Patent ID: 7800582

Claim:
A computer-implemented method for presenting weather information including a plurality of weather information video graphics that can be presented in an order determined by a presenter during the presentation, comprising: (a) creating a weather information presentation including a plurality of weather information graphics, each graphic including at least one of static images, animations and video, wherein the weather information graphics can be displayed in an order determined by the presenter during the presentation through selection of a launch area, including generating a first weather information graphic, defining within the first weather information graphic a plurality of launch areas, each launch area being defined by launch area coordinates within the first weather information graphic, and associating a launch area weather graphic with each of the plurality of defined launch areas; (b) tracking a presenter during presentation of the weather information presentation to determine a location of the presenter's hand, including obtaining a video image of the presenter standing in front of a background of a uniform color, tracking a location of the presenter's hand against the background to determine background screen coordinates representing the location of the presenter's hand, and combining the video image of the presenter with the first weather information graphic such that the presenter appears in the first weather information graphic; and (c) receiving a selection from the presenter during the presentation of the weather information presentation indicating a selection of one of the multiple launch area graphics to be displayed in place of the first weather information graphic, allowing the presenter to present the plurality of weather information graphics in any order, including displaying a launch area graphic in place of the first weather information graphic when the presenter provides a scene change signal and the background screen coordinates of the tracked location of the presenter's hand are within the launch area coordinates of the launch area associated with the launch area graphic.