Patent · US Expired

Method and apparatus for activating warning devices

US6646559B2 · kind B2 · utility

92Cited by
16References
26Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateFeb 22, 2002
Grant dateNov 11, 2003
Priority date
Expiry dateFeb 23, 2022

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY02A10/40
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

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.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.