Abstract:
A universal reminder device in the form of a series circuit including a power source, a warning indicator, a pressure-sensitive normally closed momentary switch, and a pressure-sensitive normally open momentary switch.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    The present application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/349,184, filed Jun. 13, 2016, the contents of which are incorporated in this disclosure by reference in their entirety. 
         [0002]    The present invention relates to an alerting system with the functionality to keep its user reminded in various environments. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION 
       [0003]    The various embodiments of this present invention are designed to provide an inexpensive device which requires no installation tools or skills and which will prevent people from forgetting important items (including toddlers) that have been placed in various environments including, but not limited to, homes, workplaces, hotel rooms and cars/motor vehicles. 
         [0004]    In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, a universal reminder device is in the form of a series circuit including a power source, a warning indicator, a pressure-sensitive normally closed momentary switch, and a pressure-sensitive normally open momentary switch. 
         [0005]    In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, a universal reminder device is in the form of a series circuit including a power source, a warning indicator, a first pressure-sensitive normally open momentary switch, and a second pressure-sensitive normally open momentary switch. 
         [0006]    In accordance with another aspect of the present invention at least one of the pressure sensitive switches is remotely controlled. 
         [0007]    In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, the warning indicator can be either a sound indicator or a light indicator. 
         [0008]    According to another aspect of the present invention, a universal reminder device is in the form of a series circuit including a power source, a warning indicator, a selectable connection between a pressure-sensitive normally closed momentary switch and a pressure-sensitive normally open momentary switch, and an additional pressure-sensitive normally open momentary switch. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES 
         [0009]    The invention will be explained in more detail in the following with reference to embodiments and to the drawings which are shown: 
           [0010]      FIG. 1A  is a schematic diagram that illustrates a universal reminder device in accordance with one aspect of the present invention. 
           [0011]      FIG. 1B  is a schematic diagram that illustrates a universal reminder device in accordance with another aspect of the present invention. 
           [0012]      FIG. 2  is a schematic diagram that illustrates a wireless version of the universal reminder device of  FIG. 1A  that may be used in a wide variety of environments. 
           [0013]      FIG. 3  is a schematic diagram of a portion of a universal reminder device that illustrates another aspect of the present invention. 
           [0014]      FIG. 4  is a schematic diagram showing multiple distributed multiple object-sensing switches. 
           [0015]      FIG. 5  is a flow diagram illustrating the practice of a method in accordance with an aspect of the present invention. 
           [0016]      FIG. 6  is a flow diagram illustrating the practice of a method in accordance with an aspect of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0017]    Persons of ordinary skill in the art will realize that the following description of the present invention is illustrative only and not in any way limiting. Other embodiments of the invention will readily suggest themselves to such skilled persons. 
         [0018]    Referring first of all to  FIG. 1A , a drawing that shows the general electrical diagram of a universal reminder device  10  in accordance with the present invention. 
         [0019]    In accordance with a first aspect of the present invention, a universal reminder device  10  of  FIG. 1A  includes a normally-closed momentary switch  12 , a normally-open momentary switch  14 , a buzzer  16  or other sound source such as a speaker driven by an audio oscillator, and a power source  18  such as a battery. Switches  12  and  14  are pressure/weight sensor switches but are shown in  FIG. 1  as simple switches to promote a clear understanding of the invention. 
         [0020]    The normally-closed momentary switch  12  is incorporated into a first pad (shown within dashed lines  20 ) and will sense if any pressure is applied on first pad  20  by opening. The normally-open momentary switch  14  is incorporated into a second pad (shown within dashed lines  22 ). The normally-open momentary switch  14  will sense if any pressure is applied on second pad  22  by closing. Persons of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that different embodiment of the invention may employ mechanical switches or solid-state switches. Such skilled persons will also appreciate that, in certain embodiment of the invention, optical sensors may be employed to detect the presence of an object on the first pad and the second pad. 
         [0021]    The term pad is intended herein to include all structures containing the switches, including discrete pads as well as switches incorporated into seats, mats and other structures as suggested by the context of the disclosure herein. 
         [0022]    The operation of universal reminder device  10  of  FIG. 1A  is explained in Table A. 
         [0023]    In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, the universal reminder device  10  may be incorporated into a motor vehicle to remind a driver when an object has been left in the vehicle. Persons of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the object may be a living thing such as a child or pet, or an inanimate object such as a purse or briefcase. In this embodiment of the invention, the first pad  20  is placed on or incorporated into the driver seat of the vehicle and the second pad  22  may be placed on or incorporated into another portion of the vehicle such as a rear seat or storage area in a sport utility vehicle, etc. 
         [0024]    Table A included below demonstrates the behavior of the universal reminder device  10  of  FIG. 1A  in response to the presence or absence of objects on the first pad  20  and the second pad  22 . 
         [0000]    
       
