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Mobile Phone Patent Abstract
A text messaging based alert notification and feedback method based
on the Amber Alert system used in child abduction situations is
disclosed herein. A mobile subscriber receives a public service
text message that was broadcast to a large number of mobile subscribers.
Law enforcement working in coordination with one or more cellular
carriers compose and send out the public service text message containing
facts about an exigent circumstance such as a child abduction. If
a subscriber possesses information and wishes to reply to the public
service text message, his mobile phone automatically generates a
reply message to the public service text message. The reply message
contains, at a minimum, a header portion that includes a time/date
stamp, an identification stamp (e.g., mobile phone number), and
if possible a location stamp. The reply message also allows for
the inclusion of a data portion. The data portion includes the option
of attaching additional text and an audio or video attachment to
the reply message. Once the reply message is fully composed it is
automatically returned to the sender of the public service text
message.
Mobile Phone Patent Claims
The invention claimed is:
1. A text messaging based alert notification and feedback method
comprising: in a mobile phone: receiving a public service text message
that was broadcast to a large number of mobile subscribers; automatically
generating a reply message to said public service text message wherein
said reply message contains a header portion and a data portion;
and automatically sending said reply message to the sender of the
public service text message.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein the header portion of the reply
message includes a date/time stamp identifying the time when the
reply message was sent.
3. The method of claim 2 wherein the header portion of the reply
message includes the mobile phone number of the mobile phone sending
the reply message.
4. The method of claim 3 wherein the header portion of the reply
message includes a location stamp identifying the location where
the reply message was sent.
5. The method of claim 4 wherein the data portion of the reply
message includes an option of attaching additional text to the reply
message.
6. The method of claim 4 wherein the data portion of the reply
message includes an option of attaching a video attachment to the
reply message.
7. The method of claim 4 wherein the data portion of the reply
message includes an option of attaching an audio attachment to the
reply message.
8. A text messaging based alert notification and feedback system
comprising: in a mobile phone: means for receiving a public service
text message that was broadcast to a large number of mobile subscribers;
means for automatically generating a reply message to said public
service text message wherein said reply message contains a header
portion and a data portion; and means for automatically sending
said reply message to the sender of the public service text message.
9. The system of claim 8 wherein the header portion of the reply
message includes a date/time stamp identifying the time when the
reply message was sent.
10. The system of claim 9 wherein the header portion of the reply
message includes the mobile phone number of the mobile phone sending
the reply message.
11. The system of claim 10 wherein the header portion of the reply
message includes a location stamp identifying the location where
the reply message was sent.
12. The system of claim 11 wherein the data portion of the reply
message includes an option of attaching additional text to the reply
message.
13. The system of claim 11 wherein the data portion of the reply
message includes an option of attaching a video attachment to the
reply message.
14. The system of claim 11 wherein the data portion of the reply
message includes an option of attaching an audio attachment to the
reply message.
Mobile Phone Patent Description
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION
The Amber Alert system was initially developed in Texas to involve
the public in the search for abducted children. The basic idea was
to rapidly broadcast information pertaining to child abductions
to a vast public audience in hopes that someone can provide a lead
for investigators. Typically, information was broadcast over conventional
media outlets such as television. The Amber Alert system took the
process a step further by broadcasting information over a series
of large electronic bulletin boards dispersed throughout the highways
of Texas and other states. The original intent of the electronic
bulletin boards was to inform commuters of traffic delays, weather
conditions, and the like. Amber Alert added public service announcements
as a type of information that can also be disseminated.
For instance, if a child has been abducted by a man in a green
station wagon, this information can be rapidly broadcast to everyone
driving within sight of a bulletin board. The system is effective
because it targets current drivers, the segment of the public that
is most likely to spot the vehicle in question. The Amber Alert
message gives a phone number where anyone can report a sighting
to law enforcement.
The Amber Alert system has been credited with the safe return of
many abducted children. Many other states have adopted the Amber
Alert system and there is pending national legislation in the United
States for a federal Amber Alert system.
The present invention is designed to take the current Amber Alert
system to another level by incorporating mobile phone text messaging
as a means for disseminating Amber Alert messages to the public
at large.
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
The present invention is a text messaging based alert notification
and feedback method based on the Amber Alert system used in child
abduction situations. A mobile subscriber receives a public service
text message that was broadcast to a large number of mobile subscribers.
Law enforcement working in coordination with one or more cellular
carriers compose and send out the public service text message known
as an Amber Alert message. The Amber Alert message contains facts
about an exigent circumstance such as a child abduction. The message
seeks a response from anyone having information that could be helpful.
