Locator system and method

• US 7,301,453 B2
• Filed: 03/23/2005
• Issued: 11/27/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Terry L. Fry
• Original Assignee: Terry L. Fry
• Inventors: Fry, Terry L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hofsass; Jeffery
• Assistant Examiner(s): Labbees; Edny
• Application Number:
  US11/086,333
• Publication Number:
  US 20050212672A1
• Time in Patent Office: 979 Days
• Field of Search: 340/539.1, 340/539.11, 340/539.19, 340/539.21, 340/539.32, 342/132, 342/146, 702/150, 702/151
• US Class Current: 340/539.13
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0244 System arrangements wherein the alarm criteria uses signal delay or phase shift
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0294 Display details on parent unit

Abstract

A locator system includes two main components, namely, (1) a beacon tag that is readily attached to a person or article, and (2) a transportable finder or receiver/processor for sensing the relative position of the tag and indicating changes in that relative position to a user. The method for locating a person or article preferably uses an audible feedback signal to the user for informing the user, when moving, whether the relative position of the beacon tag is getting closer to the finder or farther from the finder. The locator system includes at least one beacon tag comprising a transmitter programmed to transmit a unique coded pulse signal. The beacon tag is housed in a lightweight portable envelope or container and includes a battery, an antenna, a large programmed gate array and a frequency reference (e.g., a crystal oscillator).

Claims

1. A method for locating an individual or article in a three dimensional space, comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a transportable beacon carrying a transmitter connected to an antenna, a programmable device, a portable power source and a control input, all carried in or on a supporting structure, wherein said transportable beacon is programmed to transmit a unique coded pulse signal;

(b) providing a portable finder including a housing carrying a display, a programmable device, a receiver connected to an antenna, a portable power source, a control input, an audio signal generator connected to an audio transducer, and an accelerometer adapted to sense the motion of the finder, wherein the finder is programmed to receive and decode the unique coded pulse signal of said transportable beacon;

c) transmitting a precisely timed pair of code sequences from said transportable beacon, said precisely timed pair of code sequences being modulated to define an inter-pulse ranging interval;

(d) determining changes in the inter-pulse ranging interval for locating said individual or article.

2. A method for locating an individual or article of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

(d) receiving said transportable beacon'"'"'s precisely timed pair of code sequences and, while said finder is stationary with respect to a relative radius to said transportable beacon, measuring said inter-pulse ranging interval.

10. The method for locating an individual or article in a three dimensional space of claim 1, wherein step (c) comprises:

(c1) transmitting a first code sequence from said beacon, said first code sequence comprising a sequence of pulse pairs, wherein a first pulse of the pulse pair has a selected pulse width, said second pulse of the pulse pair has a selected pulse width, and said first pulse is separated from said second pulse in said pulse pair by a selected ranging interval;

(c2) transmitting a second code sequence from said beacon, said second code sequence comprising a sequence of pulse pairs wherein a first pulse of the pulse pair has a selected pulse width, said second pulse of the pulse pair has a selected pulse width, and said first pulse is separated from said second pulse in said pulse pair by a selected ranging interval;

(c3) modulating said first code sequence and said second code sequence onto a carrier to generate a pseudo-random sequence which, when demodulated in said finder, generates a very narrow demodulated pulse that can be measured in time with great precision.

11. The method for locating an individual or article in a three dimensional space of claim 10, further comprising the step of:

(d) receiving, in said finder, said beacon'"'"'s transmission including said precisely timed pair of code sequences.

12. The method for locating an individual or article in a three dimensional space of claim 11, further comprising the step of:

(e) indicating to the user of the finder, that the beacon'"'"'s signal has been detected.

13. The method for locating an individual or article in a three dimensional space of claim 11, further comprising the step of:

(e) demodulating said beacon'"'"'s transmission and generating a very narrow demodulated pulse that can be measured in time with great precision.

14. The method for locating an individual or article in a three dimensional space of claim 13, further comprising the step of:

(f) measuring said inter-pulse ranging interval.

