(12) United States Patent
`Preston et al.
`
`(10) Patent No.:
`(45) Date of Patent:
`
`US 8,438,212 B2
`*May 7, 2013
`
`US008438212B2
`
`(54) MESSAGE BROADCASTING CONTROL
`SYSTEM AND METHOD
`
`(75) Inventors: Kevin Russell Preston, Newport (GB);
`Mark Andrew Wood, Haslemere (GB);
`lgglglas Weiser, New Port Richey, FL
`(
`)
`(73) Assignee: EnvisionIT LLC, Houston, TX (U S)
`
`( * ) Notice:
`
`Subject‘ to any disclaimer, the term of this
`patent 1s extended or adjusted under 35
`U-S-C- 154(1)) by 3 days-
`
`This patent is subject to a terminal dis-
`claimer.
`
`(21) APPI' No; 13/356,411
`
`(22) Filed:
`
`Jan. 23, 2012
`
`(65)
`
`Prior Publication Data
`US 2012/0191771 A1
`Jul. 26, 2012
`
`_
`_
`Related U's' Apphcatlon Data
`(63) Continuation of application No, 12/726,098, ?led on
`Mar. 17, 2010, now Pat. No. 8,103,719, which is a
`continuation of application No. 11/602,461, ?led on
`Nov. 20, 2006, now Pat. No. 7,693,938, said
`application No. 13/356,411 is a continuation of
`a lication No. 13/311 448 ?led on Dec. 5 2011
`PP
`,
`s
`,
`,
`whichis a continuation of application No. 11/057,704,
`?led on Feb, 14, 2005, now Pat, No, 7,752,259,
`.
`.
`.
`.
`(60) 5502568151211 app1.1C.anOI11NO'SO/Z39’8I3I9’
`?l ’d
`F’ ‘Era/152188: app lea Ion 0'
`e on e '
`’
`'
`(51) Int Cl
`G0‘; F 5/16
`(52) U 5 Cl
`
`(2006 01)
`'
`
`’
`
`’
`
`(56)
`
`(58) Field of Classi?cation Search ........ .. 709/2004203,
`709/217i227, 228; 455/4041, 404.2
`See application ?le for complete search history.
`_
`References Clted
`Us‘ PATENT DOCUMENTS
`4,415,771 A 11/1983 Martinez
`4’887’308 A 12/1989 Putton
`(Contmued)
`FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS
`0915598 A2 12/1999
`1032148 A2
`8/2000
`
`EP
`EP
`
`(Continued)
`OTHER PUBLICATIONS
`
`3rd Generation Partnership ProjectTS 23.246, Release 6, Aug. 2004.
`
`Continued
`(
`)
`Primary Examiner * Moustafa M Meky
`(74) Attorney, Agent, orFirm * Polster, Lieder, Woodruff&
`Lucchesl, LC
`ABSTRACT
`(57)
`A system and method for providing broadcast messages to
`message speci?c broadcast target areas having a broadcast
`admission control module receiving records each having a
`broadcast message, amessage speci?c broadcast target area,
`and a broadcast message originator identi?er for each one
`broadcast message, validating each received broadcast mes
`sage record as a function of the broadcast message originator
`identi?er and the broadcast tar et area, and eneratin avali
`g
`g
`g
`dated broadcast message record for each successfully vali
`dated broadcast message record. The system includes a
`broadcast message distributor module receiving the validated
`broadcast message records, determining for each message
`record which message broadcast transmission network pro
`vides broadcast messaging service to at least a portion of the
`broadcast target area and transmitting each broadcast mes
`sage and all or a portion of the broadcast target area, over an
`output interface coupled to the determined broadcast trans
`
`USPC ......... .. 709/201; 709/203; 709/217; 709/227;
`455/404.1
`
`mlsslon network‘
`20 Claims, 15 Drawing Sheets
`
`1/39
`
`DOJ EX. 1004
`
`

