System and Method for Displaying Storm Tracks

• US 20080065329A1
• Filed: 10/04/2007
• Published: 03/13/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Baron Services Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Baron Services Incorporated
• Inventors: Baron, Robert, Wilcox, Sherman
• Granted Patent: US 7,584,054 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/3
• 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

Abstract

A system and method for displaying storm tracks is provided. The method includes combining topographic imagery, preferably high-resolution photographic images, with storm path vectors. The method further comprises panning along the storm path vector, in a “zoomed-in” mode, to allow site-specific depiction of geographic landmarks and expected times of arrival. A system for performing the method includes control logic which causes a computer system to execute the steps of the method is also provided.

Claims

1. A method for displaying the projected movement of a storm with high-resolution overhead photographic images of a geographic area comprising:

a. obtaining the geographic location, predicted direction of movement, and predicted speed of advance of a storm;

b. generating a storm path vector from the storm'"'"'s current geographic location, predicted direction of movement, and predicted speed of advance;

c. creating one or more composite images by combining the storm path vector with one or more high-resolution photographic images of a geographical area; and

d. displaying the one or more composite images by panning along the storm path vector advancing in time toward an expected future position of the storm wherein only a portion of the storm path vector is displayed at any point in time.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of generating a boundary area that the storm may affect during some future time interval and wherein the step of creating one or more composite images by combining the storm path vector with one or more high-resolution photographic images of a geographical area further includes combining the boundary area.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying the estimated time of arrival of the storm at a particular location.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said one or more composite images includes the names of geographic landmarks.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein one or more geographic landmark names are automatically displayed during the displaying step when the expected future position of the storm is near the geographic landmark.

6. A method of tracking a projected path of a storm comprising:

a) obtaining a geographic location, direction of movement, and speed of advance of a storm;

b) generating a projected storm path from the storm'"'"'s geographical location, direction of movement, and speed of advance;

c) creating one or more composite images by combining the projected storm path and topographic imagery;

d) displaying such composite image wherein the displaying step of the one or more composite images comprises panning along the projected storm path advancing in time toward an expected future position of the storm, wherein only a portion of the projected storm path is displayed at any point in time.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the topographic imagery comprises one or more high-resolution photographic images.

8. A system for tracking storms comprising:

a. memory for storing topographical imagery for a geographical area; and

b. logic configured to receive meteorological data related to storms in the geographic area, process the meteorological data to define at least one storm path vector and at least one associated boundary area that a storm in the geographic area may affect, create a composite image by combining the topographical imagery, storm path vector, and associated boundary area, and displaying the storm path vector beginning at its current geographic location and, advancing in time, panning to the end of the vector, wherein only a portion of the storm path vector is displayed at any point in time.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the topographical imagery comprises one or more high-resolution photographic images.