Rotating map and user-centric weather prediction

• US 20040181340A1
• Filed: 03/13/2003
• Published: 09/16/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/01/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: User-Centric IP, L.P. (Locator IP LP)
• Original Assignee: User-Centric Enterprises, Inc.
• Inventors: Smith, Michael R.
• Granted Patent: US 6,845,324 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/3
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/10 responsive to calamitous events, e.g. tornados or earthquakes
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 27/006 with transmission via telephone network
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management

Abstract

The invention provides a system and method for receiving weather forecast information in a mobile unit and using that information to warn a user of a future weather hazard with reference to the mobile unit'"'"'s location and/or intended direction of travel. A hazard location algorithm compares a forecast location of each mobile unit with a forecast hazard and transmits a warning to each mobile unit that is predicted to encounter the hazard. As the mobile unit moves, its actual position is updated in the forecasting center, and a revised warning is transmitted to the mobile unit. The hazard information may be displayed on the user'"'"'s system in the form of a rotating map with an automatically adjustable range to display warning information in relation to the system'"'"'s location. Warnings, including audio warnings for playback and crawls for display on a television, can be automatically generated and spoken or displayed to a user.

Claims

1. A device comprising:

a display that displays a geographic map including an icon indicating a present location of the device on the geographic map based on determined location information, and further including future forecast hazard information; and

control logic for automatically rotating the geographic map displayed on the display device, based on the determined location information, so that a direction of travel of the device remains constant with respect to a predetermined position on the display.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the icon maintains a constant position on the display so that the geographic map appears to move underneath the icon.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the predetermined position on display is the top of the display.

4. The device of claim 1, further comprising a GPS receiver that outputs the location information to the control logic.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the future forecast hazard information comprises meteorological information.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the control logic further controls a range of the geographic map, and wherein when a future location of the device is predicted to be within a predetermined distance of a future forecast hazard not visible on a current range of the geographical map, the control logic increases the current range of the geographical map so that the icon and the forecast hazard are both visible in the increased range of the geographical map.

7. The device of claim 6, wherein the predetermined distance is zero.

8. The device of claim 6, wherein the control logic extrapolates the future location of the device based on a current direction of travel.

9. The device of claim 6, wherein the control logic determines the future location of the device based on a travel plan.

10. The device of claim 6, wherein the control logic determines the future location of the device based on a current road on which the device is traveling.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein the device comprises a handheld computer.

12. The device of claim 1, wherein the device comprises a mobile telephone.

13. A method for displaying forecast hazard information on a display of a mobile device, comprising:

(a) displaying a geographic map on the display of the mobile device, wherein the geographic map comprises future forecast hazard information and an icon indicating a present location of the mobile device based on determined location information; and

(b) automatically rotating the geographic map, based on the determined location information, so that a direction of travel of the mobile device remains constant with respect to a predetermined position on the display of the mobile device.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising maintaining a position of the icon on the display so that the geographic map appears to move underneath the icon.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein in (b) the predetermined position on the display is the top of the display.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the future forecast hazard information comprises meteorological information.

17. The method of claim 13, further comprising, when a future location of the mobile device is predicted to be within a predetermined distance of a forecast hazard not visible on a current range of the geographical map, increasing the current range of the geographical map so that the icon and the forecast hazard are both visible in the geographical map with the increased range.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the predetermined distance is zero.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising extrapolating the future location of the mobile device based on a current direction of travel.

20. The method of claim 17, further comprising determining the future location of the device based on a travel plan.

21. The method of claim 17, further comprising determining the future location of the device based on a current road on which the device is traveling.

22. The method of claim 17, further comprising displaying a textual message on the display, corresponding to the type of hazard warning.

23. A mobile device, comprising:

a microprocessor for controlling operation of the mobile device;

a display that displays a geographic map including an icon indicating a present location of the device on the geographic map based on determined location information, and further including forecast meteorological information; and

a memory storing control logic that, when executed by the processor, causes the device to automatically rotate the geographic map displayed on the display, based on the determined location information, so that a direction of travel of the device remains constant with respect to the top of the display, and wherein the control logic further controls a range of the geographic map, and wherein when a future location of the device is predicted to intersect forecast inclement weather not visible on a current range of the geographical map, the control logic increases the current range of the geographical map so that the icon and the forecast inclement weather are both visible in the increased range of the geographical map.

24. A method for generating a crawl, comprising automatically generating crawl text based on a received hazard warning.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising automatically sending the crawl text to a broadcasting system for transmission over a video broadcast.

26. The method of claim 24, further comprising waiting for a user to approve the crawl text and then sending the crawl text to a broadcasting system for transmission.

27. A method for providing information regarding observed hazard conditions, comprising:

(a) in proximity to a hazard condition, observing the hazard condition;

(b) inputting into a mobile device, information corresponding to the observed hazard condition; and

(c) sending the information from the mobile device to a server.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the hazard condition comprises a meteorological condition.

29. The method of claim 27, wherein (b) comprises inputting a type of the hazard condition and inputting an approximate location of the hazard condition.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein inputting an approximate location comprises inputting a direction and a distance from a current location.

31. The method of claim 29, wherein inputting an approximate location comprises selecting a position on a map displayed on a display screen of the mobile device.

32. The method of claim 27, wherein (c) comprises sending a message via wireless communications to the server.

33. A hazard warning system, comprising:

a receiver for receiving a hazard warning message;

an output system for outputting audio signals;

a database storing warning message components;

control logic for combining warning message components, based on the received hazard warning message, and for outputting to the output system a spoken audio message informing a user of the system about a hazard to which the hazard warning message corresponds.

34. The hazard warning system of claim 33, wherein the hazard comprises a meteorological condition.

35. The hazard warning system of claim 33, wherein the warning message components comprise audio clips.

36. The hazard warning system of claim 33, wherein the warning message components comprise text strings

37. The hazard warning system of claim 36, further comprising a text-to-speech module for converting the combined text strings to the spoken audio message.

38. The hazard warning system of claim 36, further comprising a display device, and wherein the control logic causes the combined text strings to be displayed on the display device.

39. A computer-assisted method for generating a message for display on a display device, comprising:

receiving, at a data center, a ground truth report from a device located proximately to a hazardous event to which the ground truth report corresponds;

performing an integrity check on the ground truth report; and

sending updated hazard event information to a remote data processing device, based on the integrity checked ground truth report, wherein the remote data processing device generates a message for display on a display device associated with the remote data processing device.

40. The computer-assisted method of claim 39, wherein the hazardous event comprises a meteorological event and the data center comprises a weather center.

41. The computer-assisted method of claim 40, wherein the remote data processing device comprises a television station data processing device, and the display device associated with the remote data processing device comprises a television receiving a broadcast from a television station corresponding to the television station data processing device.

42. The computer assisted method of claim 39, wherein performing an integrity check comprises, in a data processing device, executing an automated algorithm for comparing the ground truth report to meteorological radar data.