Real-time three-dimensional weather display method and weathercast system

• US 6,266,063 B1
• Filed: 10/16/1998
• Issued: 07/24/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 10/20/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Baron Services Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Baron Services Incorporated
• Inventors: Wilson, Gregory S., Baron, Robert O., Thompson, Tom S., Davis, Brian Patrick, Phillips, Ronald J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Phu K.
• Application Number:
  US09/174,213
• Time in Patent Office: 1,012 Days
• Field of Search: 345/418, 345/419, 345/420, 345/113, 345/114, 345/473, 345/474, 345/475, 381/909.1
• US Class Current: 345/419
• CPC Class Codes: G01W 1/10 Devices for predicting weather conditions computers per se G06; display devices G09
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 17/05 Geographic models
• 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

A method of graphically displaying weather data in real-time is disclosed. A plurality of subsets of weather data defining a detectable volume of a weather event affecting a geographic area are received over a period of time. Each of the subsets defines a volumetric portion of the weather event, and each subset is processed as it is received to create a plurality of components, each corresponding to a particular volumetric portion of the weather event. Each component is associated with a graphical representation of the affected geographic area as each component becomes available to create a then current three-dimensional model of the detectable volume of the weather event. A graphical representation of the then current three-dimensional model may be displayed during the associating step such that a viewer can observe the graphical representation changing a component at a time over the period of time. A system for graphically displaying weather data in real-time is also disclosed.

Claims

1. A method of graphically displaying weather data in real-time, said method comprising the steps of:

receiving a plurality of subsets of weather data over a period of time, said plurality of subsets of weather data defining a detectable volume of a weather event affecting a geographic area, and each subset of said plurality of subsets defining a volumetric portion of the weather event;

processing each subset of weather data as each subset is received to create a plurality of components, each of said components corresponding to a particular volumetric portion of the weather event;

associating each component with a graphical representation of the affected geographic area as each component becomes available to create a then current three-dimensional model of the detectable volume of the weather event; and

displaying a graphical representation of the then current three-dimensional model during the associating step such that a viewer observes the graphical representation changing a component at a time over the period of time.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said associating step comprises the step of replacing a component of said three-dimensional model with an updated component when an updated subset of weather data is received.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said associating step comprises the step of successively replacing each component of said three-dimensional model with a corresponding updated component as updated subsets of weather data are received.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said associating step comprises the step of adding a component to the then current three-dimensional model when an additional subset of weather data is received.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said receiving step comprises the step of receiving said plurality of subsets of weather data from a plurality of sources.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein said plurality of sources comprises NEXRAD radar data and at least one real-time Doppler radar, and wherein said associating step comprises the steps of continuously replacing said component corresponding to said real-time doppler radar and replacing each component corresponding to said NEXRAD radar data as each component becomes available.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein said displaying step comprises the step of depicting said graphical representation in two-dimensions.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein said displaying step comprises the step of depicting said graphical representation in three-dimensions.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the period of time is less than or equal to six minutes, and wherein said associating step comprises the step of adding each component to the graphical representation within the period of time.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the period of time is less than or equal to six minutes, and wherein said associating step comprises the step of replacing each component of said three-dimensional model with an updated component within the period of time.

11. A system for graphically displaying weather data in real-time, said system comprising:

a source of weather data, said source of weather data configured to deliver a plurality of subsets of weather data over a period of time, the plurality of subsets defining a detectable volume of a weather event affecting a geographic area, and each subset defining a volumetric portion of the weather event;

a database including a graphical representation of the geographic area;

a processor communicating with said source of weather data to receive the plurality of subsets of weather data, said processor instructed to process each subset of weather data at the time each subset is received to create a plurality of components, each of which corresponds to a particular volumetric portion of the weather event, and communicating with said database to associate each component with the graphical representation of the geographic area as each component becomes available such that a then current three-dimensional model of the detectable volume of the weather event is derived over the period of time; and

a display device communicating with said processor to graphically depict the association of each component with the graphical representation such that a viewer observes the graphical representation of the three-dimensional model changing a component at a time over the period of time.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein said source of weather data comprises a plurality of sources of weather data.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein said plurality of sources of weather data comprise at least one NEXRAD radar and at least one real-time Doppler radar.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein said real-time Doppler radar continuously delivers a subset of weather data and said NEXRAD radar delivers a plurality of subsets of weather data a subset at a time over a period of time, and wherein said processor continuously replaces the component corresponding to the real-time Doppler radar and replaces each component corresponding the NEXRAD radar as each component becomes available.

15. The system of claim 12 wherein said plurality of sources are selected from the group consisting of C-band, S-band or X-band radar.

16. The system of claim 11 wherein the graphical representation of the three-dimensional model is depicted in two dimensions.

17. The system of claim 11 wherein the graphical representation of the three-dimensional model is depicted in three dimensions.

18. The system of claim 11 wherein the period of time is less than or equal to six minutes, and wherein each component of said plurality of said received components is added to the graphical representation within the period of time.

19. The system of claim 11 wherein the period of time is less than or equal to six minutes, and wherein each component of the graphical representation is replaced with an updated component within the period of time.