Notification systems and methods where a notified PCD causes implementation of a task(s) based upon failure to receive a notification
View Patent ↗Systems and methods are disclosed for automated notification systems. A representative system, among others, can be summarized as follows. A host computer system, or base station, is designed to monitor travel data corresponding to a mobile thing and to initiate a notification communication to a personal communications device (PCD) indicating travel status of the mobile thing (MT) to a remote computer system. The remote computer system, within or associated with the PCD, is designed to detect a failure to receive the notification communication and to cause one or more tasks to be performed based upon the notification communication failure.
1. A method for implementation in a computer based system, comprising:
scheduling a notification communication to be initiated by a computer based notification system, the notification communication indicating travel status of a mobile thing in relation to a stop location and initiated by the computer based notification system when the mobile thing is within a predefined proximity of the stop location;
failing to receive the scheduled notification communication; and
causing one or more tasks to be performed based upon the scheduled notification communication failure.
2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
storing information pertaining to timing associated with the scheduled notification communication; and
determining that the scheduled notification communication failure has occurred, based upon the timing information.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the scheduling, the failing, and the causing are implemented by a computer-based system that is part of or communicatively coupled to a personal communications device that is to receive the scheduled notification communication.
4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the computer-based system is remote from a host computer system and wherein the host computer system is configured to initiate the scheduled notification communication.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one task that is caused is initiating a communication to a personal communications device.
6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising enabling input and storage of at least one of the tasks.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein are performed by a computer-based system that is part of or communicatively coupled to a personal communications device that is to receive the scheduled notification communication.
8. A system, comprising:
a host computer system having a means for monitoring travel data corresponding to a mobile thing and a means for initiating a notification communication indicating travel status of the mobile thing; and
a remote computer system having a means for detecting a failure to receive the notification communication and a means for causing one or more tasks to be performed based upon the notification communication failure.
9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the remote computer system further comprises:
means for storing information pertaining to timing associated with the notification communication; and
means for determining that the notification communication failure has occurred, based upon the timing information.
10. The system of claim 8 , wherein at least one task is initiating a communication to a personal communications device.
11. The system of claim 8 , wherein the base station computer system or the remote computer system further comprises a means for enabling input and storage of at least one of the tasks.
12. The system of claim 8 , wherein the remote computer system further comprises authentication information that is used by the means for detecting a failure in order to detect whether or not a failure has occurred.
13. A computer based system that is designed to receive a scheduled notification communication indicating travel status of a mobile thing in relation to a stop location from a host computer based system that is designed to monitor travel data corresponding to the mobile thing, comprising:
means for storing information identifying the scheduled notification communication;
means for storing timing information pertaining to the scheduled notification communication;
means for detecting a failure to receive the scheduled notification communication based upon the timing information; and
means for causing one or more tasks to be performed based upon the scheduled notification communication failure.
14. The system of claim 13 , wherein at least one task is initiating a communication to a personal communications device.
15. The system of claim 13 , further comprising a means for enabling input and storage of at least one of the tasks.
16. The system of claim 13 , further comprising:
means for storing authentication information; and
means for using the authentication information to determine whether or not the scheduled notification communication has been received.
17. The system of claim 13 , wherein the scheduled notification communication corresponds to a first service provider that is to provide a service at the stop location and wherein the one or more tasks includes initiating a communication to a second service provider so that the second service provider can provide the service at the stop location.
18. The system of claim 13 , wherein the one or more tasks includes adjusting a control in a building.
19. The system of claim 13 , wherein the task includes initiating a communication to a security provider.
20. The system of claim 13 , wherein the timing information is a time period that commences when an alarm is triggered.
21. A computer based system that is designed to receive a scheduled notification communication indicating travel status of a mobile thing in relation to a stop location from a host computer based system that is designed to monitor travel data corresponding to the mobile thing, comprising:
memory storing computer program instructions; and
one or more processors configured by the computer program instructions to:
store information identifying the scheduled notification communication;
store timing information pertaining to the scheduled notification communication;
detect a failure to receive the scheduled notification communication based upon the timing information; and
cause one or more tasks to be performed based upon the scheduled notification communication failure.
22. The system of claim 21 , wherein at least one task is initiating a communication to a personal communications device.
23. The system of claim 21 , further comprising computer program instructions configured to enable input and storage of at least one of the tasks.
24. The system of claim 21 , further comprising computer program instructions configured to:
store authentication information; and
use the authentication information to determine whether or not the scheduled notification communication has been received.
25. The system of claim 21 , wherein the scheduled notification communication corresponds to a first service provider that is to provide a service at the stop location and wherein the one or more tasks includes initiating a communication to a second service provider so that the second service provider can provide the service at the stop location.
26. The system of claim 21 , wherein the one or more tasks includes adjusting a control in a building.
27. The system of claim 21 , wherein the task includes initiating a communication to a security provider.
28. The system of claim 21 , wherein the timing information is a time period that commences when an alarm is triggered.
29. The system of claim 21 , wherein the memory resides in a single computer or a plurality of computers.
30. The system of claim 21 , wherein the one or more processors reside in a single computer or a plurality of computers.