US 7,202,801 B2 · Method and apparatus for an automated location-based, dynamic notification system (ALDNS)

Abstract

An automated, location-based, dynamic notification system comprises a mobile unit hardware device and a control center computer facility with communication capabilities. The mobile unit comprises a position module, a location processor, an action processor, a data module, and an I/O module. The control center comprises a system processor, a communication module, and a master database. The system provides notifications of arriving, approaching, leaving, entering, and any other types of location-related notifications, which are issued in an automatic, unattended manner. The illustrated embodiments of the invention are based on location and thus are used in a dynamic routing situation where both route patterns and stop locations change frequently while the object is moving. The system requires no interaction from the driver or the dispatcher, requires no on-board checking or manipulation of a schedule, and applies in many situations including special-education transportation, prisoner transportation, airport shuttle service.

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Drawings

Claims49

Dependent claims

An apparatus for providing automated, location-based, dynamic notification, which apparatus communicates to a plurality of recipients in combination with an external positioning system for use with a mobile object, comprising:

a mobile unit collocated with the object;
and
a control center computer subsystem,
where the mobile unit comprises:
a position module comprising means for automatically generating location data corresponding to the position of the mobile unit as determined by communication with the external positioning system;
a location processor communicated to the position module;
an action processor communicated to the location processor, the action processor generating location-based data and the location processor comprising means for automatically processing the location data generated by the position module and the location-based data generated by the action processor;
a data module communicated to the action processor;
and
an I/O module communicated to the action processor,
where the control center computer subsystem comprises:
a system processor;
a communication module communicated to the systems processor;
and
a master database communicated to the systems processor, and
where the I/O module of the mobile unit and the communication module of the control center computer subsystem are intercommunicated with each other,
where location processor automatically associates a relationship between the location data and a locational feature stored in the data module with a need for notification action by the action processor,
where the location processor automatically generates a plurality of action demands, and
where the action processor receives the plurality of action demands and prioritizes the plurality of action demands.

16 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Description13,303 words

Summary3,989 words

#1. Field of the Invention

#This invention relates to the field of computer software and hardware. Specifically the present invention relates to a method and apparatus for automatically issuing notifications to recipients about certain status and location-related information associated with a moving object such as a vehicle, a bus, a truck, a bicycle, a container, a package, or any other types of moving objects.

#2. Description of the Prior Art and Related Information

Brief description of the drawings5 figures

#FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the major modules of the ALDNS system, namely a smart mobile unit (SMU) and control center.

#FIG. 2 is a flow diagram, which illustrates the operation of the location processor.

#FIG. 3 is a flow diagram which illustrates the operation of array updating handled by the action processor.

Detailed description9,225 words

#The invention and its various embodiments can now be better understood by turning to the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments which are presented as illustrated examples of the invention defined in the claims. It is expressly understood that the invention as defined by the claims may be broader than the illustrated embodiments described below.

#The ALDNS system, generally denoted by reference numeral 10 in FIG. 1, comprises: (1) a smart mobile unit, or simply mobile unit, generally denoted by reference numeral 12, which may comprise a hardware device to be installed in or on any moving object such as a bus, truck, bicycle, container, package, or anything that moves from one place to another; and (2) a control center, generally denoted by reference numeral 14, which comprises one or more facilities each equipped with a computer server 16, communication equipment 18, a geographic information system (GIS), and a master database 20.

#System 10 operates on one or more communication networks, including regular land-based telephone networks, cellular phone networks, wireless digital data networks such as wireless local area networks (WLAN), localized radio systems (RF), and/or satellite communication networks.

Facts

Application

10/317,461Filed 11 Dec 2002

Published

US 2004/0113772 A117 Jun 2004

Granted

10 Apr 2007

Term ended

19 Aug 2025

Estimated · how

20 years from earliest known nonprovisional domestic filing plus recorded patent term adjustment, including 982 days of adjustment. Maintenance-fee lapses, terminal disclaimers and statutory extensions have not been checked. The continuity chain may be incomplete; this is not an enforceability determination.

Classification4 codes

G08G 1/202
Monitoring the location of vehicles belonging to a group, e.g. fleet of vehicles, countable or determined number of vehicles: dispatching vehicles…
G06Q 10/10
Administration; Management: office automation; Time management
G08G
Traffic control systems
G06Q
Information and communication technology [ict] specially adapted for administrative, commercial, financial, managerial

Method and apparatus for an automated location-based, dynamic notification system (ALDNS)

Life of this patent

Method and apparatus for an automated location-based, dynamic notification system (ALDNS)

Life of this patent

Life of this patent

Abstract

Drawings

Drawings

Claims49

Description13,303 words

Drawings

Classification4 codes

Life of this patent

Description13,303 words