Phone alert

• US 7,333,776 B1
• Filed: 03/25/2004
• Issued: 02/19/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/25/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Joseph York
• Original Assignee: Joseph York
• Inventors: York, Joseph
• Primary Examiner(s): Anderson; Matthew D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): SHARMA, SUJATHA R
• Application Number:
  US10/810,870
• Time in Patent Office: 1,426 Days
• Field of Search: 455/88, 455/90.1, 455/90.3, 455/41.3, 455/41.2, 455/410, 455/411, 455/348, 455/349, 455/351, 455/421, 455/567, 455/575.1, 455/100, 455/550.1, 455/517, 455/566, 455/556.1, 455/556.2, 455/552.1, 455/553.1, 455/572, 455/352, 340/539.23, 340/539.1, 340/571, 340/572.8, 340/568.1, 340/815.4, 340/825.36, 340/825.49, 340/384.1
• US Class Current: 455/90.1
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1427 with transmitter-receiver for distance detection
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0247 System arrangements wherein the alarm criteria uses signal strength
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72516 with means for out-of-range alerting

Abstract

A type of cellular phone notification apparatus is disclosed. The apparatus would combine both a transmitter attached to a cellular phone and a receiver that would be attached to an individual'"'"'s clothing. If the cellular phone and the receiver would become disassociated more than a specified number of feet, the receiver would notify the individual of this fact so that the cellular phone could be retrieved, if necessary.

Claims

1. A cellular phone notification apparatus comprising:

a cellular phone, the cellular phone having a front surface and a rear surface,

a transmitter unit connected to the rear surface of the cellular phone, the transmitter unit having an incorporated radio wave transmitter that continually emits radio waves of a specific frequency and strength, the transmitter unit also having an incorporated radio wave receiver,

power means for providing power to the transmitter unit,

a receiver unit, the receiver unit having an incorporated radio wave transmitter, the receiver unit also having an incorporated radio wave receiver, the receiver unit having a plurality of notification mechanisms,

power means for providing power to the receiving unit,

a speaker incorporated into the receiver unit,

a plurality of lights attached to the receiver unit,

means for locating the cellular phone through the receiver unit,

means for attaching the receiver unit to an item of clothing being worn by an individual,

a mechanism attached to the receiver unit, the mechanism including a plurality of notification settings, the mechanism allowing an individual to alternatingly choose one of the plurality of notification settings at any particular time, each notification setting designed to correlate with a particular notification mechanism, wherein the mechanism attached to the receiver unit is a three-position switch, the three-position switch having three separate positions, one of the positions being a “

beep mode,”

another one of the positions being a “

light mode,” and

the third position being a “

vibrate mode,”

each of the three positions corresponding to a notification mechanism of the receiver unit,

wherein the incorporated radio wave receiver on the receiver unit continually receives the radio waves emitted from the radio wave transmitter in the transmitter unit, further wherein the incorporated radio wave receiver on the receiver unit is capable of measuring distance between the receiver unit and the transmitter unit based on the strength of the radio waves, and further wherein the incorporated radio wave receiver on the receiver unit will activate at least one notification mechanism.

2. A cellular phone notification apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the means for attaching the receiver unit to an item of clothing being worn by an individual further comprises a slot, the slot allowing placement of the receiving unit to an item of clothing being worn by an individual.

3. A cellular phone notification apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the means for locating the cellular phone through the receiver unit further comprises:

a locate button located on the receiver unit,

wherein depressing the locate button activates the radio wave transmitter on the receiving unit, causing it to send out radio waves,

further wherein the radio wave receiver on the transmitter unit will receive the radio waves from the radio wave transmitter on the receiver unit if it is within a pre-set range,

further wherein the radio wave receiver on the transmitter unit activates the speaker on the transmitter unit and cause it to make sounds, thereby alerting an individual as to its location.

4. A cellular phone notification apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the three-position switch, when in the “

beep mode”

position, will activate a notification mechanism in the receiver unit that causes continuous beeping when the radio wave receiver on the receiver unit is activated.

5. A cellular phone notification apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the three-position switch, when in the “

light mode”

position, will activate a notification mechanism in the receiver unit that causes the plurality of lights to continually blink on and off when the radio wave receiver on the receiver unit is activated.

6. A cellular phone notification apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the three-position switch, when in the “

vibrate mode”

position, will activate a notification mechanism in the receiver unit that causes continuous vibration of the receiver unit when the radio wave receiver on the receiver unit is activated.