Light pen interactive weather parameter display system

• US 5,019,977 A
• Filed: 11/07/1988
• Issued: 05/28/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/1988
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nielsen-Kellerman
• Original Assignee: Rainwise Incorporated
• Inventors: Vietti, Michael, LaPointe, Daniel J., Baer, John S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jablon, Clark A.
• Application Number:
  US07/268,802
• Time in Patent Office: 932 Days
• Field of Search: 364/420, 364/521, 340/707, 73/170 R
• US Class Current: 702/3
• CPC Class Codes: G01W 1/04 giving only separate indications of the variables measured

Abstract

A weather station display system displays weather data on a video monitor, TV receiver or other raster screen display. The weather data is derived from a weather station having multiple weather parameter sensors or transducers for measuring weather parameters and generating electrical signals representative of the measured values of the weather parameters. The electrical signals are conditioned and converted to digitally coded weather data. A microprocessor periodically samples and stores the digitally coded weather data and transfers weather data to a screen memory for raster scanning onto a raster screen display. The microprocessor also loads screen display format data including a main screen display format to the screen memory from program and screen data memory. A light pen coupled to the raster controller permits interrogation of character locations for selectively modifying displayed weather data. The program components stored in program memory direct updating weather data, user interactive light pen recall of maximum and minimum weather data, and interactive assembly of user messages.

Claims

1. A weather station display system comprising:

a plurality of local weather parameter sensors each comprising a transducer for measuring values of a weather parameter at the location of the weather station display system and generating electrical signals representative of the measurement values of the local weather parameter;

electrical converting means for converting electrical signals representative of weather parameter measurement values to digitally coded weather data for digital signal processing;

computer processor means for digital signal processing and storage of the digitally coded weather data;

screen memory means comprising a current screen memory for storing current screen display information including screen display format data and digitally coded weather data for raster scanning onto a raster screen display;

raster control means operatively coupled to the computer processor and screen memory means for controlling and timing scanning access to the screen memory for updating the screen memory and for refresh of a raster screen display;

program memory means comprising screen display format data, said program memory means being operatively coupled to the computer processor for loading screen display format data to the screen memory means and raster control means for initializing the screen display format, said screen display format data comprising at least a main screen display format establishing an arrangement of a plurality of weather parameter character locations for weather data to appear in the form of current weather parameter characters on a raster screen display;

a light pen operatively coupled to the raster control means and computer processor for interrogating character locations of the screen display format on a raster screen display for selectively modifying displayed characters;

first program means stored in the program memory means causing the computer processor to sample periodically the digitally coded weather data from the respective weather parameter sensors and to update the weather data stored in the screen memory means for display on a raster screen display;

and second program means stored in the program memory causing the computer processor to respond to light pen interrogation of character locations of the screen display format on a raster screen display for selectively modifying displayed characters;

said raster control means generating digital signals scanned from the screen memory means representing said screen display format data and digitally coded weather data and also generating television video timing signals;

digital to video analog convertor means for converting said digital signals scanned from the screen memory means and said video timing signals to a composite video analog signal;

video frequency modulator means for modulating the composite video signal on a standard television channel frequency carrier and providing television output signals for real time display of local weather data; and

a standard television set at the location of the weather station display system for real time display of said local weather data in the desired screen display format and means for coupling the television output signals to an input of said standard television set;

said main screen display format comprising a maximum measurement value interrogation location and a minimum measurement value interrogation locations;

said first program means causing the computer processor means to determine and store maximum and minimum measurement values of the weather parameters and the respective times of occurrence; and

said second program means stored in the program memory means causing the computer processor to respond to light pen interrogation of one of the maximum and minimum measurement value interrogation locations followed by light pen sensing of a selected weather parameter character location by displaying the respective maximum or minimum measurement value measured during a previous selected time interval using maximum and minimum weather parameter characters distinguishable from current weather parameter characters.

2. The weather station display system of claim 1 further comprising a character generator operatively coupled to the screen memory means for generating characters for incorporation in the screen display format according to current codes stored in the screen memory means for displaying the weather data.

3. The weather station display system of claim 2 wherein the screen display format data stored in the program memory means comprises screen parameter data including specification of the number of characters per line and number of rows and columns of characters for loading to the raster control means, said raster control means further controlling the scan rate of data from the screen memory for raster scanning on to a television raster screen display and further controlling timing of access to the screen memory means for updating and creating images.

