Clock radio system with remote alert device

A system and method for providing a remote alert from a clock radio to a user at a predetermined time without disturbing others around him. The clock radio is preferably a superheterodyne receiver and includes an alert signal circuit for providing radio frequency alert signals at a predetermined alarm time and a radio frequency transceiver for receiving broadcast radio frequency signals and for transmitting radio frequency signals including the broadcast radio frequency signals and the radio frequency alert signals. A timing circuit in the clock radio includes a coincidence detecting circuit which detects the coincidence between the time of day and the predetermined alarm time, and causes the alert signal circuit to provide an alert signal to the radio frequency transceiver for transmission to a selected wireless remote alert device at the predetermined time. The selected wireless remote alert device receives radio frequency signals at the predetermined time, including the radio frequency alert signals, and processes such received radio frequency signals in a manner similar to the superheterodyning technique. The thus processed signal will then be provided to a transducer in the wireless remote alert device, which will in turn produce a tone or a small vibration, or reproduce the broadcast AM or FM signal. The wireless remote alert device is preferably inserted in the user's ear, awakening only the user.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
This invention relates to radio frequency transceivers. More particularly, 
it relates to a wireless remote device which receives radio frequency 
signals from a clock radio, and which may be worn or carried by a user to 
alert the user at a predetermined time without disturbing others. 
2. General Background 
Radio frequency receivers having clock functions, or clock radios, are 
commonly found in most households today. As known in the art, in 
operation, the user of the clock radio actuates one or more of several 
actuators disposed on the clock radio body to alternately operate the 
radio receiver and clock functions. When the user desires to place the 
clock in an alarm mode, such as to wake up at a predetermined time, he 
actuates the appropriate actuators to set the alarm time and to place the 
alarm in the "armed" state. When the actual time is reached, a device such 
as a buzzer, bell, or other transducer, is actuated to emit a sound which 
will notify, or wake, the user. Alternatively, as also known in the art, 
the clock radio may be made to emit an AM or FM broadcast signal as the 
alarm. 
However, it has been found that often times, more than one user will 
require use of the alarm function, and such users may desire that the 
alarm be set for different times; so as to be wakened, for example, at 
different times. Until recently, some compromise alarm set time had to be 
met to satisfy both users. For example, if one person desired to be 
wakened by the clock radio alarm at "6:00 A.M." and the other at "7:00 
A.M.", a compromise of perhaps "6:30 A.M." had to be reached. This was 
generally undesirable to both users. To alleviate this problem, certain 
clock radios were introduced which had two separate alarm-setting 
mechanisms, and which therefore allowed the users to have two separate 
alarm times. Some clock radios are even provided separate tuners in order 
that each user could waken at different times to a different broadcast 
station. The problem with such aforementioned clock radios is that, even 
though separate alarm times may be set, the alarm is generally loud enough 
that both users will often be wakened by the first alarm, thus frustrating 
the intended purpose of having separate alarms. 
It would therefore be desirable to provide a system and method for 
providing separate alerts or alarms to wake or otherwise notify two or 
more users at different predetermined times, wherein each of such alerts 
would be provided to the targeted user without disturbing the other 
user(s). 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
Accordingly, it is one object of the present invention to provide a system 
and method for alerting a user at a predetermined time. 
It is another object of the invention to provide a clock radio which can 
remotely alert a user at a predetermined time. 
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a clock 
radio which can remotely alert a user at a predetermined alarm time using 
radio frequency signals. 
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a wireless remote 
device which can receive radio frequency signals from a clock radio, and 
which may be worn or carried by a user to alert the user at a 
predetermined time without disturbing others around him. 
These and other objects, advantages and features of the invention will 
become apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the 
following description of the invention. 
According to one aspect of the present invention, a radio frequency signal 
is provided from a clock radio to a selected wireless remote alert device 
in order to alert a user at a predetermined time, by determining in the 
clock radio the predetermined time, producing an alert signal in the clock 
radio at the predetermined time, transmitting the radio frequency signal 
from the clock radio to the wireless remote alert device at the 
predetermined time in response to the alert signal, receiving the radio 
frequency signal in the wireless remote alert device at the predetermined 
time, and, then activating a transducer in the selected wireless remote 
alert device in response to the received radio frequency signal. 
