Article locating system

• US 20060077056A1
• Filed: 10/05/2005
• Published: 04/13/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/06/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pareva, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Pareva, Inc.
• Inventors: Bernal-Silva, Richard Anthony, Lopez, Janice Ann, Bogdanowicz, Miroslaw
• Granted Patent: US 7,453,357 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/539.320
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/14 by lifting or attempted removal of hand-portable articles
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1427 with transmitter-receiver for distance detection

Abstract

An article locating system comprises a first unit having a housing and a circuit for generating a coded search signal that is unique to the first unit. The first unit operatively communicates with a second unit attached to the article to be located. The second unit includes a housing and a circuit for receiving the search signal and for generating a found signal. The second unit transmits the found signal to the first unit which then responds by selectively activating an indicator connected to the circuit of the first unit. The indicator preferably includes an array of indicator lights that are programmed to illuminate in a sequence to indicate the proximate position of the second unit relative to the first unit for locating the article. In an alternative embodiment, the second unit includes a record/playback device for recording and playing an audible communication in response to receiving the first signal from the first unit.

Claims

1. An article locating system, comprising:

a first unit including a first circuit for transmitting a first signal, for receiving a second signal, and an indicator connected to the first circuit, the first unit being operatively connected to a power supply having a given magnitude;

a second unit including a second circuit for receiving the first signal and for transmitting the second signal, the second unit being releasably attached to the article;

whereby the first circuit responds to the received second signal and selectably activates the indicator device to manifest the magnitude of power in the power supply and the proximate position of the second unit relative to the first unit for locating the article.

2. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the first circuit includes a microprocessor for generating the first signal and a transceiver connected to the first circuit for transmitting the first signal and for receiving the second signal.

3. The system as recited in claim 2, further comprising an activation mechanism operatively connected to the first circuit to actuate the microprocessor to generate the first signal.

4. The system as recited in claim 3, wherein the first signal is encoded with identification data that is uniquely associated with the first unit.

5. The system as recited in claim 4, wherein the second circuit includes a microprocessor for generating the second signal and a transceiver connected to the circuit for receiving the first signal and for transmitting the second signal.

6. The system as recited in claim 5, wherein the second unit further comprises a microprocessor operatively connected to a transceiver that receives the first signal and generates the second signal after the first signal is verified by said microprocessor.

7. The system as recited in claim 2, wherein the indicator device is a visual display.

8. The system as recited in claim 7, wherein the visual display is a plurality of light emitting diodes, each diode being selectably operated by the microprocessor.

9. The system as recited in claim 8, wherein each diode is a different color from the other and the microprocessor is pre-programmed to illuminate the diodes in a given sequence to indicate the proximity of the second unit relative to the first unit.

10. The system as recited in claim 9, wherein at least one diode is illuminated to indicate that the second unit is out of range.

12. The system as recited in claim 7, wherein the indicator device is a liquid crystal display.

13. The system as recited in claim 12, wherein the liquid crystal display has a graphic interface connected to the first circuit for selectably displaying objects and alphanumeric data to indicate the proximate position of the second unit relative to the first unit.

14. The system as recited in claim 8, wherein the second unit includes a further indicator device connected to the second circuit to indicate the proximate position of the second unit relative to the first unit.

15. The system as recited in claim 14, wherein the further indicator is an audio mechanism for emitting audible sounds.

16. The system as recited in claim 15, wherein the audio mechanism includes a speaker and a record-playback mechanism that is connected to the second circuit for recording and playing a predetermined message.

11. The system as recited in claim 11, wherein diodes are illuminated sequentially if a given order based upon the proximity of the second unit relative to the first unit.

18. An article locating system, comprising:

a locator module including a circuit for transmitting a search signal and receiving a found signal, the remote unit including a power source and a circuit;

a base module in selective communication with the locator module over free space including a circuit for receiving the search signal and transmitting the found signal responsive to the search signal, the base module being releasably attached to the article and including a circuit; and

the locator module including an indicator operatively connected to the circuit to manifest the proximate strength of the power source of the locator module and the proximate position of the base module relative to the locator module unit for locating the article.

17. The system as recited in claim 18, wherein the record-playback mechanism is activated when the first signal is received and plays a pre-recorded message to notify the user of the proximate position of the article.

19. The system as recited in claim 18, wherein the base module further comprises an indicator operatively connected to the circuit of the base module for indicating the proximate position of the base module relative to the locator module for locating the article.

20. The system as recited in claim 19, wherein the indicator of the locator module is a visual display.

21. The system as recited in claim 20, wherein the indicator of the base module is an audio device connected to the circuit of the base module.

22. The system as recited in claim 21, wherein the audio device of the base module is a record-playback mechanism for recording and playing messages as desired by the user.

23. The system as recited in claim 22, wherein the indictor of the locator module includes a visual display.

24. The system as recited in claim 23, wherein the visual display includes an array of light emitting diodes that are illuminated in a given sequence to indicate the proximate position of the locator module relative to the base module.

25. The system as recited in claim 24, wherein each diode is a different color.

26. The system as recited in claim 24, wherein the color of each diode is used to indicate that the base module is within a predetermined range relative to the locator module.

27. A system for locating an article, comprising:

a first unit for transmitting a first signal and for receiving a second signal, the first unit including a housing and a circuit within at least a portion of an interior of the housing, the first circuit including a first indicator responsive to the second signal;

a second unit for receiving the first signal and for transmitting the second signal in response to the first signal, the second unit being attachable to the article and including a housing and a circuit within at least a portion of an interior of the housing; and

a second indicator connected to the circuit of the second unit to manifest the proximate position of the second unit relative to the first unit for locating the article.

28. A method for locating an article, comprising:

providing a locator unit for transmitting a first signal and for receiving a second signal, the locator including a microprocessor and a transceiver connected to a first circuit, the microprocessor generating and encoding the first signal with identification data that is unique to the locator unit;

providing a base unit for receiving the first signal and for transmitting the second signal to the locator unit in response to the first signal, the base unit being attached to the article and including a microprocessor and a transceiver connected to a second circuit, the microprocessor generating and encoding the second signal with identification data that is unique to the base unit in response to receiving the first signal;

providing a first indicator connected to the first circuit to manifest the proximate position of the article; and

providing a second indicator connected to the second circuit to manifest the proximate position of the base unit relative to the locator unit for locating the article, the second indicator including a record/playback device for recording desired messages to be played in response to the base unit receiving the first signal from the locator.

29. An article locating system, comprising:

a first unit for transmitting a first signal and for receiving a second signal, the first unit having a first circuit; and

a second unit for receiving the first signal and for transmitting the second signal, the second unit having a second circuit connected to a programmable indicator to manifest the proximate location of the first unit relative to the second unit for locating the article.