Communications: electrical – Condition responsive indicating system – Specific condition
Reexamination Certificate
2000-06-13
2001-08-21
Hofsass, Jeffery (Department: 2632)
Communications: electrical
Condition responsive indicating system
Specific condition
C340S870030
Reexamination Certificate
active
06278375
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF INVENTION
This invention relates generally to warning devices and, more particularly, to a device and a method for warning of the approach of severe weather and tornadoes.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Each year several people are either killed or injured as a result of severe weather in general and tornadoes in particular. While severe weather is inevitable, particularly in the spring of the year, death and injury resulting from such weather can be reduced provided sufficient warning is received in time to allow people to seek appropriate shelter.
Current systems are available that warn of the approach of an oncoming storm. These systems are deficient, however, in that they usually provide weather or tornado warnings that cover a rather large area. Because tornados usually cut a path no more than a mile wide, the fact that current warnings are issued to cover a multi-county area tends to lull people into complacency as far as seeking shelter. As a result, once one realizes that a tornado is definitely in their area, there is often not enough time to take shelter in an appropriate place. For this reason, a device whose warning of approaching severe weather or tornadoes is limited to a specific area would be an important improvement in the art.
Several devices currently exist that warn of tornadoes or severe weather once the storm is in your area. Such devices are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,753,117 (Downing et al.) and U.S. Pat. No. 5,355,350 (Bass et al.). The devices disclosed in these patents rely on particular environmental characteristics generated by an approaching tornado. The Bass et al. patent for example senses certain sounds generated by an approaching storm. Depending on the frequencies, amplitudes, and rate of change of the amplitudes sensed by the Bass et al. device, an acoustic alarm is activated. Downing et al. receives electrical signals which result from the electrical activity associated with an approaching storm. Other devices sense certain electromagnetic or radio frequency emissions resulting from a particular weather pattern or storm. Such devices are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,245,078 (Kohl) and U.S. Pat. No. 3,646,540 (Cooper). Still other warning devices such as the ones disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,717,861 (Wright, Jr.) and U.S. Pat. No. 4,632,052 (Green) are triggered by the sudden drop in barometric pressure that is associated with an approaching tornado.
The problem with the above identified warning devices is that they do not sense a tornado until the storm is directly upon a particular area. This allows little or no time to respond, particularly if one has to round up children and/or pets before heading to a storm shelter. For this reason, a tornado warning device that provides a warning that is limited to a specific area yet is activated soon enough to allow time to respond would be an important improvement in the art.
Beginning in 1997, the Emergency Broadcast System was replaced with the Emergency Alert System (EAS). The EAS uses Specific Area Message Encoding (S.A.M.E.) technology to distribute messages thereby allowing for great improvement in how the public is provided with emergency information. The new system allows state and local officials to quickly send out important area-specific state and local emergency information. S.A.M.E. uses digital codes developed by the National Weather Service (NWS). Using these codes, NWS offices can originate coded messages that are area-specific thereby allowing emergency warnings to be transmitted to people only in the affected geographic area.
Currently, EAS signals are received in specially equipped consumer products such as televisions, and radios. However, no warning device exists that is capable of being mounted on the wall or ceiling of a room or, placed on a counter top. Such a device would be an important improvement in the art as it would allow individuals who may be involved in activities unrelated to radio or television when the warning is issued to be able to hear the alarm. Therefore, a device capable of operating in a standby mode whereby it receives the codes transmitted by the NWS and activates a warning signal in response to a particular preselected code without any user interaction would be an important improvement in the art.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
An object of the invention is to provide a device and method for warning of the approach of severe weather and tornadoes that overcomes some of the problems and shortcomings of the prior art.
Another object of the invention is to provide a device and method for warning of the approach of severe weather and tornadoes that limits such warning to severe weather occurring in a specific area.
Another object of the invention is to provide a device and method for warning of the approach of severe weather and tornadoes that is capable of being mounted on a wall or ceiling.
How these and other objects are accomplished will become apparent from the following descriptions and the drawings.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with the present invention, a warning device is provided for warning of the approach of severe weather to a geographical area. The warning device includes a receiver for receiving a broadcast signal. The broadcast signal has a first component corresponding to one of the plurality of geographical areas and a second component corresponding to one of a plurality of types of severe weather. A geographical selection device having a plurality of settings is also provided. Each setting of the geographical selection devices corresponds to a selected geographical area. A weather selection device corresponding to a first type of severe weather is also provided. The weather selection device is movable between a first on position wherein a warning signal is generated in response to a selected geographical area being the same as the first component of the broadcast signal and to the second component of the broadcast signal being the same as the first type of severe weather and a second off position. It is contemplated that a signal indicate that a weather selection device is in the on position.
The warning signal has a first audible component and a second visual component. The audible component of the warning signal is generated for a predetermined time period. Thereafter, the visual component of the warning signal is generated. The warning device may include an acknowledge button movable between a first off position and a second on position for terminating the first audible component of the warning signal prior to completion of a predetermined time period.
In accordance with a still further aspect of the present invention, a warning device is provided for warning of the approach of severe weather to a geographical area. The warning device includes a receiver for receiving a broadcast signal. The broadcast signal has a first component corresponding to one of a plurality of geographical areas and a second component corresponding to one of a plurality of types of severe weather. A geographical selection device is provided having a plurality of settings. The setting of the geographical selection device corresponds to a selected geographical area. A plurality of weather selection devices is also provided. Each weather selection device responds to one of the plurality of types of severe weather and is movable between a first on position and a second off position. A comparator circuit compares the first component of the broadcast signal to the setting of the geographical selection device such that a warning signal is generated in response to the setting of the geographical selection device being the same of the first component of the broadcast signal and in response to the weather selection device corresponding to the type of severe weather of the second component of the broadcast signal being in the on position. A plurality of visual displays are positioned adjacent to corresponding weather selection devices for indicating that a weather selection device is in the on position.
The warning signal includes an audible component which
Boyle Fredrickson Newholm Stein & Gratz S.C.
Hofsass Jeffery
Previl Daniel
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