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.

1 - 42 . (canceled)  
   
   
       43 . A method for automated location-based action based on the location of a mobile object comprising: 
 automatically determining a location of the mobile object;    automatically comparing the determined position with a stored list of meaningful locational features; and    automatically generating an action based on the comparison of the stored list of meaningful locational features and the location of the mobile object.    
   
   
       44 . The method of  claim 43  where automatically determining the location of the mobile object is performed by a position module collocated with the mobile object.  
   
   
       45 . The method of  claim 44  where automatically comparing the determined position with the stored list of meaningful locational features comprises: 
 determining the validity of the location of the mobile object provided by the position module in a location processor;    retrieving a plurality of locational features stored in a data module by means of an action processor; and    comparing the location of the mobile object with the plurality of locational features to automatically generate an action.    
   
   
       46 . The method of  claim 45  where comparing the location of the mobile object with the plurality of locational features generates a plurality of actions.  
   
   
       47 . The method of  claim 45  further comprising updating the plurality of locational features stored in the data module based on the location of the mobile object.  
   
   
       48 . The method of  claim 45  where determining the validity of the location of the mobile object provided by the position module in the location processor and retrieving the plurality of locational features stored in the data module by means of the action processor are performed in separate coprocessors, one acting as the location processor and the other acting as the action processor.  
   
   
       49 . The method of  claim 45  where determining the validity of the location of the mobile object provided by the position module in the location processor and retrieving the plurality of locational features stored in the data module by means of the action processor are performed in a single processor, acting as the location processor during a first time period and acting as the action processor during a second time period.  
   
   
       50 . The method of  claim 45  where comparing the location of the mobile object with the plurality of locational features to generate the action is performed in the location processor.  
   
   
       51 . The method of  claim 45  where comparing the location of the mobile object with the plurality of locational features to automatically generate the action automatically generates a notification action to a recipient.  
   
   
       52 . The method of  claim 45  where comparing the location of the mobile object with the plurality of locational features to automatically generate the action automatically generates a plurality of notification actions to a plurality of recipients whose identity is stored in the data module.  
   
   
       53 . The method of  claim 45  where comparing the location of the mobile object with the plurality of locational features to automatically generate the action compares the location of the mobile object with a point feature, a line feature, a polygonal feature or a combination thereof.  
   
   
       54 . The method of  claim 45  where comparing the location of the mobile object with the plurality of locational features to automatically generate the action whenever the location of the mobile object lies within a buffer zone of the locational feature.  
   
   
       55 . The method of  claim 52  further comprising updating the identity of the plurality of recipients stored in the data module based on the location of the mobile object.  
   
   
       56 . The method of  claim 47  where only local locational features are stored in the data module and where updating the plurality of locational features stored in the data module is performed by means of communication with a remote control center computer system.  
   
   
       57 . The method of  claim 55  where only local recipients are stored in the data module and where updating the identity of the plurality of recipients stored in the data module is performed by means of communication with a remote control center computer system.  
   
   
       58 . The method of  claim 51  further comprising selectively communicating the notification action to the recipient by a selected one of a plurality of communication means.  
   
   
       59 . The method of  claim 45  where comparing the location of the mobile object with the plurality of locational features to automatically generate the action automatically generates an event recordation action corresponding to an event involving the mobile object, which event recordation action is communicated to and stored in a control center computer system.  
   
   
       60 . The method of  claim 58  where selectively communicating the notification action to the recipient by a selected one of a plurality of communication means comprises direct communication from the action processor to the recipient.  
   
   
       61 . The method of  claim 58  where selectively communicating the notification action to the recipient by a selected one of a plurality of communication means comprises communication from the action processor to the control center computer system and then communication from the control center computer system to the recipient.  
   
   
       62 . The method of  claim 47  further comprising: 
 receiving a request in a control center computer system from the action processor to update the plurality of locational features stored in the data module based on the location of the mobile object;    processing the request to update the plurality of locational features stored in the data module from a master data base in the control center computer system;    communicating an updated plurality of locational features to the action processor for storage in the data module; and    storing the updated plurality of locational features in the data module.    
   
   
       63 . The method of  claim 55  further comprising: 
 receiving a request in a control center computer system from the action processor to update the identity of the plurality of recipients stored in the data module based on the location of the mobile object;    processing the request to update the identity of the plurality of recipients stored in the data module from a master data base in the control center computer system;    communicating an updated plurality of the identity of the plurality of recipients to the action processor for storage in the data module; and    storing the updated identity of the plurality of recipients in the data module.    
   
   
       64 . The method of  claim 51  further comprising: 
 receiving a request in a control center computer system from the action processor to send the notification action to a recipient;    processing the request to send the notification action to the recipient whose identity is retrieved from a master data base in the control center computer system; and    communicating the notification action to the recipient through a communications module in the control center computer system.    
   
   
       65 - 88 . (canceled)  
   
   
       89 . The method of  claim 43  further comprising generating a plurality of action demands.  
   
   
       90 . The method of  claim 89  wherein generating the plurality of action demands is performed by a location processor.  
   