`
`US 8,438,212 B2
`Page 2
`
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`9/2005 Ogasawara
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`8/ 2004 Phillips et al.
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`2004/0152493 A1
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`12/ 2004 Menard et al.
`2/2005 Casey et al.
`2005/0030977 A1
`5/ 2005 Fleischman
`2005/0096065 A1
`2005/0162267 A1
`7/ 2005 Khandelwal et al.
`11/2005 Weiser
`2005/0261012 A1
`
`EP
`EP
`JP
`JP
`JP
`JP
`JP
`JP
`WO
`WO
`WO
`WO
`WO
`WO
`WO
`WO
`WO
`
`FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS
`1071296 A1
`1/2001
`1515512 A2
`3/2005
`09/098140
`4/1997
`10336127
`12/1998
`441719
`9/1999
`2000165826
`6/2000
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`8/2000
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`96/05678 A1
`2/1996
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`01/57724 A1
`8/2001
`01/89150 A2 11/2001
`03/071392 A2
`8/2003
`03/077063
`9/2003
`2005/079421 A2
`9/2005
`
`OTHER PUBLICATIONS
`
`Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited, “Value Added Services in GSM”,
`Engineering Instruction, May 4, 2005; available at http://www.bsnl.
`co.in/service/mobileivoiceibasediservice.htrn.
`British Parliament Debates CellAlert Service for the UK, May 1,
`2003, may be seen at www.ceasa.us/news.htm.
`Canadian Contract No. 500744 1 , Jul. 23, 2003; http://72. 14.203 . 104/
`search?q:cache:piSqEswBv74J: strategis.ic. gc .ca/epic/internet/
`inet-td.
`Canadians want Emergency-Location Services, by Dave Ebner, Apr.
`11, 2003, may be seen at www.ceasa.us/news.htm.
`CEASA International, “Public Warnings via Cell Broadcast”, Wood
`and Weiser, May 24, 2005, http://www.ceasa-int.org.
`
`CEASA International, “Welcome to CEASa USA”, Ceasa Admin,
`Jun.
`12,
`2004,
`http://ceasa-international.com/usa/index2.
`php?option:comcontent&task:view&id:1&lte.
`CEASA, Cell Alert System Via Cell Broadcast, Wood, Sep. 2005,
`www.eglobalconf.net/speeches/MarkWood.ppt.
`CEASA, “Text Message broadcasts could provide disaster Alerts”
`Jul. 28, 2005, available at: http://ceasa-international.com/usa/index2.
`php?option:comcontent&task:view&id:1&lte.
`CEASA; News and Events, “News”, Jan. 14, 2005-Jun. 2005, http://
`www.ceasa-international.org/newshtml.
`Cellular Emergency Alert Services Association, Feb. 21, 2003, Cel
`lAlert Services Corporate Structure, may be seen at www.ceasa.us/
`news.htm.
`CSEC “Wireless Implementation & Maintenance, Service Noti?ca
`tion & Testing Noti?cation Policies and Procedures”, Apr. 19, 2002,
`available at: http://www.911.state.tx.us/?les/pdfs/resources/calli
`take.xls.
`Deaf Today, Disability Group Backs Cingular/AWS Merger, Silva,
`Jun. 4, 2004, available at: http://www.deaftoday.com/newsarchives/
`004848.html.
`Engadget, “Dutch Testing Geo-Targeted SMS Emergency Broadcast
`System”, Ricker, Oct. 8, 2005, http://www.engadget.com/entry/
`1234000590062252.
`ETSI TS 123.246, Universal Mobile Telecommunications System
`(UMTS); Multimedia Broadcast/Multicast Service (MBMS); Archi
`tecture and functional description (3GPP TS 23.246 version 6.6.0
`Release 6) (Mar. 2005).
`Global Amateur Radio Emergency Communications Conference,
`Tampere, Finland, Jun. 13-14, 2005, Whatis ‘Cell Broadcasting’ and
`Why do I care, as a HAM?, Wood, www.rientola.?/oh3ag/garec/
`documents/Cellalertppt.
`International Search Report mailed Jul. 17, 2006 from the Interna
`tional Bureau.
`International Telecommunication Union, “Cell Broadcast Broker
`System” M. Wood, Cell Alert Services Corp., Feb. 18, 2003, available
`at: http://www.itu.int/itudoc/itu-t/workshop/ets/isd3-001.html.
`Messaging Network, Bercut Limited, “Broadcast for the Masses”,
`Sergey Ermilov, Mar. 2, 2005, available at: http://www.bercut.biZ.
`MobileIN.com Perspective, “Cell Broadcasting Technical Primer”,
`Wood, Sep. 2005, available at: http://www.mobilein.com/Perspec
`tive s/Authors/CBiPrimerhtm.
`MobileIN.com Perspective, “History and Importance of Cell Broad
`cast”, Wood, Sep. 2005, available at: http://www.mobilein.com/Per
`spective/Authors/CBiHistoryImportance.htrn.
`News from Senator John Edwards, North Carolina, Apr. 3, 2003,
`Senate Okays Edwards Emergency Warning Bill, may be seen at
`www.ceasa.us/news.htm.
`Newscientist.com, “Text Message Broadcasts Could Provide Disas
`ter Alerts”, Jan. 6, 2005, available at: http://www.newscientist.com/
`article.ns?id:dn6852.
`OCG-EMTEL Archives, “Cell Broadcast Public Demonstration in
`USA Successful”, Wood, Sep. 19, 2004, available at: http://listetsi.
`fr/scripts/wa.exe?A1:ind0409&L:ocgiemtel&T:O&F:&S:&P:
`693.
`RCR, Cell-Broadcast Service Gets Second Look, Jeffrey Silva,
`Movember 10, 2003, May Be Seen At www.ceasa/us/news.htm.
`Recommendation 12 (WTDC-02), The World Telecommunication
`Development Conference (Istanbul 2002).
`SMS News, “Text Message Broadcasts Could Provide Disaster
`Alerts”, Jan. 7, 2005, available at: http://www.sendsmsnow.com/
`newspage .php?id:44.
`Stanford University, EE179 Introduction to Communications, Pro
`fessor Andrea Goldsmith, Winter 2005, available at: http://www.
`stanford.edu/class/EE179.
`TeliaSonera, “Mobile Broadcast/Multicast Service (MBMS)”,
`MediaLab, Aug. 2004, available at: http://www.medialab.sonera.?.
`Text message warns of ‘killer ?u’ hot spots, Apr. 20, 2003, may be
`seen at www.ceasa.us/news.htm.
`The Cellular-Emergency Alert Services Association Policy State
`ment, Aug. 5, 2002, may be seen at www.ceasa.us/news.htm.
`The Wall Street Journal Online, Local Governments Look at
`Cellphone-based Alerts, Carl Bialik, Jun. 12, 2003, may be seen at
`www.ceasa.us/news/htm.
`Chinese Search Report, date of receipt Nov. 9, 2009.
`
`* cited by examiner
`
`2/39
`
`DOJ EX. 1004
`
`

