System and method for presenting emergency alert notifications via a plurality of communication devices

Abstract

A communication device for transmitting and receiving messages via an emergency notification network. The communication device includes a receiver configured to receive a data packet from a data broadcasting system, a processor operably connected to the receiver and configured to process the data packet, a memory operably connected to the processor and configured to store data, a mesh network transceiver operably connected to the processor and configured to transmit the received data packet via a mesh network to at least a second communication device, and an output device operably connected to the processor and configured to present an alert corresponding to the data packet.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An event notification system, comprising:
 a first coordinator device comprising a receiver and a processor; and   a first plurality of communication units, each of the first plurality of communication units comprising at least one receiver, a processor, and an output device, wherein at least one of the first plurality of communication units is configured to establish a connection to the first coordinator device;   wherein the first coordinator device is configured to:
 receive a message comprising group information and an alert component, and 
 relay the message to at least one of the plurality of communication units operably connected to the first coordinator device; and 
   wherein each of the first plurality of communication devices is configured to:
 receive the relayed message, 
 determine, based on the group information, whether the message is intended for a group to which the communication unit belongs, 
 determine an emergency message based in the alert component, 
 output, via the output device, the emergency message if the message is intended for a group to which the communication unit belongs, and 
 relay the message to at least one other of the first plurality of communication units to provide redundancy. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a supervisory computer operably connected to the first coordinator device; and   at least one database operably connected to the supervisory computer, the at least one database comprising:
 contact information related to the event notification system, 
 a history log of events associated with the event notification system, and 
 one or more prepared alert components. 
   
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein at least some of the first plurality of communication units comprise:
 a text-to-speech converter that creates the emergency message by converting the alert component to audible speech for inclusion in the emergency message.   
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein at least some of the first plurality of communication units comprise:
 a stored audible alert memory containing at least one of a plurality of spoken words that may be constructed into a sentence base and a plurality of alarm tones; and   programming instructions that, when executed, cause the unit's processor to create the emergency message using a set of the spoken words.   
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein at least one of the first plurality of communication units comprises an input device configured to receive a user-defined message from a user of the at least one communication unit, the at least one communication unit further configured to relay the user-defined message to the supervisory computer or the first coordinator device. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein at least one of the first plurality of communication units is operably connected to the supervisory computer and comprises a second network receiver configured to receive a broadcast message directly from the supervisory computer, the message comprising an indication of an event. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 2 , further comprising a second coordinator device comprising a receiver and a processor, wherein the second coordinator device is configured to:
 receive, via the second coordinator device's receiver, the message; and   relay the message to a second plurality of communication units.   
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein each of the second plurality of communication units comprises at least one receiver, a processor, and an output device, wherein at least one of the second plurality of communication units is configured to establish a connection to the second coordinator device, and wherein each of the second plurality of communication units is further configured to:
 receive the relayed message from the second coordinator device;   determine, based on the group information, whether the message is intended for a group to which the communication unit belongs;   determine an emergency message based upon the alert component;   output, via its output device, the emergency message; and   relay the message to the at least one other of the second plurality of communication devices to provide redundancy.   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the second coordinator device is operably connected to the supervisory computer. 
     
     
         10 . An event notification system, comprising:
 a first coordinator device comprising a receiver and a processor; and   a first plurality of communication units within the first location, each of the first plurality of communication units comprising at least one receiver, a processor, and an output device, wherein at least one of the first plurality of communication units is configured to establish a connection to the first coordinator device;   wherein the first coordinator device is configured to:
 receive a message comprising group information and an alert component, and 
 relay the message to at least one of the plurality of communication units operably connected to the first coordinator device; and 
   wherein each of the first plurality of communication units is configured to:
 receive the relayed message from the first coordinator device, 
 determine, based on the group information, whether the message is intended for a group to which the communication unit belongs, 
 determine an emergency message based upon the alert component, 
 output, via the output device, the emergency message if the message is intended for a group to which the communication unit belongs, and 
 relay the message to at least one other of the first plurality of communication units to provide redundancy. 
   