If a subscriber possesses information and wishes to reply to the
public service text message, his mobile phone automatically generates
a reply message to the public service text message. The reply message
contains, at a minimum, a header portion that includes a time/date
stamp, an identification stamp (e.g., mobile phone number), and
if possible a location stamp. The reply message also allows for
the inclusion of a data portion. The data portion includes the option
of attaching additional text and an audio or video attachment to
the reply message. Once the reply message is fully composed it is
automatically returned to the sender of the public service text
message.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a data flow diagram illustrating the top level messaging
of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram describing the interaction among message
senders and message recipients.
FIG. 3 is a data flow diagram illustrating an opt procedure.
FIG. 4 is a data flow diagram illustrating the automatic reply
process to an Amber Alert message.
FIG. 5 illustrates sample Amber Alert message reply contents.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Implementation of a messaging system for use by mobile phones requires
the cooperation and coordination of one or more mobile subscribers,
and their cellular carriers along with the network infrastructure
upon which they communicate. To implement a specific messaging system
such as an Amber Alert system further requires the cooperation and
coordination of law enforcement.
FIG. 1 illustrates the top level messaging 100 that coordinates
mobile subscribers, cellular carriers, and law enforcement so that
an Amber Alert system can be implemented. Law enforcement 110 is
the catalyst of the system. If there is information pertaining to
a child abduction to be rapidly disseminated, a message is initiated
and composed by law enforcement. Law enforcement, however, does
not have the resources to broadcast the message to every mobile
phone in a geographic area of interest.
The only entities with broadcast resources are the cellular carriers
to whom the mobiles subscribe for service. There are multiple cellular
carriers that service the same geographic area. Moreover, there
are multiple technology platforms that these carriers employ. Fortunately,
mobile text messaging (such as SMS) has been implemented across
platforms so that a single message can be sent to any mobile regardless
of the technology platform it uses.
Thus, law enforcement 110 requires the cooperation of the cellular
carriers 120 to broadcast an Amber Alert message to the public.
The carriers obviously maintain a list of subscribers to whom they
can easily broadcast text messages. Law enforcement 110 drafts and
forwards a message to all of the local/regional cellular carriers
120 asking them to broadcast the message to all of their subscribers.
The message is then broadcast by the carriers 120 to every mobile
phone 130 capable of text messaging.
The message is received by the mobile subscriber 130 and can be
acted upon accordingly. For instance, the message will likely contain
instructions for replying. If a particular subscriber submits a
reply to law enforcement, the information in the reply can be promptly
forwarded to investigators for analysis. Presumably, the reply will
contain some type of location information for a sighting. The location
can be an address, a landmark, a mile marker, GPS coordinates, a
heading, etc. The location information can be analyzed against other
replies to look for cluster data indicating a higher likelihood
of a good lead.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram 200 describing the interaction among
message senders and message recipients. Law enforcement composes
an alert message 210 to be publicly disseminated. The alert message
pertains to a developing situation that the public may assist in
solving. The alert message content describes the situation and instructions
for replying. The alert message is then forwarded to as many local
and regional cellular carriers 220 with an understanding that the
carriers will broadcast the alert message to all of their subscribers
230. Each carrier 240 broadcasts the alert message to each of its
subscribers (M1 Mn) 250. Any subscriber that wishes to reply with
information can respond directly back to law enforcement 260.
FIG. 3 illustrates an opt out procedure for a mobile subscriber.
Upon activation of the subscriber's mobile phone (or at some other
appropriate time), the phone's display queries 305 the subscriber
if they wish to participate in the Amber Alert notification system.
The subscriber answers the query 310 typically with a soft key response.
If the subscribers chooses to opt out an "opt in" flag
is set 315 in the phone's memory and any Amber Alert messages will
be passed to the subscriber. Otherwise, an "opt out" flag
is set 320 in memory and Amber Alert messages will not be displayed.
The opt out flag may be converted to opt in at a later date if desired
by the subscriber.
FIG. 4 illustrates how a reply is automatically composed by a mobile
subscriber. Upon receipt of an alert message, the mobile phone checks
the status of the opt in/out flag 405. If the flag is set to opt
out, no further processing occurs and the message is not displayed
to the subscriber. If the flag is set to opt in, the Amber Alert
message is displayed 410 to the user as drafted by law enforcement.
The message itself will be as descriptive as possible concerning
the event in The Amber Alert message contains header data identifying
it as a special message that, if replied to, triggers an automatic
reply message template.
The subscriber is queried if they wish to reply to the Amber Alert
message 415. If the subscriber chooses not to reply, then the mobile
phone asks if the Amber Alert message is to be deleted 420. If deleted,
the process ends. Otherwise, the Amber Alert message is saved to
memory 425 to be re-displayed on a periodic basis until it is deleted.