`
`US. Patent
`
`May 7, 2013
`
`Sheet 1 or 15
`
`US 8,438,212 B2
`
`m?
`
`PSMBS System Components
`
`+2
`
`B
`
`1 135 Network B
`“-1153
`
`B
`
`PPM
`
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`
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`1
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`n ........................... ._
`
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`
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`t m s. H m" "
`
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`
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`
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`
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`
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`
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`
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`
`w . 39
`.Te “ 2m
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`
`OSPWP 2 126
`
`Scr QBamN
`Bde 3Ws
`
`o
`
`1'pufs
`
`12413 \
`
`Center
`
`FIG. 1
`
`3/39
`
`DOJ EX. 1004
`
`

`
`US. Patent
`
`May 7, 2013
`
`Sheet 2 or 15
`
`US 8,438,212 B2
`
`200
`
`2
`PSMBS BROKER SYSTEM
`
`_ ______________________________ "/- 102
`I’,
`Emergency Management
`‘,
`:
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`:
`i
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`w b
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`Broijser J [Brosuf’lscgesg-Agen
`:
`
`108
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`:
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`
`‘
`
`109
`
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`
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`
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`
`238
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`BA Handler ] LWeb Handler] L BA Handler?
`202 c/[Web Handler
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`] [
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`1 [ GIS Handler ]
`204
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`222
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`
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`
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`
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`
`220
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`
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`Subsystem
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`
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`In Pool
`
`f
`1128
`
`FIG. 2
`
`4/39
`
`DOJ EX. 1004
`
`

`
`US. Patent
`
`May 7, 2013
`
`Sheet 3 or 15
`
`US 8,438,212 B2
`
`£12
`a
`
`CBB Admission Control Al orithm
`
`Receives:
`1) message
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`
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`1)message
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`
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`
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`
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`i \sss
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`224
`
`FIG. 3
`
`5/39
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`

`
`US. Patent
`
`May 7, 2013
`
`Sheet 4 or 15
`
`US 8,438,212 B2
`
`EDIT TARGET NEW TARGET NEW
`
`S MI US
`
`402
`
`FIG. 4
`
`6/39
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`

