Concepts for providing notifications for events of interest

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9876693-B1
Application number	US-201414335025-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Jul 18, 2014
Priority date	Mar 25, 2014
Publication date	Jan 23, 2018
Grant date	Jan 23, 2018

Abstract

Computer program products, methods, systems, apparatus, and computing entities are provided. In one embodiment, the location of computing entities can be monitored to determine whether they are within a configurable distance from each other. In another embodiment, direct communications with each other can be monitored. The locations or communications can be used to initiate specific actions/steps.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for providing notifications for events of interest, the method comprising:
responsive to registering a first mobile computing entity to provide notifications of events of interest related to the first mobile computing entity, storing, via a server entity, a profile for the first mobile computing entity, the profile (a) identifying a unique device identifier for the first mobile computing entity, (b) identifying a wireless electronic communication protocol that enables automatic connections by and to the first mobile computing entity, (c) comprising authentication credentials that allow for automatic connections by and to the first mobile computing entity via the wireless electronic communication protocol, and (d) comprising notification preferences for a plurality of events of interest;
receiving, via the server entity, a first notification indicating the first mobile computing entity and a second mobile computing entity were in direct electronic communication with each other, wherein (a) the first mobile computing entity is configured to automatically connect to the second mobile computing entity via the wireless electronic communication protocol using the authentication credentials, (b) the first notification indicating the first mobile computing entity and the second mobile computing entity were in direct electronic communication with each other comprises a first time and a first location at which the first mobile computing entity and the second mobile computing entity were in direct electronic communication, and (c) the first location is determined by a location determining aspect of the first mobile computing entity;
responsive to receiving the first notification indicating the first mobile computing entity and the second mobile computing entity were in direct electronic communication with each other:
storing, via the server entity, the first time and the first location the first mobile computing entity and the second mobile computing entity were in direct electronic communication with each other,
determining, via the server entity, whether the direct electronic communication between the first mobile computing entity and the second mobile computing entity is at least one of the plurality of events of interest, and
responsive to determining that the direct electronic communication between the first mobile computing entity and the second mobile computing entity is the at least one of the plurality of the events of interest, providing, via the server entity, a second notification to an electronic destination address of a user based at least in part on the notification preferences, wherein (a) the second notification comprises information identifying the at least one of the plurality of events of interest, (b) the information of the second notification comprises at least information regarding past activities associated with the first mobile computing entity, which is derived at least from the direct electronic communication between the first mobile computing entity and the second mobile computing entity, and (c) the second notification comprises the first time and the first location at which the first mobile computing entity and the second mobile computing entity were in direct communication with each other;

receiving, via the server entity, a third notification indicating the first mobile computing entity and the second mobile computing entity were no longer in direct communication with each other; and
responsive to receiving the third notification indicating the first mobile computing entity and the second mobile computing entity were no longer in direct communication with each other:
storing, via the server entity, a second time and a second location the first mobile computing entity and the second mobile computing entity were no longer in direct communication with each other, wherein the first location and the second location are different, and
providing, via the server entity, a fourth notification to the electronic destination address of the user based at least in part on the notification preferences, the fourth notification comprising the second time and the second location at which the first mobile computing entity and the second mobile computing entity were no longer in direct communication with each other.

2. An apparatus comprising at least one processor and at least one memory including program code, the at least one memory and the program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to at least:
responsive to registering a first mobile computing entity to provide notifications of events of interest related to the first mobile computing entity, store a profile for the first mobile computing entity, the profile (a) identifying a unique device identifier for the first mobile computing entity, (b) identifying a wireless electronic communication protocol that enables automatic connections by and to the first mobile computing entity, (c) comprising authentication credentials that allow for automatic connections by and to the first mobile computing entity via the wireless electronic communication protocol, and (d) comprising notification preferences for a plurality of events of interest;
receive a first notification indicating the first mobile computing entity and a second mobile computing entity were in direct electronic communication with each other, wherein (a) the first mobile computing entity is configured to automatically connect to the second mobile computing entity via the wireless electronic communication protocol using the authentication credentials, (b) the first notification indicating the first mobile computing entity and the second mobile computing entity were in direct electronic communication with each other comprises a first time and a first location at which the first mobile computing entity and the second mobile computing entity were in direct electronic communication, and (c) the first location is determined by a location determining aspect of the first mobile computing entity;
responsive to receiving the first notification indicating the first mobile computing entity and the second mobile computing entity were in direct electronic communication with each other:
store the first time and the first location the first mobile computing entity and the second mobile computing entity were in direct electronic communication with each other,
determine whether the direct electronic communication between the first mobile computing entity and the second mobile computing entity is at least one of the plurality of events of interest, and
responsive to determining that the direct electronic communication between the first mobile computing entity and the second mobile computing entity is the at least one of the plurality of the events of interest, provide a second notification to an electronic destination address of a user based at least in part on the notification preferences, wherein (a) the second notification comprises information identifying the at least one of the plurality of events of interest, (b) the information of the second notification comprises at least information regarding past activities associated with the first mobile computing entity, which is derived at least from the direct electronic communication between the first mobile computing entity and the second mobile computing entity, and (c) the second notification comprises the first time and the first location at which the first mobile computing entity and the second mobile computing entity were in direct communication with each other;

receive a third notification indicating the first mobile computing entity and the second mobile computing entity were no longer in direct communication with each other; and
responsive to receiving the third notification indicating the first mobile computing entity and the second mobile computing entit

Assignees

• United parcel service america inc

Inventors

• Davidson Mark J

Classifications

• H04W4/008

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H04L63/0492

  by using a location-limited connection, e.g. near-field communication or limited proximity of entities · CPC title

• H04M2242/30

  Determination of the location of a subscriber · CPC title

• H04L67/18

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H04L43/08 Primary

  Monitoring or testing based on specific metrics, e.g. QoS, energy consumption or environmental parameters · CPC title