Weight based determination and sequencing of emergency alert system messages for delivery

• US 8,078,233 B1
• Filed: 10/25/2007
• Issued: 12/13/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/11/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Sennett, DeWayne Allan, Daly, Brian Kevin
• Primary Examiner(s): GESESSE, TILAHUN
• Application Number:
  US11/924,235
• Time in Patent Office: 1,510 Days
• Field of Search: 455/3.01, 455/3.06, 455/344, 455/66.1, 455/404.1, 455/404.2, 455/567, 379 37- 51
• US Class Current: 455/567
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/59 for emergency or urgency

Abstract

An Emergency Alert System (EAS) alert message can be provided based on one or more weights that can correspond to a message type, one or more attributes, and/or one or more classifications of the alert message. For example, alert messages having one or more weights above a particular a threshold weight can be broadcasted to a mobile device. Additionally, the weights can be used to determine the sequence, priority, and/or order in which the alert message can be broadcast to the mobile device.

Claims

1. A method of providing alert messages, the method comprising:

receiving a broadcast alert message;

assigning a weight to the broadcast alert message, wherein the weight is indicative of a predetermined configuration;

determining if the assigned weight matches at least one predetermined criteria, and

if the assigned weight is determined to match the at least one predetermined criteria, rebroadcasting the broadcast alert message.

2. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the broadcast alert message comprises at least one of:

a broadcast message type, an attribute of the message, or a classification of the message.

3. A method in accordance with claim 2, wherein the weight is assigned to the broadcast alert message based on at least one of:

the broadcasted message type, the attribute, or the classification.

4. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the broadcast alert message comprises an Emergency Alert System alert message.

5. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein determining if the assigned weight matches at least one criteria comprises determining if the assigned weight exceeds a threshold weight.

6. A method in accordance with claim 5, wherein a subscriber of a network provider establishes the threshold weight.

7. A method in accordance with claim 5, wherein a network provider establishes the threshold weight.

8. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the at least one predefined criteria comprises a numerical representation associated with at least one of an alert type, a location of a recipient, or a predetermined preference configuration.

9. A system for determining alert messages to be received by a mobile device, the system comprising at least one processor configured to:

receive a first broadcasted alert message and a second broadcasted alert message, wherein the first broadcasted alert message comprises a first weight and the second broadcasted alert message comprises a second weight;

determine a sequence of the first broadcasted alert message and the second broadcasted alert message based on the respective first and second weights; and

rebroadcast the first and second alert messages to the mobile device in the determined sequence.

10. The system in accordance with claim 9, wherein the at least one alert message comprises an Emergency Alert System alert message.

11. The system in accordance with claim 9, wherein the first weight comprises a first individual weight assigned to at least one of a message type, one or more attributes associated with the first broadcasted alert message, and one or more classifications associated with the first broadcasted alert message and the second weight comprises a second individual weight assigned to at least one of a message type, one or more attributes associated with the second broadcasted alert message, and one or more classifications associated with the second broadcasted alert message.

12. The system in accordance with claim 9, wherein the first weight comprises a first message weight that combines each of the weights assigned to at least one of a message type, one or more attributes associated with the first broadcasted alert message, and one or more classifications associated with the first broadcasted alert message and the second weight comprises a second message weight that combines each of the weights assigned to at least one of a message type, one or more attributes associated with the second broadcasted alert message, and one or more classifications associated with the second broadcasted alert message.

13. The system in accordance with claim 9, wherein the system comprises:

an alert messages module configured to store the first broadcasted alert message and first weight and the second broadcasted alert message the second weight;

a criteria module configured to store one or more criteria, wherein the criteria determine the sequence of the first broadcasted alert message and the second broadcasted alert message; and

an alert message processor component in operative communication with the alert messages module and the criteria module, wherein the alert message processor component determines the sequence of the first broadcasted alert message and the second broadcasted alert message based on the respective first and second weights.

14. The system in accordance with claim 13, wherein the alert message processor component determines the sequence of the first broadcasted alert message and the second broadcasted alert message by comparing the first weight to the second weight.

15. The system in accordance with claim 14, wherein if the first weight is greater than the second weight the first broadcasted alert message is before the second broadcasted alert message in the sequence.

16. The system in accordance with claim 14, wherein if the first weight is greater than the second weight the first broadcasted alert message is before the second broadcasted alert message in the sequence.

17. A mobile device configured to:

receive a first broadcasted alert message and a second broadcasted alert message from a network provider of the mobile device, wherein the first broadcasted alert message and the second broadcasted alert message each comprise a respective weight;

determine whether to render the first broadcasted alert message and the second broadcasted alert message received from the network provider based on the respective weights;

determine a sequence of the first broadcasted alert message and the second broadcasted alert message based on the respective weights; and

render the first broadcasted alert message and the second broadcasted alert message in the determined sequence if, based on the determination, the respective weights match one or more respective criteria.

18. The mobile device in accordance with claim 17, wherein the one or more criteria comprises a threshold weight.

19. The mobile device in accordance with claim 18, wherein the mobile device is configured to determine whether to render the broadcasted alert message based on the configuration and the characteristics by comparing the weight with the threshold weight, and wherein the broadcasted alert message is rendered if, based on the determination, the weight exceeds the threshold weight.

20. The mobile device in accordance with claim 17, the mobile device further configured to establish a communication session with a network provider of the mobile device.

21. The mobile device in accordance with claim 20, wherein the mobile device is configured to receive the threshold weight from the network provider during the communication session.

22. The mobile device of claim 17, wherein the mobile device comprises:

a processor configured to receive the weight and the broadcasted alert message;

wherein the processor determines whether to render the broadcasted alert message received from the network based on the weight; and

a user interface in operative communication with the processor, wherein the user interface renders the broadcasted alert message if, based on the determination, the weight matches the one or more criteria.