Television signal receiver capable of receiving emergency alert signals

• US 7,454,773 B2
• Filed: 05/08/2003
• Issued: 11/18/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/10/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: InterDigital Madison Patent Holdings (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Thomson Licensing (Vantiva SA)
• Inventors: Pugel, Michael Anthony, Ecoff, Clint Alan, Bridge, Michael Alan
• Primary Examiner(s): Vu; Ngoc K
• Application Number:
  US10/513,891
• Publication Number:
  US 20050166221A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,021 Days
• Field of Search: 725/32, 725/33, 725/35, 725/131, 725/132, 725/139, 725/140, 725/151, 725/152, 725/34, 348/731, 348/729, 348/725, 348/563, 348/565
• US Class Current: 725/33
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/08 using communication transmission lines G08B13/19658, G08B21/0286, G08B25/016 take precedence
• 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 21/235 Processing of additional data, e.g. scrambling of additional data or processing content descriptors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4316 for displaying supplemental content in a region of the screen, e.g. an advertisement in a separate window
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/435 Processing of additional data, e.g. decrypting of additional data, reconstructing software from modules extracted from the transport stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4383 Accessing a communication channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/478 Supplemental services, e.g. displaying phone caller identification, shopping application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4882 for displaying messages, e.g. warnings, reminders arrangements for providing short real-time information to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1895
• 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 5/45 Picture in picture , e.g. displaying simultaneously another television channel in a region of the screen
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/505 Invisible or silent tuning
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/60 for the sound signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/63 Generation or supply of power specially adapted for television receivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/0882 for the transmission of character code signals, e.g. for teletext circuits for the digital non-picture data signal H04N7/035
• 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 processing apparatus is capable of receiving emergency alert signals and providing alert outputs to notify individuals of emergency events. According to one exemplary embodiment, the television signal processing apparatus includes a tuner operative to tune a frequency including emergency alert signals indicating an emergency event. A processor is operative to cause the television signal processing apparatus to be switched from an off/standby mode to an on mode responsive to the emergency alert signals.

Claims

1. Television signal processing apparatus comprising:

a first tuner operative to tune a first signal indicating a first emergency event while the television signal processing apparatus is in a first off/standby mode,

a second tuner operative to tune said first signal indicating a first emergency event while the television signal processing apparatus is in a second on mode, and

a processor operative to cause the television signal processing apparatus to switch from said first off/standby mode, in which the first tuner tunes said first signal indicating an emergency event, to said second on mode, in which said first tuner tunes a second signal having at least one of an audio and video component and the second tuner tunes the first signal for indicating an emergency event.

2. The television signal processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor causes the television signal processing apparatus to be switched from the first off/standby mode to the second on mode in response to the first emergency event corresponding to an event selectable by a user.

3. The television signal processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor causes the television signal processing apparatus to be switched from the first off/standby mode to the second on mode in response to the first emergency event corresponding to a geographical area selectable by a user.

4. The television signal processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor is further operative to enable an alert output responsive to the first signal for indicating an emergency event.

5. The television signal processing apparatus of claim 4, wherein the processor enables the alert output in response to the first signal for indicating an emergency event corresponding to an event selectable by a user.

6. The television signal processing apparatus of claim 4, wherein the processor enables the alert output in response to the first signal for indicating an emergency event corresponding to a geographical area selectable by a user.

7. The television signal processing apparatus of claim 4, wherein the processor enables the alert output responsive to a user selection.

8. The television signal processing apparatus of claim 4, further comprising a speaker, and wherein the alert output comprises an aural message provided via the speaker.

9. The television signal processing apparatus of claim 4, further comprising a display, and wherein the alert output comprises a visual message provided via the display.

10. The television signal processing apparatus of claim 4, wherein the processor enables the alert output for a first time period selectable by a user.

11. The television signal processing apparatus of claim 10, wherein the processor causes the television signal processing apparatus to be switched from the second on mode to the first off/standby mode in response to the alert output being provided for the first time period.

12. The television signal processing apparatus of claim 11, wherein the processor disables the emergency alert function for a repeat emergency event for a second time period selectable by a user in response to the television signal processing apparatus being switched from the second on mode to the first off/standby mode.

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

first tuning means for tuning first emergency alert signals indicating a first emergency event while the television signal receiver is in a first off/standby mode;

second tuning means for tuning said first emergency alert signals indicating a first emergency event while the television signal receiver is in a second on mode; and

processing means for causing the television signal receiver to switch from said first off/standby mode, in which the first tuning means tunes said first emergency alert signal indicating a first emergency event, to said second on mode, in which said first tuner tunes a second signal having at least one of an audio and video component and the second tuning means tunes the first emergency alert signals.

