Message broadcasting admission control system and method

• US 7,693,938 B2
• Filed: 11/20/2006
• Issued: 04/06/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/13/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Envision IT LLC
• Original Assignee: Envision IT LLC
• Inventors: Wood, Mark Andrew, Preston, Kevin Russell, Weiser, Douglas
• Primary Examiner(s): Meky; Moustafa M
• Application Number:
  US11/602,461
• Publication Number:
  US 20070124368A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,233 Days
• Field of Search: 709200-203, 709217-227, 455/404.1, 455/414.1, 455/414.3
• US Class Current: 709/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/006 Alarm destination chosen according to type of event, e.g. in case of fire phone the fire service, in case of medical emergency phone the ambulance
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 27/00 Alarm systems in which the alarm condition is signalled from a central station to a plurality of substations
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/18 for broadcast or conference , e.g. multicast

Abstract

A system and method of admission control for authorizing a submission of a broadcast message to a broadcast target area includes receiving a broadcast message record including the broadcast message and the broadcast target area for the broadcast message and validating the authority of a broadcast message originator originating the broadcast message record as a function of a broadcast message originator parameter. The method also includes identifying a broadcast transmission network providing broadcast message transmission to broadcast message receiving devices located within the broadcast target area and validating the broadcast transmission network against a broadcast transmission network parameter. The method further includes forwarding the broadcast message record to an output interface associated with the broadcast transmission network for transmission to the broadcast message receiving devices within the broadcast target area.

Claims

1. A message broadcasting system providing a broadcast message to a broadcast target area, the system comprising:

a broadcast request interface configured for receiving a broadcast message record having a broadcast message, a defined broadcast target area, and a broadcast message originator identifier;

a broadcast admission control module configured for receiving the broadcast message record, validating the broadcast message record as a function one or more of the broadcast message originator identifier, the broadcast target area, and a broadcast message transmission network parameter associated with a broadcast transmission network adapted for broadcasting the message to at least a portion of the broadcast target area, said broadcast admission control module configured for generating a validated broadcast message record as a function of the validating; and

a broadcast message distributor module configured for receiving the validated broadcast message record and transmitting the broadcast message and the broadcast target area, or a part thereof, to an output interface configured for distributing the broadcast message to at least a portion of the broadcast target area.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a broadcast network interface module coupled to the broadcast message distributor module for receiving the broadcast message record and forwarding the broadcast message record to a broadcast network transmission module associated with at least one of the broadcast message transmission networks.

3. The system of claim 2, further comprising the broadcast network transmission module associated with at least one of the broadcast message transmission networks and coupled to one of more network transmission components within the at least one broadcast message transmission network configured for transmitting the broadcast message to broadcast message receiving devices within the broadcast target area.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein the broadcast network transmission module is configured for receiving the validated broadcast message record and determining at least one network transmission component address as a function of the broadcast target area within the validated broadcast message record and transmitting the broadcast message to the network transmission component having the component address for transmission to the broadcast message receiving devices.

5. The system of claim 3 wherein the broadcast network transmission module is dedicated to one particular broadcast message transmission network.

6. The system of claim 3 wherein the broadcast network transmission module is configured as a service bureau and coupled to a plurality of broadcast message transmission networks.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the output interface is configured for transmitting the validated broadcast message to a second broadcast request interface associated with a second broadcast admission control module associated with a second message broadcasting system.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the broadcast message interface is configured for hosting a web page and generating the broadcast message record in response to data entered by a broadcast message originator accessing the hosted web page.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein the broadcast message interface is configured for presenting a broadcast message originator with a geographic area and enabling the broadcast message originator to define the broadcast target area as a subset of the presented geographic area.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein the geographic area is presented as a graphical map and wherein the broadcast message interface is configured for enabling the broadcast message originator to graphically define the broadcast target area on the presented graphical map.

11. The system of claim 1 wherein the broadcast admission control module verifies an authority of the broadcast message originator as a function of a broadcast message originator authorization parameter, said transmitting the broadcast message being responsive to the authority verification.

