This is why I hate software patents. Anyone can come up with some idea. Not anyone can implement that idea and make it worth something to other people.<p>The hard part of software is implementation, not ideas. So we don't need legal protection for vague ideas.
I don't think has any merit, the first patent abstract says there should be response from receiving device back to the database. TCP ACK can't be considered this kind of response.
It seems that every time a great business comes along, the wolves attack. It's depressing that this business feels it necessary to sue twitter, a business in no direct competition with this emergency alert provider. People need to understand that technology!=success, implementation=success.