Interactive advisory system

• US 20070168131A1
• Filed: 01/19/2006
• Published: 07/19/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/19/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Locator IP LP
• Original Assignee: WeatherBank, Inc. (Accuweather Incorporated)
• Inventors: Root, Steven, Root, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 8,229,467 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/3
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 21/00 Measuring arrangements or details thereof, where the measuring technique is not covered by the other groups of this subclass, unspecified or not relevant
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 2203/00 Application of thermometers in cryogenics
• CPC Class Codes: G01W 1/00 Meteorology
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 90/10 Information and communication technologies [ICT] supporting adaptation to climate change, e.g. for weather forecasting or climate simulation

Abstract

A method for locating at least one individual located remotely from a broadcast network. An analysis unit compares user profiles, dynamic locations stored in the communicator location database, and/or fixed locations entered into the analysis unit. A data set of at least one matching individualized locatee user profile is generated and the individualized locatee user profile is transmitted to the locator via the locator'"'"'s communicator device.

Claims

1. A method for locating at least one individual located remotely from a broadcast network, comprising the steps of:

receiving user-profile criteria from a communicator device associated with a locator;

receiving user-profile criteria from a communicator device associated with a locatee;

matching the user-profile criteria associated with the locator with user-profile criteria associated with the locatee to generate a data set of users having similar user-profile criteria; and

transmitting the data set of users having similar user-profile criteria to a user based upon the matching of the user-profile criteria associated with the locator with the user-profile criteria associated with the locatee.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the user-profile criteria is input into a communicator device.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the communicator device is selected from the group consisting of a computer, a personal digital assistant, a cellular phone, and a combination personal digital assistant/cellular phone.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the data set include at least two of the inputted user-profile criteria and the user-profile criteria stored/contained in the user input database, the method further comprising the step of:

locating the individual based upon the results matching the inputted user-profile criteria with the user-profile stored/contained in the user input database.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the data set includes at least two of the inputted user-profile criteria and the user-profile criteria contained/stored in the user input database, the method further comprising the step of:

the analysis unit transmitting the locator criteria to one of the locatee communicator devices based upon the matching of the locator criteria with the locatee user-profile.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the locatee'"'"'s permission is obtained prior to forwarding information about the locatee to the locator communicator device.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the locator criteria is transmitted to the locatee via a locatee communicator device.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein the locatee communicator device is selected from the group consisting of a personal digital assistant, a cellular phone, a combination personal digital assistant/cellular phone, and a pager.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the locatee'"'"'s permission is obtained prior to transmitting user-profile criteria associated with the locatee.

10. A method for tracking at least one individual located remotely from a broadcast network, comprising the steps of:

receiving geo-referencing and time-tracking data associated with a locatee communicator device;

analyzing geo-referencing data and time-tracking data received from a communicator device associated with a locatee; and

transmitting the geo-referencing data and the time-tracking data to the locator communicator device.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the geo-referencing and time-tracking data include a unique identification code identifying the locatee communicator device.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the geo-referencing and time-tracking data include an intended destination for the locatee communicator device.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the geo-referencing and time-tracking data include a time of departure for the locatee communicator device.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the geo-referencing and time-tracking data include an estimated time of arrival for the locatee communicator device to arrive at the intended destination.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the locatee communicator device is selected from the group consisting of a cellular telephone and a personal data assistant.

16. A method for tracking at least one individual located remotely from a broadcast network, comprising the steps of:

receiving geo-referencing and time-tracking data associated with a locatee communicator device, the geo-referencing and time-tracking data including a departure location, an intended destination and an expected travel path between the departure location, and the intended destination;

analyzing geo-referencing data and time-tracking data received from the locatee communicator device; and

transmitting an alert to a locator communicator device when the actual travel path of the locatee communicator device deviates from the expected travel path.