Emergency and non-emergency telecommunications notification system

• US 7,664,233 B1
• Filed: 06/25/2004
• Issued: 02/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Everbridge Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Everbridge Incorporated
• Inventors: Putra, Cinta, Kirchmeier, Steve
• Primary Examiner(s): Ramakrishnaiah; Melur
• Application Number:
  US10/877,796
• Time in Patent Office: 2,062 Days
• Field of Search: 379 37- 50, 340/573.1, 340/573.4, 340/531
• US Class Current: 379/37
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/1095 Meeting or appointment
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 27/006 with transmission via telephone network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1895 for short real-time information, e.g. alarms, notifications, alerts, updates
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/04 with alarm systems, e.g. fire, police or burglar alarm systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/205 Broadcasting
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/04 for emergency applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5116 for emergency applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/567 Multimedia conference systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/90 Services for handling of emergency or hazardous situations, e.g. earthquake and tsunami warning systems [ETWS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 68/00 User notification, e.g. alerting and paging, for incoming communication, change of service or the like
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/566 of the information or information source or recipient
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/50 for emergency connections

Abstract

Methods and systems for providing electronic notifications are described. A server is configured to serve an interface, such as a Web page, to a terminal that requests from a user a first set of user contacts to be used to provide notifications to the user by a telephonic notification system in response to a notification process initiated by an organization associated with the user. The interface further requests a first set of priorities corresponding to the first set of user contacts, wherein the notification system will attempt to provide notifications to the first set user contracts in an order based at least in part on the first set of priorities. A database is configured to store the first set of user contacts and the first set of priorities. A voice interface circuit is configured to transmit a voice notification to at least one of the first set of user contacts.

Claims

1. A telephonic notification system, comprising:

a Web server configured to serve a Web page that requests from a user;

a first set of user contacts to be used to provide emergency notifications to the user by the telephonic notification system in response to a notification process initiated by an organization associated with the user, wherein the first set of contacts includes at least a first phone number;

a first set of priorities corresponding to the first set of user contacts, wherein the notification system will attempt to provide emergency notifications via the first set user contacts in an order based at least in part on the first set of priorities;

a second set of user contacts to be used to provide non-emergency notifications to the user by the telephonic notification system, wherein the first set of user contacts and the second set of user contacts differ at least in part;

a second set of priorities corresponding to the second set of user contacts, wherein the notification system will attempt to provide non-emergency notifications via the second set user contacts in an order based at least in part on the second set of priorities, wherein the first set of priorities and the second set of priorities differ at least in part;

a database configured to store the first set of user contacts, the first set of priorities, the second set of user contacts, and the second set priorities; and

a voice interface circuit configured to transmit a voice notification to at least one of the first set of user contacts and the second set of user contacts.

2. The telephonic notification system as defined in claim 1, further comprising a fax interface circuit configured to transmit facsimile notifications to at least one of the contacts in the first set of user contacts.

3. The telephonic notification system as defined in claim 1, wherein

the first and second sets of user contacts both include a first phone number and a second phone number,

the first set of priorities specifies that the telephonic notification system is to at least attempt to provide an emergency notification first to the first phone number, and if the attempt fails to then at least attempt to provide the emergency notification to the second phone number, and

the second set of priorities specifies that the telephonic notification system is to at least attempt to provide a non-emergency notification first to the second phone number, and if the attempt fails to then at least attempt to provide the non-emergency notification to the first phone number.

4. The telephonic notification system as defined in claim 1, wherein the first set of user contacts includes:

a home phone number;

a work phone number;

a mobile phone number; and

an email address.

5. The telephonic notification system as defined in claim 1, wherein the first set of user contacts includes:

an instant messaging identifier;

a pager number; and

a fax number.

6. The telephonic notification system as defined in claim 1, wherein the Web page is further configured to receive a user instruction to prevent other members of the organization from viewing the first and second sets of user contacts.

7. The telephonic notification system as defined in claim 1, wherein the Web page is further configured to receive a user instruction to allow at least one other member of the organization to view the first and second sets of user contacts and to prevent other members of the organization from editing the first and second sets of user contacts.

8. A method of providing notifications, the method comprising:

storing in computer readable memory a first set of contact paths for a user, wherein the first set of contact paths is to be used when providing a first type of notification to the user;

storing in computer readable memory an order of use associated with contact paths in the first set of user contacts paths;

storing in computer readable memory a second set of contact paths for the user, wherein the second set of contact paths is to be used when providing a second type of notification to the user;

storing in computer readable memory an order of use associated with contact paths in the second set of contact paths;

receiving an instruction to issue a notification including a notification message to a group including the user, wherein the instruction indicates whether the notification is the first type of notification or the second type of notification;

based at least in part on the instruction, identifying which of the first set of contact paths and the second set of contact paths is to be used in providing the notification message to the user;

accessing the identified set of contact paths from the computer readable memory; and

at least attempting to provide the notification message to the user using the identified set of user contacts paths based on the associated order of use.

9. The method as defined in claim 8, wherein the first type of notification is an emergency notification.

10. The method as defined in claim 8, wherein the first type of notification is a non-emergency notification.

11. The method as defined in claim 8, wherein the first set of contact paths includes:

a home phone number;

a work phone number;

a mobile phone number; and

an email address.

12. The method as defined in claim 8, wherein the first set of contact paths includes:

an instant messaging identifier;

a pager number; and

a fax number.

13. The method as defined in claim 8, wherein the notification instruction is issued by an organization of which the user is a member.

14. The method as defined in claim 8, wherein the notification instruction is issued by an organization of which the user is a member, the method further comprising receiving a user instruction to prevent other members of the organization from viewing the first and second sets of contact paths.