If the subscriber wishes to respond to an Amber Alert message,
then a reply message template is automatically called up 430. The
template contains header fields that are automatically filled with
pertinent subscriber data 435. Once the header fields have been
automatically filled, the mobile phone queries the subscriber whether
they wish to text to the message 440. If so, a text editor is launched
445 and the subscriber composes a message. Next, the mobile phone
queries the subscriber if they wish to include a video attachment
450 such as a picture with the reply message. If so, the subscriber
can use a camera attached or integrated with the mobile phone to
snap a picture 455 to assist law enforcement. Or, a picture can
be called from memory and attached to the reply message. Lastly,
the mobile phone queries the subscriber if they wish to include
an audio attachment 460 with the reply message. If so, the subscriber
can record a sound bite to be attached to the reply message or attach
a previously recorded audio clip to the reply message 465. Once
all the options editing the reply message have been exhausted, the
message is automatically sent 470 back to law enforcement.
FIG. 5 illustrates an example of an automatic reply message 500
to an Amber Alert message. The message is split into a header portion
510 and a data portion 520. The header portion should contain, at
a minimum, the phone number of the mobile subscriber making the
reply. An additional name tag would also be helpful. The reply message
should be date and time-stamped to give authorities a record of
when the reply occurred. Perhaps most importantly, the reply should
be location stamped with GPS coordinates if the mobile phone is
capable. The header information can all be automatically placed
into the reply message without the need for subscriber interaction.
This is important because it relieves the subscriber from having
to take valuable time to manually input such data and eliminates
the chance of inputting erroneous data.
The header data alone provides law enforcement with extremely valuable
data because it creates a context for a possible sighting. Date
and time stamp provide an indication of when a suspect was spotted
while the location stamp indicates where the sighting occurred.
The subscriber's telephone number provides a means for contacting
the subscriber for more information if necessary. Hopefully, law
enforcement will receive multiple replies that can be charted. Patterns
may begin to emerge from various sighting data indicating the accuracy
of each reply. For instance time and place of sightings may indicate
many replies are focused in the same area at the same time lending
credibility to the information. This type of data can also indicate
which way a suspect may be heading. Other replies may be more scattered
about a map indicating less reliability.
In addition to the header information 510, a subscriber may include
additional data with the reply in the form of text, a video attachment,
and/or an audio attachment. Additional text in the reply could inform
law enforcement that a suspect is taking an exit off a highway and
heading a particular direction. An audio tag to the message could
supply similar type information. If the mobile subscriber's phone
has a built-in camera, he can send a photo of the environment in
which the sighting occurred and perhaps even a photo of a suspect.
Most important is location data. If the phone is GPS equipped, specific
location data can be sent to law enforcement.
Additional reply information can prove quite valuable. It becomes
even more valuable when considered with other mobile subscriber
replies. Time stamped replies from multiple mobile subscribers can
create a timeline and perhaps a directional heading for a suspect.
The data as a whole can also weed out false sightings that may not
fit in with other replies. Thus, even a simple time-stamped reply
such as "I saw the suspect at the corner of Elm and Main"
can convey important information to help track a suspect especially
when combined with other replies to form a timeline.
While the disclosure has focused on the Amber Alert system, other
law enforcement exigent situations can utilize the system and method
of present invention. Situations such as a terrorist sighting, a
criminal getaway, an all points bulletin (APB) can be broadcast
as well. Virtually any situation where law enforcement seeks to
involve the public in a manhunt type scenario can benefit from the
present invention.
One of the chief advantages of the present invention is its ability
to cast a very wide net since mobile phone subscribers are everywhere.
Drivers, pedestrians, shoppers, restaurant goers, workers, etc.
are all potential law enforcement assistants. In contrast, television
alerts are only seen by those watching television. Even the original
Amber Alert system is only effective for reaching drivers.
The model of the present invention is based on a single entity
broadcasting an information message to a large audience and seeking
responses from members of the audience. The present description
has focused on law enforcement as the broadcasting entity because
there are several specific situations that are readily applicable
to the model. There can be other broadcasting entities that could
benefit from the automatic reply model of the present invention.
The present invention can be implemented in a variety of mobile
messaging settings including, but not limited to, short messaging
service (SMS), multi-media messaging service (MMS), and mobile e-mail
services. The messaging platform is considered independent of the
automatic reply aspect of the present invention. Those of ordinary
skill in the art can readily adapt the concepts set forth in the
present invention to a variety of messaging platforms.
Specific embodiments of an invention are disclosed herein. One
of ordinary skill in the art will readily recognize that the invention
may other applications in other environments. In fact, many embodiments
and implementations are possible. The following claims are in no
way intended to limit the scope of the present invention to the
specific embodiments described above. In addition, any recitation
of means for is intended to evoke a means-plus-function reading
of an element and a claim, whereas, any elements that do not specifically
use the recitation means for, are not intended to be read as means-plus-function
elements, even if the claim otherwise includes the word means. |