Alert system and personal apparatus

• US 20060040639A1
• Filed: 08/15/2005
• Published: 02/23/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/23/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Maurice W Karl
• Original Assignee: Purple Tree Technologies Incorporated
• Inventors: Karl, Maurice W., Bryan, Joshua A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,616,942 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/404.100
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 27/006 with transmission via telephone network
• 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 72/30 Resource management for broadcast services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/50 for emergency connections

Abstract

An alert system and apparatus for an emergency alert system is provided to disseminate emergency information to the public utilizing a universal paging system through a personal alert device such as a cellular telephone, pager, PDA or E-FOB. The alert system utilizes an emergency alert system signal from the NOAA alert system to broadcast the alert message to cellular devices in a specified alert area. The broadcast message provides information related to the alert level. The E-FOB may be a passive device which is activated by a NOAA alert signal and then listens for a cellular message. If the E-FOB is within the alert area, the E-FOB provides information to the user. If the E-FOB is not within the alert area, the E-FOB returns to a passive state.

Claims

1. A method of disseminating emergency information comprising the steps of:

receiving transmission information from an authorized agency indicative of an emergency event at a specified location,

extracting said emergency event and location information,

identifying the nature of said emergency event and identifying the telecommunication towers corresponding to a predetermined area around said specified location,

formatting a message indicative of the nature of said emergency event for transmission by said telecommunication towers, and

broadcasting said message via said telecommunication towers.

2. The method as set forth in claim 1 further comprising the step of approving broadcast of said message.

3. The method as set forth in claim 2 further comprising a redundant approval step activated upon delay or failure of said approving step.

4. The method as set forth in claim 2 further comprising prompting an operator for approval of the broadcast of said message.

5. The method as set forth in claim 1 further comprising the step of querying a cell tower database for cell tower location information.

6. The method as set forth in claim 1 further comprising the step of providing said formatted message indicative of the nature of said emergency event to a cellular network provider.

7. The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said transmission information includes an initiating organization code, an emergency event code, a geographic location code, a time period code, and/or a date of alert code.

8. The method as set forth in claim 1 further comprising querying a cell tower database to identify cellular towers within the geographic location of the emergency event.

9. The method as set forth in claim 1 further comprising transmitting said formatted message to one or more cellular network providers for broadcasting over a network connection.

10. The method as set forth in claim 1 further comprising broadcasting said message via a satellite communications network.

11. An emergency alert system responsive to an emergency event received from an authorized agency comprising:

a receiver for receiving emergency event information from the authorized agency, said receiver generating an alert code and identifying telecommunication towers within an affected area of said emergency event,

a message dispatch center responsive to receipt of said alert code and telecommunication tower identification and formatting said information for transmission by a cellular network service provider, and

said cellular network service provider responsive to receipt of said formatted information to broadcast said message from said identified telecommunication towers.

12. The emergency alert system as set forth in claim 11 further comprising a database for storing telecommunication tower location information, said receiver querying said database with said location information to identify said telecommunication towers.

13. The emergency alert system as set forth in claim 11 wherein emergency event information includes an initiating organization code, an emergency event code, a geographic location code, a time period code, and/or a date of alert code.

14. The emergency alert system as set forth in claim 11 further comprising a second message dispatch center responsive to receipt of said alert code and telecommunication tower identification and formatting said information for transmission by a cellular network service provider upon failure of said message dispatch center.

15. An electronic warning receiver comprising:

an antenna for receiving a broadcast warning message,

a receiver connected to said antenna for decoding said broadcast warning message,

a power supply controller for applying power to the electronic warning receiver, and

a microprocessor connected to said receiver and responsive to said decoded message to activate indicia indicative of the warning message received.

16. The electronic warning receiver as set forth in claim 15 wherein said indicia includes a text message.

17. The electronic warning receiver as set forth in claim 15 wherein said indicia includes one or more LEDs to indicate a warning level.

18. The electronic warning receiver as set forth in claim 15 wherein said indicia includes an audible alarm.

19. The electronic warning receiver as set forth in claim 15 wherein said indicia includes a tactile alarm.

20. The electronic warning receiver as set forth in claim 15 further comprising a wakeup antenna for receiving an activation signal from an authorized agency, a wakeup receiver responsive to a wakeup signal received from said wakeup antenna and decoding said wakeup signal, a monitor circuit responsive to said decoded wakeup signal to activate said power supply controller to apply power to said microprocessor.

21. The electronic warning receiver as set forth in claim 20 wherein said power supply controller is activated for a predetermined period of time.