Patent Publication Number: US-11640757-B1

Title: Alert system

Description:
REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. non-provisional patent application Ser. No. 17/743,139, filed May 12, 2022, pending, which is a continuation-in-part application of U.S. non-provisional patent application Ser. No. 17/585,688, filed Jan. 27, 2022 and issued as U.S. Pat. No. 11,357,212 on Jun. 14, 2022, which claims the priority benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent No. 63/238,286, filed Aug. 30, 2021, the disclosures of all of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entireties. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     Field 
     The present disclosure relates to pet monitoring systems and more particularly pertains to a new alert system for alerting a user of the proximity of a being or person to an object. 
     Description of the Prior Art 
     It is often desirable to be alerted to the presence or proximity of someone or something to an object, such as by the production of an alert that may be sensed by a human, when the presence or proximity occurs. As an example, pets often need to leave the inner confines of a house for various purposes, including exercise and to relieve themselves. Such excursions inevitably lead to the pet needing to pass through a door of the house, and requires that the pet owner recognize that the pet is waiting at (or approaching) a door of the house for exit. Pet owners have recognized that it is not always easy to recognize when their pets are waiting at the door to leave the house. Some dogs may bark, but the owner must be close enough to the door to hear the bark, while other dogs may not bark at all. Other situations involving pets may include movement of the pet into proximity of a feeding or watering bowl, or movement of the pet into proximity to an area that may be dangerous to the pet or the pet is otherwise restricted from moving into. 
     The desirability of producing an alert when the presence or proximity of a person, or something associated with the person, to an object may extend to other circumstances as well. For example, it may be desirable to be alerted to movement of a person with temporary or permanent physical impairments into proximity of a door of a building, movement of a child into proximity of an area that may be dangerous. 
     Various devices have been proposed and implemented that sense motion near a door and sound an alarm, however, typically the sensor of such devices has a field of view that is too wide and/or deep for this particular usage, and may produce false alarms which may lead to the pet owner ignoring of the alarm. 
     SUMMARY 
     In one aspect, the present disclosure relates to a system for notifying occupants of a structure that a pet is proximate to an exit of the structure. The system may comprise a pet unit that is wearable on the body of the pet and may include a transmitter configured to transmit a wireless proximity signal from the pet unit. The system may further include an exit unit positionable at the exit of the structure. The exit unit may include a receiver configured to receive a said wireless proximity signal transmitted by a said pet unit, with the receiver being configured to produce an alert signal when a said wireless proximity signal is received. The exit unit may further include an alerting assembly configured to provide a presence alert when the receiver receives a said wireless proximity signal. The alerting assembly may comprise a perceptible alerting mechanism configured to produce a perceptible presence alert which is perceptible to a sense of a human. 
     In another aspect, the disclosure relates to a system for notifying occupants of a structure that a pet is proximate to an exit of the structure. The system may comprise an exit unit positionable at the exit of the structure. The exit unit may include an emitter configured to emit radiation outwardly from the exit unit, and the emitter being configured to emit the radiation from the exit unit in free air. The exit unit may also comprise a detector configured to receive a reflection of the radiation emission of the emitter, and the detector may be configured to produce an alert signal when a said reflection is detected. The exit unit may further comprise an alerting assembly configured to provide a presence alert when the detector detects a reflection, and the alerting assembly may comprise a perceptible alerting mechanism configured to produce a perceptible presence alert which is perceptible to a sense of a human. The system may further include a pet unit wearable on the body of the pet, and the pet unit may include a reflector element configured to reflect radiation emitted from the emitter when the radiation reaches the reflector element. 
     There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, some of the more important elements of the disclosure in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional elements of the disclosure that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. 
     In still another aspect, the disclosure relates to a system for providing an alert that a being is proximate to an object. The system may comprise a wearable unit wearable on the body of the being, and the wearable unit may include a transmitter configured to transmit a wireless proximity signal from the wearable unit. The system may further include an object unit positionable at the object, and the object unit may include a receiver configured to receive a said wireless proximity signal transmitted by a said wearable unit. The receiver may be configured to produce an alert signal when a said wireless proximity signal is received. The object unit may also have an alerting assembly configured to provide a presence alert when the receiver receives a said wireless proximity signal. The alerting assembly may comprise a perceptible alerting mechanism configured to produce a perceptible presence alert which is perceptible to a sense of a human. 