15. The method as defined in claim 8, comprising providing the notification instruction via at least one of:

a toll-free call from a touch-tone phone;

a computer terminal accessing a system notification Web page; and

an application program interface.

16. An electronic notification system, comprising:

a computerized system configured to serve an interface to a user terminal that requests from a user;

a first set of user contacts to be used to provide notifications to the user by the electronic notification system in response to a notification process initiated by an organization associated with the user;

a first set of priorities corresponding to the first set of user contacts, wherein the electronic notification system will attempt to provide notifications to the first set user contacts in an order based at least in part on the first set of priorities;

a database configured to store the first set of user contacts and the first set of priorities;

a voice interface circuit configured to transmit voice notifications to at least one of the first set of user contacts;

a second set of user contacts specifying contact paths for non-emergency notifications, wherein the first set of user contacts and the second set of user contacts differ at least in part; and

a second set of priorities corresponding to the second set of user contacts, wherein the first set of priorities and the second set of priorities differ at least in part, wherein;

the electronic notification system is configured to provide non-emergency notifications to the second set of user contacts in an order based at least in part on the second set of priorities, and

the database is configured to store the second set of user contacts and the second set priorities, and wherein the first set of user contacts specify contact paths for emergency notifications.

17. The electronic notification system as defined in claim 16, further comprising a fax interface circuit configured to transmit facsimile notifications to at least one of the contacts in the first set of user contacts.

18. The electronic notification system as defined in claim 16, wherein the first set of user contacts includes:

a home phone number;

a work phone number;

a mobile phone number; and

an email address.

19. The electronic notification system as defined in claim 16, wherein the first set of user contacts includes:

an instant messaging identifier;

a pager number; and

a fax number.

20. The electronic notification system as defined in claim 16, wherein the interface is further configured to receive a user instruction to prevent other members of the organization from viewing the first set of user contacts.

21. The electronic notification system as defined in claim 16, wherein the interface is further configured to receive a user instruction to allow at least one other member of the organization to view the first set of user contacts and to prevent other members of the organization from editing the first set of user contacts.

22. A method of providing notifications, the method comprising:

storing in computer readable memory a first set of contact paths for a first user;

storing in the computer readable memory a first order of use associated with contact paths in the first set of user contacts paths;

receiving an instruction to issue a notification including a notification message to a group of users, the group including the first user;

accessing the first set of contact paths from the computer readable memory;

at least attempting to provide the notification message to the first user using the first set of contact paths and the associated first order of use;

storing in the computer readable memory a second set of contact paths for the first user and a second order of use associated with contact paths in the second set of contact paths, wherein the second set of contact paths is to be used when providing to the first user an emergency notification and the first set of contact paths is to be used when providing the first user a non-emergency notification, wherein the first set of contact paths and the second set of contact paths differ at least in part.

23. The method as defined in claim 22, further comprising:

receiving an instruction to issue an emergency notification including a corresponding message; and

substantially immediately attempting to provide the emergency notification including the corresponding message to the first user using the second set of contact paths.

24. The method as defined in claim 22, further comprising:

receiving an instruction to issue a non-emergency notification including a corresponding message; and

receiving scheduling instructions for the non-emergency notification, the scheduling information including at least a first date; and

transmitting non-emergency notification including the corresponding message to the first user in accordance with the scheduling instructions using the first set of contact paths and the first order of use.

25. The method as defined in claim 22, wherein the first set of contact paths includes:

a home phone number;

a work phone number;

a mobile phone number; and

an instant messaging identifier.

26. The method as defined in claim 22, wherein the first set of contact paths includes:

an email address;

a pager number; and

a fax number.

27. The method as defined in claim 22, wherein the notification message includes a voice message.

28. The method as defined in claim 22, wherein the notification message includes a text message.

29. The method as defined in claim 22, wherein the notification message instructs the first user to confirm receipt of the notification message.

30. The method as defined in claim 22, wherein the notification message instructs the first user to confirm receipt of the notification message by calling a specified phone number.

31. The method as defined in claim 22, wherein the notification message instructs the first user to confirm receipt of the notification message by activating a hyperlink.

32. The method as defined in claim 22, wherein the notification message instructs the first user to confirm receipt of the notification message by sending a text message.

33. The method as defined in claim 22, wherein the notification instruction is issued by an organization of which the first user is a member.

34. The method as defined in claim 22, wherein the notification instruction is issued by a school in which the first user has a child.

35. The method as defined in claim 22, wherein the first user is a soldier and the notification instruction is issued by a military organization.

36. The method as defined in claim 22, wherein the notification instruction is issued by an employer of the first user.

37. The method as defined in claim 22, wherein the notification instruction is issued by a governmental entity associated with the first user'"'"'s place of residence.

38. The method as defined in claim 22, wherein the notification instruction is issued by an organization of which the first user is a member, the method further comprising receiving a user instruction to prevent the organization from viewing the first set of contact paths.

39. The method as defined in claim 22, the method further comprising:

transmitting over a network to a user terminal for display to the first user the first set of user contacts paths and the order of use associated with contact paths in the first set of user contacts paths;

receiving from the first user terminal edits to at least one of the set of user contacts paths and the order of use; and

storing the edits.

40. The method as defined in claim 22, the method further comprising:

receiving from the first user an identification of the first user'"'"'s relationship with a dependent; and

storing the identification of the first user'"'"'s relationship in association with the contact paths, wherein the notification message relates to the dependent.

41. The method as defined in claim 22, further comprising:

causing an audio recording control to be displayed on a terminal associated with an administrator of an organization of which the first user is a member; and

in response to activation of the audio control, recording the notification message from the organization administrator.

42. The method as defined in claim 22, wherein the instruction to issue the notification includes a specified repeat cycle, the method further comprising repeatedly broadcasting the notification in accordance with the specified repeat cycle.