Receiving An Emergency Alert Message Via A Broadcast Data Channel

• US 20160050038A1
• Filed: 10/23/2015
• Published: 02/18/2016
• 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 K., Sennett, DeWayne A.
• Granted Patent: US 9,537,588 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/59 for emergency or urgency
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/71 Wireless systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/02 Broadcasting
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/04 for emergency applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5116 for emergency applications
• 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

A mobile device may be configured with multiple receivers (e.g., a cellular receiver, a broadcast receiver such as FM, AM, DTV, a satellite receiver, a NWR receiver, etc.). Upon receipt of an emergency alert message via at least one of the receivers, the mobile device, via an application installed on the mobile device, may extract the emergency alert message from a data channel of the broadcast. The mobile device, via the application, may process the extracted emergency alert message to determine if the emergency alert message is to be rendered via the device. And, if the emergency alert message is to be rendered, the mobile device, via the application, may format the extracted emergency alert message to conform to a standard format (e.g., Commercial Mobile Alert System, CMAS, format).

Claims

1. A method comprising:

determining, by a communications device, that a first information received via a first receiver of the communications device is related to an alert message;

determining, by a communications device, that a second information received via a second receiver of the communications device is related to the alert message;

determining, by a communications device, that third information associated with the first information and the second information is to be rendered via the communications device; and

responsive to determining that third information is to be rendered via the communications device;

selecting the third information, based on a user preference, between the first information and the second information; and

rendering the formatted third information via the communications device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the alert message is an emergency alert message.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined format comprises a commercial mobile alert system format.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

correlating the first information from the first broadcast and the second information from the second broadcast.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

aggregating information from the first information from the first broadcast and the second information from the second broadcast.

6. A device comprising:

a processor; and

a memory coupled with the processor, the memory comprising executable instructions that when executed by the processor cause the processor to effectuate operations comprising;

receiving a first broadcast via a first receiver of the device;

receiving a second broadcast via a second receiver of the device;

determining that the first broadcast comprises first information related to an alert message;

determining that the second broadcast comprises second information related to the alert message, wherein the second information related to the alert message of the second broadcast is different than that of the first broadcast;

determining that third information associated with the first information and the second information is to be rendered via the device; and

responsive to determining that third information associated with the first information and the second information is to be rendered via the device;

selecting the third information, based on a user preference, between the first information received via the first receiver and the second information received via the second receiver;

formatting the selected third information in accordance with a predetermined format; and

rendering the formatted third information via the device.

7. The device of claim 6, wherein the alert message is an emergency alert message.

8. The device of claim 6, wherein the predetermined format comprises a commercial mobile alert system format.

9. The device of claim 6, further comprising:

correlating the first information from the first broadcast and the second information from the second broadcast.

10. The device of claim 6, further comprising:

aggregating information from the first information from the first broadcast and the second information from the second broadcast.

11. The device of claim 10, further comprising rendering a confidence level based on the aggregated information.

12. The device of claim 6, wherein the first broadcast is one of an FM, AM, NWR, TV, DTV, or satellite broadcast.

13. The device of claim 6, wherein the determining that the information is to be rendered via the device based on an alert preference.

14. The device of claim 6, wherein the alert message comprises an urgency level.

15. The device of claim 6, wherein at least one of first broadcast and the second broadcast has an associated data channel.

16. The device of claim 6, wherein the predetermined format comprises a common alert tone.

17. A system comprising:

a display; and

a device communicatively connected with the display, the device comprises;

a processor; and

a memory coupled with the processor, the memory comprising executable instructions that when executed by the processor cause the processor to effectuate operations comprising;

receiving a first broadcast via a first receiver of the device;

receiving a second broadcast via a second receiver of the device;

determining that the first broadcast comprises first information related to an alert message;

determining that the second broadcast comprises second information related to the alert message, wherein the second information related to the alert message of the second broadcast is different than that of the first broadcast; and

responsive to determining that third information associated with the first information and the second information is to be rendered via the display;

selecting the third information, based on a user preference, between the first information received via the first receiver and the second information received via the second receiver;

formatting the selected third information in accordance with a predetermined format; and

providing instructions to render the formatted third information via the display.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the alert message is an emergency alert message.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the predetermined format comprises a commercial mobile alert system format.

20. The system claim 17, further comprising:

correlating the first information from the first broadcast and the second information from the second broadcast;

or

aggregating information from the first information from the first broadcast and the second information from the second broadcast.