Notification systems and methods where a notified PCD causes implementation of a task(s) based upon failure to receive a notification

• US 8,242,935 B2
• Filed: 10/07/2011
• Issued: 08/14/2012
• 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:
  US13/268,291
• Publication Number:
  US 20120030525A1
• Time in Patent Office: 312 Days
• Field of Search: 340/994, 340/988, 340/995.11, 340/502, 340/504, 340/506, 340/539.13, 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 system, among others, can be summarized as follows. A host computer system, or base station, is designed to monitor travel data corresponding to a mobile thing and to initiate a notification communication to a personal communications device (PCD) indicating travel status of the mobile thing (MT) to a remote computer system. The remote computer system, within or associated with the PCD, is designed to detect a failure to receive the notification communication and to cause one or more tasks to be performed based upon the notification communication failure.

Claims

1. A method for implementation in a computer based system, comprising:

scheduling a notification communication to be initiated by a computer based notification system, the notification communication indicating travel status of a mobile thing in relation to a stop location and initiated by the computer based notification system when the mobile thing is within a predefined proximity of the stop location;

failing to receive the scheduled notification communication; and

causing one or more tasks to be performed based upon the scheduled notification communication failure.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing information pertaining to timing associated with the scheduled notification communication; and

determining that the scheduled notification communication failure has occurred, based upon the timing information.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the scheduling, the failing, and the causing are implemented by a computer-based system that is part of or communicatively coupled to a personal communications device that is to receive the scheduled notification communication.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the computer-based system is remote from a host computer system and wherein the host computer system is configured to initiate the scheduled notification communication.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one task that is caused is initiating a communication to a personal communications device.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising enabling input and storage of at least one of the tasks.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein are performed by a computer-based system that is part of or communicatively coupled to a personal communications device that is to receive the scheduled notification communication.

8. A system, comprising:

a host computer system having a means for monitoring travel data corresponding to a mobile thing and a means for initiating a notification communication indicating travel status of the mobile thing; and

a remote computer system having a means for detecting a failure to receive the notification communication and a means for causing one or more tasks to be performed based upon the notification communication failure.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the remote computer system further comprises:

means for storing information pertaining to timing associated with the notification communication; and

means for determining that the notification communication failure has occurred, based upon the timing information.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein at least one task is initiating a communication to a personal communications device.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the base station computer system or the remote computer system further comprises a means for enabling input and storage of at least one of the tasks.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the remote computer system further comprises authentication information that is used by the means for detecting a failure in order to detect whether or not a failure has occurred.

13. A computer based system that is designed to receive a scheduled notification communication indicating travel status of a mobile thing in relation to a stop location from a host computer based system that is designed to monitor travel data corresponding to the mobile thing, comprising:

means for storing information identifying the scheduled notification communication;

means for storing timing information pertaining to the scheduled notification communication;

means for detecting a failure to receive the scheduled notification communication based upon the timing information; and

means for causing one or more tasks to be performed based upon the scheduled notification communication failure.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein at least one task is initiating a communication to a personal communications device.

15. The system of claim 13, further comprising a means for enabling input and storage of at least one of the tasks.

16. The system of claim 13, further comprising:

means for storing authentication information; and

means for using the authentication information to determine whether or not the scheduled notification communication has been received.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein the scheduled notification communication corresponds to a first service provider that is to provide a service at the stop location and wherein the one or more tasks includes initiating a communication to a second service provider so that the second service provider can provide the service at the stop location.

18. The system of claim 13, wherein the one or more tasks includes adjusting a control in a building.

19. The system of claim 13, wherein the task includes initiating a communication to a security provider.

20. The system of claim 13, wherein the timing information is a time period that commences when an alarm is triggered.

21. A computer based system that is designed to receive a scheduled notification communication indicating travel status of a mobile thing in relation to a stop location from a host computer based system that is designed to monitor travel data corresponding to the mobile thing, comprising:

memory storing computer program instructions; and

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

store information identifying the scheduled notification communication;

store timing information pertaining to the scheduled notification communication;

detect a failure to receive the scheduled notification communication based upon the timing information; and

cause one or more tasks to be performed based upon the scheduled notification communication failure.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein at least one task is initiating a communication to a personal communications device.

23. The system of claim 21, further comprising computer program instructions configured to enable input and storage of at least one of the tasks.

24. The system of claim 21, further comprising computer program instructions configured to:

store authentication information; and

use the authentication information to determine whether or not the scheduled notification communication has been received.

25. The system of claim 21, wherein the scheduled notification communication corresponds to a first service provider that is to provide a service at the stop location and wherein the one or more tasks includes initiating a communication to a second service provider so that the second service provider can provide the service at the stop location.

26. The system of claim 21, wherein the one or more tasks includes adjusting a control in a building.

27. The system of claim 21, wherein the task includes initiating a communication to a security provider.

28. The system of claim 21, wherein the timing information is a time period that commences when an alarm is triggered.

29. The system of claim 21, wherein the memory resides in a single computer or a plurality of computers.

30. The system of claim 21, wherein the one or more processors reside in a single computer or a plurality of computers.