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a 
system for remotely alerting a plurality of users of a predetermined time, 
such system including a clock radio unit and a wireless remote alert 
device. The clock radio unit includes: an alert signal circuit for 
providing radio frequency alert signals at a predetermined time; a radio 
frequency transceiver for receiving broadcast radio frequency signals and 
for transmitting radio frequency signals including the broadcast radio 
frequency signals and the radio frequency alert signals; a radio frequency 
amplifier for selecting and amplifying one of the received broadcast radio 
frequency signals to provide an amplified broadcast radio frequency 
signal; ,a mixing circuit to translate the frequency of the amplified 
broadcast radio frequency signal to an intermediate frequency signal; an 
intermediate frequency amplifier for selecting and amplifying the 
intermediate frequency signal; a demodulator for demodulating the 
intermediate frequency signal to provide an audio frequency signal; and an 
audio frequency amplifier for amplifying the audio frequency signals, and 
a first transducer to convert the amplified audio frequency signals into 
sound. The clock radio unit further includes a timing unit for determining 
the predetermined time, such timing unit including: a timing circuit for 
providing the time of day; a time setting circuit for setting an alert 
function to a predetermined time; and, a coincidence detecting circuit for 
detecting the coincidence between the time of day provided by the timing 
circuit and the predetermined time provided by the time setting circuit, 
and for causing the alert signal circuit to provide the radio frequency 
alert signals to the radio frequency transceiver at the predetermined 
time. The wireless remote alert device includes an antenna for receiving 
the radio frequency signals including the radio frequency alert signals at 
the predetermined time, a radio frequency selectivity circuit for 
selecting one of the radio frequency signals, an intermediate frequency 
circuit for receiving the selected one of the radio frequency signals and 
for providing an intermediate frequency output signal, an intermediate 
frequency filter for filtering the intermediate frequency output signal, 
an intermediate frequency amplifier for amplifying the filtered 
intermediate frequency output signal, a discriminator for receiving the 
intermediate frequency output signal and for providing an audio frequency 
signal, an audio amplifier for amplifying the audio frequency signal, and, 
a second transducer for reproducing the audio frequency signal as sound. 
In accordance with yet another aspect of the invention, while the wireless 
remote alert device is preferably similar in design to an earplug and may 
be inserted in the user's ear, it may be any device that can be worn or 
carried such as a bracelet. 
The features of the invention believed to be novel are set forth with 
particularity in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both 
as to organization and method of operation, together with further objects 
and advantages thereof, may be best understood by reference to the 
following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
One embodiment of alert system of the present invention will be described 
with reference to FIG. 1. As seen therein, the alert system includes a 
radio frequency transceiving device 10 and a wireless remote device 40 
which receives radio frequency signals from the radio frequency device 10. 
The radio frequency transceiver device 10 is combined with electronic 
clock circuitry 33, so that the radio frequency transceiver device 10 is a 
clock radio. In the embodiment of FIG. 1, the wireless remote device 40 is 
a device similar to an earplug, which may be inserted in the user's ear; 
however, the wireless remote device 40 may take a different form such as a 
bracelet that the user may wear around his wrist. 
The alert system of the present invention may be seen in more detail in 
FIG. 2. The clock radio device 10 of the present invention may include a 
simple radio receiver, having only an RF amplifier (including tuned 
circuit), demodulator, audio frequency (AF) amplifier, AF power amplifier, 
and an electroacoustic transducer (e.g., loudspeaker) to reproduce the 
received signals as sound. However, preferably, the clock radio device 10 
includes a superheterodyne radio frequency receive, as is most commonly 
used today. As seen in FIG. 2, such superheterodyne radio frequency 
receiver includes at least an antenna 12, a radio frequency (RF) amplifier 
14, a mixing circuit 16, an intermediate frequency (IF) amplifier 20, a 
demodulator 22, an audio frequency amplifier 24, and a loudspeaker 26. The 
clock radio device 10 also includes a RF encoding circuit 30, an alert 
signal circuit 31 which preferably includes an oscillator (not shown), and 
an RF transmitter 32 for transmitting RF signals to the wireless; remote 
alert device 40. (Although only an FM receiver is shown in FIG. 2, it will 
be understood that an AM receiver is also preferably included in the clock 
radio device 10, and that such AM receiver is not shown in FIG. 2 for the 
sake of simplicity. Furthermore, the standard operation of such AM 
receiver is well known in the art, and will not be discussed further 
here). 
