System and method for acquiring information relating to geographic location

• US 20050047572A1
• Filed: 08/28/2003
• Published: 03/03/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/28/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ClassCo Incorporated
• Original Assignee: David J. Luneau, Ray F. Chadwick
• Inventors: Chadwick, Ray F., Luneau, David J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,194,077 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/201.50
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/30 Determination of the location of a subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4872 Non-interactive information services

Abstract

A system and method provides data representative of geographical information to equipment for providing weather-related information, such as a NOAA weather radio (NWR). A telephone call is placed over a telephone network from the equipment to an information server, which receives information corresponding to an origin of the telephone call in conjunction with the telephone call. The received information is processed to generate data representative of geographical information, which is then sent to the equipment in conjunction with the telephone call. The equipment is then programmed using the data representative of geographical information to provide geographically based weather-related information.

Claims

1. A method of providing data representative of geographical information to equipment for providing weather-related information, the method comprising:

placing a telephone call over a telephone network from the equipment to an information server;

receiving at the information server, in conjunction with the telephone call, information corresponding to an origin of the telephone call;

processing the received information to generate data representative of geographical information;

sending the data representative of geographical information to the equipment in conjunction with the telephone call;

programming the equipment using the data representative of geographical information to provide geographically based weather-related information.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the equipment is a NOAA Weather Radio receiver.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the data representative of geographical information is a code indicating the geographical location of the equipment.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the code is a Specific Area Message Encoding code.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the equipment directly connects to the telephone network.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the equipment places the telephone call in response to a configuration command from a user.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the processing step includes the information server querying a database.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the database associates telephone numbers with data representative of geographical information.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the information corresponding to the origin of the telephone call is the telephone number from which the call was placed.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the processing step includes the information server querying the database to determine the data representative of geographical information associated with the telephone number from which the call was placed.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the data representative of geographical information is sent to the equipment using Frequency Shift Keyed signals.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the data representative of geographical information is sent to the equipment using Dual Tone Multiple Frequency signals.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the telephone call is a toll-free telephone call.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein the information corresponding to the origin of the telephone call is automatic number identification.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein the information corresponding to the origin of the telephone call is an Incoming Caller Line Identification signal.

16. A system for providing data representative of geographical information to equipment for providing weather-related information, the system comprising:

means for placing a telephone call over a telephone network from the equipment to an information server;

means for receiving at the information server, in conjunction with the telephone call, information corresponding to an origin of the telephone call;

means for processing the received information to generate data representative of geographical information;

means for sending the data representative of geographical information to the equipment in conjunction with the telephone call;

means for programming the equipment using the data representative of geographical information to provide geographically based weather-related information.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein the equipment is a NOAA Weather Radio receiver.

18. The system of claim 16 wherein the data representative of geographical information is a code indicating the geographical location of the equipment.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein the code is a Specific Area Message Encoding code.

20. The system of claim 16 wherein the means for processing includes means for the information server querying a database.

21. The system of claim 20 wherein the database associates telephone numbers with data representative of geographical information.

22. The system of claim 21 wherein the information corresponding to the origin of the telephone call is the telephone number from which the call was placed.

23. The system of claim 22 wherein the means for processing includes means for the information server querying the database to determine the data representative of geographical information associated with the telephone number from which the call was placed.

24. Apparatus for providing weather-related information, comprising:

a telephone jack for connecting to a telephone network;

a telephone call provisioning circuit for placing a telephone call over the telephone network;

a data receiver circuit for receiving data representative of geographical information;

a programming circuit for using the data representative of geographical information to provide geographically based weather-related information.

25. The apparatus of claim 24 wherein the apparatus is a NOAA Weather Radio receiver.

26. The apparatus of claim 25 wherein the data representative of geographical information is a code.

27. The apparatus of claim 26 wherein the code is a Specific Message Area Encoding code.

28. The apparatus of claim 24 wherein the data receiver circuit is configured to receive Frequency Shift Keyed signals.

29. The apparatus of claim 24 wherein the data receiver circuit is configured to receive Dual Tone Multiple Frequency signals.