Forecast weather video presentation system and method

Abstract

A system and method for generating a realistic weather forecast visualization. Realistic weather graphics and animations are combined with a few of view of location of interest to allow weather presentation viewers to visualize future forecast weather conditions as the would actually be seen. A forecast weather video presentation may be formed by selecting and combining pre-rendered or pre-recorded video segments based on user selected time period and location parameters and model generated forecast weather data.

1 . A method for generating a video presentation of forecast weather conditions, comprising: 
 (a) selecting a forecast location and time period;    (b) obtaining forecast weather condition data for the forecast location and time period;    (c) selecting a location view video of the location including a sky portion thereof;    (d) selecting a weather condition video corresponding to the forecast weather condition data from among a plurality of pre-generated weather condition videos; and    (e) combining the selected location view video and the selection weather condition video into a combined video presentation of forecast weather conditions wherein at least a portion of the weather condition video appears as the sky portion of the location view video.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein obtaining forecast weather condition data includes generating automatically forecast weather condition data using a weather forecasting model and wherein selecting a weather condition video is performed automatically based on the generated forecast weather condition data.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 2  comprising additionally manually adjusting the automatically generated forecast weather condition data and automatically selecting a weather condition video based on the manually adjusted weather condition data.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein obtaining forecast weather condition data includes manually selecting forecast weather condition data and wherein selecting a weather condition video is performed automatically based on the manually selected forecast weather condition data.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein selecting a location view video includes selecting automatically a location view video based on the selected location and time period.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 5  wherein selecting a location view video includes selecting automatically a location view video based additionally on the forecast weather condition data.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein selecting a weather condition video includes selecting a background weather condition video showing sky conditions corresponding to the forecast weather condition from among a plurality of pre-generated background weather condition videos and selecting a precipitation video showing precipitation corresponding to the forecast weather condition and wherein combining the selected location view video and the weather condition video into a combined video presentation of forecast weather conditions includes combining the selected location view video, the selected background weather condition video, and the selected precipitation video into a combined video presentation wherein at least a portion of the background weather condition video appears as the sky portion of the location view video and the precipitation shown in the precipitation video appears in front of both the location view video and the sky conditions shown in the background weather condition video.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 7  wherein at least one of the pre-generated background weather condition videos includes recorded video images of real sky conditions.  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 7  wherein at least one of the pre-generated background weather condition videos includes computer generated video images of sky conditions.  
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 7  wherein selecting a precipitation video includes selecting a precipitation video from among a plurality of pre-generated computer generated video images of precipitation.  
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 7  wherein selecting a background weather condition video includes selecting a background weather condition video automatically based on the selected time and the forecast weather condition data.  
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 7  wherein obtaining forecast weather condition data includes obtaining a forecast of whether fog is forecast for the selected forecast location and time period, selecting a fog video showing fog corresponding to whether fog is forecast for the selected forecast location and time period, and combining the selected fog video with the selected location view video, the selected background weather condition video, and the selected precipitation video into a combined video presentation wherein the fog shown in the selected fog video appears in front of the precipitation shown in the precipitation video and the location view video and wherein the precipitation shown in the precipitation video and the location view video are visible through the fog shown in the fog video.  
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 7  comprising additionally selecting a background insert video showing background insert objects and combining the selected background insert video with the selected location view video, the selected background weather condition video, and the precipitation video into a combined video presentation wherein the background insert objects shown in the background insert video appear in front of the sky conditions shown in the background weather condition video and behind the location view video.  
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 7  comprising additionally selecting a foreground insert video showing foreground insert objects and combining the selected foreground insert video with the selected location view video, the selected background weather condition video, and the precipitation video into a combined video presentation wherein the foreground insert objects shown in the foreground weather condition video appear in front of the location view video and behind the precipitation shown in the precipitation video.