Patent ID: 8849235
Filing Date: 2014-09-30
Classification: H04W

Abstract:
1. A machine comprising: a communication interface arranged to receive an alert message and to send the alert message to a set of cell sites for the cell sites to wirelessly broadcast the alert message in a defined geographic target area, wherein each cell site has a respective coverage location; and wherein the machine is arranged to determine a type of the alert message and, based on the determined type, to choose a location-determination process for determining cell site coverage locations, to use the chosen location-determination process to determine cell site coverage locations, to compare the determined cell site coverage locations with the geographic target area so as to determine which cell sites have coverage locations falling at least in part within the geographic target area, to select as the set of cell sites the determined cell sites, and to send the alert message to the cell sites of the selected set for wireless broadcast of the alert message by the cell sites of the selected set, wherein the machine is arranged to choose as the location-determination process a first location-determination process when the determined type is a first type, to choose as the location-determination process a second location-determination process different than the first location-determination process when the determined type is a second type different than the first type, and to choose as the location-determination process a third location-determination process different than the first and second location-determination processes when the determined type is a third type different than the first and second types, wherein the first location-determination process involves the machine considering as the coverage location of each cell site a location of a base station that radiates to define the cell site, without regard to a range of coverage of the cell site, wherein the second location-determination process involves the machine considering as the coverage location of each cell site (i) the location of the base station that radiates to define the cell site and (ii) the range of coverage of the cell site, wherein the second location-determination process involves the machine considering as the coverage location of each cell site a circle of a predefined radius extending from a location of the base station that radiates to define the cell site, without regard to RF propagation of the cell site, and wherein the third location-determination process involves using RF propagation data to determine a radius of coverage of each cell site, and considering as the coverage location of each cell site a circle of the determined radius extending from the location of the base station that radiates to define the cell site.