Interactive weather advisory system

• US 20030200027A1
• Filed: 01/31/2003
• Published: 10/23/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/24/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Locator IP LP
• Original Assignee: Spatial Content Services LP
• Inventors: Root, Michael R., Root, Steven A.
• Granted Patent: US 6,836,730 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/3
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 2203/00 Application of thermometers in cryogenics
• CPC Class Codes: G01W 1/00 Meteorology
• CPC Class Codes: G01W 1/10 Devices for predicting weather conditions computers per se G06; display devices G09
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9537 Spatial or temporal dependent retrieval, e.g. spatiotemporal queries
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1859 adapted to provide push services, e.g. data channels
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/53 using third party service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/55 Push-based network services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/023 using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/18 Information format or content conversion, e.g. adaptation by the network of the transmitted or received information for the purpose of wireless delivery to users or terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/20 Services signaling; Auxiliary data signalling, i.e. transmitting data via a non-traffic channel
• 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

A broadcast network for selectively transmitting individualized weather output signals to at least one of a plurality of communicator devices remotely located from the broadcast network. The broadcast network comprises a user input database, a communicator location database, a weather analysis unit, and a communication network. The user input database contains a plurality of user profiles. At least some of the user profiles contains parameters provided from a pre-defined user profile. Each user profile includes a user identifier code. The communicator location database contains real-time data indicative of the spatial locations of the communicator devices. The weather analysis unit automatically and continuously compares the parameters in the user input database and the spatial locations of the corresponding communicator devices contained in the communicator location database with real-time weather data to generate individualized weather output signals. The communication network receives the user identifier codes and the individualized weather output signals. The communication network transmits each individualized weather output signal to the particular communicator device identified by the user identifier code.

Claims

1. A broadcast network for selectively transmitting individualized weather output signals to at least one of a plurality of communicator devices remotely located from the broadcast network, the broadcast network comprising:

a user input database containing a plurality of user profiles, at least some of the user profiles containing parameters provided from a pre-defined user profile, each user profile including a user identifier code;

a communicator location database containing real-time data indicative of the spatial locations of the communicator devices;

a weather analysis unit automatically and continuously comparing the parameters in the user input database and the spatial locations of the corresponding communicator devices contained in the communicator location database with real-time weather data to generate individualized weather output signals; and

a communication network receiving the user identifier codes and the individualized weather output signals, the communication network transmitting each individualized weather output signal to the particular communicator device identified by the user identifier code.

2. The broadcast network of claim 1 wherein the communication network transmits individualized weather output signals to the particular communicator device via a mobile telephone network.

3. The broadcast network of claim 2 wherein at least one of the user identifier codes identifies a mobile phone.

4. The broadcast network of claim 2 wherein at least one of the user identifier codes identifies a pager.

5. The broadcast network of claim 2 wherein at least one of the user identifier codes identifies a laptop computer.

6. The broadcast network of claim 2 wherein at least one of the user identifier codes identifies a personal digital assistant.

7. A broadcast network for selectively transmitting individualized weather output signals to at least one of a plurality of communicator devices remotely located from the broadcast network, the broadcast network comprising:

a user input database containing a plurality of user profiles, at least some of the user profiles containing parameters related to weather conditions, each user profile including a user identifier code;

a communicator location database containing real-time data indicative of the spatial locations of the communicator devices;

a weather analysis unit automatically and continuously comparing the parameters in the user input database and the spatial locations of the corresponding communicator devices contained in the communicator location database with an area of concern related to a weather event to generate individualized weather output signals; and

a communication network receiving the user identifier codes and the individualized weather output signals, the communication network transmitting each individualized weather output signal to the particular communicator device identified by the user identifier code.

8. The broadcast network of claim 7 wherein the communication network transmits individualized weather output signals to the particular communicator device via a mobile telephone network.

9. The broadcast network of claim 8 wherein at least one of the user identifier codes identifies a mobile phone.

10. The broadcast network of claim 7 wherein at least one of the user identifier codes identifies a pager.

11. The broadcast network of claim 7 wherein at least one of the user identifier codes identifies a laptop computer.

12. The broadcast network of claim 7 wherein at least one of the user identifier codes identifies a personal digital assistant.

13. A method for providing weather information to a plurality of users located remotely from a broadcast network, comprising the steps of:

inputting a plurality of user profiles, at least some of the user profiles containing, parameters provided from a pre-defined user profile, each user profile including a user identifier code;

inputting, continuously, real-time data indicative of the spatial locations of the communicator devices into a communicator location database;

comparing, automatically and continuously, the parameters in the user input database and the spatial location of a plurality of communicator devices contained in the communicator location database with real-time weather data so as to generate a plurality of individualized weather output signals;

receiving, the user identifier codes in the user-defined parameters and the individualized weather output signals by a communication network; and

transmitting each individualized weather output signal to the particular communicator device identified by the user identifier code.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the communication network transmits individualized weather output signals to the particular communicator device via a mobile telephone network.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein at least one of the user identifier codes identifies a mobile phone.

16. The method of claim 13 wherein at least one of the user identifier codes identifies a pager.

17. The method of claim 13 wherein at least one of the user identifier codes identifies a personal digital assistant.

18. The method of claim 13, further comprising the steps of:

compiling a data set of a plurality of spatial locations based on at least one weather content identifier; and

outputting the data set to at least one of a plurality of vendors.

19. The method of claim 13, further comprising the steps of:

compiling a data set of a plurality of user profiles based on at least one weather content identifier;

outputting the data set to at least one of a plurality of vendors.