Methods and apparatus for centralized and decentralized emergency alert messaging

• US 8,095,610 B2
• Filed: 03/28/2008
• Issued: 01/10/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Time Warner Cable Enterprises LLC (Charter Communications Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Time Warner Cable Inc. (Charter Communications Incorporated)
• Inventors: Gould, Kenneth, Sarosi, George
• Primary Examiner(s): Walsh, John B.
• Application Number:
  US12/079,781
• Publication Number:
  US 20090248828A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,383 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 709/207
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 27/005 with transmission via computer network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41407 embedded in a portable device, e.g. video client on a mobile phone, PDA, laptop constructional details of equipment or arrangements specially adapted for portable computer application G06F1/1626; arrangements specially adapted for mobile receivers in broadcast systems H04H20/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/814 comprising emergency warnings arrangements specially adapted for emergency or urgency in broadcast systems H04H20/59; arrangements for providing alarms, notifications, alerts to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1895
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8146 involving graphical data, e.g. 3D object, 2D graphics
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

Apparatus and methods for providing emergency alert system (EAS) data to subscribers of a content-based network for multiple locations including via mobile devices. In one embodiment, the apparatus comprises a server performing real-time receipt and encapsulation of the EAS data, transport of the EAS data to client devices over an IP or other packet-switched network, and use of applications running on the client devices to decode and display the EAS data. In one variant, a centralized EAS (CEAS) entity is used to aggregate and distribute EAS messages to video registration servers (VRS), which use stored client device data and user preferences to map delivery of relevant EAMs over the IP network. In another variant, instant messaging (IM) infrastructure is used to deliver and display at least portion of the EAS data via a separate transport process.

Claims

1. A client device adapted for use within an Internet protocol (IP) network, comprising:

a receiver, said receiver adapted to receive content from said network;

a decoder, said decoder adapted to decode said content;

a content rendering apparatus, said rendering apparatus adapted to render said content; and

a processor, said processor adapted to run at least one computer program, said at least one program configured to;

register with a network entity, said registration including information identifying at least one location other than a location which said client device is located;

receive and decode emergency alert data relating to said identified location based at least in part on said registration;

substantially preempt at least an audio portion of said content being decoded and rendered on said client device; and

render said decoded emergency alert data.

2. The client device of claim 1, wherein said at least one program is further adapted to return said client device to said content after completion of said emergency alert data.

3. The client device of claim 1, wherein said emergency alert data comprises textual data, and said at least one program configured to receive emergency alert data comprises an instant messaging program.

4. The client device of claim 1, wherein said receiver comprises a radio frequency (RF) interface adapted to associate with a wireless gateway or access point.

5. The client device of claim 4, wherein said RF interface is compliant with an IEEE Std. 802.11 WiFi Standard.

6. The client device of claim 1, wherein said device further comprises a cellular wireless interface.

7. The client device of claim 1, wherein said registration with said network entity comprises registration with a network entity within a cable television or satellite content delivery network, said network entity having access to a subscriber database of said cable or satellite network.

8. The client device of claim 7, wherein said at least one computer program comprises a client portion of a client-server architecture, and said registration by said at least one program comprises association of said client device with at least one subscriber account for said cable or satellite network.

9. The client device of claim 1, further comprising apparatus adapted to provide information as to the current physical or geographic location of said client device to said network entity over said IP network.

10. The client device of claim 9, wherein said another entity comprises a registration entity within a cable television or satellite network, and said alert data comprises data relevant to said physical or geographic location.

11. The client device of claim 1, wherein said at least one computer program further comprises a user interface, said user interface adapted to receive said information identifying said at least one location other than said location which said client device is located from a user of said client device.

12. The client device of claim 1, wherein said content being rendered comprises audio-only content, and said emergency alert data comprises audio-only data.

13. For use in a content distribution network, emergency data registration apparatus capable of determining a location of a plurality of client devices and storing information relating thereto, said registration apparatus comprising:

a storage device, said storage device adapted to store said plurality of data relating to said individual ones of said plurality of client devices; and

a processor in data communication with said storage device and adapted to run at least one computer program thereon, said at least one computer program adapted to;

compile a plurality of data relating to respective physical locations of individual ones of said plurality of client devices;

correlate one or more of said individual ones of said client devices to a single user account;

correlate said single user to at least one additional location; and

designate said one or more correlated client devices for delivery of emergency alert data relating to said respective physical locations of said client devices and said at least one additional location.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein:

at least one of said plurality of client devices comprises consumer premises equipment in signal communication with a radio frequency interface at a premises indicated within said single user account; and

at least one of said plurality of client devices comprise a substantially portable Internet protocol (IP)-enabled device not disposed at said premises.

15. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein said compiling occurs upon receipt of requests for access to said network by respective individual ones of said plurality of client devices.

16. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein said data relating to said respective physical location of individual ones of said devices comprises at least one of:

(i) IP addresses of respective ones of said plurality of client devices; and

(ii) association with a particular gateway or access point having a known or determinable location.

17. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein said act of compiling comprises utilizing data from a subscriber database to determine said respective physical locations of at least one of said client devices.

18. The apparatus of claim 13, further comprising apparatus configured to receive information useful in correlating said single user to said at least one additional location, said at least one additional location comprising one or more geographic areas of interest.

19. The apparatus of claim 13, further comprising apparatus adapted to transmit said emergency alert data based at least in part on said designation.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein said apparatus adapted to transmit said emergency alert data is further adapted to:

discover one or more audio or video processing capabilities of said one or more correlated client devices; and

process said emergency alert data in at least one aspect so as to be compatible with said discovered one or more capabilities.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein said discovery comprises accessing a database of information maintained by an operator of said content based network relating to at least said one or more correlated client devices, and said processing comprises at least one of transcoding or transrating said emergency alert data.

22. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein said at least one computer program is further adapted to assign at least one of a plurality of quality of service (QoS) levels to said delivery of said emergency alert data.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein said assignment of at least one of a plurality of quality of service (QoS) levels to said delivery of said emergency alert data is based at least in part on a correlation between said respective physical locations of said correlated devices and one or more locations associated with said emergency alert data.

24. A method for distributing emergency alert data to a user of a content distribution network, comprising:

receiving emergency alert data relating to at least a location of interest to said user;

distributing said emergency alert data to a first client device associated with said user over said content distribution network, said first client device being physically located at a first location;

distributing said emergency alert data to a second client device associated with said user over a network other than said content distribution network, said second client device being physically located at a second location different than said first location; and

applying different quality-of-service (QoS) policies to said acts of distributing, respectively, based at least in part on said first and second locations.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein said content distribution network comprises a cable television or satellite network, and said other network comprises a packet-switched Internet Protocol (IP) network.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein said location of interest comprises the same location as at least one of said first or second client devices.

27. The method of claim 24, wherein said location of interest comprises a location previously specified by said user as a location of interest, yet which is different than said first and second locations.

28. The method of claim 24, comprising applying different client device video or audio play policies to said acts of distributing, respectively.

29. The method of claim 24, wherein:

said distributing said emergency alert data to a first client device associated with said user over said content distribution network comprises distributing said emergency alert data to a first client device having a substantially fixed location and associated with said user; and

said distributing said emergency alert data to a second client device associated with said user over a network other than said content distribution network comprises distributing said emergency alert data to a portable or mobile client device at said second location.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein said distributing to said first client device comprises distributing over a cable television or satellite network, and distributing to said second client device comprises distributing over a packet-switched Internet Protocol (IP) network.

31. The method of claim 29, wherein said distributing to said first client device comprises distributing over a cable television or satellite network, and distributing to said mobile or portable client device comprises distributing over a cellular data or telephony network, said mobile or portable device comprising a device having a radio frequency interface adapted to communicate with said cellular network.

32. The method of claim 29, wherein said distributing to said mobile or portable client device comprises distributing over a packet-switched Internet Protocol (IP) network, said distributing comprising sending said alert data to said client device using an IP address previously registered by said user.

33. The method of claim 29, wherein said distributing to said mobile or portable client device comprises distributing over a packet-switched Internet Protocol (IP) network, said distributing comprising sending said alert data to said mobile or portable client device using a network address dynamically assigned thereto, said network address correlated to said mobile or portable device using at least a unique device identification (ID).

34. The method of claim 24, wherein said location of interest comprises said first location, and said act of applying different QoS policies comprises applying a first quality-of-service (QoS) policy to said distribution of said emergency alert data to devices physically located at said first location, and applying a second, lower QoS policy to said distribution of said emergency alert data to devices not physically located at said first location.