System for controlling the operation of both wireless multicasting systems and alarm systems to distribute an alarm indication to a dynamically configured coverage area

1. A Reverse 911 Alarm System for transmitting an alarm indication to individuals served by at least one of a cellular communication network and an alarm system to warn individuals of a hazard condition, comprising:

an alarm controller means, responsive to receipt of alarm data indicative of the presence of a hazard condition, for generating at least one alarm indication;

a hazard coverage area determination means for dynamically defining a coverage area indicative of a geographical extent of the hazard condition, including a list of cell sites that provide cellular service to the coverage area indicative of the geographical extent of the hazard condition;

a hazard alarm distribution control means for transmitting the alarm indication to cell site controllers which are associated with the cell sites in the list of cell sites having a communication coverage corresponding to the geographical extent of said hazard condition;

a cellular communication device identification means, operational in each of the cell site controllers which are associated with the cell sites in the list of cell sites, for identifying all cellular communication devices which are active in the cell site;

a cellular multicast means, operational in the cell site controllers which are associated with the cell sites in the list of cell sites, for concurrently transmitting the alarm indications via a single multicast to a plurality of the identified cellular communication devices to generate human sensible output to warn individuals who use said cellular communication devices of the hazard condition; and

an alarm system alarm indication communication means, communicatively connected to a plurality of alarm systems, for transmitting at least one of said alarm indications via selected ones of said plurality of alarm systems to an associated plurality of output devices served by the alarm system to generate human sensible output to warn said individuals who are located in a coverage area of said output devices of said hazard condition.

2. The Reverse 911 Alarm System of claim 1 , further comprising:

an alarm system selection means for dynamically selecting at least one of said plurality of alarm systems, located in said geographical area for distribution of said at least one alarm indication, for receipt of said at least one alarm indication.

3. The Reverse 911 Alarm System of claim 2 , further comprising:

a destination specific alarm means for generating a plurality of alarm indications, each specific in content to at least one of: mode of transmission, target set of individuals to receive said alarm indication, relationship among target sets of individuals to receive said alarm indication, and coverage area targeted;

a hierarchical coverage means for distributing said plurality of alarm indications in a time-ordered and coverage area specific manner; and

an alarm system control means for transmitting said alarm indications to said selected ones of cellular communication networks and alarm systems to activate said plurality of cellular communication devices and said plurality of output devices.

4. The Reverse 911 Alarm System of claim 1 , further comprising:

an alarm indication coverage area determination means for dynamically defining a geographical area for distribution of said alarm indication, wherein said geographical area for distribution of said alarm indication is not coextensive with said geographical extent of said hazard condition.

5. The Reverse 911 Alarm System of claim 1 , further comprising:

a destination specific alarm means for generating a plurality of alarm indications, each specific in content to at least one of: mode of transmission, target set of individuals to receive said alarm indication, relationship among target sets of individuals to receive said alarm indication, and coverage area targeted;

a hierarchical coverage means for distributing said plurality of alarm indications in a time-ordered and coverage area specific manner; and

an alarm system control means for transmitting said alarm indications to said selected cellular communication networks to activate said plurality of cellular communication devices and said plurality of output devices.

6. The Reverse 911 Alarm System of claim 1 wherein said alarm controller means is responsive to receipt from at least one of said alarm systems of alarm data indicative of the presence of a hazard condition for generating at least one alarm indication.

7. The Reverse 911 Alarm System of claim 1 , further comprising:

an operator interface means for enabling a human operator to input alarm data indicative of the presence of a hazard condition; and

wherein said alarm controller means is responsive to receipt of said human operator input alarm data indicative of the presence of a hazard condition for generating at least one alarm indication.

8. The Reverse 911 Alarm System of claim 1 , further comprising:

at least one unidirectional forward broadcast path that extends from said cell site to said plurality of cellular communication devices for transmitting said alarm indications to said individuals who are equipped with said cellular communication devices.

9. The Reverse 911 Alarm System of claim 8 , further comprising:

a reverse path from said cellular communication devices to said cell site for transmitting feedback data from said cellular communication devices to said Reverse 911 Alarm System.

10. The Reverse 911 Alarm System of claim 1 wherein said at least one cellular communication network comprises at least one fixed site wireless network of the class of wireless networks which include WiMax and WiFi that serve a plurality of wireless subscriber devices which are extant in a coverage area of said fixed site wireless network, said Reverse 911 Alarm System further comprises:

a message control means for transmitting said alarm indication to fixed site wireless network controllers which are associated with said at least one fixed site wireless network to initiate transmission of said alarm indication to said plurality of wireless subscriber devices.

11. The Reverse 911 Alarm System of claim 10 , further comprising:

at least one unidirectional forward broadcast path that extends from said fixed site wireless network to said plurality of wireless subscriber devices for transmitting said alarm indications to individuals who are equipped with said wireless subscriber devices.

