Method and apparatus for creating, directing, storing and automatically delivering a message to an intended recipient upon arrival of a specified mobile object at a designated location

• US 7,917,153 B2
• Filed: 03/31/2004
• Issued: 03/29/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Orange S.A.
• Original Assignee: Orange S.A.
• Inventors: Orwant, Jonathan Lee, Randall, Joshua C., Chesnais, Pascal R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Maung, Nay
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wendell, Andrew
• Application Number:
  US10/813,955
• Publication Number:
  US 20050227711A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,554 Days
• Field of Search: 455/456.3, 455/456.2, 455/456.1, 455/404.2, 455/412.1, 455/412.2, 455/414.2, 455/419
• US Class Current: 455/456.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management

Abstract

A technique to electronically deliver a message from a sender to an intended recipient based on tracking movement of a mobile object, including obtaining a message provided by the sender, obtaining a location designated by the sender for delivery of the message, tracking a specified mobile object having a position-determining device that determines its own current position, and which transmits its then current position at preset time intervals, determining from the transmitted current position whether the specified mobile object has reached the designated location, and initiating a procedure for automatic delivery of the message electronically to the intended recipient upon the specified mobile object being determined to have reached the designated location.

Claims

1. A method to electronically deliver a message from a sender to an intended recipient based on tracking movement of a third device, the method comprising acts of:

enabling both the sender using a first device and the intended recipient using a second device to send and receive an electronically deliverable message between the first and second devices;

obtaining a message provided by the sender;

obtaining a location designated by the sender for delivery of said message;

tracking the third device having a position-determining device that determines its own current position, and which transmits its then current position at preset time intervals;

determining from the transmitted current position whether the third device has reached said designated location; and

initiating a procedure for automatic delivery of said message electronically to the second device of the intended recipient upon the third device being determined to have reached said designated location, with each of the first, second and third devices being different devices;

wherein the third device is identified by the sender.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the intended recipient is animate.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the intended recipient is inanimate.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said message is at least one of data, text, audio and video.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein a mode in which said message is reproduced for the intended recipient is in accordance with a setting controlled by the intended recipient.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein delivery of said message is controlled in accordance with a delivery rule provided by the sender.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein initiating said procedure for automatic delivery of said message upon detection of said third device reaching said designated location message comprises processing said delivery rule.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said obtaining of the message comprises receiving and storing a message based on input from the sender.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said obtaining of the message comprises retrieving a message from among a plurality of stored messages based on input from the sender.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said obtaining of the designated location comprises obtaining a location based on input from the sender.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein said obtaining of the designated location comprises retrieving a location from among a plurality of stored locations based on input from the sender.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising obtaining an identification of the intended recipient based on input from the sender.

13. The method of claim 6, wherein said rule includes instructions for repeating delivery of said message.

14. The method of claim 6, wherein said intended recipient includes a plurality of recipients identified by the sender.

15. The method of claim 1, comprising an act of controlling delivery of the message in accordance with a delivery rule provided by the sender, wherein said delivery rule is based on at least one of a proximity condition between the second and third devices, a weather condition, and investment information.

16. A method for delivering a message with an electronic communication system servicing a plurality of clients in a client-server relationship, wherein the system includes a server, and wherein each of the clients includes a position-determining device, the method comprising acts of:

providing each of the clients with a position-determining device that determines its own current position;

obtaining, at the server, a message based on input from a first client;

obtaining, at the server, a designated location based on input from said first client;

obtaining, at the server, an identification of a second client as the intended recipient of said message, based on input from said first client;

obtaining, at the server, identification of a third client which is to be tracked for delivery of said message;

determining, from the position-determining device of said third client to be tracked for delivery of said message, whether said third client being tracked has arrived at said designated location; and

automatically triggering electronic delivery of said message to the second client upon said third client being determined to have arrived at said designated location, with each of the first, second and third clients being different clients.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein said act of obtaining identification of the third client to be tracked for delivery of said message comprises obtaining said identification based on input from the first client.

18. A method for operating an electronic communications system servicing a plurality of users for enabling any sender using a first device to automatically deliver a message electronically to an intended recipient using a second device, based on the tracked position of a third device, the method comprising acts of:

enabling each of the plurality of users to both send and receive electronic message data;

processing and storing electronic message data provided by the sender;

tracking the position of the third device;

automatically delivering the stored electronic message data to the second device of the intended recipient upon arrival of the third device at a designated location, with each of the first, second and third devices being different devices.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein said message data includes said message, said intended recipient, and a delivery rule.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein said message data includes said message.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein said message data includes said intended recipient.

