David J Erickson

US Patent:

6335765, Jan 1, 2002

Filed:

Nov 8, 1999

Appl. No.:

09/435552

Inventors:

Richard T. Daly - Madison WI
David N. Erickson - Madison WI
Terence F. Kelly - Madison WI
Victor W. Marsh - Fitchburg WI
John S. Moore - Middleton WI

Assignee:

Weather Central, Inc. - Madison WI

International Classification:

H04N 974

US Classification:

348586, 348598, 348587, 345425, 345114

Abstract:

A virtual three-dimensional presentation in accordance with the present invention includes three layers, a three-dimensional background layer, a two-dimensional video insert layer, and a three-dimensional foreground layer. A surface, the Z-sphere, is defined in the virtual three-dimensional space of the three-dimensional scene with reference to the aim point of a virtual camera looking at the three-dimensional scene being created. The three-dimensional foreground layer scene may include a key which defines the transparency of objects in the foreground layer. The two-dimensional video insert layer may be generated by positioning a presenter, or other object, in a chroma-key set. The two-dimensional video insert layer may be distorted before being composited with the background and foreground such that elements of the two-dimensional video appear to move across a three-dimensional floor of the three-dimensional scene.

US Patent:

6339747, Jan 15, 2002

Filed:

Apr 5, 2000

Appl. No.:

09/543046

Inventors:

Richard T. Daly - Madison WI
David N. Erickson - Madison WI
Terence F. Kelly - Madison WI
Victor W. Marsh - Fitchburg WI
John S. Moore - Middleton WI
Randall T. Wiggins - Madison WI

Assignee:

Weather Central, Inc. - Madison WI

International Classification:

G06F16900

US Classification:

702 3

Abstract:

A system and method for preparing and manipulating a weather display including accurately displaying the current position of a weather storm cell and predicting and displaying a future path of the cell is provided. Various operator tools and functions are provided in a graphical user interface to allow an operator to prepare a weather display for broadcast, and to manipulate the display during a live weather presentation. A position and predicted track of a storm cell may be determined based on weather information from a first weather information source, e. g. , NEXRAD, and displayed on a weather display. The displayed position of the storm cell and track is updated between the receipt of NEXRAD information updates to maintain an accurate display of storm cell position. Updates of the displayed storm cell position may be provided periodically between NEXRAD updates based on storm cell speed and heading information contained in the latest available NEXRAD data. Preferably, the displayed storm cell position and track is updated between the receipt of NEXRAD updates based on weather information received from a second weather information source, e. g.

US Patent:

20030206182, Nov 6, 2003

Filed:

Jul 20, 2001

Appl. No.:

09/909553

Inventors:

Terence Kelly - Madison WI, US
John Moore - Middleton WI, US
David Erickson - Madison WI, US

Assignee:

WEATHER CENTRAL, INC. WISCONSIN CORPORATION - MADISON WI

International Classification:

G09G005/00

US Classification:

345/632000

Abstract:

A dynamic graphical information presentation is generated and overlaid onto a time-lapse video image sequence to form a combined graphical information and time-lapse photography presentation. The time-lapse photography video image sequence and dynamic graphical information presentation are preferably time synchronized in the combined presentation. For a weather presentation of past weather conditions, the time-lapse photography video image sequence may be a video image sequence of sky conditions, with the dynamic graphical information presentation generated based on weather conditions recorded for the same period of time from a weather information source. For a presentation of forecast weather conditions, the time-lapse photography video image sequence may be selected from a database of stored prerecorded sequences, with the dynamic graphical information presentation derived from forecast weather condition information.

US Patent:

20060209090, Sep 21, 2006

Filed:

Mar 31, 2006

Appl. No.:

11/395682

Inventors:

Terence Kelly - Madison WI, US
John Moore - Middleton WI, US
David Erickson - Madison WI, US

International Classification:

G09G 5/00

US Classification:

345632000

Abstract:

A dynamic graphical information presentation is generated and overlaid onto a time-lapse video image sequence to form a combined graphical information and time-lapse photography presentation. The time-lapse photography video image sequence and dynamic graphical information presentation are preferably time synchronized in the combined presentation. For a weather presentation of past weather conditions, the time-lapse photography video image sequence may be a video image sequence of sky conditions, with the dynamic graphical information presentation generated based on weather conditions recorded for the same period of time from a weather information source. For a presentation of forecast weather conditions, the time-lapse photography video image sequence may be selected from a database of stored pre-recorded sequences, with the dynamic graphical information presentation derived from forecast weather condition information.