Automated real-time weather graphics generating systems and methods

• US 5,940,776 A
• Filed: 04/11/1997
• Issued: 08/17/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 04/12/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Baron Services Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Baron Services Incorporated
• Inventors: Benson, Tony L., Baron, Robert O., Thompson, Tom S.
• Primary Examiner(s): McElheny, Jr., Donald E.
• Application Number:
  US08/835,950
• Time in Patent Office: 858 Days
• Field of Search: 702/3, 702/4, 702/5, 342/26, 342/460, 345/327, 345/328, 348/592, 348/598, 348/599
• US Class Current: 702/4
• CPC Class Codes: G01W 1/10 Devices for predicting weather conditions computers per se G06; display devices G09
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 90/10 Information and communication technologies [ICT] supporting adaptation to climate change, e.g. for weather forecasting or climate simulation

Abstract

An automated real-time weather graphics generating system and method includes a host computer that receives meteorological data from a plurality of real-time meteorological data sources and then multiplexes the meteorological data into a serial data stream, a vertical blanking interval (VBI) inserter that inserts the data stream into a vertical blanking area of a television broadcast signal for broadcast to a remote location, a VBI receiver at the remote location that filters the data stream from the television broadcast signal, and a remote computer that combines the data stream and geographical views to form weather images comprising the meteorological data. The weather images can then be converted into a television compatible format (e.g., NTSC or PAL) for broadcast to subscribers on the dedicated channels. The weather images may also include crawling or scrolling text messages generated by a character generator card associated with the remote computer.

Claims

1. A system for providing automated real-time localized weather graphics, comprising:

a host computer that receives meteorological data from real-time meteorological sources and converts said meteorological data into a data stream;

a vertical blanking interval (VBI) inserter that inserts said data stream into a vertical blanking area of a television broadcast signal for broadcast to a remote location;

a VBI receiver at said remote location that filters said data stream from said television broadcast signal received at said remote location; and

a remote computer that combines said data stream once translated into graphical form and geographical views stored within said remote computer to form localized real-time weather images comprising said meteorological data.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of said real-time meteorological data sources, and wherein said meteorological data from each of said real-time meteorological data sources is multiplexed into said data stream.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising a scan converter that converts said weather images to a television compatible signal for broadcast to subscribers.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein said television compatible signal is a phase alternating line (PAL) format.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein said television compatible signal is a National television Standards Committee (NTSC) format.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising a display device for displaying said weather images.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein said remote computer further combines meteorological data from a local sensor to form said weather images.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein said remote computer further includes a character generator that adds textual data to said weather views.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein said remote computer stores said weather images to create a looped sequence of weather images for a discrete period of time.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein said plurality of real-time meteorological data sources includes a National Weather Service (NWS) weather wire data service and a radar source.

11. The system of claim 1, further comprising local weather sensor pack that provides local meteorological data to said remote computer, wherein said remote computer combines said local meteorological data with said data stream and said geographical views to form said weather images.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein said remote computer includes a graphics generation mechanism that combines said meteorological data with geographical views to form weather images.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein said graphics generation mechanism comprises a computer software program that overlays said meteorological data onto said geographical views by correlating the latitudinal and longitudinal coordinates of said geographical views and said meteorological data.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein said remote computer further comprises a cable communication mechanism that receives said data stream from said VBI receiver and sends said meteorological data in said data stream to said graphics generation mechanism.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein said remote computer further comprises a weather wire mechanism that receives meteorological data from said cable communication mechanism and places said meteorological data in individual files with descriptive names for use by said graphics generation mechanism.

16. A computer-based method for providing automated real-time localized weather graphics, comprising the steps of:

receiving a television broadcast signal from a host computer that receives meteorological data from a plurality of real-time sources, converts said meteorological data into a data stream, and inserts said data stream into said television broadcast signal;

removing said data stream representative of said meteorological data from said television broadcast signal; and

combining within a remote computer said data stream once translated into graphical form and geographical views stored in said remote computer to form weather images comprising said meteorological data.

17. The method of claim 16, further including the step of displaying a plurality of said weather images in a real-time sequence.

18. The method of claim 16, further including the step of converting said weather images to a television compatible signal.

19. The method of claim 16, further including the step of adding textual data to said weather images.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein said step of removing said data stream includes the step of tuning a vertical blanking interval (VBI) receiver.

21. The method of claim 16, further including the step of inserting said data stream into a vertical blanking interval (VBI) area of said television broadcast signal.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the step of inserting said data stream includes the step of inserting said data stream into a vertical blanking interval (VBI) of said television broadcast signal.

23. A computer-based system for providing automated real-time localized weather graphics, comprising:

means for receiving a television broadcast signal from a host computer that receives meteorological data from a plurality of real-time sources;

means for removing a data stream representative of said meteorological data from said television broadcast signal; and

means for combining within a remote computer said data stream and geographical views stored in said remote computer to form localized real-time weather images comprising said meteorological data.

24. The computer-based system of claim 23, further comprising means for converting said weather images to a television compatible signal.

25. The computer-based system of claim 23, further comprising means for adding textual data to said weather images.

26. The computer-based system of claim 23, further comprising means for inserting said data stream into said television broadcast signal.

27. The computer-based system of claim 26, wherein said means for inserting said data stream includes means for inserting said data stream into a vertical blanking interval (VBI) of said television broadcast signal.

28. A computer-based system for providing automated real-time localized weather graphics, comprising:

a host computer comprising;

means for receiving meteorological data from a plurality of real-time meteorological data sources,

means for inserting said meteorological data into a vertical blanking area of a television broadcast signal; and

a remote computer comprising;

local geographic views stored therein,

means for receiving said television broadcast signal,

means for removing said meterological data from said television broadcast signal,

means for combining said meteorological data and said geographical views to form weather images comprising said meteorological data.

29. The system of claim 28, further comprising a plurality of said meteorological data sources, and wherein said meteorological data from each of said meteorological data sources is multiplexed into a data stream.

30. The system of claim 29, further comprising means for removing said data stream from said television broadcast signal.

31. The system of claim 30, wherein said means for combining combines said data stream once translated into graphical form and geographical views stored in said remote computer to form localized real-time weather images.