Emergency alert data delivery apparatus and methods

• US 20070136743A1
• Filed: 12/09/2005
• Published: 06/14/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Time Warner Cable Enterprises LLC (Charter Communications Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Time Warner Cable Inc. (Charter Communications Incorporated)
• Inventors: Gould, Kenneth, Hasek, Charles
• Granted Patent: US 7,592,912 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/33
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/085 using central distribution transmission lines
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/611 for multicast or broadcast systems for broadcast or conference H04L12/18; arrangements for broadcast or distribution combined with broadcast H04H20/00; arrangements for broadcast applications with a direct linkage to broadcast information or to broadcast space-time H04H60/00; selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS], H04W4/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/70 Media network packetisation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/765 intermediate
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/235 Processing of additional data, e.g. scrambling of additional data or processing content descriptors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/435 Processing of additional data, e.g. decrypting of additional data, reconstructing software from modules extracted from the transport stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/488 Data services, e.g. news ticker systems specially adapted for using meteorological information in broadcast systems H04H60/71
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6125 involving transmission via Internet transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82
• 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

Abstract

Apparatus and methods for efficiently and flexibly providing emergency alert data (e.g., EAS messages) to subscribers of a content-based network, such as for example Internet protocol television (IPTV) subscribers. In one exemplary embodiment, the apparatus includes a server performing real-time receipt and encapsulation of the EAS data (which may comprise audio, video, and/or text), transport of the EAS data to client devices over the network, and use of one or more applications running on the client devices to decode and display/present the EAS data in a manner which effectively guarantees that it will be perceived by the viewer. In one variant, instant messaging (IM) infrastructure is used to authenticate clients and receive and display at least portion of the EAS data via a separate transport process. Server and client-side apparatus adapted for EAS data receipt, decoding and display are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A system for distribution of both media content and emergency alert information over a packet-switched network, the system comprising:

a content source adapted to generate media content;

a receiver adapted to receive emergency alert information, said alert information comprising at least video and at least one of audio or text;

an emergency alert server in data communication with said receiver and adapted to generate alert data relating to said alert information, said alert data comprising at least one alert video stream;

a video streaming server in data communication with said content source; and

at least one client device in data communication with said streaming server and said alert server, said at least one client device configured to receive at least said media content from said streaming server and said emergency alert data from said alert server, and display the alert data according to a prescribed protocol, said protocol including at least temporarily tuning said client device to receive said at least one alert video stream.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said alert video stream is delivered via said video streaming server.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said alert video stream is delivered via said emergency alert server.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said packet-switched network comprises the Internet, and said system further comprises:

an instant messaging server in communication with said data server;

a web server;

an authentication server; and

a messaging client application running on said at least one client device;

said application in data communication with at least said instant messaging server and said web server.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein said client device further comprises a video player application running thereon, said video player application being configured to play at least a portion of said content, and said messaging client application displays at least a portion of said alert data.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said packet-switched network comprises an Internet Protocol (IP) transport.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein said packet-switched network comprises at least portions of an HFC cable network including at least one cable modem interposed between said streaming server and at least one client device.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein said emergency alert server is adapted to selectively transmit said alert data to a subset of subscribers of said network based at least in part on their geographic location.

9. In a packet-switched network comprising at least one multimedia server configured to send multimedia programs, at least one data server different from the said multimedia server configured to send alert data, and a plurality of client devices in direct or indirect signal communication with said servers, a method of delivering said alert data to one or more of said client devices, the method comprising:

receiving said alert data from one or more alert sources;

formatting said alert data in a format suitable for transport over the network;

delivering said alert data to said one or more client devices over said network; and

causing said client devices to;

(i) display at least a first portion of said alert data on a display devices associated with respective ones of said client devices; and

(ii) present an audio portion of said alert data in place of the audio of at least one of said multimedia programs.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein said act of causing further comprises causing said client devices to tune to one or more selected program streams carrying video signals relating to said alert data.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein said act of formatting comprises creating multiple packet formats for the same data, said packet formats being selected to meet one or more requirements associated with said plurality of client devices.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein said act of delivering is performed by using an Internet Protocol (IP) transport for said alert data different from that for said multimedia programs.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein said act of delivering for at least a portion of said alert data is performed by using an Internet Protocol (IP) transport that is the same as that for said multimedia programs.

14. The method of claim 9, further comprising authenticating one of said client devices prior to said delivering of said alert data thereto.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said act of authenticating is performed using at least an instant messaging-based authentication mechanism.

16. Consumer equipment adapted for use within an IPTV network, comprising:

a multimedia content decoder and display unit;

a computer program configured to receive and decode emergency alert data;

a computer program configured to display said decoded alert data;

a computer program configured to substantially preempt an audio portion of a multimedia program stream being decoded and displayed on said consumer equipment; and

a computer program configured to tune said consumer equipment to a second program stream containing emergency alert video content.

17. The consumer equipment of claim 16, wherein said computer program configured to receive emergency alert data comprises an instant messaging program.

