System and wireless device for locating a remote object

• US 8,253,559 B2
• Filed: 02/26/2010
• Issued: 08/28/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: THL Holding Company, LLC
• Original Assignee: THL Holding Company, LLC
• Inventors: Howard, John W., Cutler, Richard, Kennard, Robert M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wu, Daniel
• Assistant Examiner(s): MA, KAM WAN
• Application Number:
  US12/713,316
• Publication Number:
  US 20110210847A1
• Time in Patent Office: 914 Days
• Field of Search: 340/539.32, 340/539.35, 340/7.21, 340/539.1, 340/573.4, 345/156
• US Class Current: 340/539.32
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1427 with transmitter-receiver for distance detection
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0244 System arrangements wherein the alarm criteria uses signal delay or phase shift
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0247 System arrangements wherein the alarm criteria uses signal strength
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0269 System arrangements wherein the object is to detect the exact location of child or item using a navigation satellite system, e.g. GPS
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0272 System arrangements wherein the object is to detect exact location of child or item using triangulation other than GPS
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0277 Communication between units on a local network, e.g. Bluetooth, piconet, zigbee, Wireless Personal Area Networks [WPAN]
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0294 Display details on parent unit
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/016 Personal emergency signalling and security systems emergency non-personal manually actuated alarm activators G08B25/12

Abstract

A wireless device includes a user interface that generates a first location request signal in response to an indication from a user to locate a handheld wireless communication device. A short-range wireless transmitter transmits a first RF paging signal in response to the location request signal. An adjunct device is coupled to the handheld wireless communication device via a communication port of the handheld wireless communication device. The adjunct device emits a first detectable alert signal in response to the first RF paging signal to assist the user in locating the handheld wireless communication device.

Claims

1. A system for locating at least one remote object including a handheld wireless communication device, the system comprising:

a first wireless device that includes;

a first user interface that generates a first location request signal in response to an indication from a user;

a first short-range wireless transmitter, coupled to the first user interface, that transmits a first RF paging signal in response to the first location request signal; and

an adjunct device that includes;

a first housing that is couplable to the handheld wireless communication device via a communication port of the handheld wireless communication device;

a first short-range wireless receiver, coupled to the first housing, that receives the first RF paging signal; and

a second user interface, coupled to the first housing and the first short-range wireless receiver, that emits a first detectable alert signal in response to the first RF paging signal to assist the user in locating the handheld wireless communication device;

wherein one of the at least one remote object includes a personal object and wherein the first wireless device further includes;

a second housing, coupled to the first user interface and the first short-range wireless transmitter, and that is couplable to the personal object; and

a second short-range wireless receiver, coupled to the first user interface, that receives a second RF paging signal from the adjunct device;

wherein the first user interface emits a second detectable alert signal in response to the second RF paging signal to assist the user in locating the personal object;

wherein the adjunct device further includes;

a second short-range wireless transmitter, coupled to the second user interface, that transmits the second RF paging signal to at least one remote device in response to a second location request signal;

wherein the at least one remote device includes at least one of;

the first wireless device and a second wireless device;

wherein the adjunct device receives the second location request signal from a location application loaded in and executed by the handheld wireless communication device, via the communication port of the handheld wireless communication device.

2. The system device of claim 1 wherein the adjunct device further includes:

a battery, coupled to provide power to the first short-range wireless receiver and the second user interface, separate from a battery of the handheld wireless communication device.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the first short-range wireless transmitter transmits a first RF location signal in response to the second RF paging signal, and wherein adjunct device includes:

a directional antenna, coupled to the first short-range wireless receiver;

wherein the first short-range wireless receiver generates a signal strength in response to the first RF location signal;

wherein the signal strength is coupled to the location application via the communication port of the handheld wireless communication device to assist the location application in determining a direction to the first wireless device.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein the directional antenna includes a reception pattern that includes a null.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the location application generates first paging data and wherein the second RF paging signal includes the first paging data.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein the first user interface displays the first paging data.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the first user interface generates first paging data in response to actions of the user and wherein the first RF paging signal includes the first paging data.

8. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

the second wireless device that includes;

a third user interface that generates a third location request signal in response to an indication from the user; and

a third short-range wireless transmitter, coupled to the third user interface, that, in response to the third location request signal, transmits a third RF paging signal to at least one of;

the first wireless device, and the adjunct device.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein another one of the at least one remote object includes a second personal object, the system further comprising:

the second wireless device that includes;

a third user interface;

a third housing, coupled to the third user interface, and that is couplable to the second personal object; and

a third short-range wireless receiver, coupled to the third user interface, that receives a third RF paging signal from one of;

the adjunct device and the first wireless device;

wherein the third user interface emits a third detectable alert signal in response to the third RF paging signal to assist the user in locating the second personal object.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein the first wireless device further includes:

an infrared transceiver for relaying infrared communications via an infrared communication path.

11. The system of claim 1 wherein the handheld wireless communication device includes:

a wireless telephony transceiver for sending and receiving communications.

12. The system of claim 1 wherein the handheld wireless communication device further includes:

a processor that executes the location application.