         
               
               
               
             
           
               
                 TABLE A 
               
               
                   
               
               
                 Object Present on  
                 Object Present on  
                   
               
               
                 Second Pad 22?  
                 First Pad 20? 
                   
               
               
                 (Is switch 14 closed?) 
                 (Is switch 12 open?) 
                 Alarm 
               
               
                   
               
             
             
               
                 YES 
                 YES 
                 Silent 
               
               
                 YES 
                 NO 
                 ALARM SOUNDS 
               
               
                 NO 
                 YES 
                 Silent 
               
               
                 NO 
                 NO 
                 Silent 
               
               
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
         [0025]    When the universal reminder device  10  is employed in a typical motor vehicle application as described herein, Table A shows that as long as the driver is in the driver seat, normally-closed momentary switch  12  in the first pad  20  associated with the driver seat is open and the alarm is silent since there is no circuit completed between the battery  18  and the buzzer  16 . However, when the driver exits the driver seat, normally-closed momentary switch  12  closes. With normally-closed momentary switch  12  closed, the buzzer  20  will sound only if there is an object on the second pad  22  having enough weight (or exhibiting another selected property for other switch types) to close switch  14  to complete the circuit between the battery  18  and the buzzer  16 , Thus the vehicle driver is warned that the object, child, pet, purse, briefcase, etc. is still present on second pad  22  as she is exiting the vehicle. 
         [0026]    Persons of ordinary skill in the art will understand that the sound of the alarm does not have to be an annoying noise; other indicia, such as other sounds, or light indications may be used. 
         [0027]    In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, a universal reminder device  30  is shown in  FIG. 1B . For an ease of understanding the present invention, elements of universal reminder device  30  in  FIG. 1B  that correspond to elements of universal reminder device  10  of  FIG. 1A  are designated using the same reference numerals used to designate those elements in  FIG. 1A . 
         [0028]    Universal reminder device  30  includes a normally-open momentary switch  24 , a normally-open momentary switch  14 , a buzzer  16  or other sound source such as a speaker driven by an audio oscillator, and a power source  18  such as a battery. Normally-open momentary switches  24  and  14  are pressure/weight sensor switches but are shown in  FIG. 1B  as simple switches to promote a clear understanding of the invention. 
         [0029]    The normally-open momentary switch  24  is incorporated into a first pad (shown within dashed lines  20 ) and will sense if any pressure is applied on first pad  20  by closing. The normally-open momentary switch  14  is also incorporated into a second pad (shown within dashed lines  22 ). The normally-open momentary switch  14  will sense if any pressure is applied on second pad  22  by closing. Persons of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that different embodiment of the invention may employ mechanical switches or solid-state switches. Such skilled persons will also appreciate that, in certain embodiment of the invention, optical sensors may be employed to detect the presence of an object on the first pad and the second pad. 
         [0030]    To use the universal reminder device  30  of the present invention, the user will place anything that she does not want to leave behind (in her home, or office, or hotel room) on the second pad  22 . This action closes second switch  14 . 
         [0031]    The first pad  20  may be, for example, a doormat placed just inside the exit door of the space she is occupying. When the user steps on the doormat to leave the space, the normally-open momentary switch  24  will close and this action will complete a circuit between the battery and the buzzer, sounding the alarm if an object is present on second pad  22 . Persons of ordinary skill in the art will readily observe that instrumentalities other than a doormat switch can be used as normally-open momentary switch  24  to implement this aspect of the present invention. For example switch  24  can be replaced with a sensor that will detect the motion of the object into which it is incorporated. Examples of such detectors include inertial sensors, accelerometers, vibration sensors, etc. When the user will leave the home or the room she will have to grab her keys or other object that includes the sensor in preparation for leaving the house or room, the motion detector associated with the object will activate the alarm if there is anything on the second pad  22 . Alternately, the object containing the sensor can be removed from the key ring and hung by the interior knob of the exit door so the user can&#39;t possible exit her house (or hotel room, or office) without activating the sensor to be reminded that there is something on the second pad  22 . If the user can leave the house through multiple doors (such as front door, garage door or back/side door) then sensors can be used for each door, and multiple switches  24  can be paralleled as needed. 
         [0032]    The behavior of the universal reminder device  30  of  FIG. 1B  is shown in Table B. 
         [0000]    
       
