Vehicle locating system
First Claim
1. A vehicle locating system, for locating a vehicle whose whereabouts are unknown, comprising:
- a hand-held transponder which is carried by a user upon exiting the vehicle, said hand-held transponder having an activation signal generator for selective production of an activation signal, a homing signal receiver, a tone generator, and a signal strength controlled modulator which operates in response to the homing signal receiver, wherein the tone generator is selectively modulated by the signal strength controlled modulator; and
a vehicle-installed transponder which is positioned within the vehicle, having an activation signal receiver and a homing signal generator, wherein said activation signal receiver communicates with the activation signal generator located within the hand-held transponder, wherein receipt of the activation signal causes the homing signal generator to produce a homing signal which is transmitted for receipt by the homing signal receiver within the hand-held transponder, wherein said homing signal modulates the tone generator to output either a series of discrete tones or one steady, uninterrupted tone, wherein production of an intermittent tone occurs when the vehicle is located at a substantial distance from the hand-held transponder and a weak homing signal is isolated by the homing signal receiver, and wherein the tone becomes steadier and less intermittent as the hand-held transponder approaches the vehicle and a strong signal is received by the homing signal receiver.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A vehicle locating system, comprising a hand-held transponder in communication with a vehicle-installed transponder. The hand-held transponder is carried by a user upon exiting a vehicle. The vehicle-installed transponder remains within the vehicle. The hand-held transponder includes an activation signal generator and a homing signal receiver. Correspondingly, the vehicle-installed transponder includes an activation signal receiver and a homing signal generator. Upon receipt of an activation signal from the hand-held transponder, the homing signal generator emits a homing signal which is detected by the homing signal receiver located within the hand-hold transponder. A signal strength controlled modulator causes a speaker within the hand-held transponder to emit sound and also causes a light emitting diode to emit light, such that the period of the emitted sound and light is proportional to the distance between the hand-held transponder and the vehicle-installed transponder, thereby allowing a user to easily locate the vehicle.
26 Citations
7 Claims
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1. A vehicle locating system, for locating a vehicle whose whereabouts are unknown, comprising:
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a hand-held transponder which is carried by a user upon exiting the vehicle, said hand-held transponder having an activation signal generator for selective production of an activation signal, a homing signal receiver, a tone generator, and a signal strength controlled modulator which operates in response to the homing signal receiver, wherein the tone generator is selectively modulated by the signal strength controlled modulator; and
a vehicle-installed transponder which is positioned within the vehicle, having an activation signal receiver and a homing signal generator, wherein said activation signal receiver communicates with the activation signal generator located within the hand-held transponder, wherein receipt of the activation signal causes the homing signal generator to produce a homing signal which is transmitted for receipt by the homing signal receiver within the hand-held transponder, wherein said homing signal modulates the tone generator to output either a series of discrete tones or one steady, uninterrupted tone, wherein production of an intermittent tone occurs when the vehicle is located at a substantial distance from the hand-held transponder and a weak homing signal is isolated by the homing signal receiver, and wherein the tone becomes steadier and less intermittent as the hand-held transponder approaches the vehicle and a strong signal is received by the homing signal receiver. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A method of using a vehicle locating system, by a user of a vehicle, to determine the location of the vehicle, said vehicle locating system having a hand-held transponder which is carried by a user upon exiting the vehicle, and also a vehicle-installed transponder which is left in the vehicle prior to exiting the vehicle, said hand-held transponder having an activation signal generator, a homing signal receiver, a tone generator, and a signal strength controlled modulator which operates in response to the homing signal receiver, wherein the tone generator is selectively modulated by the signal strength controlled modulator, said vehicle-installed transponder having an activation signal receiver and a homing signal generator, wherein said activation signal receiver communicates with the activation signal generator located within the hand-held transponder, wherein receipt of the activation signal subsequently causes the homing signal generator to transmit a homing signal which is transmitted for receipt by the homing signal receiver within the hand-held transponder, wherein said homing signal modulates the tone generator to output a series of discrete tones when the hand-held transponder and the vehicle-installed transponder are separated by a substantial distance and a weak homing signal is isolated by the homing signal receiver, and a steadier, less intermittent tone as the hand-held transponder approaches the vehicle-installed transponder and a strong signal is received by the homing signal receiver, comprising the steps of:
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a) placing the vehicle-installed transponder within the vehicle;
b) parking of the vehicle by the user at a location;
c) carrying the hand-held transponder by the user upon exiting the vehicle;
d) generating an activation signal from the hand-held transponder by the user activating the activation signal generator;
e) producing a homing signal by the homing signal generator within the vehicle-installed transponder in response to receipt of the activation signal by the vehicle-installed transponder;
f) receiving and isolating the homing signal by the highly directional antenna and the homing signal receiver located within the hand-held transponder;
g) emitting a tone in response to the receipt of the homing signal;
h) modulating the tone by the signal strength controlled modulator, thereby producing an intermittent tone which varies to an uninterrupted tone as the hand-held transponder more closely approaches and is more precisely oriented at the vehicle; and
i) locating the vehicle by the user, by walking in the direction which causes the tone generator to emit a steadier, uninterrupted tone. - View Dependent Claims (7)
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Specification