Electronic location system
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A system for locating an object using the Global Positioning Satellite System (GPS), the locating system comprising:
- a locator unit connected to the object;
the locator unit including a first processor, a first transmitter for transmitting a position request signal to the GPS, and a first receiver for receiving a first position signal from the GPS indicative of the position of the object and providing the first position signal to the first processor for storage;
a hand-held remote unit selected from the group consisting of a laptop computer, a GPS watch, a cellular telephone and PDA a personal digital assistant (PDA), for determining a position of the remote unit relative to the object;
the remote unit including a second processor, a second transmitter for transmitting a position request signal to the GPS, a second receiver for receiving a second position signal from the GPS indicative of the position of the remote unit and providing the second position signal to the second processor for storage;
means connected to the second processor for generating a request signal requesting the first location signal from the locator unit, whereupon the locator unit retrieves the first location signal from the first processor and transmits the first location signal to the remote unit, such that upon receipt of the first location signal the second processor compares the first location signal to the second position signal and determines a position of the remote unit relative to the object; and
display means connected to the second processor for displaying a visual signal and issuing an audio signal to indicate the position of the remote unit relative to the object, the display means including an indicator having directional arrows showing a direction from the remote unit, and an area on the display indicating by color the relative altitudes of the remote unit and the object.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A vehicle locating system that includes a hand-held remote unit associated with a user and a locator unit associated with a vehicle. The locator unit utilizes a GPS to store a location of the vehicle. The remote unit is selected from the group laptop computer, key ring, GPS watch, cellular telephone and PDA, and it utilizes a GPS to store a location of the user. The remote unit queries the locator unit to obtain the location of the vehicle, and then compares the location of the vehicle to its own location, whereupon the remote unit displays a direction for the user to travel in order to reach the vehicle.
33 Citations
29 Claims
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1. A system for locating an object using the Global Positioning Satellite System (GPS), the locating system comprising:
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a locator unit connected to the object; the locator unit including a first processor, a first transmitter for transmitting a position request signal to the GPS, and a first receiver for receiving a first position signal from the GPS indicative of the position of the object and providing the first position signal to the first processor for storage; a hand-held remote unit selected from the group consisting of a laptop computer, a GPS watch, a cellular telephone and PDA a personal digital assistant (PDA), for determining a position of the remote unit relative to the object; the remote unit including a second processor, a second transmitter for transmitting a position request signal to the GPS, a second receiver for receiving a second position signal from the GPS indicative of the position of the remote unit and providing the second position signal to the second processor for storage; means connected to the second processor for generating a request signal requesting the first location signal from the locator unit, whereupon the locator unit retrieves the first location signal from the first processor and transmits the first location signal to the remote unit, such that upon receipt of the first location signal the second processor compares the first location signal to the second position signal and determines a position of the remote unit relative to the object; and display means connected to the second processor for displaying a visual signal and issuing an audio signal to indicate the position of the remote unit relative to the object, the display means including an indicator having directional arrows showing a direction from the remote unit, and an area on the display indicating by color the relative altitudes of the remote unit and the object. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A method of locating a vehicle in an area that is crowded with vehicles, comprising the steps of:
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providing a locator unit; mounting the locator unit on a vehicle; providing a first GPS device in the locator unit to obtain vehicle-location-information; programming the first GPS device to be activated upon a user parking the vehicle and turning off the vehicle, whereupon the locator unit stores vehicle-location-information including latitude, longitude, and altitude of the vehicle as obtained by the first GPS device; providing a hand-held remote unit to be carried by the user, the remote unit being selected from the group consisting of a laptop computer, a GPS watch, a cellular telephone and PDA a personal digital assistant (PDA); providing a second GPS device in the remote unit to obtain user-location-information; providing a first button on the remote unit to activate the second GPS device to obtain and store user-location-information including latitude, longitude and altitude of the user; providing a second button on the remote unit that is operable to obtain latitude, longitude and altitude vehicle-location-information that is stored in the locator unit; providing that upon the user parking and leaving the vehicle in the area, and thereafter returning to the area, the user may push the first button to obtain user-location-information, and may push the second button to obtain vehicle-location-information; providing that the remote unit compares the user-location information to the vehicle-location-information and displays a direction for the user to move in order to approach the vehicle, that the remote unit displays any difference in altitude between the user and the vehicle, and that the remote unit issues an audible signal indicating a distance between the user and the vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (8)
