Notification systems and methods enabling selection of arrival or departure times of tracked mobile things in relation to locations

1. A method for an automated notification system, comprising:

initiating a notification communication session with a personal communications device, based upon impending arrival or departure of one or more mobile things in relation to a location;

during the communication session, providing a plurality of arrival or departure times in relation to the location and enabling selection of one of the times; and

causing a mobile thing to arrive at or depart from the location at substantially the selected time.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the causing is or comprises at least communicating the selected time to a personal communications device associated with the mobile thing.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising directly monitoring travel of or monitoring travel data corresponding to the one or more mobile things, in order to determine when to initiate the notification communication.

4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising determining the arrival or departure times in relation to the location, at least in part based upon user preferences.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

monitoring travel of a plurality of mobile things, one corresponding with each of a plurality of times; and

selecting one of the plurality of mobile things to arrive at or depart from the location, based upon the selection of the time.

6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising determining the arrival or departure times in relation to the location, at least in part based upon predefined preferences and, wherein the predefined preferences include a proximity of the mobile thing to the location or a designated location or region, that when encountered by the mobile thing, will result in the communication session.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining the arrival or departure times in relation to the location, at least in part based upon travel status of the mobile thing.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining the arrival or departure times in relation to the location, at least in part based upon an existing schedule of the mobile thing.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, during the communication session, offering a first time that corresponds substantially with a scheduled time and a second time that is sooner in time.

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising charging a fee for selection of the sooner second time.

11. The method of claim 9 , further comprising charging different fees for selection of the first and second times.

12. An automated notification system, comprising:

means for initiating a notification communication session with a personal communications device, based upon impending arrival or departure of one or more mobile things in relation to a location;

means for providing a plurality of arrival or departure times in relation to the location and enabling selection of one of the times during the notification communication session; and

means for causing a mobile thing to arrive at or depart from the location at substantially the selected time.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein further comprising a means for communicating the selected time to a personal communications device associated with the mobile thing.

14. The system of claim 12 , further comprising:

means for monitoring travel of a plurality of mobile things, one corresponding with each of a plurality of times; and

means for selecting one of the plurality of mobile things to arrive at or depart from the location, based upon the selection of the time.

15. The system of claim 12 , further comprising a means for determining the arrival or departure times in relation to the location, at least in part based upon travel status of the mobile thing.

16. The system of claim 15 , further comprising a means for determining the arrival or departure times in relation to the location, at least in part based upon user preferences, the user preferences including a proximity of the mobile thing to the location or a designated location or region, that when encountered by the mobile thing, will result in the communication session.

17. The system of claim 12 , further comprising a means for determining the arrival or departure times in relation to the location, at least in part based upon an existing schedule of the mobile thing.

18. The system of claim 12 , further comprising a means for, during the communication session, offering a first time that corresponds substantially with a scheduled time and a second time that is sooner in time.

19. The system of claim 18 , further comprising a means for charging a fee for selection of the sooner second time.

20. The system of claim 18 , further comprising a means for charging different fees for selection of the first and second times.

21. A computer system, comprising:

memory storing computer program instructions; and

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

initiate a notification communication session with a personal communications device over a network, based upon impending arrival or departure of one or more mobile things in relation to a location;

provide a plurality of arrival or departure times in relation to the location and enable selection of one of the times during the notification communication session; and

cause a mobile thing to arrive at or depart from the location at substantially the selected time.

22. The system of claim 21 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured by the computer program instructions to communicate the selected time to a personal communications device associated with the mobile thing.

23. The system of claim 21 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured by the computer program instructions to:

monitor travel of a plurality of mobile things, one corresponding with each of a plurality of times; and

select one of the plurality of mobile things to arrive at or depart from the location, based upon the selection of the time.

24. The system of claim 21 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured by the computer program instructions to determine the arrival or departure times in relation to the location, at least in part based upon travel status of the mobile thing.

25. The system of claim 24 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured by the computer program instructions to determine the arrival or departure times in relation to the location, at least in part based upon user preferences, the user preferences including a proximity of the mobile thing to the location or a designated location or region, that when encountered by the mobile thing, will result in the communication session.

26. The system of claim 21 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured by the computer program instructions to determine the arrival or departure times in relation to the location, at least in part based upon an existing schedule of the mobile thing.

27. The system of claim 21 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured by the computer program instructions to, during the communication session, offer a first time that corresponds substantially with a scheduled time and a second time that is sooner in time.

28. The system of claim 27 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured by the computer program instructions to charge a fee for selection of the sooner second time.

29. The system of claim 27 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured by the computer program instructions to charge different fees for selection of the first and second times.

30. The system of claim 27 , wherein the memory resides in a single computer or a plurality of computers.

31. The system of claim 27 , wherein the one or more processors reside in a single computer or a plurality of computers.