System and method for an advance notification system for monitoring and reporting proximity of a vehicle

• US 6,278,936 B1
• Filed: 09/30/1998
• Issued: 08/21/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 05/18/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Shipping & Transit, LLC
• Original Assignee: Global Research Systems, Inc.
• Inventors: Jones, Martin Kelly
• Primary Examiner(s): LOUIS JACQUES, JACQUES H
• Application Number:
  US09/163,958
• Time in Patent Office: 1,056 Days
• Field of Search: 701/201, 701/200, 701/207, 701/208, 701/209, 701/211, 701/213, 701/117, 701/116, 701/118, 701/119, 340/988, 340/990, 340/995, 340/994, 340/989, 342/457, 342/357.13, 705/27, 705/26, 705/1, 705/5, 705/4
• US Class Current: 701/201
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/14 specially adapted for specific applications
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2205/008 using a mobile telephone network
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0027 of actual mobile position, i.e. position determined on mobile
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/123 indicating the position of vehicles, e.g. scheduled vehicles; Managing passenger vehicles circulating according to a fixed timetable, e.g. buses, trains, tramstransmission of navigation instructions to vehicles G08G1/0968
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/127 to a central station ; Indicators in a central station

Abstract

Generally, the present invention monitors and communicates travel data transmitted from vehicles being monitored by the system to users requesting travel information on a particular vehicle. A travel data storage unit receives and stores the travel data. When a user desires to view some or all of this travel data, the user submits a request to a data manager. In response, the data manager retrieves the appropriate information from the travel data stored in the travel data storage unit and transmits this information to the user. The data manager may communicate the information in a variety of mediums and preferably contact information is predefined that enables the data manager to determine which medium is preferable and how to establish communication once the medium is determined.

Claims

1. A system for monitoring travel of vehicles and for reporting a status of vehicles relative to particular location, comprising:

a storage mechanism configured to store travel data transmitted from a communications device associated with a vehicle being monitored by said system, said vehicle located at a first remote location;

a data manager configured to receive a request from a user and to retrieve travel data associated with said vehicle from said storage mechanism in response to said request;

a first communications device configured to transmit a message to a second communications device located at a second remote location, said message based on said travel data retrieved by said data manager and indicative of a proximity of said vehicle from a particular location; and

a mapping system configured to receive said travel data retrieved by said data manager and to generate mapping data based on said travel data retrieved by said data manager, said mapping data defining a graphical map, said graphical map indicating said proximity of said one vehicle from said particular location, wherein said mapping data is included in said message.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said communications device associated with said vehicle transmits said travel data via a control channel of a cellular network.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said proximity is defined in time.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said proximity is defined in distance.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said communications device associated with said vehicle transmits said travel data transmitted from said communications device in response to a determination that said vehicle is off schedule.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said data manager is further configured to receive preference data transmitted from said user and to compare said preference data to travel data associated with said vehicle, said data manager configured to automatically transmit a notification message to said second communications device based upon a comparison of said preference data to said travel data associated with said vehicle.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein said travel data associated with said vehicle indicates a location of said vehicle and said data manager is configured to transmit said notification message based on said location of said vehicle relative to a predefined reference point.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein said vehicle comprises:

a sensor configured to determine a location of said vehicle relative to a predefined reference point; and

a third communications device associated with said vehicle and configured to transmit travel data indicating said location of said vehicle to said storage mechanism.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein said third communications device is configured to transmit said travel data indicating said location of said vehicle through a cellular network.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein said data manager is further configured to retrieve contact information associated with said user, wherein said first communications device is further configured to transmit said travel data retrieved by said data manager based on said contact information.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein said contact information includes data enabling said first communications device to establish communication with said second communications device.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein said contact information indicates a preferred medium of communication between said first and second communications devices and at least one alternate medium of communication between said first and second communications devices.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein said data manager is further configured to receive preference data transmitted from said user and to compare said preference data to travel data associated with said vehicle, said data manager configured to automatically transmit a notification message to said second communications device based upon a comparison of said preference data to said travel data associated with said vehicle.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein said second communications device is utilized by said user to submit said request to said data manager.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein said data manager is further configured to analyze said travel data stored in said storage mechanism and to automatically transmit a notification message when said vehicle is within a specified proximity of a particular location.

