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

• US 9,679,322 B2
• Filed: 06/10/2016
• Issued: 06/13/2017
• 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:
  US15/178,713
• Publication Number:
  US 20160300281A1
• Time in Patent Office: 368 Days
• Field of Search: 340994, 340502, 340506, 34053922, 34053932, 34099513, 340988
• 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 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 advance notification system, the notification system having one or more computer systems and one or more transceivers designed to communicate data to and from the computer systems, the method enabling safer communications by assuring a first party that a notification communication session concerning an order for a good or service is authentic in that it has been authorized and initiated by a second party that will pick up or deliver the good or service, so that the first party is given assurance that the first party can initiate without risk a subsequent communication session to the second party by selecting a hyperlink that is provided during the notification communication session, the method comprising:

engaging in an initial communication session between the one or more computers of the notification system and a personal communication device (PCD) associated with the first party;

during the initial communication session, enabling the first party to input or select authentication information with the PCD for use in the notification communication session, the notification communication session giving advance notice of a delivery or pickup of the good or service at a stop location by a mobile thing (MT);

storing the authentication information at the one or more computer systems;

monitoring location or travel information in connection with the MT at the one or more computer systems;

with the one or more computers, initiating the notification communication session to the PCD or a different PCD associated with the first party, 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 that is recognizable to the first party to indicate to the first party that the notification communication session is authentic and was initiated by the second party, the authentication information comprising at least a part of an account number that was provided by the first party during the initial communication session in connection with payment for the good or service; and

during the notification communication session, providing the hyperlink to enable the first party to select whether or not to initiate the subsequent communication session with the second party, the second party having access to particulars of the order.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising, based upon the first party selecting the hyperlink during the notification communication session, initiating the subsequent communication session by causing communicative coupling between the PCD or the different PCD associated with the first party and a communications device associated with the second party having access to the order.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising, based upon the first party selecting the hyperlink during the notification communication session, initiating the subsequent communication session by causing communicative coupling between the PCD or the different PCD associated with 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:

engaging in the subsequent communication session with the first party based upon the first party selecting the hyperlink; and

during the subsequent communication session, enabling the first party to change the order.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the authentication information further includes an address associated with the first party.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the account number is a credit card number.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the authentication information further includes a telephone number associated with the first party.

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

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the initial, notification, and subsequent communication sessions, each involve one or more electronic data transfers.

10. An automated advance notification system that enables safer communications by assuring a first party that a notification communication session concerning an order for a good or service is authentic in that it has been authorized and initiated by a second party that will pick up or deliver the good or service, so that the first party is given assurance that the first party can initiate without risk a subsequent communication session to the second party by selecting a hyperlink that is provided during the notification communication session, the 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 engages in an initial communication session between the one or more processors and a personal communication device (PCD) associated with the first party;

code that, during the initial communication session, enables the first party to input or select authentication information with the PCD for use in the notification communication session, the notification communication session giving advance notice of a delivery or pickup of the good or service at a stop location by a mobile thing (MT);

storing the authentication information at the one or more computer systems;

code that monitors location or travel information in connection with the MT at the one or more computer systems;

code that initiates the notification communication session to the PCD or a different PCD associated with the first party, 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 provides the authentication information during the notification communication session that is recognizable to the first party to indicate to the first party that the notification communication session is authentic and was initiated by the second party, the authentication information comprising at least a part of an account number that was provided by the first party during the initial communication session in connection with payment for the good or service; and

code that provides the hyperlink in the notification communication session to enable the first party to select whether or not to initiate the subsequent communication session with the second party, the second party having access to particulars of the order.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the computer program code further comprises code that, based upon the first party selecting the hyperlink during the notification communication session, initiates the subsequent communication session by causing communicative coupling between the PCD or the different PCD associated with the first party and a communications device associated with the second party having access to the order.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the computer program code further comprises code that, based upon the first party selecting the hyperlink during the notification communication session, initiates the subsequent communication session by causing communicative coupling between the PCD or the different PCD associated with the first party and a second PCD associated with the MT or the second party in the MT.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the computer program code further comprises:

code that engages in the subsequent communication session with the first party based upon the first party selecting the hyperlink; and

code that, during the subsequent communication session, enables the first party to change the order.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the authentication information further includes an address associated with the first party.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein the account number is a credit card number.

16. The system of claim 10, wherein the authentication information further includes a telephone number associated with the first party.

17. The system of claim 10, wherein the authentication information further includes an image or video of the MT, a person or thing in the MT, or something outside of the MT.

18. The system of claim 10, wherein the initial, notification, and subsequent communication sessions, each involve one or more electronic data transfers.

19. An automated advance notification system that enables safer electronic data communications by assuring a first party that a notification communication session concerning an order for a good or service is authentic in that it has been authorized and initiated by a second party that will pick up or deliver the good or service, so that the first party is given assurance that the first party can initiate without risk a subsequent communication session to the second party by selecting an option that is provided during the notification communication session, the 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 engages in an initial communication session between the one or more processors and a personal communication device (PCD) associated with the first party;

code that, during the initial communication session, enables the first party to input or select authentication information with the PCD for use in the notification communication session, the notification communication session giving advance notice of a delivery or pickup of the good or service at a stop location by a mobile thing (MT);

storing the authentication information at the one or more computer systems;

code that monitors location or travel information in connection with the MT at the one or more computer systems;

code that initiates the notification communication session to the PCD or a different PCD associated with the first party, 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 provides the authentication information during the notification communication session that is recognizable to the first party to indicate to the first party that the notification communication session was initiated by the second party, the authentication information including order information associated with the order; and

code that provides the option in the notification communication session to enable the first party to select whether or not to initiate the subsequent communication session with the second party, the second party having access to particulars of the order.

20. An automated advance notification system that enables safer communications by assuring a first party that a notification communication session concerning an order for a good or service is authentic in that it has been authorized and initiated by a second party that will pick up or deliver the good or service, so that the first party is given assurance that the first party can initiate without risk a subsequent communication session to the second party by selecting an option that is provided during the notification communication session, the 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 engaging in an initial communication session between the one or more computers of the notification system and a personal communication device (PCD) associated with the first party;

means for, during the initial communication session, enabling the first party to input or select authentication information with the PCD for use in the notification communication session, the notification communication session giving advance notice of a delivery or pickup of the 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 initiating the notification communication session to the PCD or a different PCD associated with the first party, 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 providing during the notification communication session the authentication information that is recognizable to the first party to indicate to the first party that the notification communication session is authentic and was initiated by the second party; and

means for providing during the notification communication session the hyperlink to enable the first party to select whether or not to initiate the subsequent communication session with the second party, the second party having access to particulars of the order.