Cellular base station broadcast method and system

• US 20040203562A1
• Filed: 04/18/2002
• Published: 10/14/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Kolsrud, Arild
• Granted Patent: US 7,039,386 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/404.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/59 for emergency or urgency
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/189 in combination with wireless systems selective distribution or broadcast in wireless communication networks H04W4/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1895 for short real-time information, e.g. alarms, notifications, alerts, updates
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/06 Selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS]; Services to user groups; One-way selective calling services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/90 Services for handling of emergency or hazardous situations, e.g. earthquake and tsunami warning systems [ETWS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/12 using downlink control channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/50 for emergency connections

Abstract

In the method, an emergency broadcast station receives report of an impending or current disaster-related situation from a local authority. The geographic area to be affected by the impending or current disaster-related situation is served by an existing communication system, such as a cellular network. The emergency broadcast station generates a signal representing an emergency broadcast message that contains a frequency of an accessible main emergency channel at the emergency broadcast station, and a priority level classifying the emergent or impending disaster-related situation. The signal is transmitted to one or base stations, each serving a plurality of users of the system, which in turn send the signal to the users. The users tune to the frequency of the channel to receive the emergency broadcast message.

Claims

1. A method of distributing emergency warning messages from a broadcast station in a communication system, comprising:

generating an emergency broadcast message of a current or impending disaster from the broadcast station; and

transmitting an emergency information signal representing the emergency broadcast message to at least one base station, the emergency information signal containing a frequency of an accessible main emergency channel at the station.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting a signal containing the emergency information to users served by the at least one base station.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said transmitting includes transmitting at least one or more priority levels indicating the severity of the current or impending disaster, said at least one or more priority levels included in the transmitted emergency information signal.

4. A method of distributing signals representing emergency warning messages in a communication system, comprising:

receiving an emergency information signal representing an emergency broadcast message of a current or impending disaster, at a base station; and

transmitting a signal to users served by the base station, the signal containing a frequency of an accessible main emergency channel.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising tuning to the frequency to receive the emergency broadcast message.

6. The method of claim 4, said receiving including receiving the emergency information signal from an emergency broadcast station that generates the emergency broadcast message on the accessible main emergency channel.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein said transmitting a signal includes transmitting at least one or more priority levels indicating the severity of the current or impending disaster, said at least one or more priority levels included in the transmitted signal.

8. A method of receiving emergency warning messages at one or more mobile stations in a communication system, comprising:

receiving a signal representing an emergency broadcast message of a current or impending disaster, the signal containing a frequency of an accessible main emergency channel; and

tuning to the frequency to receive the emergency broadcast message.

9. The method of claim 8, said receiving including receiving the signal from a base station serving the mobile stations.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the signal also includes at least one or more priority levels indicating the severity of the current or impending disaster.

11. A method of receiving emergency warning messages at one or more mobile stations in a communication system, comprising:

receiving a signal representing an emergency broadcast message of a current or impending disaster, the signal containing at least one or more priority levels indicating the severity of the current or impending disaster; and

handling the signal differently depending on the severity of the received priority level.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein said handling includes emitting a warning signal to a subscriber of a mobile station that corresponds to a particular priority level.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said emitting includes beeping gently at lower priority levels, and interrupting a current conversation at the mobile station, emitting a louder beep or displaying an urgent text message at higher priority levels.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein said receiving includes receiving a frequency of an accessible main emergency channel that is included in the signal;

and

tuning to the frequency to receive the emergency broadcast message.

15. The method of claim 14,

wherein said at least one or more mobile stations are mobile cellular phones, and

wherein said handling includes downloading a text message of the frequency and priority level, and beeping when the mobile cellular phone is on standby.