4. The weather station display system of claim 1 wherein the weather parameter sensors comprise a temperature sensor, a barometric pressure sensor, and a wind direction sensor.

5. The weather station display system of claim 4 wherein the weather parameter sensors further comprise a humidity sensor, a rain fall sensor and a wind speed sensor.

6. The weather station display system of claim 5 wherein the temperature sensor, humidity sensor, and barometric pressure sensor comprise analog sensors generating electrical analog signals for input to the electrical signal processing means for converting the electrical analog signals representative of temperature, humidity and barometric pressure measurement values to digitally coded weather data.

7. The weather station display of claim 6 wherein the wind speed and wind direction sensors are digital sensors generating digitally coded electrical signals representative of the wind speed and wind direction measurement values.

8. The weather station display system of claim 1 wherein the program memory means screen display format data comprises a main screen display format including a compass rose for displaying wind direction weather data by indicating wind direction on the compass rose and wherein the main screen display format includes character locations inside the compass rose for displaying wind speed weather data.

9. The weather station display system of claim 8 wherein the main screen display format includes character locations for displaying temperature, barometric pressure and humidity weather data in the form of alphanumeric characters.

10. The weather station display system of claim 9 wherein the main screen display format further comprises character locations for displaying wind chill, rain fall and wind speed weather data in the form of alphanumeric characters.

11. The weather station display system of claim 10 wherein the main screen display format further comprises character locations for indicating time and date data in the form of alphanumeric characters.

12. The weather station display system of claim 1 wherein the program memory means screen display format data comprises a main screen display format with weather parameter character locations for displaying weather data in the form of alphanumeric characters.

13. The weather station display system of claim 1 wherein the second program means causes the computer processor to display the time and date of occurrence of the respective displayed maximum or minimum measurement value.

14. The weather station display system of claim 13 wherein the screen display format data stored in the program memory means comprises a secondary screen display format establishing an arrangement of alphanumeric characters for selection in sequence by the light pen to assemble messages, wherein the main screen display format includes a message character location for displaying a message of characters assembled by light pen from the secondary screen display format, said main screen display format also including a page selection location for selecting the secondary screen display format for display, and wherein the second program means stored in the program memory means causes the computer processor to respond to page selection by the light pen and to assemble messages of characters selected from the secondary screen display format by the light pen for display in the message character location of the main screen display format.

15. The weather station display system of claim 13 wherein the main screen display format comprises a reset location for selection by the light pen and wherein the second program means stored in the program memory means causes the computer processor to reset maximum or minimum measurement values to be displayed at selected weather character locations.

16. A weather station display system comprising:

a plurality of local weather parameter sensors each comprising a transducer for measuring values of a weather parameter at the location of the weather station display system and generating electrical signals representative of the measurement values of the local weather parameter;

electrical converting means for converting electrical signals representative of weather parameter measurement values to digitally coded weather data for digital signal processing;

computer processor means for digital signal processing and storage of the digitally coded weather data;

screen memory means comprising a current screen memory for storing current screen display information including screen display format data and digitally coded weather data for raster scanning onto a raster screen display;

raster control means operatively coupled to the computer processor and screen memory means for controlling and timing scanning access to the screen memory for updating the screen memory and for refresh of a raster screen display;

program memory means comprising screen display format data, said program memory means being operatively coupled to the computer processor for loading screen display format data to the screen memory means and raster control means for initializing the screen display format, said screen display format data comprising at least a main screen display format establishing an arrangement of a plurality of weather parameter character locations for weather data to appear in the form of current weather parameter characters on a raster screen display;

a light pen operatively coupled to the raster control means and computer processor for interrogating character locations of the screen display format on a raster screen display for selectively modifying displayed weather data;

first program means stored in the program memory means causing the computer processor to sample periodically the digitally coded weather data from the respective weather parameter sensors and to update the weather data stored in the screen memory means for display on a raster screen display;

said main screen display format including character locations for displaying temperature, barometric pressure, wind direction, and wind speed weather data in the form of alphanumeric characters, said main screen display format comprising a compass rose for displaying wind direction weather data by indication of wind direction on the compass rose and character locations inside the compass rose for displaying wind speed weather data, said main screen display format also including maximum and minimum measurement value interrogation locations;

