MOBILE THING DETERMINATION SYSTEMS AND METHODS BASED UPON USER-DEVICE LOCATION

• US 20080042882A1
• Filed: 10/26/2007
• Published: 02/21/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Electronic Communication Technologies LLC (f/k/a Eclipse IP, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Legalview Assets, Ltd.
• Inventors: Horstemeyer, Scott
• Granted Patent: US 7,479,901 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/994
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2325/304 Boats
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/102 a signal being sent to a remote location, e.g. a radio signal being transmitted to a police station, a security company or the owner
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/33 of global position, e.g. by providing GPS coordinates
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3407 specially adapted for specific applications
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3438 Rendez-vous, i.e. searching a destination where several users can meet, and the routes to this destination for these users; Ride sharing, i.e. searching a route such that at least two users can share a vehicle for at least part of the route
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/362 received from an external device or application, e.g. PDA, mobile phone or calendar application
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/134 Hyperlinking
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0631 Resource planning, allocation, distributing or scheduling for enterprises or organisations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06316 Sequencing of tasks or work
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/083 Shipping
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0833 Tracking
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/109 Time management, e.g. calendars, reminders, meetings or time accounting
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/382 insuring higher security of transaction
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40 Authorisation, e.g. identification of payer or payee, verification of customer or shop credentials; Review and approval of payers, e.g. check credit lines or negative lists
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0231 Awarding of a frequent usage incentive independent of the monetary value of a good or service purchased, or distance travelled
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0241 Advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0257 User requested
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0259 based on store location
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0261 based on user location
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0265 : Vehicular advertisement
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0267 : Wireless devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0269 : based on user profile or attribute
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0273 : Determination of fees for advertising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0609 : Buyer or seller confidence or verification
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/127 : to a central station ; Indicators in a central station
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/20 : Monitoring the location of vehicles belonging to a group, e.g. fleet of vehicles, countable or determined number of vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/205 : Indicating the location of the monitored vehicles as destination, e.g. accidents, stolen, rental
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 : for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/487 : Arrangements for providing information services, e.g. recorded voice services or time announcements

Abstract

Systems and methods are disclosed for automated notification systems. A representative method, among others, can be summarized by the following steps: monitoring travel data associated with a first personal communications device (PCD); initiating a notification communication session to a second PCD, the notification communication including a message requesting a response and a travel status report indicating a proximity of the first PCD to a location; receiving the response from the second PCD; and communicating the response to the first PCD. A representative system, among others, comprises a computer or other automated system that is programmed or designed to perform the foregoing steps.

Claims

1. A method for a notification system, comprising the steps of:

monitoring travel data of a first personal communications device;

receiving a message from the first personal communications device, the message including a request for a response;

initiating a notification communication having the message and a travel status report of the first personal communications device to a second personal communications device;

receiving the response from the second personal communications device; and

communicating the response to the first personal communications device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the travel status report indicates a proximity of the first personal communications device to a stop location.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the response indicates whether or not a second party associated with the second personal communications device is willing to meet a first party associated with the first personal communications device at the stop location.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the response indicates whether or not a second party associated with the second personal communications device is willing to accept responsibility for a pickup or delivery at the stop location.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the stop location is remote from the locations of the first and second personal communications devices.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein the second communications device is located at or in close proximity to the stop location.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of communicating another message during the notification communication that indicates one or more criteria for response to be effective.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the one or more criteria include one or more of the following:

a time limit, a travel distance limit associated with travel of the first personal communications device, a limit based upon the first personal communications device traveling to a particular location or region, or a limit based upon one or more acceptance responses from other personal communications devices.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising the step of receiving the one or more criteria from a communications device.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the communications device is the first personal communications device.

11. A method for a notification system, comprising the steps of:

monitoring travel data associated with a first personal communications device;

initiating a notification communication session to a second personal communications device, the notification communication including a message requesting a response and a travel status report indicating a proximity of the first personal communications device to a location;

receiving the response from the second personal communications device; and

communicating the response to the first personal communications device.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of enabling a first party associated with the first personal communications device to select whether or not the response is requested during the notification communication session.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising the steps of:

receiving a first message from the first personal communications device; and

communicating the first message to the second personal communications device during the notification communication session.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of determining whether or not a response is necessary for a stop at the location by the first personal communications device.

15. The method of claim 11, communicating a status of the response to the first personal communications device.

16. The method of claim 11, further comprising the steps of:

communicating at least one other response to the first personal communications device;

enabling a first party associated with the first personal communications device to select one of the responses; and

communicating an indication of the selection to the selected one of the personal communications devices.

17. The method of claim 11, further comprising the steps of:

communicating at least one other response to the first personal communications device;

enabling a first party associated with the first personal communications device to select one of the responses; and

communicating an indication of the selection to the selected one of the personal communications devices.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein further comprising the step of enabling a second party associated with the second personal communications device to select or enter a time for a pickup or delivery at the stop location.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising the step of communicating the time to the first personal communications device.

20. A system, comprising:

means for receiving location data from a communications device associated with a party;

means for determining one or more stop locations for a mobile thing, based upon the location data and the travel data associated with a mobile thing; and

means for causing communication of an identification for the one or more stop locations to the party communications device.

21. A method, comprising the steps of:

failing to receive a scheduled notification communication, the scheduled notification communication indicating travel status of a mobile thing in relation to a stop location; and

causing one or more tasks to be performed based upon the scheduled notification communication failure.

22. A method for implementation in connection with a computer-based notification system, comprising the steps of:

permitting a party to identify a pickup location, a dropoff location, and one or more notification preferences;

identifying a mobile thing based upon the identity of the pickup location, the dropoff location, or both;

communicating an identity of the mobile thing, when appropriate, pursuant to the one or more notification preferences.