         
               
               
               
             
           
               
                 TABLE B 
               
               
                   
               
               
                 Object Present on  
                 Object Present on  
                   
               
               
                 Second Pad 22? 
                 First Pad 20? 
                   
               
               
                 (Is switch 14 closed?) 
                 (Is switch 24 closed?) 
                 Alarm 
               
               
                   
               
             
             
               
                 YES 
                 YES 
                 ALARM SOUNDS 
               
               
                 YES 
                 NO 
                 Silent 
               
               
                 NO 
                 YES 
                 Silent 
               
               
                 NO 
                 NO 
                 Silent 
               
               
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
         [0033]    In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, a universal reminder device  40  of the present invention using remote switches may be employed to remind a user to take an object with them when they exit a room or a building. According to this aspect of the invention, a wireless version of the universal reminder device  40  is shown in  FIG. 2 . For an ease of understanding the present invention, elements of universal reminder device  40  in  FIG. 2  that correspond to elements of universal reminder device  10  of  FIG. 1A  are designated using the same reference numerals used to designate those elements in  FIG. 1A . 
         [0034]    In  FIG. 2 , first pad  20  including first switch  12  is shown remotely from the circuit including the buzzer  16  and the battery  18 . Normally-closed momentary switch  12  is coupled to a radio frequency (RF) transmitter  42  coupled to antenna  44 . Similarly, the second pad  22  including normally-open momentary switch  14  is also shown remotely from the circuit including the buzzer  16  and the battery  18 . Normally-open momentary switch  14  is coupled to a radio frequency (RF) transmitter  46  coupled to antenna  48 . Persons of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that batteries (not shown) will be included in the first pad  20  and second pad  22  to power transmitters  42  and  46 , respectively. In one embodiment of the invention, transmitter  42  is configured to generate an RF signal only when normally-closed momentary switch  12  is opened in response to pressure sensed on first pad  20 . Persons of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the RF links described herein can be formed using technologies such as but not limited to WiFi and will be readily able to implement such links. 
         [0035]    RF energy from transmitter  42  is coupled to antenna  50  and to receiver  52 . Receiver  52  drives relay  54  to open relay switch  56  in response to the received RF signal from transmitter  42 . Relay/switch assemblies are well known in the art. Similarly, RF energy from transmitter  46  is coupled to antenna  58  and to receiver  60 . Receiver  60  drives relay  62  to close relay switch  64  in response to the received RF signal from transmitter  46 . In this manner, switches  12  and  14  may be located remotely from the main circuitry including the buzzer  16  and battery  18 . 
         [0036]    In the particular embodiment shown in  FIG. 2 , both first and second pads  20  and  22  containing, respectively, switches  12  and  14  are both shown located remotely from the remainder of the circuit but persons of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that embodiments of the present invention are contemplated where only one of the first and second pads  20  and  22  and switches  12  and  14  is located remotely while the other one can be disposed locally with the remainder of the circuit components. For example, first pad  20  can be co-located with the main portion of the circuitry including the buzzer  16  and the battery  18 , while the second pad  22  can be located remotely and coupled to the remainder of the circuitry using the RF link just described. Embodiments where both first and second pads  20  and  22  and switches  12  and  14  can be located remotely but are hardwired to the remainder of the circuitry are also contemplated within the scope of the present invention although such embodiments would require wire runs to couple the first and second switches to the remainder of the circuitry. 
