Method and system for initiating an emergency alert in a broadcast system

• US 8,347,328 B2
• Filed: 03/04/2008
• Issued: 01/01/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DIRECTV, LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: The DIRECTV Group, Inc. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Luu, Trang V, Nguyen, Dien V, Shimizu, Jason Y, Takamoto, Mark T, Zaldivar, Gilbert, Tronson, Jonathan L
• Primary Examiner(s): Beliveau, Scott
• Assistant Examiner(s): LANGHNOJA, KUNAL N
• Application Number:
  US12/042,248
• Publication Number:
  US 20090228915A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,764 Days
• Field of Search: 725 32- 36
• US Class Current: 725/33
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/59 for emergency or urgency
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/06 Arrangements for scheduling broadcast services or broadcast-related services

Abstract

A method and system for initiating an emergency alert in a broadcast system includes a broadcast operations channel management system providing a user alert user interface and determining guide channels eligible for an emergency alert. The broadcast operations channel management system sends a trigger to the traffic scheduling system and initiates an emergency alert event in response to the trigger.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

generating a user alert user interface from a broadcast operations channel management system;

at the broadcast operations channel management system, obtaining guide channels eligible for an emergency alert from a traffic scheduling system;

sending a trigger from the broadcast operations channel management system to the traffic scheduling system; and

initiating an emergency alert event at the traffic scheduling system for the channels eligible in response to the trigger.

2. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising setting a test indicator at the user interface.

3. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising setting a test channel and wherein initiating an emergency alert event comprises initiating the emergency alert event on the test channel.

4. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising updating an alert log.

5. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising broadcasting the emergency alert event through a satellite.

6. A system comprising:

a traffic scheduling system; and

a broadcast operations channel management system providing a user alert user interface and obtaining guide channels eligible for an emergency alert from the traffic scheduling system;

said broadcast operations channel management system sending a trigger to the traffic scheduling system;

said traffic scheduling system initiating an emergency alert event for the channels eligible in response to the trigger.

7. A system as recited in claim 6 wherein the user interface sets a test indicator at the user interface.

8. A system as recited in claim 6 wherein the user interface sets a test channel and wherein the emergency alert event is initiated on the test channel.

9. A system as recited in claim 6 further comprising an alert log.

10. A system as recited in claim 6 further comprising a satellite broadcasting the emergency alert event.