Broadcast receiver receiving emergency alert signal and method of processing the emergency alert signal

• US 7,535,350 B2
• Filed: 11/14/2005
• Issued: 05/19/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/04/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Shin, Jung-min
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham; Toan N
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mehmood; Jennifer
• Application Number:
  US11/271,885
• Publication Number:
  US 20060161946A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,282 Days
• Field of Search: 340/7.51, 340/7.55, 340/7.59, 340/286.01, 340/286.02, 340/286.11, 340/540, 455/500, 455/512, 455/527, 719/318, 719/328, 709/207, 709/240
• US Class Current: 340/540
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2803 Home automation networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/282 based on user interaction within the home receiver circuitry for displaying additional information being controlled by a remote control apparatus H04N21/42204
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2827 Reporting to a device within the home network; wherein the reception of the information reported automatically triggers the execution of a home appliance functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2836 Protocol conversion between an external network and a home network controlling appliance services of a home automation network from a device located outside the home and the home network H04L12/2818; protocol conversion H04L69/08; adaptation of digital video signals for transport over a specific home network H04N7/24
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2849 Audio/video appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/04 with alarm systems, e.g. fire, police or burglar alarm systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/04 for emergency applications

Abstract

A broadcast receiver is provided for processing an emergency alert signal. The broadcast receiver includes: a reception unit receiving the emergency alert signal; and a home network-linking unit converting the received emergency alert signal into a packet and transmitting the packet to a home network system connected to the broadcast receiver. The home network-linking unit includes: a priority comparison unit determining the priority of the received emergency alert signal; a policy determination unit determining an alert processing policy to be executed by the home network system according to the priority of the received emergency alert signal; and a packet conversion unit converting the emergency alert signal into the packet to be transmitted to the home network system.

Claims

1. A broadcast receiver comprising:

a reception unit which receives an emergency alert signal containing a priority;

a home network-linking unit which converts the emergency alert signal into a packet in reference to an alert processing policy which is determined based on the priority, and transmits the packet to a home network system comprising a plurality of devices,

wherein the alert processing policy predetermines tasks to be performed and designates which devices among the plurality of the devices of the home network system to perform the predetermined tasks,

wherein if the priority is lower than a given level, the home network linking unit does not convert the emergency alert signal into the packet for transmission to the home network system, and a local display unit connected to the broadcast receiver displays a message corresponding to the emergency alert signal, and

wherein if the priority is equal to or greater than the given level, the home network linking unit converts the emergency alert signal into the packet and transmits the packet to the home network system.

2. The receiver of claim 1, wherein the local display unit is included in the receiver.

3. The receiver of claim 1, further comprising a priority comparison unit which determines the priority of the emergency alert signal,

wherein the home network-linking unit comprises:

a policy determination unit which determines the alert processing policy to be executed by the home network system according to the priority of the emergency alert signal; and

a packet conversion unit which converts the emergency alert signal into the packet to be transmitted to the home network system.

4. The receiver of claim 3, wherein the home network-linking unit further comprises a policy database which stores the alert processing policy to be executed by the home network system for different priorities, and the policy determination unit determines the alert processing policy to be executed by the home network system based on the alert processing policy stored in the policy database and the priority of the emergency alert signal.

5. The receiver of claim 3, wherein the home network-linking unit further comprises a packet control unit which generates a control command instructing each device connected to the home network to carry out a predetermined task in accordance with the alert processing policy, and the packet conversion unit combines the emergency alert signal, the control command to be executed by each device in the home network, and an address of each device connected to the home network system which is to receive the control command to create the packet to be transmitted to the home network system.

6. The receiver of claim 3, wherein the packet conversion unit combines the emergency alert signal, the alert processing policy, and an address of each device included in the home network system which will execute a command in accordance with the alert processing policy, and creates the packet to be transmitted to the home network system.

7. The receiver of claim 6, wherein the emergency alert signal is an emergency alert system packet that complies with a Society of Cable Telecommunication Engineers standard.

8. The receiver of claim 6, wherein the address of each device included in the home network system is an Internet Protocol (IP) address that meets a Transmission Control Protocol (TCP)/IP standard.

17. The receiver of claim 1, wherein the local display unit is not included in the home network system.

19. The receiver of claim 1, wherein if the priority is equal to or greater than the given level, the local display unit displays the emergency alert message.

9. A method of processing an emergency alert signal, the method comprising:

receiving the emergency alert signal at a broadcast receiver;

determining an alert processing policy based on a priority of the emergency alert signal by the priority comparison unit;

if the priority is equal to or greater than a given level, converting the emergency alert signal into a packet according to the determined alert processing policy; and

transmitting the packet to a home network system comprising a plurality of devices,

wherein the alert processing policy predetermines tasks to be performed and designates which devices among the plurality of the devices of the home network system to perform the predetermined tasks,

wherein if the priority is lower than a given level, the emergency alert signal is not converted into the packet for transmission to the home network system, and a local display unit connected to the broadcast receiver displays the emergency alert signal.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the priority of the emergency alert signal comprises at least two priorities.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the method further comprises:

determining the priority of the received emergency alert signal.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the determining of the alert processing policy comprises accessing an policy database which stores the alert processing policy to be executed by the home network system for different priorities, and determining the alert processing policy to be executed by the home network system based on the alert processing policies stored in the policy database and the priority of the emergency alert signal.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the converting of the emergency alert signal in to the packet comprises generating a control command instructing each device connected to the home network to carry out a predetermined task in accordance with the alert processing policy, and combining the emergency alert signal, the control command to be executed by each device in the home network, and an address of each device connected to the home network system which is to receive the control command to create the packet to be transmitted to the home network system.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the converting of the emergency alert signal in to the packet comprises combining the emergency alert signal, the alert processing policy, and an address of each device included in the home network system which will execute a command in accordance with the alert processing policy, and creating the packet to be transmitted to the home network system.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the emergency alert signal is an emergency alert system packet that complies with a Society of Cable Telecommunication Engineers standard.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the address of each device included in the home network system is an Internet Protocol (IP) address that meets a Transmission Control Protocol (TCP)/IP standard.

18. The method of claim 9, wherein the local display unit is not included in the home network system.

20. The method of claim 9, wherein if the priority is equal to or greater than the given level, the local display unit displays the emergency alert message.