`
`US. Patent
`
`May 7, 2013
`
`Sheet 5 or 15
`
`US 8,438,212 B2
`
`502
`
`____J£LE
`
`Plot cc'dnur
`
`FIG. 5
`
`7/39
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`DOJ EX. 1004
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`

`
`US. Patent
`
`May 7, 2013
`
`Sheet 6 or 15
`
`US 8,438,212 B2
`
`402
`
`606
`
`Shane. .ji
`
`Plnl cnlour
`
`Blue 7
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`
`FIG. 6
`
`8/39
`
`DOJ EX. 1004
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`

`
`US. Patent
`
`May 7, 2013
`
`Sheet 7 or 15
`
`US 8,438,212 B2
`
`402
`
`708
`
`706
`
`702
`
`EDIT TARc-EI NEW IQRQ-EY NEW HE55AGE EDlTHlESSA'I-E “Paine; sums
`
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`Shallnld chemical spill
`lllmglon village
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`5E!
`704
`
`CellAlert
`
`FIG. 7
`
`9/39
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`

`
`US. Patent
`
`May 7, 2013
`
`Sheet 8 or 15
`
`US 8,438,212 B2
`
`802
`
`aMessage - Microsoft 1nterhl=t Ernln. ’ ‘_
`
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`
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`by a" ‘Manama ems‘
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`Message name
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`801
`
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`
`FIG. 8
`
`10/39
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`

`
`US. Patent
`
`May 7, 2013
`
`Sheet 9 or 15
`
`US 8,438,212 B2
`
`EDIT YAMEI
`
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`906
`
`912
`
`FIG; 9
`
`11/39
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`US. Patent
`
`May 7, 2013
`
`Sheet 10 0f 15
`
`US 8,438,212 B2
`
`PLEASE ENTER YOUR
`USER NAME AND
`PASSWORD TO CONFIRM 1004
`BROADCAST START.
`
`User name
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`
`i’ 1002
`
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`
`FIG. 10
`
`12/39
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`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`May 7, 2013
`
`Sheet 11 0115
`
`US 8,438,212 B2
`
`100Q
`
`102Q
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`Subscribers
`
`13/39
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`US. Patent
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`May 7, 2013
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`Sheet 12 or 15
`
`US 8,438,212 B2
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`Billing Subsystem
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`11
`
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`
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`
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`
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`
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`
`121 s \
`
`v
`
`14/39
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`

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`US. Patent
`
`May 7, 2013
`
`Sheet 13 0f 15
`
`US 8,438,212 B2
`
`Geo-Fenced Broadcast
`Message Routing System
`
`1304
`
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`
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`DOJ EX. 1004
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`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`May 7, 2013
`
`Sheet 14 of 15
`
`US 8,438,212 B2
`
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`16/39
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`DOJ EX. 1004
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`

`
`US. Patent
`
`May 7, 2013
`
`Sheet 15 or 15
`
`US 8,438,212 B2
`
`Geo Fencing
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`17/39
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`DOJ EX. 1004
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`