         [0037]    In one exemplary non-limiting embodiment, both the first pad  20  and the second pad  22  can have, for example, a rectangular shape and can be example, the size of a credit card so they can be comfortably carried in a pocket, making the universal reminder device  40  completely portable. 
         [0038]    To use the universal reminder device  40  of the present invention, the user will place anything that she does not want to leave behind (in her home, or office, or hotel room) on the second pad  22 . This action closes normally-open momentary switch  14  which then remotely closes relay switch  64 . 
         [0039]    The user will place something on the first pad  20  that she will not leave her house without, like her car/home keys. This latter action opens normally-closed momentary switch  12  which remotely opens the relay switch  56 . When she later picks up her keys to leave, the switch  12  will close and this action will remotely cause relay switch  56  to close. Because the object that she does not want to forget has kept the second switch  14  closed, relay switch  64  is also closed, completing the circuit between the battery  18  and the buzzer  16 . The buzzer  16  will sound, reminding her to also pick up the object placed on the second pad  22 . 
         [0040]    Persons of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that, in accordance with another aspect of the present invention, the switch  24  of  FIG. 1B  can be substituted for switch  12  in  FIG. 2  to implement a remote version of the embodiment shown in  FIG. 1B . 
         [0041]    Referring now to  FIG. 3 , a schematic diagram shows another aspect of the present invention in which a universal reminder device  60  combines the features of the embodiments in  FIG. 1A  and  FIG. 1B  and can employ more than one mode of operation. Like the universal reminder devices  10  and  30  of  FIGS. 1A and 1B , universal reminder device  60  includes a normally-closed momentary switch  12 , a normally-open momentary switch  14 , a normally-open momentary switch  24 , a buzzer  16  or other sound source such as a speaker driven by an audio oscillator, and a power source  18  such as a battery. As in the embodiments disclosed with reference to  FIGS. 1A and 1B , the first and second switches  12 ,  14  and  24  may be pressure/weight sensors. 
         [0042]    The illustrative embodiment used to show this aspect of the present invention includes a single-pole-double-throw (SPDT) toggle switch  62  in series between the battery  18  and the normally closed momentary switch  12  like that of  FIG. 1A  and the normally-open momentary switch  24  like that of  FIG. 1B . When the toggle switch  62  is in the A position, the universal reminder device  60  operates in the same manner as the universal reminder device described with reference to  FIG. 1A . When the toggle switch  62  is in the B position, the universal reminder device  60  operates in the same manner as the universal reminder device described with reference to  FIG. 1B . 
         [0043]    While the embodiment of  FIG. 3  has been depicted and described with the switches  12 ,  14 , and  24  locally hardwired to the remainder of the circuitry, persons of ordinary skill in the art will easily and readily be able to configure an embodiment employing one or more of these switches remotely as shown in the embodiment of  FIG. 2 . 
         [0044]    Referring now to  FIG. 4 , an example is shown where a universal reminder device can include multiple switches  14   a - 14   n  connected in parallel. These switches may be hardwired to the main circuitry including the battery  18  and buzzer  16  or may be located remotely as shown in  FIG. 2 , and may be arranged either individually or in groups as taught herein with respect to the various applications. Such an arrangement can be useful, for example, where multiple switches may be arrayed across the area of a rear bench seat of a vehicle (or rear storage area of for example, an SUV) to detect the presence of a small pet or other object such as purse, etc., that cannot be expected to be found at any particular location on the seat. In other embodiments, parallel switches  14   a - 14   n  can be individually located at seats in a vehicle such as a school bus or other multi-passenger vehicle. 
