Patent US5978784A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
Patent US6184789B1 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US6184789B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method and apparatus for visually determining object location
Assignee: Fintegraph LLC
•
Filing: 1999-06-22
•
Granted: 2001-02-06
•
Expires: 2019-06-22
Abstract
Abstract A method and apparatus for determining the location of an object. An object to be located can be provided with an object locator that includes a display. When the object locator receives a signal indicating that the object associated with the object locator is to be located, the display changes display state to provide a visual indication that the signal has been received. The object locator can be ambient energy-powered, and the display can be a bistable display, such as a rotating element display device.
Inventors
- 👤 Edward A. Richley
- 👤 Mark D. Weiser
- 👤 Alexander E. Silverman
- 👤 Matthew E. Howard
- 👤 Bryan T. Preas
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-07 12:43
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06K; G06K7/00; G06K7/10; G06K7/10009; G06K7/10019; G06K7/10079; G01; G01S; G01S1/00; G01S1/70; G01S1/703; G01S1/7032; G01S5/00; G01S5/16; G06F; G06F3/00; G06F3/14; G06F3/147; G01S2201/00; G01S2201/01; G09; G09G; G09G2380/00; G09G2380/04; G09G2380/06
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim
77 words
An object locator comprising: a display that can provide at least two different display states; a power source that can receive ambient energy and converts the ambient energy to an available supply of power; a receiver that can receive a transmitted signal associated with the object locator; and a controller that can use the supply of power to cause the display to change display states when the receiver receives a signal that corresponds to the object locator.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
77 words
An object locator comprising: a display that can provide at least two different display states; a power source that can receive ambient energy and converts the ambient energy to an available supply of power; a receiver that can receive a transmitted signal associated with the object locator; and a controller that can use the supply of power to cause the display to change display states when the receiver receives a signal that corresponds to the object locator.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
15 words
The object locator of claim 1 , wherein the display is a multistable display device.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
16 words
The object locator of claim 1 , wherein the display is a rotating element display device.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
25 words
The object locator of claim 1 , wherein the power source comprises at least one solar cell that produces electrical energy from ambient electromagnetic radiation.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
29 words
The object locator of claim 1 , wherein the display switches display states to provide a visual indication that a signal corresponding to the object locator has been received.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
27 words
The object locator of claim 1 , wherein the controller analyzes signals received by the receiver to determine if a received signal corresponds to the object locator.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
19 words
The object locator of claim 1 , wherein the receiver only receives signals that correspond to the object locator.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
150 words
An object position locator system comprising: a locating system that determines and transmits a signal corresponding to an object to be located; and a plurality of object locators, at least one of the object locators capable of receiving the signal transmitted by the locating system, and, in response to the signal, changing a display state of a display in the object locator to provide a visual indication that the signal has been received; wherein each of the plurality of object locators comprises: a display that changes display state; a power source that provides energy to at least drive the display and can convert ambient energy into electrical energy to operate the object locator; a receiver that receives a signal from the locating system; and a controller that controls the display to change display states to provide a visual indication that a signal corresponding to the object locator has been received.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
150 words
An object position locator system comprising: a locating system that determines and transmits a signal corresponding to an object to be located; and a plurality of object locators, at least one of the object locators capable of receiving the signal transmitted by the locating system, and, in response to the signal, changing a display state of a display in the object locator to provide a visual indication that the signal has been received; wherein each of the plurality of object locators comprises: a display that changes display state; a power source that provides energy to at least drive the display and can convert ambient energy into electrical energy to operate the object locator; a receiver that receives a signal from the locating system; and a controller that controls the display to change display states to provide a visual indication that a signal corresponding to the object locator has been received.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
16 words
The object position locator system of claim 8 , wherein the display is a bistable display.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
18 words
The object position locator system of claim 8 , wherein the display is a rotating element display device.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
26 words
The object position locator system of claim 8 , wherein the power source comprises at least one solar cell that converts ambient light to electrical energy.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
68 words
A method for locating an object, comprising: determining an identity that corresponds to an object to be located; providing an ambient energy-powered display associated with the object to be located; transmitting a signal that corresponds to the determined identity; and receiving a visual indication from a location indicator associated with the object that the transmitted signal has been received, the visual indication providing information regarding the object's location.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
68 words
A method for locating an object, comprising: determining an identity that corresponds to an object to be located; providing an ambient energy-powered display associated with the object to be located; transmitting a signal that corresponds to the determined identity; and receiving a visual indication from a location indicator associated with the object that the transmitted signal has been received, the visual indication providing information regarding the object's location.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
43 words
The method of claim 12 , wherein the step of receiving a visual indication comprises: detecting a change in visual appearance of a display associated with the object; and determining a location of the object based on the detected change in visual appearance.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method of claim 12 , further comprising: determining a location of the object to be located based on the visual indication; and controlling a device to move toward the object to be located based on the determined location.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
98 words
An object position locator system comprising: a locating system that determines and transmits a signal corresponding to an object to be located; and at least two object locators, associated with different objects, that receive the signal transmitted by the locating system, and, in response to the signal, change a display state of a display in the at least two object locators to provide a visual indication that the signal has been received, with one of the at least two of object locators being in a different display state than other ones of the at least two object locators.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
98 words
An object position locator system comprising: a locating system that determines and transmits a signal corresponding to an object to be located; and at least two object locators, associated with different objects, that receive the signal transmitted by the locating system, and, in response to the signal, change a display state of a display in the at least two object locators to provide a visual indication that the signal has been received, with one of the at least two of object locators being in a different display state than other ones of the at least two object locators.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
46 words
The object position locator system of claim 15 , wherein the other ones of the at least two object locators are not directly associated with the object to be located, and are changed to a display state that visually points toward the object to be located.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
48 words
The object position locator system of claim 15 , wherein the display state of the one of the at least two object locators changes to a first color and the display state of the other ones of the at least two object locators changes to a second color.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US2354048A
Cited
US2354018A
Cited
US3915771A
Cited
US4117192A
Cited
US4143103A
Cited
US4126854A
Cited
JPS5357998A
Cited
US4261653A
Cited
US4234869A
Cited
US4376936A
Cited
US4507653A
Cited
US4948232A
Cited
US4688900A
Cited
US4814742A
Cited
US5063380A
Cited
US4994204A
Cited
US5155607A
Cited
US5251048A
Cited
US5505473A
Cited
US5497149A
Cited
US5469020A
Cited
US5767952A
Cited
US5767532A
Cited
US5680105A
Cited
US5677673A
Cited
US5963134A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2004-02-06 | 2004-08-07 | 2005-02-06 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2008-02-06 | 2008-08-07 | 2009-02-06 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2012-02-06 | 2012-08-07 | 2013-02-06 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |