US3739329A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Electronic system for locating
Assignee: INTERSONICS Corp
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Filing: 1971-05-24
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Granted: 1973-06-12
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Expires: 1991-05-24
Abstract
Abstract An electronic locating system includes a central console having a transmitter, receiver, and a display means, and a plurality of portable transreceiver units, and a plurality of stations located at various places such as rooms on the premises where the system is installed. The transmitter is adapted to transmit signals of particular UHF frequencies, each signal being identified with a person to be sought. The portable unit is tuned to receive the UHF signal of a particular frequency code and generate an ultrasonic sound wave. A station adjacent to the portable unit (but within the same room) is adapted to receive the ultrasonic sound wave and generate an UHF signal frequency identified with the station. The receiver is adapted to receive the UHF signal transmitted by the station and the display means adapted to indicate the location of the station transmitting the UHF signal, thereby identifying the room location of the person being sought. The system includes means for utilizing existing power supply wires. The system is also adapted to operate with the existing telephone switching networks for enabling a person to be connected with another person within the premises by automatically ringing the telephone located near the other person in the same room. This system completely eliminates all types or forms of paging which require the cooperation of the person being sought and which do not give him the same dignity. With the present locating system, circumvention is not possible if continuous scanning is used. Also a most important aspect is the fact that a person may not be able to answer (as in a restroom) which would be indicated to the caller who is always the only one involved.
Inventors
- 👤 R Lester
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 04:28
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04M; H04M3/00; H04M3/42; H04M3/42229; G; G08; G08B; G08B3/00; G08B3/10; G08B3/1008; G08B3/1016; G08B3/1083; H04M2242/00; H04M2242/30
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim
163 words
An electronic locating system installable on a premise comprising: means for transmitting a plurality of AC signals of different frequencies in a first band of frequencies, each signal frequency being identified with a person; a plurality of portable units carriable by persons, each unit having means tuned to receive the AC signal of a particular frequency identified with a person and means to generate an ultrasonic sound wave in response to said received AC signal; a plurality of stations positionable at various locations on said premises, each station having means responsive to the ultrasonic sound wave generated by a portable unit near thereto and means for generating an AC signal of a predetermined frequency In a second band of frequencies identified with said stations; and means for receiving the signal of predetermined frequency from the stations; and means responsive to said received signal for indicating the position of the station transmitting said receiving AC signal, and thereby identify the location of the persons.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
163 words
An electronic locating system installable on a premise comprising: means for transmitting a plurality of AC signals of different frequencies in a first band of frequencies, each signal frequency being identified with a person; a plurality of portable units carriable by persons, each unit having means tuned to receive the AC signal of a particular frequency identified with a person and means to generate an ultrasonic sound wave in response to said received AC signal; a plurality of stations positionable at various locations on said premises, each station having means responsive to the ultrasonic sound wave generated by a portable unit near thereto and means for generating an AC signal of a predetermined frequency In a second band of frequencies identified with said stations; and means for receiving the signal of predetermined frequency from the stations; and means responsive to said received signal for indicating the position of the station transmitting said receiving AC signal, and thereby identify the location of the persons.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
27 words
The system according to claim 1, wherein each portable unit further includes a manually actuable switch means for actuating said means generating a said ultrasonic sound wave.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
56 words
The system according to claim 1, wherein said receiving means of each portable unit includes a circuit tuned to a particular frequency actuable in response to the detection of the AC signal of a particular frequency; and said ultrasonic sound wave generating means include a pizezo electric element responsive to the signal from said tuned circuit.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
44 words
The system in accordance with claim 1, wherein each station includes a transducer responsive to said ultrasonic sound wave for generating an output signal and means responsive to said output signal for generating the AC signal of a particular frequency in said second band.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
22 words
A system in accordance with claim 4, wherein said station includes battery for energizing said AC signal generating means and said transmitter.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
76 words
The system in accordance with claim 1, including a central console wherein said transmitting and receiving means are mounted; a plurality of actuable keys, each identified with a person, said transmitting means including a plurality of AC signal generated means respectively responsive to the actuation of said plurality of actuable keys for enabling selective generation of said AC signals; and a plurality of display means disposed in said console respectively identified with said plurality of stations.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
47 words
The system in accordance with claim 6, including means for demodulating the AC signal received by the said receiving means into a digital signal; said display means including digital read-out circuits responsive to the demodulated signal for indicating the position of the station transmitting said AC signal.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
70 words
The system according to claim 1, wherein each of said plurality of portable units is adapted to generate an ultrasonic sound wave of a distinct frequency different from those generated by the other portable units; each of said station including a plurality of circuits tuned to receive the ultrasonic sound waves of different frequencies; and ordinary house current transmission paths connecting the output of said stations to the receiving means.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
36 words
The system in accordance with claim 8, including means for superimposing DC bias of different polarities to said plurality of AC signals generated by said plurality of stations, and receiving means adapted to discriminate said polarities.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
65 words
The system in accordance with claim 9, including means for actuating said plurality of portable units and stations in a successive cycles and said receiving means and display means being adapted to operate in synchronization with the operation of said portable units and stations for automatically providing visual indications of the locations of the persons carrying said plurality of the portable units in successive cycles.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
157 words
The system in accordance with claim 1, including a switching network for providing connecting paths to a plurality of telephones, said network including means responsive to a predetermined access code from a telephone for channeling the calling signal toward said transmitting means; access means for providing a connection path from said switching circuit to said transmitting means; an encoding network connected to said access network for receiving a coded signal identified with a person being sought and translating said encoded signal into an actuating signal enabling said transmitting means to send out an AC signal identified with said paged person; and a decoding network interposed between the receiving Means and said switching network, said decoding network including means for translating an AC signal received from a remote station transmitting said AC signal and generating a calling signal of a telephone located near said station and transmitting said calling signal to said switching network for ringing said telephone.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
49 words
The system in accordance with claim 11, including an actuating gate responsive to the operation of said access means for conditioning said decoding network to receive the signal from the remote station and means for turning off said actuating gate upon completion of the transmission of said calling signal.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
146 words
The system in accordance with claim 1, wherein selected ones of said stations include a plurality of transducers positioned at a plurality of adjoining locations for detecting the presence of the ultrasonic sound wave; a plurality of receiving means connected to said plurality of transducers for generating a plurality of AC signals; there being a time delay between said AC signals arising from the difference in the distance from said portable units to said transducers; said receiving means including means for detecting the AC signal arriving at said receiving means first; means for locking onto said first detected AC signal and locking out other AC signals arriving at said receiving means subsequent to said first detected AC signal; and, means responsive to the first detected AC signal for actuating said display means, whereby the display means indicates the position of the transducer nearest the portable unit.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-06-11 | 1976-12-11 | 1977-06-12 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-06-11 | 1980-12-11 | 1981-06-12 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-06-11 | 1984-12-11 | 1985-06-12 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |