Severe weather detector and alarm

• US RE45,514 E1
• Filed: 12/07/2012
• Issued: 05/12/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/13/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: La Crosse Technology IP Holdings LLC
• Original Assignee: La Crosse Technology IP Holdings LLC
• Inventors: Brown, Anthony
• Primary Examiner(s): Charioui, Mohamed
• Application Number:
  US13/708,226
• Time in Patent Office: 886 Days
• Field of Search: 702/3, 702/4, 702/57, 702/58, 702/61, 702/65, 702/68, 702/75, 702/99, 702/104, 702/122, 702/140, 702/138, 702/177, 702/179, 702/188, 702/189, 702/193, 455/412.2, 455/553.1, 455/555, 455/556.1, 455/557, 370/310, 370/338, 342/26.A, 342/26.B, 342/26.D, 342/26.R
• US Class Current: 702/3
• CPC Class Codes: G01W 1/04 giving only separate indications of the variables measured
• CPC Class Codes: G01W 1/06 giving a combined indication of weather conditions catathermometers for measuring "cooling value" related either to weather conditions or to comfort of other human environment G01W1/17; computers per se G06
• CPC Class Codes: G01W 1/10 Devices for predicting weather conditions computers per se G06; display devices G09
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 50/12 Early warning systems for extreme weather events

Abstract

A compact, portable weather station for predicting local extreme weather conditions and for reporting remote weather conditions. The weather station has sensors for determining local temperature, barometric pressure, humidity, ambient light, and ambient static charge. A microprocessor has memory for storing data relating to past weather conditions and data processing apparatus and algorithms for determining probable developing weather conditions responsive to sensed local conditions. The weather station has a radio receiver for communicating with global weather reporting communications systems utilizing cellular communications. Operating commands, predicted local weather conditions, and remote weather conditions are annunciated in synthesized voice in any one of a variety of predetermined languages. The weather station includes voice synthesizing and recognition apparatus for annunciating verbal prompts and weather conditions, and for responding to vocal control. The weather station is formed in two separable components, one having sensors and the other having radio communications apparatus.

Claims

1. A weather station for monitoring weather conditions at at least one remote location comprising:

a detachable, portable, battery-powered and hand-holdable weather station unit situated at the at least one remote location including;

a microprocessor;

at least one data sensor coupled to the microprocessor for generating a data signal representative of weather conditions at the at least one remote location;

a transmitter coupled to the microprocessor for transmitting said data signal;

an antenna coupled to the transmitter, and

a detachable, portable, battery powered and hand holdable weather station receiver for receiving and displaying the weather conditions received from said weather station unit.

2. The weather station of claim 1 wherein the data sensor monitors the weather data and wherein the transmitter is configured to wirelessly transmit a data signal, said data signal being representative of the weather data monitored at the at least one location.

3. The weather station of claim 1 wherein the data sensor senses temperature.

4. The weather station of claim 1 wherein the data sensor senses wind speed.

5. The weather station of claim 1 wherein the data sensor senses rain.

6. The weather station of claim 1 wherein the data sensor senses barometric pressure.

7. The weather station of claim 1 wherein the data sensor senses ambient light.

8. The weather station of claim 1 wherein the data sensor senses static charge.

9. The weather station of claim 1 wherein the data sensor senses humidity.

10. The weather station of claim 1 wherein the receiver comprises an indicating circuit configured to indicate a temperature trend.

11. The weather station of claim 1 wherein the receiver further comprises an alarm configured to indicate an alarm condition responsive to a comparison of the data signal received by the receiver with a predetermined threshold value.

12. The weather station of claim 1 wherein the receiver further comprises an indicating circuit configured to indicate a signal strength of the data signal being received by the receiver.

13. The weather station of claim 1 wherein the receiver is configured to receive a telemetry signal from a NOAA weather radio.

14. The weather station of claim 1 further comprising an alarm.

15. The weather station of claim 14 wherein the alarm is triggered when a probability of a predetermined weather condition is detected.

26. The weather station of claim 1 wherein the receiver is configured to receive a telemetry signal from a NOAA weather radio.

