User-centric Ip, L.p.

User-centric Enterprises, Inc.

Locator Ip, L.p.

Weatherdata, Inc.

Michael R Smith

Michael R Root

Joel N Myers

Lachlan Myers

Bill Vincent

Perry Jay O'Neil

Mark David Long

A mesoscale modeling system and method that enables meteorologists to adjust forecasts to account for known biases of weather forecasting models and outputs high-resolution images consistent with the adjusted forecasts. The mesoscale modeling system and method may also use a weather forecasting model to forecast future weather events based on one or more adjustments provided by the meteorologists.

Mesoscale modeling

A system that stores information indicative of real-time locations of a wearable alert devices, receives information indicative of a potentially dangerous condition in a geographic area, determines which of the wearable alert devices are in the geographic area, and outputs alerts for transmittal to the wearable alert devices in the geographic area.

Wearable alert system

A system that stores a user profile that associates a wearable alert device with a user and includes contact information for an emergency contact, receives information indicative of a real-time location of the wearable alert device and information indicating that the user of the wearable alert device is potentially experiencing an abnormal physiological condition, and outputs an alert for transmittal to the emergency contact that includes an indication that the user is potentially experiencing the abnormal physiological condition and the real-time location of the wearable alert device.

The invention provides a system and method for receiving hazard and event information in a mobile unit and using that information to warn a user of an event or future hazard with reference to the mobile unit's location and/or intended direction of travel. A hazard location algorithm compares a forecast location of each mobile unit with a forecast hazard and transmits a warning to each mobile unit that is predicted to encounter the hazard. As the mobile unit moves, its actual position is updated in an event center, and a revised warning is transmitted to the mobile unit as applicable. Warnings include audio warnings for playback and/or visual warnings for display on the mobile device. Users may also wirelessly report events or hazards to a central server in an event center by sending data to the event center via a wireless communications network. Secondary information may be included, based on the selected event type.

User-centric event reporting with follow-up information

In one embodiment, a system that stores information indicative of real-time locations of a wearable alert devices, receives information indicative of a potentially dangerous condition in a geographic area, determines which of the wearable alert devices are in the geographic area, and outputs alerts for transmittal to the wearable alert devices in the geographic area. In another embodiment, the system stores a user profile that associates a wearable alert device with a user and includes contact information for an emergency contact, receives information indicative of a real-time location of the wearable alert device and information indicating that the user of the wearable alert device is potentially experiencing an abnormal physiological condition, and outputs an alert for transmittal to the emergency contact that includes an indication that the user is potentially experiencing the abnormal physiological condition and the real-time location of the wearable alert device.

Methods and systems for electronically tracking the progress of teams as they cover an assigned geographic area are described herein. A server computer establishes a coverage area, divides the coverage area into a plurality of regions, and assigns each region to a team. Each team carries a tracking device capable of autonomously determining its present location without user assistance, thus allowing the team to focus on the assigned task, such as searching for a missing person, plowing a field, paving a road, etc. The server monitors the location of each tracking device as each team covers its assigned region, and updates on a visually displayed geographic map a historical path associated with each tracking device based on the monitored location of each tracking device. In this manner, users can quickly view the visual depiction of the historical to determine as yet uncovered areas.

Electronically tracking a path history

The invention provides a system and method for reporting hazard and event information from a mobile unit, and using that information to warn a user of an event or future hazard with reference to the mobile unit's location and/or intended direction of travel. Users may wirelessly report events or hazards to a central server in an event center by sending data to the event center via a wireless communications network. Secondary information may be included, based on the selected event type, along with images, audio, and video of the event. The event center stores event information, including event locations based on the locations of the transmitting mobile units, and makes this information available to allow other users to respond to the hazard or event.

