Transportation alert application for a mobile communication device

• US 8,878,702 B2
• Filed: 10/18/2010
• Issued: 11/04/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/18/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Crucs Holdings, LLC
• Original Assignee: Crucs Holdings, LLC
• Inventors: Crucs, Kevin M.
• Primary Examiner(s): TRIEU, VAN THANH
• Application Number:
  US12/906,373
• Publication Number:
  US 20120092194A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,478 Days
• Field of Search: 340/988, 340/989, 340/991, 340/992, 340/993, 340/994, 340/995.19, 340/928, 340/502, 340/504, 340/506, 340/539.11, 340/995.23, 701/23, 701/50, 701/207, 701/208, 701/211, 701/213, 701/465, 701/519, 705/28, 705/338, 455/404.2, 455/456.2
• US Class Current: 340/994
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/123 indicating the position of vehicles, e.g. scheduled vehicles; Managing passenger vehicles circulating according to a fixed timetable, e.g. buses, trains, tramstransmission of navigation instructions to vehicles G08G1/0968

Abstract

A system and method for providing notification about approaching transportation. A transportation notification application on a mobile communication device associated with a transportation vehicle is activated. An operator of the transportation vehicle selects a predefined route, having multiple transportation stops to be traversed by the transportation vehicle, from the transportation notification application on the mobile communication device. A current transportation stop of the selected route is then selected, again using the transportation notification application on the mobile communication device. The transportation notification application on the mobile communication device then automatically sends a transportation notification message, in response to the selecting of the current transportation stop, to a plurality of user communication devices of known users of the transportation vehicle who are associated with at least one subsequent transportation stop of the transportation vehicle.

Claims

1. A method for providing notification about approaching transportation, said method comprising:

a user, of a mobile communication device associated with a transportation vehicle that makes multiple transportation stops along predefined routes, activating a transportation notification application on the mobile communication device;

the user selecting a predefined route, having multiple transportation stops to be traversed by said transportation vehicle, from said transportation notification application on said mobile communication device;

the user selecting a current transportation stop of said selected predefined route using said transportation notification application on said mobile communication device; and

said transportation notification application on said mobile communication device automatically sending a transportation notification message, in response to said selecting of a current transportation stop, to a plurality of user communication devices of known users of said transportation vehicle associated with at least one subsequent transportation stop of said transportation vehicle.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said transportation notification message is sent from said mobile communication device to said plurality of user communication devices via at least one communication network associated with said mobile communication device.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein said at least one communication network includes at least one of a cellular telephone network, the internet, and a satellite network.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising programming a new predefined route into said transportation notification application on said mobile communication device.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising deleting a predefined route from said transportation notification application on said mobile communication device.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising modifying a predefined route of said transportation notification application on said mobile communication device.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein said transportation notification message is in the form of one of an electronic mail message, an electronic text message, and a voice telephone call.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising a complementary notification application running on at least one of said user communication devices activating a transportation alert ringtone in response to receiving said transportation notification message.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising at least one of said user communication devices activating a user-selected ringtone in response to receiving said transportation notification message, wherein said user-selected ringtone is reserved for receiving said transportation notification message.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein said at least one subsequent transportation stop includes a next transportation stop.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein said mobile communication device includes a wireless communication device.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein each of said plurality of user communication devices includes one of a wireless communication device and a wired communication device.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein each of said plurality of user communication devices includes one of a mobile communication device and a non-mobile communication device.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein said transportation vehicle includes one of a bus, a car, a truck, a train, a taxi cab, a trolley, and a boat.

15. The method of claim 1 further comprising programming new user information associated with a user communication device into said transportation notification application and associating said new user information with one transportation stop of a predefined route on said mobile communication device.

16. The method of claim 1 further comprising deleting user information associated with a user communication device from said transportation notification application on said mobile communication device.

17. The method of claim 1 wherein said transportation notification message includes information related to at least one of an estimated arrival time, an arrival at another stop, a delay, a reminder, and a cancellation.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein said transportation notification message includes a relative notification message.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein said at least one subsequent transportation stop includes one or more future stops beyond a next transportation stop.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein said transportation notification message includes information relating to a vehicle breakdown.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein said transportation notification message includes information relating to a new vehicle being sourced to service said predefined route.

22. The method of claim 1, further comprising performing a security check related to said plurality of user communication devices.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein said security check confirms that each of said known users associated with each of said plurality of user communication devices has a relevant connection to said predefined route.

24. A system for providing notification about approaching transportation, said system comprising:

a user mobile communication device associated with a transportation vehicle that makes multiple transportation stops along predefined routes;

means for allowing a user to select a predefined route, having multiple transportation stops to be traversed by said transportation vehicle, using said mobile communication device;

means for allowing a user to select a current transportation stop of said predefined route using said mobile communication device; and

means for automatically sending a transportation notification message from said mobile communication device, in response to selecting a current transportation stop, to a plurality of user communication devices of known users of said transportation vehicle associated with at least one subsequent transportation stop of said transportation vehicle.

25. The system of claim 24 further comprising means for entering a new selectable predefined route into said mobile communication device.

26. The system of claim 24 further comprising means for deleting a predefined route from said mobile communication device.

27. The system of claim 24 further comprising means for modifying a predefined route on said mobile communication device.

28. The system of claim 24 wherein said transportation notification message is in the form of one of an electronic mail message, an electronic text message, and a voice telephone call.

29. The system of claim 24 further comprising means for activating a transportation alert ringtone on at least one of said user communication devices in response to said at least one of said user communication devices receiving said transportation notification message.

30. The system of claim 24 further comprising means for activating a user-selected ringtone on at least one of said user communication devices in response to said at least one of said user communication devices receiving said transportation notification message, wherein said user-selected ringtone is reserved for receiving said transportation notification message.

31. The system of claim 24 wherein said at least one subsequent transportation stop includes a next transportation stop.

32. The system of claim 24 wherein said mobile communication device includes a wireless communication device.

33. The system of claim 24 wherein each of said plurality of user communication devices includes one of a wireless communication device and a wired communication device.

34. The system of claim 24 wherein each of said plurality of user communication devices includes one of a mobile communication device and a non-mobile communication device.

35. The system of claim 24 wherein said transportation vehicle includes one of a bus, a car, a truck, a train, a taxi cab, a trolley, and a boat.

36. The system of claim 24 further comprising means for programming new user information associated with a user communication device into said mobile communication device and associating said new user information with one transportation stop of a predefined route on said mobile communication device.

37. The system of claim 24 further comprising means for deleting user information associated with a user communication device from said mobile communication device.

38. The system of claim 24, further comprising means for performing a security check related to said plurality of user communication devices.

39. The system of claim 38, wherein said means for performing security check confirms that each of said known users associated with each of said plurality of user communication devices has a relevant connection to said predefined route.