14. The television signal receiver of claim 13, wherein the processing means causes the television signal receiver to be switched from the first off/standby mode to the second on mode when the first emergency event corresponds to an event selectable by a user.

15. The television signal receiver of claim 13, wherein the processing means causes the television signal receiver to be switched from the first off/standby mode to the second on mode when the first emergency event corresponds to a geographical area selectable by a user.

16. The television signal receiver of claim 13, wherein the processing means further enables an alert output responsive to at least one of the first emergency alert signal and a second emergency alert signal.

17. The television signal receiver of claim 16, wherein the processing means enables the alert output if at least one of the emergency event and a second emergency event corresponds to an event selectable by a user.

18. The television signal receiver of claim 16, wherein the processing means enables the alert output if at least one of the first emergency event and a second emergency event corresponds to a geographical area selectable by a user.

19. The television signal receiver of claim 16, wherein the processing means enables the alert output responsive to a user selection.

20. The television signal receiver of claim 16, further comprising audio output means for providing the alert output as an aural message.

21. The television signal receiver of claim 16, further comprising display means for providing the alert output as a visual message.

22. The television signal receiver of claim 16, wherein the processing means enables the alert output for a first time period selectable by a user.

23. The television signal receiver of claim 22, wherein the processing means causes the television signal receiver to be switched from the second on mode to the first off/standby mode after the alert output is provided for the first time period.

24. The television signal receiver of claim 23, wherein the processing means disables the emergency alert function for a repeat emergency event for a second time period selectable by a user after the television signal receiver is switched from the second on mode to the first off/standby mode.

25. Television signal processing apparatus comprising:

first tuning means for tuning a first frequency including a first signal indicating a first emergency event while the television signal processing apparatus is in a first off/standby mode;

second tuning means for tuning said first frequency including said first signal indicating a second emergency event while the television signal processing apparatus is in a second on mode; and

processing means for enabling an alert output, wherein the television signal processing apparatus is switched from the first off/standby mode, in which the first tuning means tunes said first frequency including said first signal indicating a first emergency event, to said second on mode, in which said first tuning means tunes a second frequency including a second signal having at least one of an audio and video component and the second tuning means tunes said first frequency including said first signal indicating a second emergency event.

26. The television signal processing apparatus of claim 25, wherein the first and second frequencies are the same.

27. The television signal processing apparatus of claim 25, wherein the first and second frequencies are different.

28. The television signal processing apparatus of claim 25, wherein the processing means enables the alert output in response to at least one of the first emergency event and the second emergency event corresponding to an event selectable by a user.

29. The television signal processing apparatus of claim 25, wherein the processing means enables the alert output in response to at least one of the first emergency event and the second emergency event corresponding to a geographical area selectable by a user.

30. The television signal processing apparatus of claim 25, wherein the processing means enables the alert output for a first time period selectable by a user.

31. The television signal processing apparatus of claim 30, wherein the processing means causes the television signal processing apparatus to be switched from the second on mode to the first off/standby mode after the alert output is provided for the first time period.

32. The television signal processing apparatus of claim 31, wherein the processing means disables the emergency alert function for a repeat emergency event for a second time period selectable by a user in response to the television signal processing apparatus being switched from the second on mode to the first off/standby mode.

33. The television signal processing apparatus of claim 25, wherein the processing means causes the television signal processing apparatus to be switched from the first off/standby mode to the second on mode in response to the first emergency event corresponding to an event selectable by a user.

34. The television signal processing apparatus of claim 25, wherein the processing means causes the television signal processing apparatus to be switched from the first off/standby mode to the second on mode in response to the first emergency event corresponding to a geographical area selectable by a user.

35. A method for controlling a television signal processing apparatus having an emergency alert function, comprising:

using a first tuner of the television signal processing apparatus to tune a first signal indicating a first emergency event while the television signal processing apparatus is in a first off/standby mode;

using a second tuner of the television signal processing apparatus to tune the first signal indicating the first emergency event while the television signal processing apparatus is in a second on mode; and

switching the television signal processing apparatus from said first off/standby mode, in which the first tuner tunes said first signal indicating a first emergency event, to said second on mode, in which said first tuner tunes a second signal having at least one of an audio and video component and the second tuner tunes the first signal indicating the first emergency event.

36. The method of claim 35, further comprised of enabling an alert output responsive to at least one of the first signal indicating the first emergency event and the first signal indicating a second emergency event.