Vehicle sticker

• US 6,026,060 A
• Filed: 05/26/1998
• Issued: 02/15/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 05/26/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Rothschild Technology, LLC
• Original Assignee: Rothschild Technology, LLC
• Inventors: Bozogian, Richard A., Rothschild, Alan W., Romano, James P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Roskoski, Bernard
• Application Number:
  US09/084,339
• Time in Patent Office: 630 Days
• Field of Search: 368/71, 368/72, 368/10, 368/3, 368/62, 368/76-78, 368/223-235
• US Class Current: 368/10
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 1/00 Registering, indicating or recording the time of events or elapsed time, e.g. time-recorders for work people registering or indicating the working of machines or vehicles G07C3/00, G07C5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/04 using counting means or digital clocks

Abstract

A vehicle sticker for monitoring a time-period associated with a motor vehicle, comprises an electronic timer, first and second indicator devices, and some mechanism for affixing the sticker to the vehicle. The timer is configured to time the time-period associated with the vehicle and to generate an "impending expiration" signal and an "expiration" signal. The first indicator device is coupled to the timer, and is configured to indicate an "impending expiration" or a "renewal" warning in response to the impending expiration signal. The second indicator device is also coupled to the timer, and is configured to indicate the expiration of the time-period in response to the expiration signal. The affixing mechanism must hold the sticker on the vehicle, in such a position that the impending expiration indication is directed to someone inside the vehicle and the expiration indication is directed to someone outside the vehicle.

Claims

1. A method of monitoring a time-period associated with a motor vehicle using a vehicle sticker which includes a timer and an indicator, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) affixing said sticker to a window of the vehicle;

(b) timing the time-period associated with the vehicle using the timer of said sticker;

(c) indicating to someone inside the vehicle of the impending expiration of the time-period; and

(d) indicating through the window to someone outside the vehicle of the expiration of the time-period, using the indicator of said sticker.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said step (c) is performed by using the indicator of said sticker.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said step (c) is performed by using a second indicator associated with said sticker.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said timer is an electronic timer.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said step (c) includes indicating the impending expiration by audible signal.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said step (a) includes affixing said sticker to the window with double-sided tape.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said timer is a battery operated electronic timer.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the indicator of said sticker is an LCD.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the indicator of said sticker is an LED.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said step (d) includes causing the indicator to blink on and off in a periodic manner.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein said sticker further includes a second indicator, and wherein said step (c) includes indicating with the second indicator and causing the second indicator to blink on and off in a periodic manner.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein said step (c) includes indicating with the indicator and causing the indicator to blink on and off in a periodic manner.

13. A method of monitoring a time-period associated with a motor vehicle using a vehicle sticker which includes an electronic timer and an electronic indicator means, the indicator means being configured to generate first and second visual signals, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) affixing the sticker to a window of the vehicle such that the indicator means directs the first visual signal to the inside of the vehicle and directs the second visual signal through the window to the outside of the vehicle;

(b) timing the time-period associated with the vehicle using the electronic timer of the sticker;

(c) generating the first visual signal from the indicator means to alert someone inside the vehicle of the impending expiration of the time-period; and

(d) generating the second visual signal from the indicator means and directing said second signal through the window to alert someone outside the vehicle of the expiration of the time-period.