Location tracking power cord and method therefore

• US 9,426,612 B2
• Filed: 10/15/2014
• Issued: 08/23/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kevin Williams
• Original Assignee: Kevin Williams
• Inventors: Williams, Kevin
• Primary Examiner(s): Lu, Shirley
• Application Number:
  US14/515,167
• Publication Number:
  US 20160112828A1
• Time in Patent Office: 678 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 31/065 with built-in electric apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

A location tracking hospital grade power cord and method therefore is taught in the various embodiments. The hospital grade power cord includes a location module housing having a location circuit board therein. Within the location module housing, a power supply is positioned and in electrical communication with conductors extending through the cord housing. The location module housing also provides location for a communication module including a location module such as a Global Positioning System (GPS) satellite receiver and at least one cellular transceiver.

Claims

1. A location trackable power cord, comprising:

a hospital grade power cord including a sheath and a plurality of conductors therein;

said hospital grade power cord having a first end and a second end and a location tracking module housing therebetween;

said plurality of conductors extending between plugs at said first and said second end;

a circuit board, a location tracking module, a power supply and a battery also disposed within said location tracking module housing; and

said plurality of conductors in electrical communication with said battery and said location tracking module.

2. The location trackable power cord of claim 1, one of said first end and said second end being 120V AC input.

3. The location trackable power cord of claim 2, the other of said first end and said second end being 120V AC output.

4. The location trackable power cord of claim 1, said plurality of conductors being three conductors.

5. The location trackable power cord of claim 1 wherein said location tracking module utilizes at least one of triangulation or trilateration to determine position.

6. The location trackable power cord of claim 1, further comprising a power supply that includes an AC to DC transformer.

7. The location trackable power cord of claim 6, said transformer being in electrical communication with said battery.

8. The location trackable power cord of claim 7, said battery being a rechargeable battery.

9. The location trackable power cord of claim 8, said battery being a lithium ion battery.

10. The location trackable power cord of claim 1, said plug at said first end being a male plug having three prongs.

11. The location trackable power cord of claim 1, said plug at said second end being a female plug having three apertures.

12. The location trackable power cord of claim 1, wherein the location tracking module may further comprise a GPS satellite receiver.

13. The location trackable power cord of claim 12, further comprising a digital cellular transceiver.

14. The location trackable power cord of claim 12, further comprising an analog cellular transceiver.

15. The location trackable power cord of claim 12, further comprising a wireless communication module.

16. The location trackable power cord of claim 15, said wireless communication module including a Wi-Fi communication module.

17. The location trackable power cord of claim 1, at least one of said plugs being one of straight or right angle type.

18. A system for tracking a medical device, comprising:

a hospital grade power cord having a first male plug at a first end and a second female plug at a second end, said cord connectable to a power source and a medical device at said ends;

a housing disposed between said first male plug at said first end and said second female plug at said second end, said housing having a global positioning system (“

GPS”

) circuit board therein;

a power supply in said housing in electrical communication with conductors extending between said first and second plug ends of said power cord;

said power supply connected to said GPS circuit board and to a battery charging circuit;

a communication module in communication with said GPS circuit board, said communication module including a GPS satellite receiver and at least one of a cellular transceiver;

a GPS server in communication with said power cord and accessible by computer to determine location of said medical device.