     In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment or implementation in greater detail, it is to be understood that the scope of the disclosure is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The disclosure is capable of other embodiments and implementations and is thus capable of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. 
     As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present disclosure. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure. 
     The advantages of the various embodiments of the present disclosure, along with the various features of novelty that characterize the disclosure, are disclosed in the following descriptive matter and accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The disclosure will be better understood and when consideration is given to the drawings and the detailed description which follows. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein: 
         FIG.  1    is a schematic diagram of elements of a new pet door alert system according to the present disclosure. 
         FIG.  2    is a schematic diagram of some of the elements of the pet door alert system shown in greater detail, according to an illustrative embodiment. 
         FIG.  3    is a schematic diagram of element of another illustrative embodiment of the pet door alert system. 
         FIG.  4    is a schematic diagram of elements of another implementation of the disclosure for a new alert system. 
         FIG.  5    is a schematic diagram of some of the elements of the alert system of  FIG.  4    shown in greater detail, according to an illustrative embodiment. 
         FIG.  6    is a schematic diagram of an implementation of the system including wake-up functionality, according to an illustrative embodiment. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to  FIGS.  1  through  6    thereof, a new pet door alert system embodying the principles and concepts of the disclosed subject matter will be described. 
     In some aspects, the disclosure relates to a system  10  for notifying a person of persons that a pet is desirous of exit from a structure  2 , such as when the pet approaches a door of the structure with the intention of exiting the structure, typically so that the door may be opened to permit the pet to exit the structure. Additionally, the system  10  may be useful for situations where the pet desires to enter the structure after spending time outdoors. The person notified by the system  10  may be an occupant of the structure  2 , but in some implementations the person or persons may be remote from the exit of the structure, and even the structure itself. The structure  2  may comprise a building, such as a residential home, and may define an interior  3  and an exterior  4  outside of the building, and have an exit  5  between the exterior and the interior. The exit  5  may comprise an opening between the interior and exterior, and a closure device configured to selectively close the opening of the exit, such as a door with an open condition characterized by the closure device permitting passage of the pet through the opening of the exit, and a closed condition characterized by the closure device preventing passage of the pet through the opening of the exit. 
     In general, the system  10  may include a pet unit  12  movable with the pet and one or more exit units  30  with each unit  30  being associated with a location on the structure  2  such as an exit  5  of the structure. The exit unit or units may be positioned on the interior of the structure for sensing the approach of a pet to the exit on the interior side of the exit for the purpose of leaving the interior, and/or may be positioned on the exterior of the structure for sensing the approach of a pet to the exit (or entrance) on the exterior side of the exit for the purpose of entering the interior. Movement of the pet unit  12  into proximity of an exit unit  30  may cause the exit unit to produce a local and/or remote alert of the pet&#39;s proximity to the unit  30  and, often, an exit of the structure. 
     In greater detail, the pet unit  12  may be in a form and size that is readily carriable or wearable or otherwise positionable on the body of the pet. In some embodiments, the pet unit  12  may be mountable on a pet collar, such as by means of a clip that removably receives a portion of the collar, or in some embodiments, may be more permanently integrated into a pet collar such that the unit is not removable from the collar. The pet unit  12  may comprise a case  14  for enclosing elements of the unit  12 , and the case may have an interior  16  for receiving the elements. The case  14  may also include means for mounting the pet unit on a pet collar, such as, for example, a clip or a loop, and may include a single element or multiple elements. 
     The pet unit  12  may also include a transmitter  18  which is configured to transmit a wireless proximity signal in an area about the case  14 , and thus in an area about a pet wearing the pet unit. The range of the transmission of the proximity signal may be limited in effective signal strength. In some embodiments, the range may be limited to an area with a diameter of less than approximately 10 feet, and may be less than approximately 5 feet, or even less than approximately 3 feet, so as to permit the system to more accurately identify the exit unit to which the pet unit is proximate. In some of the most highly preferred implementations of the system  10 , the transmission of the wireless proximity signal may be in the form of an infrared (IR) signal, which is highly suitable for providing a proximity signal with controlled or limited range which reduces the opportunity for “false” alarms by the system  10 . Other transmission forms, such as radiofrequency (RF) signals may be less controllable in range and also may be more susceptible to signal interference, which may increase the possibility of false alarms and may also decrease the ability to receive the proximity signal for producing legitimate alarms. The transmitter  18  may be mounted on the case  14 , and may be protectively positioned in the interior  16  of the case. 
