Sensor Calibration Hierarchy for Accurate Community Weather Data

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Solution Overview

Problem

Widely available mobile devices with sensors for weather measurement are of lesser quality and accuracy, making their weather-related data unusable for reliable weather estimation and forecasting.

Innovation Solution

A system comprising reference devices calibrated against weather stations serves as calibration references for community devices, utilizing a calibration server to manage and generate calibration data through a hierarchy-based approach, including calibration algorithms and sensor schemas.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Quantity of substance

If sensors in mobile devices are used for weather measurement, then the quantity of weather data collection increases, but the measurement precision deteriorates due to lesser quality sensors

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvequantity of weather dataVSAvoidweather measurement accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces reference devices as intermediaries between weather stations and community devices. These reference devices receive calibration data from weather stations and use it to calibrate community devices, thereby improving measurement precision without reducing the quantity of data collection

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements preliminary calibration of community devices using reference devices before they are used for weather measurement. This preliminary action ensures that sensors are properly calibrated, improving measurement precision while maintaining the ability to collect data from multiple devices

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Measurement precision

If a calibration hierarchy system is implemented, then the measurement precision of community devices improves, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesensor calibration accuracyVSAvoidcalibration system structure

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the calibration system into distinct hierarchical levels: weather stations at the top, reference devices in the middle, and community devices at the bottom. This segmentation allows each component to have a specific function, improving measurement precision while managing complexity through clear role differentiation

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Reference devices serve as intermediaries that simplify the calibration process by acting as local calibration sources for community devices, reducing the need for direct connection to weather stations and thereby managing system complexity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS12578503B2Generating and managing calibration data for sensors used to obtain weather information

Publication Date: 2026.03.17 GOOGLE LLC

AI summary

A reference devices system (720) for generating and managing calibration data for sensors used to obtain weather information is provided. The reference devices system (720) includes a plurality of reference devices, wherein a reference device (110) of the plurality of reference devices is configured to be calibrated against a weather station (115) and to serve as a calibration reference for a community device (130).