Vehicle-to-individual paging system

• US 6,154,148 A
• Filed: 12/22/1997
• Issued: 11/28/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Prince (Wellman Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Prince (Wellman Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Zeinstra, Mark L., Fluharty, William J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Holloway, III, Edwin C.
• Application Number:
  US08/996,434
• Time in Patent Office: 1,072 Days
• Field of Search: 340/825.44, 340/825.22, 340/311.1, 340/539, 340/425.5, 455/89, 455/404, 455/151.2, 341/173, 341/176
• US Class Current: 340/7.32
• 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

Abstract

A docking station is incorporated within a vehicle accessory, such as a visor, and includes sockets for receiving paging receivers which include rechargeable batteries for charging the clip-on paging receivers to the visor when not in use. The visor includes a paging transmitter with a control switch associated with each of the plurality of paging receivers for transmitting an individual code associated with each of the receivers. Receivers comprise clip-on modules which attach to the visor for storage and recharging of their rechargeable battery. The paging receiver includes an alarm, such as a beeper, so that when a paging signal is received, the beeper sounds notifying the individual that the transportation is awaiting. The docking station visor may also include a trainable garage door opening transmitter and the paging transmitter can be integrated with the trainable garage door opening transmitter to provide multiple functions.

Claims

1. A vehicle-to-individual paging system comprising:

a vehicle accessory for mounting in a vehicle, said accessory including a docking station for receiving at least one paging receiver;

a paging transmitter associated with said docking station including an operator-actuated switch for originating operator paging transmissions from the vehicle;

said docking station including a power supply and electrical contacts for charging a paging receiver; and

a paging receiver including a housing for removably mounting said paging receiver to said docking station and electrical contacts such that said contacts on said paging receiver engage said contacts on said docking station for charging said paging receiver when mounted to said docking station.

2. The paging system as defined in claim 1 wherein said paging transmitter is mounted to said docking station and said docking station includes a switch for selectively actuating said paging transmitter for transmitting a paging signal to said paging receiver.

3. The paging system as defined in claim 2 wherein said docking station includes a plurality of switches and a microprocessor coupled to the switches for encoding a signal uniquely identifying each one of a plurality of paging receivers and a plurality of paging receivers.

4. The paging system as defined in claim 3 wherein said vehicle accessory is a visor.

5. The paging system as defined in claim 4 wherein said docking station includes a plurality of spaced sockets, each socket including electrical contacts for receiving a paging receiver.

6. The paging system as defined in claim 5 wherein said visor further includes a trainable transmitter for controlling a remotely controlled device.

7. The paging system as defined in claim 1 wherein said paging receiver includes a rechargeable battery.

8. A vehicle-to-individual paging system comprising:

a docking station positioned in a vehicle accessory for removably receiving a plurality of paging receivers;

a paging transmitter mounted in said docking station for originating paging messages from the docking station; and

a plurality of paging receivers including a housing for removably mounting said paging receivers to said docking station such that an individual in the vehicle can selectively transmit a paging signal to each of said paging receivers carried by other individuals at locations remote from the vehicle.

9. The paging system as defined in claim 8 wherein said docking station includes a plurality of switches and a microprocessor coupled to the switches for encoding a transmitted signal uniquely identifying each one of said plurality of paging receivers.

10. The paging system as defined in claim 9 wherein each paging receiver includes a rechargeable battery.

11. The paging system as defined in claim 10 wherein said docking station includes a plurality of individual sockets, each including contacts for receiving a paging receiver such that said rechargeable battery of a paging receiver is recharged when in said docking station.

12. The paging system as defined in claim 11 wherein said docking station further includes a trainable transmitter for controlling a remotely controlled device.

13. The paging system as defined in claim 12 wherein said transmitter is an RF transmitter.

14. The paging system as defined in claim 13 wherein said transmitter operates in the 900 MHz band.

15. The paging system as defined in claim 14 wherein said vehicle accessory comprises a visor.

16. A vehicle-to-individual paging system comprising:

a visor including an edge with a plurality of sockets for removably receiving a plurality of paging receivers;

an RF paging transmitter mounted in said visor, said transmitter including an operator-actuated switch for originating paging messages from the vehicle; and

a plurality of RF paging receivers, each including a housing for removably mounting said paging receivers to said visor, such that an individual located within the vehicle can send a paging signal to one or more of the paging receivers.

17. The paging system as defined in claim 16 wherein said paging transmitter includes switches for selectively actuating said paging transmitter for transmitting a paging signal uniquely identifying each of said paging receivers.

18. The paging system as defined in claim 17 wherein said visor includes a plurality of sockets, each including electrical contacts for receiving a paging receiver,and each of said paging receivers includes a rechargeable battery for charging said battery when said receiver is mounted to said visor.

19. The paging system as defined in claim 18 wherein said visor further includes a trainable transmitter for controlling a remotely controlled device.

20. A vehicle-to-individual communication system comprising:

a vehicle accessory including a docking station for receiving at least one RF receiver;

a transmitter associated with said docking station, said transmitter including a trainable transceiver and operable on multiple frequency RF bands;

a controller and a plurality of switches coupled to said controller to control said transmitter for selectively transmitting one of a communications and a remote control signal; and

an RF receiver including a housing for removably mounting said receiver to said docking station to allow said receiver to be carried by an individual, such that a person in the vehicle can communicate with an individual carrying a receiver at a location remote from the vehicle.

21. The system as defined in claim 20 wherein said vehicle accessory is a visor.

22. The system as defined in claim 20 wherein said docking station includes a power supply and electrical contacts for charging a receiver and said receiver includes a rechargeable battery.

23. The system as defined in claim 22 wherein said docking station includes a plurality of sockets for receiving a plurality of RF receivers.

24. A vehicle-to-individual communication system comprising:

a visor including a docking station for removably receiving a plurality of RF receivers wherein said docking station includes a plurality of sockets, each including contacts coupled to a power supply, said contact aligned for receiving a receiver such that a rechargeable battery of a receiver is recharged when in said docking station;

an RF transmitter mounted in said visor;

switches coupled to said transmitter for originating a communication to a receiver by transmitting an RF signal uniquely identifying each of a plurality of receivers; and

a plurality of RF receivers including a rechargeable battery and housing for removably mounting said receivers to said sockets of said docking station.

25. The paging system as defined in claim 24 wherein said transmitter is a trainable transmitter for controlling a remotely controlled device.

26. The system as defined in claim 24 wherein each RF receiver includes a clip for attaching to receiver to an individuals clothing.

27. The system as defined in claim 26 wherein each RF receiver includes a visible indicia uniquely identifying the receiver.

28. The system as defined in claim 27 wherein said indicia is a color marking.