27. The weather station of claim 14 wherein the alarm is triggered when a predetermined weather condition is detected.

16. A weather station for monitoring weather conditions at at least one remote location comprising:

a portable, battery-powered and hand-holdable weather station unit situated at the at least one remote location including;

a microprocessor;

at least one data sensor coupled to the microprocessor for sensing at least one weather condition and generating a data signal representative of the at least one weather condition condition at the at least one remote location;

a transmitter coupled to the at least one data sensor for transmitting said data signal; and

an antenna coupled to the transmitter,

a portable, battery powered and hand holdable receiver configured to receive the data signal comprising;

a storage device configured to store at least one of a plurality of measured remote weather conditions;

a processor configured to generate a prediction of a weather condition, the prediction being based on the data signal received by the receiver and at least one of the measured weather conditions stored in the storage device; and

an indicating circuit configured to indicate the prediction.

17. The weather station of claim 16 wherein the receiver further comprises an interface configured to receive a latitude coordinate.

18. The weather station of claim 16 wherein the receiver further comprises an interface configured to receive a longtitude coordinate.

19. The weather station of claim 16 wherein the receiver further comprises an interface configured to receive a geographic area latitude position.

20. The weather station of claim 16 wherein the receiver further comprises an interface configured to receive a geographic area longtitude position.

21. The weather station of claim 16 wherein the processor is coupled to the receiver and storage device and configured to generate a prediction of a potential remote weather condition, the prediction being based on the data signal received by the weather station receiver and at least one of the measured weather conditions compared to said stored data.

22. The weather station of claim 16 wherein the prediction of a weather condition is based on the received data signal and at least one of the measured weather conditions stored in the storage device.

23. The weather station of claim 16 wherein the indicating circuit is configured to indicate a temperature trend.

24. The weather station of claim 16 wherein the receiver further comprises an alarm configured to indicate an alarm condition responsive to a comparison of the data signal received by the receiver with a predetermined threshold value.

25. The weather station of claim 16 wherein the indicating circuit comprises a signal strength indicator configured to indicate a signal strength of the data signal being received by the receiver.

28. The weather station of claim 16 further comprising an alarm.

29. The weather station of claim 28 wherein the alarm is triggered when a predetermined weather condition is detected.

30. The weather station of claim 28 wherein the alarm is triggered when a probability of a predetermined weather condition is detected.

31. A portable weather station comprising:

(a) a portable, battery-powered weather station sensor unit, said sensor unit comprising a hand-holdable housing on or in which is provided;

a sensor configured to detect a local area weather condition; and

sensor unit circuitry configured to sample and wirelessly transmit data of the local area weather condition; and

(b) a portable, battery-powered weather station receiver unit, for use with the portable, battery-powered weather station sensor unit when in communication with the portable, battery-powered weather station sensor unit, wherein the portable, battery-powered weather station receiver unit includes a hand-holdable housing on or in which is provided;

first radio frequency receiving circuitry configured to receive, from the portable, battery-powered weather station sensor unit, the data of the local area weather condition;

second radio frequency receiving circuitry configured to receive a wireless transmission transmitted by a remote source which is located remotely from both the portable, battery-powered weather station sensor unit and the portable, battery-powered weather station receiver unit, wherein said wireless transmission includes data from the remote source;

at least one data storage device;

at least one visual display;

microprocessor circuitry coupled to the first and second receiving circuits, configured to;

store, in said at least one data storage device, the data of the local weather condition and the data from the remote source, and

output, to said at least one visual display, the data of the local weather condition and the data from the remote source.

32. A portable weather station according to claim 31, wherein the wireless transmission transmitted by the remote source comprises a transmission over a wireless network.

33. A portable weather station according to claim 31, wherein said microprocessor circuitry is further configured to process the data from the remote source using a protocol compatible with the wireless transmission, and to select weather information from a selected geographic location.

34. A portable weather station according to claim 31, wherein said portable, battery-powered weather station receiver unit further comprises a user interface for selecting a mode of operation from a plurality of modes of operation, each mode of operation in the plurality of modes of operation defining different operating characteristics for the weather station receiver unit.

35. A portable weather station according to claim 31, wherein the microprocessor circuitry is further configured to output to the at least one visual display, a data of a predicted weather condition.

36. An apparatus, comprising:

a portable, battery-powered receiver unit, wherein the portable, battery-powered receiver unit includes a hand-holdable housing comprising;

first radio frequency receiving circuitry configured to receive data of a local area weather condition supplied by a first source;

second radio frequency receiving circuitry configured to receive a wireless transmission transmitted by a second source;

at least one data storage device;

at least one visual display;

microprocessor circuitry coupled to the first and second receiving circuits, configured to;

store, in said at least one data storage device, the data of the local weather condition and the data from the second source, and

output, to said at least one visual display, the data of the local weather condition and the data from the second source.

