Receiving an emergency alert message via a broadcast data channel

• US 9,173,070 B2
• Filed: 04/24/2012
• Issued: 10/27/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/24/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Daly, Brian K., Sennett, DeWayne A.
• Primary Examiner(s): MEHRA, INDER P
• Application Number:
  US13/454,786
• Publication Number:
  US 20130281047A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,281 Days
• Field of Search: 455/404.1, 455/404.2, 455/550.1, 455/553.1, 455/437, 455/435.1, 455/461, 455/41.2, 455/450, 455/452.1, 455/456.2, 455/39, 455/405, 455/412.2, 455/41.1, 455/420, 370/329, 370/336, 370/280, 370/312, 370/338
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/59 for emergency or urgency
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/71 Wireless systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/02 Broadcasting
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/04 for emergency applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5116 for emergency applications
• 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 76/50 for emergency connections

Abstract

A mobile device may be configured with multiple receivers (e.g., a cellular receiver, a broadcast receiver such as FM, AM, DTV, a satellite receiver, a NWR receiver, etc.). Upon receipt of an emergency alert message via at least one of the receivers, the mobile device, via an application installed on the mobile device, may extract the emergency alert message from a data channel of the broadcast. The mobile device, via the application, may process the extracted emergency alert message to determine if the emergency alert message is to be rendered via the device. And, if the emergency alert message is to be rendered, the mobile device, via the application, may format the extracted emergency alert message to conform to a standard format (e.g., Commercial Mobile Alert System, CMAS, format).

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving a first broadcast via a first receiver of a communications device;

receiving a second broadcast via a second receiver of the communications device, wherein the second broadcast is from a broadcast network different than that of the first broadcast;

determining that the first broadcast comprises emergency information related to an emergency alert message;

determining that the second broadcast comprises emergency information related to the emergency alert message;

determining that the emergency information is to be rendered via the communications device;

responsive to determining that the emergency information is to be rendered via the communications device;

selecting, based on a user preference, between the emergency information received via the first receiver and the emergency information received via the second receiver;

formatting the selected emergency information in accordance with a predetermined format; and

rendering the formatted selected emergency information via the communications device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein:

formatting the emergency information in accordance with the predetermined format provides consistent rendering of emergency information from broadcasts received via the first receiver and the second receiver.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined format comprises a commercial mobile alert system format.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

correlating emergency information from the broadcast received via the selected receiver and the broadcast received via the non-selected receiver.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

aggregating emergency information from the broadcast received via the selected receiver and the broadcast received via the non-selected receiver.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising rendering a confidence level based on the aggregated emergency information.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first broadcast is one of an FM, AM, NWR, TV, DTV, or satellite broadcast.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining that the emergency information is to rendered via the communications device based on an alert preference.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the emergency alert information comprises an urgency level.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first broadcast network and the second broadcast network has an associated data channel.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined format comprises a common alert tone.

12. A communications device comprising:

memory having executable instructions stored thereon; and

a processor communicatively coupled to the memory, the processor configured to execute the executable instruction to perform operations comprising;

receiving a first broadcast via a first receiver of the communications device;

receiving a second broadcast via a second receiver of the mobile device, wherein the second broadcast is from a broadcast network different than that of the first broadcast;

determining that the first broadcast comprises emergency information related to an emergency alert message;

determining that the second broadcast comprises emergency information related to the emergency alert message;

determining that the emergency information is to be rendered via the communications device; and

responsive to determining that the emergency information is to be rendered via the communications device;

selecting, based on a user preference, between the emergency information received via the first receiver and the emergency information received via the second receiver;

formatting the selected emergency information in accordance with a predetermined format; and

rendering the formatted selected emergency information via the communications device.

13. The device of claim 12, wherein:

formatting the emergency information in accordance with the predetermined format provides consistent rendering of emergency information from broadcasts received via the first receiver and the second receiver.

14. The device of claim 12, wherein the predetermined format comprises a commercial mobile alert system format.

15. The device of claim 12, further comprising:

correlating emergency information from the broadcast received via the first receiver and the broadcast received via the second receiver.

16. The device of claim 12, further comprising:

aggregating emergency information from the broadcast received via the selected receiver and the broadcast received via the non-selected receiver.

17. A tangible computer-readable storage medium having executable instructions stored thereon, the executable instructions, when executed, perform operations comprising:

receiving a first broadcast via a first receiver of a communications device;

receiving a second broadcast via a second receiver of the communications device, wherein the second broadcast is from a broadcast network different than that of the first broadcast;

determining that the first broadcast comprises emergency information related to an emergency alert message;

determining that a second receiver of the communication device is receiving a broadcast comprising emergency alert information;

determining that the emergency information is to be rendered via the communications device; and

responsive to determining that the emergency information is to be rendered via the communications device;

selecting, based on a user preference, between the emergency information received via the first receiver and the emergency information received via the second receiver;

formatting the selected emergency information in accordance with a predetermined format; and

rendering the formatted selected emergency information via communications device.

18. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein:

formatting the emergency information in accordance with the predetermined format provides consistent rendering of emergency information from broadcasts received via the first receiver and the second receiver.

19. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the predetermined format comprises a commercial mobile alert system format.

20. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, further comprising:

correlating emergency information from the broadcast received via the selected receiver and the broadcast received via the unselected receiver;

or aggregating emergency information from the broadcast received via the selected receiver and the broadcast received via the unselected receiver.