Abstract:
A system and method provides data representative of geographical information to equipment for providing weather-related information, such as a NOAA weather radio (NWR). A telephone call is placed over a telephone network from the equipment to an information server, which receives information corresponding to an origin of the telephone call in conjunction with the telephone call. The received information is processed to generate data representative of geographical information, which is then sent to the equipment in conjunction with the telephone call. The equipment is then programmed using the data representative of geographical information to provide geographically based weather-related information.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
   This invention relates to acquiring information pertaining to the geographic location of an apparatus, such as a weather radio, a television set, a telephone, and/or an emergency messaging terminal. 
   BACKGROUND 
   During the installation process, certain products require the owner to program information into the device that corresponds to the geographic location of the product. This is typically done for products that modify their behavior, performance, or characteristics based on such information. 
   One example of such a product is the NOAA weather radio. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) provides a broadcast radio service for transmitting weather-related information and all-hazards alerts to specialized radio receivers. These NOAA Weather Radio (NWR) receivers can be tuned to radio frequencies used to broadcast regional weather information and all-hazards alerts. Recent advances to the NOAA broadcast transmission provide the potential for greater localized specificity of alerts. A new NWR alert messaging encoding scheme called SAME (Specific Area Message Encoding) allows NWR receivers to select only messages that contain a code that matches a code programmed into the receiver. However, the user must program the NWR receiver with information corresponding to the receiver&#39;s geographic location in order for the NWR receiver to discriminate locally specific information contained in the broadcast. This process typically involves looking up and entering a six-digit code into the NWR receiver that corresponds to the receiver&#39;s geographic location. 
   After buying an NWR receiver capable of receiving all-hazards alert messages using the SAME encoding scheme, the user must program their county, parish, or city into the radio. The NWR will then alert only for weather and other emergencies for the county(ies) programmed. NWR receivers without the SAME capability will respond to any alert within the coverage area of the NWR transmitter, typically several counties, even though the emergency could be well away from the listener. To program NWR SAME receivers with the proper county(ies) of choice, the user needs to know the six-digit SAME code number(s) for that county(ies). The numbers are available online through the NOAA website and by telephone using an interactive voice menu. After determining the numbers, the user must follow the directions supplied the manufacturer of the NWR SAME receiver for programming. 
   While the process may seem simple to technically capable individuals, it requires proficiency in reading the owner&#39;s manual, ability to understand and follow a sometimes-complicated series of steps without making a mistake, and the diligence to re-program the NWR should the radio be moved to another location. 
   Thomson Consumer Electronics Company has introduced a line of television sets that incorporate a NWR receiver. The location-based codes are set up through an interface using the television screen. This arrangement requires the user to operate the remote control and identify the specific State, county, and portion of the county in which the television is located. While this product provides the user with a graphical interface for programming, it still requires the user to program the apparatus manually. Therefore, it would have to be programmed manually upon initial setup, and every time the television set is moved, such as to a new city or town. If the owner&#39;s manual or remote control is ever lost, programming could prove to be more difficult. Furthermore, those who rely on the television set for providing accurate alerts to life threatening situations may not know that the set needs to be re-programmed, and could be under the false impression that the set continues to provide all-hazards alert notification. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 6,526,268 to Marrah describes a method for a mobile NWR receiver to use Global Positioning System (GPS) technology to acquire its precise location and cross-reference that location with a set of geographically related codes. The inclusion of GPS technology makes it possible for a mobile (or in-vehicle) NWR to dynamically update its location-based programming codes, but would add significant cost to a fixed-location radio. Also, because the database of geographically related codes is stored in the apparatus&#39; memory, that database must be kept up to date as additional codes are implemented. 
   SUMMARY 
   One aspect of the invention concerns a system and method for providing data representative of geographical information to equipment for providing weather-related information, such as a NOAA weather radio (NWR). A telephone call is placed over a telephone network from the equipment to an information server, which receives information corresponding to an origin of the telephone call in conjunction with the telephone call. The received information is processed to generate data representative of geographical information, which is then sent to the equipment in conjunction with the telephone call. The equipment is then programmed using the data representative of geographical information to provide geographically based weather-related information. 
