Broadcast communication system and method for providing users with information associated with a geographical area

• US 8,412,092 B2
• Filed: 04/27/2012
• Issued: 04/02/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dish Technologies LLC (Dish Network Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Echostar Technologies LLC (Echostar Corporation)
• Inventors: Kummer, David A.
• Primary Examiner(s): GESESSE, TILAHUN
• Application Number:
  US13/458,105
• Publication Number:
  US 20120208449A1
• Time in Patent Office: 340 Days
• Field of Search: 455/456.1, 455/456.2, 455/456.3, 455/12.1, 455/13.1, 455/3.01, 455/3.02, 455/404.1
• US Class Current: 455/3.01
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 27/008 with transmission via TV or radio broadcast
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/59 for emergency or urgency
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 40/90 specially adapted for satellite broadcast receiving
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/51 of receiving stations
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/65 for using the result on users' side
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/435 Processing of additional data, e.g. decrypting of additional data, reconstructing software from modules extracted from the transport stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/20 Adaptations for transmission via a GHz frequency band, e.g. via satellite

Abstract

A method is presented for providing information associated with a geographical area to users of broadcast communication receivers. The information, as well as an indication of the geographical area associated with the information, are transmitted to, and received by, each of the broadcast communication receivers. In each of the receivers, the indication of the geographical area is compared with a geographic code associated with, and stored within, the receiver. Each of the receivers also provides at least one alert to a user of the respective broadcast communication receiver if the geographic area is located on a travel vector of the respective broadcast communication receiver indicated by the geographical code.

Claims

1. A method for providing information associated with a geographic area to a user of a broadcast communication receiver, the method comprising:

receiving information and an indication of a geographical area associated with the information at a broadcast communication receiver;

translating the indication of the geographical area from a first geographical format into a second geographical format such that the indication of the geographical area can be compared with a geographical code associated with, and stored within, the broadcast communication receiver;

comparing the translated indication of the geographical area with the geographical code; and

providing at least one alert to a user of the broadcast communication receiver if the geographic area is located on a travel vector of the broadcast communication receiver indicated by the geographical code.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the geographical code indicates that the broadcast communication receiver is not currently located within the geographical area.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the information relates to at least one navigational message.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the at least one navigational message relates to at least one automobile accident, road closure, or road condition.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the broadcast communication receiver comprises a navigational device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the broadcast communication receiver converts from a standby mode to a fully operational mode when the broadcast communication receiver determines that the geographic area is located on the travel vector of the broadcast communication receiver indicated by the geographical code in order to provide the at least one alert.

7. A broadcast communication receiver configured to:

receive information and an indication of a geographical area associated with the information;

translate the indication of the geographical area from a first geographical format into a second geographical format such that the indication of the geographical area can be compared with a geographical code associated with, and stored within, the broadcast communication receiver;

compare the translated indication of the geographical area with the geographical code; and

provide at least one alert to a user of the broadcast communication receiver if the geographic area is located on a travel vector of the broadcast communication receiver indicated by the geographical code.

8. The receiver of claim 7, wherein the broadcast communication receiver comprises a navigational device.

9. The receiver of claim 7, wherein the information relates to at least one navigational message.

10. The receiver of claim 9, wherein the at least one navigational message relates to at least one automobile accident, road closure, or road condition.

11. The receiver of claim 7, wherein the broadcast communication receiver converts from a standby mode to a fully operational mode when the broadcast communication receiver determines that the geographic area is located on the travel vector of the broadcast communication receiver indicated by the geographical code in order to provide the at least one alert.

12. The receiver of claim 7, wherein the geographical code indicates that the broadcast communication receiver is not currently located within the geographical area.

13. The receiver of claim 7, wherein the broadcast communication receiver comprises a global positioning system receiver configured to generate a geographic location of the broadcast communication receiver and wherein the broadcast communication receiver produces the geographic code based on the generated geographic location and stores the geographic code in the broadcast communication receiver.

14. The receiver of claim 7, wherein the geographic location generated by the global positioning system receiver includes the travel vector of the broadcast communication receiver.

15. A method for providing information associated with a geographic area to a user of a receiver, the method comprising:

receiving information and an indication of a geographical area associated with the information at a receiver;

translating the indication of the geographical area from a first format into a second format such that the indication of the geographical area can be compared with a geographical code associated with the receiver;

comparing the translated indication of the geographical area with the geographical code; and

providing at least one communication to a user of the receiver if the geographic area is located on a vector of the receiver indicated by the geographical code.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the geographical code indicates that the receiver is not currently located within the geographical area.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the information relates to at least one navigational message.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the at least one navigational message relates to at least one automobile accident, road closure, or road condition.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the receiver comprises a navigational device.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the receiver converts from a standby mode to a fully operational mode when the receiver determines that the geographic area is located on the vector of the receiver indicated by the geographical code in order to provide the at least one communication.