Synchronized graphical information and time-lapse photography for weather presentations and the like

• US 20030206182A1
• Filed: 07/20/2001
• Published: 11/06/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/20/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Weather Central, Inc. (The Weather Co. LLC)
• Original Assignee: Weather Central, Inc. (The Weather Co. LLC)
• Inventors: Moore, John S., Kelly, Terence F., Erickson, David N.
• Application Number:
  US09/909,553
• Publication Number:
  US 20030206182A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/632
• CPC Class Codes: G01W 1/00 Meteorology
• CPC Class Codes: G01W 1/02 Instruments for indicating weather conditions by measuring two or more variables, e.g. humidity, pressure, temperature, cloud cover or wind speed G01W1/10 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01W 1/10 Devices for predicting weather conditions computers per se G06; display devices G09
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4223 Cameras H04N23/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42653 for processing graphics
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43074 of additional data with content streams on the same device, e.g. of EPG data or interactive icon with a TV program
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4312 involving specific graphical features, e.g. screen layout, special fonts or colors, blinking icons, highlights or animations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4316 for displaying supplemental content in a region of the screen, e.g. an advertisement in a separate window
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/432 Content retrieval operation from a local storage medium, e.g. hard-disk details of retrieval of video data and associated meta data in video databases G06F16/739
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4332 by placing content in organized collections, e.g. local EPG data repository interfaces, Database management systems or updating for information retrieval G06F16/23; details of retrieval of video data and associated meta data in video database G06F16/739
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4622 Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/488 Data services, e.g. news ticker systems specially adapted for using meteorological information in broadcast systems H04H60/71
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8126 involving additional data, e.g. news, sports, stocks, weather forecasts

Abstract

A dynamic graphical information presentation is generated and overlaid onto a time-lapse video image sequence to form a combined graphical information and time-lapse photography presentation. The time-lapse photography video image sequence and dynamic graphical information presentation are preferably time synchronized in the combined presentation. For a weather presentation of past weather conditions, the time-lapse photography video image sequence may be a video image sequence of sky conditions, with the dynamic graphical information presentation generated based on weather conditions recorded for the same period of time from a weather information source. For a presentation of forecast weather conditions, the time-lapse photography video image sequence may be selected from a database of stored prerecorded sequences, with the dynamic graphical information presentation derived from forecast weather condition information.

Claims

1. A method for generating a combined graphical information and time-lapse photography presentation, comprising:

(a) providing a time-lapse photography video image sequence;

(b) generating a dynamic graphical information presentation; and

(c) combining the dynamic graphical information presentation with the time-lapse photography video image sequence to form a combined graphical information and time-lapse photography presentation in which both the time lapse video image sequence and the dynamic graphical information presentation change dynamically when the combined graphical information and time lapse photography presentation is played.

2. The method of claim 1 comprising additionally the step of time synchronizing the time-lapse photography video image sequence and the dynamic graphical information presentation.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the step of time synchronizing the time-lapse photography video image sequence and the dynamic graphical information presentation includes the step of time synchronizing the time-lapse photography video image sequence and the dynamic graphical information presentation such that the perceived speed of both the time-lapse photography video image sequence and of the dynamic graphical information presentation accelerates at a beginning of the combined graphical information and time-lapse photography presentation and decelerates at an end of the combined graphical information and time-lapse photography presentation at the same rate.

4. The method of claim 1 comprising additionally the step of combining a time-lapse clock display with the combined graphical information and time-lapse photography presentation.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the step of generating the dynamic graphical information presentation includes the step of generating the time-lapse clock display.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of providing a time-lapse video image sequence includes the step of obtaining a time-lapse video image of sky conditions over a selected time period, comprising additionally the step of recording weather information over the selected time period, and wherein the step of generating the dynamic graphical information presentation includes the step of generating a dynamic graphical weather information presentation from the recorded weather information.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the step of obtaining a time-lapse video image of sky conditions and the step of recording weather information are performed in a time synchronized manner.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein the step of recording weather information over the selected time period includes the step of recording weather information selected from the group of types of weather information consisting of:

type of precipitation, quantity of precipitation, temperature, wind speed, and wind direction.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of providing a time-lapse photography video image sequence includes the step of selecting a video image sequence from a plurality of stored video image sequences.

10. The method of claim 9 comprising additionally the step of obtaining weather condition forecast information, wherein the step of generating a dynamic graphical information presentation includes the step of generating a dynamic graphical weather information presentation from the weather condition forecast information, and wherein the step of providing a time-lapse photography video image sequence includes the step of selecting a video image sequence of sky conditions corresponding to the weather condition forecast information from a plurality of stored video image sequences of a variety of sky conditions.

11. A system for generating a combined graphical information and time-lapse photography presentation, comprising:

(a) means for obtaining a time-lapse photography video image sequence;

(b) means for generating a dynamic graphical information presentation; and

(c) means for combining the dynamic graphical information presentation with the time-lapse photography video image sequence to form a combined graphical information and time-lapse photography presentation in which both the time lapse video image sequence and the dynamic graphical information presentation change dynamically when the combined graphical information and time lapse photography presentation is played.

