Method and apparatus for sending a weather condition alert

• US 6,462,665 B1
• Filed: 05/16/2000
• Issued: 10/08/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Wheelock Incorporated (Eaton Corporation PLC.)
• Original Assignee: Wheelock Incorporated (Eaton Corporation PLC.)
• Inventors: Walters, Craig R., Tarlton, Peter B., Millerick, Daniel P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wu, Daniel J.
• Application Number:
  US09/571,447
• Time in Patent Office: 875 Days
• Field of Search: 340/601, 340/905, 340/311.2, 340/690, 340/539, 340/7.48, 340/7.5, 702/3, 731/701.6, 733/84, 455/186.1
• US Class Current: 340/601
• CPC Class Codes: G01W 1/02 Instruments for indicating weather conditions by measuring two or more variables, e.g. humidity, pressure, temperature, cloud cover or wind speed G01W1/10 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/10 responsive to calamitous events, e.g. tornados or earthquakes

Abstract

A method and apparatus of an alert system for notifying subscribers of weather or hazardous conditions. A weather-tracking source or service broadcasts weather or hazardous conditions across the nation to alert the general public of potentially dangerous climatic and hazardous conditions that may arise from time to time. A weather service provider receives the weather condition broadcasts from the weather-tracking source or service and transmits weather or hazardous condition signals to subscribers having an alert unit. The alert unit is a passive device capable of receiving and warning the subscribers of the weather or hazardous condition broadcasts.

Claims

1. A method for notifying a subscriber of a weather or hazardous condition, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) transmitting a weather or hazardous condition signal via a weather service provider to the subscriber, wherein said transmitting step (a) transmits said weather or hazardous signal by using a region-based paging number for a specific region of subscribers; and

(b) passively alerting said subscriber of said weather or hazardous condition upon receiving said weather or hazardous signal via an alert unit, where said at least one passive alert unit will only activate if said weather or hazardous condition signal is indicative of a weather or hazardous condition threshold level as defined by the subscriber.

2. An alert system for notifying a subscriber of a weather or hazardous condition, said alert system comprising:

a weather service provider for detecting a weather or hazardous condition, wherein said weather service provider transmits a weather or hazardous condition signal to the subscriber to alert the subscriber of the weather or hazardous condition; and

at least one passive alert unit for receiving said weather or hazardous condition signal, where said at least one passive alert unit will only activate if said weather or hazardous condition signal is indicative of a weather or hazardous condition threshold level as defined by the subscriber, wherein said weather or hazardous condition signal is transmitted via a paging system, where said weather or hazardous condition signal is transmitted by using a region-based paging number.

3. The alert system of claim 2, wherein said weather service provider further comprises:

a database for storing subscriber information, wherein said subscriber information comprises said weather or hazardous condition threshold level.

4. A method for notifying a subscriber of a weather or hazardous condition, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) transmitting a weather or hazardous condition signal via a weather service provider to the subscriber via a wireless communication system, wherein said transmitting step (a) transmits said weather or hazardous signal by using a region-based paging number for a specific region of subscribers,

wherein said transmitting step (a) comprises the steps of;

(a1) identifying a weather or hazardous condition in accordance with a weather or hazardous condition threshold level;

(a2) identifying a subscriber having a weather or hazardous condition threshold level matching said weather or hazardous condition; and

(a3) only transmitting said weather or hazardous condition signal to said identified subscriber; and

(b) passively alerting said subscriber of said weather or hazardous condition upon receiving said weather or hazardous signal via an alert unit.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said wireless communication system of transmitting step (a) is a pager system.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein said weather or hazardous condition signal is formulated from information received from a weather tracking source.

7. An alert system for notifying a subscriber of a weather or hazardous condition, said alert system comprising:

at least one passive alert unit for warning the subscriber of the weather or hazardous condition;

a weather service provider for detecting a weather or hazardous condition, wherein said weather service provider transmits a weather or hazardous condition signal via a wireless communication system to said at least one passive alert unit to alert the subscriber of the weather or hazardous condition, wherein said wireless communication system is a paging system, where said weather or hazardous condition signal is transmitted by using a region-based paging number, and

a database for storing subscriber information, wherein said subscriber information comprises a weather or hazardous condition threshold level.

8. The alert system of claim 7, wherein said at least one alert unit comprises:

a receiver; and

at least one alarm indicator, coupled to said receiver, for providing a warning signal to alert said subscriber of said weather or hazardous condition.

9. The alert system of claim 7, wherein said alert unit is a voice evacuation system.

10. The alert system of claim 8, wherein said warning signal comprises a visual signal generated by a strobe light.

11. The alert system of claim 8, wherein said warning signal comprises an audible signal generated by a horn.

12. The alert system of claim 8, wherein said alert unit further comprises a display for displaying said weather or hazardous condition to said subscribers.

13. The alert system of claim 12, wherein said display comprises:

a liquid crystal display for displaying alphanumeric text representing said weather or hazardous condition.

14. The alert system of claim 12, wherein said display comprises:

at least one light emitting diode (LED) representing said weather or hazardous condition.