Finders keepers locator

• US 20110050462A1
• Filed: 08/25/2010
• Published: 03/03/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: James Lagreca
• Original Assignee: James Lagreca
• Inventors: LaGreca, James
• Application Number:
  US12/806,983
• Publication Number:
  US 20110050462A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/990
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/205 Indicating the location of the monitored vehicles as destination, e.g. accidents, stolen, rental

Abstract

The present invention provides a transmitting and receiving system that is specially designed to quickly find an automobile when lost in a parking lot or public parking garage. The transmitter unit is installed in a selected location within a vehicle or other object and operates on power supplied by an internally contained, lithium battery. In addition to the battery, the transmitter unit comprises electrical and electronic components, antenna, and circuitry enclosed within a rectangular, plastic case, similar in size and shape of a car remote.

Claims

1. An item locating system, comprising:

a transmitting and receiving system that is specially designed to quickly find an automobile when lost in a parking lot or public parking garage, wherein the transmitter unit is installed in a selected location within a vehicle or other object and operates on power supplied by an internally contained, lithium battery, further comprising electrical and electronic components, antenna, and circuitry enclosed within a rectangular, plastic case, similar in size and shape of a car remote.

2. The item locating system of claim 1 wherein the device uses Global Positioning System (GPS) technology to monitor the specific whereabouts of the automobile within a possible range of up to one quarter (0.25) of a mile.

3. The item locating system of claim 1 wherein the transmitter comprises a computer chip equipped with an antenna which sends signals to the designated GPS satellite and wherein the satellite transmits the signal to a companion receiver equipped with a screen that utilizes LEDs (light emitting diodes) or an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) to graphically display the whereabouts of the auto and pinpoint its exact location.

4. The item locating system of claim 1 further comprising a home base pager to locate the device if it should get lost wherein the home base pager is located in the home of the owner of the device. And wherein the home base pager is portable, so if the device is lost within the house, it can be found with the home base pager, and wherein if the device is lost outside the house, the home base pager can be taken outside of the house to find the device.

5. The item locating system of claim 4, wherein the receiver is powered using alkaline batteries or a rechargeable battery source, selected from the group consisting of lithium, nickel-cadmium and nickel-metal hydride.

6. The item locating system of claim 2, wherein the Global Positioning System consists of 24 earth-orbiting satellites, allowing a motorist to know the precise location of his vehicle within a quarter of a mile of the receiver by pressing a receiver button, the GPS satellites send out radio signals to be detected by the computer chip inside the transmitter device which signals the antenna communicating with at least four satellites overhead, and the display screen on the receiver is equipped with an electronic range map stored in its memory, taking the coordinate information supplied by the GPS satellites and applies it to its internal, electronic map, graphically pointing out the direction in which the vehicle is located, as well as displaying a numerical range (measured in feet) between the receiver (which the user is holding) and the transmitter (inside the car), and the user can view the screen and, the user can follow the direction displayed, and quickly find the lost automobile.

7. The item locating system of claim 6 wherein the screen utilizes LCD (liquid crystal display) technology.

8. The item locating system of claim 6 wherein the screen utilizes LED (light emitting diode technology.