Alert receiver interface

• US 5,781,852 A
• Filed: 08/07/1996
• Issued: 07/14/1998
• 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
• Assistant Examiner(s): Arthur, G.
• Application Number:
  US08/692,948
• Time in Patent Office: 706 Days
• Field of Search: 455/161.1, 455/161.2, 455/181.1, 455/184.1, 455/185.1, 455/186.1, 455/227, 455/228, 340/539, 340/825.44, 340/311.1, 379/88, 379/89, 379/67
• US Class Current: 455/227
• 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 alert receiver interface, apparatus and method, for receiving and automatically detecting the issuance of emergency, weather or other alert messages broadcast on a radio channel, or on another communication system, and recording that alert message into the receiver with an audible day and time stamp for later playback. Interface apparatus and methods between the alert receiver interface and other communication systems, including paging systems, whereby an alert message, or an alarm tone, is automatically relayed and repeated on an other communication system are disclosed. A method and apparatus for selectively activating an other communication system for only those alert messages of specific concern to users of an other communication system is also taught herein.

Claims

1. An alert receiver interface comprising:

a. information broadcast means;

b. information receiving means;

c. alert message means, transmitted on said information broadcast means;

d. alert signal means, transmitted on said information broadcast means, before said alert message means is transmitted on said information broadcast means, said alert signal means having a beginning and an end;

e. detecting means, connected to said information receiving means, to detect said beginning of said alert signal means transmitted on said information broadcast means and to detect said end of said alert signal means transmitted on said information broadcast means;

f. recording means, connected to said information receiving means, configured to begin recording said alert message means, received by said information receiving means, after said end of said alert signal means;

g. audible day and time stamp means, connected to said information receiving means, which updates and stores the current day and time each time said alert signal means is decoded by said detecting means; and

,

h. playback means, connected to said information receiving means, for playing back said audible day and time stamp means and said alert message means.

2. An alert receiver interface, as recited in claim 1, wherein said information broadcast means is radio.

3. An alert receiver interface, as recited in claim 1, wherein said information receiving means is radio.

4. An alert receiver interface, as recited in claim 1, wherein said information receiving means receives government sponsored weather information.

5. An alert receiver interface, as recited in claim 1, wherein said alert signal means is at least one oscillating tone.

6. An alert receiver interface, as recited in claim 5, wherein said alert signal means has a frequency of 1050 Hz.

7. An alert receiver interface, as recited in claim 5, wherein said alert signal means comprises a plurality of sequential tones.

8. An alert receiver interface, as recited in claim 1, wherein said alert signal means comprises a coded digital sequence.

9. An alert receiver interface, as recited in claim 1, wherein said alert message means is a severe weather message.

10. An alert receiver interface, as recited in claim 1, wherein said alert message means is an emergency message.

11. An alert receiver interface, as recited in claim 1, wherein said broadcast radio alert message means is a non emergency message.

12. An alert receiver interface, as recited in claim 1, wherein said information receiving means is a narrow band FM receiver.

13. An alert receiver interface, as recited in claim 1, wherein said detecting means comprises a phase locked loop.

14. An alert receiver interface, as recited in claim 1, wherein said detecting means comprises means for analyzing sliced data.

15. An alert receiver interface, as recited in claim 14, further comprising micro controller means to analyze said sliced data.

16. An alert receiver interface, as recited in claim 1, wherein said recording means further comprises digital recorder means.

17. An alert receiver interface, as recited in claim 1, wherein said recording means further comprises analog recorder means.

18. An alert receiver interface, as recited in claim 1, wherein said updated audible day and time stamp means data is stored in digital form.

19. An alert receiver interface, as recited in claim 1, wherein said updated audible day and time stamp means data is stored in analog form.

20. An alert receiver interface, as recited in claim 1, further comprising micro controller means to control the playback of said recorded alert message means.

21. An alert receiver interface, as recited in claim 1, further comprising micro controller means to control the playback of said audible day and time stamp means.

22. An alert receiver interface, as recited in claim 1, further comprising at least one logic closure circuit which is triggered when said alert signal means is detected by said detecting means.

23. An alert receiver interface, as recited in claim 1, further comprising at least one logic closure circuit which remains active for a time period after said alert signal means is detected by said detecting means.

24. An alert receiver interface, as recited in claim 1, further comprising at least one external audio output circuit.

25. An alert receiver interface, as recited in claim 24, further comprising at least one logic closure circuit which is active when audio appears at said external audio output.

26. An alert receiver interface, as recited in claim 24, at which audio appears at said external audio output in the time period beginning when said detecting means detects the end of said alert signal means and continues for a time period after said detecting means detects the end of said alert signal means.

27. An alert receiver interface, as recited in claim 24, further comprising at least one external audio output circuit at which audio appears when said alert message means is played back.

28. An alert receiver interface, as recited in claim 24, further comprising at least one logic closure circuit which is active when said alert message means is played back.

29. An alert receiver interface, as recited in claim 24, further comprising at least one external audio output circuit at which live audio appears when said information receiving means is receiving live audio which is directed to said external audio output circuit.

30. An alert receiver interface, as recited in claim 24, further comprising at least one logic closure circuit which is active when said information receiving means is receiving live audio which is directed to said external audio output circuit.

31. An alert receiver interface, as recited in claim 24, further comprising an in use detection logic input circuit, wherein when said in use detection logic circuit is active said external audio sources from said information receiving means are muted.

32. An alert receiver interface, as recited in claim 24, further comprising other communication system, wherein said external audio circuit is connected to said other communication system.

33. An alert receiver interface, as recited in claim 24, wherein said at least one logic closure circuit is connected to said other communication system.

34. An alert receiver interface, as recited in claim 32, connected to said information receiving means, further comprising means for detecting remote control signaling instructions from said other communication system.

35. An alert receiver interface, as recited in claim 34, wherein said means for detecting remote control signaling instructions from said other communication system is by DTMF signaling.

36. An alert receiver interface, as recited in claim 1, further comprising means for activating paging systems upon said detecting means detecting said alert signal means.

37. An alert receiver interface, as recited in claim 32, wherein said other communication system is a public switched telephone network.

38. An alert receiver interface, as recited in claim 32, further comprising means for remote access to said recorded alert message and to said corresponding day and time stamp recorded on said recording means through said other communication system.

39. An alert receiver interface, as recited in claim 32, further comprising means for remote access to live information broadcast on said information broadcast means through said other communication system.

40. An alert receiver interface, as recited in claim 32, further comprising means for remote access to said recorded alert message and to said corresponding day and time stamp recorded on said recording means through said other communication system through DTMF.

41. An alert receiver interface, as recited in claim 32, further comprising means for remote access to live information broadcast on said information broadcast means through said other communication system through DTMF.

42. An alert receiver interface, as recited in claim 1, further comprising means for detecting and decoding a digital code broadcast on said information broadcast means and further comprising means for activating paging systems with different codes corresponding to different types of said digital codes broadcast on said information broadcast means.

43. An alert receiver interface, as recited in claim 1, further comprising means for detecting and decoding a digital code broadcast on said information broadcast means and further comprising means for selectively activating paging systems only for preselected digital codes broadcast on said information broadcast means.