Alert receiver

• US 5,574,999 A
• Filed: 11/07/1994
• Issued: 11/12/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 03/07/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Daniel R. Gropper
• Original Assignee: Daniel R. Gropper
• Inventors: Gropper, Daniel R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Eisenzopf, Reinhard J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): ARTHUR JEANGLAUDE, GERTRUDE
• Application Number:
  US08/337,198
• Time in Patent Office: 736 Days
• Field of Search: 455/161.1, 455/166.1, 455/166.2, 455/186.1, 455/161.2, 455/161.3, 455/34.1, 455/34.2, 455/62, 455/185.1, 455/226.2, 455/181.1, 455/184.1
• US Class Current: 455/186.1
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/10 responsive to calamitous events, e.g. tornados or earthquakes
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 27/008 with transmission via TV or radio broadcast
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/59 for emergency or urgency
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/27 Arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/40 for identifying broadcast time

Abstract

This invention relates to an apparatus and method for receiving and automatically detecting the issuance of emergency, weather or other alert messages broadcast on a radio channel, and recording that alert message into an alert receiver on solid state voice circuitry with a day and time stamp for later playback. This invention also teaches interface methods between the alert receiver and other communication systems whereby an alert message, or an alarm tone, is automatically relayed and repeated on the other communication system after the issuance of an alert message. A method and apparatus for automatically selecting the strongest received signal from a set of pre-selected channels, monitoring the selected channel for signal strength and the presence of modulated audio, and a sequence for automatically initiating the channel selection process, should certain preset minimum parameters for the received signal fail to be met, is also taught. A method and apparatus for selectively activating other communication systems for only those alert messages of specific concern to certain users of the other communication system is also taught herein. A method and apparatus in which the alert receiver user can select the radio channel and the alert tone(s) to activate the alert receiver is also taught herein.

Claims

1. A method of automatically selecting a particular channel from a preselected set of channels comprising the steps of:

a. preselecting a set of channels as received by means for receiving broadcast radio signals;

b. scanning each channel in said preselected set of channels;

c. automatically determining each channel'"'"'s relative received signal strength;

d. storing each channel'"'"'s relative received signal strength in a memory bank;

e. automatically selecting said channel with the highest relative received signal strength;

f. monitoring said channel with said highest relative received signal strength until the next scanning cycle during which said channel with said highest relative received signal strength will again be determined, selected and monitored; and

,

g. automatically activating said scanning cycle after a preset period of time after prior said scanning cycle.

2. A method of automatically selecting a particular channel from a preselected set of channels, as recited in claim 1, wherein said set of preselected channels is the set of a plurality of the allocated government supported weather radio service channels.

3. A method of automatically selecting a particular channel from a preselected set of channels, as recited in claim 1, wherein each of said channel'"'"'s relative received signal strength is converted from an analog signal level to a corresponding digital signal level.

4. A method of automatically selecting a particular channel from a preselected set of channels, as recited in claim 1, further comprising the step of initiating a new scan sequence after said means for receiving broadcast radio signals senses the loss of received signal strength below a preselected threshold for a preselected time period.

5. A method of automatically selecting a particular channel from a preselected set of channels, as recited in claim 1, further comprising the step of automatically seeking said channel with said highest relative received signal strength having a modulated audio signal as part of each said scanning cycle.

6. An apparatus for automatically selecting a particular channel from a preselected set of channels comprising:

a. means for preselecting a set of channels as received by means for receiving broadcast radio signals;

b. means for scanning each channel in said preselected set of channels;

c. means for automatically determining each channel'"'"'s relative received signal strength;

d. means for storing each channel'"'"'s relative received signal strength in a memory bank;

e. means for automatically selecting the channel with the highest relative received signal strength;

f. means for monitoring said channel with said highest relative received signal strength until the next scanning cycle during which said channel with said highest relative received signal strength will again be determined, selected and monitored; and

,

g. means for automatically activating said scanning cycle after a preset period of time after prior said scanning cycle.

7. An apparatus for automatically selecting a particular channel from a preselected set of channels, as recited in claim 6, wherein said preselected set of channels is the set of a plurality of the allocated government supported weather radio service channels.

8. An apparatus for automatically selecting a particular channel from a preselected set of channels, as recited in claim 6, further comprising means for converting each received channel'"'"'s relative received signal strength from an analog signal level to a corresponding digital signal level.

9. An apparatus for automatically selecting a particular channel from a preselected set of channels, as recited in claim 6, further comprising means for initiating a new scan sequence after said means for receiving broadcast radio signals senses the loss of received signal strength below a preselected threshold for a preselected time period.

10. An apparatus for automatically selecting a particular channel from a preselected set of channels, as recited in claim 6, further comprising means for automatically seeking said channel with said highest relative received signal strength having a modulated audio signal as part of each said scanning cycle.