Systems and methods for emergency vehicle proximity warnings using digital radio broadcast

• US 9,986,401 B2
• Filed: 12/03/2015
• Issued: 05/29/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/04/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: iBiquity Digital Corporation (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: iBiquity Digital Corporation (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: El-Dinary, Ashruf S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wang-Hurst, Kathy
• Assistant Examiner(s): HANNAN, B M M
• Application Number:
  US14/957,797
• Publication Number:
  US 20160165424A1
• Time in Patent Office: 908 Days
• Field of Search: 4554042
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3822 specially adapted for use in vehicles H04B1/3827 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/59 for emergency or urgency
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/62 for transportation systems, e.g. in vehicles
• 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 4/90 Services for handling of emergency or hazardous situations, e.g. earthquake and tsunami warning systems [ETWS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0453 Resources in frequency domain, e.g. a carrier in FDMA

Abstract

Systems and methods are disclosed for communicating an emergency alert message from a digital radio broadcast transmission system of a mobile vehicle to a digital radio broadcast receiver system. A digital radio broadcast signal including first and second data is broadcasted using the digital radio broadcast transmission system to end-user digital radio broadcast receivers. The first data includes an emergency code, and the second data includes an emergency alert message. The digital radio broadcast signal is transmitted at a predetermined frequency that is recognized by the receivers as an emergency notification frequency. The digital radio broadcast signal can be decoded only by receivers located within a localized area in a proximity of the transmission system. The receivers are configured to automatically tune to the emergency notification frequency to receive the digital radio broadcast signal and render the second data based on a detection of the emergency code within the signal.

Claims

1. A method for receiving an emergency alert message at a digital radio broadcast receiver system from a digital radio broadcast transmission system of a mobile vehicle;

the method comprising;

controlling the digital radio broadcast receiver system to automatically tune to an emergency notification frequency within an FM commercial broadcast band or an AM commercial broadcast band while the digital radio broadcast receiver system is also tuned to a radio broadcast of a second frequency different from the emergency notification frequency, the emergency notification frequency being a frequency at which a digital radio broadcast transmission system of a mobile vehicle broadcasts emergency alert messages;

receiving, at the digital radio broadcast receiver system, a digital radio broadcast signal broadcasted at the emergency notification frequency by the digital radio broadcast transmission system, the digital radio broadcast signal including the emergency notification frequency and multiple data channels mapped to subcarriers of the emergency notification frequency, and the digital radio broadcast signal having characteristics that enable the digital radio broadcast signal to be decoded only by digital radio broadcast receivers located within a localized area in a proximity of the transmission system;

determining whether a source of the digital radio broadcast signal broadcasted at the emergency notification frequency is approaching the digital radio broadcast receiver system;

detecting first data comprising an emergency alert notification code within one data channel of the multiple data channels of the digital radio broadcast signal; and

based on the detection of the first data and the determination that the source of the digital radio broadcast signal broadcasted at the emergency notification frequency is approaching the digital radio broadcast receiver system, rendering second data included within an additional data channel of the multiple data channels of the digital radio broadcast signal at the digital radio broad cast receiver system, the second data comprising an emergency alert message.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the digital radio broadcast receiver system is configured to periodically or continuously tune to the emergency notification frequency.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the digital radio broadcast receiver system is configured to tune to the emergency notification frequency and receive the digital radio broadcast signal automatically and without prompting by a human.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the digital radio broadcast receiver system is configured to tune to the emergency notification frequency and receive the digital radio broadcast signal while receiving a second digital radio broadcast signal at a second frequency selected by a human, the tuning to the emergency notification frequency and the receiving of the digital radio broadcast signal being imperceptible to the human.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the digital radio broadcast receiver is configured to tune to the emergency notification frequency and receive the digital radio broadcast signal while rendering other data based on input from a human, the tuning to the emergency notification frequency and the receiving of the digital radio broadcast signal being imperceptible to the human.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the rendering of the second data interrupts a rendering of the other data.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the digital radio broadcast receiver is configured to interrupt a rendering of other data to render the second data.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the second data comprises one or more of video, text, still images, multimedia, and audio.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the emergency alert message comprises a notification of an approach of an emergency vehicle.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the FM commercial broadcast band comprises a frequency range of 87.9 MHz to 107.9 MHz.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the FM commercial broadcast band comprises a frequency range of 87.5 MHz to 108.0 MHz.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the emergency notification frequency is an unused frequency within the FM commercial broadcast band.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the localized area comprises an area having a predetermined radius surrounding the transmission system.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the predetermined radius is 1000 feet.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

