Systems and methods for security checkpoint condition information and sharing

• US 9,516,460 B2
• Filed: 09/10/2012
• Issued: 12/06/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Securitypoint Holdings LLC (Securitypoint Media LLC)
• Original Assignee: Securitypoint Holdings LLC (Securitypoint Media LLC)
• Inventors: Ambrefe, Joseph T. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Terrell, Emily C
• Application Number:
  US13/608,785
• Publication Number:
  US 20140070946A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,548 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/13 Receivers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/017 Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0269 System arrangements wherein the object is to detect the exact location of child or item using a navigation satellite system, e.g. GPS
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/10 including a GPS signal receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication

Abstract

Various embodiments discussed herein disclose a system comprising a user location engine, a checkpoint identification engine, a checkpoint identification engine, a presence notification engine, a checkpoint information engine, and an interuser connection engine. The user location engine determines an initial location when a user enters a given distance of a security checkpoint. The checkpoint identification engine provides a checkpoint identifier of the security checkpoint when the user is at the initial location. The presence notification engine receives a selection of the checkpoint identifier. The checkpoint information engine that receives user-generated information about the security checkpoint and also comprises a condition crowdsourcing engine to integrate the user-generated information into crowdsourced condition data associated with the security checkpoint. The interuser connection engine that provides the crowdsourced condition data to another user. Various systems and methods discussed herein may also discloses related methods and related computer-readable media.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a user location engine configured to identify an initial location of a first digital device associated with a first user, the initial location corresponding to an entry point of a queue leading to a scanner in a security checkpoint in a secure screening environment of a secure facility;

a checkpoint identification engine configured to provide, in response to the user location engine identifying the initial location of the first digital device, a checkpoint identifier to a first mobile application providing a first user interface in a first web browser or a first container application executing on the first digital device, the checkpoint identifier identifying the security checkpoint, and the checkpoint identifier being from a list of checkpoint identifiers associated with the secure facility, the checkpoint identifier being provided from a comparison of the initial location of the first user to a list of checkpoint locations on a digital airport map;

a presence notification engine configured to receive a selection of the checkpoint identifier, the selection being based on user-input by the first user into the first mobile application, and the selection indicating the first user confirmed that the first user is at the initial location;

a checkpoint information engine configured to receive user-generated information regarding the security checkpoint, the user-generated information being generated by first user input by the first user into the first mobile application, the user-generated information providing a description of an attribute of the secure screening environment;

a condition crowdsourcing engine configured to integrate the user-generated information into crowdsourced condition data associated with the security checkpoint, the crowdsourced condition data providing a crowdsourced measure of a wait time for passengers to pass through the queue to the scanner in the security checkpoint, and the crowdsourced condition data being based on second user input by a second user who previously passed through the queue to the scanner in the security checkpoint, the second user input being received by a second mobile application providing a second user interface in a second web browser or a second container application executing on a second digital device associated with the second user;

an interuser connection engine configured to provide the crowdsourced condition data to a third mobile application executing on a third digital device associated with a third user, thereby providing to the third mobile application a crowdsourced wait time corresponding to a wait time for passing through the queue to the scanner in the security checkpoint;

a user information rating engine configured to provide to the third mobile application a quality rating of the user-generated information; and

a security checkpoint gameplay engine configured to;

assign a check-in state in the first mobile application corresponding to the first user selecting the checkpoint identifier;

assign the first user points in response to assigning the check-in state, and

provide profile information enabling offering some of the profile information to an airport or a security agency.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the user input comprises an estimate of a wait time for the user to pass through the security checkpoint.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the user input comprises a timed passage through the security checkpoint.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the description of the attribute of the secure screening environment comprises a user-generated description of one or more of:

a physical condition of the security checkpoint, a quality of security service of the security checkpoint, a security concern, a specific security device, and information about another passenger passing through the security checkpoint.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the description of the attribute of the secure screening environment comprises a selection of a description of one or more of:

a physical condition of the security checkpoint, a quality of security service of the security checkpoint, a security concern, and information about another passenger passing through the security checkpoint.

6. The system of claim 5, further comprising a geography-based transmitter coupled to the user location engine, the geography-based transmitter being configured to receive global positioning system (GPS) coordinates corresponding to a position of the system, and to provide the GPS coordinates of the system to the user location engine.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the user location engine identifies the initial location using a geography-based transmitter on the first mobile device.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the user location engine determines the initial location based on a substantial decrease in a velocity of the first user.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the list of checkpoint identifiers is gathered from a security agency or a government agency.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the condition crowdsourcing engine adapts the crowdsourced condition data based on the quality rating of the user-generated information.

11. The system of claim 1, further comprising an information partnership management engine that, in operation, associates the user-generated information with an information partner, the information partner providing information that links the third user to one or more of the first user and the second user.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the secure facility comprises an airport.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the user-generated information further comprises a timed passage through the security checkpoint.

24. The system of claim 1, wherein the first digital device comprises one or more of a smartphone associated with the first user, and a wearable digital device associated with the first user.

26. The system of claim 1, wherein the security checkpoint is one of a plurality of security checkpoints in the secure facility.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein each of the plurality of security checkpoints separate a first area of an airport from a second area of the airport by a scanner operated by one or more security screening personnel.

28. The system of claim 26, wherein the checkpoint identifier is one of a plurality of checkpoint identifiers, each of the plurality of checkpoint identifiers identifying one of the plurality of security checkpoints.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein the selection of the checkpoint identifier comprises a selection of one of the plurality of checkpoint identifiers, the one of the plurality of checkpoint identifiers identifying the security checkpoint.

