Location based services in a situational network

• US 8,045,455 B1
• Filed: 10/26/2007
• Issued: 10/25/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/02/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SitNet LLC
• Original Assignee: Resource Consortium Limited
• Inventors: Agronow, Daniel S., Cona, Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): Phan; Tri H
• Application Number:
  US11/924,721
• Time in Patent Office: 1,460 Days
• Field of Search: 370229-2381, 370/395, 370400-408, 4554221-461
• US Class Current: 370/229
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3415 Dynamic re-routing, e.g. recalculating the route when the user deviates from calculated route or after detecting real-time traffic data or accidents
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3461 Preferred or disfavoured areas, e.g. dangerous zones, toll or emission zones, intersections, manoeuvre types, segments such as motorways, toll roads, ferries
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3697 Output of additional, non-guidance related information, e.g. low fuel level G01C21/3679 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096716 where the received information does not generate an automatic action on the vehicle control
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096741 where the source of the transmitted information selects which information to transmit to each vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096791 where the origin of the information is another vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/205 Indicating the location of the monitored vehicles as destination, e.g. accidents, stolen, rental
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/024 Guidance services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• 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 76/50 for emergency connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

A method of providing location based service information in a situational network includes establishing the situational network linking a plurality of individuals in response to an indication of an occurrence of a situation. Information related to availability of a service at a plurality of service locations affected by the situation is received, where the service is provided by one or more of a plurality of service providers An individual location associated with each of the plurality of individuals is determined. The available service locations that are in closest proximity to the individual location of the respective individuals is transmitting to each of the individuals based on the availability of the service.

Claims

1. A method of providing location based service information in a situational network, the method comprising:

(a) establishing the situational network linking a plurality of individuals in response to an indication of an occurrence of a situation;

(b) receiving information related to availability of a service at a plurality of service locations affected by the situation, the service being provided by one or more of a plurality of service providers;

(c) determining an individual location associated with each of the plurality of individuals; and

(d) transmitting, based on the availability of step (b), to each of the individuals, the available service locations that are in closest proximity to the individual location of the respective individuals.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

(e) updating the service locations transmitted in (d) based on receiving updated information related to the availability of the respective service.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

(e) transmitting a notification that the service is no longer available at a service location based on receiving updated information related to the availability of the service; and

(f) transmitting an alternate service location where the service is presently available.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

(e) updating the nearest service locations in response to a change in the individual location of one of the individuals.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the information is received from a situation authority based on aggregating the information related to the service.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the information is obtained from the plurality of service providers.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the information is obtained from individuals connected to the situational network.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the situation is a weather phenomenon.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the availability of the service is disrupted by the occurrence of the situation.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the individual locations are determined using positional coordinates received from devices used to connect the plurality of individuals to the situational network.

11. A method of providing location based product information in a situational network, the method comprising:

(a) establishing the situational network linking a plurality of individuals in response to an indication of an occurrence of a situation;

(b) receiving information related to availability of a product at a plurality of product locations affected by the situation, the product being provided by one or more of a plurality of product providers;

(c) determining an individual location associated with each of the plurality of individuals; and

(d) transmitting, based on the availability of step (b), to each of the individuals, the available product locations that are in closest proximity to the individual location of the respective individuals.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

(e) updating the product location information transmitted in (d) based on receiving updated information related to the availability of the product.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

(e) transmitting a notification that the product is no longer available at a product location based on receiving updated information related to the availability of the product; and

(f) transmitting an alternate product location where the product is presently available.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

(e) updating the nearest product locations in response to a change in the individual location of one of the individuals.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the availability of the product is disrupted by the occurrence of the situation.

16. A method of providing location based product information in a situational network, the method comprising:

(a) establishing the situational network linking a plurality of individuals in response to an indication of an occurrence of a situation;

(b) receiving information related to the supply of a product at two or more product locations affected by the situation; and

(c) automatically transmitting, to each of the individuals, a notification including at least one of the two or more product locations corresponding to the provider of the product that is in close proximity to the respective individuals based on a current individual location associated with each of the individuals.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the at least one of the two or more product locations is not the closest product location to the current individual location.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the number of individuals notified of the at least one of the two or more product locations is based on the supply of the product at each of the product locations.

19. The method of claim 18, where at least one individual receives the at least one of the two or more product locations corresponding to one of the providers of the product that is not the closest provider of product to the individual.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the current individual locations are determined using positional coordinates obtained from a device corresponding to each of the individuals.

21. The method of claim 16, wherein the indication of the occurrence of the situation is received from a situation authority.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the information is received from the situation authority based on aggregating data related to the supply of the product.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the information is obtained from the providers of the product.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein the information is obtained from individuals connected to the situational network.

25. A system of providing location based service information in a situational network, the system comprising:

a central server, corresponding to a situation authority, configured to establish the situational network linking a plurality of individuals in response to an indication of an occurrence of a situation, receive information related to availability of a service at a plurality of service locations affected by the situation, determine an individual location associated with each of the plurality of individuals, and transmit to devices corresponding to the plurality of the individuals the available service locations that are in closest proximity to the individual location of the respective individuals;

a database associated with the central server for storing the information related to availability of the service at the plurality of service locations affected by the situation; and

a plurality of devices, each device corresponding to one of the plurality of individuals, configured to connect to the central server, and receive the available service locations that are in closest proximity to the individual location of the respective individuals.