Customizing wireless emergency alert messages using network analytics

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9693210-B2
Application number	US-201514885723-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 16, 2015
Priority date	Oct 16, 2015
Publication date	Jun 27, 2017
Grant date	Jun 27, 2017

Abstract

A method, computer-readable medium, and apparatus for broadcasting a wireless emergency alert message are disclosed. For example, a method may include a processor receiving a request to broadcast a wireless emergency alert message, determining an anticipated increase in a network usage in response to broadcasting the wireless emergency alert message, determining that a capacity of the network will not be exceeded with the anticipated increase in the network usage, and broadcasting the wireless alert message in an alert area. In one example, the request comprises a type of alert, the alert area, and a message content. In one example, the wireless emergency alert message that is broadcast includes the message content in a format that deviates from a default format when it is determined that the capacity of the network will not be exceeded with the anticipated increase in the network usage.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method, comprising:
receiving, by a processor, a request to broadcast a wireless emergency alert message, wherein the request comprises a type of alert, an alert area, and a message content;
calculating, by the processor, an anticipated increase in a network usage of a network, wherein the anticipated increase is in response to broadcasting the wireless emergency alert message;
determining, by the processor, that a capacity of the network will not be exceeded with the anticipated increase in the network usage; and
broadcasting, by the processor, the wireless emergency alert message in the alert area, wherein the wireless emergency alert message includes the message content, wherein, when it is determined that the capacity of the network will not be exceeded with the anticipated increase in the network usage, the message content is in a format that deviates from a default format.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
providing an authorization for the message content to deviate from the default format when the capacity of the network will not be exceeded with the anticipated increase in the network usage, wherein the request that is received includes the message content in the default format; and
receiving the message content in the format that deviates from the default format, prior to the broadcasting, in response to the authorization.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the message content is in a format that deviates from the default format when the request is received.

4. The method of claim 1 , where the default format comprises a fixed-size of the message content.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the fixed-size of the message content comprises 90 characters.

6. The method of claim 4 , wherein the format that deviates from the default format comprises a size of the message content exceeding the fixed-size.

7. The method of claim 4 , wherein the default format comprises an alphanumeric sequence.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the format that deviates from the default format comprises:
an image content;
a telephone number;
a video content; or
an audio content.

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein the format that deviates from the default format comprises a link to a network-based resource.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the network-based resource comprises:
a server;
a webpage;
a document;
an image content;
a video content; or
an audio content.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the request is received from a device of an alert originator.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the processor comprises a component of a cellular network, wherein the broadcasting the wireless emergency alert message comprises broadcasting the wireless emergency alert message via a cellular broadcast channel.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the anticipated increase in the network usage is calculated based upon past network usage information associated with the type of alert and the alert area.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the determining that the capacity of the network will not be exceeded with the anticipated increase in the network usage is based upon a calculation of the anticipated increase in the network usage plus a current measure of the network usage.

15. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
calculating a further anticipated increase in the network usage in response to the broadcasting the wireless emergency alert message with the message content in the format that deviates from a default format; and
reserving network resources based upon the further anticipated increase in the network usage, wherein the network resources are reserved for mobile devices that are to receive the wireless emergency alert message that is broadcast.

16. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
calculating a further anticipated increase in the network usage in response to the broadcasting the wireless emergency alert message with the message content in the format that deviates from a default format, wherein the request that is received includes the message content in the default format; and
providing an authorization for the message content to comprise the format that deviates from the default format when the capacity of the network will not be exceeded with the further anticipated increase in the network usage.

17. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations, the operations comprising:
receiving a request to broadcast a wireless emergency alert message, wherein the request comprises a type of alert, an alert area, and a message content;
calculating an anticipated increase in a network usage of a network, wherein the anticipated increase is in response to broadcasting the wireless emergency alert message;
determining that a capacity of the network will not be exceeded with the anticipated increase in the network usage; and
broadcasting the wireless emergency alert message in the alert area, wherein the wireless emergency alert message includes the message content, wherein, when it is determined that the capacity of the network will not be exceeded with the anticipated increase in the network usage, the message content is in a format that deviates from a default format.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17 , wherein the operations further comprise:
providing an authorization for the message content to deviate from the default format when the capacity of the network will not be exceeded with the anticipated increase in the network usage, wherein the request that is received includes the message content in the default format; and
receiving the message content in the format that deviates from the default format, prior to the broadcasting, in response to the authorization.

19. A device, comprising:
a processor; and
a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations, the operations comprising:
receiving a request to broadcast a wireless emergency alert message, wherein the request comprises a type of alert, an alert area, and a message content;
calculating an anticipated increase in a network usage of a network, wherein the anticipated increase is in response to broadcasting the wireless emergency alert message;
determining that a capacity of the network will not be exceeded with the anticipated increase in the network usage; and
broadcasting the wireless emergency alert message in the alert area, wherein the wireless emergency alert message includes the message content, wherein, when it is determined that the capacity of the network will not be exceeded with the anticipated increase in the network usage, the message content is in a format that deviates from a default format.

20. The device of claim 19 , wherein the operations further comprise:
providing an authorization for the message content to deviate from the default format when the capacity of the network will not be exceeded with the anticipated increase in the network usage, wherein the request that is received includes the message content in the default format; and
receiving the message content in the format that deviates from the default format, prior to the broadcasting, in response to the authorization.

Assignees

• At & T Ip I Lp

Inventors

• Sennett Dewayne A
• Daly Brian Kevin
• Musgrove Charles Peter

Classifications

• H04W4/90 Primary

  Services for handling of emergency or hazardous situations, e.g. earthquake and tsunami warning systems [ETWS] · CPC title

• H04L51/066

  Format adaptation, e.g. format conversion or compression · CPC title

• H04W4/06

  Selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS]; Services to user groups; One-way selective calling services · CPC title

• H04W4/22 Primary

  Electricity · mapped topic