12. The system of claim 1 wherein the broadcast admission control module is configured for validating including validating the authority of a broadcast message originator as a function of a broadcast message originator parameter.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein the broadcast message originator parameter includes one or more of an authorized broadcast message originator identification code, a message priority, an authorized password, an authorized message target broadcast geographic area, a geographic broadcast area authorization flag or parameter, a reusable geographic broadcast target area template definition authorization parameter, an authorized broadcast network distribution parameter, a broadcast message profile parameter, a message language text parameter, and a geographic broadcast target area message language priority parameter.

14. The system of claim 1 wherein the broadcast admission control module is configured for validating includes identifying a broadcast transmission network providing broadcast message communications to broadcast message receiving devices within the broadcast target area and validating the broadcast transmission network against a broadcast network parameter.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein the broadcast network parameter includes one or more of a reusable geographic broadcast target area template definition parameter, a broadcast message target area parameter, a message priority, a message language text format parameter, a network authorization parameter, and a message language priority indicator.

16. The system of claim 1 wherein the broadcast admission control module is configured for identifying one or more broadcast transmission networks providing broadcast message communications to broadcast message receiving devices located within the broadcast target area and validating at least one of the identified broadcast transmission networks against a broadcast transmission network authority parameter.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein the broadcast admission control module is configured for identifying a first broadcast transmission network providing broadcast message communications to broadcast message receiving devices within the broadcast target area is repeated to identify a second broad network providing broadcast message communications to other broadcast message receiving devices within the broadcast target area in response to forwarding the broadcast message to a broadcast transmission network, wherein the broadcast admission control module validates the broadcast transmission network includes validating a first and a second broadcast transmission network against first and second broadcast transmission network parameters, respectively, and forwards the broadcast message to the first broadcast transmission network and the second broadcast transmission network for transmission to broadcast message receiving devices within the broadcast target area.

18. The system of claim 1 wherein the broadcast admission control module is configured for validating the broadcast message record against a plurality of broadcast transmission network parameters, wherein the broadcast transmission network parameters are associated with a particular broadcast transmission network.

19. The system of claim 1 wherein the broadcast admission control module is configured for receiving a plurality of broadcast message records from a plurality of broadcast request interfaces and the validated broadcast message record is a first broadcast message record having a first broadcast message and a first broadcast target area and the broadcast network is a first broadcast transmission network, and wherein the broadcast admission control module is further configured for validating a second broadcast message record in response to completing the forwarding of the first broadcast message to the first broadcast transmission network for transmission to the broadcast message receiving devices within the first broadcast target area.

20. The system of claim 19 wherein the broadcast admission control module is configured for selecting the second broadcast message record from among a plurality of broadcast message records as a function of a message priority parameter.

21. The system of claim 1 wherein the broadcast request interface is configured for receiving a broadcast message request indicating a broadcast originator suspension notification and the broadcast admission control module is configured for validating a subsequent broadcast message record indicating that all broadcast transmission networks decline the transmission of the subsequent broadcast message.

22. The system of claim 21 wherein the broadcast admission control module is configured for initiating the reporting and sending of the subsequent broadcast message record to a message broadcast system administrative account.

23. A method of broadcast messaging to a broadcast target area, the method comprising:

hosting a broadcast message interface;

receiving a broadcast message record having a broadcast message, a defined broadcast target area, and a broadcast message originator identifier;

validating the broadcast message record as a function one or more of the broadcast message originator identifier, the broadcast target area, and a broadcast message transmission network parameter associated with a broadcast transmission network configured for broadcasting the message to at least a portion of the broadcast target area;

generating a validated broadcast message record as a function of the validating; and

transmitting the validated broadcast message record to an output interface configured for distributing the broadcast message to at least a portion of the broadcast target area.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein the broadcast message interface is configured for presenting a broadcast message originator with a geographic area and enabling the broadcast message originator to define the broadcast target area as a subset of the presented geographic area.

