Method of outputting weather/environmental information from weather/environmental sensors

Abstract

A method of generating individualized real-time weather and environmental information, including receiving weather or environmental condition data from weather and environmental sensors, analyzing the data received from the sensors to generate weather and environmental information, and transmitting the information to a communicator device. The method may include determining a spatial range of a sensor and/or determining if a communicator device is within close proximity of a sensor. The sensors may be mounted in fixed locations along a roadway or a railway. The sensors may be approximately equidistant.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of delivering individualized weather information that is location-specific using an interactive advisory system, the method comprising:
 storing a first spatial range identifier and a user identifier code, wherein the first spatial range identifier identifies a spatial range surrounding a respective spatial location identifier that triggers weather information outputs to a user, and wherein the user identifier code identifies a communicator device associated with the user;   receiving, by a weather analysis unit, weather information from weather sensors and third-party databases;   receiving real-time data indicative of a spatial location of the communicator device;   determining whether the communicator device is located within a first spatial range of a first spatial location identifier of the plurality of spatial location identifiers by:
 determining a respective first spatial range of each of the plurality of spatial locations based on the first spatial range identifier; and 
 determining whether the communicator device is within one of the respective first spatial ranges; and 
   in response to determining that the communicator device is located within the first spatial range of the first spatial location identifier, outputting, to the communicator device, the weather information received from the weather sensors and third-party databases for the first spatial location identifier.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first spatial range identifier is selected for use based on the spatial location of the communicator device. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 storing a second spatial range identifier; and   determining whether the communicator device is located within a second spatial range of a second spatial location identifier of the plurality of spatial location identifiers by:
 determining a respective second spatial range of each of the plurality of spatial locations based on the second spatial range identifier; and 
 determining whether the communicator device is within one of the respective second spatial ranges; and 
   in response to determining that the communicator device is located within the second spatial range of the second spatial location identifier, outputting, to the communicator device, the weather information received from the weather sensors and third-party databases for the second spatial location identifier.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the weather analysis unit generates predictions of weather-related events based on comparisons of past and current events contained in a weather information database. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first spatial range identifier defines a physical location on or above the earth's surface. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving, by the weather analysis unit, additional weather information from the weather sensors and the third-party databases; and   outputting, to the communicator device, the additional weather information received from the weather sensors and third-party databases for the first spatial location identifier.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 storing a first time identifier; and   determining a probability of weather pattern occurring at a time identified by the first time identifier.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 determining a weather content identifier based the weather information; and   modifying the spatial range surrounding the respective spatial location identifier that triggers weather information outputs to the user based on the weather content identifier.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the weather content identifier identifies a weather pattern from a plurality of weather patterns. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the weather sensors are selected based on geographic areas associated with predetermined users. 
     
     
         11 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium for delivering individualized weather information that is location-specific using an interactive advisory system comprising instructions recorded thereon that when executed by one or more processors cause operations comprising:
 storing a first spatial range identifier and a user identifier code, wherein the first spatial range identifier identifies a spatial range surrounding a respective spatial location identifier that triggers weather information outputs to a user, and wherein the user identifier code identifies a communicator device associated with the user;   receiving, by a weather analysis unit, weather information from weather sensors and third-party databases;   receiving real-time data indicative of a spatial location of the communicator device;   determining whether the communicator device is located within a first spatial range of a first spatial location identifier of the plurality of spatial location identifiers by:
 determining a respective first spatial range of each of the plurality of spatial locations based on the first spatial range identifier; and 
 determining whether the communicator device is within one of the respective first spatial ranges; and 
   in response to determining that the communicator device is located within the first spatial range of the first spatial location identifier, outputting, to the communicator device, the weather information received from the weather sensors and third-party databases for the first spatial location identifier.   
     
     
         12 . The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of  claim 11 , wherein the first spatial range identifier is selected for use based on the spatial location of the communicator device. 
     
     
         13 . The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 storing a second spatial range identifier; and   determining whether the communicator device is located within a second spatial range of a second spatial location identifier of the plurality of spatial location identifiers by:
 determining a respective second spatial range of each of the plurality of spatial locations based on the second spatial range identifier; and 
 determining whether the communicator device is within one of the respective second spatial ranges; and 
   in response to determining that the communicator device is located within the second spatial range of the second spatial location identifier, outputting, to the communicator device, the weather information received from the weather sensors and third-party databases for the second spatial location identifier.   
     
     
         14 . The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of  claim 11 , wherein the weather analysis unit generates predictions of weather-related events based on comparisons of past and current events contained in a weather information database. 
     
     
         15 . The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of  claim 11 , wherein the first spatial range identifier defines a physical location on or above the earth's surface. 
     
     
         16 . The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 receiving, by the weather analysis unit, additional weather information from the weather sensors and the third-party databases; and   outputting, to the communicator device, the additional weather information received from the weather sensors and third-party databases for the first spatial location identifier.   
     
     
         17 . The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 storing a first time identifier; and   determining a probability of weather pattern occurring at a time identified by the first time identifier.   
     
     
         18 . The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 determining a weather content identifier based the weather information; and   modifying the spatial range surrounding the respective spatial location identifier that triggers weather information outputs to the user based on the weather content identifier.   
     
     
         19 . The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of  claim 18 , wherein the weather content identifier identifies a weather pattern from a plurality of weather patterns. 
     
     
         20 . The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of  claim 11 , wherein the weather sensors are selected based on geographic areas associated with predetermined users.