Article locating system

• US 7,453,357 B2
• Filed: 10/05/2005
• Issued: 11/18/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/06/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Pareva, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Pereva Incorporated
• Inventors: Bernal-Silva, Richard Anthony, Lopez, Janice Ann, Bogdanowicz, Miroslaw
• Primary Examiner(s): Mullen, Jr.; Thomas J
• Application Number:
  US11/243,594
• Publication Number:
  US 20060077056A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,140 Days
• Field of Search: 340/539.32, 340/568.7, 340/571, 340/572.1, 340/505, 340/692, 340/691.3, 340/691.4, 340/328, 340/332, 340/815.45, 340/815.65, 340/691
• US Class Current: 340/539.32
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/14 by lifting or attempted removal of hand-portable articles
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1427 with transmitter-receiver for distance detection

Abstract

An article locating system comprises a first unit having a housing and a circuit for generating a coded search signal that is unique to the first unit. The first unit operatively communicates with a second unit attached to the article to be located. The second unit includes a housing and a circuit for receiving the search signal and for generating a found signal. The second unit transmits the found signal to the first unit which then responds by selectively activating an indicator connected to the circuit of the first unit. The indicator preferably includes an array of indicator lights that are programmed to illuminate in a sequence to indicate the proximate position of the second unit relative to the first unit for locating the article. In an alternative embodiment, the second unit includes a record/playback device for recording and playing an audible communication in response to receiving the first signal from the first unit.

Claims

1. An article locating system, comprising:

a first unit including a first circuit for transmitting a first signal that is encoded with identification data that is uniquely associated with the first unit and for receiving a second signal, and an indicator connected to the first circuit, the first unit being operatively connected to a power supply having a given power output magnitude;

a second unit including a second circuit for receiving the first signal and for transmitting the second signal, the second unit being releasably attached to the article;

the first circuit for responding to the received second signal and for selectably activating the indicator to manifest the magnitude of the power output of the power supply and the proximate position of the second unit relative to the first unit for locating the article.

2. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the first circuit includes a first microprocessor for generating the first signal and a transceiver connected to the first circuit for transmitting the first signal and for receiving the second signal.

3. The system as recited in claim 2, further comprising an activation arrangement operatively connected to the first circuit to actuate the microprocessor to generate the first signal.

4. The system as recited in claim 3, wherein the second signal is encoded with at least a portion of the identification data so that the second signal is unique to the second circuit.

5. The system as recited in claim 4, wherein the second circuit includes a second microprocessor for generating the second signal and a transceiver connected to the second circuit for receiving the first signal and for transmitting the second signal.

6. The system as recited in claim 5, wherein the second microprocessor is operatively connected to the transceiver of the second circuit for verifying the first signal, relative to the identification data.

7. The system as recited in claim 2, wherein the indicator is a visual display.

8. The system as recited in claim 7, wherein the visual display is a plurality of light emitting diodes, each diode being selectably operated by the microprocessor.

9. The system as recited in claim 8, wherein each diode is a different color from the others of said diodes and the first microprocessor is programmed to illuminate the diodes in a given sequence to indicate the proximity of the second unit relative to the first unit.

10. The system as recited in claim 9, wherein at least one diode is illuminated to indicate that the second unit is out of range.

11. The system as recited in claim 8, wherein the diodes are illuminated sequentially in a given order based upon the proximity of the second unit relative to the first unit.

12. The system as recited in claim 8, wherein the second unit includes a further indicator connected to the second circuit to indicate the proximate position of the second unit relative to the first unit.

13. The system as recited in claim 12, wherein the further indicator is an audio mechanism for emitting audible sounds.

14. The system as recited in claim 13, wherein the audio mechanism includes a speaker and a record-playback mechanism that is connected to the second circuit for recording and playing a pre-recorded message.

15. The system as recited in claim 14, wherein the record-playback mechanism is activated when the second circuit receives the first signal and plays the prerecorded message to notify a user of the proximate position of the article.

