Targeted disaster warning system and method

Abstract

A system and method for providing early warning notifications to telephone subscribers having calling number delivery service. The system uses an advanced intelligent network to initiate several calls in rapid succession to all calling number delivery subscribers located within a predetermined geographic area. A code identifying the disaster warning message is transmitted to the subscribers' calling number delivery systems in place of an actual calling line identification. Subscribers having calling name delivery service receive the disaster code and a text message briefly describing the disaster warning.

1. A method for providing warning to telephone subscribers comprising:
 receiving information related to a disaster and a target geographic area associated with the disaster;  
 querying a database for a first telephone number that corresponds to the disaster and a second telephone number having an address within the target geographic area, wherein the second telephone number has one or both of a calling number delivery subscription and a calling name delivery subscription;  
 sending a call setup message from a specialized service node to a service switching point, wherein the first telephone number is in a calling party field and the second telephone number is in a called party field;  
 thereafter, sending a call release message from the specialized service node to the service switching point;  and  
 issuing the call setup message from the service switching point to a subscriber of the second telephone number for providing a disaster warning message.  
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the second telephone number further has a calling name delivery subscription. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 2 , further comprising determining a disaster warning message. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 3 , further comprising transmitting the disaster warning message. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the information is received from an entity associated with weather. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 5 , wherein the authority is the National Weather Service. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising waiting a pre-determined amount of time before  and then sending the  a call release message from the specialized service node to the service switching point. 
     
     
       8. A method for providing warning to telephone subscribers comprising:
 receiving information related to a disaster and a target geographic area associated with the disaster;  
 querying a database for a first telephone number that corresponds to the disaster and a second telephone number associated with a street address within the target geographic area, wherein the second telephone number has one or both of a calling number delivery subscription and a calling name delivery subscription;  
 instructing a specialized service node to send a disaster warning message associated with the first telephone number to a service switching point associated with the second telephone number, wherein the disaster warning message includes one or both of the first telephone number and a text message regarding the disaster depending on which of the calling number delivery subscription and the calling name delivery subscription is associated with the second telephone number;  
 thereafter, instructing the specialized service node to send a call release message to the service switching point;  and  
 forwarding the disaster warning message from the service switching point to a subscriber associated with the second telephone number.  
 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 8 , wherein the information is received from an entity associated with weather. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 9 , wherein the entity is the National Weather Service. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 8 , wherein the database is accessible to the specialized service node. 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 8 , wherein the database is resident on the specialized service node. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 8 , wherein the disaster warning message includes the first telephone number in a calling party field if the second telephone number is associated with the calling number delivery subscription. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 8 , wherein the disaster warning message includes the text message regarding the disaster if the second telephone number is associated with the calling name delivery subscription. 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 8 , wherein the message includes the brief warning message if the second telephone number is associated with the calling name delivery subscription. 
     
     
       16. A method for providing warning to telephone subscribers comprising:
 receiving information related to a disaster and a target geographic area associated with the disaster;  
 querying a database for a first telephone number that corresponds to the disaster and a second telephone number associated with a street address within the target geographic area;  
 instructing a specialized service node to send a disaster warning message associated with the first telephone number to a service switching point associated with the second telephone number, wherein the message includes one or both of the first telephone number and a text message;  
 thereafter, sending a call release message from the specialized service node to the service switching point, wherein the service switching point forwards  forwarding the disaster warning message from the service switching point to a subscriber associated with the second telephone number depending on a specialized service being subscribed to by the subscriber.  
 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 16 , wherein the specialized service is a calling number delivery service. 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 17 , wherein the message includes a numeric code. 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 18 , wherein the numeric code corresponds to the disaster. 
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 16 , wherein the specialized service is a calling name delivery service. 
     
     
       21. The method of  claim 20 , wherein the message includes a warning about the disaster. 
     
     
       22. The method of  claim 8 , further comprising:
   instructing the specialized service node to send a call release message to the service switching point following said instructing a specialized service node to send a disaster warning message.     
     
     
       23. The method of  claim 17 , further comprising:
   sending a call release message from the specialized service node to the service switching point following said instructing a specialized service node to send a disaster warning message.     
     
     
       24. A system to provide a warning to system subscribers, comprising:
   a service node to be coupled to a database storing a plurality of telephone numbers and corresponding geographic locations, the service node to receive information relating to an event warranting a warning, the information including an event type and an affected geographic area, the service node to select from among the plurality of telephone numbers only those telephone numbers whose corresponding geographic locations lie within said affected geographic area and to initiate communication to those selected telephone numbers using one or more messages that include a telephone number to encode said event type; and        a switch coupled to said service node to receive at least one of said messages and to communicate with customer premises equipment at one or more of those selected telephone numbers to transmit a warning corresponding to the telephone number to encode said event type.     
     
     
       25. The system of  claim 24 , wherein the database is populated with a plurality of preexisting data from a services management system. 
     
     
       26. The system of  claim 24 , further comprising:
   a control terminal to be connected to the service node.     
     
     
       27. The system of  claim 24 , wherein the service node is to be coupled to said switch via a Common Channel Switching System  7  ( SS 7   )  data link.   
     
     
       28. The system of  claim 27 , further comprising:
   at least one further switch, also to be coupled to the service node via a SS 7  data link;        wherein said service node has the capability of issuing SS 7  messages to more than one switch simultaneously.