US6492912B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
System and method for efficiently notifying users of impending arrivals of vehicles
Assignee: SHIPPING AND TRANSIT LLP
•
Filing: 2000-03-01
•
Granted: 2002-12-10
•
Expires: 2020-03-01
Abstract
Abstract A vehicle monitoring and notification system includes memory and logic. The memory stores data indicating when notification messages are scheduled for transmission to remote communications devices to warn users of impending arrivals of at least one vehicle. The logic is configured to determine that at least one of the notification messages is scheduled for transmission during a particular time period and to determine a number of notification messages that are scheduled for transmission during the particular time period. If the number exceeds a threshold number, the logic changes when the one notification message is scheduled for transmission.
Inventors
- 👤 Martin Kelly Jones
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-28 01:00
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06Q; G06Q10/00; G06Q10/08; G08; G08G; G08G1/00; G08G1/123; G08G1/20
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 15
Claim 1
Independent Claim
109 words
A system for notifying users of impending arrivals of vehicles, comprising: memory for storing data, said data indicating when notification messages are scheduled for transmission to remote communications devices to warn users of impending arrivals of at least one vehicle; and logic configured to determine that at least one of said notification messages is scheduled for transmission during a particular time period, to determine a number of said notification messages that are scheduled for transmission during said particular time period, to compare said number to a threshold number, and to cause said one notification message to be transmitted prior to said time period when said number exceeds said threshold.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
109 words
A system for notifying users of impending arrivals of vehicles, comprising: memory for storing data, said data indicating when notification messages are scheduled for transmission to remote communications devices to warn users of impending arrivals of at least one vehicle; and logic configured to determine that at least one of said notification messages is scheduled for transmission during a particular time period, to determine a number of said notification messages that are scheduled for transmission during said particular time period, to compare said number to a threshold number, and to cause said one notification message to be transmitted prior to said time period when said number exceeds said threshold.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
94 words
The system of claim 1 , further comprising: a sensor disposed on said one vehicle, said sensor configured to transmit location signals, each of said location signals indicating a location of said sensor; a vehicle control unit disposed on said one vehicle and interfaced with said sensor, said vehicle control unit configured to receive said location signals and to transmit a message based on said location signals, wherein said logic is remotely located from said one vehicle and is configured to update said data based on said message transmitted from said vehicle control unit.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
78 words
The system of claim 1 , further comprising: a sensor configured to transmit location signals, each of said signals indicating a present location of said one vehicle, wherein said data indicates a plurality of checkpoints that said one vehicle is scheduled to pass, said data further indicating a time that said one vehicle is respectively scheduled to pass each of said checkpoints, and wherein said logic is further configured to update said data based on said location signals.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
46 words
The system of claim 1 , further comprising: a communications device configured to receive a status message transmitted from a vehicle, said status message indicating whether said vehicle is on schedule, wherein said logic is further configured to update said data based on said status message.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
103 words
The system of claim 1 , wherein said logic is further configured to determine when each of said notification messages should be transmitted based on said data and to transmit notification requests to cause said notification messages to be transmitted, each of said notification requests respectively corresponding with one of said notification messages, and wherein said system further comprises: a communications device configured to receive said notification requests and to store said notification requests into a queue, said communications device configured to retrieve said notification requests from said queue and to transmit notification messages based on said notification requests retrieved from said queue.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
62 words
The system of claim 5 , further comprising: a clock configured to transmit time signals, wherein said data includes time values respectively indicating times that said notification messages are respectively scheduled for transmission, said logic configured to compare a value of one of said time signals to one of said time values to determine whether to transmit one of said notification requests.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
108 words
