MASS OCCUPANT EMERGENCY NOTIFICATION SYSTEM USING SATELLITE RADIO DOWNLINK
First Claim
1. A mass occupant notification system comprising:
- an alert source for generating an alert signal containing information regarding an emergency situation;
a first communication network in communication with the alert source, the first communication network for communicating the alert signal from the alert source;
a mass occupant notification supervisory system in communication with the first communication network, the mass occupant notification supervisory system for receiving the alert signal and generating an alert message based thereon, wherein the alert message comprises audio message data and destination data, the destination data indicating a destination of the audio message data;
a second communication network in communication with the mass occupant notification supervisory system, the second communication network for communicating the alert message from the mass occupant notification supervisory system;
a satellite radio broadcast network system in communication with the second communication network, the satellite radio broadcast network system for receiving the alert message, extracting the destination data and the audio message data from the alert message, formatting the audio message data for transmission via a satellite uplink, and transmitting at least the audio message data via the satellite uplink to one or more satellite radio broadcast network satellites; and
a plurality of mass occupant notification communication units, one or more of which are operable to receive the audio message data transmitted from the satellite radio broadcast network satellites and generate an analog audio signal based on the audio message data.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A mass occupant notification (MON) system includes an alert source, a first communication network, a MON supervisory system, a second communication network, a satellite radio broadcast network (SRBN) system and a plurality of MON communication units. The alert source, such as a telephone, personal computer or emergency sensor system, generates an alert signal containing information regarding an emergency situation. The first communication network communicates the alert signal from the alert source to the MON supervisory system. The MON supervisory system receives the alert signal and generates an alert message which includes audio message data and destination data. The destination data indicates a destination of the audio message data. The audio message data may contain a voice announcement providing information or instructions regarding the emergency situation. The second communication network communicates the alert message from the MON supervisory system to the SRBN system. The SRBN system extracts the destination data and the audio message data from the alert message, formats the audio message data for transmission via a satellite uplink, and transmits the audio message data via the satellite uplink to SRBN satellites. One or more of the MON communication units receive the audio message data transmitted from the SRBN satellites and generate an analog audio signal based on the audio message data.
34 Citations
24 Claims
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1. A mass occupant notification system comprising:
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an alert source for generating an alert signal containing information regarding an emergency situation; a first communication network in communication with the alert source, the first communication network for communicating the alert signal from the alert source; a mass occupant notification supervisory system in communication with the first communication network, the mass occupant notification supervisory system for receiving the alert signal and generating an alert message based thereon, wherein the alert message comprises audio message data and destination data, the destination data indicating a destination of the audio message data; a second communication network in communication with the mass occupant notification supervisory system, the second communication network for communicating the alert message from the mass occupant notification supervisory system; a satellite radio broadcast network system in communication with the second communication network, the satellite radio broadcast network system for receiving the alert message, extracting the destination data and the audio message data from the alert message, formatting the audio message data for transmission via a satellite uplink, and transmitting at least the audio message data via the satellite uplink to one or more satellite radio broadcast network satellites; and a plurality of mass occupant notification communication units, one or more of which are operable to receive the audio message data transmitted from the satellite radio broadcast network satellites and generate an analog audio signal based on the audio message data. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A mass occupant notification communication unit comprising:
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a satellite radio receiver for receiving audio message data transmitted from one or more satellites associated with a subscription-based satellite radio broadcast network, decoding the audio message data and generating an analog alert message based on the audio message data; an encoder for receiving the analog alert message and generating digital audio data based thereon; a memory device for storing the digital audio data; a decoder for receiving the digital audio data from the memory device and generating an analog audio signal based thereon; a controller for causing the encoder to generate the digital audio data based on a control signal generated by the satellite radio receiver, and for causing the decoder to periodically generate the analog audio signal according to a timed cycle; and a high-power speaker array for amplifying the analog audio signal and emanating a sound signal based thereon.
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18. A mass occupant notification system comprising:
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means for generating an alert signal containing information regarding an emergency situation; means for communicating the alert signal via a communication network; means for receiving the alert signal from the communication network and generating an alert message based thereon, wherein the alert message comprises audio message data and destination data, the destination data indicating a destination of the audio message data; means for communicating the alert message via the communication network; a satellite radio broadcast network system for receiving the alert message from the communication network, extracting the destination data and the audio message data from the alert message, formatting the audio message data for transmission via a satellite uplink, and transmitting at least the audio message data via the satellite uplink to one or more satellite radio broadcast network satellites; and
means for receiving the audio message data transmitted from the satellite radio broadcast network satellites and generating an analog audio signal based on the audio message data. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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21. A method for mass occupant notification comprising:
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(a) generating an alert signal containing information regarding an emergency situation; (b) communicating the alert signal via a communication network; (c) generating an alert message based on the alert signal, wherein the alert message comprises audio message data and destination data, the destination data indicating a destination of the audio message data; (d) communicating the alert message via the communication network; (e) extracting the destination data and the audio message data from the alert message at a satellite radio broadcast network system; (f) formatting the audio message data for transmission via a satellite uplink; (g) transmitting at least the audio message data via the satellite uplink to one or more satellites associated with the satellite radio broadcast network; (h) receiving the audio message data transmitted from the satellite radio broadcast network satellites; and (i) generating an analog audio signal based on the audio message data.
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22. A method for remotely activating a beacon transmitter unit to transmit location information based on an activation signal received by a satellite radio receiver collocated with the beacon transmitter, the method comprising:
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(a) generating an activation message containing information for identifying the beacon transmitter unit to be activated; (b) communicating the activation message to transmission facilities associated with a satellite radio broadcast network system; (c) generating an activation signal at the satellite radio broadcast network system, the activation signal containing information for activating the beacon transmitter unit; (d) transmitting the activation signal via one or more satellites associated with the satellite radio broadcast network system; (e) receiving the activation signal at the satellite radio receiver; (f) activating the beacon transmitter unit based on the activation signal received by the satellite radio receiver; and (g) transmitting a beacon signal from the beacon transmitter unit, where the beacon signal includes the location information. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24)
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Specification