Notification systems and methods with user-definable notifications based upon occurance of events

• US 6,904,359 B2
• Filed: 05/12/2003
• Issued: 06/07/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/18/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Shipping & Transit, LLC
• Original Assignee: Arrivalstar SA
• Inventors: Jones, M. Kelly
• Primary Examiner(s): Louis-Jacques, Jacques H.
• Application Number:
  US10/435,767
• Publication Number:
  US 20030233188A1
• Time in Patent Office: 757 Days
• Field of Search: 701/202, 701 23- 26, 701/204, 701200-201, 701207-213, 701/117, 455/404.1, 455/404.2, 455/412.1, 455/412.2, 455/414.1, 455/414.2, 455/414.3, 455/415, 455/426.1, 455/456.1, 455/456.2, 455/456.3, 455/456.5, 455/456.6, 455/457, 340/425.5, 340/433, 340/438, 340459-463, 340/539.1, 340/539.11, 340/539.13, 340/539.22, 340/539.23, 340/825.49, 340901-902, 340904-905, 340988-994, 340/996, 342/357.01, 342/357.06, 342/357.07, 342/357.09, 342/357.1, 342/457, 342/357.17
• US Class Current: 701/204
• 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

Abstract

Methods and systems are disclosed for a vehicle status reporting system for allowing a user to define when a user will receive a vehicle status report about the status of a mobile vehicle, in relation to a location, for establishing a communication link between the system and the user, and for delivering the status report during the communication link, the status report indicating occurrence of one or more events.

Claims

1. A method for a notification system, the method for allowing a user to define when the user is to receive a vehicle status report relating to the status of a mobile vehicle, in relation to a location, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) permitting the user to predefine one or more events that will cause creation and communication of the vehicle status report by the following steps;

(1) permitting the user to establish a first communication link with a host computer system using a user communications device that is remote from the host computer;

(2) receiving during the first communication link at the host computer system an identification of the one or more events relating to the status, wherein the one or more events comprises at least one of the following;

distance information specified by the user that is indicative of a distance between the vehicle and the location, location information specified by the user that is indicative of a location or region that the vehicle achieves during travel, time information specified by the user that is indicative of a time for travel of the vehicle to the location, or a number of one or more stops that the vehicle accomplishes prior to arriving at the location;

(3) storing the predefined one or more events in memory associated with the host computer system;

(b) analyzing data indicative of travel of the mobile vehicle;

(c) initiating a second communication link from the host computer system to a remote communications device to be notified, when appropriate, based upon the predefined one or more events and data indicative of travel; and

(d) delivering the status report from the host computer to the notified remote communications device during the second communication link, the status report indicating occurrence of the one or more events.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the notification system is a computer system, the computer system being a single computer or a distributed computer architecture comprising a plurality of computers that are communicatively coupled.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of analyzing data includes reviewing schedule information.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising the step of updating the schedule information based upon measured vehicle location information.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the status report includes a number of stop locations before the vehicle will arrive at the location.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the status report is communicated over the Internet to the notified remote communications device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the status report is an email that is communicated, at least in part, over the Internet.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of receiving an email address, storing the email address, and communicating the status report to the stored email address.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the analyzed data is distance, time, or location information.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of receiving and analyzing signals from satellites pertaining to positions of the vehicle.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of monitoring locations of the vehicle, comparing the locations to map data, and initiating the status report based upon the comparison.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the vehicle is a plane, train, boat, or motor vehicle.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the notified remote communications device is a computer, television, pager, or telephone.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the vehicle has a scheduled route of a plurality of vehicle stops and wherein the second communication link is initiated based upon the vehicle'"'"'s progress along the stops of the route.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of monitoring content of the vehicle and wherein the status report includes a description of the content.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the content is a package to be delivered.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the content is a service provider transported by the vehicle.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the status report includes a map indicating a location of the vehicle.

19. A method for implementation in connection with a notification system, comprising the steps of:

(a) permitting a user to predefine one or more events that will cause creation and communication of a notification relating to the status of a mobile vehicle in relation to a location, by the following steps;

(1) permitting the user to electronically communicate during a first communication link with the notification system from a user communications device that is remote from the notification system;

(2) receiving at the notification system during the first communication link an identification of the one or more events relating to the status of the vehicle, wherein the one or more events comprises at least one of the following;

distance information specified by the user that is indicative of a distance between the vehicle and the location, location information specified by the user that is indicative of a location or region that the vehicle achieves during travel, time information specified by the user that is indicative of a time for travel of the vehicle to the location, or a number of one or more stops that the vehicle accomplishes prior to arriving at the location;

(b) initiating a second communication link from the host computer system to a remote communications device to be notified, when appropriate, based upon the predefined one or more events.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising the step of delivering a status report during the second electronic communication, the status report indicating occurrence of the one or more events.