`
`US 8,438,212 B2
`
`1
`MESSAGE BROADCASTING CONTROL
`SYSTEM AND METHOD
`
`CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED
`APPLICATIONS
`
`This application is a continuation of US. patent applica
`tion Ser. No. 12/726,098, ?led on Mar. 17, 2010, andissued as
`US. Pat. No. 8,103,719, on Jan. 24, 2012; Which Was a
`continuation of US. patent application Ser. No. 11/602,461
`?led on Nov. 20, 2006 Which issued as US. Pat. No. 7,693,
`938 on Apr. 6, 2010, that claimed the bene?t of US. Provi
`sional Application No. 60/739,819, ?led on Nov. 23, 2005.
`This application further claims priority to US. patent appli
`cation Ser. No. 13/311,448, ?led Dec. 5, 2011, Which is a
`continuation of US. patent application Ser. No. 11/057,704,
`?led on Feb. 14, 2005, now US. Pat. No. 7,752,259, that
`issued on Jul. 6, 2010, and that claimed priority to US.
`Provisional Application No. 60/544,739, ?led on Feb. 13,
`2004. The disclosures of these applications are incorporated
`herein by reference.
`
`FIELD
`
`The present disclosure relates to message broadcast sys
`tems and in particular to the admission control for broadcast
`ing messaging.
`
`BACKGROUND
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`The statements in this section merely provide background
`information related to the present disclosure and may not
`constitute prior art.
`With the events of Sep. 11, 2001, there has been increased
`concern With the ability of present systems for providing
`public service broadcasting of messages and Warnings to the
`public. Existing public service Warning systems are anti
`quated and provide only limited access to the public Who may
`be in need of knoWing of potential emergencies or danger.
`Additionally, existing systems do not provide for location
`based noti?cation or broadcasting messages.
`As such, there is a need for an improved method and system
`for providing timely information to the public related to
`potential hazards affecting them. One suggested solution is
`the utiliZation of the subscription-based Short Message Ser
`vice (SMS) messaging capability for mass messaging using
`mobile telephones and compatible devices. HoWever, SMS
`systems and technology have signi?cant technical limitations
`and experience With such systems has been disappointing due
`to signi?cant delays in the delivery of SMS messages and
`negative impacts to the netWorks due to congestion. Addition
`ally, SMS messaging places a considerable call processing
`load on the telecommunication system and infrastructure
`considering that the above process is multiplied by the
`demand of thousands or tens of thousands of SMS call set up
`requests at the same time. The potential initiation of broadcast
`SMS volumes Will not only affect network resources for SMS
`messaging, but also negatively affect ability of the telecom
`munication netWorks to set up and support voice tra?ic during
`any period of message broadcasting as these resources are
`shared by both services.
`SMS and Wireless Access Protocol (WAP) messaging sys
`tems utiliZe capacity on transmission channels making them
`unavailable for other purposes such as voice call set up and
`can only handle a limited number of SMS and/ or WAP trans
`missions. As such, during heavy messaging, the related high
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`volumes of messaging traf?c may have a negative affect on
`other services including the set up of voice calls.
`Generally, existing systems are not location-based and as
`such does not send messages to intended recipients located
`Within a de?ned geographic location and therefore do not
`provide an attractive solution to location-based customer
`noti?cation and other location-based broadcast services.
`
`SUMMARY
`
`The inventors hereof have succeeded at designing an
`improved broadcast message control system and method for
`receiving a plurality of message from a plurality of message
`originators, With each message having a message speci?c
`geographic target area for Which the message is to be broad
`cast, validating each message, determining Which ones of the
`various broadcast netWorks provide broadcast messaging to
`at least a portion of the broadcast target area and transmitting
`the broadcast message and broadcast target area to the deter
`mined broadcast netWorks.
`In one aspect, a message broadcasting system providing a
`plurality of broadcast messages to a plurality of message
`speci?c broadcast target areas. The system includes a broad
`cast admission control module receiving a plurality of broad
`cast message records each having one of the plurality of
`broadcast messages, a message speci?c geographically
`de?ned broadcast target area, and a broadcast message origi
`nator identi?er for each one broadcast message, validating
`each received broadcast message record as a function of the
`broadcast message originator identi?er and the broadcast tar
`get area, said broadcast admission control module generating
`a validated broadcast message record for each successfully
`validated broadcast message record. The system also includes
`a broadcast message distributor module receiving each of the
`validated broadcast message record, determining for each
`message record Which ones of a plurality of message broad
`cast transmission netWorks provide broadcast messaging ser
`vice to at least a portion of the geographically de?ned broad
`cast target area for each message and transmitting each
`broadcast message and all or a portion of the geographically
`de?ned broadcast target area, over an output interface
`coupled to the determined broadcast transmission netWorks.
`In another aspect, a method of broadcast messaging to a
`broadcast target area that includes receiving over a data inter