16. A system for monitoring vehicle travel and for reporting vehicle status information comprising:

a storage mechanism configured to store travel data transmitted from communications devices associated with vehicles being monitored by said system;

a data manager configured to receive a request transmitted by a user, said request identifying one of said vehicles, said data manager configured to retrieve travel data associated with said one vehicle from said storage mechanism in response to said request, said data manager further configured to retrieve contact information associated with said user; and

a first communications device configured to transmit a message to a second communications device, said second communications device located remotely from said first communications device and associated with said user, said message based on said travel data retrieved by said data manager and indicative of a proximity of said one vehicle from a particular location, said first communications device further configured to transmit said travel data retrieved by said data manager based on said contact information; and

a mapping system configured to receive said travel data retrieved by said data manager and to generate mapping data based on said travel data retrieved by said data manager, said mapping data defining a graphical map, said graphical map indicating said proximity of said one vehicle from said particular location,

wherein said mapping data is included in said message and wherein said contact information includes data enabling said first communications device to establish communication with said second communications device.

17. A system for monitoring travel of vehicles and for reporting a status of vehicles relative to particular location, comprising:

a storage mechanism configured to store travel data transmitted from a communications device associated with a vehicle being monitored by said system, said vehicle located at a first remote location;

a data manager configured to receive a request from a user and to retrieve travel data associated with said vehicle from said storage mechanism in response to said request, said data manager further configured to retrieve predefined contact information associated with said user, said contact information including data enabling said first communications device to establish communication with said second communications device;

a first communications device configured to transmit a message to a second communications device located at a second remote location, said message based on said travel data retrieved by said data manager and indicative of a proximity of said vehicle from a particular location, said first communications device further configured to transmit said travel data retrieved by said data manager based on said contact information; and

a mapping system configured to receive said travel data retrieved by said data manager and to generate mapping data based on said travel data retrieved by said data manager, said mapping system further configured to transmit said mapping data to said second communications device, wherein a device at said second remote location is configured to render a graphical display based on said mapping data transmitted from said mapping system to said second communications device, said graphical display indicating a location of said vehicle.

18. A system for monitoring travel of vehicles and for reporting a status of vehicles relative to particular locations, comprising:

means for receiving travel data transmitted from a vehicle at a first remote location;

means for storing said travel data;

means for receiving a request from a user at a second remote location;

means for retrieving travel data associated with said vehicle in response to said request;

means for forming a message corresponding with said travel data retrieved by said retrieving means, said message indicative of a proximity of said vehicle from a particular location via said message;

means for transmitting said message to a communications device associated with said user;

means for generating mapping data based on said travel data retrieved by said retrieving means, said mapping data defining a graphical map that indicates said proximity of said one vehicle from said particular location; and

means for including said mapping data in said message.

19. The system of claim 18, further comprising a means for transmitting said travel data transmitted from said vehicle in response to a determination that said vehicle is off schedule.

20. The system of claim 18, further comprising a means for transmitting said travel data via a data channel associated with a cellular network.

21. The system of claim 18, further comprising:

means for receiving preference data transmitted by said user;

means for comparing said preference data with said travel data associated with said vehicle; and

means for transmitting a notification message to said user.

22. The system of claim 18, further comprising:

means for forming data indicating a location of said vehicle; and

means for transmitting said data to a base station,

wherein each of said receiving means is located at said base station.

23. The system of claim 22, further comprising:

means for retrieving predefined contact information; and

means for establishing communication between a communications device associated with said base station and said communications device associated with said user based on said predefined contact information.

24. The system of claim 23, further comprising a means for determining a preferred medium of communication and at least one alternate medium of communication based on said contact information.

25. The system of claim 23, further comprising:

means for receiving preference data transmitted by said user;

means for comparing said predefined preference data with said travel data associated with said vehicle; and

means for automatically transmitting a notification message to said user in response to a comparison by said comparing means.

