Intelligent locator system
First Claim
1. A locating and monitoring system installable on the premises of a facility, said system including:
- a plurality of transmitter means adapted for movement about said facility with a person, with an animal or with equipment to allow identification of such transmitter means at any of diverse sites in the facility, each of said transmitter means including means for transmitting infrared pulse bursts, each of said infrared pulse bursts defining a unique binary identification code comprising a plurality of binary bits of sufficient number that each of said transmitter means in said facility transmits a different binary identification code, means responsive to an algorithm for controlling said means for transmitting said infrared pulse bursts during a predetermined time interval, with the occurrence of each pulse burst in time relative to the start of each time interval varying from time interval to time interval, the amount of said varying being controlled by said means responsive to an algorithm incorporated in each transmitter using said unique binary identification code of that transmitter for preventing synchronization with other transmitters and with ambient periodic resident signals in the facility;
receiver means responsive to said pulse bursts by said plurality of transmitter means at each of said diverse sites in said facility for detecting infrared pulse bursts by said transmitter means; and
central means responsive to said receiver means for establishing the location of said transmitter means in said facility.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A locating and monitoring system includes transmitters worn by a person, animal, or equipment to transmit an unique identification code while moving about a facility. The code is transmitted by pulse bursts at diverse times during predetermined time intervals to prevent synchronization with resident signals in the facility. Receivers in the walls or ceilings of the facility respond to the infrared radiation of the pulse bursts and validate the identification code by a checksum of the code through a comparison with a checksum transmitted with the code. The receivers deliver validated codes to arbitrators and receive back signals indicative of the level of an individual assigned to a class wearing the transmitters. Signals from the receivers are received by arbitrators which forward the codes to a CPU for recording start and stop events indicative of movement by transmitters into and out of the reception range of the various receivers.
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Citations
47 Claims
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1. A locating and monitoring system installable on the premises of a facility, said system including:
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a plurality of transmitter means adapted for movement about said facility with a person, with an animal or with equipment to allow identification of such transmitter means at any of diverse sites in the facility, each of said transmitter means including means for transmitting infrared pulse bursts, each of said infrared pulse bursts defining a unique binary identification code comprising a plurality of binary bits of sufficient number that each of said transmitter means in said facility transmits a different binary identification code, means responsive to an algorithm for controlling said means for transmitting said infrared pulse bursts during a predetermined time interval, with the occurrence of each pulse burst in time relative to the start of each time interval varying from time interval to time interval, the amount of said varying being controlled by said means responsive to an algorithm incorporated in each transmitter using said unique binary identification code of that transmitter for preventing synchronization with other transmitters and with ambient periodic resident signals in the facility; receiver means responsive to said pulse bursts by said plurality of transmitter means at each of said diverse sites in said facility for detecting infrared pulse bursts by said transmitter means; and central means responsive to said receiver means for establishing the location of said transmitter means in said facility. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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- 17. A stationary receiver installable on the premises of a facility in combination with at least one transmitter means adapted for movement about said facility with a person, with an animal or with equipment to allow monitoring of such transmitter means within any of diverse sites in the facility, said transmitter means including infrared emitter means controlled by controller means for emitting infrared pulses, an algorithm unique to and with that transmitter means for controlling said controller means for producing emissions of infrared pulse bursts by said infrared emitting means for defining a unique binary identification code at diverse times during each of predetermined time intervals, said algorithm controlling said controller means for causing each pulse burst in each successive time interval relative to the start of each of the successive time intervals to occur differently from time interval to time interval, said stationary receiver including means for detecting infrared transmissions of said pulse bursts and means responsive to said means for detecting for producing an electrical signal identifying said transmitter means.
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24. A locator system comprising a number of individual portable transmitter units, a number of individual stationary receiver units, and central data processing means;
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said transmitter units each comprising infrared transmission means and programmable microprocessor means such that a unique identity data stream is transmitted by each transmitter unit; said receiver units each comprising in combination infrared receiving means and programmable microprocessor means remotely separated from and said central data processing means such that each said receiver unit has the capability to store multiple said unique identity data streams received from multiple said transmitter units and can communicate said identity data streams to said central data processing means. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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32. A locator system comprising a number of individual portable transmitter units, a number of stationary individual remote receiver units, and a central data processing means;
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said transmitter units each comprising infrared transmission means and programmable microprocessor means such that a unique identity data stream is transmitted by each transmitter unit; said individual remote receiver units each comprising a single infrared receiving means and a single programmable microprocessor means, such that the total number of said programmable microprocessor means is equal to the total number of said individual remote receiver units in said locator system, such that each said individual remote receiver unit has the capability to store multiple said unique identity data streams received from multiple said transmitter units and can communicate said identity data streams to said central data processing means. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39)
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40. A locator system comprising a number of individual portable transmitter units, a number of stationary individual remote receiver units, and a central data processing means;
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said transmitter units each comprising infrared transmission means and programmable microprocessor means such that a unique identity data stream is transmitted by each transmitter unit; said individual remote receiver units each comprising a paired single infrared receiving means and single programmable microprocessor means, said single programmable microprocessor means being in communication with only one said individual remote receiver unit, such that each said individual remote receiver unit has the capability to store multiple said unique identity data streams received from multiple said transmitter units and can communicate said identity data streams to said central data processing means. - View Dependent Claims (41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47)
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Specification