Emergency alert data delivery apparatus and methods

A network server apparatus for selectively providing emergency alert data to a plurality of client devices over a packet-switched network, said apparatus comprising:

• a receiver configured to receive said emergency alert data transmitted over said network, said emergency alert data comprising at least a video portion and at least one of an audio or text portion;
• and
• a processor adapted to run at least one computer program thereon, said computer program configured to:
• format said alert data in a format suitable for transport over said network;
• transmit said alert data to individual ones of said plurality of client devices;
• and
• cause display of at least a portion of said alert data on display devices associated with respective ones of said client devices;
• wherein said display devices are configured to receive and display multimedia streams from at least one multimedia server;
• and
• wherein said display of said alert data comprises causing said display devices to display said video portion of said emergency alert data as an overlay of a current one of said multimedia streams being displayed thereon and causing said audio portion to be presented in place of the audio of at least one of said multimedia streams.

A method of providing alert data to one or more of a plurality of client devices in an Internet Protocol (IP) television network comprising at least one server in communication with said plurality of client devices, said method comprising:

• receiving alert data specific to a geographic region from one or more alert sources;
• formatting said alert data in a format suitable for transport over said network;
• using at least a unique identification associated with each of said plurality of client devices to determine a subset of said plurality of client devices associated with said geographic region;
• providing said alert data to said subset of client devices over said network;
• and
• causing at least a first portion of said alert data to be overlaid on a current video stream being displayed on display devices associated respective ones of said subset of client devices.

A method of distributing both media content and emergency alert information over a packet-switched network, said method comprising:

• receiving emergency alert information, said alert information comprising at least video portion;
• generating alert data relating to said alert information, said alert data comprising at least one alert video stream;
• transmitting said alert data to said one or more client devices over said network;
• and
• directing said one or more client devices open a new window for display of at least a first portion of said alert data on display devices associated therewith.

A method of providing emergency alert system (EAS) services to a non-EAS enabled device in an Internet Protocol (IP) content delivery network via at least one multimedia server, said non-EAS enabled device configured to receive and display multimedia streams from said at least one multimedia server, said method comprising:

• receiving from one or more alert sources EAS data in a first format, said EAS data comprising at least a video portion and at least one of an audio or text portion;
• converting said EAS data from said first format to a second format, said second format being suitable for transport over said network;
• providing said EAS data to said non-EAS enabled device, said non-EAS enabled device comprising at least an IP video decoder;
• and
• causing said IP video decoder of said non-EAS enabled device to decode and display at least a first portion of said EAS data;
• wherein said display of said EAS data comprises causing said display device to display said video portion of said EAS data as an overlay of a current one of said multimedia streams being displayed thereon and causing said audio portion to be presented in place of the audio of at least one of said multimedia streams.