   In this aspect of the invention, the equipment can be programmed without the need for manual user lookup and entry of codes or data representative of the geographical location of the equipment. Moreover, because the geographical information is automatically provided over a common telephone network, there is no need for an expensive GPS receiver. 
   In embodiments of this aspect of the invention, the data representative of geographical information is a code indicating the geographical location of the equipment, such as the Specific Message Area Encoding (SAME) code. The equipment directly connects to the telephone network, and places the telephone call (e.g., a toll-free telephone call) in response to a configuration command from a user. The processing of information received in connection with the telephone call (e.g., automatic number identification and/or Incoming Caller Line Identification signal) involves the information server querying a database that associates telephone numbers with data representative of geographical information. The information server uses the telephone number from which the call was placed to query the database to determine the data representative of geographical information associated with the telephone number. The data representative of geographical information is then sent back to the equipment using, e.g., Frequency Shift Keyed signals or Dual Tone Multiple Frequency signals. 
   Another aspect of the invention concerns apparatus for providing weather-related information. The apparatus (e.g., NOAA Weather Radio receiver) includes a telephone jack for connecting to a telephone network, a telephone call provisioning circuit for placing a telephone call over the telephone network, a data receiver circuit (e.g., configured to receive Frequency Shift Keyed signals and/or Dual Tone Multiple Frequency signals) for receiving data representative of geographical information (e.g., a Specific Message Area Encoding code), and a programming circuit for using the data representative of geographical information to provide geographically based weather-related information. 
   The details of one or more embodiments of the invention are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features, objects, and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the description and drawings, and from the claims. 

   
     DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a block schematic diagram of a system in which an apparatus acquires information corresponding to its geographic location in accordance with one embodiment of the invention. 
       FIG. 2  is a block schematic diagram of weather radio equipment for use in the system of  FIG. 1 . 
       FIG. 3  is a block schematic diagram of information server equipment for use in the system of  FIG. 1 . 
       FIG. 4  is a flow chart of a method used by the system of  FIG. 1  to acquire information corresponding to its geographic location in accordance with one embodiment of the invention. 
   

   Like reference symbols in the various drawings indicate like elements. 
   DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     FIG. 1  is a diagram of system  10  for apparatus  12  to acquire data corresponding to its geographic location. Apparatus  12  is connected through connection  24  to network  20 , e.g., a telephone network, to contact server  14  using connection  26 . Server  14  is able to determine the identity of network connection  24  used by apparatus  12  for connecting to network  20 . Server  14  queries database  16  to get the geographic location of apparatus  12  based on the identity of connection  24 . If database  16  is not a locally accessible resource, server  14  may query database  18  accessible via network  22 , e.g., the Internet, for the same purpose. Once server  14  has the geographic location data for apparatus  12 , server  14  processes the data, converts it into data corresponding to the geographic location of apparatus  12 , converts the data into a format useful to apparatus  12 , and sends the converted data to apparatus  12 . 
     FIG. 2  is a block diagram showing features of apparatus  12 . Apparatus  12  includes a telephone jack  28 , a telephone call provisioning circuit  30 , a data receiver circuit  32 , and a programmable NWR receiver  34 . Telephone jack  28  connects to the telephone network  20 . Telephone call provisioning circuit  30  places the telephone call over the telephone network  20 . The data receiver circuit  32  is a Frequency Shift Keyed (FSK) signal receiver (alternatively, a Dual Tone Multiple Frequency (DTMF) signal receiver) for receiving data representative of geographical information, e.g., the SAME code, over the telephone network  20 . The SAME code is used to automatically program the programmable NWR receiver  34 . 
