued: 09/26/2006
• 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:
  US10/859,343
• Publication Number:
  US 20040254812A1
• Time in Patent Office: 846 Days
• Field of Search: 340/994, 340/990, 340/991, 340/992, 340/993, 340/988, 340/989, 701/117, 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

Systems and methods are disclosed for automated notification systems. A representative method, among others, can be summarized by the following steps: monitoring travel data associated with a first personal communications device (PCD); initiating a notification communication session to a plurality of PCDs, the notification communication including a message requesting a response; receiving responses from one or more of the plurality of PCDs; and producing a list of stops for the first PCD, based upon the responses, the lack of responses, or a combination thereof. A representative system, among others, comprises a computer or other automated system that is programmed or designed to perform the foregoing steps.

Claims

1. A method for a notification system, for a transportation vehicle comprising the steps of:

monitoring travel data associated with a first personal communications device;

initiating a notification communication session to a plurality of personal communications devices, the notification communication including a message requesting a response;

receiving responses from one or more of the plurality of personal communications devices; and

producing a list of stops for a vehicle route for the first personal communications device, based upon the responses, the lack of responses, or a combination thereof.

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

producing the list at a computer that is remote from the first personal communications device; and

communicating the list to the first personal communications device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the list is produced by the first personal communications device itself.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of providing a reply from the first personal communications device to the one or more plurality of personal communications devices that have responded.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the travel status report indicates a proximity of the first personal communications device to a stop location.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the notification communication session is initiated when the first personal communications device is within a predetermined proximity of a stop location or a location of the one or more plurality of personal communications devices.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the responses indicate whether or not a party associated with the notified personal communications device is willing to accept responsibility for a pickup or delivery at a stop location or meet a first party associated with the first personal communications device at the stop location.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the stop location is remote from the locations of the first and second personal communications devices.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of communicating another message during the notification communication that indicates one or more criteria for a response to be effective.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the one or more criteria include one or more of the following:

a time limit, a travel distance limit associated with travel of the first personal communications device, a limit based upon the first personal communications device traveling to a particular location or region, or a limit based upon one or more acceptance responses from other personal communications devices.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising the step of receiving the one or more criteria from a communications device.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the communications device is the first personal communications device.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of enabling a first party associated with the first personal communications device to select whether or not a response is requested during a notification communication session.

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

receiving a first message from the first personal communications device; and

communicating the first message to the plurality of one or more personal communications device.

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

determining whether or not a response is necessary for a stop at a location by the first personal communications device.

16. The method of claim 1, communicating a status of the responses to the first personal communications device.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein further comprising the step of enabling a party associated with one or more of the plurality of personal communications devices to select or enter a time for a pickup or delivery at a stop location.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising the step of communicating the time to the first personal communications device.

19. A system, for a transportation vehicle comprising:

means for monitoring travel data associated with a first personal communications device;

means for initiating a notification communication session to a plurality of personal communications devices, the notification communication including a message requesting a response;

means for receiving responses from one or more of the plurality of personal communications devices; and

means for producing a list of stop locations for a vehicle route for the first personal communications device, based upon the responses, the lack of responses, or a combination thereof.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the notification communication session is initiated when a moving thing is within a predetermined proximity of the stop locations and further comprising a means for determining whether or not a response is necessary for a stop at a location by the first personal communications device and including a stop location on the list when it is determined that a response is not necessary.