Apparatus, systems, and methods for signal localization and differentiation

• US 9,524,625 B1
• Filed: 02/05/2016
• Issued: 12/20/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/06/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: David C. Williams, Frederick G. Nesemeier, Gary F. Nesemeier
• Original Assignee: David C. Williams, Frederick G. Nesemeier, Gary F. Nesemeier
• Inventors: Nesemeier, Frederick G., Nesemeier, Gary F., Williams, David C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Hung T
• Application Number:
  US15/016,298
• Time in Patent Office: 319 Days
• Field of Search: 340/326, 340/321, 340/323.R, 340/407.1, 340/539.11, 340/573.1, 345/156, 345/173, 380/239, 380/251, 380/255, 380/270, 455/90.1, 455/575.2, 116/200
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 1/08 using electric transmission ; transformation of alarm signals to electrical signals from a different medium, e.g. transmission of an electric alarm signal upon detection of an audible alarm signal
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 29/181 due to failing power supply
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 3/06 using hydraulic transmission; using pneumatic transmission
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 6/00 Tactile signalling systems, e.g. personal calling systems
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 7/04 using hydraulic transmission; using pneumatic transmission
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 7/06 using electric transmission , e.g. involving audible and visible signalling through the use of sound and light sources
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 5/00 Whistles

Abstract

Apparatus, systems, and methods for providing transmission and localized reception of audio, visual, and tactile signaling are taught for a myriad of useful purposes, including embodiments that permit differentiation between selected groups of intended recipients to permit simultaneous use of multiple instances of this technology in close proximity, if desired.

Claims

1. A system for configurable signaling, the system comprising:

A. at least one signaling device comprising a first stored communication configuration comprising one or more first configuration element(s), a second stored communication configuration comprising one or more second configuration element(s), and a third stored communication configuration comprising one or more third configuration element(s);

B. one or more first receiving device(s), each comprising one or more external stimuli generator(s) and a fourth stored communication configuration comprising at least one of said one or more first configuration element(s) and at least one of said one or more third configuration elements;

C. one or more second receiving device(s), each comprising one or more external stimuli generator(s) and a fifth stored communication configuration comprising at least one of said one or more second configuration element(s) and at least one of said one or more third configuration elements;

wherein the at least one signaling device is configured to;

a. receive, from a user, a selection of one of any of said first stored communication configuration, said second stored communication configuration, and said third stored communication configuration;

b. generate at least one signal comprising all of the configuration element(s) in said selected stored communication configuration; and

c. transmit said at least one signal;

wherein said one or more first receiving devices are configured to;

d. receive directly the at least one signal transmitted by the at least one signaling device;

e. activate at least one of said one or more external stimuli generator(s) when said signal comprises at least one of said configuration elements present in said fourth stored communication configuration; and

f. do nothing when said signal comprises none of said configuration elements present in said fourth stored communication configuration;

and wherein said one or more second receiving devices are configured to;

g. receive directly the at least one signal transmitted by the at least one signaling device;

h. activate at least one of said one or more external stimuli generator(s) when said signal comprises at least one of said configuration elements present in said fifth stored communication configuration; and

i. do nothing when said signal comprises none of said configuration elements present in said fifth stored communication configuration.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein none of said one or more third configuration element(s) are identical to any of said one or more first configuration element(s) and none of said one or more third configuration element(s) are identical to any of said one or more second configuration element(s).

3. The system of claim 1 wherein at least any one of said one or more third configuration element(s) is identical to any of said one or more first configuration element(s) and is also identical to any of said one or more second configuration element(s).

4. The system of claim 1 wherein said third stored communication configuration comprises any of said one or more third configuration element(s) identical to at least one of said one or more first configuration element(s), any of said one or more third configuration element(s) identical to at least one of said one or more second configuration element(s), or any of said one or more third configuration element(s) identical to at least one of said one or more first configuration element(s) and any of said one or more third configuration element(s) identical to at least one of said one or more second configuration element(s).

5. The system of claim 4 wherein said fourth stored communication configuration comprises any of said one or more third configuration element(s) identical to at least one of said one or more first configuration element(s), any of said one or more third configuration element(s) identical to at least one of said one or more second configuration element(s), or any of said one or more third configuration element(s) identical to at least one of said one or more first configuration element(s) and any of said one or more third configuration element(s) identical to at least one of said one or more second configuration element(s).

6. The system of claim 4 wherein said fifth stored communication configuration comprises any of said one or more third configuration element(s) identical to at least one of said one or more first configuration element(s), any of said one or more third configuration element(s) identical to at least one of said one or more second configuration element(s), or any of said one or more third configuration element(s) identical to at least one of said one or more first configuration element(s) and any of said one or more third configuration element(s) identical to at least one of said one or more second configuration element(s).

7. The system of claim 1 wherein said third stored communication configuration comprises more than one third configuration element and wherein at least a first of said more than one third configuration elements is identical to any of said one or more first configuration element(s) and at least a second of said more than one third configuration elements is identical to any of said one or more second configuration element(s).

8. The system of claim 1 wherein none of said one or more first configuration element(s) are identical to any of said one or more second configuration element(s).