         [0045]    Referring now to  FIG. 5 , a flow diagram illustrates the practice of a method  70  in accordance with an aspect of the present invention. The method starts at reference numeral  72 . The start of the process may optionally be triggered by an event such as, but not limited to, turning off a vehicle ignition. 
         [0046]    At reference numeral  74 , it is determined whether an object is sensed on the first pad. The process loops through reference numeral  74  to continually sense whether an object is sensed on the first pad. In one application of the present invention, the presence of a driver in a driver seat of a vehicle may be sensed. When the object is no longer sensed on the first pad, the process proceeds to reference numeral  76 , where it is determined whether an object is sensed on the second pad. If no object is sensed, the process proceeds to reference numeral  78  where it is determined whether the alarm is activated. If not, the process ends at reference numeral  78 . If the alarm is activated the process proceeds to reference numeral  82 , where the alarm is deactivated. The process then ends at reference numeral  80 . 
         [0047]    If an object is sensed on the second pad at reference numeral  76 , the process proceeds to reference numeral  84 , where the alarm is activated. The process then loops to reference numeral  76  until the object is no longer present on the second pad. The process then proceeds to reference numeral  78 . If the alarm is activated the process proceeds to reference numeral  82 , where the alarm is deactivated. The process then ends at reference numeral  80 . 
         [0048]    Referring now to  FIG. 6 , a flow diagram illustrates the practice of a method  90  in accordance with an aspect of the present invention. The method starts at reference numeral  92 . 
         [0049]    At reference numeral  94 , it is determined whether an object has been placed on the first pad. The process loops through reference numeral  94  to continually sense whether an object has been placed on the first pad. 
         [0050]    When an object has been placed on the first pad, the process proceeds to reference numeral  96 , where it is determined whether the object is still on the first pad. The process loops through reference numeral  96  to continually sense whether an object has been placed on the first pad and proceeds to reference numeral  98  when the object has been removed from the first pad. 
         [0051]    When the object is no longer sensed on the first pad, the process proceeds to reference numeral  98 , where it is determined whether an object is sensed on the second pad. If no object is sensed, the process proceeds to reference numeral  100  where it is determined whether the alarm is activated. If not, the process ends at reference numeral  102 . If the alarm is activated the process proceeds to reference numeral  104 , where the alarm is deactivated. The process then ends at reference numeral  102 . 
         [0052]    If an object is sensed on the second pad at reference numeral  98 , the process proceeds to reference numeral  106 , where the alarm is activated. The process then loops to reference numeral  98  until the object is no longer present on the second pad. The process then proceeds to reference numeral  100 . If the alarm is activated the process proceeds to reference numeral  104 , where the alarm is deactivated. The process then ends at reference numeral  102 . 
         [0053]    Persons of ordinary skill in the art will observe that variations of the methods shown in  FIG. 5  and  FIG. 6  are possible and it is intended that such variations fall within the scope of the present invention. As a non-limiting example, the method of  FIG. 5  can be initiated in several different ways depending on whether the object on the second pad, purse, child, etc., is placed on that pad before the object (e.g., driver), is sensed on the first pad or whether both possibilities are contemplated. 
         [0054]    While embodiments and applications of this invention have been shown and described, it would be apparent to those skilled in the art that many more modifications than mentioned above are possible without departing from the inventive concepts herein. The invention, therefore, is not to be restricted except in the spirit of the appended claims.