Secure notification messaging with user option to communicate with delivery or pickup representative

• US 9,373,261 B2
• Filed: 03/02/2015
• Issued: 06/21/2016
• 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:
  US14/635,380
• Publication Number:
  US 20150179076A1
• Time in Patent Office: 477 Days
• Field of Search: 340991-994, 340/573.4, 340/539.22, 340/539.32, 340/995.13, 340/502, 340/504, 701/201, 701/207, 701/211, 701/213
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 supporting authentication of entities communicating through a packet data network 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 computer based notification systems. The systems and methods enable secure notification communication sessions. A representative method, among others that are disclosed herein, can be broadly summarized by the following steps: enabling a first party associated with a personal communication device (PCD) to input or select authentication information for use in connection with a subsequent notification communication session involving advance notice of a delivery or pickup of a good or service at a stop location by a mobile thing (MT); storing the authentication information; monitoring location or travel information in connection with the MT; causing initiation of the notification communication session to the PCD, in advance of arrival of the MT at the stop location, based at least in part upon the location or travel information associated with the MT; during the notification communication session, providing the authentication information to the PCD that indicates to the first party that the notification communication session was initiated by an authorized source; and during the notification communication session, enabling the first party to select whether or not to communicate with a second party having access to particulars of the pickup or delivery. An embodiment of a related system, among others, has a computer-based architecture with computer software, or code, that is stored in one or more memories and executed by one or more processors for performing the foregoing steps. Yet another embodiment of a related system can be implemented in software and/or hardware and has a means for performing each of the aforementioned steps.

Claims

1. A method for an automated notification system, the method enabling secure communications, the method comprising:

enabling a first party associated with a personal communication device (PCD) to input or select authentication information for use in connection with a subsequent notification communication session involving advance notice of a delivery or pickup of a good or service at a stop location by a mobile thing (MT);

storing the authentication information;

monitoring location or travel information in connection with the MT;

causing initiation of the notification communication session to the PCD, in advance of arrival of the MT at the stop location, based at least in part upon the location or travel information associated with the MT;

during the notification communication session, providing the authentication information to the PCD that indicates to the first party that the notification communication session was initiated by an authorized source; and

during the notification communication session, enabling the first party to select whether or not to communicate with a second party having access to particulars of the pickup or delivery.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising, based upon a selection by the first party, causing communicative coupling between the PCD of the first party and a communications device associated with the second party having access to particulars of the pickup or delivery.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising, based upon a selection by the first party, causing communicative coupling between the PCD of the first party and a second PCD associated with the MT or the second party in the MT.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising, during the notification communication session, providing a purchase order.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising enabling the first party to select another option that indicates to the notification system that the purchase order is proper.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the particulars include a reason why the mobile thing is to stop at the stop location.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising changing information in a work order based at least in part upon communication between the first and second parties.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the authentication information includes a telephone number that can be called or a link that can be selected to verify authenticity of the notification communication session.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the authentication information comprises at least one of the following:

a password, a symbol, a text and/or numeric code, a sound, a music segment, a distinctive ring, a video, or an image.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the authentication information is an image or video of the MT, a person or thing in the MT, or something outside of the MT.

11. An automated notification system, comprising:

one or more transceivers designed to communicate data;

one or more memories;

one or more processors; and

computer program code stored in the one or more memories and executed by the one or more processors, the computer program code comprising;

code that enables a first party associated with a personal communication device (PCD) to input or select authentication information for use in connection with a subsequent notification communication session involving advance notice of a delivery or pickup of a good or service at a stop location by a mobile thing (MT);

code that causes storage of the authentication information;

code that monitors location or travel information in connection with the MT;

code that causes initiation of the notification communication session to the PCD with the one or more transceivers, in advance of arrival of the MT at the stop location, based at least in part upon the location or travel information associated with the MT;

code that, during the notification communication session, provides the authentication information to the PCD that indicates to the first party that the notification communication session was initiated by an authorized source; and

code that, during the notification communication session, enables the first party to select whether or not to engage in a communication session with a second party having access to particulars of the pickup or delivery.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the computer program code further comprises code that, based upon a selection by the first party, causes communicative coupling between the PCD of the first party and a communications device associated with the second party having access to particulars of the pickup or delivery.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the computer program code further comprises code that, based upon a selection by the first party, causes communicative coupling between the PCD of the first party and a second PCD associated with the MT or with the second party in the MT.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the computer program code further comprises code that, during the notification communication session, provides a purchase order.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the computer program code further comprises code that enables the first party to confirm that the purchase order is proper during the notification communication session.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the particulars include a reason why the mobile thing is to stop at the stop location.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein the computer program code further comprises code that enables changes to be made in a purchase order during the notification communication session or during the communication session between the first and second parties.

18. The system of claim 11, wherein the authentication information includes a telephone number that can be called or a link that can be selected to verify authenticity of the notification communication session.

19. The system of claim 11, wherein the authentication information comprises at least one of the following:

a password, a symbol, a text and/or numeric code, a sound, a music segment, a distinctive ring, a video, or an image.

20. The system of claim 11, wherein the authentication information is an image or video of the MT, a person or thing in the MT, or something outside of the MT.

21. An automated notification system, comprising:

transceiver means for enabling communications;

computer program code means for controlling the transceiver means;

memory means for storing the computer program code means;

processing means for executing the computer program code means; and

wherein the computer program code means further comprises;

means for enabling a first party associated with a personal communication device (PCD) to input or select authentication information for use in connection with a subsequent notification communication session involving advance notice of a delivery or pickup of a good or service at a stop location by a mobile thing (MT);

means for storing the authentication information;

means for monitoring location or travel information in connection with the MT;

means for causing initiation of the notification communication session to the PCD, in advance of arrival of the MT at the stop location, based at least in part upon the location or travel information associated with the MT;

means for, during the notification communication session, providing the authentication information to the PCD that indicates to the first party that the notification communication session was initiated by an authorized source; and

means for, during the notification communication session, enabling the first party to select whether or not to communicate with a second party having access to particulars of the pickup or delivery.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the computer program code means further comprises means for, based upon a selection by the first party, causing communicative coupling between the PCD of the first party and a communications device associated with the second party having access to particulars of the pickup or delivery.

23. The system of claim 21, wherein the computer program code means further comprises means for, based upon a selection by the first party, causing communicative coupling between the PCD of the first party and a second PCD associated with the MT or the second party in the MT.

24. The system of claim 21, wherein the computer program code means further comprises means for, during the notification communication session, providing a purchase order.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the computer program code means further comprises means for enabling the first party to select another option that indicates to the notification system that the purchase order is proper.

26. The system of claim 21, wherein the particulars include a reason why the mobile thing is to stop at the stop location.

27. The system of claim 21, wherein the computer program code means further comprises means for changing information in a work order based at least in part upon communication between the first and second parties.

28. The system of claim 21, wherein the authentication information includes a telephone number that can be called or link that can be selected to verify authenticity of the notification communication session.

29. The system of claim 21, wherein the authentication information comprises at least one of the following:

a password, a symbol, a text and/or numeric code, a sound, a music segment, a distinctive ring, a video, or an image.

30. The system of claim 21, wherein the authentication information is an image or video of the MT, a person or thing in the MT, or something outside of the MT.