Event masking for television signal receiver having an emergency alert function

• US 7,444,657 B2
• Filed: 06/26/2003
• Issued: 10/28/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: InterDigital Madison Patent Holdings (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Thomson Licensing (Vantiva SA)
• Inventors: Kendall, Scott Allan, Johnston, Gavin Lee, Merrell, John D
• Primary Examiner(s): Lonsberry; Hunter B.
• Application Number:
  US10/518,999
• Publication Number:
  US 20050229207A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,951 Days
• Field of Search: 725 33- 35, 725/140, 725/144, 725/151, 348/729
• US Class Current: 725/33
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/085 using central distribution transmission lines
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/59 for emergency or urgency
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/13 Arrangements for device control affected by the broadcast information
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/433 Content storage operation, e.g. storage operation in response to a pause request, caching operations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4524 involving the geographical location of the client retrieval from the Internet by querying based on geographical locations G06F16/9537; systems specially adapted for using geographical information in broadcast systems H04H60/70; protocols in which the network application is adapted for the location of the user terminal in communication control or processing H04L67/52; services making use of the location of users or terminals in wireless networks H04W4/02; locating users or terminals in wireless networks H04W64/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/478 Supplemental services, e.g. displaying phone caller identification, shopping application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/485 End-user interface for client configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6543 for forcing some client operations, e.g. recording remote booting in general G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/814 comprising emergency warnings arrangements specially adapted for emergency or urgency in broadcast systems H04H20/59; arrangements for providing alarms, notifications, alerts to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1895
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8146 involving graphical data, e.g. 3D object, 2D graphics
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/445 for displaying additional information H04N5/50 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/08 Systems for the simultaneous or sequential transmission of more than one television signal, e.g. additional information signals, the signals occupying wholly or partially the same frequency band , e.g. by time division H04N7/007 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/088 the inserted signal being digital
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/165 Centralised control of user terminal subsequent to an upstream request signal H04N7/17345; Registering at central by two-way working H04N7/17309

Abstract

A television signal receiver having an emergency alert function provides a masked list of emergency events during a user setup process for the emergency alert function which makes the setup process easier for users, and also ensures that the emergency alert function will be activated when certain important emergency events occur. According to an exemplary embodiment, the television signal receiver includes a memory operative to store data associated with the emergency alert function. A processor is operative to receive an input representing a geographical area and to enable generation of a masked list of emergency events responsive to the input using the data in the memory. The masked list of emergency events represents a subset of all emergency events associated with the emergency alert function.

Claims

1. A method for controlling a television signal receiver having an emergency alert function, comprising:

receiving an input representing a geographical area;

providing a masked list of emergency events selectable by the user of the television signal receiver responsive to the input, wherein the masked list of emergency events represents a subset of all emergency events associated with the emergency alert function excluding masked events associated with the input geographical area; and

setting the masked events for default notification.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the geographical area is represented by a FIPS location code.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprised of enabling a user to select an emergency event from the masked list of emergency events.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprised of:

receiving emergency alert signals indicating an occurrence of the selected emergency event; and

providing an alert output responsive to the emergency alert signals.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprised of:

receiving emergency alert signals indicating an occurrence of an emergency event not included in the masked list of emergency events; and

providing an alert output responsive to the emergency alert signals.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the received input represents a plurality of geographical areas;

each of the geographical areas includes at least one masked event; and

the masked list of emergency events excludes masked events common to all of the plurality of geographical areas.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the plurality of geographical areas are represented by a corresponding plurality of FIPS location codes.

8. A television signal receiver having an emergency alert function, comprising;

a memory operative to store data associated with the emergency alert function; and

a processor operative to receive an input representing a geographical area and enable generation of a masked list of emergency events selectable by the user of the television signal receiver responsive to the input using the data in the memory, wherein the masked list of emergency events represents a subset of all emergency events associated with the emergency alert function excluding masked events associated with the input geographical area, where the masked events are set for default notification.

9. The television signal receiver of claim 8, wherein the geographical area is represented by a FIPS location code.

10. The television signal receiver of claim 8, wherein a user selects an emergency event from the masked list of emergency events.

11. The television signal receiver of claim 10, further comprising:

a tuner operative to tune a frequency including emergency alert signals indicating an occurrence of the selected emergency event; and

wherein the processor enables an alert output responsive to the emergency alert signals.

12. The television signal receiver of claim 8, further comprising:

a tuner operative to tune a frequency including emergency alert signals indicating an occurrence of an emergency event not included in the masked list of emergency events; and

wherein the processor enables an alert output responsive to the emergency alert signals.

13. The television signal receiver of claim 8, wherein:

the input received by the processor represents a plurality of geographical areas and each of the geographical areas includes at least one masked event; and

the masked list of emergency events excludes masked events common to all of the plurality of geographical areas.

14. The television signal receiver of claim 13, wherein the plurality of geographical areas are represented by a corresponding plurality of FIPS location codes.

15. A television signal receiver having an emergency alert function, comprising:

memory means for storing data associated with the emergency alert function; and

processing means for receiving an input representing a geographical area and enabling generation of a masked list of emergency events selectable by the user of the television signal receiver responsive to the input using the data in the memory means, wherein the masked list of emergency events represents a subset of all emergency events associated with the emergency alert function excluding masked events associated with the input geographical area, where the masked events are set for default notification.

16. The television signal receiver of claim 15, wherein the geographical area is represented by a FIPS location code.

17. The television signal receiver of claim 15, wherein a user selects an emergency event from the masked list of emergency events.

18. The television signal receiver of claim 17, further comprising:

tuning means for tuning a frequency including emergency alert signals indicating an occurrence of the selected emergency event; and

wherein the processing means enables an alert output responsive to the emergency alert signals.

19. The television signal receiver of claim 15, further comprising:

tuning means for tuning a frequency including emergency alert signals indicating an occurrence of an emergency event not included in the masked list of emergency events; and

wherein the processing means enables an alert output responsive to the emergency alert signals.

20. The television signal receiver of claim 15, wherein:

the input received by the processing means represents a plurality of geographical areas and each of the geographical areas includes at least one masked event; and

the masked list of emergency events excludes masked events common to all of the plurality of geographical areas.

21. The television signal receiver of claim 20, wherein the plurality of geographical areas are represented by a corresponding plurality of FIPS location codes.