14. A method, comprising:

identifying an initial location of a first digital device associated with a first user, the initial location corresponding to an entry point of a queue leading to a scanner in a security checkpoint in a secure screening environment of a secure facility;

providing, in response to identifying the initial location of the first digital device, a checkpoint identifier to a first mobile application providing a first user interface in a first web browser or a first container application executing on the first digital device, the checkpoint identifier identifying the security checkpoint, and the checkpoint identifier being from a list of checkpoint identifiers associated with the secure facility, the checkpoint identifier being provided from a comparison of the initial location of the first user to a list of checkpoint locations on a digital airport map;

receiving a selection of the checkpoint identifier, the selection being based on user-input by the first user into the first mobile application, and the selection indicating the first user confirmed the first user is at the initial location;

receiving user-generated information about the security checkpoint, the user-generated information being generated by user input by the first user into the first mobile application, the user-generated information providing a description of an attribute of the secure screening environment;

integrating the user-generated information into crowdsourced condition data associated with the security checkpoint, the crowdsourced condition data providing a crowdsourced measure of a wait time for passengers to pass through the queue to the scanner in the security checkpoint, and the crowdsourced condition data being based on second user input by a second user who passed through the queue to the scanner in the security checkpoint, the second user input being received by a second mobile application providing a second user interface in a second web browser or a second container application executing on a second digital device associated with the second user;

providing the crowdsourced condition data to a third mobile application executing on a third digital device associated with a third user, thereby providing to the third mobile application a crowdsourced wait time corresponding to a wait time for passing through the queue to the scanner in the security checkpoint;

providing to the third mobile application a quality rating of the user-generated information;

assigning a check-in state in the first mobile application corresponding to the first user selecting the checkpoint identifier;

assigning the first user points in response to assigning the check-in state; and

providing profile information enabling offering some of the profile information to an airport or a security agency.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the user input comprises an estimate of a wait time for the user to pass through the security checkpoint.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the user input comprises a timed passage through the security checkpoint.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the description of the attribute of the secure screening environment comprises a user-generated description of one or more of:

a physical condition of the security checkpoint, a quality of security service of the security checkpoint, a security concern, a specific security device, and information about another passenger passing through the security checkpoint.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the description of the attribute of the secure screening environment comprises a selection of a description of one or more of:

a physical condition of the security checkpoint, a quality of security service of the security checkpoint, a security concern, and information about another passenger passing through the security checkpoint.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein determining the initial location of the user comprises determining a substantial decrease in velocity of the first user.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein providing the list of checkpoints comprises gathering the list of checkpoints from a security agency or a government agency.

21. The method of claim 14, further comprising adapting the crowdsourced condition data based on the quality rating of the user-generated information.

22. The method of claim 14, further comprising associating the user-generated information with an information partner, the information partner providing information that links the third user to one or more of the first user and the second user.

25. The method of claim 14, wherein the first digital device comprises one or more of a smartphone associated with the first user, and a wearable digital device associated with the first user.

30. The method of claim 14, wherein the security checkpoint is one of a plurality of security checkpoints in the secure facility.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein each of the plurality of security checkpoints separate a first area of an airport from a second area of the airport by scanner operated by one or more security screening personnel.

32. The method of claim 30, wherein the checkpoint identifier is one of a plurality of checkpoint identifiers, each of the plurality of checkpoint identifiers identifying one of the plurality of security checkpoints.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein the selection of the checkpoint identifier comprises a selection of one of the plurality of checkpoint identifiers, the one of the plurality of checkpoint identifiers identifying the security checkpoint.

23. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having embodied thereon a program, the program being executable by a processor for performing a method, the method comprising:

identifying an initial location of a first digital device associated with a first user, the initial location corresponding to an entry point of a queue leading to a scanner in a security checkpoint in a secure screening environment of a secure facility;

providing, in response to identifying the initial location of the first digital device, a checkpoint identifier to a first mobile application providing a first user interface in a first web browser or a first container application executing on the first digital device, the checkpoint identifier identifying the security checkpoint, and the checkpoint identifier being from a list of checkpoint identifiers associated with the secure facility, the checkpoint identifier being provided from a comparison of the initial location of the first user to a list of checkpoint locations on a digital airport map;

receiving a selection of the checkpoint identifier, the selection being based on input by the first user into the first mobile application, and the selection indicating the first user confirmed the first user is at the initial location;

receiving user-generated information about the security checkpoint, the user-generated information being generated by user input by the first user into the first mobile application, the user-generated information providing a description of an attribute of the secure screening environment;

integrating the user-generated information into crowdsourced condition data associated with the security checkpoint, the crowdsourced condition data providing a crowdsourced measure of a wait time for passengers to pass through the queue to the scanner in the security checkpoint, and the crowdsourced condition data being based on second user input by a second user who passed through the queue to the scanner in the security checkpoint, the second user input being received by a second mobile application providing a second user interface in a second web browser or a second container application executing on a second digital device associated with the second user;

providing the crowdsourced condition data to a third mobile application executing on a third digital device associated with a third user, thereby providing to the third mobile application a crowdsourced wait time corresponding to a wait time for passing through the queue to the scanner in the security checkpoint;

providing to the third mobile application a quality rating of the user-generated information;

assigning a check-in state in the first mobile application corresponding to the first user selecting the checkpoint identifier;

assigning the first user points in response to assigning the check-in state; and

providing profile information enabling offering some of the profile information to an airport or a security agency.