Method of determining a climate-based activity index and best-time-to recommendation

• US 7,212,922 B1
• Filed: 12/16/2004
• Issued: 05/01/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DTN, LLC (TBG AG)
• Original Assignee: The Weather Channel Incorporated (CF Entertainment, Inc.)
• Inventors: Longacre, Monisha, Richards, Todd
• Primary Examiner(s): MCELHENY JR, DONALD E
• Application Number:
  US11/013,830
• Time in Patent Office: 866 Days
• Field of Search: 702 2- 5, 705/1, 705/4, 705/5, 705/10
• US Class Current: 702/3
• CPC Class Codes: G01W 1/10 Devices for predicting weather conditions computers per se G06; display devices G09
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising

Abstract

A method of using climate data to determine activity index values for a given activity. One embodiment provides a method of more objectively determining the desirability of an activity based on climate data by determining an activity index value using a weighted-element type analysis. Multiple activity index values may be determined for different time periods and used to provide information useful in comparing the desirability of the different time periods for a given activity. The activity index values may be used to answer questions such as “what is the best month to visit Kingston, Jamaica” and “what is the worst season for allergies in Atlanta.”

Claims

1. A method of providing to a user an activity index value indicating a numerical score for an activity in a location during a time period for use in comparing to another activity index value for the same or another activity, in the same or another location, at the same or a different time period, wherein the comparison of activity index values allows comparison based on historical-climate data, the method comprising:

determining a plurality of elements having a potential impact on the activity;

determining an element influence weight for each element, wherein the element influence weight indicates the potential impact of each element on the activity;

for each element;

determining a historical value for the location and the time period; and

determining an element value contribution corresponding to the historical value,

wherein at least one of the historical values corresponds to historical climate data;

determining an activity index value for the activity based on the elements, element influence weights and the element value contributions, wherein each element value contribution is weighted in accordance with its corresponding element influence weight; and

providing the activity index value to the user via an output device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein for a selected element, the relationship between the historical values and the element value contributions is non-linear.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the historical climate data is selected from the group consisting of temperature, precipitation, humidity, cloud cover, dew point, pressure, lightning, wind speed, visibility, the number of sunny days per month, the number of rainy days per month, or number of snowy days per month.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the time period is one of the seasons:

spring, summer, fall, or winter.

5. The method of claim 3 wherein the time period is a month of the year.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the element influence weights are percentages that collectively add to 100%.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the historical climate data is based on 30 years of recorded climatology data.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein one or more of the element value contributions are determined after converting the historical value to a daily percentage.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein at least one of the elements is a climate-based element based on historical climate data and at least one element is non-climate-based element based on historical non-climate data.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the non-climate-based data is selected from the group consisting of sunset time, sunrise time, hours of light, phase of the moon, ocean tide, airport delays, pollen condition, Center for Disease Control reports, Environmental Protection Agency ozone alerts, Ultra-violet index values, historical planting data, school attendance records, school closing records, tourism data, traffic, legal data, hunting data, fishing data, water temperature data or astronomical data.

11. A method of recommending a time for an activity based on comparison of numerical scores that account for activity, location, historical climate data, and two or more candidate time periods, the method comprising:

determining a plurality of elements having a potential impact on the activity, wherein at least one of the elements is a climate-based element;

for each element;

determining an element influence weight, wherein the element influence weight indicates the relative impact of each element on the activity;

determining a plurality of potential values based on historical values; and

for each potential value, determining an element value contribution; and

for each of the two or more candidate time periods, determining an activity index, wherein the activity index is based on the elements, element influence weights and the element value contributions, and wherein each element value contribution is weighted in accordance with its corresponding element influence weight; and

providing to the user via an output device, a recommended time period determined based on comparison of the activity index value of each time period.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the list of elements, potential element values, element influence weights, and element value contributions are based at least in part on user preferences.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the user preferences are retrieved from the user as part of a request from the user for the activity index value.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein the preferences of the user are retrieved from a database.

15. The method of claim 11 wherein the element influence weights are percentages that collectively add to 100 percent for each element.

16. The method of claim 11 wherein the list of elements, potential element values, element influence weights, and element value contributions are stored in a database.

17. A method of providing to a user a recommended time to do an activity based on comparison of numerical scores that account for activity, location, historical climate data, and two or more candidate time periods, the method comprising:

identifying a location, an activity, a time period, and a time span, wherein the time span includes the two or more candidate time periods;

for each of the two or more candidate time periods, determining an index value for the activity and location using two or more elements each having an element influence weight, and wherein one or more elements corresponds to historical climate data; and

selecting a recommended time period based on comparison of the activity index values determined for each of the two or more candidate time periods; and

providing the recommended time period to the user via an output device.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the time period is a month and the time span is a year.

19. The method of claim 17 wherein the index values are retrieved from a stored database.

20. The method of claim 17 wherein the time increment and time span are retrieved from a user.

21. The method of claim 17 further comprising displaying the best-time-to time period to a user on a computer.