`face a plurality of broadcast message records each having a
`broadcast message and a de?ned broadcast target area,
`Wherein each received broadcast message record is associated
`With a different broadcast message originator identi?er each
`of Which identi?es a different originator of each message and
`validating each broadcast message record as a function one or
`more of the broadcast message originator identi?er and the
`broadcast target area of each broadcast message record. The
`method also includes generating a validated broadcast mes
`sage record for each validated broadcast message record and
`determining for each message record Which ones of a plural
`ity of message broadcast transmission netWorks provide
`broadcast messaging service to at least a portion of the geo
`graphically de?ned broadcast target area for each message.
`The method further includes transmitting each broadcast
`message and its associated geographically de?ned broadcast
`target area over an output interface to each determined broad
`cast transmission netWork.
`Further aspects of the present invention Will become appar
`ent from the detailed description provided hereinafter. It
`should be understood that the detailed description and spe
`ci?c examples, While indicating the preferred embodiment of
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`US 8,438,212 B2
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`3
`the invention, are intended for purposes of illustration only
`and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention.
`
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
`
`The present invention Will become more fully understood
`from the detailed description and the accompanying draW
`1ngs.
`FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram of a public service
`message location broadcast system according to one embodi
`ment of the invention.
`FIG. 2 is a second functional block diagram of a public
`service message location broadcast system according to one
`embodiment of the invention.
`FIG. 3 is a How chart for an admission control process
`Within the public service message location broadcast system
`service bureau according to one embodiment of the invention.
`FIG. 4 is a screen shot of the Broadcast Agent Portal
`Webpage according to one embodiment of the invention.
`FIG. 5 is a screen shot of the Broadcast Agent Portal
`Webpage illustrating a Broadcast Agents initial designation
`of a target broadcast area according to one embodiment of the
`invention.
`FIG. 6 is a screen shot of the Broadcast Agent Portal
`Webpage illustrating use of a shape tool to de?ne the desig
`nation of a target broadcast area according to one embodi
`ment of the invention.
`FIG. 7 is a screen shot of the Broadcast Agent Portal
`Webpage illustrating a library of footprints for prede?ned
`target broadcast areas according to one embodiment of the
`invention.
`FIG. 8 is a screen shot of the Broadcast Agent Portal
`Webpage illustrating a dialogue box enabling the Broadcast
`Agent to create a message and parameters of the Broadcast
`Request according to one embodiment of the invention.
`FIG. 9 a screen shot of the Broadcast Agent Portal
`Webpage illustrating a library of target broadcast areas and a
`library of messages according to one embodiment of the
`invention.
`FIG. 10 is a screen shot of the Broadcast Agent Portal
`Webpage illustrating a Broadcast Agent Con?rmation Entry
`prompt/Window according to one embodiment of the inven
`tion.
`FIG. 11 is a functional block diagram of the reporting
`system of a public service message location broadcast system
`according to one embodiment.
`FIG. 12 is a How chart for a billing system according to one
`embodiment.
`FIG. 13 is a functional block diagram of a geo-fence pro
`cess for a broadcast message in one embodiment.
`FIG. 14 is a second functional block diagram of an exem
`plary geo-fence process in another embodiment.
`FIG. 15 is a third functional block diagram of a geo-fence
`process in another exemplary embodiment.
`Corresponding reference characters indicate correspond
`ing parts throughout the several vieWs of the draWings.
`
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`DETAILED DESCRIPTION
`
`The folloWing description is merely exemplary in nature
`and is not intended to limit the present disclosure, applica
`tions, or uses.
`The public service message location broadcasting system
`(PLBS) according to one or more embodiments of the inven
`tion provide for an improved system and method for public
`service broadcast messaging. A public service message loca
`tion broadcasting system (PLBS) operator provides a Broad
`
`60
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`cast Agent Web Portal or Webpage or other similar Graphical
`User Interface (GUI), implementation and maintenance of the
`networks’ cell-broadcast messaging components, netWorks
`and platforms, administration and operation of the public
`service message location broadcasting system, and interfaces
`to local telecommunication service providers including
`mobile unit service providers.
`According to one embodiment in the event of a serious
`public emergency, a short text message is sent over the loca
`tion broadcast channel. A mobile unit or Broadcast Agent
`phone, Which is con?gured to receive location-based broad
`cast messages, While in the idle mode and located in the
`prede?ned cell, receives the broadcast message and displays
`the message on its screen.
`Location-based message broadcasting is transmitted from
`the prede?ned cell in a doWnlink only mode and therefore,
`unlike current SMS services, does not require functionality or
`netWork resources from the mobile services provider or from
`any portion of the mobile service provider’s mobility man