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9. A method for locating a vehicle, comprising:
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obtaining first location information from a vehicle locator unit connected to a vehicle, the first location information identifying a location of the vehicle, wherein said first location information is automatically obtained upon the occurrence of a predetermined vehicle event; transmitting, from the vehicle locator unit, at least a portion of the first location information directly to a portable remote unit, the portable remote unit being selected from the group consisting of a laptop computer, a GPS watch, a cellular telephone and a personal digital assistant (PDA); at a time subsequent to obtaining said first location information, obtaining second location information associated with a location of the portable remote unit; comparing said second location information to said first location information; and generating an output at said portable remote unit indicative of a relative position of said portable remote unit to the location of the vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method for use with a portable electrical device for locating a vehicle, comprising:
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receiving, directly from a vehicle locator unit connected to the vehicle, at a portable remote unit, vehicle location information representing location of the vehicle automatically obtained upon an ignition of said vehicle being turned off, the portable remote unit being selected from the group consisting of a laptop computer, a GPS watch, a cellular telephone and a personal digital assistant (PDA); storing said vehicle location information to a memory to generate stored location information; obtaining remote location information associated with a location of the portable remote comparing said remote location information to said stored location information; and generating an output at said portable remote unit indicative of a relative position of said portable remote unit to the location of said vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A method for locating a vehicle, comprising:
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attaching a vehicle locator unit to a vehicle, wherein said vehicle locator unit is operative to obtain vehicle location information; providing a remote locator unit operative to obtain remote locator unit location information, the remote locator unit being selected from the group consisting of a laptop computer, a GPS watch, a cellular telephone and a personal digital assistant (PDA); establishing a direct wireless link between said remote locator unit and said vehicle locator unit; obtaining vehicle location information at said remote locator unit via said direct wireless link; comparing said vehicle location information with said remote unit location; and generating a visual output indicative of a relative position of said remote locator unit to said vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (24)
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25. A method for locating an object, comprising:
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obtaining first object location information using a locator unit attached to the object, wherein said first location information is obtained at a first time; establishing a direct wireless link between said locator unit and a remote unit, the remote unit being selected from the group consisting of a laptop computer, a GPS watch, a cellular telephone and a personal digital assistant (PDA); transmitting said first object location information from said locator unit directly to said remote unit via the direct wireless link; obtaining a first remote unit location using said remote unit; comparing said first remote unit location with said first object location; and generating a first output indicative of a first relative position of said remote unit to said object. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28)
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29. A system for locating an object using the Global Positioning Satellite System (GPS), the locating system comprising:
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a locator unit connected to the object; the locator unit including a GPS receiver, and being configured to determine the location of the locator unit, wherein the connection between the locator unit and the object allows the location of the locator unit to represent the location of the object; a hand-held remote unit configured to determine the location of the remote unit, the hand-held remote unit being selected from the group consisting of a laptop computer, a GPS watch, a cellular telephone and a personal digital assistant (PDA); means for generating a request signal at the remote unit to request from the locator unit the location of the locator unit, wherein in response; the locator unit transmits the location of the locator unit to the remote unit, and the remote unit compares the location of the locator unit to the location of the remote unit and determines a position of the remote unit relative to the received position of the locator unit; and display means for displaying a visual signal and issuing an audio signal to indicate the position of the remote unit relative to the object, the display means including an indicator having directional arrows showing a direction from the remote unit, and an area on the display indicating by color the relative altitudes of the remote unit and the object.
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Specification