Luggage locating system

• US 6,724,306 B1
• Filed: 06/21/2002
• Issued: 04/20/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/21/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Michael J. Smith, Ralph O. Parsley Jr, Ralph O. Parsley Sr
• Original Assignee: Michael J. Smith, Ralph O. Parsley Jr, Ralph O. Parsley Sr
• Inventors: Smith, Michael J., Parsley, Ralph O. Sr., Parsley, Ralph O. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hofsass, Jeffery
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, HUNG T
• Application Number:
  US10/177,300
• Time in Patent Office: 669 Days
• Field of Search: 340/568.1, 340/568.6, 340/568.8, 340/571, 340/573.1, 340/539, 340/825.49, 340/825.36
• US Class Current: 340/568.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 17/00 Methods or arrangements for effecting co-operative working between equipments covered by two or more of main groups G06K1/00 - G06K15/00, e.g. automatic card files incorporating conveying and reading operations

Abstract

A luggage locating system for facilitating location of luggage within an airport. The luggage locating system includes a remote transceiver assembly comprising a first transceiver means for transmitting a unique remote signal. A base transceiver assembly comprises a second transceiver means for transmitting a unique luggage signal. The second transceiver means transmits the unique luggage signal to the first transceiver means when the second transceiver means has received the unique remote signal from the first transceiver means. The first transceiver assembly comprises an indicator assembly. The indicator assembly is operationally coupled to the first transceiver means whereby the first transceiver means actuates the indicator assembly for indicating to the user that the base transceiver assembly is within a predetermined range of the user when the first transceiver means receives the unique luggage signal from the second transceiver means.

Claims

1. A luggage locating system for locating luggage of a user in an airport, the luggage locating system comprising:

a remote transceiver assembly comprising a body member, said body member being adapted for being held in a hand of the user, said remote transceiver assembly comprising a first transceiver means for transmitting a unique remote signal, said first transceiver means being positioned within said body member, said remote transceiver assembly comprising a button member, said button member being operationally coupled to said first transceiver means such that said button member is for actuating said first transceiver means to transmit said unique remote signal, said remote transceiver assembly comprising a remote power supply being operationally coupled to said first transceiver such that said remote power supply supplies power to said first transceiver;

a base transceiver assembly comprising a housing, said housing being adapted for being mounted to the luggage such that said base transceiver assembly is positioned in the luggage to prevent said base transceiver assembly from being damaged during handling, said base transceiver assembly comprising a second transceiver means for transmitting a unique luggage signal, said second transceiver means transmitting said unique luggage signal to said first transceiver means when said second transceiver means has received said unique remote signal from said first transceiver means, said second transceiver means being positioned within said housing of said base transceiver assembly, said base transceiver assembly comprising a base power supply such that said base power supply supplies power to said second transceiver means;

said first transceiver assembly comprising an indicator assembly, said indicator assembly being operationally coupled to said first transceiver means such that said first transceiver means actuates said indicator assembly for indicating to the user that said base transceiver assembly is within a predetermined range of the user when said first transceiver means receives said unique luggage signal from said second transceiver means; and

wherein said first transceiver means of said remote transceiver assembly intermittently transmits a timing signal, said second transceiver means of said base transceiver assembly receiving said timing signal and transmitting said timing signal back to said first transceiver means of said remote transceiver assembly, said first transceiver means timing a time between transmission of said timing signal and reception of the timing signal by said first transceiver means for determining whether said base transceiver assembly is getting closer to said remote transceiver assembly, said first transceiver means actuating said indicator assembly for indicating that said base transceiver assembly is getting farther away from said remote transceiver assembly.

2. The luggage locating system as set forth in claim 1, further comprising:

said base transceiver assembly comprising a base light emitting member, said base light emitting member being operationally coupled to said second transceiver means such that said base light emitting member emits light when said second transceiver means has received said unique remote signal.

3. The luggage locating system as set forth in claim 1, further comprising:

said indicator assembly of said remote transceiver assembly comprising at least one remote light emitting member, said remote light emitting member being operationally coupled to said first transceiver means such that said remote light emitting member emits light when said first transceiver means has received said unique luggage signal, said remote light emitting member being adapted for indicating to the user that said base transceiver assembly is within the predetermined distance when said remote light emitting member emits light.