12. The system for generating a combined graphical information and time-lapse photography presentation of claim 11 comprising additionally means for time synchronizing the time-lapse photography video image sequence and the dynamic graphical information presentation.

13. The system for generating a combined graphical information and time-lapse photography presentation of claim 11 comprising additionally means for combining a time-lapse clock display with the combined graphical information and time-lapse photography presentation.

14. The system for generating a combined graphical information and time-lapse photography presentation of claim 11 wherein the means for obtaining a time-lapse video image sequence includes a computer processor controlled video camera.

15. The system for generating a combined graphical information and time-lapse photography presentation of claim 11 comprising additionally means for recording weather information over a selected time period, and wherein the means for generating the dynamic graphical information presentation includes means for generating a dynamic graphical weather information presentation from the recorded weather information.

16. The system for generating a combined graphical information and time-lapse photography presentation of claim 15 wherein the means for recording weather information over the selected time period includes an automated weather station for gathering automatically the weather information.

17. The system for generating a combined graphical information and time-lapse photography presentation of claim 11 wherein the means for obtaining a time-lapse photography video image sequence includes means for selecting a video image sequence from a plurality of stored video image sequences.

18. The system for generating a combined graphical information and time-lapse photography presentation of claim 11 comprising additionally means for obtaining weather condition forecast information, wherein the means for generating a dynamic graphical information presentation includes means for generating a dynamic graphical weather information presentation from the weather condition forecast information, and wherein the means for obtaining a time-lapse photography video image sequence includes means for selecting a video image sequence of sky conditions corresponding to the weather condition forecast information from a plurality of stored video image sequences of a variety of sky conditions.

19. The system for generating a combined graphical information and time-lapse photography presentation of claim 11 wherein the means for generating a dynamic graphical information presentation and the means for combining the dynamic graphical information presentation with the time-lapse photography video image sequence to form a combined graphical information and time-lapse photography presentation include a computer processor system.

20. A method for generating a combined dynamic graphical information and video sequence weather forecast presentation, comprising the steps of:

(a) obtaining weather condition forecast information;

(b) generating a dynamic graphical information presentation from the weather condition forecast information;

(c) obtaining a video image sequence of sky conditions corresponding to the weather condition forecast information; and

(d) combining the dynamic graphical information presentation and the video image sequence to form a combined dynamic graphical information and video sequence weather forecast presentation in which both the video image sequence and the dynamic graphical information presentation change dynamically when the combined graphical information and video presentation is played.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein the step of obtaining the weather condition forecast information includes the step of running a weather forecasting computer model.

22. The method of claim 20 wherein the step of obtaining a video image sequence includes the step of selecting a video image sequence of sky conditions corresponding to the weather condition forecast information from a plurality of stored video image sequences of a variety of sky conditions.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein the step of selecting a video image sequence of sky conditions corresponding to the weather condition forecast information from a plurality of stored video image sequences of a variety of sky conditions is performed automatically.

24. The method of claim 20 wherein the step of obtaining a video image sequence includes the step of obtaining a time-lapse photography video image sequence of sky conditions corresponding to the weather condition forecast information.

25. A system for generating a combined dynamic graphical information and video sequence weather forecast presentation, comprising:

(a) means for obtaining weather condition forecast information;

(b) means for generating a dynamic graphical information presentation from the weather condition forecast information;

(c) means for obtaining a video image sequence of sky conditions corresponding to the weather condition forecast information; and

(d) means for combining the dynamic graphical information presentation and the video image sequence to form a combined dynamic graphical information and video sequence weather forecast presentation in which both the video image sequence and the dynamic graphical information presentation change dynamically when the combined graphical information and video presentation is played.

26. The system for generating a combined dynamic graphical information and video sequence weather forecast presentation of claim 25 wherein the means for obtaining weather condition forecast information includes a weather forecasting computer model.

27. The system for generating a combined dynamic graphical information and video sequence weather forecast presentation of claim 25 wherein the means for obtaining a video image sequence includes means for selecting a video image sequence of sky conditions corresponding to the weather condition forecast information from a plurality of stored video image sequences of a variety of sky conditions.

28. The system for generating a combined dynamic graphical information and video sequence weather forecast presentation of claim 25 wherein the means for obtaining a video image sequence includes the step of obtaining a time-lapse photography video image sequence of sky conditions corresponding to the weather condition forecast information.

29. The system for generating a combined dynamic graphical information and video sequence weather forecast presentation of claim 25 wherein the means for generating a dynamic graphical information presentation from the weather condition forecast information and the means for combining the dynamic graphical information presentation and the video image sequence to form a combined dynamic graphical information and video sequence weather forecast presentation include a computer processor system.