12. The Reverse 911 Alarm System of claim 11 , further comprising:

a reverse path from said wireless subscriber devices to said fixed site wireless network for transmitting feedback data from wireless subscriber devices to said Reverse 911 Alarm System.

13. A method of operating a Reverse 911 Alarm System for transmitting an alarm indication to individuals served by at least one of a cellular communication network and an alarm system to warn individuals of a hazard condition, comprising:

generating, in response to receipt of alarm data indicative of the presence of a hazard condition, at least one alarm indication;

dynamically defining a coverage area indicative of a geographical extent of the hazard condition, including a list of cell sites that provide cellular service to the coverage area indicative of the geographical extent of the hazard condition;

transmitting the alarm indication to cell site controllers which are associated with the cell sites in the list of cell sites having a communication coverage corresponding to the geographical extent of said hazard condition;

identifying, in each of the cell site controllers which are associated with the cell sites in the list of cell sites, all cellular communication devices which are active in the cell site; and

concurrently transmitting, from an alarm indication communication apparatus which is operational in the cell site controllers which are associated with the cell sites in the list of cell sites, the alarm indications via a single multicast to a plurality of the identified cellular communication devices to generate human sensible output to warn individuals who use said cellular communication devices of the hazard condition; and

transmitting, from an alarm indication communication apparatus which is communicatively connected to said plurality of alarm systems, at least one of said alarm indications via selected ones of said plurality of alarm systems to an associated plurality of output devices served by the alarm system to generate human sensible output to warn said individuals who are located in a coverage area of said output devices of said hazard condition.

14. The method of operating a Reverse 911 Alarm System of claim 13 , further comprising:

dynamically selecting at least one of said plurality of alarm systems, located in said geographical area for distribution of said at least one alarm indication, for receipt of said at least one alarm indication.

15. The method of operating a Reverse 911 Alarm System of claim 14 , further comprising:

generating a plurality of alarm indications, each specific in content to at least one of:

mode of transmission, target set of individuals to receive said alarm indication, relationship among target sets of individuals to receive said alarm indication, and coverage area targeted;

hierarchically distributing said plurality of alarm indications in a time-ordered and coverage area specific manner; and

transmitting said alarm indications to said selected ones of cellular communication networks and alarm systems to activate said plurality of cellular communication devices and said plurality of output devices.

16. The method of operating a Reverse 911 Alarm System of claim 13 , further comprising:

dynamically defining a geographical area for distribution of said alarm indication, wherein said geographical area for distribution of said alarm indication is not coextensive with said geographical extent of said hazard condition.

17. The method of operating a Reverse 911 Alarm System of claim 13 , further comprising:

generating a plurality of alarm indications, each specific in content to at least one of: mode of transmission, target set of individuals to receive said alarm indication, relationship among target sets of individuals to receive said alarm indication, and coverage area targeted;

hierarchically distributing said plurality of alarm indications in a time-ordered and coverage area specific manner; and

transmitting said alarm indications to said selected ones of cellular communication networks and alarm systems to activate said plurality of cellular communication devices and said plurality of output devices.

18. The method of operating a Reverse 911 Alarm System of claim 13 wherein said step of generating is responsive to receipt from at least one of said alarm systems of alarm data indicative of the presence of a hazard condition for generating at least one alarm indication.

19. The method of operating a Reverse 911 Alarm System of claim 13 , further comprising:

enabling a human operator to input alarm data indicative of the presence of a hazard condition; and

wherein said step of generating is responsive to receipt of said human operator input alarm data indicative of the presence of a hazard condition for generating at least one alarm indication.

20. The method of operating a Reverse 911 Alarm System of claim 13 , further comprising:

transmitting, over at least one unidirectional forward broadcast path that extends from said cell site to said plurality of cellular communication devices, said alarm indications to said individuals who are equipped with said cellular communication devices.

21. The method of operating a Reverse 911 Alarm System of claim 20 , further comprising:

transmitting, over a reverse path from said cellular communication devices to said cell site, feedback data from said cellular communication devices to said Reverse 911 Alarm System.

22. The method of operating a Reverse 911 Alarm System of claim 13 wherein said at least one cellular communication network comprises at least one fixed site wireless network of the class of wireless networks which include WiMax and WiFi that serve a plurality of wireless subscriber devices which are extant in a coverage area of said fixed site wireless network, said method of operating a Reverse 911 Alarm System further comprises:

transmitting said alarm indication to fixed site wireless network controllers which are associated with said at least one fixed site wireless network to initiate transmission of said alarm indication to said plurality of wireless subscriber devices.

23. The method of operating a Reverse 911 Alarm System of claim 22 , further comprising:

transmitting, over at least one unidirectional forward broadcast path that extends from said fixed site wireless network to said plurality of wireless subscriber devices, said alarm indications to individuals who are equipped with said wireless subscriber devices.

24. The method of operating a Reverse 911 Alarm System of claim 23 , further comprising:

transmitting, over a reverse path from said wireless subscriber devices to said fixed site wireless network, feedback data from wireless subscriber devices to said Reverse 911 Alarm System.