26. A system for monitoring travel of vehicles and for reporting a status of vehicles relative to particular locations, comprising:

means for receiving travel data transmitted from a vehicle at a first remote location;

means for storing said travel data;

means for receiving a request from a user at a second remote location;

means for retrieving travel data associated with said vehicle in response to said request;

means for forming a message corresponding with said travel data retrieved by said retrieving means, said message indicative of a proximity of said vehicle from a particular location;

means for transmitting said message to a communications device associated with said user;

means for forming data indicating a location of said vehicle;

means for transmitting said data to a base station, each of said receiving means located at said base station;

means for retrieving predefined contact information;

means for establishing communication between a communications device associated with said base station and a communications device associated with said user based on said predefined contact information;

means for generating mapping data based on said travel data retrieved by said retrieving travel data means;

means for transmitting said mapping data to a graphics device associated with said user;

means for rendering a display map via said graphics device; and

means for indicating said location of said vehicle via said display map.

27. A method for monitoring travel of vehicles and for reporting a status of vehicles relative to particular locations, comprising the steps of:

receiving travel data transmitted from a vehicle at a first remote location;

storing said travel data;

receiving a request from a user located at a second remote location;

retrieving travel data associated with said vehicle in response to said request;

forming a message corresponding with said travel data retrieved in said retrieving step and indicating, via said message, a proximity of said vehicle from a particular location;

transmitting said message to a communications device associated with said user;

generating mapping data based on said travel data retrieved in said retrieving step, said mapping data defining a graphical map that indicates said proximity of said one vehicle from said particular location; and

including said mapping data in said message.

28. The method of claim 27, further comprising the step of transmitting said travel data via a control channel associated with a cellular network.

29. The method of claim 27, further comprising the steps of:

receiving preference data transmitted by said user;

comparing said preference data with said travel data associated with said vehicle; and

automatically transmitting a notification message to said user in response to said comparing step.

30. The method of claim 27, further comprising the steps of:

assuming that said vehicle is traveling at a predetermined rate; and

communicating travel data from said vehicle in response to a determination that said vehicle is traveling at a rate different from said predetermined rate.

31. The method of claim 27, further comprising the steps of:

forming data indicating a location of said vehicle;

transmitting said data formed in said forming step to a base station; and

performing said receiving steps at said base station.

32. The method of claim 31, further comprising the steps of:

retrieving predefined contact information; and

establishing communication between a communications device associated with said base station and said communications device associated with said user based on said predefined contact information.

33. The method of claim 32, further comprising the step of determining a preferred medium of communication and at least one alternate medium of communication based on said contact information.

34. The method of claim 32, further comprising the steps of:

receiving preference data transmitted by said user;

comparing said preference data with said travel data associated with said vehicle; and

automatically transmitting a notification message to said user in response to said comparing step.

35. The method of claim 27, further comprising the step of receiving said request from said communications device associated with said user.

36. The method of claim 27, further comprising the steps of:

analyzing said travel data stored in said storing step; and

automatically transmitting, based on said analyzing step, a notification message when said vehicle is within a specified proximity of a particular location.

37. A method for monitoring travel of vehicles and for reporting a status of vehicles relative to particular locations, comprising the steps of:

receiving travel data transmitted from a vehicle at a first remote location;

storing said travel data;

receiving a request from a user located at a second remote location;

retrieving travel data associated with said vehicle in response to said request;

forming a message corresponding with said travel data retrieved in said retrieving step and indicating a proximity of said vehicle from a particular location;

transmitting said message to a communications device associated with said user;

forming data indicating a location of said vehicle;

transmitting said data to a base station;

performing said receiving steps at said base station;

retrieving predefined contact information;

establishing communication between a communications device associated with said base station and a communications device associated with said user based on said predefined contact information;

generating mapping data based on said travel data retrieved in said retrieving travel data step;

transmitting said mapping data to a graphics device associated with said user;

rendering a display map via said graphics device; and

indicating said location of said vehicle via said display map.