Method and apparatus of power control for a public warning system

• US 8,260,249 B2
• Filed: 09/16/2008
• Issued: 09/04/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Andersen, Niels Peter Skov, Williams, David
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, DANH C
• Application Number:
  US12/211,513
• Publication Number:
  US 20090130972A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,449 Days
• Field of Search: 455/404.2, 455/458, 455/466, 455/418, 455/404.1, 379/37
• US Class Current: 455/404.1
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/245 from a network towards a terminal
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A method for broadcasting messages in a wireless communication system is provided. The method includes employing a paging channel to receive a broadcast event on a wireless device and utilizing the broadcast event to trigger a warning message on the device. For example, the broadcast event can be detected from a natural disaster such as a primary earthquake warning or tsunami.

Claims

1. A method for broadcasting messages in a wireless communication system, comprising:

employing a paging channel to receive a broadcast message related to a detected public warning event on a wireless device;

utilizing the broadcast message to trigger a warning message on the device; and

utilizing the broadcast message to place the wireless device in listen mode to receive subsequent data regarding the public warning event, wherein the broadcast message indicates an earthquake, a tsunami event, a fire warning, a hurricane, a tornado, an outbreak of disease, a volcanic eruption, or an impending war.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the public warning event is a natural disaster.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the public warning event is detected from a primary earthquake warning.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the subsequent data is broadcast via a cell broadcast service, a mobile television service, a digital video broadcast, or a mobile broadcast multimedia service.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the broadcast message is a dedicated message or is received as a transmission indicator on an existing paging message.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising employing a Mobile Country Code (MCC) and a Mobile Network Code (MNC) to activate the wireless device.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the MCC is 901 and the MNC is 08.

8. A communications apparatus, comprising:

a memory that retains code for receiving a warning message related to a detected public warning event across a paging channel of a wireless mobile device, the warning message employed to trigger a warning signal on the wireless mobile device and to place the wireless mobile device in listen mode to receive subsequent warning messages; and

a processor that executes the code,

wherein the message indicates an earthquake, a tsunami event, a fire warning, a hurricane, a tornado, an outbreak of disease, a volcanic eruption, or an impending war.

9. The communications apparatus of claim 8, wherein the subsequent warning messages are broadcast via a cell broadcast service, a mobile television service, a digital video broadcast, or a mobile broadcast multimedia service.

10. The communications apparatus of claim 8, wherein the warning message is received as a dedicated message or as a transmission indicator on an existing paging message that is employed to activate the wireless mobile device.

11. The communications apparatus of claim 10, further comprising a Mobile Country Code (MCC) and a Mobile Network Code (MNC) to activate the wireless device.

12. The communications apparatus of claim 11, wherein the MCC is 901 and the MNC is 08.

13. The communications apparatus of claim 8, wherein the warning signal is a vibration alarm or a sound alarm to alert a user of the wireless mobile device.

14. A communications apparatus, comprising:

means for receiving a paging event related to a detected public warning event that is generated to a plurality of non-subscribing mobile devices;

means for enabling a channel for subsequent messages in response to the paging event; and

means for warning a user in response to the paging event,

wherein the message indicates an earthquake, a tsunami event, a fire warning, a hurricane, a tornado, an outbreak of disease, a volcanic eruption, or an impending war.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable product having stored thereon computer-executable code for:

receiving at least one paging channel event to activate a wireless mobile device that a public warning has occurred;

notifying a user of the public warning via an alarm; and

activating a subsequent channel to receive additional information related to the public warning, wherein the notifying and activating are performed in response to the paging channel event and wherein the public warning indicates an earthquake, a tsunami event, a fire warning, a hurricane, a tornado, an outbreak of disease, a volcanic eruption, or an impending war.

16. The computer-readable product of claim 15, further comprising generating the public warning from a detected natural disaster.

17. The computer-readable product of claim 15, further comprising receiving the paging channel event in accordance with a mobile country code and a mobile network code.

18. The computer-readable product of claim 15, further comprising receiving the paging channel event via a dedicated message.

19. A processor that executes the following code:

receiving a paging channel event that has been generated in response to a detected public warning event;

alerting a user of the paging channel event via a sound or a vibration alarm in response to the paging channel event; and

listening for subsequent messages for the public warning event via a broadcast service in response to the paging channel event, wherein the public warning event indicates an earthquake, a tsunami event, a fire warning, a hurricane, a tornado, an outbreak of disease, a volcanic eruption, or an impending war.