System and method for integrating weather data into television broadcasts
First Claim
1. A system for integrating data representing weather parameters prevailing at a plurality of geographic locations into television broadcast signals originating from and related to the plurality of geographic locations, the system comprising:
- a portable monitoring station located at each of the plurality of geographic locations, the monitoring station including,means for sensing the weather parameters prevailing at each of the plurality of geographic locations, and for generating weather parameter signals representing the weather parameters, andmeans for transmitting the weather parameter signals from the monitoring station;
a base station including,means for receiving the weather parameter signals from the monitoring station,means for generating icon signals representing weather parameter icons in response to the weather parameter signals, the weather parameter icons representing the weather parameters sensed at the plurality of geographic locations, andmeans for converting the icon signals into television signals representing the weather parameters, the television signals being in a format suitable for integration into the television broadcast signals;
production switching means for receiving the television signals representing the weather parameters and the television broadcast signals, and for combining the television signals representing the weather parameters and the television broadcast signals so that first icon signals representing first weather parameter signals sensed at a first geographic location are combined with first television broadcast signals from the first geographic location, and so that second icon signals representing second weather parameter signals sensed at a second geographic location different from the first geographic location are combined with second television broadcast signals from the second geographic location; and
means coupled with the production switching means for selecting an output television signal corresponding to either the first icon signals representing the first weather parameter signals sensed at the first geographic location combined with the first television broadcast signals from the first geographic location or the second icon signals representing the second weather parameter signals sensed at the second geographic location combined with the second television broadcast signals from the second geographic location.
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Abstract
A system and method are provided for integrating data representing at least one weather parameter prevailing at at least a first geographic location into a television broadcast related to the first geographic location. An icon signal representing a weather parameter icon is generated in response to the weather parameter, and represents the weather parameter sensed at the first geographic location. Apparatus is provided for receiving the television broadcast related to the first geographic location, and for merging the television broadcast signal with the icon signal, producing an output television signal representing the weather parameter icon superimposed on the television broadcast.
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Citations
55 Claims
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1. A system for integrating data representing weather parameters prevailing at a plurality of geographic locations into television broadcast signals originating from and related to the plurality of geographic locations, the system comprising:
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a portable monitoring station located at each of the plurality of geographic locations, the monitoring station including, means for sensing the weather parameters prevailing at each of the plurality of geographic locations, and for generating weather parameter signals representing the weather parameters, and means for transmitting the weather parameter signals from the monitoring station; a base station including, means for receiving the weather parameter signals from the monitoring station, means for generating icon signals representing weather parameter icons in response to the weather parameter signals, the weather parameter icons representing the weather parameters sensed at the plurality of geographic locations, and means for converting the icon signals into television signals representing the weather parameters, the television signals being in a format suitable for integration into the television broadcast signals; production switching means for receiving the television signals representing the weather parameters and the television broadcast signals, and for combining the television signals representing the weather parameters and the television broadcast signals so that first icon signals representing first weather parameter signals sensed at a first geographic location are combined with first television broadcast signals from the first geographic location, and so that second icon signals representing second weather parameter signals sensed at a second geographic location different from the first geographic location are combined with second television broadcast signals from the second geographic location; and means coupled with the production switching means for selecting an output television signal corresponding to either the first icon signals representing the first weather parameter signals sensed at the first geographic location combined with the first television broadcast signals from the first geographic location or the second icon signals representing the second weather parameter signals sensed at the second geographic location combined with the second television broadcast signals from the second geographic location. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. A system for integrating data representing weather parameters prevailing at a plurality of geographic locations into television broadcast signals originating from and related to the plurality of geographic locations, the system comprising:
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a portable monitoring station located at each of the plurality of geographic locations, the monitoring station including, means for sensing the weather parameters prevailing at each of the plurality of geographic locations, and for generating weather parameter signals representing the weather parameters, and means for transmitting the weather parameter signals from the monitoring station; and a base station including, means for receiving the weather parameter signals from the monitoring station, means for generating icon signals representing weather parameter icons in response to the weather parameter signals, the weather parameter icons representing the weather parameters sensed at the plurality of geographic locations, and means for converting the icon signals into television signals representing the weather parameters, the television signals being in a format suitable for integration into the television broadcast signals; wherein the monitoring station includes a microcontroller coupled to receive the weather parameter signals from the sensing means, and wherein the microcontroller includes means for sampling the weather parameter signals generated by the sensing means, and interrupt logic for servicing interrupts generated by the sampling means. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41)
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42. A method for integrating data representing weather parameters prevailing at a plurality of geographic locations into television broadcast signals originating from and related to the plurality of geographic locations, the method comprising the steps of:
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monitoring weather conditions at each of the plurality of geographic locations through portable monitoring means, the monitoring including sensing the weather parameters prevailing at each of the plurality of geographic locations, and generating weather parameter signals representing the weather parameters; transmitting the weather parameter signals from a monitoring station to a base station; generating icon signals representing weather parameter icons in response to the weather parameter signals, the weather parameter icons representing the weather parameters sensed at the plurality of geographic locations; converting the icon signals into television signals representing the weather parameters, the television signals being in a format suitable for integration into the television broadcast signals; receiving the television signals representing the weather parameters and the television broadcast signals in production switching means for combining the television signals representing the weather parameters and the television broadcast signals, wherein the combining includes a first combining of first icon signals representing first weather parameter signals sensed at a first geographic location with first television broadcast signals from the first geographic location, and a second combining of second icon signals representing second weather parameter signals sensed at a second geographic location different from the first geographic location with second television broadcast signals from the second geographic location; and selecting an output television signal corresponding to either the first icon signals representing the first weather parameter signals sensed at the first geographic location combined with the first television broadcast signals from the first geographic location or the second icon signals representing the second weather parameter signals sensed at the second geographic location combined with the second television broadcast signals from the second geographic location. - View Dependent Claims (43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55)
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Specification