System and method for displaying emergency information on a user computer

• US 20020107936A1
• Filed: 12/12/2001
• Published: 08/08/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: EdgeCast Software, Inc.
• Original Assignee: EdgeCast Software, Inc.
• Inventors: Amon, Thomas C.
• Application Number:
  US10/021,141
• Publication Number:
  US 20020107936A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/217
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/016 Personal emergency signalling and security systems emergency non-personal manually actuated alarm activators G08B25/12

Abstract

The present invention may be regarded as a method for a server computer to provide emergency information to a user computer connected to a system of networked computers. The server computer on the system of networked computers receives a request for an action from the user computer over the system of networked computers. The server computer interrupts the request for the action by sending emergency information to be displayed on the user computer to the user computer over the system of networked computers.

Claims

1. A method of providing emergency information to a user computer connected to a system of networked computers, the method comprising:

receiving a first request for an action from the user computer over the system of networked computers; and

interrupting the first request for the action by sending emergency information to be displayed on the user computer to the user computer over the system of networked computers.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising sending information that is responsive to the first request for the action to the user computer over the system of networked computers.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein sending information that is responsive to the first request for the action occurs after a predetermined amount of time.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein sending information that is responsive to the first request for the action occurs after receiving a second request for an action.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the second request for the action comprises a request for additional emergency information generated in response to a user of the user computer clicking on a specified area in the emergency information displayed on the user computer.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising sending additional emergency information to be displayed on the user computer in response to the second request for the action.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first request for the action comprises a request to view a web page.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the emergency information is provided by a governmental entity.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the emergency information comprises information regarding a weather related emergency.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the emergency information comprises information regarding a computer virus.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the emergency information is provided to a plurality of user computers.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the emergency information fills an entire screen display on the user computer.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the emergency information flashes on the screen display on the user computer.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the emergency information is displayed in a color that is noticeable.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising receiving information that is responsive to the first request for the action.

17. The method of claim 12, further comprising receiving a second user request for an action.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the second request for the action is a request for additional emergency information.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

receiving the additional emergency information; and

displaying the additional emergency information.

12. A method of receiving emergency information at a user computer connected to a system of networked computers, the method comprising:

receiving a first user request for an action from a user of the user computer;

transmitting the first user request for the action to a server over the system of networked computers;

receiving emergency information in response to the first user request for the action instead of receiving information that is responsive to the first request for the action; and

displaying the emergency information on the user computer.