Patent ID: 8179252

Claim:
A single event severe weather alarm comprising: a portable electronic device housing; an audio siren, having a volume preset to remain unmanipulated by an operator, and thus not raised, lowered, or turned off, disposed within the housing and configured to actuate upon an occurrence of a predetermined specific weather phenomenon and to very loudly indicate with a loud alarm with no voice, once actuated, the occurrence of the specific weather phenomenon; a Specific Area Message Encoding (SAME) broadcast receiver disposed within the housing and configured to receive signals transmitted to a specific geographic area and configured to receive SAME messages at one or more National Weather Service (NWS) weather radio frequencies; a digital decoder disposed within the housing coupled to the SAME broadcast receiver and configured to filter out all SAME messages except for a single weather warning message event code, indicative of the occurrence of the specific weather phenomenon, and a Required Weekly Test (RWT) code; a processor coupled to the receiver and the digital decoder configured to control the SAME broadcast receiver and decoder and to actuate the audio siren upon the occurrence of the predetermined specific weather phenomenon; a power source; a memory for storing a plurality of signal values and frequencies, a plurality of message values, and a plurality of geographical codes, even after an interruption in the power source; a user interface coupled to the processor; a “mute” selection, a “back” selection, an “enter” selection, a “frequency” selection, and a “county” selection each disposed upon the user interface; a visual display coupled to the user interface; and a signal strength indicator visible on the visual display; a flip cover, configured to operatively cover the visual display; and wherein the processor is configured to automatically select the frequency of reception of the receiver based on a geographical location and a signal strength indication; and wherein the processor is configured to allow an operator, through the user interface, to select the frequency of reception of the receiver based on a frequency determination from review of the signal strength indicator.