Communications: electrical – Vehicle position indication – At remote location
Reexamination Certificate
2000-03-01
2001-11-13
Lee, Benjamin C. (Department: 2632)
Communications: electrical
Vehicle position indication
At remote location
C340S989000, C340S993000, C701S204000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06317060
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to vehicle monitoring and messaging systems and, in particular, to a vehicle monitoring system and method capable of communicating a plurality of notification messages to warn users of impending arrivals of vehicles.
2. Related Art
U.S. Pat. No. 5,400,020, entitled “Advance Notification System and Method,” which is incorporated herein by reference, describes a system and method for communicating notification messages to users to warn the users of impending arrivals of vehicles. In this regard, each vehicle associated with the system is equipped with a tracking sensor, which is used to determine the location of the vehicle. Location signals indicating the location of the vehicle as the vehicle travels are transmitted to a base station control unit, which monitors the travel of the vehicle. When the vehicle is within a predefined time or distance of a particular location, the base station control unit transmits a notification message to a user. Therefore, the user is warned of the impending arrival of the vehicle at the particular location.
However, the base station control unit may be used to monitor the travel of a large number of vehicles or may be used to warn a large number of users of impending arrivals of a vehicle or vehicles. Furthermore, servicing a large number of vehicles and/or users may result in the need to simultaneously transmit a large number of notification messages. Accordingly, the ability to efficiently process data for a large number of vehicles and/or users and to efficiently transmit a large number of notification messages is critical in many applications.
Thus, a heretofore unaddressed need exists in the industry for better systems, apparatuses, and methods for accurately and efficiently tracking and/or reporting the status of mobile vehicles as the vehicles travel.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention overcomes many inadequacies and deficiencies of the prior art, as discussed hereinbefore. In general, the present invention provides an automated computer-based apparatus and method for monitoring travel of vehicles and for efficiently communicating notification messages to warn users of impending arrivals of the vehicles.
In a broad sense, the automated computer-based apparatus of the present invention includes a route handler, a schedule monitor, and a communication handler. The schedule monitor determines when users should receive notification messages based on data that indicates when vehicles are expected to arrive at certain locations. The route handler communicates with vehicle control units on board the vehicles to determine how much any of the vehicles are off schedule. If any of the vehicles are off schedule, the route handler updates the data monitored by the schedule monitor to change when the schedule monitor determines that the notification messages should be received by the users.
Once the schedule monitor determines that a user should receive a notification message, the schedule monitor transmits a notification request to the communication handler. The communication handler then establishes communication with a communication device associated with the user and transmits a notification message to the user. Therefore, the user is warned of an impending arrival of a vehicle at a particular location.
In accordance with another feature of the present invention, the route handler selects portions of the data that are associated with notification events expected to occur during a particular time period. During the particular time period, the schedule monitor monitors the selected data to determine whether any notification messages should be received by users during the particular time period.
In accordance with another feature of the present invention, the communication handler stores the notification request and determines a number of notification requests stored by the communication handler. The communication handler then compares this number to a number of notification requests stored by another communication handler and transmits the notification request to the other communication handler if the difference in the two numbers exceeds a predefined threshold.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to one skilled in the art upon examination of the following detailed description, when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. It is intended that all such features and advantages be included herein within the teachings of the present invention, as set forth herein and as sought to be protected by the claims.
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Global Research Systems, Inc.
Lee Benjamin C.
Thomas Kayden Horstemeyer & Risley LLP
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