Communications: directive radio wave systems and devices (e.g. – Directive – Including a satellite
Reexamination Certificate
1999-01-22
2001-10-02
Gregory, Bernarr E. (Department: 3662)
Communications: directive radio wave systems and devices (e.g.,
Directive
Including a satellite
C342S02600R, C342S175000, C342S176000, C342S357490, C342S450000, C342S451000, C342S460000, C702S002000, C702S003000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06297766
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Technical Field
This invention relates to weather display systems and, more particularly, to a portable weather indicating device and method of displaying weather information thereon.
2. Background Art
Interest in weather-related events has dramatically increased during recent years with the advent of high-quality satellite and radar imaging systems, and their increased ability to accurately forecast future weather events. Hikers, bicyclists, campers, building contractors, and others are dependent on accurate weather forecasting and real-time weather information in planning and changing their outdoor activities. Currently, weather messages are continuously broadcasted through a special weather radio signal on the VHF band, ranging between 162.400 and 162.550 MHZ, which is outside the normal AM and FM broadcast bands. This special radio signal is provided by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Special weather radios must be used in order to receive these types of weather broadcasts. Weather messages are repeated every 4 to 6 minutes and are routinely updated every one to six hours, or more often when rapidly changing weather conditions are present. The weather broadcasts may also include severe weather warnings that pose a threat to life and safety.
Another type of weather warning system is provided by Data Transmission Network Corporation (DTN) of Omaha, Nebr. In this system, emergency weather information is sent directly to an alpha-numeric pager. Information such as weather watches, warnings and storm movement in a user's area, and local weather updates twice daily for an eight-county area, severe weather watches and warnings, dense fog advisories, winter storm watches and warnings, highway watches and warnings, freezing precipitation advisories, and avalanche bulletins are available in alpha-numeric format. In addition, an audible alarm may also be provided on the pager to signal certain weather events.
Although these systems provide severe weather warnings and local weather updates at recurring intervals, it is difficult for an end-user to determine his or her particular location with respect to weather events that may be occurring in surrounding areas without real-time or near real-time weather images. This difficulty is further augmented when the end-user is not sure of his or her geographical location. Without adequate resources to determine one's position with respect to storm paths or other weather events, many people may find themselves in difficult or even dangerous weather-related circumstances.
DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION
According to the present invention, a portable weather indicating device comprises a microprocessor; a communication link connected to the microprocessor for receiving weather data and transferring the weather data to the microprocessor; a global locating device, such as a global positioning system (GPS) receiver, connected to the microprocessor for inputting a user's location into the microprocessor; and a display connected to the microprocessor for displaying data received from the microprocessor that is representative of at least one graphical weather image. The graphical weather image includes the location input from the global locating device and the weather data. In one embodiment, the graphical weather image covers a representative area surrounding the user's location. Preferably, the graphical weather image also includes a geographical image that represents an area encompassing the user's location. A location marker or icon representative of the user's location within the geographical image is also preferably displayed. The location marker can be a dot, circle, square, “X”, or any other graphical representation of a user's location with respect to the weather image. The portable weather indicating device of the present invention thus displays graphical weather data for a certain geographic area, along with the location of the portable weather indicating device within that geographic area to indicate the user's position with respect to the features on the weather display.
There are, of course, additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter which will form the subject matter of the appended claims. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the preferred embodiments may readily be used as a basis for designing other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions since they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention. The foregoing and other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following more particular description of preferred embodiments of the invention, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
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NOAAPORT Broadcast System Document, Doc. ID No. AWP.DSN.NPBRD-04.00 (Oct. 1, 1997).
NOAA Weather Radio Brochure (Mar. 1997).
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Gregory Bernarr E.
International Business Machines - Corporation
Martin Derek P.
Martin & Associates L.L.C.
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