25. The method of claim 23 wherein hosting includes hosting a webpage and presenting a map of an area having a plurality of definable broadcast target areas and includes an interactive user interface for receiving broadcast message originator input to define the broadcast target area with reference to the presented map.

26. The method of claim 25 wherein hosting includes providing the interactive user interface with a graphical mapping capability for enabling the broadcast message originator to define the broadcast target area having a user definable shape.

27. The method of claim 23 wherein hosting includes hosting a data network interface configured for receiving the broadcast message record transmitted from a coupled second broadcast message system.

28. The method of claim 23 wherein validating includes verifying an authority of a broadcast message originator as a function of a broadcast message originator authorization parameter and the broadcast target area.

29. The method of claim 23 wherein the broadcast message originator authorization parameter includes a geographic parameter defining an area in which the broadcast message originator is authorized to originate a broadcast message contained within the broadcast message record.

30. The method of claim 23 wherein transmitting the broadcast message to the output interface is responsive to the authority verification.

31. The method of claim 23 wherein transmitting includes transmitting the broadcast message and broadcast target area to one of a plurality of broadcast transmission networks serving, at least in part, the broadcast target area as a function of a message admission control parameter associated with the one broadcast transmission network.

32. The method of claim 23, further comprising transmitting at least one area identification parameter within the message target broadcast area to at least one network broadcast center.

33. The method of claim 23, further comprising transmitting a report containing the broadcast message, the broadcast target area and the at least one area identification parameter within the message broadcast target area.

34. The method of claim 23, further comprising identifying one or more broadcast transmission networks providing broadcast message communications to broadcast message receiving devices located within the broadcast target area, wherein validating includes validating one of the identified broadcast transmission networks against a broadcast transmission network authority parameter.

35. The method of claim 23, further comprising identifying a first broadcast transmission network providing broadcast message transmission to first broadcast message receiving devices served by the first broadcast transmission network and within the broadcast target area and identifying a second broadcast transmission network providing broadcast message transmission to second broadcast message receiving devices served by the second broadcast transmission network and within the broadcast target area, wherein validating includes validating the first and the second broadcast transmission networks against first and second broadcast transmission network parameters, respectively, and transmitting includes forwarding the broadcast message to the first broadcast transmission network and the second broadcast transmission network for transmission to the served broadcast message receiving devices located within the broadcast target area.

36. The method of claim 23 wherein validating includes comparing the broadcast message record against a plurality of broadcast transmission network parameters, wherein the broadcast transmission network parameters are associated with a particular broadcast transmission network.

37. The method of claim 23 wherein receiving includes a plurality of broadcast message records from a plurality of broadcast request interfaces and validating including validating a first broadcast message record having a first broadcast message and a first broadcast target area and a second broadcast message record having a second broadcast message and a second broadcast target area, and wherein transmitting includes transmitting the first validated broadcast message record to a first output interface associated with a first broadcast transmission network and transmitting the second validated broadcast message record to a second output interface associated with a second broadcast transmission network.

38. The method of claim 23, further comprising selecting the second broadcast message record from among the plurality of broadcast message records as a function of a message priority parameter.

39. The method of claim 23 wherein validating includes identifying a broadcast transmission network providing broadcast message communications to broadcast message receiving devices within the broadcast target area and validating the broadcast transmission network against a broadcast network parameter.

40. The method of claim 39 wherein the broadcast network parameter includes one or more of a reusable geographic broadcast target area template definition parameter, a broadcast message target area parameter, a message language text format parameter, a network authorization parameter, and a message language priority indicator.

41. The method of claim 23, further comprising receiving a broadcast message record indicating a broadcast originator suspension notification, validating a subsequent broadcast message record, declining the transmission of the validated broadcast message record, and initiating the reporting of the declined broadcast message record to a broadcast system administrative account.

42. A method of admission control for authorizing a submission of a broadcast message to a broadcast target area, comprising:

receiving a broadcast message record including the broadcast message and the broadcast target area for the broadcast message;

validating the authority of a broadcast message originator originating the broadcast message record as a function of a broadcast message originator parameter;

identifying a broadcast transmission network providing broadcast message transmission to broadcast message receiving devices located within the broadcast target area;

validating the broadcast transmission network against a broadcast transmission network parameter; and

forwarding the broadcast message record to an output interface associated with the broadcast transmission network for transmission to the broadcast message receiving devices within the broadcast target area.