tuning to the emergency notification frequency and detecting a presence of the digital radio broadcast signal at the emergency notification frequency;

based on a determination that the digital radio broadcast signal is not present at the emergency notification frequency, tuning to the emergency notification frequency again after a predetermined period of time;

based on a determination that the digital radio broadcast signal is present at the emergency notification frequency, receiving the digital radio broadcast signal and detecting whether the first data is included in the digital radio broadcast signal;

based on a determination that the first data is not included in the digital radio broadcast signal, tuning to the emergency notification frequency again after the predetermined period of time; and

based on a determination that the first data is included in the digital radio broadcast signal, rendering the second data.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

based on the determination that the first data is included in the digital radio broadcast signal, prompting a user to tune the digital radio broadcast receiver system to the emergency notification frequency to continue receiving data relating to the emergency alert message.

17. A digital broadcast receiver system configured to receive an emergency alert message from a digital radio broadcast transmission system, the digital radio broadcast receiver system comprising:

a processing system; and

a memory coupled to the processing system wherein the processing system is configured to;

control the digital radio broadcast receiver system to automatically tune to an emergency notification frequency within an FM commercial broadcast band or an AM commercial broadcast band while the digital radio broadcast receiver system is also tuned to a radio broadcast of a second frequency different from the emergency notification frequency, the emergency notification frequency being a frequency at which a digital radio broadcast transmission system of a mobile vehicle broadcasts emergency alert messages;

receive a digital radio broadcast signal broadcasted at the emergency notification frequency by the digital radio broadcast transmission system, the digital radio broadcast signal including the emergency notification frequency and multiple data channels mapped to subcarriers of the emergency notification frequency, and the digital radio broadcast signal having characteristics that enable the digital radio broadcast signal to be decoded only by end-user digital radio broadcast receivers located within a localized area in a proximity of the transmission system;

determine whether a source of the digital radio broadcast signal broadcasted at the emergency notification frequency is approaching the digital radio broadcast receiver system;

detect first data comprising an emergency alert notification code within one data channel of the multiple data channels of the digital radio broadcast signal; and

based on the detection of the first data and the determination that the source of the digital radio broadcast signal broadcasted at the emergency notification frequency is approaching the digital radio broadcast receiver system, render second data included within an additional data channel of the multiple data channels of the digital radio broadcast signal at the digital radio broadcast receiver system, the second data comprising an emergency alert message.

18. An article of manufacture comprising a non-transitory computer readable storage medium having computer program instructions for receiving an emergency alert message at a digital radio broadcast receiver system from a digital radio broadcast transmission system of a mobile vehicle, said instructions when executed adapted to cause a processing system to:

control the digital radio broadcast receiver system to automatically tune to an emergency notification frequency within an FM commercial broadcast band or an AM commercial broadcast band while the digital radio broadcast receiver system is also tuned to a radio broadcast of a second frequency different from the emergency notification frequency, the emergency notification frequency being a frequency at which a digital radio broadcast transmission system of a mobile vehicle broadcasts emergency alert messages;

receive a digital radio broadcast signal broadcasted at the emergency notification frequency by the digital radio broadcast transmission system, the digital radio broadcast signal including the emergency notification frequency and multiple data channels mapped to subcarriers of the emergency notification frequency, and the digital radio broadcast signal having characteristics that enable the digital radio broadcast signal to be decoded only by end-user digital radio broadcast receivers located within a localized area in a proximity of the transmission system;

determining whether a source of the digital radio broadcast signal broadcasted at the emergency notification frequency is approaching the digital radio broadcast receiver system;

detect first data comprising an emergency alert notification code within one data channel of the multiple data channels of the digital radio broadcast signal; and

based on the detection of the first data and the determination that the source of the digital radio broadcast signal broadcasted at the emergency notification frequency is approaching the digital radio broadcast receiver system, render second data included within an additional data channel of the multiple data channels of the digital radio broadcast signal at the digital radio broad cast receiver system, the second data comprising an emergency alert message.