Child locating and tracking apparatus

• US 6,278,370 B1
• Filed: 11/04/1999
• Issued: 08/21/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lowell Underwood
• Original Assignee: Lowell Underwood
• Inventors: Underwood, Lowell
• Primary Examiner(s): Wu, Daniel J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Phung
• Application Number:
  US09/433,668
• Time in Patent Office: 656 Days
• Field of Search: 340/573.1, 340/573, 340/539, 340/574, 342/457
• US Class Current: 340/573.1
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0216 Alarm cancellation after generation
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0263 System arrangements wherein the object is to detect the direction in which child or item is located
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/028 Communication between parent and child units via remote transmission means, e.g. satellite network
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0288 Attachment of child unit to child/article
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/001 Alarm cancelling procedures or alarm forwarding decisions, e.g. based on absence of alarm confirmation
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/016 Personal emergency signalling and security systems emergency non-personal manually actuated alarm activators G08B25/12

Abstract

A child locating and tracking apparatus which provides for the location of a child that is lost, abducted or in general danger to be quickly located is disclosed. The apparatus uses a small transmitter that is always carried by the child and as such, is always present when danger arises. The transmitter is easily disguised and hidden in the child'"'"'s clothing or personal adornments such as shoes, coats, watches, earrings, bracelets, rings and the like. The apparatus uses a system of world wide receivers such as those provided by local cellular telephone towers or by low earth orbiting satellites used for low power communication. When a child is lost or in danger, the child simply activates the transmitter which sends a signal to a central reporting station or stations where trained personnel will contact the respective parents and/or care givers to determine if the child could possibly be in danger. If an affirmative decision is reached, the monitoring station personnel will then assist the local law enforcement officials in the respective area anywhere in the world where the alarm was received in locating the child and removing the child from harm'"'"'s path.

Claims

1. A child locating and tracking apparatus comprising:

a transmitting module having a battery cover provided to allow for the replacement of an internal battery;

a battery level indication light located on the perimeter of the transmitting module, wherein said battery level indication light illuminates when less than a day'"'"'s usable energy remains in the internal battery;

a time delay activation module located on the perimeter of the transmitting module, said time delay activation module to allow activation of the transmitting module should the transmitting module be removed from the child; and

an internal time delay circuit to avert false alarms should the transmitting module be removed on purpose by the child, parent or care giver;

an adornment for retaining and disguising said transmitting module;

retaining means for attaching said adornment to said transmitting module, said retaining means further capable of holding said adornment with the associated transmitting module in close contact with a child'"'"'s body to prevent inadvertent operation; and

an activating switch for activating said transmitting module, said switch penetrating said adornment such that it may be concealed and actuated from within fabric of clothing jackets, shoes or the like;

a radio frequency transmitter for providing an output signal to an antenna;

an antenna embedded in the perimeter of the transmitting module;

an activating switch for providing an input to the radio frequency transmitter through the form of a normally open push-button switch;

the time delay activation module providing an input to a time delay module through the form of a normally closed push-button switch;

a voltage regulator module such that there is at least 24 hours of advance warning that the battery is depleted of power before the battery ceases to function, said output power from the voltage regulator module applied to the radio frequency transmitter and to an identification module; and

an identification module individually unique for every child locating and tracking apparatus and possessing a unique digital binary signature, such that said signature is applied to the radio frequency transmitter through a digital signal path.

2. The child locating and tracking apparatus of claim 1, wherein a first radio frequency signal is emitted and travels to a local ground station that receives said first radio frequency signal and relays it to a distant ground station via a second radio frequency signal, the signals as received at either the local ground station or the distant ground station would then be forwarded to a monitoring station via a land-based communication path;

and wherein a child in danger who activated the transmitting module may be found in a quick manner.