SYSTEM FOR SUBMITTING ALERT NOTICES TO MOBILE COMMUNICATION DEVICES

• US 20080169920A1
• Filed: 01/12/2007
• Published: 07/17/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/12/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Knowledge Ventures, L.P. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Knowledge Ventures, L.P. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: SPENCE, PERRY S.
• Granted Patent: US 8,115,592 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/539.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/189 in combination with wireless systems selective distribution or broadcast in wireless communication networks H04W4/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1895 for short real-time information, e.g. alarms, notifications, alerts, updates
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/04 with alarm systems, e.g. fire, police or burglar alarm systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

A system for submitting alert notices to mobile communication devices is disclosed. An apparatus that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a mobile communication device (MCD) having a controller element that transmits to an alert generation system (AGS) a location coordinate in order for the AGS to submit an alert notice to the MCD when the MCD is in proximity to an alert condition. Additional embodiments are disclosed.

Claims

1. A computer-readable storage medium in an alert generation system (AGS), comprising computer instructions for:

monitoring a location of each of a plurality of mobile communication devices (MCDs);

monitoring locations of alert conditions; and

notifying a select one or more of the plurality of MCDs of one or more alert conditions detected when the select one or more of the plurality of MCDs are in a proximity to the detected locations of one or more alert conditions.

2. The storage medium of claim 1, wherein the alert conditions monitored comprise at least one among a predicted event, a pending event, and actual event.

3. The storage medium of claim 1, wherein the alert conditions monitored comprise at least one among a hazardous weather event, a hazardous ground travel event, a hazardous air travel event, a hostility event, and an amber alert event.

4. The storage medium of claim 1, comprising computer instructions for receiving a location coordinate from each of the plurality of MCDs monitored.

5. The storage medium of claim 4, comprising computer instructions for calculating a distance between the location coordinate of each of the plurality of MCDs and the one or more alert conditions detected.

6. The storage medium of claim 5, comprising computer instructions for performing the notification step for the select one or more of the plurality of MCDs when the calculated distance falls below one or more proximity thresholds associated with each of the one or more alert conditions detected.

7. The storage medium of claim 1, comprising computer instructions for receiving a location coordinate for each of the one or more alert conditions detected.

8. The storage medium of claim 7, wherein the location coordinate for each of the one or more alert conditions detected is supplied by at least one alert response center (ARC).

9. The storage medium of claim 4, comprising computer instructions for:

calculating a trajectory between the location coordinate of each of the plurality of MCDs and the one or more alert conditions detected; and

notifying the select one or more of the plurality of MCDs of said trajectory.

10. The storage medium of claim 9, comprising computer instructions for:

determining one or more alternate routes to avoid the one or more alert conditions detected; and

notifying the select one or more of the plurality of MCDs of said one or more alternate routes.

11. The storage medium of claim 1, wherein the notification comprises a wireless message, and wherein the plurality of MCDs comprise one among a cell phone, a telemetry system in a vehicle supporting wireless communications, and a computing device supporting wireless communications.

12. A mobile communication device (MCD), comprising a controller element that transmits to an alert generation system (AGS) a location coordinate in order for the AGS to submit an alert notice to the MCD when the MCD is in proximity to a location of an alert condition.

13. The MCD of claim 12, wherein the controller element directs a location element of the MCD to determine the location coordinate.

14. The MCD of claim 13, wherein the location element comprises a global positioning system (GPS) receiver.

15. The MCD of claim 12, wherein the controller element presents the alert notice received by the MCD by way of at least one among a display, and an audio system of the MCD.

16. The MCD of claim 12, wherein the alert notice comprises a description of the alert condition and a location coordinate of the alert condition, and wherein the controller element determines an alternate route to avoid the alert condition according to the location coordinate of the MCD and the location coordinate of the alert condition.

17. The MCD of claim 12, wherein the alert condition detected by the AGS comprises at least one among a predicted event, a pending event, and actual event, and wherein the MCD comprises one among a computer, a cellular phone, a satellite phone, and a telemetry system, each capable of wireless communications.

18. The MCD of claim 12, wherein the alert condition detected by the AGS comprises at least one among a hazardous weather event, a hazardous ground travel event, a hazardous air travel event, a hostility event, and an amber alert event.

19. The MCD of claim 12, wherein the controller element calculates a trajectory between the location coordinate of the MCD and a location coordinate of the alert condition included in the alert notice, and presents said trajectory to an end user of the MCD.

20. An alert response center (ARC), comprising a controller element for transmitting to an alert generation system (AGS) a location coordinate of an alert condition detected by the ARC in order for the AGS to submit an alert notice to a mobile communication device (MCD) when the MCD is in proximity to the location of the detected alert condition.