Personal proximity network
First Claim
1. A method for tracking the proximity of at least one slave object (102a-102e) to a master object (104) associated with a person, the method comprising:
- (a) providing the master (104) and at least one slave object (102a-102e) with a wireless communication means (116, 114, 136, 138) operating within a predetermined distance (108) from the master object (104);
(b) periodically signaling (10) the at least one slave object (102a-102e); and
(c) determining if the at least one slave object (102a-102e) is within the predetermined distance (108) based upon whether a response (112) to the signaling (110) is received from the at least one slave object (102a-102e).
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method for tracking the proximity of a plurality of slave objects to a master object associated with a person is provided. The method including: providing the master and slave objects with a wireless communication means operating within a predetermined distance from the master object; periodically signaling the slave objects; and determining if any of the slave objects is within the predetermined distance based upon whether a response to the signaling is received from the slave objects. The method can further include warning the person from the master object if any slave object is determined not to be within the predetermined distance.
48 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method for tracking the proximity of at least one slave object (102a-102e) to a master object (104) associated with a person, the method comprising:
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(a) providing the master (104) and at least one slave object (102a-102e) with a wireless communication means (116, 114, 136, 138) operating within a predetermined distance (108) from the master object (104);
(b) periodically signaling (10) the at least one slave object (102a-102e); and
(c) determining if the at least one slave object (102a-102e) is within the predetermined distance (108) based upon whether a response (112) to the signaling (110) is received from the at least one slave object (102a-102e). - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A system (100) for tracking the proximity of at least one slave object (102a-102e) to a master object (104) associated with a person, the system comprising:
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the master object (104) comprising;
a wireless transmitter (114, 116) operating within a predetermined distance (108) for periodically transmitting a signal (110) to the at least one slave object (102a-102e);
a wireless receiver (114) for receiving a response (112) to the signal (110); and
a processor (116) for determining whether the response (112) is received from the at least one slave object (102a-102e); and
the at least one slave object (102a-102e) comprising;
a wireless receiver (136, 138) for receiving the signal (110) from the master object (104); and
a wireless transmitter (136, 138) for transmitting the response (112) to the master object (104) if the signal (110) is received by the at least one slave object (102a-102e). - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A master object (104) for tracking the proximity of at least one slave object (102a-102e), the master object (104) comprising:
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a wireless transmitter (114, 116) operating within a predetermined distance (108) for periodically transmitting a signal (110) to the at least one slave object (102a-102e);
a wireless receiver (114, 116) for receiving a response (112) to the signal (110); and
a processor (116) for determining whether the response (112) is received from the at least one slave object (102a-102e). - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A computer program product embodied in a computer-readable medium for tracking the proximity of at least one slave object (102a-102e) to a master object (104) associated with a person, the computer program product comprising:
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computer readable program code means for providing the master and at least one slave object with a wireless communication means (114, 116, 136, 138) operating within a predetermined distance (108) from the master object (104);
computer readable program code means for periodically signaling (110) the at least one slave object (102a-102e); and
computer readable program code means for determining if the at least one slave object (102a-102e) is within the predetermined distance (108) based upon whether a response (112) to the signaling (110) is received from the at least one slave object (102a-102e).
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Specification