The CommPower iNOTiFY weather/warning broadcast system was built in cooperation with the U.S. National Weather Service and adapted to also fulfill the needs of the Canadian Weatheradio program. This comprehensive solution continually gathers weather, warning and forecast data and creates customized cyclic audio broadcasts for hundreds or even thousands of geographic listening areas.
iNOTiFY Hub
At the center of the architecture is the iNOTiFY Hub hosted within a central data or COMMS center. This Hub component continually collects information from various sources and transforms that information into area-specific knowledge broadcasts. From the Hub, the knowledge broadcast data is disseminated to a variety of transmission endpoints for delivery to the public.
Management of the weather/warning broadcasts (i.e. configuration as to what type of data is broadcast when) is done via web portals into the iNOTiFY Hub. Through these portals, authorized iNOTiFY operators can perform administrative, maintenance and operational tasks (i.e. live audio services, transmitter monitor and control, pronunciation dictionary configuration, message draft/submit).
iNOTiFY ChatterBox
An integral part of the iNOTiFY system is the ChatterBox appliance. This ruggedized component can be deployed to any location requiring real-time cyclic broadcast. When installed in an audio broadcast environment, the ChatterBox receives the broadcast programming for its assigned area, converts the text to audio in English and/or a non-English language, and cyclically plays the resulting text and audio program via a local speaker, FM/TV broadcast feed or public address system. The broadcast program timing (i.e. which messages will play when) is driven by configurable programming rules that take into account event severity and message category. Using these rule sets, some messages may play every X minutes; other messages may generate alert tones; still other messages may play canned lead-in announcements; etc.
As new data is received by the ChatterBox, it is immediately incorporated into the broadcast as directed by the iNOTiFY Hub. Thus, at all times, the listening area is kept informed regarding what is happening now; including specific/pertinent instructions informing the listeners what they are expected to do.
CommPower 