A method for notifying users of impending arrivals of vehicles, comprising the steps of: storing data indicating when notification messages are scheduled for transmission to remote communications devices; determining that at least one of said notification messages is scheduled for transmission during a particular time period; determining a number of said notification messages that are scheduled for transmission during said particular time period; comparing said number to a threshold number; causing said one notification message to be transmitted prior to said time period when said number exceeds said threshold number; and notifying one of said users of an impending arrival of a vehicle via said one notification message.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
108 words
A method for notifying users of impending arrivals of vehicles, comprising the steps of: storing data indicating when notification messages are scheduled for transmission to remote communications devices; determining that at least one of said notification messages is scheduled for transmission during a particular time period; determining a number of said notification messages that are scheduled for transmission during said particular time period; comparing said number to a threshold number; causing said one notification message to be transmitted prior to said time period when said number exceeds said threshold number; and notifying one of said users of an impending arrival of a vehicle via said one notification message.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method of claim 7 , further comprising the steps of: determining a location of said vehicle; transmitting a location signal indicating said location of said vehicle; and updating said data based on said location signal.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
62 words
The method of claim 7 , further comprising the steps of: determining when each of said notification messages should be transmitted based on said data; transmitting notification requests based on said determining when step; storing said notification requests into a queue; retrieving said notification requests from said queue; and transmitting said notification messages based on said notification requests retrieved from said queue.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
110 words
A method for notifying users of impending arrivals of vehicles, comprising the steps of: storing data indicating when notification messages are scheduled for transmission to remote communications devices; determining that at least one of said notification messages is scheduled for transmission during a particular time period; determining a number of said notification messages that are scheduled for transmission during said particular time period; comparing said number to a threshold number; changing when said one notification message is scheduled for transmission in response to a determination that said number exceeds said threshold number; and notifying one of said users of an impending arrival of a vehicle via said one notification message.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
110 words
A method for notifying users of impending arrivals of vehicles, comprising the steps of: storing data indicating when notification messages are scheduled for transmission to remote communications devices; determining that at least one of said notification messages is scheduled for transmission during a particular time period; determining a number of said notification messages that are scheduled for transmission during said particular time period; comparing said number to a threshold number; changing when said one notification message is scheduled for transmission in response to a determination that said number exceeds said threshold number; and notifying one of said users of an impending arrival of a vehicle via said one notification message.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method of claim 10 , further comprising the steps of: determining a location of said vehicle; transmitting a location signal indicating said location of said vehicle; and updating said data based on said location signal.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
62 words
The method of claim 10 , further comprising the steps of: determining when each of said notification messages should be transmitted based on said data; transmitting notification requests based on said determining when step; storing said notification requests into a queue; retrieving said notification requests from said queue; and transmitting said notification messages based on said notification requests retrieved from said queue.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3845289A
Cited
US3934125A
Cited
JPS5266175A
Cited
US4220946A
Cited
US4401971A
Cited
US4350969A
Cited
US4325057A
Cited
US4438422A
Cited
US4383241A
Cited
US5113185A
Cited
FR2559930A1
Cited
US4989133A
Cited
US4791571A
Cited
US4812843A
Cited
JPS63288400A
Cited
US4804937A
Cited
US5168451A
Cited
US4956777A
Cited
US5014206A
Cited
US5122959A
Cited
US5218629A
Cited
US5131020A
Cited
US5068656A
Cited
US5299132A
Cited
US5519621A
Cited
FR2674355A1
Cited
US5381338A
Cited
US5539810A
Cited
US5223844A
Cited
US5223844B1
Cited
US5493295A
Cited
US5461374A
Cited
US5594650A
Cited
USRE35920E
Cited
US5719771A
Cited
US5587715A
Cited
US5736940A
Cited
US5444444A
Cited
US5648770A
Cited
US5673305A
Cited
US5351194A
Cited
US5623260A
Cited
US5657010A
Cited
US5668543A
Cited
US5400020A
Cited
US5602739A
Cited
US5493694A
Cited
US5541981A
Cited
US5614898A
Cited
US5751245A
Cited
US5724243A
Cited
US5760742A
Cited
US6006159A
Cited
US5726640A
Cited
US5808565A
Cited
US5739774A
Cited
US6134501A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2005-12-09 | 2006-06-10 | 2006-12-10 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2009-12-09 | 2010-06-10 | 2010-12-10 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2013-12-09 | 2014-06-10 | 2014-12-10 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |