System and method for providing environmental information to a wireless transmitter coverage area

• US 8,599,013 B1
• Filed: 10/22/2008
• Issued: 12/03/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Baron Services Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Baron Services Incorporated
• Inventors: Baron, Robert O. Sr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Tai T
• Assistant Examiner(s): NWUGO, OJIAKO K
• Application Number:
  US12/256,023
• Time in Patent Office: 1,868 Days
• Field of Search: 340/905, 340/539.28
• US Class Current: 340/539.28
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 27/005 with transmission via computer network
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 27/006 with transmission via telephone network
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/06 Selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS]; Services to user groups; One-way selective calling services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/90 Services for handling of emergency or hazardous situations, e.g. earthquake and tsunami warning systems [ETWS]

Abstract

The present system and methods provides for distribution of weather and other environmental information to remote users within a wireless transmitter coverage area. The system and method assigns meteorological data to a plurality of cells, each corresponding to a communication range of a wireless transmitter. The data is then distributed by the appropriate wireless transmitter to all users within its coverage area. The system and method does not distribute information to a particular user based upon a known communication address, user profile, or identification, but rather is directed to any user falling within the communications range of the wireless transmitter. By indiscriminate distribution of reportable events, the system provides timely, site-specific information without requiring the location of the remote units.

Claims

1. A system for distributing weather information to remote users, the remote users having unknown specific geographic locations comprising a computer system configured with processor readable instructions to:

(a) receive and process meteorological data related to a geographic area to,

(i) generate reporting data according to a meteorological data matrix comprising a plurality of grid cells each having a geographical location that categorizes the reporting data into different types of meteorological phenomena, and

(ii) filter the reporting data to determine the grid cells having meteorological threshold reporting data, said filtering step comprising comparing said reporting data to a pre-defined criteria such that if the reporting data satisfies the pre-defined criteria the presence of meteorological threshold reporting data is affirmatively determined,

(b) identify, if the presence of meteorological threshold data is affirmatively determined, one or more cellular telephone transmitters having a geographical communications range that overlaps with the geographical location of the grid cells having meteorological threshold reporting data,

(c) derive a weather data message specific to the identified cellular telephone transmitter from the threshold meteorological reporting data for the grid cells having a geographic location that overlaps with the communications range of the identified cellular telephone transmitter;

(d) transmit the weather data message to the identified cellular telephone transmitter for transmission to all remote users within the communications range of the determined cellular telephone transmitter, wherein said remote users have unknown geographic locations within the communications range.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the weather data message comprises a meteorological data matrix.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the weather data message comprises an aggregate weather data product.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the weather data message comprises a text message.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the weather data message comprises a voice message.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the weather data message comprises a push message.

7. A method for distributing meteorological data comprising:

(a) receiving meteorological data for a geographic area;

(b) processing the meteorological data to obtain reporting data according to a meteorological data matrix that categorizes the reporting data into different types of meteorological phenomena, the meteorological data matrix comprising a plurality grid cells each having a geographical location;

(c) filtering the reporting data to determine the grid cells having meteorological threshold reporting data, said filtering step comprising comparing said reporting data to a pre-defined criteria such that if the reporting data satisfies the pre-defined criteria the presence of meteorological threshold reporting data is affirmatively determined;

(d) identifying, if the presence of meteorological threshold data is affirmatively determined, one or more wireless transmitters having a geographical communications range that overlaps with the geographical location of the grid cells having meteorological threshold reporting data;

(e) deriving a weather data message from the threshold reporting data for the grid cells having a geographic location that overlaps with the communications range of the identified wireless transmitter; and

(f) transmitting said weather data message to the identified wireless transmitter for transmission over its communication range to remote users within the communications range, wherein said remote users have unknown geographic locations.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the transmitter is a cellular transmitter.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein the weather data message comprises a meteorological data matrix.

10. The method of claim 7 wherein the weather data message comprises an aggregate weather data product.

11. The method of claim 7 wherein the weather data message comprises a text message.

12. The method of claim 7 wherein the weather data message comprises a push message.

13. The method of claim 7 wherein the weather data message comprises an image file.

14. The method of claim 7 wherein the weather data message is specific to the identified transmitters.

15. The method of claim 7 further comprising:

transmitting the weather data message from the one or more wireless transmitters to remote units within the communications range of said one or more wireless transmitters;

receiving the weather data message by the remote units within the communications range of the one or more wireless transmitters;

comparing the weather data message to the remote unit'"'"'s pre-defined criteria for reporting; and

triggering the remote units to report if said weather data message meets the remote unit'"'"'s pre-defined criteria.

16. The method of claim 7 further comprising:

transmitting the weather data message from the one or more wireless transmitters to remote units within the communications range of said one or more wireless transmitters,

receiving the weather data message by the remote units within the communications range of the one or more wireless transmitters; and

triggering the remote units to report that weather data message has been received.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the remote units comprise at least one cellular phone.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the report that a weather data message has been received comprises a ring tone.

