System and method for providing alerts to members of defined local geographical groups

• US 8,611,935 B2
• Filed: 03/18/2011
• Issued: 12/17/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/18/2011
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Keith B. Duarte
• Original Assignee: Data Frenzy LLC
• Inventors: Duarte, Keith B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cumming, William D
• Application Number:
  US13/051,999
• Publication Number:
  US 20120238234A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,005 Days
• Field of Search: 455/466, 701/1, 701/29, 705/5, 705/64, 705/75
• US Class Current: 455/466
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 27/003 Signalling to neighbouring houses
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/58 Message adaptation for wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences
• 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 4/14 Short messaging services, e.g. short message services [SMS] or unstructured supplementary service data [USSD]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/90 Services for handling of emergency or hazardous situations, e.g. earthquake and tsunami warning systems [ETWS]

Abstract

A system and method are disclosed for creating groups associated with defined geographical neighborhoods for the purpose of providing and distributing information to members of the neighborhood groups, and soliciting assistance from members of the neighborhood groups. For example, an alert concerning a missing child may be sent from a user device (e.g., smart phone) to a server located on the Internet for distribution to user devices of members of a neighborhood groups. The notified members, in turn, using their respective user devices, may send notifications to the alert-originating user (as well as other members) of their participation in the search for the missing child. Additionally, the notified members may send notifications to the alert-originating user of the finding of the lost child. Such features may also apply to other alerts and/or notifications sent to members of a neighborhood group.

Claims

1. A server, comprising:

a network interface configured to interface with a wide area network (WAN);

a processor configured to;

create a neighborhood group data object pertaining to a neighborhood group associated with a defined geographical neighborhood in response to a request received, via the network interface, from an administrative user residing within the defined geographical neighborhood;

receive a plurality of requests, via the network interface, to join the neighborhood group from distinct users residing within the defined geographical neighborhood for the purpose of receiving notifications concerning the defined geographical neighborhood; and

create a plurality of user profile data objects pertaining to distinct users in response to the received joining requests, respectively;

a computer-readable medium configured to store the neighborhood group data object including the plurality of user profile data objects.

2. The server of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to:

receive a first notification from at least one of the distinct users by way of the network interface; and

transmit a plurality of second notifications based on the first notification to a plurality of user devices via the network interface using address information residing in the user profile data objects, respectively.

3. The server of claim 2, wherein the first notification relates to an alert concerning a lost child.

4. The server of claim 3, wherein the processor is further configured to:

create a lost child data object in response to receiving the first notification; and

store the lost child data object in the computer-readable medium.

5. The server of claim 4, wherein the lost child data object includes the following:

information related to an identity or physical characteristic of the lost child;

information related to a last known location of the lost child; and

an electronic picture or video of the lost child.

6. The server of claim 5, wherein the processor is further configured to:

receive a third notification from at least one of the users via the network interface, wherein the third notification indicates that the user has joined a search effort for the lost child; and

update the lost child data object based on the third notification.

7. The server of claim 6, wherein the processor is configured to transmit a fourth notification based on the third notification to the user from which the first notification was received.

8. The server of claim 4, wherein the processor is further configured to:

receive a third notification from at least one of the users via the network interface, wherein the third notification indicates the finding of the child; and

update the lost child data object based on the third notification.

9. The server of claim 8, wherein the processor is configured to transmit a fourth notification based on the third notification to the user from which the first notification was received.

10. The server of claim 9, wherein the fourth notification includes a contact information of the user associated with the finding of the child.

11. The server of claim 2, wherein the first notification relates to an alert concerning a found child.

12. The server of claim 11, wherein the processor is further configured to:

create a found child data object in response to receiving the first notification; and

store the found child data object in the computer-readable medium.

13. The server of claim 12, wherein the found child data object includes the following:

information related to an identity or physical characteristic of the found child;

information related to a location where the child was found; and

an electronic picture or video of the found child.

14. The server of claim 13, wherein the processor is further configured to:

receive a third notification from at least one of the users via the network interface, wherein the third notification indicates that the user is or knows someone associated with the found child; and

update the found child data object based on the third notification.

15. The server of claim 14, wherein the processor is configured to transmit a fourth notification based on the third notification to the user from which the first notification was received.

16. The server of claim 15, wherein the fourth notification includes a contact information of the user who is or knows someone associated with the found child.

17. The server of claim 2, wherein the first notification relates to a crime allegedly or in-fact committed within or proximate the geographical neighborhood.

18. The server of claim 2, wherein the first notification relates to a request for volunteer care for a person living within or proximate the geographical neighborhood.

19. The server of claim 2, wherein the first notification relates to a lost pet.

20. The server of claim 1, wherein the request to create the neighborhood group includes the following:

information related to an identity of the neighborhood group;

information related to a geographical boundary of the neighborhood; and

information related to an identity of the administrative user of the neighborhood group.

21. The server of claim 20, wherein the information related to the geographical boundary of the neighborhood comprises a plurality of coordinates identifying points along the geographical boundary.

22. The server of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to transmit an invitation to join the neighborhood group to at least one of the distinct users via the network interface in response a request received from the administrative user.

23. The server of claim 2, wherein the processor is configured to restrict the transmission of the second notifications to the distinct users and one or more designated public agencies.

24. The server of claim 1, wherein one or more of the user profile data object comprises information related to one or more children having the one or more distinct users as legal guardians, respectively.

25. The server of claim 24, wherein the information related to the one or more children comprises:

name, gender, and age or date-of-birth; and

a picture or video of the one or more children.

26. The server of claim 2, wherein the processor is configured to receive a third notification indicating a cancellation of the first notification from the user that sent the first notification.

27. The server of claim 2, wherein the processor is further configured to transmit information related to current duration of a search for the lost child and the number of the distinct users that have indicated that they are searching for the lost child to the distinct users via the network interface.

28. The server of claim 2, wherein the processor is further configured to receive a third notification indicating that one of the distinct users joined an effort to search for the lost child, and subsequently receive a fourth notification indicating that the one of the distinct users has abandoned the effort to search for the lost child.