GB2539288A

GB2539288A - Notification communications systems

Info

Publication number: GB2539288A
Application number: GB1519045.7A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Ioan Costin Serban
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2015-06-12
Filing date: 2015-10-28
Publication date: 2016-12-14
Also published as: GB201510253D0; GB201519045D0

Abstract

A notification communications system receives penalty charge notice (PCN) data 36, that may relate to a parking violation, speeding, or driving offence, within a predetermined period, compares the PCN data against registered user data 30 to identify those users that have been issued with a PCN, and generates respective notifications for the relevant users that are transmitted from a communications unit 14 via a network 20. The notifications may be transmitted as an SMS message or email. PCN data may be received via the network from an electronic PCN data provider such as a local government authority that issued the PCN. The notification may be transmitted within a set period following receipt of the PCN data. The transmission of notifications may be repeated. The notification may be generated only when at least a sub-set of the respective registered user data, such as a vehicle or V5 registration number, has been verified by a certifying authority. A verification request may be periodically issued.

Description

Notification Communications Systems

Field of the Invention

The invention relates to notification communications systems

Background to the Invention

Penalty charge notices (PCNs) may be issued by authorities, such as local government authorities, for parking violations, speeding, driving in lanes reserved for particular vehicles (for example buses or taxis) and the like. In the case of notices issued for parking violations, the PCN may be stuck directly onto the vehicle. However, for offences that are caught on camera, the PCN is usually mailed to the address of the registered keeper of the vehicle. Problems may arise if the person to whom the PCN is addressed does not receive the PCN, or receives it late. For example, additional penalties may arise as a result of late or non-payment of the original penalty and if there is the possibility of an appeal against the PCN, the opportunity to obtain and conserve evidence may be lost.

Summary of the Invention

The invention provides a notification communications system as specified in claim 1

Brief Description of the Drawings

In order that the invention may be well understood, an example thereof, which are given by way of example only, will now be described with reference to the drawing in which: Figure 1 is schematic representation of a notification communications system.

Detailed Description of the Illustrated Example

Referring to Figure 1, a notification communications system 10 comprises a processing unit 12 and a communications unit 14. The processing unit 12 may comprise one or more suitable processors 16 and memory 18. The memory 18 may comprise non-volatile memory, such as one or more hard disks, and volatile memory such as RAM, dRAM, flash memory or the like. In some examples, the notification communications system 10 may be embodied in one or more server(s) or a similar such computing device(s). In some examples, such a server may be connected with external memory 18' or an external communications unit 14'.

The communications unit 14 is configured to connect with a telecommunications network 20. The communications unit 14 may communicate with the telecommunications network 20 via a modem, firewall, networking switch, router or similar such network device, all of which may be integral with the communications unit or be an external device(s) suitably connected with the communications unit. The telecommunications network 20 may comprise one or more of the internet, a telecommunications landline and a cellular wireless network.

The notification communications system 10 may be provided with a human 1/0 device 22. The 1/0 interface 22 may comprise a display and keyboard, touch screen, microphone or other suitable known device by which a human can input commands and the like to an electronic computing device. The notification communications system 10 may also comprise a data I/0 interface 24 to enable the input or output of electronic data from suitable storage media. The data I/O interface unit 24 may comprise one or more USB port(s), card reader slot(s), digital tape unit(s) or CD/DVD reader(s).

In addition to operating and applications software/drivers provided to enable operation of the hardware of the notification communications system 10, the processing unit 12 may be provided with suitable software 26 to operate a PCN notification process that runs on the notifications communications system. The software 26 may stored in the memory 18.

In use, users are registered and unique registered user data 30 is generated to identify each registered user. The registered user data may be input manually via the human I/0 interface 22, input via the data I/O interface 24 or uploaded via the telecommunications network 20 and communications unit 14. The registered user data 30 is held in a registered user database 32, which may be stored in the memory 18. The registered user data 30 may comprise a user's name, postal address, email address, mobile telephone number and vehicle registration number and V5 registration number. In some cases, for example, if the registered user is a fleet owner, the registered user data may comprise multiple vehicle registration numbers and V5 registration numbers. In some examples, the registered user data 30 may include a password or other certification data to allow a registered user to update the registered user data. The certification data may relate to a digital certificate that can be loaded onto the registered user's computing device or be embodied in a smartcard supplied to the register user. Providing registered users with secured access to their own registered user data may be considered desirable to enable speedy updating of email and telephone numbers to ensure that the registered user database is maintained with current data The processing unit 12 receives PCN data 36 from a relevant authority. The PCN data 36 may relate to a predetermined period, for example a previous 24 hour period. The PCN data 36 may be transmitted over the telecommunications network 20 or supplied on suitable storage media, for example a digital tape, USB stick or CD/DVD.

