Geographic distribution of SMS alerts

• US 7,764,946 B1
• Filed: 09/15/2006
• Issued: 07/27/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cingular Wireless II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cingular Wireless II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Daly, Brian Kevin, Sennett, DeWayne Allan
• Primary Examiner(s): Perez-Gutierrez, Rafael
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kirk, Lameka J
• Application Number:
  US11/532,367
• Time in Patent Office: 1,411 Days
• Field of Search: 4554041-4042, 4554141-4144, 455/466, 4554561-4566, 455/432.3, 340/7.35
• US Class Current: 455/404.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• 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 76/50 for emergency connections

Abstract

SMS alert messages are provided to the current geographic location of a registered SMS subscriber. When an SMS subscriber'"'"'s mobile device is registered, the subscriber'"'"'s profile is analyzed to determine if the subscriber wants to receive alert messages via SMS. If so, cell sites associated with the current location of the subscriber are utilized to provide alert messages. As the subscriber register'"'"'s his/her mobile device in other geographic locations, the current location of the subscriber is updated.

Claims

1. A method for geographically distributing a short message service (SMS) alert, the method comprising:

receiving an indication of an alert for a geographic alert area;

determining cellular sites providing coverage for the geographic alert area;

determining, via a respective subscriber profile, at least one registered SMS subscriber that wants to receive an SMS based alert message;

determining if any of the cellular sites providing coverage for the geographic alert area are associated with the at least one registered SMS subscriber wanting to receive an SMS based alert message;

when the at least one registered SMS subscriber wanting to receive an SMS based alert message is associated with at least one cellular site providing coverage for the geographic alert area, providing to the at least one cellular site an SMS based alert message indicative of the alert;

determining if the geographic alert area is capable of receiving the indication of the alert via the determined cellular sites; and

when it is determined that the geographic alert area is not capable of receiving the indication of the alert via the determined cellular sites, reporting to an entity an indication that the geographic alert area is not capable of receiving the indication of the alert via the determined cellular sites.

2. A method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising:

generating a first list of cellular sites capable of providing coverage for the alert area;

generating a second list of cellular sites that are associated with registered SMS subscribers wanting to receive an SMS based alert message;

comparing the first list with the second list; and

for each match resulting from the comparison, providing to each cellular site corresponding to a match, an SMS based alert message indicative of the alert.

3. A method in accordance with claim 2, further comprising maintaining a current location of a registered subscriber.

4. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the indication of the alert comprises at least one of a subscriber ID, a mobile subscriber directory number, and an indication of the geographic area in which the subscriber registered.

5. A method in accordance with claim 4, wherein the indication of the geographic area in which the subscriber registered comprises an indication of a cell site with which the subscriber registered.

6. A method in accordance with claim 1, the method further comprising:

determining a second geographic area, within the geographic alert area, that does not have cellular coverage; and

providing a warning pertaining to the indication of the alert to the second geographic area via an appropriate alerting method,

wherein the second geographic area is determined via RF propagation data.

7. A system for geographically distributing a short message service (SMS) alert, the system comprising:

an input/output portion configured to;

receive an indication of an alert for a geographic alert area; and

a processor portion configured to;

determine cellular sites providing coverage for the geographic alert area;

determine, via a respective subscriber profile, at least one registered SMS subscriber that wants to receive an SMS based alert message;

determine if any of the cellular sites providing coverage for the geographic alert area are associated with the at least one registered SMS subscriber wanting to receive an SMS based alert message;

when the at least one registered SMS subscriber wanting to receive an SMS based alert message is associated with at least one cellular site providing coverage for the geographic alert area, provide to the at least one cellular site an SMS based alert message indicative of the alert;

determine if the geographic alert area is capable of receiving the indication of the alert via the determined cellular sites; and

when it is determined that the geographic alert area is not capable of receiving the indication of the alert via the determined cellular sites, reporting to an entity an indication that the geographic alert area is not capable of receiving the indication of the alert via the determined cellular sites.

8. A system in accordance with claim 7, the processor portion further configured to:

generate a first list of cellular sites capable of providing coverage for the alert area;

generate a second list of cellular sites that are associated with registered SMS subscribers wanting to receive an SMS based alert message;

compare the first list with the second list; and

for each match resulting from the comparison, provide to each cellular site corresponding to a match, an SMS based alert message indicative of the alert.

9. A system in accordance with claim 8, the processor portion further configured to maintain a current location of a registered subscriber.

10. A system in accordance with claim 7, wherein the indication of the alert comprises at least one of a subscriber ID, a mobile subscriber directory number, and an indication of the geographic area in which the subscriber registered.

11. A system in accordance with claim 10, wherein the indication of the geographic area in which the subscriber registered comprises an indication of a cell site with which the subscriber registered.

12. A system in accordance with claim 7, the processor portion further configured to:

determine a second geographic area, within the geographic alert area, that does not have cellular coverage; and

provide a warning pertaining to the indication of the alert to the second geographic area via an appropriate alerting method,

wherein the second geographic area is determined via RF propagation data.

13. A computer-readable storage medium comprising computer-executable instructions for distributing a short message service (SMS) alert, the computer-executable instructions for:

receiving an indication of an alert for a geographic alert area;

determining cellular sites providing coverage for the geographic alert area;

determining, via a respective subscriber profile, at least one registered SMS subscriber that wants to receive an SMS based alert message;

determining if any of the cellular sites providing coverage for the geographic alert area are associated with the at least one registered SMS subscriber wanting to receive an SMS based alert message;

when the at least one registered SMS subscriber wanting to receive an SMS based alert message is associated with at least one cellular site providing coverage for the geographic alert area, providing to the at least one cellular site an SMS based alert message indicative of the alert;

determining if the geographic alert area is capable of receiving the indication of the alert via the determined cellular sites; and

when it is determined that the geographic alert area is not capable of receiving the indication of the alert via the determined cellular sites, reporting to an entity an indication that the geographic alert area is not capable of receiving the indication of the alert via the determined cellular sites.

14. A computer-readable medium in accordance with claim 13, the computer-executable instructions further for:

generating a first list of cellular sites capable of providing coverage for the alert area;

generating a second list of cellular sites that are associated with registered SMS subscribers wanting to receive an SMS based alert message;

comparing the first list with the second list; and

for each match resulting from the comparison, providing to each cellular site corresponding to a match, an SMS based alert message indicative of the alert.

15. A computer-readable storage medium in accordance with claim 13, the computer-executable instructions further for maintaining a current location of a registered subscriber.

16. A computer-readable storage medium in accordance with claim 13, wherein the indication of the alert comprises at least one of a subscriber ID, a mobile subscriber directory number, and an indication of the geographic area in which the subscriber registered.

17. A computer-readable medium in accordance with claim 16, wherein the indication of the geographic area in which the subscriber registered comprises an indication of a cell site with which the subscriber registered.

18. A computer-readable storage medium in accordance with claim 13, wherein the second geographic area is determined via RF propagation data.

determining a second geographic area, within the geographic alert area, that does not have cellular coverage;

and

providing a warning pertaining to the indication of the alert to the second geographic area via an appropriate alerting method,

wherein the second geographic area is determined via RF propagation data.