Anti-theft device for a musical instrument

• US 8,937,541 B2
• Filed: 02/13/2013
• Issued: 01/20/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/13/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Michael John Schaal
• Original Assignee: Michael John Schaal
• Inventors: Schaal, Michael John
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Tai T
• Application Number:
  US13/766,608
• Publication Number:
  US 20140225778A1
• Time in Patent Office: 706 Days
• Field of Search: 340/539.11, 340/539.13, 340/539.22, 340/5.52, 3405721-5728, 847/23, 847/24, 847/37, 846/46
• US Class Current: 340/539.11
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 1/042 Transmitters
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/16 Anti-theft; Abduction
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0226 Transmitters
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1427 with transmitter-receiver for distance detection
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0227 System arrangements with a plurality of child units
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/023 Power management, e.g. system sleep and wake up provisions
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0288 Attachment of child unit to child/article
• CPC Class Codes: G10D 1/08 Guitars
• CPC Class Codes: G10D 3/00 Details of, or accessories for, stringed musical instruments, e.g. slide-bars
• CPC Class Codes: G10G 7/00 Other auxiliary devices or accessories, e.g. conductors' batons or separate holders for resin or strings

Abstract

A musical instrument location transmitting device and system includes a musical instrument having a location transmitting device and an electric power source permanently secured in the musical instrument in a position that requires removal of a musical component of the musical instrument in order to remove the location transmitting device. The location transmitting device includes a location sensing unit and a wireless transmitter that outputs a location of the musical instrument. A system wirelessly monitors a location of the musical instruments. A method of making a musical instrument includes coupling a location transmitting device inside a musical instrument and closing the musical instrument to permanently install the location transmitting device.

Claims

1. A musical instrument comprising:

a body having a cavity and a neck;

an electric power source mounted in the body; and

an anti-theft feature that includes a location transmitting device permanently secured to the body and coupled to the electric power source, the location transmitting device having a location sensing unit and having at least one wireless transmitter that, in response to a change in location of the musical instrument being sensed by the location sensing unit, transmits a signal indicating a new location of the musical instrument, the location transmitting device permanently secured in the body in a position that requires removal of a musical component of the musical instrument in order to remove the location transmitting device.

2. The musical instrument of claim 1, wherein the location transmitting device is positioned at least partially in the cavity of the body such that a space consumed by the location transmitting device does not noticeably interfere with acoustic properties of the musical instrument.

3. The musical instrument of claim 1, wherein the musical instrument is a guitar.

4. The musical instrument of claim 3, wherein the location transmitting device is secured to a proximal end of the neck of the guitar, the proximal end extending partially within the cavity.

5. The musical instrument of claim 3, wherein the location transmitting device is permanently secured inside of the neck of the guitar.

6. The musical instrument of claim 1, further comprising a power supply line and a power supply port coupled to each other, the power supply line coupled to the electric power source, the power supply port coupled to an exterior portion of the musical instrument and to the power supply line to electrically charge the electric power source.

7. The musical instrument of claim 1, wherein the musical instrument is an electric guitar having a pickup.

8. The musical instrument of claim 7, wherein the cavity is positioned underneath the pickup of the electric guitar and the location transmitting device is permanently secured in the cavity and adjacent the pickup in a position that requires removal of the pickup in order to remove the location transmitting device.

9. The musical instrument of claim 7 wherein the electric power source is electrically coupled to an output jack of the electric guitar in order to power the electric power source when an input line is coupled to the output jack.

10. The musical instrument of claim 1, wherein the at least one wireless transmitter is configured to transmit a signal to at least one of a mobile device, computing system, satellite, communication tower, or wireless router to provide information to a user.

11. The musical instrument of claim 10, wherein the information comprises at least one of a location of the musical instrument, a state of charge of the location transmitting device, a proximity of the musical instrument relative to the location, and data pertaining to a type of musical instrument.

12. The musical instrument of claim 1 wherein the location transmitting device is concealed inside the musical instrument and the wireless transmitter periodically transmits a signal indicating the location of the musical instrument even if the location of the musical instrument does not change substantially.

13. A system for monitoring musical instruments, comprising:

a plurality of musical instruments in proximity to each other at a location, each musical instrument having a body having a cavity and a neck, and an electric power source mounted in the body, each musical instrument equipped with an anti-theft feature that includes a location transmitting device permanently secured to the body and coupled to the electric power source, the location transmitting device having a location sensing unit and having at least one wireless transmitter that, in response to a change in location of the musical instrument being sensed by the location sensing unit, outputs information pertaining to the musical instruments, the location transmitting device permanently secured in the body in a position that requires removal of a musical component of the musical instruments in order to remove the location transmitting device; and

a computing system in proximity to the location and the plurality of musical instruments, the computing system programmed to receive and transmit information obtained from the at least one wireless transmitter of each of the plurality of musical instruments to determine the location of at least one of the plurality of musical instruments.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the location transmitting device and the electric power source are positioned in the body in a position that does not noticeably interfere with acoustic properties of the musical instrument.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein each musical instrument is one of an acoustic guitar, an electric guitar, a hybrid guitar, and a string musical instrument.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the computing system and the location transmitting device of each musical instrument cooperate to transmit a signal to at least one of a mobile device, a satellite, and a wireless communication tower to provide information to a user.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein the information comprises at least one of a location of the musical instrument, state of charge of the location transmitting device, proximity of the musical instrument relative to the location, and data pertaining to a type of musical instrument.

18. A method of making a musical instrument comprising:

forming a portion of the musical instrument having an open body having a cavity and a neck;

coupling an electric power source to the open body;

coupling to the electric power source an anti-theft feature that includes a location transmitting device and permanently installing the location transmitting device in the open body, the location transmitting device having a location sensing unit and having at least one wireless transmitter that transmits a signal indicating a new location of the musical instrument in response to a change in location of the musical instrument being sensed by the location sensing unit; and

closing the open body to form a closed cavity, the location transmitting device permanently secured in the closed cavity in a position that requires removal of a musical component of the musical instrument in order to remove the location transmitting device.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising installing a power supply line and a power supply port before closing the open body, the power supply line coupled to the power supply port, the power supply port coupled to an exterior portion of the musical instrument to electrically charge the electric power source via the power supply line when an external power source is coupled to the power supply port.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein installing the location transmitting device comprises securing the location transmitting device in the cavity of one of an acoustic guitar, an electric guitar, a hybrid guitar, and a string musical instrument.