   
       91 . The method of  claim 89  further comprising prioritizing the plurality of action demands.  
   
   
       92 . The method of  claim 91  wherein prioritizing the plurality of action demands is performed by an action processor.  
   
   
       93 . A method for automated location-based action based on the location of a mobile object comprising: 
 automatically determining a location of the mobile object;    automatically comparing the determined position with a stored list of meaningful locational features;    generating a plurality of action demands;    prioritizing the plurality of action demands to form a prioritized list of action demands; and    automatically generating an action based on the comparison of the stored list of meaningful locational features and the location of the mobile object, and on the prioritized list of action demands.    
   
   
       94 . The method of  claim 93 , wherein the action comprises a first action, the method further comprising: 
 generating a second action based on the prioritized list of action demands.    
   
   
       95 . The method of  claim 93  where automatically determining the location of the mobile object is performed by a position module collocated with the mobile object.  
   
   
       96 . The method of  claim 95  where automatically comparing the determined position with the stored list of meaningful locational features comprises: 
 determining the validity of the location of the mobile object provided by the position module in a location processor;    retrieving a plurality of locational features stored in a data module by means of an action processor; and    comparing the location of the mobile object with the plurality of locational features to automatically generate an action.    
   
   
       97 . The method of  claim 96  further comprising updating the plurality of locational features stored in the data module based on the location of the mobile object.  
   
   
       98 . The method of  claim 96  where determining the validity of the location of the mobile object provided by the position module in the location processor and retrieving the plurality of locational features stored in the data module by means of the action processor are performed in separate coprocessors, one acting as the location processor and the other acting as the action processor.  
   
   
       99 . The method of  claim 96  where determining the validity of the location of the mobile object provided by the position module in the location processor and retrieving the plurality of locational features stored in the data module by means of the action processor are performed in a single processor, acting as the location processor during a first time period and acting as the action processor during a second time period.  
   
   
       100 . The method of  claim 96  where comparing the location of the mobile object with the plurality of locational features to generate the action is performed in the location processor.  
   
   
       101 . The method of  claim 96  where comparing the location of the mobile object with the plurality of locational features to automatically generate the action automatically generates a notification action to a recipient.  
   
   
       102 . The method of  claim 96  where comparing the location of the mobile object with the plurality of locational features to automatically generate the action automatically generates a plurality of notification actions to a plurality of recipients whose identity is stored in the data module.  
   
   
       103 . The method of  claim 96  where comparing the location of the mobile object with the plurality of locational features to automatically generate the action compares the location of the mobile object with a point feature, a line feature, a polygonal feature or a combination thereof.  
   
   
       104 . The method of  claim 96  where comparing the location of the mobile object with the plurality of locational features to automatically generate the action whenever the location of the mobile object lies within a buffer zone of the locational feature.  
   
   
       105 . The method of  claim 102  further comprising updating the identity of the plurality of recipients stored in the data module based on the location of the mobile object.  
   
   
       106 . The method of  claim 97  where only local locational features are stored in the data module and where updating the plurality of locational features stored in the data module is performed by means of communication with a remote control center computer system.  
   
   
       107 . The method of  claim 105  where only local recipients are stored in the data module and where updating the identity of the plurality of recipients stored in the data module is performed by means of communication with a remote control center computer system.  
   
   
       108 . The method of  claim 102  further comprising selectively communicating the notification action to the recipient by a selected one of a plurality of communication means.  
   
   
       109 . The method of  claim 96  where comparing the location of the mobile object with the plurality of locational features to automatically generate the action automatically generates an event recordation action corresponding to an event involving the mobile object, which event recordation action is communicated to and stored in a control center computer system.  
   
   
       110 . The method of  claim 108  where selectively communicating the notification action to the recipient by a selected one of a plurality of communication means comprises direct communication from the action processor to the recipient.  
   
   
       111 . The method of  claim 108  where selectively communicating the notification action to the recipient by a selected one of a plurality of communication means comprises communication from the action processor to the control center computer system and then communication from the control center computer system to the recipient.  
   
   
       112 . The method of  claim 97  further comprising: 
 receiving a request in a control center computer system from the action processor to update the plurality of locational features stored in the data module based on the location of the mobile object;    processing the request to update the plurality of locational features stored in the data module from a master data base in the control center computer system;    communicating an updated plurality of locational features to the action processor for storage in the data module; and    storing the updated plurality of locational features in the data module.    
   
   
       113 . The method of  claim 105  further comprising: 
 receiving a request in a control center computer system from the action processor to update the identity of the plurality of recipients stored in the data module based on the location of the mobile object;    processing the request to update the identity of the plurality of recipients stored in the data module from a master data base in the control center computer system;    communicating an updated plurality of the identity of the plurality of recipients to the action processor for storage in the data module; and    storing the updated identity of the plurality of recipients in the data module.    
   
   
       114 . The method of  claim 101  further comprising: 
 receiving a request in a control center computer system from the action processor to send the notification action to a recipient;    processing the request to send the notification action to the recipient whose identity is retrieved from a master data base in the control center computer system; and    communicating the notification action to the recipient through a communications module in the control center computer system.