The transmission of the PCN data over the telecommunications network 20 may be automated. The PCN authority may operate a computer system configured to transmit the PCN data at predetermined intervals. Alternatively, the notification communications system may be configured to transmit data send requests to the PCN authority's computing system to trigger an automated data transmission or a human intervention to transmit the requested data In other examples, a human operator may send a request for transmission of the PCN data to the PCN authority. In still further examples, one or more human operators may have secured access, for example by means of a digital certificate held on the notification communications system or a smartcard, to enable access to specific PCN data that can be downloaded from the PCN's computer system to the notification communications system 10.

The software 26 configures the processing system 12 to analyse the PCN data 36 and assign the individual PCNs it contains to relevant registered users. The processing system 12 is further configured to cause the communications unit 14 to send out notifications to those registered users that have been issued with a PCN. The notification may take the form of one or more of an SMS and an email. The notification may contain differing levels of detail and in some examples may contain all of the information contained in the paper notification issued by the PCN issuing authority. In other examples, the notification may just contain an indication that a notification has issued and information on how to access more complete and detailed information by logging into the notification communications system 10 or the PCN authority's own computer system. The processing system 12 may be further configured to cause the communications unit 14 to make repeat transmissions of notifications on subsequent days so that the registered user receives one or more reminders.

The notification communications system 10 makes it possible to provide registered users with PCN notifications within a set period following the issue of notifications, for example 24 hours. Thus the problem of delays or losses in the postal service should at least be mitigated. A further possible benefit of the notifications communications system is that if the registered user's postal address has changed, the electronic notifications provided should still be received as the 'address' to which emails and text messages are sent will typically be unaffected by such a change.

Where the registered user is a fleet owner and keeps records of which drivers are assigned to particular vehicles, this will enable the fleet owner to monitor the driving behaviour of its drivers. Similarly, if a registered user happens to be away from their postal address, for example travelling abroad, the electronic notification(s) should still be received. Reminders can readily be sent. The possibility of sending notifications and reminders by more than one electronic route, makes it considerably less likely the registered user will not receive a notification or reminder.

In some examples, a PCN authority may have secured access to the notification communications system 10 to enable the uploading of PCN data For this purpose, the PCN authority may be issued with a digital certificate(s) or smart card(s) that allow access to the notification communications system Secured access to the notification communications system 10 may be useful to a PCN authority in providing evidence in the event a registered user appeals the issue of a PCN on the basis of nondelivery.

In some examples, items of registered user data may be sent to a certifying authority for verification. For example, in the United Kingdom, the certifying authority may be Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) and the data sent for verification may be the vehicle registration number and V5 registration number for a particular vehicle.

The processing unit 12 is preferably configured such that it will not issue notifications to a registered user until the data sent to the certifying authority has been verified.

In some examples, the registered user data is subjected to periodic verification by the certifying authority. Thus, for example, in the United Kingdom, all of the vehicle registration numbers and V5 registration numbers in the registered user database 32 may be sent to the DVLA for verification. In the event there is no longer a match between the vehicle registration number and the V5 registration number for the particular vehicle associated with that data in the registered user database 32, notifications of PCNs issued to that vehicle may be suspended pending clarification from the registered user. The verification process may be manual, semi-automated or entirely automated in analogous fashion to the acquisition of the PCN data described above. That is, for example, requests for verification may be sent manually by a human using the notifications and communications system 10 and replies sent by a human operator at the certifying authority or the notifications and communications system may be configured to send out verification requests automatically and receive and process responses generated automatically by an automated processing system operated by the certifying authority.

Claims

Claims 1. A notification communications system comprising: a processing unit configured to receive PCN notice data containing details of PCNs issued within a predetermined period, compare said PCN notice data with registered user data to identify registered users that have been issued with a PCN during the predetermined period and generate respective notifications for said registered users; and a communications unit configured to transmit said notifications to the respective registered users via a telecommunications network.
2. A notification communications system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said communications unit is configured to transmit said notifications as at least one of: 1) an SMS message, and 2) an email.
3. A notification communications system as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein said communications unit is configured to receive said PCN notice data via said telecommunications network.
4. A notification communications system as claimed in claim 3, wherein said processing unit is configured to cause said communications unit to communicate with an electronic PCN notice data provider to cause said electronic PCN notice data provider to transmit said PCN notice data to the communications unit.
5. A notification communications system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein said predetermined period is a 24 hour period.
6. A notification communications system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein said processing system is configured to cause said communications unit to transmit said notifications within a set period following receipt of said PCN notice data.
7. A notification communications system as claimed in claim 6, wherein said set period is 24 hours.
8. A notification communications system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein said processing unit is configured to cause said communications unit to repeat transmission of said notifications a set time after the first transmission of said notifications.
9. A notification communications system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein said processing unit is configured to generate a notification for a registered user only when at least a sub-set of the respective registered user data has been verified by a certifying authority.
10. A notification and communications system as claimed in claim 9, wherein said processing unit is configured to periodically issue a verification request for at least the respective sub-set of registered user data of all registered users.
11. A notification and communications system as claimed in claim 9 or 10, wherein said sub-set comprises a vehicle registration number and VS registration 20 number.
12. A notification communications system substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the drawings.