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 a supervisory computer operably connected to the first coordinator device; and   at least one database operably connected to the supervisory computer, the at least one database comprising:
 contact information related to the event notification system, 
 a history log of events associated with the event notification system, and 
 one or more prepared alert components. 
   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein at least some of the first plurality of communication units comprise:
 a text-to-speech converter that creates the emergency message by converting the alert component to audible speech for inclusion in the emergency message.   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein at least some of the first plurality of communication units comprise:
 a stored audible alert memory containing at least one of a plurality of spoken words that may be constructed into a sentence base and a plurality of alarm tones; and   programming instructions that, when executed, cause the unit's processor to create the emergency message using a set of the spoken words.   
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein at least one of the first plurality of communication units comprises an input device configured to receive a user-defined message from a user of the at least one communication unit, the at least one communication unit further configured to relay the user-defined message to the supervisory computer or the first coordinator device. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein at least one of the first plurality of communication units is operably connected to the supervisory computer and comprises a second network receiver configured to receive a broadcast message directly from the supervisory computer, the message comprising an indication of an event. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 11 , further comprising a second coordinator device comprising a receiver and a processor, wherein the second coordinator device is configured to:
 receive, via the second coordinator device's receiver, the message; and   relay the message to a second plurality of communication units.   
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein each of the second plurality of communication units comprises a receiver, a processor, and an output device, wherein at least one of the second plurality of communication units is configured to establish a connection to the second coordinator device, and wherein each of the second plurality of communication units is further configured to:
 receive the relayed message from the second coordinator device;   determine, based on the group information, whether the message is intended for a group to which the communication unit belongs;   determine an emergency message based upon the alert component;   output, via its output device, the emergency message; and   relay the message to the at least one other of the second plurality of communication devices to provide redundancy.   
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the second coordinator device is operably connected to the supervisory computer. 
     
     
         19 . An event notification system, comprising:
 a first coordinator device associated with a first location, the first coordinator device comprising a receiver and a processor;   a first plurality of communication units within the first location, each of the first plurality of communication units comprising a receiver, a processor, and an output device, wherein each of the first plurality of communication units is configured to establish a direct connection to at least one other of the first plurality of communication units, and wherein at least one of the first plurality of communication units is configured to establish a connection to the first coordinator device;   wherein the first coordinator device is configured to:
 receive a message from a supervisory computer, the message comprising group information and an alert component, and 
 relay the message to at least one of the first plurality of communication units operably connected to the first coordinator device; and 
   wherein each of the first plurality of communication units is configured to:
 receive the relayed message from the first coordinator device, 
 determine, based on the group information, whether the message is intended for a group to which the first communication unit belongs, 
 determine an emergency message based upon the alert component; 
 output, via the output device, the emergency message if the message is intended for a group to which the first communication unit belongs, and 
 relay the message to the at least one other of the first plurality of communication devices in the group via the established direct connection to provide redundancy; 
   a second coordinator device associated with a second location, the second coordinator device comprising a receiver and a processor; and   a second plurality of communication units within the second location, each of the second plurality of communication units comprising a receiver, a processor, and an output device, wherein each of the second plurality of communication units is configured to establish a direct connection to at least one other of the second plurality of communication units, and wherein at least one of the first plurality of communication units is configured to establish a connection to the second coordinator device;   wherein the second coordinator device is configured to:
 receive the message from the supervisory computer, and 
 relay the message to at least one of the second plurality of communication units operably connected to the second coordinator device; and 
   wherein each of the second plurality of communication units is configured to:
 receive the relayed message from the second coordinator device, 
 determine, based on the group information, whether the message is intended for a group to which the second communication unit belongs, 
 determine an emergency message based upon the alert component; 
 output, via the output device, the emergency message if the message is intended for a group to which the second communication unit belongs, and 
 relay the message to the at least one other of the second plurality of communication devices in the group via the established direct connection to provide redundancy.