Wireless piconet-based personal electronic property reminder
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A system for detecting presence or absence of a portable electronic device, said detection system comprising:
- at least one portable electronic device; and
a reminder device for transmitting a signal to said portable electronic device;
said at least one portable electronic device, based on predetermined conditions, receiving said signal and sending a response signal to said reminder device; and
said reminder device providing a notification indicating the presence or absence of said at least one portable electronic device within a specified proximity to said reminder device based on said response signal.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An system and method of reminding a user of any missing portable electronic devices when leaving a location. A reminder device transmits a signal to each of the reminder enabled devices. The reminder device then alerts the user of any reminder enabled devices that did not transmit acknowledgement signals.
163 Citations
73 Claims
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1. A system for detecting presence or absence of a portable electronic device, said detection system comprising:
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at least one portable electronic device; and
a reminder device for transmitting a signal to said portable electronic device;
said at least one portable electronic device, based on predetermined conditions, receiving said signal and sending a response signal to said reminder device; and
said reminder device providing a notification indicating the presence or absence of said at least one portable electronic device within a specified proximity to said reminder device based on said response signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
a storage device to store identification information for said portable electronic device.
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15. The system of claim 14, wherein said reminder device further comprises:
an input device to allow a user to input said identification information for said portable electronic device.
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16. The system as in claim 1, wherein each of said reminder device and said portable electronic device includes a radio transceiver, and said first signal and said second response signal are radio signals.
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17. The system as in claim 16, wherein said transceiver devices are Bluetooth™
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18. The system as in claim 1, further comprising a plurality of portable electronic devices, said reminder device transmitting a first signal to said plurality of portable electronic devices in response to the occurrence of said activation event, each of said plurality of portable electronic devices that receive said first signal providing a second response signal, said reminder device providing said notification if at least one of said plurality of portable electronic devices does not provide said second response signal.
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19. The system as in claim 18, wherein said second response signal contains said identification information.
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20. The system as in claim 19, wherein said reminder device further comprises:
a storage device to store identification information for said plurality of portable electronic devices.
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21. The system as in claim 20, wherein said reminder device further comprises:
an input device to allow a user to input identification information for said plurality of portable electronic devices.
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22. The system as in claim 21, wherein said reminder device determines which of said plurality of portable electronic devices transmitted said second response by comparing said identification information contained in said second response signal to identification information stored in said storage device.
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23. The system as in claim 18, wherein said notification is a list of which of said portable electronic devices did not transmit said second response signal.
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24. The system as in claim 18, wherein said notification is provided if at least one of said plurality of portable electronic devices that are supposed to be present does not provide said second response signal.
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25. The system as in claim 24, herein said reminder device checks if each of said plurality of electronic devices transmitting said second response signal should be absent and providing said notification if at least one of said plurality of electronic devices transmitting said second response signal should be absent.
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26. The system as in claim 25, wherein said reminder device transmits a third signal to an electronic calendar and detects a fourth response signal from said electronic calendar containing a list of which of said portable electronic devices should be present.
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27. The system as in claim 26, wherein said list also contains which of said portable electronic devices should be absent.
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28. The system as in claim 1, wherein said portable electronic device is a laptop computer.
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29. The system as in claim 1, wherein said portable electronic device is a cellular telephone.
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30. The system as in claim 1, wherein said portable electronic device is a MP3 player.
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31. The system as in claim 1, wherein said portable electronic device is a pager.
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32. The system as in claim 1, wherein said portable electronic device is a PDA.
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33. The system as in claim 1, wherein said transmission of said first and second signals have a limited range.
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34. The system as in claim 1, wherein said reminder device provides said notification if said response signal'"'"'s strength is below a threshold.
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35. The system as in claim 1, wherein said response signal contains said at least one portable electronic device'"'"'s location as determined by a global positioning satellite.
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36. The system as in claim 35, wherein said reminder device provides said notification if the distance from said reminder device to said at least one portable electronic device is greater than a user defined distance as determined by the locations obtained from a global positioning satellite.
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37. The system as in claim 1, wherein said notification is provided if said second response signal is received.
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38. A portable electronic device comprising:
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a transceiver;
a controller coupled to said transceiver; and
an information storage device coupled to said controller to store device identification information associated with said portable electronic device;
wherein when said transceiver receives a signal containing device identification information from a reminder device, said controller verifies whether said device identification information contained in said signal matches the stored device identification information associated with said portable electronic device and, if it does, said controller causes said transceiver to transmit a response signal indicating to said reminder device the presence or absence of said portable electronic device within a specified proximity to said reminder device. - View Dependent Claims (39, 40, 41, 42, 43)
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44. A reminder device comprising:
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a transceiver;
a controller coupled to said transceiver;
an information storage device coupled to said controller; and
a user alert device coupled to said controller;
wherein when an activation event occurs, said transceiver transmits a first signal containing information to identify at least one portable electronic device, said controller activating said user alert device to indicate the presence or absence of said at least one portable electronic device within a specified proximity to said reminder device based on receipt of a response signal from said at least one portable electronic device. - View Dependent Claims (45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59)
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60. A method for determining presence or absence of a portable electronic device when leaving a location comprising the steps of:
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transmitting a first signal to at least one portable electronic device;
detecting if a second response signal is received from said portable electronic device; and
providing an indication of the presence or absence of said at least one portable electronic device within a specified proximity of a reminder device based on whether said second signal is received. - View Dependent Claims (61, 62, 63, 64, 65)
transmitting a plurality of first signals to a plurality of portable electronic devices;
detecting if a second response signal is received from each of said plurality of portable electronic devices; and
providing an indication based on whether each second response signal is not received.
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65. A method as in claim 64, further comprising the steps of:
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transmitting a third signal to an electronic calendar; and
detecting if a fourth response signal containing a list of which of said plurality of portable electronic devices should be present and which of said plurality of portable electronic devices should not be present is received from an electronic calendar.
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66. A method for detecting presence or absence of portable electronic devices when leaving a location comprising the steps of:
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detecting a first signal at said portable electronic device;
comparing identification information contained in said first signal to stored identification information; and
transmitting a second response signal indicating to a reminder device whether said portable electronic device is within a specified proximity of said reminder device if said identification information in said first signal matches said stored identification information. - View Dependent Claims (67, 68)
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69. A method for detecting presence or absence of a portable electronic devices when leaving a location comprising the steps of:
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transmitting a first signal for each portable electronic device from a reminder device, each said first signal including identification information associated with one of said portable electronic devices;
detecting each of said first signals at each of said portable electronic devices within range to receive said first signals;
comparing said identification information in said first signals to identification information stored in each of said portable electronic devices that detect said first signals;
transmitting a second response signal from one of said portable electronic devices to said reminder device if said identification information in one of said first signals matches said information stored in said portable electronic device;
detecting each said second response signal at said reminder device; and
providing an indication of the presence or absence within a specified proximity of said reminder device of each of said portable electronic devices based on a second response signal was detected from each portable electronic device. - View Dependent Claims (70, 71, 72, 73)
transmitting a third signal from said reminder device to an electronic calendar;
detecting said third signal at said electronic calendar;
transmitting a fourth response signal from said electronic calendar to said reminder device containing a list of which of said portable electronic devices should be present and which of said portable electronic devices should not be present; and
detecting if said fourth response signal is received from said electronic calendar.
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71. A method as in claim 69, wherein said indication is a visual indication.
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72. A method as in claim 69, wherein said indication is an audio indication.
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73. A method as in claim 69, wherein said first and second signals are Bluetooth™
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Specification