Electronic tether for portable objects

• US 20050139168A1
• Filed: 04/27/2004
• Published: 06/30/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dot Holdings, LLC
• Original Assignee: Brian Boesch, Elliott D. Light, Jon L. Roberts
• Inventors: Roberts, Jon L., Light, Elliott D., Boesch, Brian
• Granted Patent: US 7,064,669 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 119/721
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 15/021 Electronic training devices specially adapted for dogs or cats

Abstract

A system and method for issuing an alarm when the separation distance between a monitoring module associated with an object (animate or inanimate) and an alert module exceeds a preset threshold distance thereby forming a leadless electronic tether between the object and the object owner. A monitoring module comprises a portable transmitter provides a signal to an alert module comprising a receiver and a processor. The alert module is adapted to determine a separation distance between the monitoring module and the alert module based on an attribute of the signal. When the separation distance exceeds a predetermined threshold, the alert module issues an alert.

Claims

1. An electronic tether comprising:

a monitoring module comprising a portable transmitter for transmitting a signal; and

an alert module comprising a receiver wirelessly connected to the portable transmitter, wherein the receiver is adapted to receive the signal from the transmitter and wherein the alert module is adapted to;

determine a separation distance between the monitoring module and the alert module based on an attribute of the signal, and

issue an alert when the separation distance exceeds a predetermined threshold.

2. The electronic tether of claim 1, wherein the portable transmitter is an RF transmitter and wherein the attribute of the signal is a measure of signal power.

3. The electronic tether of claim 2, wherein the RF transmitter is a spread spectrum transmitter.

4. The electronic tether of claim 1, wherein the alert is an audible alarm.

5. The electronic tether of claim 4, wherein the audible alarm is a synthesized voice.

6. The electronic tether of claim 1, wherein the alert is a visual alarm.

7. The electronic tether of claim 6, wherein the visual alarm is a text message.

24. The electronic tether of claim 1, wherein the portable transmitter is an audio transmitter and wherein the attribute of the signal is a measure of a propagation time of the signal to the receiver

8. An electronic tether comprising:

a monitoring module comprising a first clock, wherein the monitoring module is adapted to send a signal comprising a current time as measured by the first clock; and

an alert module comprising a second clock, wherein second clock is synchronized with the first clock and the alert module is adapted to;

receive the signal from the monitoring module;

determine a separation distance between the monitoring module and the alert module based on a difference between the current time of the second clock and the current time of the first clock as conveyed to the alert module in the signal; and

issue an alert when the separation distance exceeds a predetermined threshold.

9. The electronic tether of claim 8, wherein the alert is an audible alarm.

10. The electronic tether of claim 9, wherein the audible alarm is a synthesized voice.

11. The electronic tether of claim 8, wherein the alert is a visual alarm.

12. The electronic tether of claim 11, wherein the visual alarm is a text.

13. A method for monitoring object location using an electronic tether comprising:

sending a signal from a monitoring module;

receiving the signal from the monitoring module at an alert module;

determining from the signal a separation distance between the monitoring module and the alert module; and

issuing an alert when the separation distance exceeds a predetermined threshold.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein issuing an alert when the separation distance exceeds a predetermined threshold level comprises issuing an audible alarm.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein issuing an audible alarm when the separation distance exceeds a predetermined threshold level comprises issuing a synthesized voice.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein issuing an alert when the separation distance exceeds a predetermined threshold level comprises issuing a visual alarm.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein issuing an alert when the separation distance exceeds a predetermined threshold level comprises displaying a text message.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein issuing an alert when the separation distance exceeds a predetermined threshold level comprises issuing a tactile alert.

19. An anti-theft alert device comprising:

a monitoring module comprising a portable transmitter for transmitting a signal; and

an alert module comprising a receiver wirelessly connected to the portable transmitter, wherein the receiver is adapted to receive the signal from the transmitter and wherein the alert module is adapted to;

determine a separation distance between the monitoring module and the alert module based on an attribute of the signal, and

issue an alert when the separation distance exceeds a predetermined threshold.

20. An electronic tether for an animal comprising:

an animal worn monitoring module comprising a portable transmitter for transmitting a signal; and

an alert module comprising a receiver wirelessly connected to the portable transmitter, wherein the receiver is adapted to receive the signal from the transmitter and wherein the alert module is adapted to;

determine a separation distance between the animal worn monitoring module and the alert module based on an attribute of the signal, and

issue an alert when the separation distance exceeds a predetermined threshold.

21. The electronic tether for an animal of claim 20, wherein the portable transmitter is an RF transmitter and wherein the attribute of the signal is a measure of signal power.

22. The electronic tether for an animal of claim 20, wherein the portable transmitter is an audio transmitter and wherein the attribute of the signal is a measure of a propagation time of the signal to the receiver.

23. A method for monitoring an animal using electronic tether comprising:

sending a signal from an animal worn monitoring module;

receiving the signal from the animal worn monitoring module at an alert module;

determining from the signal a separation distance between the animal worn monitoring module and the alert module; and

issuing an alert when the separation distance exceeds a predetermined threshold.