SYSTEM FOR CONTROLLING THE OPERATION OF WIRELESS MULTICASTING SYSTEMS TO DISTRIBUTE AN ALARM INDICATION TO A DYNAMICALLY CONFIGURED COVERAGE AREA

• US 20090325536A1
• Filed: 06/30/2008
• Published: 12/31/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Emergency Alerts Innovations LLC
• Original Assignee: Lava Three LLC
• Inventors: McKenna, Daniel B., Graziano, James M.
• Granted Patent: US 8,391,826 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/404.1
• 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 76/50 for emergency connections

Abstract

The present Reverse 911 Alarm System implements a central alarm distribution site that is capable of generating an alarm indication to warn individuals of a hazard and propagating the alarm indication to selected individuals via their wireless subscriber devices by the use of wireless multicasting in the existing cellular communication network and/or wireless-based Local Area Networks which are operational in the coverage area of the hazard. The central alarm distribution site dynamically selects the wireless coverage area to encompass the present extent of the hazard and can also provide advanced warning to individuals located in an area that extends beyond the present hazard extent area. The present Reverse 911 Alarm System thereby integrates the operation of the wireless communication network with the 911 and Reverse 911 services to provide efficient and comprehensive distribution of alarm indications to the individuals who are impacted by an emergency situation.

Claims

1. A Reverse 911 Alarm System for transmitting an alarm indication to individuals served by at least one wireless communication network, each of said wireless communication networks serving an associated plurality of wireless communication devices, each of said wireless communication devices being capable of generating a human sensible output to warn individuals who use said wireless communication devices of a hazard condition, comprising:

alarm controller means, responsive to receipt of alarm data indicative of the presence of a hazard condition, for generating at least one alarm indication; and

alarm indication communication means, communicatively connected to said at least one wireless communication network, for transmitting at least one of said alarm indications via selected ones of said plurality of wireless communication networks to said associated plurality of wireless communication devices to generate human sensible output to warn said individuals who use said wireless communication devices of said hazard condition.

2. The Reverse 911 Alarm System of claim 1, further comprising:

hazard coverage area determination means for dynamically defining a coverage area indicative of a geographical extent of said hazard condition.

3. The Reverse 911 Alarm System of claim 2, further comprising:

alarm indication coverage area determination means for dynamically defining a geographical area for distribution of said at least one alarm indication, wherein said geographical area for distribution of said at least one alarm indication is coextensive with said geographical extent of said hazard condition.

4. The Reverse 911 Alarm System of claim 3, further comprising:

wireless communication network selection means for dynamically selecting at least one of said plurality of wireless communication networks, located in said geographical area for distribution of said at least one alarm indication, for receipt of said at least one alarm indication.

5. The Reverse 911 Alarm System of claim 4, further comprising:

destination specific alarm means for generating a plurality of alarm indications, each specific in content to at least one of;

mode of transmission, target set of individuals to receive said alarm indication, relationship among target sets of individuals to receive said alarm indication, and coverage area targeted;

hierarchical coverage means for distributing said plurality of alarm indications in a time-ordered and coverage area specific manner; and

alarm system control means for transmitting said alarm indications to said selected wireless communication networks to activate said plurality of wireless communication devices.

6. The Reverse 911 Alarm System of claim 2, further comprising:

alarm indication coverage area determination means for dynamically defining a geographical area for distribution of said alarm indication, wherein said geographical area for distribution of said alarm indication is not coextensive with said geographical extent of said hazard condition.

7. The Reverse 911 Alarm System of claim 6, further comprising:

alarm system selection means for dynamically selecting at least one of said plurality of wireless communication networks, located in said geographical area for distribution of said at least one alarm indication, for receipt of said at least one alarm indication.

