Patent ID: 9356715
Filing Date: 2016-05-31
CPC Classification: H04H

Claim Text:
1. A method for notifying a user of broadcast communication channel problems, the method comprising: at a broadcast distribution facility, detecting a problem involving a first broadcast communication channel from the broadcast distribution facility to a broadcast communication receiver associated with the user, wherein the problem involving the first broadcast communication channel comprises one or more of environmental/meteorological interference or a broadcast equipment malfunction; at the broadcast distribution facility, ascertaining a cause of the problem; at the broadcast distribution facility, relaying an indication of the cause of the problem to the broadcast communication receiver over a second broadcast communication channel from the broadcast communication facility to the broadcast communication receiver; and at the broadcast communication receiver, informing the user of the cause of the problem, wherein the problem involving the first broadcast communication channel prevents the indication of the cause of the problem from being relayed to the broadcast communication receiver over the first broadcast communication channel; wherein the broadcast distribution facility comprises a satellite uplink center; the broadcast communication receiver comprises a satellite communication receiver; the first broadcast communication channel from the satellite uplink center to the satellite communication receiver is routed through a communication satellite; and the first broadcast communication channel comprises one of a plurality of satellite programming channels from the satellite uplink center to the satellite communication receiver; wherein the second broadcast communication channel comprises a data channel from the satellite uplink center to the satellite communication receiver that is routed through the communication satellite and is separate from the plurality of satellite programming channels.