Methods, systems, and computer program products for message filtering based on previous path trajectories and probable destination

• US 8,180,366 B2
• Filed: 06/28/2007
• Issued: 05/15/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mitre Corporation
• Original Assignee: Mitre Corporation
• Inventors: Ernst, Darrell E., Marshall, James W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Afshar, Kamran
• Assistant Examiner(s): Zhang, Edward
• Application Number:
  US11/819,730
• Publication Number:
  US 20090005067A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,783 Days
• Field of Search: 455/421, 455/414.2, 455/432.1, 455/456.1, 455/456, 455/433, 455/436, 455/440, 455/450, 455/451, 455/404.1, 455/404.2, 455/457, 455/418, 455/461, 455/3.02, 455/456.5
• US Class Current: 455/456.1
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 27/00 Alarm systems in which the alarm condition is signalled from a central station to a plurality of substations
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/212 using filtering or selective blocking
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/185 by embedding added-value information into content, e.g. geo-tagging

Abstract

Methods, systems and computer program products for filtering generally-broadcast messages received by a movable unit based on current spatial position, stored trajectory history, and probable future trajectories. A current spatial position of the movable unit is received and stored to form a stored trajectory history. A generally-broadcast message relating to a target geographical region is also received and stored. Potential trajectories of the movable unit are then computed over a pre-determined time based on at least one of the current spatial position, a current travel direction of the movable unit, and the stored trajectory history of the movable unit. The generally-broadcast message is then disseminated in response to at least one potential trajectory crossing into the target geographical region during the pre-determined time period. The generally-broadcast message may also be disseminated on the basis of specified user preferences.

Claims

1. A method of disseminating messages to a movable unit in a wireless mobile network, comprising:

adding a current spatial position of the movable unit to a trajectory history of the movable unit;

receiving at a computer system coupled to a communications interface, a generally-broadcast message relating to a target geographical region;

computing, using the computer system, a potential trajectory of the movable unit over a pre-determined time period based on at least one of;

(i) the current spatial position, (ii) a travel direction of the movable unit, and (iii) the trajectory history of the movable unit, wherein the computing comprises;

identifying, from the trajectory history, paths that cross into the target geographical region, tracing the identified paths away from the target geographical region for the pre-determined time period to establish a set of candidate path segments, computing the travel direction for the movable unit based on the trajectory history, and selecting a candidate path segment from among the set of candidate path segments to be the potential trajectory, the selecting based on at least one of;

(i) the current spatial position of the movable unit matching the candidate path segments, and (ii) the computed travel direction of the movable unit pointing towards the target geographical region; and

disseminating using the communications interface, the generally-broadcast message in response to the potential trajectory crossing into the target geographical region.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the current spatial position of the movable unit comprises at least one of a current longitude, a current latitude, and a current altitude the movable unit.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing at least one of:

(i) a current velocity of the movable unit and (ii) a time associated with the current spatial position of the movable unit.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the adding step further comprises receiving the current spatial position information of the movable unitfrom an external spatial positioning system.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the external spatial positioning system comprises at least one of a global positioning system (GPS) and a LORAN system.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the generally-broadcast message comprises at least one of a longitude, a latitude, and an altitude describing the target geographical region.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the selected candidate path segment is selected to be the potential trajectory based on the current spatial position of the movable unit falling within a pre-determined distance of the selected candidate path segment.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising disseminating the generally-broadcast message in response to the current spatial position of the movable unit falling within the target geographical region.

9. A method of disseminating messages to one or more movable units in a wireless mobile network, comprising:

adding a current spatial position of the movable unit to a trajectory history of the movable unit;

receiving at a computer system coupled to a communications interface, a generally-broadcast message relating to a target geographical region;

computing using the computer system a potential trajectory of the movable unit over a pre-determined time period based on at least one of;

(i) the current spatial position, (ii) a travel direction of the movable unit, and (iii) the trajectory history of the movable unit, wherein the computing comprises;

identifying, from the trajectory history, paths that match the current spatial position of the movable unit, tracing each identified path forward in time from the current spatial position of the movable unit for the pre-determined time period to generate a set of candidate path segments, computing the travel direction of the movable unit based on the trajectory history, and selecting a candidate path segment from among the set of candidate path segments to be the potential trajectory, the selecting based on at least one of;

(i) the candidate path segments crossing into the target geographical region, and (ii) the computed travel direction of the movable unit pointing towards the target geographical region; and

disseminating using the communications interface, the generally-broadcast message in response to the potential trajectory crossing into the target geographical region.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the selected candidate path segment is selected to be the potential trajectory based on the current spatial position of the movable unit falling within a pre-determined distance of spatial positions along the paths within the trajectory history.

11. A method of disseminating messages to one or more movable units in a wireless mobile network, comprising:

adding a current spatial position of the movable unit to a trajectory history of the movable unit;

receiving at a computer system coupled to a communications interface, a generally-broadcast message relating to a target geographical region, wherein the generally-broadcast message comprises one or more event-specific tags related to events within the target geographic region;

computing using the computer system, potential trajectories of the movable unit over a pre-determined time period based on at least one of;

(i) the current spatial position, (ii) a travel direction of the movable unit, and (iii) the trajectory history of the movable unit; and

disseminating using the communications interface, the generally-broadcast message in response to;

at least one potential trajectory crossing into the target geographical region, and a match between the event-specific tags related to events within the target geographic region and the event-specific tags related to events of interest to the movable unit, wherein the disseminating comprises at least one of;

(i) presenting the generally-broadcast message to a user, (ii) activating an aural alarm, (iii) activating a tactile alarm, (iv) activating a visual alarm, and (v) activating an additional device.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the event-specific tags represent at least one of:

(i) advertisements from merchants within the target geographical region, (ii) weather events within the target geographical region, (iii) emergencies within the target geographical region, and (iv) events of interest to residents and visitors on the target geographical region.

