GPS enabled emergency messaging system
View Patent ↗A GPS enabled Emergency Messaging System (GEMS) includes: Emergency Response Centers (ERC's) for defining emergency broadcast messages directed to specified geographic areas; a GPS Control Segment (CS) facility that receives messages generated by the ERC's and coordinates uplink and downlink communications with orbiting GPS satellites; a GPS Space Segment (SS) that includes the multiple orbiting GPS satellites and that receives emergency messages from the CS facility and broadcasts transmissions containing both GPS navigational information and an emergency broadcast message; and GEMS-enabled user equipment that is capable of receiving and processing broadcast emergency messages. The system permits emergency messaging data to be superimposed on the existing GPS signal structure and delivered to users with GPS receivers capable of receiving the superimposed messaging data.
1. A method of receiving a message broadcast via satellite communications, comprising:
(a) receiving, at a receiver, transmissions from global positioning system (GPS) satellites, wherein the transmissions from the GPS satellites include: a navigation signal useful for determining a geographic position of the receiver; and a broadcast message including information relating to a geographic area in which reception of the broadcast message is intended;
(b) determining a geographic position of the receiver;
(c) determining whether the geographic position of the receiver is within the geographic area in which reception of the broadcast message is intended; and
(d) supplying the broadcast message to a user interface for generating an output in response to the geographic position of the receiver being within the geographic area in which reception of the broadcast message is intended.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein transmissions of the navigation signal and the broadcast message are multiplexed.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the navigation signal and the broadcast message are transmitted via code division multiple access (CDMA) multiplexing.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the navigation signal and the broadcast message are transmitted via a constant-envelope composite signal.
5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the navigation signal and the broadcast signal are transmitted via inter-vote modulation.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the broadcast message is an emergency broadcast message.
7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the emergency broadcast message includes information describing a type of emergency that exists and information explaining how to respond to the emergency.
8. The method of claim 6 , wherein the emergency broadcast message contains emergency instructions and guidance tailored for users within the geographic area in which reception of the emergency broadcast message is intended.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the transmissions are broadcast from a Global Positioning System (GPS) satellite.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein (b) includes receiving navigation signals from a plurality of satellites and calculating the geographic position of the receiver based upon the navigation signals.
11. The method of claim 1 , wherein (b) includes determining the geographic position of the receiver from a source other than navigation signals transmitted by satellites.
12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the output includes at least one of: an aural signal; a visually displayed message; and a retransmission of the broadcast message.
13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the broadcast message further includes an identifier that identifies a category of individuals for which the broadcast message is intended.
14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the broadcast message further includes a priority indicator that identifies a priority level assigned to the broadcast message.
15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the receiver is configurable to receive messages above or below a specified priority level.
16. The method of claim 1 , wherein the geographic area in which reception of the broadcast message is intended is specified using at least one geographic location.
17. The method of claim 1 , wherein the broadcast message includes a plurality of messages respectively intended for reception in a plurality of geographic areas.
18. The method of claim 17 , wherein at least some of the plurality of geographic areas overlap.
19. The method of claim 17 , wherein at least one of the plurality of geographic areas lies within another of the plurality of geographic areas.
20. A communication device for receiving a message broadcast via satellite communications, comprising:
a receiver for receiving transmissions from global positioning system (GPS) satellites, wherein the transmissions from the GPS satellites include: a navigation signal useful for determining a geographic position of the receiver; and a broadcast message including information relating to a geographic area in which reception of the broadcast message is intended;
a position-determining processor coupled to said receiver and configured to determine a geographic position of the receiver;
a message processor coupled to said receiver and to said position-determining processor and configured to determine whether the geographic position of the receiver is within the geographic area in which reception of the broadcast message is intended; and
a user interface for generating an output indicative of the broadcast message in response to said message processor determining the geographic position of the receiver to be within the geographic area in which reception of the broadcast message is intended.
21. The communication device of claim 20 , wherein said receiver receives the navigation signal and the broadcast message as a multiplexed transmission.
22. The communication device of claim 20 , wherein said receiver receives the navigation signal and the broadcast message as code division multiple access (CDMA) signals.
23. The communication device of claim 20 , wherein said receiver receives a constant-envelope composite signal comprising the navigation signal and the broadcast message.
24. The communication device of claim 23 , wherein said receiver receives an inter-vote modulated signal comprising the navigation signal and the broadcast signal.
25. The communication device of claim 20 , wherein the broadcast message received by said receiver is an emergency broadcast message.
26. The communication device of claim 25 , wherein the emergency broadcast message includes information describing a type of emergency that exists and information explaining how to respond to the emergency.
27. The communication device of claim 25 , wherein the emergency broadcast message received by said receiver contains emergency information tailored for users within the geographic area in which reception of the emergency broadcast message is intended.
28. The communication device of claim 20 , wherein said receiver receives transmissions from a Global Positioning System (GPS) satellite.
29. The communication device of claim 20 , wherein said receiver receives transmissions containing navigation signals from a plurality of satellites, and wherein said position-determining processor calculates the geographic position of the communication device based upon the navigation signals.
30. The communication device of claim 20 , said position-determining processor determining the geographic position of the communication device from information other than navigation signals transmitted by satellites.
31. The communication device of claim 20 , wherein said user interface includes at least one of a speaker for generating an aural signal and a display for visually displaying a message.
32. The communication device of claim 20 , wherein the broadcast message received by said receiver includes an identifier that identifies a category of individuals for which the broadcast message is intended.
33. The communication device of claim 20 , wherein the broadcast message received by said receiver includes a priority indicator that identifies a priority level assigned to the broadcast message.
34. The communication device of claim 33 , wherein said receiver is configurable to receive messages above or below a specified priority level.
35. The communication device of claim 20 , wherein the broadcast message received by said receiver specifies the geographic area in which reception of the broadcast message is intended using at least one geographic location.
36. The communication device of claim 20 , wherein the broadcast message received by said receiver includes a plurality of messages respectively intended for reception in a plurality of geographic areas.
37. The communication device of claim 36 , wherein at least some of the plurality of geographic areas overlap.
38. The communication device of claim 36 , wherein at least one of the plurality of geographic areas lies within another of the plurality of geographic areas.