Apparatus and method for car relocation and parking timer

• US 7,295,920 B2
• Filed: 11/04/2004
• Issued: 11/13/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Yoram Finkelstein
• Original Assignee: Yoram Finkelstein
• Inventors: Finkelstein, Yoram
• Primary Examiner(s): ARTHUR JEANGLAUDE, GERTRUDE
• Application Number:
  US10/982,712
• Publication Number:
  US 20060092002A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,104 Days
• Field of Search: 701/200, 701/201, 701/207, 701/213, 701/300, 340/988, 340/990, 340/995.18, 340/426.19, 342/357.01, 342/357.06, 342/357.07, 342/357.08, 342/357.09, 342/357.13
• US Class Current: 701/207
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/24 using electronic identifiers containing a code not memorised by the user
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/33 of global position, e.g. by providing GPS coordinates
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2209/63 Comprising locating means for detecting the position of the data carrier, i.e. within the vehicle or within a certain distance from the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00182 operated with unidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks

Abstract

A method and portable device is provided to assist a person to relocate their parked car and track the time the car should be attended to. A device embodiment includes a car location recording module and a car location playback module. The car location recording module is operable to record a car location in response to the engagement of a (possibly automatically generated) car related signal, which car related signal is engaged proximal to when the car is vacated. The car location playback module plays back the car location recorded by the recording module. Some embodiments further include means for keeping time, such that the location recording module is configured to also record the date and time of when the car location was recorded. Means for managing parking time are also provided for alerting the person that a certain time is eminent or has past, and/or alerting the person that a certain elapsed time is eminent or has past.

Claims

1. A portable apparatus for car relocation by a person, the apparatus comprising:

a car location recording module that is operable to record a car location, said car location recording module being initiated upon the engagement of a car related signal, said car related signal being engaged proximal to when the car is vacated;

a timekeeper module to provide date and time of day information to said car location recording module and a parking timing function where the person inputs a first period of time corresponding to a remaining time on a parking meter and said timekeeper module provides an early warning signal when a second period of time equal to said first period of time minus a selected period of time has expired and further provides an alarm signal when said first period of time elapses;

a car location playback module to playback the car location recorded by said recording module;

a controller module to control recording in said car location recording module and playback in said car location playback module, said controller module configured to provide code/password protection of said playback; and

a portable casing that substantially contains said car location recording module, said car location playback module, and said controller module.

2. The car relocation apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a hinged cover pivotally mounted to said portable casing to cover at least a portion of a surface of said portable casing.

3. The car relocation apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a prompting system to request the person record the location of the car into said car location recording module.

4. The car relocation apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a microphone system operable to record the person'"'"'s voice into said car location recording module, said car location recording module being operable to record human voice.

5. The car relocation apparatus of claim 1, wherein said car location playback module is operable to play human voice.

6. The car relocation apparatus of claim 1, wherein said car related signal is automatically engaged proximal to when the car is vacated.

7. The car relocation apparatus of claim 1, wherein said car related signal is a wireless car door lock signal.

8. The car relocation apparatus of claim 1, wherein said car related signal is a wireless car alarm arming signal.

9. The car relocation apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an exposed textual display module to display the location of the car recorded into said car location recording module.

10. The car relocation apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a camera that records a picture of the location of the car into said car location recording module.

11. The car relocation apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a GPS system that automatically records the geographic coordinate location of the car into said car location recording module.

12. The car relocation apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a GPS system that automatically records the cross street location of the car into said car location recording module.

13. The car relocation apparatus of claim 1, further comprising means for starting recording in said car location recording module.

14. The car relocation apparatus of claim 1, further comprising means for ending recording in said car location recording module.

15. The car relocation apparatus of claim 1, further comprising means for starting playback in said car location playback module.

16. The car relocation apparatus of claim 1, further comprising means for ending playback in said car location playback module.

17. The car relocation apparatus of claim 1, wherein said location recording module is configured to also record the date and time of when the car location was recorded.

18. The car relocation apparatus of claim 1, wherein said code/password protection is programmed by the person.

19. A portable apparatus for car relocation by a person, the apparatus comprising:

means for keeping time and determined time intervals;

means for providing an early warning signal and an alarm signal at said determined time intervals;

means for recording a car location;

means for playing back the car location recorded by said car location recording means;

means for controlling said car location recording and playback means; and

means for encasing said car location recording, playback, and controlling means.

20. The car relocation apparatus of claim 19, further comprising means for covering at least a portion of a surface of said encasing means.

21. The car relocation apparatus of claim 19, further comprising means for prompting the person to record the location of the car into said car location recording means.

22. The car relocation apparatus of claim 19, further comprising means for communicating to the person the location of the car recorded into said car location recording means.

23. The car relocation apparatus of claim 19, wherein said location recording means is configured to also record the date and time of when the car location was recorded.

24. A method for the relocation of a car by a person, the method comprising the steps of:

keeping time;

recording a car location and said time in response to an engagement of a car related signal, said car related signal being engaged proximal to when the car is vacated;

starting a parking timer in response to a parking meter duration time input by the person;

issuing an early warning signal when a period of time equal to said parking meter duration minus a predetermined period of time elapses;

issuing an alarm signal when said parking meter duration time elapses;

communicating the recorded car location to the person; and

controlling said recording and said communicating, said controlling providing code/password protection to said communicating.

25. The car relocation method of claim 24, further comprising the step of, in response to the engagement of a car related signal, prompting the person to record the location of the car.

26. The car relocation method of claim 24, wherein the recording of the car location is by way of recording the voice of the person saying the car location.

27. The car relocation method of claim 24, wherein the recording of the car location is by way of a GPS system that automatically records the approximate geographic coordinates of the car or nearest cross street location to the car.

28. The car relocation method of claim 24, wherein the communicating is by way of displaying the location of the car on an alphanumeric or graphic display.

29. The car relocation method of claim 24, wherein the communicating is by way of displaying an image related to the location of the car.

30. The car relocation method of claim 24, wherein the communicating is by way of playing back a voice recording.

31. The car relocation method of claim 24, wherein the communicating is by way of playing back a computer generated voice.

32. The car relocation method of claim 24, wherein the communicating comprises the communication of the cross streets nearest to the location of the car.