User-centric event reporting

A system and method for receiving hazard and event information in a mobile unit and using that information to warn a user of an event or future hazard with reference to the mobile unit's location and/or intended direction of travel is provided. A hazard location algorithm compares a forecast location of each mobile unit with a forecast hazard and transmits a warning to each mobile unit that is predicted to encounter the hazard. As the mobile unit moves, its actual position is updated in an event center, and a revised warning is transmitted to the mobile unit as applicable. Warnings include audio warnings for playback and/or visual warnings for display on the mobile device. Users may also wirelessly report events or hazards to a central server in an event center by sending data to the event center via a wireless communications network. Secondary information may be included, based on the selected event type.

The invention provides a system and method for receiving weather forecast information in a mobile unit and using that information to warn a user of a future weather hazard with reference to the mobile unit's location and/or intended direction of travel. A hazard location algorithm compares a forecast location of each mobile unit with a forecast hazard and transmits a warning to each mobile unit that is predicted to encounter the hazard. As the mobile unit moves, its actual position is updated in the forecasting center, and a revised warning is transmitted to the mobile unit. The hazard information may be displayed on the user's system in the form of a rotating map with an automatically adjustable range to display warning information in relation to the system's location. Warnings, including audio warnings for playback and crawls for display on a television, can be automatically generated and spoken or displayed to a user.

A meteorological alert system for mobile devices and users that includes a weather information service for analyzing meteorological data, generating device-specific weather alerts and transmitting the alerts to a set of relevant devices is disclosed. The processing system may be built into existing wireless service provider infrastructure or consist of a standalone component capable of interacting with wireless services. The weather alerts and information transmitted to users may be based specifically on each mobile device's particular location and focuses maps and diagrams on the device as a central reference point. Alerts may be sent automatically based on continually monitored weather hazard information as well as based on continually or regularly monitored device locations.

Method and system for generating and sending user-centric weather alerts

A computer-implemented method and system evaluates and displays a return on investment for using weather-related risk-management services. The system includes user interfaces, databases containing information about the accuracy of different forms of weather-related risk-management services and the types and frequency of weather events in different geographical areas, and return on investment functions. The system accepts information about a user's costs of responding to weather warnings and events, retrieves information from its databases and applies the appropriate function to determine a return on investment. The result is then displayed to the user. The method determines the costs of weather-related risks faced by a user under two different risk-management services and compares them, determining a return on investment for the use of one service over the other.

Method and apparatus for calculating a return on investment for weather-related risk management

Methods and systems for normalizing flood warnings and potential flood levels across multiple river gauges by converting localized flood stage levels to a datum-based normalized value are disclosed. The normalized flood levels can then be used to plot flood levels from multiple river gauges on an inundation map. Methods and systems are also disclosed for creating animated inundation maps that illustrate flood levels geographically, and may include an indication of the certainty that flooding will reach one or more of the indicated flood levels through the use of multiple colors, shades, dithering, or the like.

Normalized and animated inundation maps

The invention provides a system and method for receiving weather forecast information in a mobile unit (MU) and using that information to warn a user of a future weather hazard with reference to the MU's location and/or intended direction of travel. A hazard location algorithm compares a forecast location of each MU with a forecast hazard and transmits a warning to each MU that is predicted to encounter the hazard. As the MU moves, its actual position is updated in the forecasting center, and a revised warning is transmitted to the MU. The hazard information may be displayed on the user's system in the form of a rotating map with an automatically adjustable range to display warning information in relation to the system's location. Warnings, including audio warnings for playback and crawls for display on a television, can be automatically generated and spoken or displayed to a user.

Rotating map and user-centric weather prediction

The invention provides a system and method for activating one or more warning devices, such as weather warning sirens, environmental warning devices, flash flood gates, and the like, from a remote or central location. Warning devices situated across geographically dispersed areas can be remotely controlled from a central location, such as a weather center, on the basis of detected and predicted weather patterns and other environmentally hazardous events. One or more warning devices can be quickly and easily activated through a computer-implemented user interface that allows a user to select a group of warning devices that are in the path of an approaching hazardous event. Each warning device is activated through a communication line that transmits an activation code to each device. Each device provides confirmation that it has been activated, and the resulting activation is indicated on a computer screen.

Growing community of inventors

Wichita, KS, United States of America

Michael R Smith