Continuous graphical display of barometric data

• US 5,178,010 A
• Filed: 06/20/1990
• Issued: 01/12/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Better Boating Association Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Better Boating Association Incorporated
• Inventors: Holzel, Thomas M.
• Primary Examiner(s): WOODIEL, DONALD
• Application Number:
  US07/541,149
• Time in Patent Office: 937 Days
• Field of Search: 73/384, 73/385, 73/386, 73/721, 73/723, 73/170 R, 346/21, 340/601
• US Class Current: 73/384
• CPC Class Codes: G01W 1/04 giving only separate indications of the variables measured

Abstract

A continuous graphical display of barometric data includes an electronic trace of barometric pressure across a display in which the display including the trace, grid and axis labels are scrolled horizontally, with the display being updated from stored data on a continuous basis so that an entire week of uninterrupted barometric data can be presented, with preceding data being dropped off in a first in, first out scroll. Additionally a temporal history of temperature may be displayed as an electronic trace.

Claims

1. A continuous graphical display barometer comprising:

means for sensing and storing barometric pressure;

an electronically driven display having a predetermined size and scale; and

means coupled to said sensing and storing means for driving said display so as to provide a trace of the sensed and stored barometric pressure in a first in, first out fashion, such that the trace is continuously updated, the length of the time history of displayed barometric pressure data being dictated by the size and scale of said display.

2. The barometer of claim 1 wherein said driving means includes means coupled to said sensing and storing means for selectively enlarging a portion of the displayed data so as to portray a greater or smaller time history of barometric data.

3. The barometer of claim 1 and further including inclement weather sensing means coupled to said sensing and storing means for sensing a barometric condition indicating inclement weather and for indicating said alarm condition on said display.

4. The barometer of claim 3 wherein said inclement weather sensing means includes alarm threshold detection means coupled to said sensing and storing means for proving an output whenever the absolute barometric pressure falls below a predetermined barometric pressure threshold.

5. The barometer of claim 4 wherein said inclement weather sensing means includes means coupled to said driving means for providing a distinctive area to one side of that portion of said trace which lies below said predetermined barometric pressure threshold.

6. The barometer of claim 4 and further including means for adjusting said barometric pressure threshold for the pressure difference between that associated with the local altitude and that associated with sea level.

7. The barometer of claim 6 and further including means associated with said sensing and storing means for storing the altitudes associated with various locales, means coupled to said driving means for providing an indication of said altitudes on said screen and means for selecting an altitude and for adjusting said barometric pressure threshold in accordance with the selected altitude.

8. The barometer of claim 7 wherein said altitude selecting means includes a cursor positioned opposite an altitude.

9. The barometer of claim 8 wherein said cursor is fixed and wherein said altitude selecting means includes means for scrolling said indication of altitude past said fixed cursor.

10. The barometer of claim 7 wherein said means for storing and dispaying altitudes includes means for storing and displaying a descriptor for the associated locale adjacent the associated altitude for the locale.

11. The barometer of claim 1 and further including means coupled to said sensing and storing means for sensing a predetermined rate of decrease of barometric pressure and for providing an alarm condition signal indicating when the rate of barometric pressure decrease exceeds a predetermined threshold.

12. The barometer of claim 11 and further including means coupled to said driving means for providing a distinctive marking to one side of said trace responsive to the provision of said alarm condition signal.

13. The barometer of claim 1 and further including means for adjusting the sensed and stored data for the pressure difference between that associated with the local altitude and that associated with sea level.

14. The barometer of claim 1 wherein said display includes an LCD type display.

15. The barometer of claim 1 wherein said display includes a cathode ray tube type display.

16. The barometer of claim 1 wherein said barometer includes a thin, wall-mountable case.

17. The barometer of claim 1 wherein said driving means includes means for providing graph lines which travel across said display with said trace.

18. The barometer of claim 17 wherein said graph lines include vertical time lines.

19. The barometer of claim 17 wherein said graph lines include vertical time lines.

20. The barometer of claim 18 wherein said graph lines include at least one horizontal barometric pressure line.

21. The barometer of claim 1 and further including means at said display for graphically indicating whether barometric pressure is rising or falling.

22. The barometer of claim 21 wherein means for graphically indicating whether said barometric pressure is rising or falling includes an arrow indicating by its direction whether barometric pressure is rising or falling.

23. The barometer of claim 1 wherein said barometer is battery operated and further including means for selectively disabling all but said sensing and storing means, thereby to selectively disable said flat pannel display and driving means for limiting power consumption.

24. A graphical display barometer comprising:

means for sensing and storing barometric pressure;

an electronically driven display having a predetermined size and scale; and

,

means coupled to said sensing and storing means for driving said display so as to electronically provide a graphical time history of the sensed and stored barometric pressure such that the time history is periodically updated, the extent of the time history of displayed barometric pressure data being dictated by the size and scale of said display.

25. The barometer of claim 24 wherein said display is a flat pannel display.

26. The barometer of claim 24 wherein said display includes a cathode ray tube.

27. A continuous graphical display barometer comprising:

means for sensing and storing barometric pressure;

an electronically driven display having a predetermined size and scale; and

,

means coupled to said sensing and storing means for driving said display so as to provide a trace of the sensed and stored barometric pressure in a first in, first out fashion, such that the traces continuously updated, the length of the time history of displayed barometric pressure data being dictated by the size and scale of said display, said driving means including means for providing multiple graph lines which travel across said display with said trace.

28. the barometer of claim 27 wherein said graph lines include at least one horizontal barometric pressure line.

29. The barometer of claim 27 and further including means at said display for graphically indicating whether barometric pressure is rising or falling.

30. The barometer of claim 29 wherein said means for graphically indicating whether said barometric pressure is rising or falling includes an arrow indicating by its direction whether barometric pressure is rising or fallling.

31. The barometer of claim 27 wherein said barometer is battery operated and further including means for selectively disabling all but said sensing and storing means, thereby to selectively disable said display and driving means for limiting power consumption.