16. The system as recited in claim 7, wherein the indicator is a liquid crystal display.

17. The system as recited in claim 16, wherein the liquid crystal display has a graphic interface connected to the first circuit for selectably displaying objects and alphanumeric data to indicate the proximate position of the second unit relative to the first unit.

18. An article locating system, comprising:

a locator module including a first circuit for transmitting a search signal and for receiving a found signal, the locator module including a first power source;

a base module in selective communication with the locator module over free space including a second power source and a second circuit for receiving the search signal and for transmitting the found signal to the locator module in response to the received search signal, the base module being releasably attached to the article wherein

the locator module includes an indicator operatively connected to the first circuit to manifest the proximate position of the base module relative to the locator module for locating the article in response to receipt of the found signal by the first circuit, and wherein

the base module includes a record-playback mechanism that is connected to the second circuit for recording and playing messages.

19. The system as recited in claim 18, wherein the base module further comprises an indicator operatively connected to the second circuit for indicating the proximate position of the base module relative to the locator module for locating the article.

20. The system as recited in claim 19, wherein the indicator of the locator module is a visual display.

21. The system as recited in claim 18, wherein the record-playback mechanism plays the audible communication when the base module detects the search signal from the locator module.

22. The system as recited in claim 21, wherein the base module includes an indicator light to manifest the magnitude of the power output of the second power source.

23. The system as recited in claim 22, wherein the indicator of the locator module includes a visual display.

24. The system as recited in claim 23, wherein the visual display includes an array of light emitting diodes that are illuminated in a given sequence to indicate the proximate position of the locator module relative to the base module.

25. The system as recited in claim 24, wherein each diode is a different color.

26. The system as recited in claim 24, wherein the color of each diode is used to indicate that the base module is within a predetermined range relative to the locator module.

27. A system for locating an article, comprising:

a first unit for transmitting a first signal and for receiving a second signal, the first unit including a first housing and a first circuit within at least a portion of an interior of the first housing, the first circuit including a first indicator responsive to the received second signal;

a second unit for receiving the first signal and for transmitting the second signal in response to the receipt of the first signal, the second unit being attachable to the article and including a second housing and a second circuit within at least a portion of an interior of the second housing; and

a second indicator connected to the second circuit of the second unit that is activated in response to the first signal being received by the second unit, wherein the second indicator includes a record-playback mechanism and an audio device for playing a pre-recorded audible communication to manifest the proximate position of the second unit relative to the first unit for locating the article.

28. A method for locating an article, comprising:

providing a locator unit for transmitting a first signal and for receiving a second signal, the locator unit including a microprocessor and a transceiver connected to a first circuit, the microprocessor generating and encoding the first signal with identification data that is unique to the locator unit;

providing a base unit for receiving the first signal and for transmitting the second signal to the locator unit in response to the first signal, the base unit being attached to the article and including a microprocessor and a transceiver connected to a second circuit, the microprocessor generating and encoding the second signal with identification data that is unique to the base unit in response to receiving the first signal;

providing a first indicator connected to the first circuit to manifest the proximate position of the article in response to the second signal; and

providing a second indicator connected to the second circuit, the second indicator including a record/playback device for recording desired messages to be played, wherein the desired messages are played in response to the base unit receiving the first signal from the locator unit to manifest the proximate position of the base unit relative to the locator unit for locating the article.

29. An article locating system for locating an article, comprising:

a first unit for transmitting a first encoded signal and for receiving and verifying a second encoded signal, the first unit having a first circuit and a programmable microprocessor to encode the first encoded signal with identification data that is uniquely associated with the first unit; and

a second unit removably attached to the article for receiving and verifying the first encoded signal and for transmitting the second encoded signal, the second unit having a second circuit and a second programmable microprocessor that is used to verify the first encoded signal, relative to the identification data, to encode the second encoded signal, and to transmit the second encoded signal to the first unit, and

an indicator connected to the first unit to manifest the proximate location of the first unit relative to the second unit for locating the article when the first unit receives and verifies the second encoded signal.