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

• US 6,714,859 B2
• Filed: 07/18/2001
• Issued: 03/30/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/18/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Shipping & Transit, LLC
• Original Assignee: Arrivalstar SA
• Inventors: Jones, Martin Kelly
• Primary Examiner(s): Louis-Jacques, Jacques H.
• Application Number:
  US09/908,471
• Publication Number:
  US 20020082770A1
• Time in Patent Office: 986 Days
• Field of Search: 701/201, 701/207, 701/208, 701/209, 701/211, 701/213, 701/117, 701/202, 701/116, 701/118, 342/357.06, 342/357.07, 342/357.11, 342/357.09, 342/357.1, 342/357.13, 342/357.01, 340/990, 340/995, 340/988, 340/903, 340/905, 340/989, 340/994, 340/995.12, 340/995.13, 340/991, 340/825.36, 340/825.49, 455/412.1, 455/412.2, 455/456.1, 455/456.6, 455/456.5, 455/456.3, 455/457
• 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 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 including information sufficient for identifying one of said vehicles, said data manager further configured to retrieve travel data associated with said one vehicle from said storage mechanism in response to said request; 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.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein one of said communications devices associated with said one 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 second communications device is utilized by said user to submit said request to said data manager.

6. 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 one vehicle is within a specified proximity of a particular location.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein one of said communications devices associated with said one vehicle transmits a portion of said travel data in response to a determination that said one vehicle is off schedule.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising a mapping system configured to produce 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.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein said data manager is further configured to receive preference data transmitted by said user and to compare said preference data to travel data associated with said one 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 one vehicle.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein said travel data associated with said one vehicle indicates a location of said one vehicle and said data manager is configured to transmit said notification message based on said location of said one vehicle relative to a predefined reference point.

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

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

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

12. The system of claim 11, wherein said third communications device is configured to transmit said travel data indicating said location of said one vehicle through a cellular network.

13. 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.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein said contact information includes data enabling said first communications device to establish communication with said second communications device.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein said contact information indicates a preferred medium of communication for said user and at least one alternate medium of communication for said user.

16. The system of claim 14, 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 one 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 one vehicle.

17. The system of claim 14, further comprising a mapping system configured to produce 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.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein said mapping system is further configured to transmit said mapping data to said second communications device, wherein a device at said second remote location is configured to render said graphical map.

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

means for receiving travel data transmitted from a plurality of vehicles;

means for storing said travel data;

means for receiving, at a first location, a request transmitted by a user at a second location, said first location remotely located from said second location;

means for identifying one of said vehicles based on said request;

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

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

means for transmitting said message to a communications device at said second location.

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

21. The system of claim 19, further comprising a means for transmitting a portion of said travel data via a data channel associated with a cellular network.

22. The system of claim 19, further comprising:

means for receiving preference data transmitted by said user;

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

means for transmitting a notification message to said user.

23. The system of claim 19, further comprising:

means for producing 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; and

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

24. The system of claim 19, further comprising:

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

means for transmitting said data to a base station,

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

25. The system of claim 24, further comprising:

means for retrieving predefined contact information; and

means for establishing communication between said transmitting means and said communications device at said second location based on said predefined contact information.

26. The system of claim 25, further comprising a means for determining, based on said contact information, a preferred medium of communication for communicating said message and at least one alternate medium of communication for communicating said message.

27. The system of claim 25, further comprising:

means for receiving preference data transmitted by said user;

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

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

28. The system of claim 25, further comprising:

means for producing mapping data based on said travel data retrieved by said retrieving travel data means, said mapping data defining a display map that indicates said location of said one vehicle; and

means for transmitting said mapping data to a graphics device associated with said user, said graphics device configured to render said display map.

29. A method for monitoring vehicle travel and for reporting vehicle status information, comprising the steps of:

receiving travel data transmitted from a plurality of vehicles;

storing said travel data;

receiving, via a communications device located at a first location, a request transmitted by a user located at a second location, said first location remotely located from said second location;

identifying one of said vehicles based on said request;

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

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

transmitting said message to a communications device at said second location.

30. The method of claim 29, further comprising the step of receiving said request from said communications device located at said second location.

31. The method of claim 29, 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 one vehicle is within a specified proximity of a particular location.

32. The method of claim 29, further comprising the step of transmitting a portion said travel data via a control channel associated with a cellular network.

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

forming data indicating a location of said one vehicle;

transmitting said data to a base station; and

performing said receiving steps at said base station.

34. The method of claim 33, 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 at said second location based on said predefined contact information.

35. The method of claim 34, further comprising the step of determining, based on said contact information, a preferred medium of communication for communicating said message and at least one alternate medium of communication for communicating said message.

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

receiving preference data transmitted by said user;

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

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

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

forming mapping data based on said travel data retrieved in said retrieving travel data step, said mapping data defining a map that indicates a current location of said vehicle; and

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

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

receiving preference data transmitted by said user;

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

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

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

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

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

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

forming mapping data based on said travel data retrieved in said retrieving step, said mapping data defining a map that indicates a current location of said one vehicle; and

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