37. An apparatus according to claim 36, wherein the wireless transmission transmitted by the second source comprises a transmission over a wireless network.

38. An apparatus according to claim 36, wherein the microprocessor circuitry is further configured to process the data from the second source using a protocol compatible with the wireless transmission, and to select weather information from a selected geographic location.

39. An apparatus according to claim 36, wherein the portable, battery-powered weather station receiver unit further comprises a user interface for selecting a mode of operation from a plurality of modes of operation, each mode of operation in the plurality of modes of operation defining different operating characteristics for the portable, battery-powered weather station receiver unit.

40. An apparatus according to claim 36, wherein the microprocessor circuitry is further configured to output, to the at least one visual display, data of a predicted weather condition.

41. A portable weather station, comprising:

a portable, hand-holdable weather station receiver unit, the portable, hand-holdable weather station receiver unit including;

a first receiver configured for receiving data of a local area weather condition supplied from a first source;

a second receiver configured for receiving a wireless transmission transmitted by a second source;

at least one data storage device;

at least one visual display;

a processing device configured to;

store, in said at least one data storage device, the data of the local weather condition and the data from the second source, and

output, to said at least one visual display, the data of the local weather condition and the data from the second source.

42. A portable weather station according to claim 41, wherein the wireless transmission transmitted by the second source comprises a transmission over a wireless network.

43. A portable weather station according to claim 41, wherein the processing device is further configured for processing the data from the second source using a protocol compatible with the wireless transmission, and for selecting weather information from a selected geographic location.

44. A portable weather station according to claim 41, wherein said portable, hand-holdable weather station receiver unit further comprises a user interface for selecting a mode of operation from a plurality of modes of operation, each mode of operation in the plurality of modes of operation defining different operating characteristics for the portable, hand-holdable weather station receiver unit.

45. A portable weather station according to claim 41, wherein the processing device is further configured to output, to the at least one visual display, data of a predicted weather condition.

46. A portable weather station according to claim 41, further comprising:

a portable, hand-holdable weather station sensor unit including;

at least one data sensor for generating the data of the local weather condition; and

a transmitter for transmitting the data of the local weather condition via a radio frequency signal.

47. A portable weather station according to claim 41, wherein the portable, hand-holdable weather station sensor unit is battery-powered, and wherein the portable, hand-holdable weather station receiver unit is battery-powered.

48. A weather station for monitoring weather conditions at at least one remote location comprising:

a portable, battery-powered and hand-holdable weather station unit situated at the at least one remote location including;

a microprocessor;

at least one data sensor coupled to the microprocessor for sensing at least one weather condition and generating a data signal representative of the at least one weather condition at the at least one remote location;

a transmitter coupled to the at least one data sensor for transmitting said data signal; and

an antenna coupled to the transmitter,

a portable, battery-powered and hand-holdable receiver unit comprising;

a first receiver configured to receive the data signal;

a second receiver configured to receive a wireless transmission transmitted by a remote source which is located remotely from both the portable, battery-powered and hand-holdable weather station unit and the portable, battery-powered and hand-holdable receiver unit, wherein the wireless transmission includes data from the remote source;

a storage device configured to store at least one of a plurality of measured remote weather conditions;

a processor configured to generate a prediction of a weather condition, the prediction being based on the data signal received by the first receiver and at least one of the measured weather conditions stored in the storage device; and

an indicating circuit configured to indicate the prediction.

49. The weather station of claim 48 wherein the processor is coupled to the first receiver and storage device and configured to generate a prediction of a potential remote weather condition, the prediction being based on the data signal received by the first receiver and at least one of the measured weather conditions compared to said stored data.

50. The weather station of claim 48 wherein the prediction of a weather condition is based on the received data signal and at least one of the measured weather conditions stored in the storage device.

51. The weather station of claim 48 wherein the indicating circuit is configured to indicate a temperature range.

52. The weather station of claim 48 further comprising an alarm.

53. The weather station of claim 52 wherein the alarm is triggered when a predetermined weather condition is detected.

54. The weather station of claim 52 wherein the alarm is triggered when a probability of a predetermined weather condition is detected.