8. The Reverse 911 Alarm System of claim 7, further comprising:

destination specific alarm means for generating a plurality of alarm indications, each specific in content to at least one of;

mode of transmission, target set of individuals to receive said alarm indication, relationship among target sets of individuals to receive said alarm indication, and coverage area targeted;

hierarchical coverage means for distributing said plurality of alarm indications in a time-ordered and coverage area specific manner; and

alarm system control means for transmitting said alarm indications to said selected wireless communication networks to activate said plurality of wireless communication devices.

9. The Reverse 911 Alarm System of claim 2 wherein said alarm controller means is responsive to receipt from at least one of said alarm systems of alarm data indicative of the presence of a hazard condition, for generating at least one alarm indication.

10. The Reverse 911 Alarm System of claim 2, further comprising:

operator interface means for enabling a human operator to input alarm data indicative of the presence of a hazard condition; and

wherein said alarm controller means is responsive to receipt of said human operator input alarm data indicative of the presence of a hazard condition, for generating at least one alarm indication.

11. The Reverse 911 Alarm System of claim 1 wherein said at least one wireless communication network comprises at least one cell site which implements a multicast to a plurality of wireless subscriber devices which are extant in a coverage area of said cell site, said Reverse 911 Alarm System further comprises:

multicast control means for transmitting said alarm indication to cell site controllers which are associated with said at least one cell site to initiate said multicast to said plurality of wireless subscriber devices.

12. The Reverse 911 Alarm System of claim 11, further comprising:

at least one unidirectional forward broadcast path that extends from said cell site to said plurality of wireless subscriber devices for transmitting said alarm indications to said individuals who are equipped with said wireless subscriber devices.

13. The Reverse 911 Alarm System of claim 12, further comprising:

a reverse path from said wireless subscriber devices to said cell site for transmitting feedback data from said wireless subscriber devices to said Reverse 911 Alarm System.

14. The Reverse 911 Alarm System of claim 1 wherein said at least one wireless communication network comprises at least one fixed site wireless network of the class of wireless networks which include WiMax and WiFi that serve a plurality of wireless subscriber devices which are extant in a coverage area of said fixed site wireless network, said Reverse 911 Alarm System further comprises:

message control means for transmitting said alarm indication to fixed site wireless network controllers which are associated with said at least one fixed site wireless network to initiate transmission of said alarm indication to said plurality of wireless subscriber devices.

15. The Reverse 911 Alarm System of claim 14, further comprising:

at least one unidirectional forward broadcast path that extends from said fixed site wireless network to said plurality of wireless subscriber devices for transmitting said alarm indications to said individuals who are equipped with said wireless subscriber devices.

16. The Reverse 911 Alarm System of claim 15, further comprising:

a reverse path from said wireless subscriber devices to said fixed site wireless network for transmitting feedback data from said wireless subscriber devices to said Reverse 911 Alarm System.

30. The method of operating a Reverse 911 Alarm System of claim 1 wherein said at least one wireless communication network comprises at least one fixed site wireless network of the class of wireless networks which include WiMax, WiFi, that serve a plurality of wireless subscriber devices which are extant in a coverage area of said fixed site wireless network, said method of operating a Reverse 911 Alarm System further comprises:

transmitting said alarm indication to fixed site wireless network controllers which are associated with said at least one fixed site wireless network to initiate transmission of said alarm indication to said plurality of wireless subscriber devices.

31. The method of operating a Reverse 911 Alarm System of claim 30, further comprising:

transmitting, over at least one unidirectional forward broadcast path that extends from said fixed site wireless network to said plurality of wireless subscriber devices, said alarm indications to said individuals who are equipped with said wireless subscriber devices.

32. The method of operating a Reverse 911 Alarm System of claim 31, further comprising:

transmitting, over a reverse path from said wireless subscriber devices to said fixed site wireless network, feedback data from said wireless subscriber devices to said Reverse 911 Alarm System.

