Use Of The Commercial Mobile Alert System To Trigger Alternative Receivers

• US 20130281045A1
• Filed: 04/24/2012
• Published: 10/24/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/24/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Daly, Brian Kevin, Sennett, Dewayne A.
• Granted Patent: US 8,843,103 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/404.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/55 Push-based network services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• 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 4/50 Service provisioning or reconfiguring
• 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 52/0229 where the received signal is a wanted signal
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A system and method for providing a message to a user of a device, such as a mobile cellular phone, which includes using a signal, such as a CMAS alert, to turn on one or more receivers of the device configured to receive the message, conserves battery power for the device until it is needed in order to receive and transmit the message.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

obtaining, by a device, configuration data, the configuration data being indicative of at least one source of a first predetermined type of information, wherein the at least one source is capable of providing the first predetermined type of information to a geographic region in which the device is located;

utilizing the configuration data, by the device, to configure at least one receiver of the device to receive the first predetermined type of information via at least one of the at least one source;

receiving an indication of a transmission of a second predetermined type of information;

selecting a receiver of the configured at least one receiver of the device; and

tuning the selected receiver to receive the transmission of the first predetermined type of information.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the configuration data is obtained responsive to electrical power being provided to the device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the configuration data is obtained via a website.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the indication of a transmission of the second predetermined type of information is received via a commercial mobile alert system compliant receiver of the device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the selected receiver is selected based on capability with a source of the at least one source providing the transmission of the first predetermined type of information.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the second predetermined type of information comprises an emergency alert.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the device comprises at least one of:

a digital television receiver, an FM receiver, an AM receiver, a satellite receiver, or an NWR receiver.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein responsive to the device receiving the indication of a transmission of a second predetermined type of information, the device powers on the selected receiver.

9. A mobile device comprising:

memory having executable instructions stored thereon; and

a processor communicatively coupled to the memory, the processor configured to execute the executable instructions to perform operations comprising;

receiving a commercial mobile alert message system (CMAS) message through a CMAS application;

employing the CMAS application to download configuration data corresponding to at least one broadcast source for a geographic location responsive to at least one of;

the mobile device being powered on for a first time in the geographic location;

or

the mobile device migrating, while powered on, to the geographic location;

receiving a CMAS alert;

displaying the CMAS alert via the mobile device;

determining via the CMAS application that the mobile device is capable of receiving signals from the at least one broadcast source;

instructing at least one receiver of the mobile device configured to receive signals from the at least one broadcast source to tune to a channel determined by the CMAS application to be associated with the geographic location of the mobile device; and

transmitting information from the at least one broadcast source via the mobile device.

10. The mobile device of claim 9 wherein the device is configured to be in an on state for receiving the CMAS message while the at least one receiver is initially in the off state, and the device is configured to instruct the at least one receiver to power on in response to receiving the CMAS message.

11. The mobile device of claim 10 wherein the device is configured to receive broadcast signals from at least one of a DTV broadcast, an FM broadcast, an AM broadcast, a satellite broadcast, or an NWR broadcast.

12. The mobile device of claim 11 wherein the device comprises at least one of a mobile media broadcast receiver, a cellular telephone, a multimedia Internet enabled cellular telephone, a tablet computer, a laptop, a netbook, an in-car navigation system, a personal data assistant, a palm-top computer, wireless electronic mail receivers, Global Positioning System (GPS) receivers, wireless gaming controllers, portable media players, smart phones, Session Initiation Protocol phones, video phones, thin clients, TVs, DVD players, set top boxes, monitors, displays, receivers within motor vehicles, of a motor vehicle control.

13. The mobile device of claim 11 wherein the device is configured to default to receive one of the broadcast signals.

14. The mobile device of claim 11 wherein the device is configured to determine relative signal strength of the broadcast signals.

15. The mobile device of claim 14 wherein the devices is configured to default to a broadcast having the strongest relative signal.

16. The mobile device of claim 10 wherein the device is configured to receive configuration data corresponding to broadcast sources that the device determines can broadcast emergency message alerts in the geographic location in which the device is located.

17. A system for triggering alternative receivers of broadcast emergency alert information, the system comprising:

at least one receiver configured to receive the emergency alert information from at least a first source of information, the at least one receiver being in an initial off state,

a processor configured to download configuration data for the first source of information corresponding to a geographic location in which the system is operating,

the system further configured to receive a CMAS alert from a second source of information,

the system further configured to use the CMAS alert to initiate an instruction to power the at least one receiver from the off state to an on state, and to tune the at least one receiver to a channel associated with the geographic location of the system,

the system further configured to display the emergency alert information.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein the first source of information comprises at least one of a DTV broadcast, an FM broadcast, an AM broadcast, a satellite broadcast, or an NWR broadcast.

19. The system of claim 17 wherein the system is configured to download the configuration data responsive to at least one of:

the mobile device being powered on for a first time in the geographic location;

or

the mobile device migrating, while powered on, to the geographic location.

20. The system of claim 17 wherein the system includes at least two receivers each configured to receive emergency alert information from a different source, and wherein the system is further configured to default to one of the at least two receivers by turning on the receivers and determining which the receiver is receiving the strongest relative signal and defaulting to that receiver.