Apparatus and method for localized detection and warning of severe weather

• US 9,535,188 B2
• Filed: 01/25/2012
• Issued: 01/03/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/25/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Joseph P. Heisler
• Original Assignee: Storm Warning, LLC
• Inventors: Heisler, Joseph
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Benjamin C
• Assistant Examiner(s): BURGDORF, STEPHEN R
• Application Number:
  US13/357,655
• Publication Number:
  US 20130187782A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,805 Days
• Field of Search: 731/701.3, 733/84, 116/70, 290/55, 340/425.5, 340/539.26, 340/539.28, 340/601, 340/626, 340/905, 340/945, 340/970, 342/26.R, 702/2, 702/3
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 50/00 in human health protection, e.g. against extreme weather

Abstract

An apparatus and method for determining the localized presence of severe weather and signaling an alarm. An outdoor sensor assembly may contain a number of sensors including a barometric pressure sensor, temperature sensor, and humidity sensor. The outdoor sensor assembly is in electrical communication with an indoor controller assembly. A plurality of parameters may be measured and compared with pre-established threshold values. The alarm may be signaled when the measured parameters meet or exceed the selected threshold values.

Claims

1. An apparatus for detecting the immediate localized presence of a tornado comprising:

an outdoor sensor assembly useful in an outdoor environment, said outdoor sensor assembly including a barometric pressure sensor and a temperature sensor; and

an indoor controller assembly in electrical communication through ribbon cable with the outdoor sensor assembly, said indoor controller assembly including;

an alarm, and

a microcontroller adapted to

accept the incoming data from said barometric pressure sensor (P) and said temperature sensor (T),

calculate the current rate of pressure drop per minute (Δ

P) based on P,

compare Δ

P to a threshold pressure drop Δ

P(MAX) of at least 0.003 in.Hg/min,

compare T to a threshold temperature T(MAX), and

signal the alarm when Δ

P equals or exceeds Δ

P(MAX) and T meets or exceeds T(MAX).

2. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

a status indicator in electrical communication with the microcontroller.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein:

the microcontroller is further adapted to compare the current pressure P to a threshold pressure P(MIN), and

signal the alarm when P is less than or equal to P(MIN).

4. An apparatus for detecting the immediate localized presence of a tornado comprising:

an outdoor sensor assembly useful in an outdoor environment, said outdoor sensor assembly including;

a barometric pressure sensor,

a wind speed sensor,

a temperature sensor, and

a humidity sensor,

an indoor controller assembly in electrical communication with the outdoor sensor assembly, said indoor controller assembly including;

an alarm, and

a microcontroller adapted to

accept the incoming data for pressure (P), temperature (T),

calculate the current rate of pressure drop per minute (Δ

P),

calculate the current dew point (DP),

compare Δ

P to a threshold pressure drop Δ

P(MAX),

compare T to a threshold temperature T(MAX),

compare DP to a threshold dew point DP(MAX), and

signal the alarm when Δ

P, T, and DP meet or exceed their respective threshold values.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 further comprising:

a status indicator in electrical communication with the microcontroller.