Television signal receiver capable of receiving updated information associated with an emergency alert function

• US 20060156332A1
• Filed: 06/10/2003
• Published: 07/13/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Thomson Licensing SA (Vantiva SA)
• Original Assignee: Thomson Licensing SA (Vantiva SA)
• Inventors: Kendall, Scott Allan
• Application Number:
  US10/518,998
• Publication Number:
  US 20060156332A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/33
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/085 using central distribution transmission lines
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 27/008 with transmission via TV or radio broadcast
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/59 for emergency or urgency
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/93 which locates resources of other pieces of information, e.g. URL [Uniform Resource Locator]
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 40/27 specially adapted for broadcast systems covered by groups H04H20/53 - H04H20/95
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/25 Arrangements for updating broadcast information or broadcast-related information
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/27 Arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/41 for identifying broadcast space, i.e. broadcast channels, broadcast stations or broadcast areas
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/70 using geographical information, e.g. maps, charts or atlases
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4383 Accessing a communication channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4622 Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/485 End-user interface for client configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8133 specifically related to the content, e.g. biography of the actors in a movie, detailed information about an article seen in a video program
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/445 for displaying additional information H04N5/50 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/50 Tuning indicators; Automatic tuning control
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/60 for the sound signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/08 Systems for the simultaneous or sequential transmission of more than one television signal, e.g. additional information signals, the signals occupying wholly or partially the same frequency band , e.g. by time division H04N7/007 takes precedence

Abstract

A television signal receiver receives and stores updated information associated with an emergency alert function, such as geographical area information and/or transmission frequency information. According to an exemplary embodiment, the television signal receiver includes a tuner operative to tune a frequency including emergency alert signals indicating an emergency event, and a memory operative to receive and store updated information associated with the emergency alert function.

Claims

1. A television signal receiver having an emergency alert function, comprising:

a tuner operative to tune a frequency including emergency alert signals indicating an emergency event; and

a memory operative to receive and store updated information associated with the emergency alert function.

2. The television signal receiver of claim 1, wherein the updated information comprises geographical area information.

3. The television signal receiver of claim 2, wherein the geographical area information comprises a FIPS location code.

4. The television signal receiver of claim 1, wherein the updated information comprises transmission frequency information.

5. The television signal receiver of claim 1, wherein the updated information is provided via a website.

6. The television signal receiver of claim 5, further comprising a processor operative to automatically enable a connection to the website responsive to the emergency alert signals.

7. The television signal receiver of claim 6, wherein the processor is further operative to enable an alert output responsive to the emergency alert signals.

8. The television signal receiver of claim 5, wherein the emergency alert signals include hyperlink data that enables access to the website.

9. The television signal receiver of claim 1, wherein the updated information is automatically provided on a periodic basis.

10. The television signal receiver of claim 1, wherein the updated information is used to setup the emergency alert function.

11. A television signal receiver having an emergency alert function, comprising:

tuning means for tuning a frequency including emergency alert signals indicating an emergency event; and

memory means for receiving and storing updated information associated with the emergency alert function.

12. The television signal receiver of claim 11, wherein the updated information comprises geographical area information.

13. The television signal receiver of claim 12, wherein the geographical area information comprises a FIPS location code.

14. The television signal receiver of claim 11, wherein the updated information comprises transmission frequency information.

15. The television signal receiver of claim 11, wherein the updated information is provided via a website.

16. The television signal receiver of claim 15, further comprising processing means for automatically enabling a connection to the website responsive to the emergency alert signals.

17. The television signal receiver of claim 16, wherein the processing means further enables an alert output responsive to the emergency alert signals.

18. The television signal receiver of claim 15, wherein the emergency alert signals include hyperlink data that enables access to the website.

19. The television signal receiver of claim 11, wherein the updated information is automatically provided on a periodic basis.

20. The television signal receiver of claim 11, wherein the updated information is used to setup the emergency alert function.

21. A method for controlling a television signal receiver having an emergency alert function, comprising:

tuning a frequency including emergency alert signals indicating an emergency event; and

receiving and storing updated information associated with the emergency alert function.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the updated information comprises geographical area information.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the geographical area information comprises a FIPS location code.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein the updated information comprises transmission frequency information.

25. The method of claim 21, wherein the updated information is provided via a website.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the television signal receiver is automatically connected to the website responsive to the emergency alert signals.

27. The method of claim 26, further comprised of providing an alert output responsive to the emergency alert signals.

28. The method of claim 25, wherein the emergency alert signals include hyperlink data that enables access to the website.

29. The method of claim 21, wherein the updated information is automatically provided on a periodic basis.

30. The method of claim 21, further comprised of enabling use of the updated information to setup the emergency alert function.