Targeted disaster warning system and method

• US 6,728,340 B2
• Filed: 12/31/2002
• Issued: 04/27/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/1999
• Status: Expired

• Current Assignee: Jasper Wireless LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Vinson, R. Keith
• Primary Examiner(s): Eng, George
• Application Number:
  US10/331,995
• Publication Number:
  US 20030095639A1
• Time in Patent Office: 483 Days
• Field of Search: 379/37-42, 379/45, 379/48-51, 379/142.01, 379/201.01, 379/201.04, 379/201.07, 379/201.08, 455/404.01, 455/414.1, 455/415, 455/426.1, 340/539-3-5, 340/539.28
• US Class Current: 379/48
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0029 Provisions for intelligent networking
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0079 involving restoration of networks, e.g. disaster recovery, self-healing networks

Abstract

A system and method for providing early warning notifications to telephone subscribers having calling number delivery service. The system uses an advanced intelligent network to initiate several calls in rapid succession to all calling number delivery subscribers located within a pre-determined geographic area. A code identifying the disaster warning message is transmitted to the subscribers'"'"' calling number delivery systems in place of an actual calling line identification. Subscribers having calling name delivery service receive the disaster code and a text message briefly describing the disaster warning.

Claims

1. A method for providing warning to telephone subscribers comprising:

receiving information related to a disaster and a target geographic area associated with the disaster;

querying a database for a first telephone number that corresponds to the disaster and a second telephone number having an address within the target geographic area, wherein the second telephone number has one or both of a calling number delivery subscription and a calling name delivery subscription;

sending a call setup message from a specialized service node to a service switching point, wherein the first telephone number is in a calling party field and the second telephone number is in a called party field;

thereafter, sending a call release message from the specialized service node to the service switching point; and

issuing the call setup message from the service switching point to a subscriber of the second telephone number for providing a disaster warning message.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the second telephone number further has a calling name delivery subscription.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising determining a disaster warning message.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising transmitting the disaster warning message.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the information is received from an entity associated with weather.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the authority is the National Weather Service.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising waiting a pre-determined amount of time before sending the call release message from the specialized service node to the service switching point.

8. A method for providing warning to telephone subscribers comprising:

receiving information related to a disaster and a target geographic area associated with the disaster;

querying a database for a first telephone number that corresponds to the disaster and a second telephone number associated with a street address within the target geographic area, wherein the second telephone number has one or both of a calling number delivery subscription and a calling name delivery subscription;

instructing a specialized service node to send a disaster warning message associated with the first telephone number to a service switching point associated with the second telephone number, wherein the disaster warning message includes one or both of the first telephone number and a text message regarding the disaster depending on which of the calling number delivery subscription and the calling name delivery subscription is associated with the second telephone number;

thereafter, instructing the specialized service node to send a call release message to the service switching point; and

forwarding the disaster warning message from the service switching point to a subscriber associated with the second telephone number.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the information is received from an entity associated with weather.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the entity is the National Weather Service.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the database is accessible to the specialized service node.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the database is resident on the specialized service node.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the disaster warning message includes the first telephone number in a calling party field if the second telephone number is associated with the calling number delivery subscription.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein the disaster warning message includes the text message regarding the disaster if the second telephone number is associated with the calling name delivery subscription.

15. The method of claim 8, wherein the message includes the brief warning message if the second telephone number is associated with the calling name delivery subscription.

16. A method for providing warning to telephone subscribers comprising:

receiving information related to a disaster and a target geographic area associated with the disaster;

querying a database for a first telephone number that corresponds to the disaster and a second telephone number associated with a street address within the target geographic area;

instructing a specialized service node to send a disaster warning message associated with the first telephone number to a service switching point associated with the second telephone number, wherein the message includes one or both of the first telephone number and a text message;

thereafter, sending a call release message from the specialized service node to the service switching point, wherein the service switching point forwards the disaster warning message to a subscriber associated with the second telephone number depending on a specialized service being subscribed by the subscriber.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the specialized service is a calling number delivery service.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the message includes a numeric code.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the numeric code corresponds to the disaster.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the specialized service is a calling name delivery service.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the message includes a warning about the disaster.