17. A method of operating a Reverse 911 Alarm System for transmitting an alarm indication to individuals served by at least one wireless communication network, each of said wireless communication networks serving an associated plurality of wireless communication devices, each of said wireless communication devices being capable of generating a human sensible output to warn individuals who use said wireless communication devices of a hazard condition, comprising:

generating, in response to receipt of alarm data indicative of the presence of a hazard condition, at least one alarm indication; and

transmitting, from an alarm indication communication apparatus which is communicatively connected to said at least one wireless communication network, at least one of said alarm indications via selected ones of said plurality of wireless communication networks to said associated plurality of wireless communication devices to generate human sensible output to warn said individuals who use said wireless communication devices of said hazard condition.

18. The method of operating a Reverse 911 Alarm System of claim 17, further comprising:

dynamically defining a coverage area indicative of a geographical extent of said hazard condition.

19. The method of operating a Reverse 911 Alarm System of claim 18, further comprising:

dynamically defining a geographical area for distribution of said at least one alarm indication, wherein said geographical area for distribution of said at least one alarm indication is coextensive with said geographical extent of said hazard condition.

20. The method of operating a Reverse 911 Alarm System of claim 19, further comprising:

dynamically selecting at least one of said plurality of wireless communication networks, located in said geographical area for distribution of said at least one alarm indication, for receipt of said at least one alarm indication.

21. The method of operating a Reverse 911 Alarm System of claim 20, further comprising:

generating a plurality of alarm indications, each specific in content to at least one of;

mode of transmission, target set of individuals to receive said alarm indication, relationship among target sets of individuals to receive said alarm indication, and coverage area targeted;

hierarchically distributing said plurality of alarm indications in a time-ordered and coverage area specific manner; and

transmitting said alarm indications to said selected wireless communication networks to activate said plurality of wireless communication devices.

22. The method of operating a Reverse 911 Alarm System of claim 18, further comprising:

dynamically defining a geographical area for distribution of said alarm indication, wherein said geographical area for distribution of said alarm indication is not coextensive with said geographical extent of said hazard condition.

23. The method of operating a Reverse 911 Alarm System of claim 22, further comprising:

dynamically selecting at least one of said plurality of wireless communication networks, located in said geographical area for distribution of said at least one alarm indication, for receipt of said at least one alarm indication.

24. The method of operating a Reverse 911 Alarm System of claim 23, further comprising:

generating a plurality of alarm indications, each specific in content to at least one of;

mode of transmission, target set of individuals to receive said alarm indication, relationship among target sets of individuals to receive said alarm indication, and coverage area targeted;

hierarchically distributing said plurality of alarm indications in a time-ordered and coverage area specific manner; and

transmitting said alarm indications to said selected wireless communication networks to activate said plurality of wireless communication devices.

25. The method of operating a Reverse 911 Alarm System of claim 18 wherein said step of generating is responsive to receipt from at least one of said alarm systems of alarm data indicative of the presence of a hazard condition, for generating at least one alarm indication.

26. The method of operating a Reverse 911 Alarm System of claim 18, further comprising:

enabling a human operator to input alarm data indicative of the presence of a hazard condition; and

wherein said step of generating is responsive to receipt of said human operator input alarm data indicative of the presence of a hazard condition, for generating at least one alarm indication.

27. The method of operating a Reverse 911 Alarm System of claim 17 wherein said at least one wireless communication network comprises at least one cell site which implements a multicast to a plurality of wireless subscriber devices which are extant in a coverage area of said cell site, said method of operating a Reverse 911 Alarm System further comprises:

transmitting said alarm indication to cell site controllers which are associated with said at least one cell site to initiate said multicast to said plurality of wireless subscriber devices.

28. The method of operating a Reverse 911 Alarm System of claim 27, further comprising:

transmitting, over at least one unidirectional forward broadcast path that extends from said cell site to said plurality of wireless subscriber devices, said alarm indications to said individuals who are equipped with said wireless subscriber devices.

29. The method of operating a Reverse 911 Alarm System of claim 28, further comprising:

transmitting, over a reverse path from said wireless subscriber devices to said cell site, feedback data from said wireless subscriber devices to said Reverse 911 Alarm System.