Locating device

• US 5,204,657 A
• Filed: 05/28/1991
• Issued: 04/20/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Impact Products, LLC (Genuine Parts Company)
• Original Assignee: Impact Products, LLC (Genuine Parts Company)
• Inventors: Sacarisen, Stephen P., Prosser, Robert L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ng, Jin F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MULLEN, THOMAS J
• Application Number:
  US07/706,152
• Time in Patent Office: 693 Days
• Field of Search: 340/568, 340/571-573, 340/539, 340/311.1, 340/505, 340/825.54, 340/323 R, 340/825.49, 340/825.34, 341/176, 455/66-67, 235/385, 40/634, 40/300
• US Class Current: 340/571
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/24 Reminder alarms, e.g. anti-loss alarms

Abstract

A locating device has a locating circuit having a oscillator/counter logic circuit, a reset circuit, a reset beep circuit, an enable flip-flop, a delay flip-flop, a mux (multiplexer) flip-flop a mux logic circuit and a piezo oscillator circuit. The locating device is generally designed to assist the user to locate an object of which the locating device is a part. The preferred embodiment of the device is especially useful to determine the location of a misplaced television remote control. The alternative embodiment of the device could also be used to locate an object such as a credit card, locate an animal when lost or to find person on which the device is carried as a game. The locating device may also be used to reduce the occurrences of misplacement of objects or items (credit cards, ID cards, etc.) from their proper place or to alert a person when the object or item is in an improper place. The alternative embodiment has mode switch to control the audio alarm emission cycle.

Claims

1. A locating device comprising:

a. a locating circuit comprising a oscillator/counter logic circuit, a reset circuit, a reset beep circuit, an enable flip-flop, a delay flip-flop, a mux (multiplexer) flip-flop and a mux logic circuit and a piezo oscillator circuit;

b. the oscillator/counter logic circuit comprising a plurality of counter flip-flops to generate a first clock delay signal, a second clock delay signal, a third clock delay signal and a clear signal;

c. the reset circuit generating a reset signal to clear the state of the counter flip-flops, in the oscillator/counter logic circuit, to zero and generate a reset* signal to clear the reset beep circuit, the enable flip-flop, the delay flip-flop, and the mux flip-flop;

d. the reset beep circuit supplying a single pulse, preset signal to the enable flip-flop, the enable flip-flop generating an enable signal that triggers the piezo oscillator circuit to drive a piezo alarm element in the piezo oscillator circuit;

e. the clear signal resets the enable flip-flop to control the duration the piezo alarm element is activated, is driven by the oscillator/counter logic circuit;

f. the delay flip-flop, cleared by the reset* signal and set high by the third clock delay signal, supplies a data signal that inhibits the enable flip-flop from being set and enables the mux flip-flop to be set by the next cycle of the third clock delay signal,

g. the mux flip-flop sending a mux state signal to the mux logic circuit;

h. the mux state signal controlling the state of the mux logic circuit to multiplex the first clock delay signal or the second clock delay signal that generates a trigger signal;

i. the enable flip-flop triggered by the trigger signal sets the enable flip-flop setting the enable signal that sets the duration of the activation of the piezo alarm element; and

j. the piezo oscillator circuit, activated by the enable signal, activates the piezo alarm element to emit an audio alarm signal.

2. A locating device as described in claim 1 wherein the reset circuit comprises a resistance-activated switch circuit comprising:

a. a resistance-activated switch; and

b. a reset logic gate.

3. A locating device as described in claim 2 wherein the reset circuit further comprises a mode switch to select a delay time interval for the third clock delay signal.

4. A locating device as described in claim 2 further comprising a base comprising a conductive circuit to open the resistance-activated switch.

5. A locating device used in combination with an informational media storage card comprising:

a. a locating circuit comprising a oscillator/counter logic circuit, a reset circuit, a reset beep circuit, an enable flip-flop, a delay flip-flop, a mux (multiplexer) flip-flop and a mux logic circuit and a piezo oscillator circuit;

b. the oscillator/counter logic circuit comprising a plurality of counter flip-flops to generate a first clock delay signal, a second clock delay signal, a third clock delay signal and a clear signal;

c. the reset circuit generating a reset signal to clear the state of the counter flip-flops, in the oscillator/counter logic circuit, to zero and generate a reset* signal to clear the reset beep circuit, the enable flip-flop, the delay flip-flop, and the mux flip-flop;

d. the reset circuit comprising;

a mode switch to select a delay time interval for the third clock delay signal; and

a capacitance-activated switch circuit comprising;

a capacitance-activated switch; and

a reset logic gate;

e. the reset beep circuit supplying a single pulse, preset signal to the enable flip-flop, the enable flip-flop generating an enable signal that triggers the piezo oscillator circuit to drive a piezo alarm element in the piezo oscillator circuit;

f. the clear signal resets the enable flip-flop to control the duration the piezo alarm element is activated, and is driven by the oscillator/counter logic circuit;

g. the delay flip-flop, cleared by the reset* signal and set high by the third clock delay signal, supplies a data signal that inhibits the enable flip-flop from being set and enables the mux flip-flop to be set by the next cycle of the third clock delay signal,

h. the mux flip-flop sending a mux state signal to the mux logic circuit;

i. the mux state signal controlling the state of the mux logic circuit to multiplex the first clock delay signal or the second clock delay signal that generates a trigger signal;

j. the enable flip-flop triggered by the trigger signal sets the enable flip-flop setting the enable signal that sets the duration of the activation of the piezo alarm element; and

k. the piezo oscillator circuit, activated by the enable signal, activates the piezo alarm element to emit an audio alarm signal.

6. A locating device as described in claim 5 further comprising a portable base comprising a conductive circuit to open a resistance-activated switch.