System for selective notification of severe weather events

• US 20020075155A1
• Filed: 03/13/2001
• Published: 06/20/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: User-Centric IP, L.P. (Locator IP LP)
• Original Assignee: Andre P. Guillory
• Inventors: Guillory, Andre P.
• Granted Patent: US 7,049,971 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/601
• CPC Class Codes: G01W 1/00 Meteorology
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 50/00 in human health protection, e.g. against extreme weather

Abstract

A system for sending an effective warning signal to receivers in a predetermined area. A transmitter, activated by a local authority, sends a severe weather warning signal to a plurality of receivers. Cities or counties within the predetermined area are divided into subdivisions thereof called sectors, each of which represents an area that is selectively addressable by the transmitter. Each of the receivers has a programmable sector code which has been programmed according to the location of the home or office in which it is placed. When activated, the transmitter sends radio frequency warning signals which contain digitally encoded information indicating the sector to which the warning applies. Upon receiving the warning signal, each receiver that has been programmed with the sector code being transmitted responds by generating an audible alert or other warning signal. In one embodiment, the transmitter sending the warning signal is connected to, and activated by, the same mechanism that activates a corresponding warning siren.

Claims

1. A system for providing notification of severe weather, the system comprising:

a transmitter for transmitting a signal comprising the notification including sector data indicating a specific area in which the severe weather is expected;

wherein the transmitter is activated to transmit the signal by an emergency warning mechanism controlled by a local authority; and

a plurality of receivers, in said specific area, programmed with said sector data including a code indicating the specific area in which the receivers are located;

wherein each of the receivers annunciates an alarm in response to receiving said signal only when the sector data received in the signal matches code programmed therein.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the emergency warning mechanism also activates a siren when the transmitter is activated.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the emergency warning mechanism comprises a control unit coupled to the transmitter and the siren.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said local authority comprises an authority in a county in which said specific area is located.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said local authority comprises an authority in a municipality in which said specific area is located.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein:

each of the receivers include a timer that, when timed out, generates a trouble alarm;

the transmitter sends, at a regular interval, a test signal that, when received by one of the receivers, causes the timer to be reset to prevent the trouble alarm from being generated; and

the timer, when reset, times out in a period slightly greater than the interval of the test signal if the test signal is not received.

7. A system for providing, to a specific area, notification of severe weather comprising:

a warning siren;

a transmitter for transmitting a signal containing said notification; and

a plurality of receivers in said specific area tuned to a frequency transmitted by the transmitter;

wherein the siren and the transmitter are simultaneously activated by a local entity authorized to provide said notification in said specific area; and

wherein said receivers annunciate an alert in response to receiving said signal.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the specific area is divided into sectors, and the signal comprises sector data indicating which of the sectors are to receive said notification.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the receivers are programmed with said sector data including a code for the specific area in which the receivers are located, and wherein one of the receivers annunciates said alert only when the sector data received by said one of the receivers matches the sector data programmed therein.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein the transmitter and the siren are coupled to and activated by a control unit that is activated by the local entity.

11. The system of claim 7, wherein:

each of the receivers include a timer that, when timed out, generates a trouble alarm;

the transmitter sends, at a regular interval, a test signal that, when received by one of the receivers, causes the timer to be reset to prevent the trouble alarm from being generated; and

the timer, when reset, times out in a period slightly greater than the interval of the test signal if the test signal is not received.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein:

each of the receivers include a timer that, when timed out, generates a trouble alarm;

the transmitter sends, at a regular interval, a test signal that, when received by one of the receivers, causes the timer to be reset to prevent the trouble alarm from being generated; and

the timer, when reset, times out in a period slightly greater than the interval of the test signal if the test signal is not received.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein:

the signal comprises sector data indicating a specific area in which the severe weather is expected; and

the signal is received by at least one receiver, in said specific area, programmed with said sector data including a code indicating the specific area in which the receiver is located.

16. The system of claim 15, further including the step of:

sending, at a regular interval, a test signal, that prevents a trouble alarm in the receiver from being generated if the test signal is received by the receiver.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein said local authority comprises an authority in a county in which said specific area is located.

19. The receiver of claim 18, wherein the receiver is normally connected to an AC power source and a backup battery and can be powered down only by disconnecting the AC power source and the battery.

20. The receiver of claim 18, wherein the receiver is tuned to receive the notification from a transmitter that is activated by an emergency warning mechanism controlled by a local authority.

21. The receiver of claim 18, wherein the receiver is tuned to receive the notification from a transmitter that is activated in simultaneity with a warning siren by an emergency warning mechanism controlled by a local authority.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein said local authority comprises an authority in a county in which said specific area is located.

12. A system for selective notification of a specific area of severe weather phenomena comprising:

a control unit;

a warning siren activated by the control unit;

a transmitter for transmitting a signal containing said notification, activated by the control unit; and

a plurality of receivers for receiving said signal;

wherein the control unit simultaneously activates said siren and said transmitter in response to an indication that said severe weather is imminent in said specific area;

wherein said indication is provided by a local entity authorized to provide said notification in said specific area; and

wherein said receivers annunciate a warning alarm in response to receiving said signal.

14. A method for selective notification of a specific area of severe weather phenomena comprising the steps of:

simultaneously activating a siren and a transmitter in response to an indication by a local authority that said severe weather is imminent in said specific area;

transmitting a signal containing said notification; and

receiving said signal;

wherein, in response to receiving said signal, a warning alarm is annunciated.

18. A receiver for receiving a notification of severe weather in a specific area, the receiver comprising:

a timer that, when timed out, generates a trouble alarm when a test signal, transmitted at a regular interval, is not received;

wherein the timer, when reset, times out in a period slightly greater than the interval of the test signal if the test signal is not received; and

wherein the notification of severe weather includes sector data indicating a specific area in which the severe weather is expected.

23. A method for triggering an alarm in response to notification, by a local authority, of severe weather in a specific area, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving the notification comprising a signal containing a system identification code, a type code, a city/county code, and a sector code;

(a) checking the received system identification code to determine whether the signal is a valid transmission;

(b) checking the received type code to determine whether the signal is a test signal or a severe weather warning;

(c) continuing with step (h) if the signal is a test signal;

(d) checking the received city/county code to determine whether the signal matches a corresponding pre-programmed code;

(e) checking the received sector code to determine whether the signal matches a corresponding pre-programmed code;

(f) generating a warning alarm if corresponding codes are found in steps (d) and (e), otherwise, ignoring the notification; and

(g) generating a trouble alarm if the test signal has not been received within a predetermined interval;

otherwise,

(h) resetting a timer to the predetermined interval upon receiving the test signal to prevent the trouble alarm from being generated.