15. The method for locating an individual or article in a three dimensional space of claim 14, further comprising the step of:

(g) identifying a change in relative position of said beacon with regard to said finder.

16. The method for locating an individual or article in a three dimensional space of claim 15, further comprising the step of:

(h) indicating at least one of “

getting closer” and

“

going farther away”

, while said user moves about with said finder.

17. The method for locating an individual or article in a three dimensional space of claim 10, wherein step (c1) further comprises transmitting a first code sequence from said beacon, said first code sequence comprising a sequence of pulse pairs, wherein a first pulse of the pulse pair has a selected first pulse width, said second pulse of the pulse pair has said selected first pulse width, and said first pulse is separated from said second pulse in said pulse pair by a selected ranging interval.

18. The method for locating an individual or article in a three dimensional space of claim 17, wherein said transmitted pulse pairs are repeated at a selected pulse pair repetition frequency to permit detection of a relative beacon-to-finder radius change by detecting Doppler shift in the received signal.

19. The method for locating an individual or article in a three dimensional space of claim 17, wherein said selected first pulse width is approximately 33.33 micro-seconds and the code sequence length is approximately ten kilobaud.

20. The method for locating an individual or article in a three dimensional space of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

(d) providing a panic button actuator in said beacon, said panic button actuator being configured to control transmission of a panic signal, said panic button being adapted for silent actuation by the user of the beacon;

(e) providing, in said finder, a panic indicator responsive to reception of said panic signal in said finder'"'"'s receiver; and

(f) actuating said finder'"'"'s panic indicator when said finder'"'"'s receiver receives said transmitted panic signal.

3. A locator system permitting location of a person or article comprising:

a transportable beacon including an active transmission circuit for generating and radiating pulses of electromagnetic energy, said radiated pulses comprising an inter-pulse ranging interval, said beacon being readily attached to or carried by a person or article; and

a transportable finder or receiver/processor adapted to receive said radiated pulses, generate a signal corresponding to said inter-pulse ranging interval, sense the relative position of the beacon and indicate changes in that relative position to a user when carrying the finder.

4. The locator system of claim 3, said beacon being configured to transmit a communication corresponding to activation of a beacon panic button;

said transportable receiver/processor being adapted to receive said communication from the beacon corresponding to activation of said “

panic button” and

, in response, indicates activation of said panic button to said user.

5. The locator system of claim 3, wherein said transportable receiver/processor is further adapted to determine a distance or range to said beacon.

6. The locator system of claim 3, wherein said transportable receiver/processor is further adapted to determine a relative direction to said beacon, and to indicate said relative direction to said user.

7. The locator system of claim 3, wherein said transportable receiver/processor is further adapted to detect the presence of said beacon, and to indicate said presence to said user.

8. The locator system of claim 3, wherein said transportable receiver/processor is further adapted to plot change in relative position of said beacon, and to indicate “

getting closer” and

“

going farther away”

to said user, while said user moves about with said receiver/processor.

9. A method for locating an individual or article in a three dimensional space, comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a transportable beacon carrying a transmitter connected to an antenna, a programmable device, a portable power source and a control input, all carried in or on a supporting structure, wherein the beacon is programmed to transmit a unique coded pulse signal comprising a precisely timed pair of code sequences;

(b) providing a portable finder including a housing carrying a display, a programmable device, a receiver connected to an antenna, a portable power source, a control input, an audio signal generator connected to an audio transducer, and an accelerometer adapted to sense motion of the finder, wherein the finder is programmed to receive and decode the unique coded pulse signal of said beacon;

c) transmitting a precisely timed pair of code sequences from said beacon, said precisely timed pair of code sequences being modulated to define an inter-pulse ranging interval;

(d) receiving said beacon precisely timed pair of code sequences and measuring said inter-pulse ranging interval; and

(e) plotting change in relative position of said beacon, and indicating “

getting closer” and

“

going farther away”

based on said measured inter-pulse ranging interval, while said user moves about with said finder.