Weather alerts

• US 8,089,356 B2
• Filed: 04/13/2009
• Issued: 01/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/13/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Jason Lee Moore
• Original Assignee: Jason Lee Moore
• Inventors: Moore, Jason Lee
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Tai T
• Application Number:
  US12/422,953
• Publication Number:
  US 20100259378A1
• Time in Patent Office: 995 Days
• Field of Search: 340/539.28, 340/540, 340/541, 340/600, 340/601, 340/602, 340/690, 702/2, 702/4, 702/15
• US Class Current: 340/539.28
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/10 responsive to calamitous events, e.g. tornados or earthquakes
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/009 Signalling of the alarm condition to a substation whose identity is signalled to a central station, e.g. relaying alarm signals in order to extend communication range
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 27/006 with transmission via telephone network

Abstract

Systems and methods to generate weather alerts are provided. A particular system includes a weather band radio receiver to receive weather alerts. The system further includes a processor to perform an analysis of the received electromagnetic radiation and to determine based on the analysis whether the electromagnetic radiation indicates rotation in a storm system. The processor initiates an alert when the analysis indicates rotation in the storm system and a weather alert has been received.

Claims

1. A device, comprising:

an antenna to receive ambient electromagnetic radiation;

a weather band radio receiver to receive weather alerts a network interface to receive information via a wide area wireless network, the information indicating whether another device within a predetermined distance has determined that rotation is present in a storm system; and

a processor to perform an analysis of the ambient electromagnetic radiation, to determine based on the analysis whether the electromagnetic radiation indicates rotation in the storm system, to initiate a first alert when the analysis indicates rotation in the storm system and a weather alert has been received and to determine whether to initiate a second alert when first information indicating rotation has been received from at least one first device within the predetermined distance and second information that does not indicate rotation has been received from at least one second device within the predetermined distance.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the analysis includes comparing the received electromagnetic radiation to at least one predetermined electromagnetic storm model.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the rotation indicates that the storm system has potential to generate a tornado.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the weather band radio receiver is programmable to receive localized weather alerts.

5. The device of claim 1, further comprising an input device operable by a user to indicate whether a third alert should be initiated when the weather alert is received and the electromagnetic radiation does not indicate rotation in the storm system.

6. The device of claim 1, further comprising an input device operable by a user to indicate whether a fourth alert should be initiated when the electromagnetic radiation indicates rotation in the storm system and no weather alert has been received.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the network interface is operable to send information indicating that rotation has been identified after the rotation is identified when no weather alert has been received.

8. The device of claim 1, further comprising a memory that includes a position record indicating a location of the device.

9. The device of claim 1, further comprising at least one sensor coupled to the processor, wherein the analysis performed by the processor further determines whether to initiate a fifth alert based on information received from the at least one sensor.

10. A method, comprising:

receiving ambient electromagnetic radiation;

monitoring a weather radio band;

analyzing the ambient electromagnetic radiation to determine based on the analysis whether the electromagnetic radiation indicates rotation in a storm system;

initiating a first alert when the analysis indicates rotation in the storm system and a weather alert has been received receiving information via a wide area wireless network, the information indicating whether another device within a predetermined distance has determined that rotation is present in the storm system; and

determining whether to initiate a second alert when first information indicating rotation has been received from at least one first device within the predetermined distance and second information that does not indicate rotation has been received from at least one second device within the predetermined distance.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein analyzing the received electromagnetic radiation comprises comparing the received electromagnetic radiation to at least one predetermined electromagnetic storm model.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising initiating a third alert when a weather alert is received and the electromagnetic radiation does not indicate rotation in the storm system.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the third alert is distinct from the first alert.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising initiating a fourth alert when the electromagnetic radiation indicates rotation in the storm system and no weather alert has been received.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the fourth alert is distinct from the first alert and the second alert.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein at least one of the first alert, the second alert, the third alert and the fourth alert comprises a voice message indicating why a particular alert was triggered.

17. The method of claim 14, further comprising initiating a fifth alert when first information indicating rotation is received via a mobile communication network from at least one remote device based on electromagnetic radiation received at the at least one remote device.

18. The method of claim 10, wherein the second alert is distinct from the first alert.