Weather forecast data distribution system and method

Abstract

An artificial satellite receives a broadcast signal transmitted from a broadcast transmitter. The broadcast signal is relayed towards earth by the artificial satellite. On-earth stations receive the broadcast signal. The artificial satellite receives response signals, to the broadcast signal, from the on-earth stations, respectively. Each response signal includes at least position data of the respective on-earth station. The response signals from the on-earth stations are evaluated to generate both a local and wide-area weather forecast. The artificial satellite distributes the local and wide-area weather forecast towards the earth. Each response signal may also include an amount of attenuation caused between the artificial satellite and each on-earth station, respectively.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of distributing weather forecast data from an artificial broadcast or communication satellite comprising:
 receiving a source signal from an on-earth transmission station;   relaying the source signal towards the earth without using any on-earth network;   receiving response signals from a plurality of on-earth receiving stations, the response signals comprising at least position data of the respective on-earth receiving station;   evaluating the response signals from the plurality of on-earth receiving stations to generate both a local and wide-area weather forecast; and   distributing the local and wide-area weather forecast towards the earth from the artificial broadcast or communication satellite.   
     
     
         2 . The method of distributing weather forecast data according to  claim 1 , wherein each response signal further comprises an amount of attenuation caused between the artificial broadcast or communication satellite and each of the plurality of on-earth receiving stations, respectively. 
     
     
         3 . The method of distributing weather forecast data according to  claim 1 , wherein the evaluating is carried out in part by the artificial broadcast or communication satellite, and the method further comprising:
 transmitting the response signal from each of the plurality of on-earth receiving stations to a weather forecast center by the artificial broadcast or communication satellite; and   transmitting the partial evaluation to the weather forecast center; and   receiving, at the artificial broadcast or communication satellite the local and wide-area weather forecast, from the weather forecast center generated based upon the response signal from each of the plurality of on-earth receiving stations and the partial evaluation.   
     
     
         4 . The method of distributing weather forecast data according to  claim 3 , wherein the local and wide-area weather forecast is generated by taking data other than receiving state data into consideration, and wherein the data other than receiving state data includes at least one of temperature data and humidity data in an area in which a respective on-earth station is located, the at least one of temperature data and humidity data obtained by the respective on-earth station. 
     
     
         5 . The method of distributing weather forecast data according to  claim 4 , wherein the at least one of temperature data and humidity data is included in the response signal when an on-earth station located at a distance greater than a predetermined distance from a weather forecast center. 
     
     
         6 . The method of distributing weather forecast data according to  claim 2 , wherein the local and wide-area weather forecast is generated by taking data other than receiving state data into consideration, and wherein the data other than receiving state data includes at least one of temperature data and humidity data in an area in which a respective on-earth station is located, the at least one of temperature data and humidity data obtained by the respective on-earth station. 
     
     
         7 . An artificial broadcast or communication satellite for forecasting weather data comprising:
 a first receiver configured to receive a source signal from an on-earth transmission station;   a first transmitter configured to relay the source signal towards the earth without using any on-earth network;   a second receiver configured to receive response signals from a plurality of on-earth receiving stations, the response signals comprising at least position data of the respective on-earth receiving station;   a processor configured to evaluate the response signals from the plurality of on-earth receiving stations to generate both a local and wide-area weather forecast; and   a second transmitter configured to distribute the local and wide-area weather forecast towards the earth.   
     
     
         8 . The artificial broadcast or communication satellite according to  claim 7 , wherein each response signal further comprises an amount of attenuation caused between the artificial broadcast or communication satellite and each of the plurality of on-earth receiving stations, respectively. 
     
     
         9 . The artificial broadcast or communication satellite according to  claim 8 , wherein the local and wide-area weather forecast is generated by taking data other than receiving state data into consideration, and wherein the data other than receiving state data includes at least one of temperature data and humidity data in an area in which a respective on-earth station is located, the at least one of temperature data and humidity data obtained by the respective on-earth station. 
     
     
         10 . A broadcast or communication satellite system comprising:
 a source feed transmitter configured to transmit at least one of broadcast and communication source feed;   an artificial satellite configured for at least one of broadcast and communication transmission without using any on-earth networks;   a plurality of on-earth stations provided on the earth, wherein the artificial satellite receives the transmitted at least one of broadcast and communication source feed and relays the at least one of broadcast and communication source feed towards earth as a transmission wave,   each of the plurality of on earth stations receives the transmission wave, and transmits a response signal comprising position data of the on-earth station and data indicating an amount of attenuation between the artificial satellite and each of the plurality of on-earth stations, respectively, and   wherein the artificial satellite receives each of the response signals and evaluates the response signals from the plurality of on-earth receiving stations to generate both a local and wide-area weather forecast, and distributes the local and wide-area weather forecast towards the earth.   
     
     
         11 . The broadcast or communication satellite system according to  claim 10 , wherein the on-earth station is an existing on-earth terminal for at least one of broadcast and communication system that is originally installed for a purpose other than weather forecast. 
     
     
         12 . The broadcast or communication satellite system according to  claim 10 , wherein each response signal further comprises an amount of attenuation caused between the artificial broadcast or communication satellite and each of the plurality of on-earth receiving stations, respectively.