Emergency notification system for a portable device

• US 8,385,956 B2
• Filed: 05/17/2012
• Issued: 02/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Cingular Wireless 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): Arevalo, Joseph
• Application Number:
  US13/474,642
• Publication Number:
  US 20120231757A1
• Time in Patent Office: 285 Days
• Field of Search: 455/414.1, 455/404.2, 455/456.3, 455/412.1, 455/179.1, 455/152.1, 455/150.1, 455/404, 455/466, 455/404.1, 455/414.2, 455/234.1, 455/426.1, 455/450.1, 370/532, 370/32, 370/330, 370/432, 370/338
• US Class Current: 455/466
• 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 4/14 Short messaging services, e.g. short message services [SMS] or unstructured supplementary service data [USSD]
• 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

Systems and methods for providing alerts to end users of networked enabled portable devices are provided so that the end users are made aware when broadcast emergency alerts are issued. In various embodiments, a portable device is enabled to receive information about an emergency alert broadcast of which the user should be aware, e.g., from the EAS, and to notify the user of the emergency alert. The user can be automatically taken to the emergency alert information by having the portable device automatically tune to the emergency broadcast information, the user can optionally retrieve the emergency information by tuning to the emergency broadcast channel, and/or the user can otherwise be presented with a reference to the emergency data, such as a link to the information.

Claims

1. A communication device, comprising:

a memory to store computer-executable instructions; and

a processor, communicatively coupled to the memory, that facilitates execution of the computer-executable instructions to perform operations, comprising;

storing emergency broadcast information that specifies a broadcast technology supported by the communication device and an emergency broadcast channel associated with the broadcast technology;

updating the emergency broadcast information with data from a remote location via over-the-air programming;

retrieving a subset of the emergency broadcast information in response to detection of an emergency indicator bit received on a control channel of a telephony network, the emergency indicator bit indicative of an occurrence of an emergency broadcast; and

in response to determining that the emergency broadcast is relevant based on a defined criterion;

rendering a visual notification that the emergency broadcast is being transmitted, wherein the notification includes the subset of the emergency broadcast information,

automatically tuning the communication device to the emergency broadcast channel; and

storing a record of the occurrence of the emergency broadcast.

2. The communication device of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise detecting the emergency indicator bit on a data channel.

3. The communication device of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise detecting the emergency indicator bit in a text message.

4. The communication device of claim 1, wherein the notification identifies the emergency broadcast channel based on the subset of the emergency broadcast information.

5. The communication device of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise receiving the emergency broadcast over the emergency broadcast channel.

6. The communication device of claim 5, wherein the operations further comprise rendering a soft key in response to the detection of the emergency indicator bit, and tuning the communication device to the emergency broadcast channel in response to selection of the soft key.

7. The communication device of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise rendering audible output indicating that the emergency broadcast is being transmitted.

8. The communication device of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise rendering mechanical output indicating that the emergency broadcast is being transmitted.

9. A method, comprising:

storing, by a communication device including a processor, emergency broadcast information identifying a broadcast technology supported by the communication device and an emergency broadcast channel associated with the broadcast technology;

updating, by the communication device, the emergency broadcast information with data from a remote location using over-the-air programming;

retrieving, by the communication device, a subset of the emergency broadcast information in response to receiving an emergency indicator bit on a control channel of a telephony network, the emergency indicator bit indicating that emergency information is being broadcast; and

in response to determining that the emergency indicator bit is relevant according to a criterion,

rendering, by the communication device, a visual notification that the emergency information is being broadcast, the notification including the subset of the emergency broadcast information,

automatically tuning, by the communication device, to the emergency broadcast channel; and

storing, by the communication device, a record of the emergency information.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising receiving, by the communication device, the emergency indicator bit over a data channel.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising receiving, by the communication device, the emergency indicator bit via a text message.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the rendering includes rendering an identification of the emergency broadcast channel based on the subset of the emergency broadcast information.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the rendering includes rendering a soft key that, in response to activation, tunes the communication device to the emergency broadcast channel.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the rendering comprises rendering audio feedback indicating that the emergency broadcast is in effect.

15. A tangible computer-readable medium having stored thereon computer-executable instructions that, in response to execution, cause a mobile device including a processor to perform operations, comprising:

storing emergency broadcast information specifying a broadcast technology supported by the mobile device and an emergency broadcast channel associated with the broadcast technology;

updating the emergency broadcast information with data from a remote location received via over-the-air programming;

in response to receiving an indication, over a control channel of a telephony network, that an emergency broadcast is in effect,

requesting a subset of the emergency broadcast information,

rendering a visual notification that the emergency broadcast is in effect, the notification including the subset of the emergency broadcast information,

automatically tuning the mobile device to the emergency broadcast channel; and

storing a record of the emergency broadcast.

16. The tangible computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the rendering comprises rendering information that identifies the emergency broadcast channel based on the subset of the emergency broadcast information.