Device for locating an individual

• US 20020186135A1
• Filed: 05/30/2001
• Published: 12/12/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Colleen Wagner
• Original Assignee: Colleen Wagner
• Inventors: Wagner, Colleen
• Application Number:
  US09/867,641
• Publication Number:
  US 20020186135A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/573.1
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0202 Child monitoring systems using a transmitter-receiver system carried by the parent and the child

Abstract

A system for locating an individual. The system includes a main unit for monitoring a predetermined area, a plurality of tracking units having a unique identification code and a plurality of activation units paired with a respective one of said tracking units, each pair having a unique identification code. The activation unit includes an activation button that is manually activated by a user upon desiring to determine a location of the tracking unit. Upon activation of the button a location request signal is transmitted to activate the main unit to determine a position of the tracking unit within the monitored area. The main unit relays a position signal indicating the determined position to the mobile hand held unit to aid in locating the tracking unit. The main unit includes a central station and a plurality of sensors strategically positioned about the monitored area in wireless communication with the central station. Each tracking unit and hand held unit include a sensor for activating a monitored area speaker to generate an audible alarm upon passage outside of the monitored area. Each activation unit includes a cover providing selective access to the activation button. Each tracking unit includes an illumination device for generating a visible signal upon receipt of the location signal from the main unit.

Claims

1. A systems for locating an individual, said system comprising:

a) a main unit for monitoring a predetermined area;

b) a tracking unit having a unique identification code;

c) an activation unit having an identification code corresponding to the tracking unit and an activation button, said activation button being manually activated by a user upon desiring to determine a location of the tracking unit, wherein activation of the activation button, a location request signal is transmitted to said main unit activating said main unit to determine a position of said tracking unit within the monitored area; and

d) a mobile hand held unit in selective communication with the main unit, said main unit relaying a position signal indicating the determined position to said hand held unit thereby aiding in locating said tracking unit.

2. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein said main unit includes a central station, said central station including a receiver for receiving said location request signal, a processor for analyzing said location request signal and determining the position of said tracking unit and a transmitter for relaying the position to said mobile hand held unit.

3. The system as recited in claim 2, wherein said main unit further includes a plurality of sensors strategically positioned about the monitored area, said sensors being in wireless communication with said main unit for aiding in determining the position of said tracking unit.

4. The system as recited in claim 3, wherein at least one of said plurality of sensors are positioned about a periphery of the monitored area for detecting passage of any of said tracking unit and activation unit outside of the monitored area.

5. The system as recited in claim 4, wherein said monitoring area having a speaker induces said speaker by at least one sensor activating said speaker to generate an audible alarm signal upon detecting passage of said tracking unit outside of the monitored area.

6. The system as recited in claim 4, wherein said mobile hand held unit includes a speaker, said at least one sensor activating said speaker to generate an audible alarm signal upon detecting passage of said tracking unit and/or said activation unit outside of the monitored area.

7. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein said activation unit includes a transmitter for transmitting the location request signal to said main unit.

8. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein said mobile hand held unit includes a receiver for receiving a location signal from the main unit.

9. The system as recited in claim 8, wherein said hand held unit further includes a display for displaying a floor plan of the monitored area and indicating a position of said tracking unit on the floor plan in response to receipt of the position signal from said main unit.

10. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein said activation unit further includes a cover for providing selective access to said activation button thereby minimizing the possibility of inadvertent activation.

11. The system as recited in claim 2, wherein said tracking unit includes a receiver for receiving a location signal from said main unit and a transmitter for transmitting a reply signal including data indicative of the unique identification code of said tracking unit to said main unit.

12. The system as recited in claim 11, wherein said tracking unit further includes an illumination device, whereby said illumination device is activated to generate a visible signal upon receipt of the location signal.

13. The system as recited in claim 4, wherein said system further includes a plurality of tracking units and a plurality of activation units, each tracking unit being paired with a respective one of said activation units wherein the tracking unit and activation unit of each pair is assigned a unique identification code.

14. The system as recited in claim 13, wherein said main unit stores information regarding each pair of tracking and activation units including the unique identification code for each pair.

15. The as recited in claim 14, wherein each of said tracking units includes at least one sensor activating said monitoring area speaker to generate an audible alarm signal upon detecting passage of said tracking unit outside of the monitored area.

16. The as recited in claim 14, wherein each of said activation units includes at least one sensor activating said monitoring area speaker to generate an audible alarm signal upon detecting passage of said tracking unit outside of the monitored area.

17. The system as recited in claim 14, wherein each of said activation units includes a transmitter for transmitting the location request signal to said main unit.

18. The system as recited in claim 17, wherein each of said mobile hand held units further includes a display for displaying a floor plan of the monitored area and indicating a position of said tracking unit on the floor plan in response to receipt of the position signal from said main unit.

19. The system as recited in claim 17, wherein each of said activation units further includes a cover for providing selective access to said activation button thereby minimizing the possibility of inadvertent activation.

20. The system as recited in claim 14, wherein each of said tracking units includes a receiver for receiving a location signal from said main unit and a transmitter for transmitting a reply signal including data indicative of the unique identification code of said tracking unit to said unit.

21. The system as recited in claim 20, wherein each of said tracking units further includes an illumination device, whereby said illumination device is activated to generate a visible signal upon receipt of the location signal.