     FIG. 3  is a block diagram showing features of server  14 . Server  14  includes a processing unit  36 , telephone jack  38 , an answering circuit  40 , a data receiver circuit  42 , a data transmission circuit  44 , an interface  46  to database  16 , and an interface  48  to networked database  18 . Telephone jack  38  connects to the telephone network  20 . The answering circuit  40  connects to jack  38  and provides telephone network signaling protocol functions and termination for incoming telephone calls. The data receiver circuit  42  is a Frequency Shift Keyed (FSK) signal receiver for receiving the identity of connection  24  used by apparatus  12  to make the call. Data transmitter  44  is a Frequency Shift Keyed (FSK) signal transmitter for transmitting signals over answering circuit  40  and onto network  20 . Interface  46  provides a direct connection between server  14  and database  16 , and interface  48  provides a networked connection between server  14  and database  18 . 
     FIG. 4  is a flow chart of the method used by system  10  for acquiring the geographic location data of apparatus  12 , processing the data into data corresponding to the geographic location of apparatus  12 , converting the data into a format useful to apparatus  12 , and finally apparatus  12  receiving the converted data corresponding to its geographic location. 
   In step  102  of the preferred embodiment, the telephone call provisioning circuit  30  of apparatus  12  makes a telephone call to server  14  by going off-hook on connection  24 , which is connected to network  20 , and dialing the server&#39;s toll-free telephone number, such as an 800-number. Network  20  routes the call to server  14  over network connection  26 . 
   In step  104 , network  20  alerts server  14  to an incoming call on connection  26 . In this process of alerting, network  20  provides server  14  with the identity of connection  24  used by apparatus  12  for making the call. In the case of a toll-free number telephone call, the identity can be the automatic number identification (ANI). ANI is a feature common to toll-free inbound telephone services. Additionally or alternatively, the identity can be the Incoming Caller Line Identification (ICLID) signal. 
   In step  106 , server  14  receives the identity of connection  24 . In step  108 , server  14  answers the incoming toll-free call, causing a stable two-way communications link from apparatus  12  to server  14  through network  20 . 
   In step  110 , server  14  transmits an acknowledgement tone over network  20  to apparatus  12  indicating if the ANI was received properly and indicating that server  14  is ready to communicate with apparatus  12 . In step  112 , the data receiver circuit  32  of apparatus  12  receives the acknowledgement tone from server  14  indicating the status of the received ANI and the server&#39;s readiness to receive data. 
   In step  114 , apparatus  12  sends data to server  14 . This data can include information as a substitute for ANI (if the ANI was not received properly), as well as other data, such as serial number, data pertaining to the functionality of apparatus  12 , or data pertaining to user identification, preferences or selection of functions for apparatus  12 . Where apparatus  12  is a NWR, this data can also include the user&#39;s preference for all-hazard and weather alerts for a specific geographic location as well as adjacent and/or regional locales. Apparatus  12  provides an interface for the user to make such preference selections using a keypad in response to prompts, which can be server-generated and/or locally generated, appearing on a display. 
   In step  116 , server  14  queries database  16  for the geographic location of apparatus  12  based on the ANI associated with network connection  24 , or in the absence of the ANI, based on the data sent by apparatus  12  in step  114 . In step  118 , server  14  processes the geographical location data along with any data received from apparatus  12  into data corresponding to the geographic location. In step  120 , server  14  converts the processed data into a format useful to apparatus  12 , such as a six-digit code for SAME-equipped NWR receivers. In step  122 , server  14  sends the converted data over network  20  to the data receiver circuit  32  of apparatus  12 . The data transmission can be in the form of frequency-shift keyed data according to Telcordia GR30, commonly used for data transmission over the telephone network. One advantage of GR30 is the provision of a checksum that can be used by the receiver to validate the data. 
   In step  124 , the data receiver circuit  32  of apparatus  12  receives the data sent over network  20  from server  14 . Apparatus  12  validates the data. If the data is not valid, processing goes to step  128  where apparatus  12  sends a NACK tone over network  20  to server  14 . Processing then continues back at step  122  for re-transmission of the data. 
   If apparatus  12  received valid data, at step  130  apparatus  12  hangs up network connection  24 . At step  132 , server  14  hangs up. The valid data are then used to program the programmable NWR receiver  34 . 
   While a particular embodiment has been illustrated and described, various changes and modifications can be made without sacrificing the advantages and features provided by the principles, constructions, and operations disclosed herein. Other embodiments are within the scope of the following claims.