Methods, Systems and Apparatus for Selectively Distributing Urgent Public Information
First Claim
1. In a relationship between a telecommunication provider and a plurality of subscribers, an alert distribution device for determining an appropriate set of addresses to which to distribute an alert, the device comprising:
- at least one interface in communication with a communication network;
a processor in communication with the at least one interface; and
a non-transitory storage medium in communication with the processor, the storage medium comprising instructions executable by the processor to;
access a directory of alert gateways, the directory comprising a plurality of directory entries, each directory entry being associated with a particular alert gateway and comprising at least one gateway characteristic and a distribution address associated with that alert gateway, the gateway characteristic including information to enable the alert distribution device to determine whether a given alert should be transmitted to the alert gateway;
receive, via the at least one interface, an alert communicating urgent public information, the alert describing an event and comprising;
alert information including information about the alert itself; and
event information including specific details about the event;
identify, based on the event information, a set of selection criteria for determining which of the plurality of alert gateways should receive the alert;
search the directory for at least one directory entry comprising a gateway characteristic corresponding to the identified selection criteria;
identify, based on the search, a set of at least one distribution address that should receive the alert from among a plurality of distribution addresses each associated with one of the alert gateways, each member of the set of at least one distribution address being associated with a directory entry comprising a gateway characteristic that corresponds to the identified selection criteria; and
transmit the alert to be received by a set of alert gateways, each member of the set of alert gateways being associated with a member of the set of at least one distribution address.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Embodiments of the invention provide apparatuses, systems and methods for distributing public information. For example, some embodiments of the invention provide methods for determining an appropriate set of addresses to which to distribute an alert. One such exemplary method comprises maintaining a directory of alert gateways. The directory can comprise a plurality of directory entries, and each directory entry can be associated with a particular alert gateway. Each directory entry can also comprise at least one gateway characteristic associated with that alert gateway. In some cases, a gateway characteristic can include information to enable the alert distribution device to determine whether a given alert should be transmitted to the alert gateway.
19 Citations
20 Claims
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1. In a relationship between a telecommunication provider and a plurality of subscribers, an alert distribution device for determining an appropriate set of addresses to which to distribute an alert, the device comprising:
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at least one interface in communication with a communication network; a processor in communication with the at least one interface; and a non-transitory storage medium in communication with the processor, the storage medium comprising instructions executable by the processor to; access a directory of alert gateways, the directory comprising a plurality of directory entries, each directory entry being associated with a particular alert gateway and comprising at least one gateway characteristic and a distribution address associated with that alert gateway, the gateway characteristic including information to enable the alert distribution device to determine whether a given alert should be transmitted to the alert gateway; receive, via the at least one interface, an alert communicating urgent public information, the alert describing an event and comprising; alert information including information about the alert itself; and event information including specific details about the event; identify, based on the event information, a set of selection criteria for determining which of the plurality of alert gateways should receive the alert; search the directory for at least one directory entry comprising a gateway characteristic corresponding to the identified selection criteria; identify, based on the search, a set of at least one distribution address that should receive the alert from among a plurality of distribution addresses each associated with one of the alert gateways, each member of the set of at least one distribution address being associated with a directory entry comprising a gateway characteristic that corresponds to the identified selection criteria; and transmit the alert to be received by a set of alert gateways, each member of the set of alert gateways being associated with a member of the set of at least one distribution address. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. In a relationship between a telecommunication provider and a plurality of subscribers, a method for determining an appropriate set of addresses to which to distribute an alert, the method comprising:
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accessing, with a computer, a directory of alert gateways, the directory comprising a plurality of directory entries, each directory entry being associated with a particular alert gateway and comprising at least one gateway characteristic and a distribution address associated with that alert gateway, the gateway characteristic including information to enable the alert distribution device to determine whether a given alert should be transmitted to the alert gateway; receiving, at the computer, an alert communicating urgent public information, the alert describing an event and comprising; alert information including information about the alert itself; and event information including specific details about the event; identifying, with the computer, based on the event information, a set of selection criteria for determining which of the plurality of alert gateways should receive the alert; searching the directory, with the computer, for at least one directory entry comprising a gateway characteristic corresponding to the identified selection criteria; and identifying, with the computer, based on the search, a set of at least one distribution address that should receive the alert from among a plurality of distribution addresses each associated with one of the alert gateways, each member of the set of at least one distribution address being associated with a directory entry comprising a gateway characteristic that corresponds to the identified selection criteria; and transmitting the alert to be received by a set of alert gateways, each member of the set of alert gateways being associated with a member of the set of at least one distribution address. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. In a relationship between a telecommunication provider and a plurality of subscribers, a system for distributing an alert to an appropriate set of subscribers, the system comprising:
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a plurality of alert gateways configured to receive an alert, each of the plurality of alert gateways being associated with at least one subscriber; a communication network in communication with the plurality of alert gateways; and an alert distribution device in communication with the communication network, the alert distribution device comprising; at least one interface in communication with the network; a processor in communication with the at least one interface; and a storage medium in communication with the processor, the storage medium comprising instructions executable by the processor to; access a directory of alert gateways, the directory comprising a plurality of directory entries, each directory entry being associated with a particular alert gateway and comprising at least one gateway characteristic and a distribution address associated with that alert gateway, the gateway characteristic including information to enable the alert distribution device to determine whether a given alert should be transmitted to the alert gateway; receive, via the at least one interface, an alert communicating urgent public information, the alert describing an event and comprising; alert information including information about the alert itself; and event information including specific details about the event; identify, based on the event information, a set of selection criteria for determining which of the plurality of alert gateways should receive the alert; search the directory for at least one directory entry comprising a gateway characteristic corresponding to the identified selection criteria; and identify, based on the search, a set of at least one distribution address that should receive the alert from among a plurality of distribution addresses each associated with one of the alert gateways, each member of the set of at least one distribution address being associated with a directory entry comprising a gateway characteristic that corresponds to the identified selection criteria. using the at least one interface, transmit the alert via the network to a set of alert gateways, each member of the set of alert gateways being associated with a member of the set of at least one distribution address; wherein each alert gateway of the set of alert gateways is in communication with two or more different types of subscriber equipment, and is configured to analyze at least one of the event information or the alert information to determine the urgency of the alert and to determine to which of the two or more different types of subscriber equipment to provide the alert as a function of the urgency of the alert.
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Specification