43. The method of claim 42, further comprising identifying one or more broadcast transmission networks providing broadcast message transmissions to broadcast message receiving devices located within the broadcast target area and validating at least one of the identified broadcast transmission networks against a broadcast transmission network authority parameter.

44. The method of claim 42 wherein identifying includes identifying a first broadcast transmission network providing broadcast message transmission to first broadcast message receiving devices served by the first broadcast transmission network and within the broadcast target area and identifying a second broadcast transmission network providing broadcast message transmission to second broadcast message receiving devices served by the second broadcast transmission network and within the broadcast target area, wherein validating includes validating the first and the second broadcast transmission networks against first and second broadcast transmission network parameters, respectively, and transmitting includes forwarding the broadcast message to the first broadcast transmission network and the second broadcast transmission network for transmission to the served broadcast message receiving devices located within the broadcast target area.

45. The method of claim 42 wherein validating the broadcast transmission network includes validating the broadcast message record and broadcast transmission network against a plurality of broadcast transmission network parameters.

46. The method of claim 45, further comprising comparing the broadcast message record to a broadcast transmission network decline parameter in response to a failure of validating against one of the plurality of broadcast transmission network parameters and at least one of generating a warning message in response to a failure in the comparing to the broadcast transmission network decline parameter and generating a decline report in response to a success in the comparing to the broadcast transmission network decline parameter.

47. The method of claim 42, further comprising storing the submitted broadcast message record to a broadcast message log file.

48. The method of claim 42, further comprising generating a security report in response to a failure of the validating of the broadcast message record.

49. The method of claim 42 wherein validating includes retrieving a broadcast message originator parameter from a data base and comparing the broadcast message originator parameter against an authorization parameter.

50. The method of claim 49 wherein the broadcast message originator parameter includes one or more of an authorized broadcast message originator identification code, an authorized password, an authorized message target broadcast geographic area, a message priority, a geographic broadcast area authorization flag or parameter, a reusable geographic broadcast target area template definition authorization parameter, an authorized broadcast network distribution network parameter, a broadcast message profile parameter, a message language text parameter, and a geographic broadcast target area message language priority parameter.

51. The method of claim 42 wherein the broadcast network parameter includes one or more of a reusable geographic broadcast target area template definition parameter, a broadcast message target area parameter, a message priority, a message language text format parameter, and a message language priority indicator.

52. The method of claim 42, further comprising validating the broadcast message record against an authorized message parameter associated with the broadcast network, wherein forwarding the broadcast message record is in response to successfully validating the broadcast message for the broadcast network.

53. The method of claim 42, further comprising setting a message decline flag for the message transmission to the broadcast network in response to a failure of the validating the broadcast transmission network against a broadcast network parameter.

54. The method of claim 42, further comprising setting a message admission done flag and logging the completed message submission to the message log file in response to completion of the admission control procedure for all of a plurality of broadcast message transmission networks.

55. The method of claim 42, further comprising initiating the admission control method for a second broadcast message record in response to the successful forwarding of a first broadcast message record.

56. The method of claim 55, further comprising selecting the second broadcast message record from among a plurality of broadcast message records as a function of a message priority parameter.

57. The method of claim 42 wherein validating includes comparing a parameter associated with the broadcast message record to a stored authorization parameter.

58. The method of claim 42 wherein receiving includes receiving a plurality of broadcast message records from a plurality of broadcast request interfaces and wherein the validated message record is a first broadcast message record having a first broadcast message and a first broadcast target area and the broadcast network is a first broadcast transmission network, further comprising validating a second broadcast message record in response to completing the forwarding of the first broadcast message to the first broadcast transmission network for transmission to the broadcast message receiving devices within the first broadcast target area.

59. The method of claim 42, further comprising generating a security report in response to a failure of validating the broadcast message record.