Lost object locating system

• US 5,680,105 A
• Filed: 12/06/1995
• Issued: 10/21/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Gary Hedrick
• Original Assignee: Gary Hedrick
• Inventors: Hedrick, Gary
• Primary Examiner(s): Hofsass, Jeffery
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lee, Benjamin C.
• Application Number:
  US08/568,262
• Time in Patent Office: 685 Days
• Field of Search: 340/539, 340/693, 340/825.49, 340/568, 340/571, 340/825.36, 340/692, 341/126
• US Class Current: 340/571
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0227 System arrangements with a plurality of child units
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/24 Reminder alarms, e.g. anti-loss alarms

Abstract

An object locating system, for locating lost objects, comprising at least two response units, and at least two activation units. Each response unit corresponding to one of the objects. Each response unit having an RF receiver for receiving an encoded RF signal, a beeper, and a code program for enabling the beeper in response to the encoded RF signal. The response unit having a reset button for disabling the beeper after it has been enabled. The activation units each having a code which corresponds to the code program in one of the response units. The activation unit having an RF transmitter which generates the encoded RF signal to enable the beeper in one of the response units. Each of the response units are color coordinated to the activation unit having the corresponding code.

Claims

1. An object locating system, for tagging a plurality of objects and selectively locating at least one of the objects, comprising:

at least two response units, the response units each having an aperture for attaching to one of the objects, the response units having an RF receiver for receiving an encoded RF signal, a beeper enabled by the RF receiver upon reception of the encoded RF signal, each response unit having a code program, the code program in each response unit distinct from the code program in the other response units, each response unit further comprising a reset button for disabling the beeper once the response unit has been located;

at least two activation units, each having a code which corresponds to the code program in one of the response units, each activation unit comprising an activation switch for enabling the encoded RF signal, the activation switch of each activation unit color coordinated to the reset button on the response unit having the code program that matches the code in the activation unit, and each activation unit comprising discriminating indicia which names the object attached to the matching response unit; and

a rack, each of the activation units mounted onto the rack, the response units each selectively mountable onto the activation unit having the code which corresponds to the code program in one of the response units.

2. The object locating system as recited in claim 1, further comprising a master activation unit mounted to the rack, the master activation unit having a master activation switch, the master activation unit transmitting the codes for all the response units upon enablement of the master activation switch.

3. The object locating system as recited in claim 1, wherein each of the activation units have an activation unit front having an activation unit indentation having a hook, and each of the response units have a response unit back having a response units indentation which is attachable in the activation unit indentation, the response unit clipping onto the hook at the activation unit indentation.

4. The object locating system as recited in claim 3, wherein the response unit has a response unit front, the activation unit has an activation unit thickness and the response unit has a response unit thickness which is equal to the activation unit thickness, and wherein the sum of the response unit indentation and activation unit indentation is equal to the activation unit thickness so that when the activation unit and the response unit are mated, the response unit front is flush with the activation unit front.

5. The object locating system as recited in claim 4, wherein 1, wherein each activation unit front comprises an activation switch for enabling the encoded RF signal, each response unit front comprises a reset button for disabling the beeper once the response unit has been located, and the activation switch of each activation unit is color coordinated to the reset button on the response unit having the code program that matches the code in the activation unit.

6. The object locating system as recited in claim 5, wherein the master activation unit is selectively detachable from the rack.

7. The object locating system as recited in claim 6, wherein each activation unit further comprises discriminating indicia, which names the object attached to the matching response unit.