Method and computer program product for weather adapted, consumer event planning

Abstract

A system and method for forecasting future retail performance are described herein. The system includes a storage device that stores a sales history database, a weather history database, and a weather forecast database. An analyzer determines the extent to which past retail performance of a plurality of products at a plurality of locations was affected by weather using the sales history database and the weather history database. A configurator, coupled to the analyzer, estimates expected future retail performance of the products at the stores for a plurality of future time periods using the weather forecast database and results produced by the analyzer. A graphical user interface, coupled to the analyzer and the configurator, enables users to view and manipulate results produced by the analyzer and the configurator to thereby forecast future retail performance of the products at the locations. In an embodiment of the present invention, a consumer weather planner system allows consumers to perform weather-based planning for future events (e.g., golfing, vacations, weddings, etc.).

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method for providing weather planning services, comprising the steps of: 
 (1) receiving a geographic location input for a future event;    (2) receiving a future time period input for said future event; and    (3) causing a report to be displayed comprising the weather plan, during said future time period, for said geographic location;    whereby said report is used by a user to determine the weather for said future event.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein steps (1)-(3) are performed over the Internet.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said future time period input is up to one-year ahead.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein step (2) comprises the step of: 
 receiving said future time period input specified in one of the following formats: 
 (a) a holiday and a year for said holiday for said future event; and  
 (b) a starting date and an ending date for said future event.  
   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein step (3) comprises the steps of: 
 (a) generating a weather plan for said geographic location during said future time period;    (b) transferring said weather plan to a requestor.    
     
     
         6 . A method for providing weather planning services, comprising the steps of: 
 (1) receiving a future time period input for a future event;    (2) receiving a preferred weather pattern input for said future event;    (3) receiving a list of preferred geographic locations for said future event; and    (4) causing a report to be displayed listing dates, within said future time period, that satisfy said preferred weather pattern, for each of said preferred geographic locations;    whereby said report is used by a user to select the geographic location for said future event.    
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein steps (1)-(4) are performed over the Internet.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein said future time period input is up to one-year ahead.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein step (1) comprises the step of: 
 receiving said future time period input specified in one of the following formats: 
 (a) a holiday and a year for said holiday for said future event; and  
 (b) a starting date and an ending date for said future event.  
   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein step (2) comprises the step of: 
 receiving said preferred weather pattern input specified in one of the following formats: 
 (a) a daytime high temperature, a nighttime low temperature, and a desired precipitation level for said future event; and  
 (b) a desired temperature for said future event, wherein said desired temperature is specified as one of the following:  
   (i) warm;    (ii) seasonable; and    (iii) cold.    
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein step (4) comprises the steps of: 
 (a) generating a weather plan for each day of said future time period for each of said preferred geographic locations; and    (b) transferring said weather plan to a requestor.    
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein step (4) further comprises the step of: 
 (c) displaying a ranking for each of said list of preferred geographic locations, wherein said ranking is based on said weather plan.    
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein step (4) further comprises the step of: 
 (d) resolving conflicts among said rankings by weighting said preferred weather pattern input for each day of said future time period using said weather plan.    
     
     
         14 . A method for providing weather planning services, comprising the steps of: 
 (1) receiving a preferred weather pattern input for a future event;    (2) receiving a future time period input for said future event;    (3) receiving a geographic location input for said future event; and    (4) causing a report to be displayed that lists dates, within said future time period, that satisfy said preferred weather pattern for said geographic location;    whereby said report is used by a user to select a date for said future event.    
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein steps (1)-(4) are performed over the Internet.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein said future time period input is up to one-year ahead.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein step (1) comprises the step of: 
 receiving said preferred weather pattern input specified in one of the following formats: 
 (a) a daytime high temperature, a nighttime low temperature, and a desired precipitation level for said future event; and  
 (b) a desired temperature for said future event, wherein said desired temperature is specified as one of the following: 
 (i) warm;  
 (ii) seasonable; and  
 (iii) cold.  
 
   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein step (2) comprises the steps of: 
 (a) receiving a month range input for said future event;    (b) receiving a start day of the week input for said future event; and    (c) receiving a number of consecutive days input for said future event.    
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein step (4) comprises the steps of: 
 (a) generating a weather plan for each day of said future time period for said geographic location; and    (b) transferring said weather plan to a requester.    
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein step (4) further comprises the step of: 
 (c) displaying a ranking for each of said dates, wherein said ranking is based on said weather plan.    
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein step (4) further comprises the step of: 
 (d) resolving conflicts among said rankings by weighting said preferred weather pattern input for each day of said future time period using said weather plan.    
     
     
         22 . A method for receiving weather planning services, comprising the steps of: 
 (1) providing a geographic location input for a future event;    (2) providing a future time period input for said future event, wherein said future time period input is up to one-year ahead; and    (3) displaying a report to be displayed comprising the weather plan, during said future time period, for said geographic location;    whereby said report is used by a user to determine the weather for said future event.    
     
     
         23 . A method for receiving weather planning services, comprising the steps of: 
 (1) providing a future time period input for a future event, wherein said future time period is up to one-year ahead;    (2) providing a preferred weather pattern input for said future event;    (3) providing a list of preferred geographic locations for said future event; and    (4) displaying a report listing dates, within said future time period, that satisfy said preferred weather pattern, for each of said preferred geographic locations;    whereby said report is used to select the geographic location for said future event.    
     
     
         24 . A method for receiving weather planning services, comprising the steps of: 
 (1) providing a preferred weather pattern input for a future event;    (2) providing a future time period input for said future event;    (3) providing a geographic location input for said future event; and    (4) displaying a report listing dates, within said future time period, that satisfy said preferred weather pattern for said geographic location;    whereby said report is used to select a date for said future event.    
     
     
         25 . A computer program product comprising a computer usable medium having computer readable program code means embodied in said medium for causing an application program to execute on a computer that provides weather planning services, said computer readable program code means comprising: 
 a first computer readable program code means for causing the computer to receive a geographic location input for a future event;    a second computer readable program code means for causing the computer to receive a future time period input for said future event; and    a third computer readable program code means for causing the computer to cause a report to be displayed comprising the weather plan, during said future time period, for said geographic location.    
     
     
         26 . A computer program product comprising a computer usable medium having computer readable program code means embodied in said medium for causing an application program to execute on a computer that provides weather planning services, said computer readable program code means comprising: 
 a first computer readable program code means for causing the computer to receive a future time period input for a future event;    a second computer readable program code means for causing the computer to receive a preferred weather pattern input for said future event;    a third computer readable program code means for causing the computer to receive a list of preferred geographic locations for said future event; and    a fourth computer readable program code means for causing the computer to cause a report to be displayed listing dates, within said future time period, that satisfy said preferred weather pattern, for each of said preferred geographic locations.    
     
     
         27 . A computer program product comprising a computer usable medium having computer readable program code means embodied in said medium for causing an application program to execute on a computer that provides weather planning services, said computer readable program code means comprising: 
 a first computer readable program code means for causing the computer to receive a preferred weather pattern input for a future event;    a second computer readable program code means for causing the computer to receive a future time period input for said future event;    a third computer readable program code means for causing the computer to receive a geographic location input for said future event; and    a fourth computer readable program code means for causing the computer to cause a report to be displayed that lists dates, within said future time period, that satisfy said preferred weather pattern for said geographic location.