Notification systems and methods enabling selection of arrival or departure times of tracked mobile things in relation to locations

• US 8,232,899 B2
• Filed: 10/04/2011
• Issued: 07/31/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Electronic Communication Technologies LLC (f/k/a Eclipse IP, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Electronic Communication Technologies LLC (f/k/a Eclipse IP, LLC)
• Inventors: Horstemeyer, Scott A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Tai T
• Application Number:
  US13/252,705
• Publication Number:
  US 20120026017A1
• Time in Patent Office: 301 Days
• Field of Search: 340/994, 340/502, 340/504, 340/506, 340/539.11, 340/988, 340/995.11, 701/200, 701/201, 701/207, 701/208
• 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 as follows: engaging in a communication session with a personal communications device, based upon impending arrival or departure of one or more mobile things in relation to a location; during the communication session, providing a plurality of arrival or departure times in relation to a location and enabling selection of one of the times; and causing a mobile thing to arrive at or depart from the location at substantially the selected time. A representative system, among others, is a computer system that has been programmed to perform the foregoing steps.

Claims

1. A method for an automated notification system, comprising:

initiating a notification communication session with a personal communications device, based upon impending arrival or departure of one or more mobile things in relation to a location;

during the communication session, providing a plurality of arrival or departure times in relation to the location and enabling selection of one of the times; and

causing a mobile thing to arrive at or depart from the location at substantially the selected time.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the causing is or comprises at least communicating the selected time to a personal communications device associated with the mobile thing.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising directly monitoring travel of or monitoring travel data corresponding to the one or more mobile things, in order to determine when to initiate the notification communication.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising determining the arrival or departure times in relation to the location, at least in part based upon user preferences.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

monitoring travel of a plurality of mobile things, one corresponding with each of a plurality of times; and

selecting one of the plurality of mobile things to arrive at or depart from the location, based upon the selection of the time.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising determining the arrival or departure times in relation to the location, at least in part based upon predefined preferences and, wherein the predefined preferences include a proximity of the mobile thing to the location or a designated location or region, that when encountered by the mobile thing, will result in the communication session.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining the arrival or departure times in relation to the location, at least in part based upon travel status of the mobile thing.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining the arrival or departure times in relation to the location, at least in part based upon an existing schedule of the mobile thing.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising, during the communication session, offering a first time that corresponds substantially with a scheduled time and a second time that is sooner in time.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising charging a fee for selection of the sooner second time.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising charging different fees for selection of the first and second times.

12. An automated notification system, comprising:

means for initiating a notification communication session with a personal communications device, based upon impending arrival or departure of one or more mobile things in relation to a location;

means for providing a plurality of arrival or departure times in relation to the location and enabling selection of one of the times during the notification communication session; and

means for causing a mobile thing to arrive at or depart from the location at substantially the selected time.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein further comprising a means for communicating the selected time to a personal communications device associated with the mobile thing.

14. The system of claim 12, further comprising:

means for monitoring travel of a plurality of mobile things, one corresponding with each of a plurality of times; and

means for selecting one of the plurality of mobile things to arrive at or depart from the location, based upon the selection of the time.

15. The system of claim 12, further comprising a means for determining the arrival or departure times in relation to the location, at least in part based upon travel status of the mobile thing.

16. The system of claim 15, further comprising a means for determining the arrival or departure times in relation to the location, at least in part based upon user preferences, the user preferences including a proximity of the mobile thing to the location or a designated location or region, that when encountered by the mobile thing, will result in the communication session.

17. The system of claim 12, further comprising a means for determining the arrival or departure times in relation to the location, at least in part based upon an existing schedule of the mobile thing.

18. The system of claim 12, further comprising a means for, during the communication session, offering a first time that corresponds substantially with a scheduled time and a second time that is sooner in time.

19. The system of claim 18, further comprising a means for charging a fee for selection of the sooner second time.

20. The system of claim 18, further comprising a means for charging different fees for selection of the first and second times.

21. A computer system, comprising:

memory storing computer program instructions; and

one or more processors configured by the computer program instructions to;

initiate a notification communication session with a personal communications device over a network, based upon impending arrival or departure of one or more mobile things in relation to a location;

provide a plurality of arrival or departure times in relation to the location and enable selection of one of the times during the notification communication session; and

cause a mobile thing to arrive at or depart from the location at substantially the selected time.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the one or more processors are further configured by the computer program instructions to communicate the selected time to a personal communications device associated with the mobile thing.

23. The system of claim 21, wherein the one or more processors are further configured by the computer program instructions to:

monitor travel of a plurality of mobile things, one corresponding with each of a plurality of times; and

select one of the plurality of mobile things to arrive at or depart from the location, based upon the selection of the time.

24. The system of claim 21, wherein the one or more processors are further configured by the computer program instructions to determine the arrival or departure times in relation to the location, at least in part based upon travel status of the mobile thing.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the one or more processors are further configured by the computer program instructions to determine the arrival or departure times in relation to the location, at least in part based upon user preferences, the user preferences including a proximity of the mobile thing to the location or a designated location or region, that when encountered by the mobile thing, will result in the communication session.

26. The system of claim 21, wherein the one or more processors are further configured by the computer program instructions to determine the arrival or departure times in relation to the location, at least in part based upon an existing schedule of the mobile thing.

27. The system of claim 21, wherein the one or more processors are further configured by the computer program instructions to, during the communication session, offer a first time that corresponds substantially with a scheduled time and a second time that is sooner in time.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein the one or more processors are further configured by the computer program instructions to charge a fee for selection of the sooner second time.

29. The system of claim 27, wherein the one or more processors are further configured by the computer program instructions to charge different fees for selection of the first and second times.

30. The system of claim 27, wherein the memory resides in a single computer or a plurality of computers.

31. The system of claim 27, wherein the one or more processors reside in a single computer or a plurality of computers.