Stolen object location system
First Claim
1. A system for locating a lost or stolen object comprising:
- a plurality of object units capable of being operated in more than two different location modes, each object unit associated with a particular one of the objects to be located and having an identification number uniquely identifying the associated object, each object unit having a receiver for receiving locate request messages, a variable frequency transmitter for transmitting messages, and an electronic control for controlling the operation of said receiver and said variable frequency transmitter in response to information contained in said locate request messages, said locate request messages each containing at least one of said identification numbers uniquely identifying the particular one of said plurality of objects as the one to be located, a location code specifying which one of said at least two location modes are to be used to locate the object, and a frequency code specifying the transmission frequency of said variable frequency transmitter, said electronic control have means responsive to said identification number in said locate request message being the same as its own identification number to place said transmitter and receiver in the location mode specified by the mode code, and means to change the transmission frequency of said variable frequency transmitter to the frequency specified by said frequency code;
a location network cooperating with said location request messages and the messages transmitted by said object unit to generate signals and messages to be used to determine said object'"'"'s location; and
a base station having means responsive to external inputs from transmitting said locate request message and means for generating location data indicative of said object'"'"'s location in response to the messages transmitted by said object unit and said location network.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A stolen object location system having a base station, a location network and an object unit which is associated with the object to be located. The location system is capable of operating in a plurality of different location modes ranging from simple triangulation to LORAN. The base station, upon being notified that the object has been stolen, will transmit a locate request message to the object unit specifying the location mode to be used and the transmission frequency of the object unit'"'"'s transmitter. An electronic control in the object unit will control the operation of the object unit'"'"'s receiver and transmitter in accordance with the location mode and transmission frequency specified in the locate request message. The electronic control will also initiate the transmission of an alarm message if the object unit loses communication with the base station, and is capable of transmitting a tattle-tale message, effectively relaying the alarm message of another object unit if the base station does not respond to the other object unit'"'"'s alarm message.
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Citations
36 Claims
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1. A system for locating a lost or stolen object comprising:
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a plurality of object units capable of being operated in more than two different location modes, each object unit associated with a particular one of the objects to be located and having an identification number uniquely identifying the associated object, each object unit having a receiver for receiving locate request messages, a variable frequency transmitter for transmitting messages, and an electronic control for controlling the operation of said receiver and said variable frequency transmitter in response to information contained in said locate request messages, said locate request messages each containing at least one of said identification numbers uniquely identifying the particular one of said plurality of objects as the one to be located, a location code specifying which one of said at least two location modes are to be used to locate the object, and a frequency code specifying the transmission frequency of said variable frequency transmitter, said electronic control have means responsive to said identification number in said locate request message being the same as its own identification number to place said transmitter and receiver in the location mode specified by the mode code, and means to change the transmission frequency of said variable frequency transmitter to the frequency specified by said frequency code; a location network cooperating with said location request messages and the messages transmitted by said object unit to generate signals and messages to be used to determine said object'"'"'s location; and a base station having means responsive to external inputs from transmitting said locate request message and means for generating location data indicative of said object'"'"'s location in response to the messages transmitted by said object unit and said location network. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. An object unit for a lost or stolen object location system having a base station for transmitting locate request messages and a location network, said locate request messages containing an identification number uniquely identifying the object to be located, a location mode code and a transmission frequency code, said object unit comprising:
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a receiver for receiving said locate request messages transmitted by said base station; a variable frequency transmitter for transmitting messages; and an electric control for controlling the operation of said object unit in one of at least two different location modes, said electronic control comprising means responsive to said identification number contained in said locate request message being its own identification number to activate said transmitter to transmit a message, means responsive to said location mode code to activate said object unit to cooperate with said base station and said location network to generate data indicative of said object'"'"'s location, and means for controlling the transmission frequency of said transmitter in response to said transmission frequency code. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. A system for locating a stolen vehicle comprising:
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a vehicle unit adapted to be mounted in each vehicle included in said system, each vehicle unit having at least one receiver for receiving messages from external sources, a variable frequency transmitter for transmitting messages and relaying received signals, and an electronic control unit, said electronic control unit having means for decoding said received messages and means for controlling the operation of said vehicle unit in at least two different location modes and means for controlling the transmission frequency of said variable frequency transmitter in accordance with the information contained in said received messages; location network means cooperating with said vehicle unit for generating data useful in the determination of said vehicle'"'"'s location; and a base station, having a transmitter for transmitting said signals to said vehicle unit, a base station receiver for receiving messages and signals transmitted by said vehicle unit, and an electronic control unit, said electronic control unit having means responsive to an external input identifying the vehicle to be located for activating said base station transmitter to transmit a locate request message to the vehicle unit of said stolen vehicle, said location request message specifying which of said at least two location modes are to be activated and the transmission frequency of said vehicle unit'"'"'s variable frequency transmitter, and means responsive to messages received from said vehicle and said location network means for determining the location of said vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34)
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35. The system of calim 31 wherein said base station transmits keep alive signals at predetermined intervals, said vehicle unit having alarm means comprising:
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a keep alive timer having a keep alive time period shorter than said predetermined intervals of said keep alive signals; means for resetting said keep alive timer in response to said keep alive signals; and means for transmitting an alarm message in response to said keep alive timer timing out, and means for resetting said keep alive timer after transmitting said alarm message, said alarm message containing at least the vehicle identification number of said vehicle unit and a code identifying the transmitted message as an alarm message. - View Dependent Claims (36)
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Specification