18. The consumer equipment of claim 16, wherein said computer program configured to display emergency alert data comprises an instant messaging program.

19. The consumer equipment of claim 16, wherein said computer program configured to receive and decode, said computer program configured to display, and said computer program configured to substantially preempt comprise a single computer program.

20. The consumer equipment of claim 16, further comprising an RF tuner adapted to tune to at least one radio frequency channel on a cable or satellite network, said multimedia content decoder being in direct or indirect signal communication with said tuner.

21. Network server apparatus for use in an IPTV broadcast network having a plurality of client devices, the apparatus comprising:

a receiver unit configured to receive emergency alert data from incoming broadcast signals;

a formatting unit configured to process said alert data to place it in a format suitable for transmission over said IPTV network; and

a delivery unit configured to deliver said alert data on said IPTV network to said client devices.

22. The server apparatus of claim 21, wherein said delivery unit is further configured to selectively transmit said alert data to a subset of subscribers of said IPTV network based at least in part on their geographic location.

23. The server apparatus of claim 21, wherein said alert data comprises video, text, and audio alert data, and said apparatus is further configured to selectively transmit video alert data to subscribers of said IPTV network via a packet stream different than a packet stream carrying said audio and/or text alert data.

24. The server apparatus of claim 21, wherein said server apparatus is configured to generate a message to at least some of said client devices causing said client devices to forcibly tune to a designated program stream to receive at least a portion of said alert data, said at least portion comprising video alert data.

25. Apparatus capable of selectively providing emergency alert data to a plurality of client devices receiving content transmitted over a packet-switched network;

the apparatus comprising;

a processor adapted to run at least one computer program thereon, said processor further being adapted to access a storage device in data communication with said processor, said storage device storing a plurality of data relating to individual ones of said plurality of client devices; and

a computer program running on said processor and adapted to selectively cause transmission of said emergency alert data to groups of said plurality of client devices based at least in part on said plurality of data.

26. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein said plurality of data comprises information that identifies the location of cable modem units associated with respective ones of said client device.

27. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein said alert data comprises video, text, and audio alert data, and said apparatus is further configured to selectively transmit video alert data to subscribers of said packet-switched network via a packet stream different than a packet stream carrying said audio and/or text alert data.

28. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein said apparatus is configured to generate a message to at least some of said client devices causing said client devices to forcibly tune to a designated program stream to receive at least a portion of said alert data.

29. In a packet-switched network comprising at least one multimedia server configured to send multimedia programs, at least one data server configured to send alert data associated with one or more of received emergency alerts, and a plurality of client devices in direct or indirect signal communication with said servers, a method of delivering said alert data to one or more of said client devices, the method comprising:

receiving said one or more emergency alerts from said one or more alert broadcast sources;

formatting said one or more alerts into said alert data having a format suitable for transport over the packet-switched network;

delivering said one or more multimedia programs to said one or more client devices over a first transport stream associated with a first process running on said one or more client devices; and

delivering said alert data to said one or more client devices over a second transport stream different from the first and associated with a second process running on the same ones of said one or more client devices on which said first process is running.

30. A method of doing business in a content-based network comprising at least one server and a plurality of consumer premises equipment (CPE) in direct or indirect signal communication therewith, the method comprising:

providing emergency alert data services to a plurality of subscribers associated with respective ones of said plurality of CPE;

causing each of said CPE to possess an identifying parameter;

receiving emergency alert data to be delivered to one or more of said CPE;

delivering said emergency alert data to subscribers; and

selectively providing related services to one or more of said subscribers, said act of selectively providing being based at least in part on said identifying parameter.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein said content-based network comprises an IPTV network, said IPTV network being comprised of at least portions of an HFC cable or satellite network.

32. The method of claim 30, wherein said content-based network comprises at least an IP transport mechanism, and said direct or indirect communication comprises data communication via a cable modem of an HFC network.

33. The method of claim 30, wherein said act of CPE comprises a cable modem, and said act of delivering is performed using an IP-based transport mechanism via said cable modem.

34. The method of claim 30, wherein said related services are contextually related to at least one aspect of the content of said alert data, and said act of selectively providing is performed using an IP-based transport mechanism via said cable modem.

35. In a content-based network having a server and a client device in data communication therewith, a method of providing primary content, emergency-related secondary content, and contextually-related tertiary content to users of said network, said method comprising:

delivering said primary content to said client device;

delivering said secondary content to said client device;

accessing a descriptive data file associated with said secondary content in order to obtain descriptive data therefrom, said descriptive data relating to at least one aspect of said emergency-related content;

providing said descriptive data to a processing entity to identify contextually related tertiary content;

transmitting said secondary and tertiary content to said consumer premises device over a network; and

selectively displaying said primary content and at least one of said secondary and tertiary content on a display device associated with said client device.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein said act of displaying comprises displaying said secondary and tertiary content in a common display window generated by a software application adapted for playing audiovisual content.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein:

said act of displaying further comprises displaying said tertiary content immediately following the completion of the display of said secondary content; and

said tertiary content comprises substantially textual links to other information.