Driver/parent arrival notification system and method of notification

• US 9,129,239 B2
• Filed: 03/29/2012
• Issued: 09/08/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Discovery Schools, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Discovery Schools, Inc.
• Inventors: Rogers, Jon T., Mackay, Gordon
• Primary Examiner(s): Kim, Ahshik
• Application Number:
  US13/434,133
• Publication Number:
  US 20130256396A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,258 Days
• Field of Search: 235/375, 235/382, 235/384, 705/14.58, 705/32
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/10 Services
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/20 Education

Abstract

A system for providing a user/child with the arrival status of a driver/parent and method therefore includes providing a mobile code carrier, a code reader that identifies a code stored on the code carrier, a processor communicatively coupled to the code reader, a memory communicatively coupled to the processor storing a data base that includes a data structure, and a plurality of displays each communicatively coupled to the processor and located in one of a plurality of disparate locations within a building. The method further includes identifying the code, associating the code with a target and at least one location within the building, and displaying to one of the plurality of displays where the target is located a message indicating that the driver/parent has arrived.

Claims

1. A method of announcing a person'"'"'s arrival, the method comprising:

providing;

a mobile code carrier;

a code reader operable to identify a code stored on the mobile code carrier when the mobile code carrier is in proximity to the code reader;

a processor communicatively coupled to the code reader;

a memory communicatively coupled to the processor and storing a data structure associating the code with a person, at least one target, wherein the at least one target is at least one of a user, a child, and a pet, and at least one location where the target is located within a building; and

a plurality of displays each located in one of a plurality of different locations within the building and each communicatively coupled to the processor,

identifying the code from the mobile code carrier with the code reader;

searching the data structure with the code and identifying the at least one target and the at least one location where the at least one target is located within the building; and

displaying to one of the plurality of displays at the at least one location within the building a predetermined message uniquely related to the at least one target.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

searching the data structure with the code to identify a first location where a first target is located within the building and a second location where a second target is located within the building;

displaying to one of the plurality of displays at the first location a predetermined message uniquely related to the first target; and

displaying to one of the plurality of displays at the second location a predetermined message uniquely related to the second target.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein:

the mobile code carrier is removably couplable to a vehicle.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the mobile code carrier is at least one of:

a bar code; and

an RF transmitter.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein:

the building is a school and the plurality of different locations are classrooms within the school.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein:

the predetermined message related to the at least one target is an instruction to a teacher to dismiss a particular child.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined message uniquely related to the at least one target comprises at least one of:

an identifier of the at least one target; and

an identifier of a person in possession of the mobile code carrier.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein:

the data structure includes at least one lookup table.

9. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

providing;

a target code carrier having a second code associated with the at least one target; and

a second code reader located proximate the building and communicatively coupled to the processor, the second code reader operable to identify the second code stored on the target code carrier when the target code carrier is in proximity to the second code reader;

identifying the second code from the target code carrier with the second code reader;

searching the data structure for the second code to determine a code holder associated therewith; and

displaying to one of the plurality of displays an alert when the code holder associated with the second code is not currently identified by the code reader as being present.

10. A driver/parent identifying system comprising:

a mobile code carrier;

a code reader operable to identify a code stored on the mobile code carrier when the mobile code carrier is in proximity to the code reader;

a processor communicatively coupled to the code reader;

a memory communicatively coupled to the processor and storing a data structure associating the code with at least one of a person and a vehicle, at least one target, wherein the at least one target is at least one of a user, a child, and a pet, and at least one location where the at least one target is located within a building; and

a plurality of displays each located in one of a plurality of different locations within the building and each communicatively coupled to the processor,

wherein upon receiving from the code reader an identification of the code stored on the mobile code carrier, the processor searches the memory to identify the at least one location where the at least one target is located within the building and causes one of the plurality of displays at the at least one location to display a predetermined message uniquely related to the at least one target.

11. The driver/parent identifying system according to claim 10, wherein:

the mobile code carrier is removably couplable to a vehicle.

12. The driver/parent identifying system according to claim 10, wherein:

the mobile code carrier is at least one of;

a bar code; and

an RF transmitter.

13. The driver/parent identifying system according to claim 10, wherein:

the building is a school and the plurality of different locations are classrooms within the school.

14. The driver/parent identifying system according to claim 13, wherein:

the predetermined message related to the at least one target is an instruction to a teacher to dismiss a particular child.

15. The driver/parent identifying system according to claim 10, wherein:

the at least one target is at least two people;

the at least one location is at least two rooms, with one of the at least two people each being in a separate one of the at least two rooms; and

upon receiving from the code reader an identification of the code stored on the mobile code carrier, the processor displays a message on a display in a first of the at least two rooms and not on a display in a second of the at least two rooms.

16. The driver/parent identifying system according to claim 10, wherein the predetermined message uniquely related to the at least one target comprises at least one of:

an identifier of the at least one target; and

an identifier of a person in possession of the mobile code carrier.

17. The driver/parent identifying system according to claim 10, wherein:

the data structure includes at least one lookup table.

18. A driver/parent identifying system comprising:

a school building located on a school campus and having at least a first classroom and a second classroom;

a first electronic display monitor in the first classroom and a second electronic display monitor in the second classroom;

a mobile code carrier coupled to an automobile;

a code reader on the school campus and operable to identify a code stored on the mobile code carrier when the mobile code carrier enters the campus;

a processor communicatively coupled to the code reader and the first and second display monitors; and

a memory communicatively coupled to the processor and storing a data structure associating the code with a first student present within the school building, a guardian of the first student present within the school building, and a location where the first student present within the school building is located,

wherein upon receiving from the code reader an identification of the code stored on the mobile code carrier, the processor searches the memory to identify the first student present within the school building and the location where the first student present within the school building is located and displays a predetermined message on the first display when the first student present within the school building is located in the first classroom and displays the predetermined message on the second display when the first student present within the school building is located in the second classroom.

19. The driver/parent identifying system according to claim 18, wherein:

the data structure further associates the code with a second student present within the school building and a location where the second student present within the school building is located and, upon receiving from the code reader an identification of the code stored on the mobile code carrier, the processor searches the memory to identify the second student present within the school building and the location where the second student present within the school building is located and displays a predetermined message on the first display when the second student present within the school building is located in the first classroom and displays the predetermined message on the second display when the second student present within the school building is located in the second classroom.

20. The driver/parent identifying system according to claim 18, wherein:

the predetermined message is a message indicating that the guardian of the first student has arrived on campus.