Distance check for television signal receiver having an emergency alert function

• US 20060156333A1
• Filed: 06/26/2003
• Published: 07/13/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Thomson Licensing SA (Vantiva SA)
• Original Assignee: Thomson Licensing (Vantiva SA)
• Inventors: Kendall, Scott Allan
• Application Number:
  US10/519,043
• Publication Number:
  US 20060156333A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/33
• 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 40/27 specially adapted for broadcast systems covered by groups H04H20/53 - H04H20/95
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/70 using geographical information, e.g. maps, charts or atlases
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/485 End-user interface for client configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4882 for displaying messages, e.g. warnings, reminders arrangements for providing short real-time information to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1895
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/814 comprising emergency warnings arrangements specially adapted for emergency or urgency in broadcast systems H04H20/59; arrangements for providing alarms, notifications, alerts to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1895
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/44 Receiver circuitry for the reception of television signals according to analogue transmission standards H04N5/14 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 having an emergency alert function is capable of checking a distance between a reference point and a point associated with a geographical area selected by a user during a setup process for the emergency alert function. According to an exemplary embodiment, the television signal receiver includes a memory Operative to store data associated with the emergency alert function. A processor is operative to receive an input representing a geographical area, and to enable a predetermined output responsive to the input using the data in the memory when a distance between a reference point and a point associated with the geographical area exceeds a predetermined distance.

Claims

1. A method for controlling a television signal receiver having an emergency alert function with an associated setup process, said setup process comprising:

receiving an input representing a geographical area; and

providing a predetermined output when a distance between a reference point and a predetermined point associated with said geographical area exceeds a predetermined distance.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said geographical area is represented by a FIPS location code.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said reference point is a point associated with another geographical area.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said reference point is a center point of said other geographical area.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said reference point corresponds to a location of a transmitter which transmits emergency alert signals.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said predetermined distance corresponds to a transmission range of said transmitter.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said predetermined point associated with said geographical area is a center point of said geographical area.

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

a memory operative to store data associated with said emergency alert function; and

a processor operative to receive an input representing a geographical area, and to enable a predetermined output responsive to said input using said data in said memory when a distance between a reference point and a point associated with said geographical area exceeds a predetermined distance.

9. The television signal receiver of claim 8, wherein said geographical area is represented by a FIPS location code.

10. The television signal receiver of claim 8, wherein said reference point is a point associated with another geographical area.

11. The television signal receiver of claim 10, wherein said reference point is a center point of said other geographical area.

12. The television signal receiver of claim 8, wherein said reference point corresponds to a location of a transmitter which transmits emergency alert signals.

13. The television signal receiver of claim 12, wherein said predetermined distance corresponds to a transmission range of said transmitter.

14. The television signal receiver of claim 8, wherein said predetermined point associated with said geographical area is a center point of said geographical area.

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

memory means for storing data associated with said emergency alert function; and

processing means for receiving an input representing a geographical area, and enabling a predetermined output responsive to said input using said data in said memory means when a distance between a reference point and a point associated with said geographical area exceeds a predetermined distance.

16. The television signal receiver of claim 15, wherein said geographical area is represented by a FIPS location code.

17. The television signal receiver of claim 15, wherein said reference point is a point associated with another geographical area.

18. The television signal receiver of claim 17, wherein said reference point is a center point of said other geographical area.

19. The television signal receiver of claim 15, wherein said reference point corresponds to a location of a transmitter which transmits emergency alert signals.

20. The television signal receiver of claim 19, wherein said predetermined distance corresponds to a transmission range of said transmitter.

21. The television signal receiver of claim 15, wherein said predetermined point associated with said geographical area is a center point of said geographical area.