`agement resources, e.g., HLR, VLR, etc.
`A public service message location broadcasting system
`provides for the simultaneous sending of public service mes
`sages to millions of subscribers With less impact on the sup
`porting netWorks than a single SMS-message. As such, mini
`mal to no netWork congestion Will result.
`A public service message location broadcasting system
`(PLBS) receives emergency or public service messaging and
`identi?cation of the target broadcast area from public service
`or government entities. The PLBS provides location-based
`broadcast message enablement, security, multi-carrier
`interoperability and connectivity to the telecommunication
`service providers and other network operators offering ser
`vices Within the target broadcast area.
`A public service message location broadcasting system
`and method according to one or more embodiments provides
`for the development, transmission, delivery and display of a
`message that is an of?cial govemment-to-citiZen information
`broadcast to all compatible telecommunication receiving
`devices in, or entering, a prede?ned at-risk geographic loca
`tion or area.
`The PLBS system sends any public service or emergency
`information associated With an event, as determined by
`authoriZed messaging entities that may affect public safety.
`These include, but are not limited to, utility outages, missing
`child alerts, severe Weather Warnings, ?ood Warnings, and
`terrorist threat Warnings. The messages are broadcast by pub
`lic service message location broadcasting systems participat
`ing With local telecommunication netWorks and other local
`netWork operators.
`Unlike other emergency messaging services that require
`the recipient’s identity, a predetermined ?xed delivery loca
`tion, and usually the payment of a service fee, the public
`service message location broadcasting system uses broadcast
`messaging technology to reach an unlimited number of
`people in real time, With no pre-event recipient action
`required and to phones that are setup to receive the message
`channel.
`The public service message location broadcasting system
`uses cell-broadcast SMS (C-BSMS) technology to provide a
`message or alert to a single cell geographic location, a neigh
`borhood, a city, or an entire nation With minimal impact to
`participating telecommunication netWorks.
`Local broadcast message netWork operators and/or tele
`communications service providers, such as mobile or cellular
`telephone service carriers provide the local telecommunica
`tions infrastructure and interfacing technologies that enable
`the public service message location broadcasting system to
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`
`US 8,438,212 B2
`
`20
`
`5
`transmit public messages in a timely manner to the public that
`may be at risk using standard and commonplace mobile tele
`phone units.
`The public service message location broadcast system and
`methods described herein provide the functions and steps
`necessary to ensure that the Broadcast Agents are authorized
`to send the requested broadcast messages to the de?ned
`broadcast target area. The PLBS con?guration described
`herein provides internal controls for insuring that the netWork
`and components are secure and that messages are authorized
`prior to transmittal. The public service message location
`broadcast system provides the interface to the Broadcast
`Agents to ensure simple and timely de?nition of the broadcast
`target area, the mes sage, and the authentication of the Broad
`cast Agent. The public service message location broadcast
`system also provides the interconnectivity and functionality
`for interfacing to participating telecommunication service
`providers and other PLBS systems that provide for the deliv
`ery of the broadcast message to the broadcast target area.
`The public service message location broadcasting system
`consists of ?ve parts:
`1. Public Service Location Broadcast Service Bureau
`(PSMBs or PLBS)
`2. Broadcast Agent Terminal/Web Portal/Web Page
`3. Public Service Message Broadcast Controller/Distribu
`tor
`4. Carrier Broadcast Center (CBC)
`5. Public Service Location Broadcast Reporter
`One exemplary embodiment of a public service location
`broadcasting system (PLBS) 100 is illustrated in FIG. 1. A
`30
`public service location broadcast service bureau 102, labeled
`In FIG. 1 as a PSMBS Broadcast Broker Server by Way of
`example, includes interfaces to various system components
`and to the various netWorks in Which a message can be broad
`cast to mobile units located With a de?ned target area or
`location.
`One or more broadcast agent access devices 104 can be
`connected to the public service location broadcast service
`bureau 102 (PLBS-SB) and con?gured to provide a cell@lert
`display 106 to a Broadcast Agent. The cell@lert display, as
`described herein, includes an interface enabling the Broad
`cast Agent to input a message and de?ne a geographic target
`area for delivery of the message. The cell@lert display 106
`can be in the form of a Webpage that is hosted by a Web Server
`103 in service bureau 102 in an HTML format (as shoWn) or
`another Web server (not shoWn). A Web Server 103 may also
`be remotely located at another facility. The Web Server inter
`face to the PSMBS Broker Server uses the standard Cell Alert
`Protocol (CAP). In other embodiments, the Broadcast Agent
`Access Device 104 may be a computer or personal computer
`and the cell@lert display can be a display generated by
`locally supported softWare residing on the Broadcast Agent’ s
`personal computer. The broadcast agent access device 104
`can be coupled to the service bureau 102 via any type of
`suitable data communication facility 105 using a variety of