Localized flood alert system

• US 9,773,398 B2
• Filed: 01/03/2017
• Issued: 09/26/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/03/2015
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sunrex Technology Company Limited (Best Elite Holdings Limited), International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Abrahams, Faried, Dhondse, Amol Ashok, Holley, Kerrie, Pikle, Anand, Sivakumar, Gandhi
• Primary Examiner(s): La, Anh V
• Application Number:
  US15/397,007
• Publication Number:
  US 20170124843A1
• Time in Patent Office: 266 Days
• Field of Search: 34053911, 34053913, 34053926, 34053928, 340905, 340601, 340602, 340618, 116 69, 4554041, 455466
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/35 for science, e.g. meteorology
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/10 responsive to calamitous events, e.g. tornados or earthquakes
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/10 using wireless transmission systems G08B25/009 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 27/006 with transmission via telephone network
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 7/066 guiding along a path, e.g. evacuation path lighting strip
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 50/00 in human health protection, e.g. against extreme weather

Abstract

A flood warning system and method are described. The system obtains localized flood depth information and, based upon alert parameter information provided by registered users, creates personalized flood alerts for the registered users. The method uses ultrasound derived localized flood depth information and alert parameter information provided by registered users to provide personalized flood alerts to the registered users.

Claims

1. A flood warning system comprising:

at least one processor coupled to non-transient storage such that the at least one processor can cause information to be stored within the non-transient storage and retrieved from the nontransient storage, the non-transient storage having stored therein personal screening information associated with each of multiple registered personal mobile devices;

a flood alarm system implemented in a cloud environment, that will, based upon GPS information received from an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV), communicatively determine whether any of the registered multiple personal mobile devices are within a specified range of a flood impacted area and, based upon ultrasound-derived flood depth information received from the UAV, determine if any specific ones of the multiple personal mobile devices are within the specified range of the flood impacted area, and will communicate flood-related data messages, screened based upon non-transiently stored personal screening information, retrieved from the non-transient storage and associated with each of the registered personal mobile devices, to the specific personal mobile devices, so as to cause only relevant personalized flood alerts to be displayed, using a processor of each of the specific personal mobile devices, on the specific personal mobile devices; and

wherein the relevant personalized flood alerts comprise a heat map for at least a portion of the flood impacted area, the heat map indicating specific local depth hazards located under the flood waters within the portion, the heat map overlying on top of a street-level geographical map of the portion so that users of the specific personal mobile devices can maneuver through a part of the portion via directions specifying an appropriate path that is provided as part of the relevant personalized flood alerts and avoids specific relevant local depth hazards.

2. The flood warning system of claim 1 wherein the heat map indicates specific local depth hazards using shading.

3. The flood warning system of claim 2 wherein the heat map further comprises:

a flood depth indicator key correlating the shading with specific ultrasound-derived flood depths.

4. The flood warning system of claim 1 further comprising:

an interface, located on registered personal mobile devices, within which the relevant personalized flood alerts are displayed.

5. The flood warning system of claim 1 wherein the personal screening information comprises one or more of:

height, age, mobility issues, ability to swim, or whether an adult user may be accompanied by a child.

6. The flood warning system of claim 1 wherein the personal screening information comprises one or more of:

vehicle make, vehicle model, or existence of vehicle height modifications.