In addition, as stated above, the clock radio device 10 of the present 
invention also includes electronic clock circuitry 33. As known in the 
art, such electronic clock circuitry 33 includes at least a coincidence 
detecting circuit (including a microprocessor) 34, a timing circuit 35, 
which in turn includes a time reference source for providing a time 
reference signal (e.g., a quartz oscillator and associated circuitry (not 
shown) for providing a resonance frequency of 32,768 Hz), and a time 
setting circuit 37 for setting time via the actuators 36 (FIG. 1) for 
setting the time-of-day and alarm times. Operation of the standard 
time-of-day and alarm features of the clock radio device 10 of the present 
invention are well known in the art, and will not be discussed further 
here. 
As also seen in FIG. 2, the wireless remote alert device 40 preferably 
operates using a technique similar to superheterodyning. The wireless 
remote alert device 40 preferably includes an antenna 42 for receiving the 
RF signals transmitted from the RF transmitter 32 of the clock radio 
device 10. The antenna 42 is preferably a metal strip or band disposed 
around the perimeter of the wireless remote alert device 40 (FIG. 1 ). The 
received RF signals are then provided to a RF selectivity or filtering 
circuit 44 for image-channel rejection. The circuit 44 may be a simple 
bandpass filter or similar such device as known in the art. The output 
from the RF selectivity circuit 44 is then provided to an intermediate 
frequency (IF) circuit 46, for adjacent channel selectivity. As known, the 
IF circuit 46 generally includes a local oscillator 48 which beats with 
the incoming frequency of a mixer 50 to provide the IF output response. 
The output from the IF circuit 46 is then provided to an IF filter 52, 
which may be a simple lowpass filter (LPF) preferably made of ceramic. The 
output from the IF filter is then preferably amplified in an IF amplifier 
54, the amplified output of which is then provided to a discriminating or 
demodulating circuit 56 in order to remove the RF signal and detect the 
audio frequency signal from the IF signal. This detected signal is then 
provided to an amplifier 58 for amplifying the audio signal and for 
driving an alert transducer 60. As it is important that no extraneous RF 
signal or noise be received in the wireless remote alert device 40 except 
upon receipt of an alert signal from clock radio device 10, a squelch 
circuit 62 and associated switch 62 is included in the wireless remote 
alert device 40 in order to suppress the audio frequency signal when the 
strength of the incoming RF signal is below a predetermined level. If the 
RF signal strength exceeds such predetermined level, the squelch circuit 
62 will open and switch 62 will close, so that the audio frequency signal 
will be provided from amplifier 58 to alert transducer 60. It is expected 
that the wireless remote alert device 40 and the clock radio device 10 
will be in close transceiving range, and thus no amplification has been 
introduced between the antenna 42 and RF selectivity circuit 44, as might 
be seen in standard superheterodyne receivers. However, it will be 
appreciated that an RF amplifier may easily be introduced at that stage, 
and that the such variation is intended to be within the scope of the 
present invention. 
