Method and system for displaying weather information on a timeline

• US 10,564,319 B2
• Filed: 06/03/2019
• Issued: 02/18/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sky Motion Research, ULC
• Original Assignee: Sky Motion Research, ULC
• Inventors: Leblanc, Andre
• Primary Examiner(s): Yi, Roy Y
• Application Number:
  US16/430,198
• Publication Number:
  US 20190285771A1
• Time in Patent Office: 260 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G01W 1/10 Devices for predicting weather conditions computers per se G06; display devices G09
• CPC Class Codes: G01W 2001/006 Main server receiving weather information from several sub-stations
• CPC Class Codes: G01W 2203/00 Real-time site-specific personalized weather information, e.g. nowcasting
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 90/10 Information and communication technologies [ICT] supporting adaptation to climate change, e.g. for weather forecasting or climate simulation

Abstract

Provided are methods, devices, and non-transitory computer readable storage mediums to generate a weather timeline such as a succession of weather information on a continuous time scale. For example, a timeline may include first weather information associated with a first time in a first territorial location, second weather information associated with a second time, and third weather information associated with a third time. At least one of the first, second and third weather information may comprise a forecasted weather value indicative of a probability of having a specific type of precipitation at a specific intensity. A weather timeline may follow a specific location (e.g. city, town, any region with a definite boundary), a specific weather event (e.g. a specific precipitation type, a specific temperature level, a specific wind intensity), and/or a specific user. A timeline may include data created by an observer of the related weather information, where the data may be at least one of a picture, a video or a comment inputted by, the observer about the related weather information.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

identifying first weather information associated with a first time, a first location, and a first weather event;

identifying second weather information associated with a second time;

identifying third weather information associated with a third time, a second location, and the first weather event;

receiving observation data from a user device, the observation data related to the first weather event at the first location at the first time; and

generating a first timeline comprising the observation data and information indicative of the first weather information, the second weather information, and the third weather information.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first time is a past time, the second time is a current time, and the third time is a future time.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first weather information, the second weather information, or the third weather information comprises a forecasted weather value indicative of a probability of having a first type of precipitation in the first location with a first intensity.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the second weather information is related to the first location.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the second weather information is related to the first weather event.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first weather information, the second weather information, and the third weather information are related to a first user.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the observation data comprises:

a picture depicting the first weather event in the first location at the first time;

a video depicting the first weather event in the first location at the first time;

a comment describing the first weather event in the first location at the first time;

or

a combination thereof.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating a second timeline comprising information indicative of weather information associated with a fourth time and a fifth time.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the first timeline is associated with the first location and the second timeline is associated with a second location different from the first location.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the first timeline is associated with the first weather event and the second timeline is associated with a second weather event different from the first weather event.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the first timeline is associated with a first user, the second timeline is associated with a second user different from the first user, and at least a portion of the observation data is received from the first and second users.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the observation data is related to a weather event comprising at least one of a tornado, a hurricane, a hail cloud, a heavy rain, a heavy snow, a derecho, or a downburst.

13. A device for generating a weather timeline, comprising:

one or more processors;

a memory that stores instructions for the one or more processors; and

a communication module to connect to a remote user device via a communication network,

wherein the instructions stored in the memory are executable by the one or more processors to cause the device to;

identify first weather information associated with a first time, a first location, and a first weather event;

identify second weather information associated with a second time;

identify third weather information associated with a third time, a second location, and the first weather event;

receive observation data from a user device, the observation data related to the first weather event at the first location at the first time;

generate a first timeline comprising the observation data and information indicative of the first weather information, the second weather information, and the third weather information; and

transmit the first timeline to the remote user device for display on a display device.

14. The device of claim 13, wherein the first time is a past time, the second time is a current time, and the third time is a future time.

15. The device of claim 13, wherein at least one of the first weather information, the second weather information, and the third weather information comprises a forecasted weather value indicative of a probability of having a first type of precipitation in the first location with a first intensity.

16. The device of claim 13, wherein the second weather information is related to the first location.

17. The device of claim 13, wherein the second weather information is related to the first weather event that is associated with at least a precipitation type, a temperature level or a wind intensity.

18. The device of claim 13, wherein the first weather information, the second weather information, and the third weather information are related to a first user and at least a portion of the observation data is received from the first user.

19. A computer readable storage device storing instructions executable by one or more processors to:

identify first weather information associated with a first time, a first location, and a first weather event;

identify second weather information associated with a second time;

identify third weather information associated with a third time, a second location, and the first weather event;

receive observation data from a user device, the observation data related to the first weather event at the first location at the first time;

generate a first timeline comprising the observation data and information indicative of the first weather information, the second weather information, and the third weather information; and

initiate transmission of the first timeline to a remote user device for display on a display device.

20. The computer readable storage device of claim 19, wherein the first time is a past time, the second time is a current time, and the third time is a future time.