second program means stored in the program memory causing the computer processor to respond to light pen interrogation of one of the maximum and minimum measurement value interrogation locations followed by light pen sensing of a selected weather parameter character location by displaying the respective maximum or minimum measurement value measured during a previous time interval using maximum and minimum weather parameter characters distinguishable from current weather parameter characters;

said computer processor comprising a system clock, said main screen display format including a time and date in the form of alphanumeric characters, said second program means causing the computer processor means to respond to light pen interrogation of one of the maximum and minimum measurement value interrogation locations followed by light pen sensing of a selected weather parameter character location by displaying the time and date of occurrence of a maximum or minimum measurement value of the selected weather parameter displayed on the main screen display format at the same time as displaying the respective maximum or minimum measurement values in said distinguishable characters.

17. The weather station display system of claim 16 wherein the screen display format data stored in the program memory means comprises a secondary screen display format establishing an arrangement of alphanumeric characters for selection in sequence by the light pen to assemble messages, wherein the main screen display format includes a character location for displaying a message of characters assembled by light pen from the secondary screen display format, said main screen display format also including a page selection location for selecting the secondary screen display format for display, and wherein the second program means stored in the program memory means causes the computer processor to respond to page selection by the light pen and to assemble messages of characters selected from the secondary screen display format by the light pen for display in the message character location of the main screen display format.

18. The weather display system of claim 17 wherein the main screen display format comprises a reset location for selection by the light pen and wherein the second program means stored in the program memory means causes the computer processor to reset maximum or minimum measurement values to be displayed at selected weather character locations.

19. The weather station display system of claim 16 comprising a character generator operatively coupled to the screen memory means for generating characters for incorporation in the screen display format according to current codes stored in the screen memory means for displaying the weather data.

20. The weather station display system of claim 16 further comprising a digital to video analog convertor for converting digital signals scanned from the screen memory means to a video analog signal, a video frequency modulator for modulating the video signal on a standard television channel frequency carrier, a standard television set, and coupling means coupling the modulated video signal to an input of the television set.

21. A weather station display system comprising:

a plurality of local weather parameter sensors each comprising a transducer for measuring values of a weather parameter at the location of the weather station display system and generating electrical signals representative of the measurement values of the local weather parameter;

electrical converting means for converting electrical signals representative of weather parameter measurement values to digitally coded weather data for digital signal processing;

computer processor means for digital signal processing and storage of the digitally coded weather data;

screen memory means comprising a current screen memory for storing current screen display information including screen display format data and digitally coded weather data for raster scanning onto a raster screen display;

raster control means operatively coupled to the computer processor and screen memory means for controlling and timing scanning access to the screen memory for updating the screen memory and for refresh of a raster screen display;

program memory means comprising screen display format data, said program memory means being operatively coupled to the computer processor for loading screen display format data to the screen memory means and raster control means for initializing the screen display format, said screen display format data comprising a main screen display format establishing an arrangement of a plurality of weather parameter character locations for weather data to appear in the form of current weather parameter characters on a raster screen display, and a secondary screen display format establishing an arrangement of alphanumeric characters for selection in sequence by a light pen to assemble messages, said main screen display format including a message character location for displaying a message of characters assembled by light pen from the secondary screen display format, said main screen display format also including a page selection location for selecting the secondary screen display format for display,

a light pen operatively coupled to the raster control means and computer processor for interrogating character locations of the screen display format on a raster screen display for selectively modifying displayed characters;

first program means stored in the program memory means causing the computer processor to sample periodically the digitally coded weather data from the respective weather parameter sensors and to update the weather data stored in the screen memory means for display on a raster screen display;

second program means stored in the program memory causing the computer processor to respond to light pen interrogation of character locations of the screen display format on a raster screen display for selectively modifying displayed characters, said second program means causing the computer processor to respond to page selection by the light pen and to assemble messages of characters selected from the secondary screen display format by the light pen for display in the message character location of the main screen display;

said main screen display format comprising a maximum measurement value interrogation location and a minimum measurement value interrogation locations;

said second program means stored in the program memory means causing the computer processor to respond to light pen interrogation of one of the maximum and minimum measurement value interrogation locations followed by light pen sensing of a selected weather parameter character location by displaying the respective maximum or minimum measurement value measured during a previous selected time interval using maximum and minimum weather parameter characters distinguishable from current weather parameter characters.