Operation of the alert system of the present invention will now be 
described. With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, in the first embodiment of the 
present invention, the user will actuate the actuators 36 to set the time 
by which he desires to wake; for example, "6:00 A.M. " and will actuate 
switch 25 so that the clock radio device 10 will either provide an alert 
signal from alert signal circuit 31 (25c), or will reproduce a preselected 
AM/FM station via the RF encoding circuit (25b). Then the user will insert 
the wireless remote alert device 40 in his ear before going to sleep. If 
switch 25 is set to 25c, when the coincidence detecting circuit 34 in the 
clock radio device 10 determines that the alarm time is coincident with 
the actual time of day, the microprocessor 29 of the coincidence detecting 
circuit 34 will send a signal to the alert signal circuit 31, which will 
transmit a signal to the RF transmitter 32. In response to receiving the 
signal from the alert signal circuit 31, the RF transmitter 32 wilt then 
transmit a RF signal to the antenna 42 of the wireless remote alert device 
40, where it will be processed using a technique similar to 
superheterodyning, as described above. If the strength of the incoming RF 
signal exceeds a predetermined level, the squelch circuit 62 will cause 
the switch 62 to close, and the output signal from AF amplifier 58 to be 
provided to the alert transducer 60. The alert transducer 60 will in turn 
produce a tone or a small vibration in the ear of the user. As the 
wireless remote alert device 40 is inserted in the user's ear, only the 
user will be awakened and no one else will be disturbed. 
In the alternate embodiment discussed above, switch 25 can be set to 25b so 
that the RF transmitter 32 will transmit an AM/FM broadcast signal to the 
wireless remote alert device 40. In such an embodiment, when the 
coincidence detecting circuit 33 determines that the alarm time is 
coincident with the actual time of day, the microprocessor 29 therein will 
instead cause the previously selected AM/FM broadcast signal to be encoded 
in the RF encoding circuit 30, and then transmitted from transmitter 32 to 
the wireless remote alert device 40. When the thus transmitted AM/FM 
signal is received at the antenna 42 of the wireless remote alert device 
40, such RF signal will processed in the manner discussed above. The alert 
transducer 60 will thus reproduce the AM or FM signal in the ear of the 
user. 
It will be appreciated that more than one user may be alerted by the clock 
radio device 10, since, as mentioned above, alarm clocks having multiple 
alarm settings are known to currently exist. In the case of the clock 
radio device 10 which has such multiple alarm settings, the time setting 
circuit 37 may also be set to a second alarm time. A second user will 
again actuate the actuators 36 to set the second alarm time by which he 
desires to wake; for example, "7:00 A.M." Then the second user will insert 
a second, different wireless remote alert device in his ear before going 
to sleep. Such second device is similar in construct and operation to the 
wireless remote alert device 40 as shown in FIG. 2 (For simplicity 
purposes, such second wireless remote alert is not shown herein). When the 
coincidence detecting circuit 34 determines that the alarm time is 
coincident with the actual time of day, the coincidence detecting circuit 
will, again, either send a signal to the alert signal circuit 31 which 
will transmit a signal to the RF transmitter 32, will cause an AM or FM 
signal to be encoded in the RF encoding circuit 30 and then transmitted at 
RF transmitter 32. An alert transducer in the second wireless remote alert 
device will again either produce a tone or a small vibration, or reproduce 
the AM or FM signal in the ear of the second user. Thus, only the first 
user will be awakened by the transducer 60 of wireless remote alert device 
40 in response to the first alarm, while only the second user will be 
awakened by the transducer of the second wireless remote alert device in 
response to the second alarm. 
Although the wireless remote alert device 40 described above is preferably 
a device which may be inserted a user's ear, the invention is not so 
limited. For example, the wireless remote alert device 40 may be a wrist 
bracelet which can be worn by the user. In such embodiment, the transducer 
60 would be a vibrating element which is activated by RF signals in order 
to ensure that only the intended user will be awakened. Operation of such 
vibrating elements in response to radio frequency signals is known in the 
art, and vibrating elements, such as piezoelectric elements, are readily 
available. 
It is further apparent that in accordance with the present invention, an 
embodiment that fully satisfies the objectives, aims and advantages is set 
forth above. While the invention has been described in conjunction with 
specific embodiments, it is evident that many alternatives, modifications, 
permutations and variations will become apparent to those skilled in the 
art in light of the foregoing description. Other embodiments will occur to 
those skilled in the art. Accordingly, it is intended that the present 
invention embrace all such alternatives, modifications and variations as 
fall within the scope of the appended claims.