Method and system for creating a weather-related virtual view

• US 20070208513A1
• Filed: 03/06/2006
• Published: 09/06/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Daniel Hillman
• Original Assignee: Daniel Hillman
• Inventors: Hillman, Daniel
• Granted Patent: US 7,536,260 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/3
• CPC Class Codes: G01W 1/00 Meteorology
• CPC Class Codes: G01W 1/06 giving a combined indication of weather conditions catathermometers for measuring "cooling value" related either to weather conditions or to comfort of other human environment G01W1/17; computers per se G06

Abstract

A weather-related image of a remote location is displayed at a local computer by first storing a plurality of digital images of the remote location. Then, data associated with each respective image is stored. The data is of the kind capable of being used to identify a respective remote weather condition associated with each image. A local weather condition is then determined. An image having a remote weather condition similar to the local weather condition is selected and displayed at the local computer.

Claims

1. A method for displaying a weather-related image of a remote location at a local computer comprising the steps of:

storing a plurality of digital images of the remote location;

storing data associated with each respective image, said data being capable of being used to identify a respective remote weather condition associated with each image;

inputting a desired weather condition;

selecting an image having a remote weather condition similar to the desired weather condition; and

displaying the selected image at the local computer.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the weather condition includes a position of the sun in the sky.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the data includes at least one of time, date, cloud presence and rain presence.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the desired weather condition is a local weather condition.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising the steps of determining the local weather by determining a geographical location of the local computer, utilizing the geographical location at a third party weather data source to determine the local weather.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising the step of determining the geographical location by utilizing one of the zip code or city and state of the geographical location at which the local computer resides.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of providing audio associated with the image displayed at the local computer.

8. A system for providing a weather-related image of a remote location at a local computer comprising:

a local computer having an associated geographical address;

a server in communication with said local computer;

a database associated with said server;

a camera at a location remote from said local computer for obtaining images of a location remote from said local computer in communication with said server, said server storing a plurality of digital images obtained by said camera, and storing data associated with each respective image, and said image, in said database, said data being capable of being used to identify a respective remote weather condition associated with each image, said server determining a desired weather condition input at said local computer and selecting an image having a remote weather condition similar to the desired weather condition and transmitting the selected image to the local computer for display.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the desired weather condition being a local weather condition corresponding to weather at the location of the local computer, the server determining the local weather by determining a geographical location of the local computer, and utilizing the geographical location to determine the weather.

10. The system of claim 9, further comprising a third party data source, said server communicating with said third party data source and utilizing the geographical location with the third party data source to determine the local weather.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein said server and said local computer are located at the same geographical location.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein said database is a portable database.