Patent ID: 7114169

Claim:
A geographically specific signal communication receiver, comprising: a receiver integral to a television receiver for receiving a warning signal, the warning signal being independent of any television signal, the warning signal having: (a) information relating to a condition in a geographically specific region, and (b) a code component associated with the geographically specific region; a secondary microprocessor, coupled to the receiver, for receiving the warning signal from the receiver and selectively providing the code component and the information relating to the condition as digital data; a memory for storing code information associated with multiple geographic regions of interest; a main microprocessor, coupled to the memory, for programming the secondary microprocessor to selectively provide the code component and the information relating to the condition, for receiving the selectively provided code component and information relating to the condition, for comparing the stored code information and the selectively provided code component of the warning signal and for developing a control signal when the stored code information and the selectively provided code component of the warning signal are the same; an audible alarm coupled directly to the main microprocessor and to the secondary microprocessor for developing an audible alarm when the warning signal is received; a tuner for: (a) receiving a television program signal having a video information component and an audio information component, and (b) conducting the video information component of the television program signal to a video processor and the audio information component of the television program signal to an audio processor, wherein the video processor is responsive to the control signal for determining a manner in which the received warning signal is displayed, the video processor being configured to selectively cause the message to be displayed as a footer on a displayed video image or as a display that interrupts television programming, and for selectively conducting, in response to the control signal, the information relating to the condition in the geographically specific region as a formatted warning signal to the video display.