19. The method of claim 17 wherein the report that a weather data message has been received comprises a vibration.

20. The method of claim 16 wherein the remote units comprise at least one wi-fi enabled device.

21. The method of claim 15 wherein the pre-defined criteria comprises the type of weather event.

22. The method of claim 15 wherein the pre-defined criteria comprises the time of day.

23. A mobile remote wireless unit for receiving and processing weather data comprising:

(a) a receiver baying an unknown geographic location within a coverage area of one or more wireless transmitters, said receiver configured to receive weather data messages from one or more wireless transmitters, the weather data messages containing geographic location information, wherein the geographic location information comprises the geographic location of one or more grid cells overlapping the coverage area of the one or more wireless transmitters and said geographic location information is independent of the receiver'"'"'s unknown geographic location wherein the weather data messages are derived from reporting data specific to said one or more grid cells, and wherein the weather data message is specific to the grid cells overlapping the coverage area of the one or more wireless transmitters; and

(b) a computer system having memory configured with processor-readable instructions to (i) allow the remote unit to identify pre-defined criteria based in part upon the type and severity of a weather event characterized by a weather data message and (ii) filter the weather data message from the one or more wireless transmitters for the remote unit'"'"'s pre-defined criteria for reporting and if the said weather data message meets the pre-defined criteria to trigger the mobile remote wireless unit to report that the weather data message has been received.

24. The mobile remote wireless unit of claim 23 wherein the weather data messages contain data indicative of the reporting data in the grid cells and further comprising a geo-location system that provides a geographic position of the mobile unit, and the computer system further configured to identify the reporting data for the grid cell corresponding to the remote unit'"'"'s geographic location.

25. The mobile remote wireless unit of claim 23 wherein the computer system is further configured to specify the type of report.

26. The mobile remote wireless unit of claim 23 wherein the computer system is further configured to specify the type of notification.

27. The mobile remote wireless unit of claim 23 wherein the mobile remote wireless unit comprises a wi-fi enabled devices.

28. The mobile remote wireless unit of claim 23 wherein the unit'"'"'s pre-defined criteria comprises the time of day.

29. The mobile remote wireless unit of claim 23 wherein the computer system is further configured to display the reporting data.

30. The mobile remote wireless unit of claim 23 wherein the computer system is further configured to display the weather data message that meets the pre-defined criteria.

31. The mobile remote wireless unit of claim 23 wherein the weather data message comprises a meteorological data matrix.

32. The mobile remote wireless unit of claim 23 wherein the weather data message comprises an aggregate weather data product.

33. The mobile remote wireless unit of claim 29 wherein the reporting data is a text message.

34. A method of providing meteorological information to one or more remote units located within the communications range of at least one of a plurality of wireless transmitters, said method comprising:

(a) receiving meteorological data pertaining to a geographic area;

(b) partitioning said geographic area into a geographic grid comprising a plurality of cells, said cells each having a geographical location;

(c) processing the meteorological data to generate reporting data for the cells;

(d) identifying one or more wireless transmitters having a coverage area containing the geographical location of the cells having reporting data;

(e) creating, if said reporting data meets certain pre-defined criteria concerning the type and severity of a weather event described by the meteorological data, a weather data message associated with the reporting data of the cells specific to the identified one or more wireless transmitters; and

(f) transmitting the weather data message to the identified one or more wireless transmitters for transmission to all remote units located within the communication range of said one or more transmitters, wherein location of said remote units within the communications range is not determined.

35. The method of claim 34, further comprising:

creating an aggregate weather data product indicative of the aggregate of reportable weather events for all cells associated with said at least one wireless transmitter, and transmitting said aggregate weather data product to said at least one wireless transmitter.

36. The method of claim 34, further comprising determining whether the weather data message meets the remote unit predetermined criteria wherein said predetermined criteria is at least one of time of day or type of weather event.

37. The method of claim 34, further comprising filtering the reporting data generated for the cells to determine threshold meteorological reporting data, wherein weather data messages are created if threshold meteorological reporting data exists.

38. The method of claim 34, wherein said weather data message includes the geographic location of the cell to which said reporting data pertains and further comprising the step of obtaining the geographic location of the remote unit and identifying the cell corresponding to said geographic location and comparing the reporting data for said cell to said geographic location of the remote unit.

39. The method of claim 34, wherein said weather data message further comprises a URL for providing additional information to said remote unit in response to a request by said remote unit directed to said URL over a communications network.

40. The method of claim 34, further comprising:

filtering the reporting data to determine threshold meteorological reporting data; and

determining if threshold meteorological reporting data meet the remote unit'"'"'s predetermined criteria for reporting.

41. The method of claim 40, wherein the weather data message includes the geographic location of the cell to which said reporting data pertains, and further comprising:

obtaining the geographic location of the remote unit; and

identifying the cell corresponding to said geographic location and comparing the reporting data for said cell to said geographic location of the remote unit.