22. The method of claim 18, wherein said message data includes a delivery rule.

23. The method of claim 18, wherein said message data includes identity of said specified mobile object.

24. The method of claim 18, wherein said message data includes said designated location.

25. Apparatus to electronically deliver a message from a sender using a first device to an intended recipient using a second device based on tracking movement of a third device, the apparatus comprising:

means for enabling both the sender and the intended recipient to send and receive an electronically deliverable message;

means for obtaining a message provided by the sender;

means for obtaining a location designated by the sender for delivery of said message;

means for tracking the third device having a position-determining device that determines its own current position, and which transmits its then current position at preset time intervals;

means for determining from the transmitted current position whether the third device has reached said designated location;

means for initiating a procedure for automatic delivery of said message electronically to the second device of the intended recipient upon the third device being determined to have reached said designated location, with each of the first, second and third devices being different devices.

26. Apparatus for delivering a message with an electronic communication system servicing a plurality of clients in a client-server relationship, wherein the system includes a server, and wherein each of the clients includes a position-determining device for determining its own current position, the apparatus comprising:

means for obtaining, at the server, a message based on input from a first client;

means for obtaining, at the server, a designated location based on input from said first client;

means for obtaining, at the server, an identification of a second client as the intended recipient of said message, based on input from said first client;

means for obtaining, at the server, identification of a third client to be tracked for delivery of said message;

means for determining, from the position-determining device of said client to be tracked for delivery of said message, whether the third client being tracked has arrived at said designated location;

means for automatically triggering electronic delivery of said message to the second client of the intended recipient upon the third client being determined to have arrived at said designated location, with each of the first, second and third clients being different clients.

27. Apparatus for delivering a message with an electronic communication system servicing a plurality of clients in a client-server relationship, wherein the system includes a server, and wherein each of the clients includes a position-determining device for determining its own current position, the apparatus comprising:

means for obtaining, at the server, a message based on input from a first client;

means for obtaining, at the server, a designated location based on input from said first client;

means for obtaining, at the server, a delivery rule based on input from said first client for delivering said message to a second client of an intended recipient, wherein said delivery rule includes arrival of a third client at said designated location;

means for determining, from the position-determining device of the third client, whether the third client has arrived at said designated location;

means for upon the third client being determined to have arrived at said designated location, triggering electronic delivery of said message to the second client of the intended recipient, based upon said delivery rule,

with each of the first, second and third clients being different clients.

28. Apparatus for operating an electronic communications system servicing a plurality of users for enabling any sender using a first device to automatically deliver a message electronically to an intended recipient using a second device, based on the tracked position of a third device, the apparatus comprising:

means for enabling both the sender and the intended recipient to send and receive an electronically deliverable message;

means for processing and storing message data provided by the sender;

means for tracking the position of the third device;

means for automatically delivering a message electronically to the second device of the intended recipient upon arrival of the third device at a designated location, with each of the first, second and third devices being different devices.

29. A method to electronically deliver a message from a sender using a first device to an intended recipient using a second device based on tracking movement of a third device, the method comprising acts of:

obtaining a message provided by the sender;

obtaining a location designated by the sender for delivery of said message;

tracking the third device having a position-determining device that determines its own current position, and which transmits its then current position at preset time intervals;

determining from the transmitted current position whether the third device has reached said designated location; and

initiating a procedure for automatic delivery of said message electronically to the second device of the intended recipient upon the third device being determined to have reached said designated location, with each of the first, second and third devices being different devices.

30. A method to electronically deliver a message from a sender using a first device to an intended recipient using a second device based on tracking movement of a third device, the method comprising acts of:

obtaining a message provided by the sender;

obtaining a location designated by the sender for delivery of said message;

tracking the third device having a position-determining device that determines its own current position, and which transmits its then current position at preset time intervals;

determining from the transmitted current position whether the third device has reached said designated location; and

initiating a procedure for automatic delivery of said message electronically to the second device of the intended recipient upon the third device being determined to have reached said designated location, wherein said message is at least one of data, text, audio and video modes,

wherein a mode in which said message is reproduced by the second device for the intended recipient is in accordance with a setting controlled by the intended recipient, with each of the first, second and third devices being different devices.

31. A method to electronically deliver a message from a mobile sender using a first device to an intended recipient using a second device based on tracking movement of a third device, the method comprising:

obtaining a message provided by the mobile sender;

obtaining a location designated by the mobile sender for delivery of said message;

tracking the third device having a position-determining device that determines its own current position, and which transmits its then current position at preset time intervals;

determining from the transmitted current position whether the third device has reached said designated location;

initiating a procedure for automatic delivery of said message electronically to the second device of the intended recipient upon the third device being determined to have reached said designated location, with each of the first, second and third devices being different devices.