13. A system for disseminating messages to one or more movable units in a wireless mobile network, comprising:

a module to add a current spatial position of the movable unit to a trajectory history of the movable unit;

a receiver for receiving a generally-broadcast message relating to a target geographical region;

a module to identify, from the trajectory history, paths that cross into the target geographical region;

a module to trace the identified paths away from the target geographical region for the pre-determined time period to establish a set of candidate path segments;

a module to compute the travel direction for the movable unit based at least the trajectory history;

a module to select a candidate path segment from among the set of candidate path segments to be the potential trajectory, the selecting based on at least one of;

(i) the current spatial position of the movable unit matching the candidate path segments, and (ii) the computed travel direction of the movable unit pointing towards the target geographical region; and

a module to disseminate the generally-broadcast message in response to the potential trajectory crossing into the target geographical region.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the current spatial position of the movable unit comprises at least one of a current longitude, a current latitude, and a current altitude the movable unit.

15. The system of claim 13, further comprising a module to store at least one of a current velocity of the movable unit and a time associated with the current spatial position of the movable unit.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the module to add further comprises a module to receive the current spatial position information from an external spatial positioning system.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the external spatial positioning system comprises at least one of a global positioning system (GPS) and a LORAN system.

18. The system of claim 13, wherein the generally-broadcast message comprises at least one of a longitude, a latitude, and an altitude describing the target geographical region.

19. The system of claim 13, wherein the module to select further comprises a module to match the current spatial position of the movable unit to the candidate path segments in response to the current spatial position falling within a pre-determined distance of spatial positions along the candidate path segments.

20. The system of claim 13, wherein the module to disseminate also disseminates the generally-broadcast message in response to the current spatial position of the movable unit falling within the target geographical region.

21. The system of claim 13, wherein the module to disseminate further comprises at least one of:

(i) a module to present the generally-broadcast message to a user, (ii) a module to activate an aural alarm, (iii) a module to activate a tactile alarm, (iv) a module to activate a visual alarm, and (v) a module to activate an additional device.

22. The system, of claim 13, wherein the generally-broadcast message further comprises one or more event-specific tags related to events within the target geographic region.

23. The system of claim 22, further comprising:

module to store event-specific tags related to events of interest to the movable unit, wherein the module to disseminate also disseminates the generally-broadcast message in response to a match between the event-specific tags related to events within the target geographic region and the event-specific tags related to events of interest to the movable unit.

24. The system of claim 22, wherein the event-specific tags represent at least one of:

(i) advertisements from merchants within the target geographical region, (ii) weather events within the target geographical region, (iii) emergencies within the target geographical region, and (iv) events of interest to residents and visitors to the target geographical region.

25. A system for disseminating messages to one or more movable units in a wireless mobile network, comprising:

a module to add a current spatial position of the movable unit to a trajectory history of the movable unit;

a receiver for receiving a generally-broadcast message relating to a target geographical region;

a module to identify, from the trajectory history, paths that match the current spatial position of the movable unit;

a module to trace each identified path forward in time from the current spatial position of the movable unit for the pre-determined time period to generate a set of candidate path segments;

a module to compute the travel direction for the movable unit based at least the trajectory history;

a module to select a candidate path segment from among the set of candidate path segments to be the potential trajectory, the selecting based on at least one of;

(i) the candidate path segments crossing into the target geographical region, and (ii) the computed travel direction of the movable unit pointing towards the target geographical region; and

a module to disseminate the generally-broadcast message when the potential trajectory crosses into the target geographical region.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the module to identify identifies paths within the trajectory history that fall within a pre-determined distance of past spatial positions of the movable unit along the trajectory history.

27. A computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium having computer program logic stored thereon for enabling a processor to perform operations to disseminate messages to one or more movable units in a wireless mobile network, the operations comprising:

adding a current spatial position of the movable unit to a trajectory history of the movable unit;

receiving at a computer system coupled to a communications interface, a generally-broadcast message relating to a target geographical region;

computing, using the computer system, a potential trajectory of the movable unit over a pre-determined time period based on at least one of;

(i) the current spatial position, (ii) a travel direction of the movable unit, and (iii) the trajectory history of the movable unit, wherein the computing comprises;

identifying, from the trajectory history, paths that cross into the target geographical region, tracing the identified paths away from the target geographical region for the pre-determined time period to establish a set of candidate path segments, computing the travel direction for the movable unit based on the trajectory history, and selecting a candidate path segment from among the set of candidate path segments to be the potential trajectory, the selecting based on at least one of;

(i) the current spatial position of the movable unit matching the candidate path segments, and (ii) the computed travel direction of the movable unit pointing towards the target geographical region; and

disseminating using the communications interface, the generally-broadcast message in response to the potential trajectory crossing into the target geographical region.