Location-based broadcast messaging for radioterminal users

• US 8,064,378 B2
• Filed: 04/10/2008
• Issued: 11/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ATC Technology Corporation (FedEx Corporation)
• Original Assignee: ATC Technology Corporation (FedEx Corporation)
• Inventors: Karabinis, Peter D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cai; Wayne
• Assistant Examiner(s): Huynh; Chuck
• Application Number:
  US12/100,611
• Publication Number:
  US 20080214207A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,321 Days
• Field of Search: 370/321, 370/312
• US Class Current: 370/312
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18513 Transmission in a satellite or space-based system
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18523 Satellite systems for providing broadcast service to terrestrial stations, i.e. broadcast satellite service arrangements specially adapted for satellite broadcast receiving H04H40/90; picture transmission via satellite H04N1/00103; television transmission via satellite H04N7/20
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18563 Arrangements for interconnecting multiple systems data switching networks H04L12/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/72 of terrestrial networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 2201/70 characterised in that receivers can be addressed
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 40/27 specially adapted for broadcast systems covered by groups H04H20/53 - H04H20/95
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/51 of receiving stations
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• 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 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

Methods, radioterminals, and broadcast message generation consoles provide location-based broadcast messaging for users. A method of operating a radioterminal can include receiving at the radioterminal over a wireless air interface a broadcast message that includes region information that defines a geographic region of applicability. A determination is made at the radioterminal whether the radioterminal is located in the region of applicability. A functional mode of the radioterminal is activated in response to the radioterminal being in the region of applicability. The functional mode may include activating a user interface of the radioterminal.

Claims

1. A broadcast message generation console comprising:

a communications interface communicatively coupled to a base station radio-transmitter; and

a controller that is configured to generate a broadcast message that comprises different first and second message payloads and region information that defines a geographic region of applicability configured to cause receiving radio terminals to generate a first message using the first message payload when they are within the region of applicability and to generate a different second message using the second message payload when they are outside the region of applicability, and the controller is further configured to communicate the broadcast message through the communications interface for broadcast by the base station radio-transmitter to the geographic region that includes the geographic region of applicability, wherein the broadcast message is a single message that comprises the different first and second message payloads and the region information.

2. The broadcast message generation console of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to generate within the broadcast message a group address that defines a group of radioterminals for which the broadcast message is applicable.

3. The broadcast message generation console of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to encode the region information within a header portion of the broadcast message.

4. The broadcast message generation console of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to generate a continuous broadcast message data stream that comprises the broadcast message, to encode the region information that can vary over time within multiple locations in the broadcast message data stream, to encode the first and second message payloads at defined locations in the broadcast message data stream between the locations of the encoded region information, and to communicate the broadcast message data stream through the communications interface for broadcast by the base station radio-transmitter.

5. The broadcast message generation console of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to communicate the broadcast message through the communications interface to a satellite base station transceiver for broadcast by a satellite to the geographic region that includes the geographic region of applicability.

6. The broadcast message generation console of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to communicate the broadcast message through the communications interface to a terrestrial cellular base station transceiver for broadcast to the geographic region that includes the geographic region of applicability.

7. The broadcast message generation console of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to communicate the broadcast message through the communications interface to a terrestrial digital television base station transmitter for broadcast to the geographic region that includes the geographic region of applicability.

15. The broadcast message generation console of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to include in the generated broadcast message different first and second voice data configured to cause receiving radioterminals to generate a first audible announcement using the first voice data when they are within the region of applicability and to generate a different second audible announcement using the second voice data when they are outside the region of applicability.

16. The broadcast message generation console of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to include in the generated broadcast message different first and second textual data configured to cause receiving radioterminals to display the first textual data when they are within the region of applicability and to display the second textual data when they are outside the region of applicability.

8. A method of generating a broadcast message, the method comprising:

generating a broadcast message that comprises different first and second message payloads and region information that defines a geographic region of applicability configured to cause receiving radio terminals to generate a first message using the first message payload when they are within the region of applicability and to generate a different second message using the second message payload when they are outside the region of applicability; and

communicating the broadcast message to a base station radio-transmitter for broadcast to the geographic region that includes the geographic region of applicability, wherein the broadcast message is a single message that comprises the different first and second message payloads and the region information.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the generated broadcast message further comprises a group address that defines a group of radioterminals for which the broadcast message is applicable.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein generating a broadcast message comprises encoding the region information within a header portion of the broadcast message.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein generating a broadcast message comprises:

generating a continuous broadcast message data stream that comprises the broadcast message;

encoding the region information that can vary over time within multiple locations in the broadcast message data stream;

encoding the first and second message payloads at defined locations in the broadcast message data stream between the locations of the encoded region information; and

communicating the broadcast message data stream to the base station radio-transmitter for broadcast to the geographic region that includes the geographic region of applicability.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein communicating the broadcast message to a base station radio-transmitter comprises communicating the broadcast message to a satellite base station transceiver for broadcast by a satellite to the geographic region that includes the geographic region of applicability.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein communicating the broadcast message to a base station radio-transmitter comprises communicating the broadcast message to a terrestrial base station transceiver for broadcast to the geographic region that includes the geographic region of applicability.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein communicating the broadcast message to a base station radio-transmitter comprises communicating the broadcast message to a terrestrial digital television base station transmitter for broadcast to the geographic region that includes the geographic region of applicability.

17. The method of claim 8, wherein the broadcast message is generated to include different first and second voice data configured to cause receiving radioterminals to generate a first audible announcement using the first voice data when they are within the region of applicability and to generate a different second audible announcement using the second voice data when they are outside the region of applicability.

18. The method of claim 8, wherein the broadcast message is generated to include different first and second textual data configured to cause receiving radioterminals to display the first textual data when they are within the region of applicability and to display the second textual data when they are outside the region of applicability.