Locator and customer service apparatus and method

• US 8,354,930 B1
• Filed: 11/27/2009
• Issued: 01/15/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/27/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The F3m3 Companies Inc.
• Original Assignee: The F3m3 Companies Inc.
• Inventors: Daniel, Isaac Sayo
• Primary Examiner(s): Mehmood, Jennifer
• Assistant Examiner(s): BEE, ANDREW W.
• Application Number:
  US12/626,817
• Time in Patent Office: 1,145 Days
• Field of Search: 340/426.1, 340/426.19, 340/539.13, 340/568.1, 340/572.1
• US Class Current: 340/568.1
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1418 Removal detected by failure in electrical connection between the appliance and a control centre, home control panel or a power supply
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0275 Electronic Article Surveillance [EAS] tag technology used for parent or child unit, e.g. same transmission technology, magnetic tag, RF tag, RFID

Abstract

An apparatus comprising: at least one processor, at least one storage means connected to the processor and at least one locator unit connected to the processor. An apparatus comprising: a case and at least one locator unit connected to the case. A method comprising: using at least one processor connected to a device to perform any of the following: determining the device'"'"'s location, and communicating the location to a central station.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a. at least one processor configured to be connected to a television box;

b. at least one storage means connected to the at least one processor;

c. at least one locator unit connected to the at least one processor;

d. at least one means for connecting an external power source, wherein the at least one means for connecting an external power source is connected to the at least one processor;

e. at least one internal power source connected to the at least one processor;

f. at least one first communications means connected to the at least one processor; and

g. a set of computer executable instructions stored on the at least one storage means and readable by the at least one processor and operative to;

i. determine if the at least one means for connecting an external power source has been disconnected from an external power source, and if the at least one means for connecting an external power source has been disconnected from an external power source, then;

1. activate the at least one internal power source; and

2. use the at least one first communications means to notify a central station that the at least one internal power source has been activated or that an external power source has been disconnected; and

ii. use the at least one first communications means to receive an activation signal, and upon receiving the activation signal;

1. activate the at least one locator unit;

2. use the at least one locator unit to determine the apparatus'"'"'s location; and

3. use the at least one first communications means to transmit the apparatus'"'"'s location to the central station.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one locator unit is any one of the following:

a global positioning system module and a wireless network positioning system module.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is configured to be externally connected to the television box, or internally mounted in the television box.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising at least one case that is operative to entirely or partially encase any or all of the following:

the at least one processor, the at least one storage means, the at least one locator unit, the at least one internal power source, the at least one means for connecting an external power source, and the at least one first communications means.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the at least one case is operative to be externally connected to the television box, or internally mounted in the television box.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the at least one case is operative to be externally connected to the television box via a cable.

7. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the at least one case comprises at least one external display means that is connected to the at least one processor.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the computer executable instructions are operative to use the at least one display means to display customer service information, advertisements, media content, television box information, or locator unit information.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising an activation switch for activating the at least one locator unit, wherein the activation switch is connected to the at least one locator unit, and wherein the activation switch is operative to activate the at least one locator unit upon receiving an activation radio signal, or upon an external power source being disconnected from the at least one means for connecting an external power source.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a radio frequency identification tag.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one means for connecting an external power source comprises at least one means for connecting a television box power source.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the computer executable instructions are operative to use at least one second communications means to communicate locally with at least one wireless device.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the computer executable instructions are operative to use the at least one second communications means to receive at least one customer service request from the at least one wireless device.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the computer executable instructions are operative to use the at least one first communications means to transmit the at least one customer service request to the central station.

15. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising at least one display means connected to the at least one processor.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the computer executable instructions are operative to use the at least one display means to display customer service information, advertisements, media content, television box information, or locator unit information.

17. An apparatus comprising:

a. a television box comprising at least one processor;

b. a first communications means connected to the at least one processor;

c. at least one locator unit connected to the at least one processor;

d. at least one means for connecting an external power source, wherein the at least one means for connecting an external power source is connected to the at least one processor;

e. at least one internal power source connected to the at least one processor;

f. at least one storage means connected to the at least one processor; and

g. computer executable instructions stored on the at least one storage means and readable by the at least one processor and operative to;

i. determine if the at least one means for connecting an external power source has been disconnected from an external power source, and if the at least one means for connecting an external power source has been disconnected from an external power source, then;

1. activate the at least one internal power source; and

2. use the at least one first communications means to notify a central station that the at least one internal power source has been activated or that an external power source has been disconnected; and

ii. use the at least one first communications means to receive an activation signal, and upon receiving the activation signal;

1. activate the at least one locator unit;

2. use the at least one locator unit to determine the apparatus'"'"'s location; and

3. use the at least one first communications means to transmit the apparatus'"'"'s location to the central station.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the at least one locator unit is positioned in a location selected from the group consisting essential of:

within the television box, on the surface of the television box, and external to the television box.

19. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the at least one locator unit comprises at least one second communications means connected to the at least one processor, wherein the at least one second communications means is operative to locally receive at least one customer service request from at least one wireless device.

20. The apparatus of claim 17 further comprising at least one display means connected to the at least one processor.

21. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the computer executable instructions are operative to use the at least one first communications means to transmit the at least one customer service request to the central station.

22. A method comprising:

a. using at least one processor configured to be connected to a television box to perform any or all of the following;

i. determining if at least one means for connecting an external power source has been disconnected from an external power source, wherein the at least one means for connecting an external power source is connected to the at least one processor, and if the at least one means for connecting an external power source has been disconnected from an external power source, then;

1. activating at least one internal power source, wherein the at least one internal power source is connected to the at least one processor; and

2. using at least one first communications means connected to the at least one processor to notify a central station that the at least one internal power source has been activated or that an external power source has been disconnected; and

ii. using the at least one first communications means to receive an activation signal, and upon receiving the activation signal;

3. activating at least one locator unit;

4. using the at least one locator unit to determine the at least one processor'"'"'s or the television box'"'"'s location; and

5. use the at least one first communications means to transmit the location of the at least one processor or the television box to the central station.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the at least one locator unit comprises any one of the following:

a global positioning system module and a wireless network positioning system module.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein wherein the at least one processor is configured to be externally connected to the television box, or internally mounted in the television box.

25. The method of claim 22, wherein at least one of the at least one processor, the at least one storage means, the at least one locator unit, the at least one internal power source, the at least one means for connecting an external power source, and the at least one first communications means is encased, entirely or partially by at least one case.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the at least one case is operative to be externally connected to the television box, or internally mounted in the television box.

27. The method of claim 22, further comprising using the at least one processor to perform any or all of the following:

a. using at least one second communications means to locally receive at least one customer service request from at least one wireless device; and

b. communicating the at least one customer service request to the central station.

28. The method of claim 27, further comprising using the at least one processor connected to the television box to receive at least one response to a customer service request from the central station.

29. The method of claim 22, wherein the at least one processor is configured to be connected to the television box in a manner selected from the group consisting essentially of:

mechanically connected, electronically connected, and wirelessly connected.

30. The method of claim 22, further comprising using at least one display means connected to the at least one processor to display customer service information, advertisements, media content, television box information, or locator unit information.