21. A method comprising the steps of:

(a) permitting a user to predefine at a computer system one or more events that will cause creation and communication of a notification relating to the status of a mobile vehicle in relation to a location, wherein the one or more events comprises at least one of the following;

distance information specified by the user that is indicative of a distance between the vehicle and the location, location information specified by the user that is indicative of a location or region that the vehicle achieves during travel, time information specified by the user that is indicative of a time for travel of the vehicle to the location, or a number of one or more stops that the vehicle accomplishes prior to arriving at the location;

(b) tracking movement of the vehicle as it moves toward the location; and

(c) communicating a notification from the computer system to a user communication device upon occurrence of the one or more events, the user communication device being a general-purpose communications device that is remote from the location and that is designed to communicate with other communications devices that are undedicated to the computer system.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising the step of delivering a status report during communication of the notification to the user.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein the computer system is a single computer or a distributed computer architecture comprising a plurality of computers that are communicatively coupled.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein the step of tracking data includes reviewing schedule information.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising the step of updating the schedule information based upon measured vehicle location information.

26. The method of claim 21, wherein the status report includes a number of stop locations before the vehicle will arrive at the location.

27. The method of claim 21, wherein the status report is communicated over the Internet to the notified remote communications device.

28. The method of claim 21, wherein the status report is an email that is communicated, at least in part, over the Internet.

29. The method of claim 21, further comprising the steps of receiving an email address, storing the email address, and communicating the status report to the stored email address.

30. The method of claim 21, wherein the analyzed data is distance, time, or location information.

31. The method of claim 21, further comprising the step of receiving and analyzing signals that are based upon data received from satellites pertaining to positions of the vehicle.

32. The method of claim 21, further comprising the steps of monitoring locations of the vehicle, comparing the locations to map data, and initiating the status report based upon the comparison.

33. The method of claim 21, wherein the vehicle is a plane, train, boat, or motor vehicle.

34. The method of claim 21, wherein the notified remote communications device is a computer, television, pager, or telephone.

35. The method of claim 21, wherein the vehicle has a scheduled route of a plurality of vehicle stops and wherein the second communication link is initiated based upon the vehicle'"'"'s progress along the stops of the route.

36. The method of claim 21, further comprising the steps of monitoring content of the vehicle and wherein the status report includes a description of the content.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein the content is a package to be delivered.

38. The method of claim 36, wherein the content is a service provider transported by the vehicle.

39. The method of claim 21, wherein the status report includes a map indicating a location of the vehicle.

40. A notification system for allowing a user to define when the user is to receive a vehicle status report relating to the status of a mobile vehicle, in relation to a location, the system comprising:

(a) means for permitting the user to predefine one or more events that will cause creation and communication of the vehicle status report, comprising;

(1) means for permitting the user to establish a communication link with a host computer system using a user communications device that is remote from the host computer;

(2) means for receiving during the first communication link at the host computer system an identification of the one or more events relating to the status of the vehicle, wherein the one or more events comprises at least one of the following;

distance information specified by the user that is indicative of a distance between the vehicle and the location, location information specified by the user that is indicative of a location or region that the vehicle achieves during travel, time information specified by the user that is indicative of a time for travel of the vehicle to the location, or a number of one or more stops that the vehicle accomplishes prior to arriving at the location;

(3) means for storing the predefined one or more events in memory associated with the host computer system;

(b) means for analyzing data indicative of travel of the mobile vehicle;

(c) means for enabling initialization of communication links from the host computer system to a remote communications device to be notified, when appropriate, based upon the predefined one or more events and data indicative of travel; and

(d) means for delivering the status report from the host computer to the notified remote communications device during a second communication link, the status report indicating occurrence of the one or more events.

41. A notification system, comprising:

(a) means for permitting a user to predefine one or more events that will cause creation and communication of a notification relating to the status of a mobile vehicle in relation to a location, comprising;

(1) means for permitting the user to electronically communicate during a first communication link with the notification system from a user communications device that is remote from the notification system; and

(2) means for receiving during the first communication link an identification of the one or more events relating to the status of the vehicle, wherein the one or more events comprises at least one of the following;

distance information specified by the user that is indicative of a distance between the vehicle and the location, location information specified by the user that is indicative of a location or region that the vehicle achieves during travel, time information specified by the user that is indicative of a time for travel of the vehicle to the location, or a number of one or more stops that the vehicle accomplishes prior to arriving at the location; and

(b) means for establishing a second communication link between the system and the user upon occurrence of the one or more events.

42. The system of claim 41, further comprising a means for delivering a status report during the second electronic communication, the status report indicating occurrence of the one or more events.

43. A system comprising:

(a) means for permitting a user to predefine at a computer system one or more events that will cause communication of a notification relating to the status of a mobile vehicle, wherein the one or more events comprises at least one of the following;

distance information specified by the user that is indicative of a distance between the vehicle and the location, location information specified by the user that is indicative of a location or region that the vehicle achieves during travel, time information specified by the user that is indicative of a time for travel of the vehicle to the location, or a number of one or more stops that the vehicle accomplishes prior to arriving at the location;

(b) means for tracking movement of the vehicle as it moves toward the location; and

(c) means for communicating a notification from the computer system to a user communication device upon occurrence of the one or more events.

44. The system of claim 43, further comprising a means for delivering a status report during the communication of the notification to the user.

45. The system of claim 43, further comprising a means for delivering a report during the communication that indicates a reason for the communication.