9. The system of claim 8 wherein none of said one or more third configuration element(s) are identical to any of said one or more first configuration element(s) and none of said one or more third configuration element(s) are identical to any of said one or more second configuration element(s).

10. The system of claim 8 wherein said third stored communication configuration comprises any of said one or more third configuration element(s) identical to at least one of said one or more first configuration element(s), any of said one or more third configuration element(s) identical to at least one of said one or more second configuration element(s), or any of said one or more third configuration elements identical to at least one of any of said one or more first configuration element(s) and any of said one or more third configuration elements identical to at least one of said one or more second configuration element(s).

11. The system of claim 10 wherein said fourth stored communication configuration comprises any of said one or more third configuration element(s) identical to at least one of said one or more first configuration element(s), any of said one or more third configuration element(s) identical to at least one of said one or more second configuration element(s), or any of said one or more third configuration element(s) identical to at least one of said one or more first configuration element(s) and any of said one or more third configuration element(s) identical to said one or more second configuration element(s).

12. The system of claim 10 wherein said fifth stored communication configuration comprises any of said one or more third configuration element(s) identical to at least one of said one or more first configuration element(s), any of said one or more third configuration element(s) identical to at least one of said one or more second configuration element(s), or any of said one or more third configuration element(s) identical to at least one of said one or more first configuration element(s) and any of said one or more third configuration element(s) identical to said one or more second configuration element(s).

13. The system of claim 8 wherein said third stored communication configuration comprises more than one third configuration element and wherein a first of said more than one third configuration elements is identical to any of said one or more first configuration element(s) and a second of said more than one third configuration elements is identical to any of said one or more second configuration element(s).

14. A method for configurably sending and receiving signals using a signaling device and more than one receiving device, the method comprising:

A. storing, in said signaling device, a first communication configuration comprising one or more first configuration elements, a second communication configuration comprising one or more second configuration elements, and a third communication configuration comprising one or more third configuration elements;

B. storing, in a first portion of said more than one receiving devices, a fourth communication configuration comprising one or more first configuration elements and one or more third configuration elements;

C. storing, in a second portion of said more than one receiving devices, a fifth communication configuration comprising one or more second configuration elements and one or more third configuration elements;

D. selecting, at the signaling device, one of any of said first communication configuration, said second communication configuration, and said third communication configuration;

E. generating and transmitting, by the signaling device, a signal comprising the configuration elements of the selected communication configuration;

F. receiving, directly by the receiving device, the signal transmitted by the signaling device; and

G. providing an alert, by at least one or more external stimuli generators in said first portion or said second portion of said more than one receiving devices, if said signal comprises one or more of configuration element(s) stored in said fourth or said fifth communication configurations, respectively.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein none of said one or more third configuration element(s) are identical to any of said one or more first configuration element(s) and none of said one or more third configuration element(s) are identical to any of said one or more second configuration element(s).

16. The method of claim 14 wherein at least one of said one or more third configuration element(s) is identical to any of said one or more first configuration element(s) and is also identical to any of said one or more second configuration element(s).

17. The method of claim 14 wherein none of said one or more first configuration element(s) are identical to any of said one or more second configuration element(s).

18. The method of claim 17 wherein said third stored communication configuration comprises more than one third configuration element and wherein any of said more than one third configuration elements are identical to at least one of said one or more first configuration element(s), any of said more than one third configuration elements are identical to at least one of said one or more second configuration element(s), or at least a first of said more than one third configuration elements are identical to at least one of said one or more first configuration element(s) and at least a second of said more than one third configuration elements are identical to at least one of said one or more second configuration element(s).

19. A configurable system for sending and receiving signals, the system comprising:

A. one or more signaling device(s), each comprising an activation switch;

B. one or more receiving device(s), each comprising one or more external stimuli generator(s);

C. more than one first communication configuration selectable at each of the one or more signaling device(s), and more than one second communication configuration selectable at each of the one or more receiving device(s), wherein;

i. each of said more than one first communication configurations comprise more than one first configuration element and each of said more than one second communication configurations comprise one or more second configuration elements, and

ii. at least one of said more than one first configuration elements is identical to at least one of said one or more second configuration element(s);

wherein the system is configured to;

a. receive and store, at each of the one or more signaling device(s), selection of one of the more than one first communication configuration;

b. receive and store, at each of the one or more receiving device(s), selection of one of the more than one second communication configuration;

c. generate one or more signal(s) at each of the one or more signaling device(s) in response to actuation of the respective activation switch(es), wherein said one or more signal(s) comprise all of said at more than one first configuration element(s) of the selected first communication configuration;

d. transmit said signal(s) by said one or more signaling device(s) and receive directly said signal(s) by said one or more receiving device(s);

e. activate any of the one or more external stimuli generator(s) in any one of the one or more receiving device(s) whenever the signal and said selected second communication configuration of said one or more receiving devices comprises at least one identical configuration element.

20. The system of claim 19 wherein a first portion of said second communication configurations comprise at least one second configuration element not present in a second portion of said second communication configurations.