4. The luggage locating system as set forth in claim 3, further comprising:

said indicator assembly of said remote transceiver assembly comprising a vibrating means for vibrating said body member of said remote transceiver assembly, said vibrating means being operationally coupled to said first transceiver means such that said vibrating means vibrates said body member when said first transceiver means has received said unique luggage signal, said vibrating means being adapted for indicating to the user that said base transceiver assembly is within the predetermined distance when said vibrating means vibrates the body member.

5. The luggage locating system as set forth in claim 1, further comprising:

said indicator assembly of said remote transceiver assembly comprising a vibrating means for vibrating said body member of said remote transceiver assembly, said vibrating means being operationally coupled to said first transceiver means such that said vibrating means vibrates said body member when said first transceiver means has received said unique luggage signal, said vibrating means being adapted for indicating to the user that said base transceiver assembly is within the predetermined distance when said vibrating means vibrates the body member.

6. The luggage locating system as set forth in claim 1, further comprising:

said body member of said remote transceiver assembly comprising a ring member, said ring member being adapted for receiving keys of the user such that said body member is selectively coupled to the keys of the user.

7. A luggage locating system for locating luggage of a user in an airport, the luggage locating system comprising:

a remote transceiver assembly comprising a body member, said body member being adapted for being held in a hand of the user, said remote transceiver assembly comprising a first transceiver means for transmitting a unique remote signal, said first transceiver means being positioned within said body member, said remote transceiver assembly comprising a button member, said button member being operationally coupled to said first transceiver means such that said button member is for actuating said first transceiver means to transmit said unique remote signal, said remote transceiver assembly comprising a remote power supply being operationally coupled to said first transceiver such that said remote power supply supplies power to said first transceiver;

a base transceiver assembly comprising a housing, said housing being adapted for being mounted to the luggage, said base transceiver assembly comprising a second transceiver means for transmitting a unique luggage signal, said second transceiver means transmitting said unique luggage signal to said first transceiver means when said second transceiver means has received said unique remote signal from said first transceiver means, said second transceiver means being positioned within said housing of said base transceiver assembly, said base transceiver assembly comprising a base power supply such that said base power supply supplies power to said second transceiver means;

said first transceiver assembly comprising an indicator assembly, said indicator assembly being operationally coupled to said first transceiver means such that said first transceiver means actuates said indicator assembly for indicating to the user that said base transceiver assembly is within a predetermined range of the user when said first transceiver means receives said unique luggage signal from said second transceiver means;

said base transceiver assembly comprising a base light emitting member, said base light emitting member being operationally coupled to said second transceiver means such that said base light emitting member emits light when said second transceiver means has received said unique remote signal;

said indicator assembly of said remote transceiver assembly comprising at least one remote light emitting member, said remote light emitting member being operationally coupled to said first transceiver means such that said remote light emitting member emits light when said first transceiver means has received said unique luggage signal, said remote light emitting member being adapted for indicating to the user that said base transceiver assembly is within the predetermined distance when said remote light emitting member emits light;

said indicator assembly of said remote transceiver assembly comprising a vibrating means for vibrating said body member of said remote transceiver assembly, said vibrating means being operationally coupled to said first transceiver means such that said vibrating means vibrates said body member when said first transceiver means has received said unique luggage signal, said vibrating means being adapted for indicating to the user that said base transceiver assembly is within the predetermined distance when said vibrating means vibrates the body member;

said first transceiver means of said remote transceiver assembly intermittently transmitting a timing signal, said second transceiver means of said base transceiver assembly receiving said timing signal and transmitting said timing signal back to said first transceiver means of said remote transceiver assembly, said first transceiver means timing a time between transmission of said timing signal and reception of the timing signal by said first transceiver means for determining whether said base transceiver assembly is getting closer to said remote transceiver assembly, said first transceiver means actuating said indicator assembly for indicating that said base transceiver assembly is getting farther away from said remote transceiver assembly; and

said body member of said remote transceiver assembly comprising a ring member, said ring member being adapted for receiving keys of the user such that said body member is selectively coupled to the keys of the user.