Alert system and personal apparatus

• US 7,616,942 B2
• Filed: 08/15/2005
• Issued: 11/10/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/23/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Maurice W Karl
• Original Assignee: Maurice W Karl
• Inventors: Karl, Maurice W., Bryan, Joshua A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Edouard; Patrick N.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ho; Huy C
• Application Number:
  US11/203,721
• Publication Number:
  US 20060040639A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,548 Days
• Field of Search: 340/286.02, 340/539, 455/401.1, 455/414.3, 455/404, 455/466, 455/404.2
• US Class Current: 455/404.1
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 27/006 with transmission via telephone network
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/06 Selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS]; Services to user groups; One-way selective calling services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/90 Services for handling of emergency or hazardous situations, e.g. earthquake and tsunami warning systems [ETWS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/30 Resource management for broadcast services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/50 for emergency connections

Abstract

An alert system and apparatus for an emergency alert system is provided to disseminate emergency information to the public utilizing a universal paging system through a personal alert device such as a cellular telephone, pager, PDA or E-FOB. The alert system utilizes an emergency alert system signal from the NOAA alert system to broadcast the alert message to cellular devices in a specified alert area. The broadcast message provides information related to the alert level. The E-FOB may be a passive device which is activated by a NOAA alert signal and then listens for a cellular message. If the E-FOB is within the alert area, the E-FOB provides information to the user. If the E-FOB is not within the alert area, the E-FOB returns to a passive state.

Claims

1. A method of disseminating emergency information comprising the steps of:

receiving event transmission information by a first receiver from NOAA indicative of an emergency within a geographic area, said event transmission information including an emergency alert system (“

EAS”

) signal, said EAS signal including an event code, location code and a message,

receiving a NOAA signal within said geographic area by a wakeup antenna,

providing a wakeup signal in response to receiving said NOAA signal by said wakeup antenna to activate a passive receiving device within said geographic region,

extracting said event code, location code and message from said EAS signal by said first receiver,

identifying the nature of said emergency event from said event code by said first receiver,

identifying at least one cellular tower within a predetermined distance of a specified location identified by said location code within a portion of said geographic region by said first receiver,

formatting said message and event code corresponding to said emergency event by said first receiver,

transmitting said formatted message and event code to said at least one cellular tower by said first receiver,

broadcasting said formatted message and event code by said cellular towers,

receiving said formatted message and event code broadcast from at least one cellular tower by said passive receiving device if said passive receiving device is within said portion of said geographic region,

deactivating said passive receiving device if said formatted message and event code broadcast by said at least one cellular tower is not received within a predetermined period of time.

2. The method as set forth in claim 1 further comprising the step of prompting an operator to approve broadcast of said message.

3. The method as set forth in claim 2 further comprising a redundant prompting step activated upon delay or failure of said operator to approve broadcast of said message.

4. The method as set forth in claim 1 further comprising the step of querying a cell tower database for cell tower location information.

5. The method as set forth in claim 1 further comprising the step of providing said formatted message indicative of the nature of said emergency event to a cellular network provider.

6. The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said transmission information includes an initiating organization code, an emergency event code, a geographic location code, a time period code, and/or a date of alert code.

7. The method as set forth in claim 1 further comprising querying a cell tower database to identify cellular towers within the geographic location of the emergency event.

8. The method as set forth in claim 1 further comprising transmitting said formatted message to one or more cellular network providers for broadcasting over a network connection.

9. An electronic warning receiver comprising:

a wakeup antenna for receiving a wakeup signal from the National Weather Service;

a first receiver coupled to said wakeup antenna for decoding said wakeup signal;

a monitor circuit coupled to said first receiver and responsive to Said decoded wakeup signal to activate a power supply controller;

said power supply controller for applying power to the electronic warning receiver;

a second antenna for receiving a broadcast warning message;

a second receiver connected to said second antenna for decoding said broadcast warning message, and

a microprocessor connected to said second receiver and responsive to said decoded message to activate LEDs, a text message and/or an audible alarm indicative of the warning message received.

10. The electronic warning receiver as set forth in claim 9 further comprising a tactile alarm activated by said microprocessor.

11. The electronic warning receiver as set forth in claim 10 wherein said power supply controller is activated for a predetermined period of time.