COMMERICAL MOBILE ALERT SYSTEM INTERFACE

• US 20100009651A1
• Filed: 11/20/2008
• Published: 01/14/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/11/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Sennett, DeWayne Allan, Daly, Brian Kevin
• Granted Patent: US 8,554,169 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/404.100
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/009 Signalling of the alarm condition to a substation whose identity is signalled to a central station, e.g. relaying alarm signals in order to extend communication range
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72418 for supporting emergency 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/16 Gateway arrangements

Abstract

A system and method for facilitating the distribution of emergency alert messages to electronic devices via a communications network, such as a commercial mobile wireless network. The system includes a commercial mobile service provider (CMSP) gateway that is in communication with an alert gateway and the communications network. The CMSP gateway has a commercial mobile alert system (CMAS) interface, such as an application programming interface (API), that is configured to receive an emergency alert message from the alert gateway. The emergency alert message includes elements that have been mapped from a corresponding emergency alert message that was issued by an alert initiator. The CMAS interface is further configured to process the emergency alert message into a format suitable for distribution to electronic devices that are in communication with the communications network. The emergency alert message is then distributed to the appropriate electronic devices via the communications network.

Claims

1. A system for facilitating the distribution of emergency alert messages to electronic devices via a communications network, the system comprising:

a commercial mobile service provider (CMSP) gateway configured to communicate with an alert gateway, wherein the CMSP gateway includes a commercial mobile alert system (CMAS) interface that is configured to;

receive an emergency alert message from the alert gateway, the emergency alert message including a plurality of elements that have been mapped from a corresponding emergency alert message issued by an alert initiator;

process the emergency alert message into a format suitable for distribution to a plurality of electronic devices via a wireless network; and

send the emergency alert message to the wireless network for distribution to the plurality of electronic devices.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the emergency alert message from the alert gateway is in the format of a commercial mobile alert C interface (CMAC) message.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the corresponding emergency alert message issued by the alert initiator is in the format of a common alerting protocol (CAP) message.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the CMAS interface is configured to process the emergency alert message from the alert gateway into a commercial mobile alert E interface (CMAE) message.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the CMSP gateway is further configured to receive a keep alive message from the alert gateway.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the CMSP gateway is configured to send at least one of a keep alive acknowledgement or an error condition message to the alert gateway in response to the keep alive message.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the CMSP gateway is configured to acknowledge receipt of the emergency alert message from the alert gateway.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the CMSP gateway is configured to periodically issue a keep alive message to the alert gateway.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the CMSP gateway is configured to receive at least one of a keep alive acknowledgement or an error condition message from the alert gateway in response to the keep alive message.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the CMSP gateway is configured to send a message to the alert gateway indicating that the CMSP gateway is unable to retrieve additional information from the alert gateway.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the CMSP gateway is configured to inform the alert gateway of at least one of a maintenance or error situation during which the CMSP gateway is unable to receive any messages from the alert gateway.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the CMSP gateway is configured to send a first transmission control message to the alert gateway instructing the alert gateway to cease message traffic destined for the CMSP gateway.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the CMSP gateway is configured to send a second transmission control message to the alert gateway instructing the alert gateway to resume message traffic destined for the CMSP gateway.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the CMAS interface includes an application programming interface (API).

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the emergency alert message includes a geocode for identifying a geographical region that is to receive the emergency alert message.

16. A method for facilitating the distribution of emergency alert messages to electronic devices via a communications network, the method comprising:

receiving an emergency alert message from an alert gateway, the emergency alert message including a plurality of elements that have been mapped from a corresponding emergency alert message issued by an alert initiator;

processing the emergency alert message into a format suitable for distribution to a plurality of electronic devices via a wireless network; and

sending the emergency alert message to the wireless network for distribution to the plurality of electronic devices.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the emergency alert message from the alert gateway is in the format of a commercial mobile alert C interface (CMAC) message.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the corresponding emergency alert message issued by the alert initiator is in the format of a common alerting protocol (CAP) message.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein the CMAS interface is configured to process the emergency alert message from the alert gateway into a commercial mobile alert E interface (CMAE) message.

20. The method of claim 16, further comprising receiving a keep alive message from the alert gateway.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising sending at least one of a keep alive acknowledgement or an error condition message to the alert gateway in response to the keep alive message.

22. The method of claim 16, further comprising acknowledging receipt of the emergency alert message from the alert gateway.

23. The method of claim 16, further comprising periodically issuing a keep alive message to the alert gateway.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising receiving at least one of a keep alive acknowledgement or an error condition message from the alert gateway in response to the keep alive message.

25. The method of claim 16, further comprising sending a message to the alert gateway indicating that the CMSP gateway is unable to retrieve additional information from the alert gateway.

26. The method of claim 16, further comprising informing the alert gateway of one of a maintenance or error situation during which messages can not be received from the alert gateway.

27. The method of claim 26, further comprising sending a first transmission control message to the alert gateway instructing the alert gateway to cease message traffic.

28. The method of claim 27, further comprising sending a second transmission control message to the alert gateway instructing the alert gateway to resume message traffic.

29. The method of claim 16, wherein the emergency alert message includes a geocode for identifying a geographical region that is to receive the emergency alert message.