×

Methods, systems and apparatus for selectively distributing urgent public information

  • US 8,490,129 B2
  • Filed: 09/30/2003
  • Issued: 07/16/2013
  • Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2003
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
Patent Images

1. In a relationship between a telecommunication provider and a plurality of subscribers, a method for determining an appropriate set of addresses to which to distribute an alert, the method comprising:

  • maintaining a directory of alert gateways, the directory comprising a plurality of directory entries, each directory entry being associated with a particular alert gateway and comprising at least one gateway characteristic associated with that alert gateway, the gateway characteristic including information to enable the alert distribution device to determine whether a given alert should be transmitted to the alert gateway;

    maintaining a distribution address associated with each of the alert gateways, the distribution address for a particular alert gateway providing sufficient identifying information about that alert gateway to allow an alert to be transmitted to the alert gateway;

    associating the at least one gateway characteristic for a particular alert gateway with the distribution address for that particular alert gateway;

    receiving an alert, the alert being configured to describe an event and having associated information about the alert comprising event information characterizing the event, wherein said event information includes information related to specific details about the event;

    identifying, based on the event information, a set of selection criteria for determining which of the plurality of alert gateways should receive the alert;

    searching the directory for at least one directory entry comprising a gateway characteristic corresponding to the identified selection criteria;

    identifying, based on the search, a set of at least one distribution address that should receive the alert, each member of the set of distribution addresses being associated with a directory entry comprising a gateway characteristic that corresponds to the identified selection criteria; and

    formatting the alert into a message for the alert gateways to process for receipt by two or more subscribers with two or more types of subscriber equipment;

    wherein the alert gateway is in communication with two or more different types of subscriber equipment, and is configured to analyze text of the event information to determine the urgency of the event and to determine to which of the two or more different types of subscriber equipment to provide the alert as a function of the urgency of the event information.

View all claims
  • 5 Assignments
Timeline View
Assignment View
    ×
    ×