     The pet unit  12  may further include a power source  20  which is configured to provide power to elements of the pet unit  12 , such as the transmitter  18 . The power source  20  may be positioned on the case  14 , and may be protectively positioned in the interior  16  of the case. In some embodiments, the power source  20  may comprise a rechargeable battery or a replaceable battery that may be interchangeably mounted on the case interior  16 . 
     The pet unit  12  may still further include a processor  22  which may be mounted on the case  14 , and may be positioned in the case interior  16 . The processor  22  may be configured to cause the transmitter  18  to transmit the proximity signal. The processor  22  may be configured to cause the transmitter to transmit the proximity signal at a selected interval in between transmissions to minimize the power expended by the transmitter of the pet unit to produce the proximity signal. Illustratively, the selected interval may be preselected, and/or may be selectable by a user of the system  1  to optimize the relative promptness with which the presence of the pet unit to the exit unit is detectable. In some implementations, the processor  22  may be configured to cause the transmitter  18  to transmit the proximity signal with a pet identification code assigned to the pet unit associated with the transmitter for the purpose of identifying the pet unit (and the pet wearing the pet unit) transmitting the proximity signal. Each of the pet units  12  of the system may thus be assigned a pet identification code which is unique in the system. 
     In some embodiments of the pet unit  12 , a pet movement sensor  24  may be included to detect movement of the pet associated with the pet unit. The pet movement sensor  24  may be mounted on the case  14 , such as in the case interior  16 . The pet movement sensor  24  may be configured to generate a movement signal when movement of the pet unit  12  is sensed, and the pet movement sensor may provide the movement signal to the processor  22 , such as an input for the processor to use to determine if the proximity signal should be transmitted at a particular time such as when the per is determined to be moving. Illustratively, the pet movement sensor  24  may comprise an accelerometer, although other device capable of detecting motion may also be utilized. 
     The exit unit  30  of the system  10  may be positionable at or adjacent to an exit  5  of the building, and optionally the system  10  may include a plurality of exit units  30 ,  31  with each unit being positionable at a unique one of the exits of the building. Each exit unit  30  may comprise a housing  32 , and the housing may define a housing interior  34  for receiving elements of the exit unit. The housing  32  may be configured to be mounted on the structure adjacent to an exit, and the housing may have means for mounting the housing of the exit unit on a building such as, for example, with fasteners or adhesive components. 
     Each exit unit  30 ,  31  may also include a receiver  36  which is configured to receive a wireless proximity signal transmitted by a pet unit  12 . The receiver  36  may be configured to produce an alert signal when a proximity signal has been received. Illustratively, the receiver  36  may be configured to receive an IR proximity signal transmitted by the transmitter  18  of the pet unit  12 . The receiver  36  may also be configured to receive, and in some implementations derive, the pet identification code from a proximity signal received by the receiver. Each exit unit  30 ,  31  may also include a processor  38  configured to receive the pet identification code associated with the proximity signal received by the receiver to identify the pet unit, and the processor may also receive from the receiver notification of the receipt of the proximity signal by the receiver  36 , and may produce the alert signal. The processor  38  may be configured to compare the pet identification code received by the receiver  36  with a list of identified pet identification codes to identify the particular pet unit transmitting the proximity signal. Storage may be associated with the processor  38  to retain the pet identification codes and associated information such that the identification information may be provided to a user via the alerting assembly  40  described herein. The processor  38  may also be configured to log temporal information associated with the received proximity signal, such as, for example, a time and date of reception of the proximity signal, as well as other information such as the pet identification code. 
     Each exit unit  30 ,  31  may further comprise an alerting assembly  40  that is configured to provide a presence alert when the receiver  38  receives a wireless proximity signal, and in some implementations the presence alert may also identify the particular exit unit producing the proximity alert. The presence alert provided by the alerting assembly  40  may also include an exit identification code to identify the particular exit unit with which the presence alert is associated, such as which exit unit received the proximity signal. Each of the exit units  30 ,  31  of the system  10  may have a unique exit identification code. 
     The alerting assembly  40  may comprise a perceptible alerting mechanism  42  which may be configured to produce a presence alert which is a perceptible presence alert which is perceptible to a sense of a human. For example, the perceptible alerting mechanism  42  may be configured to produce a presence alert which is auditory so as to be able to be sensed by ears of a human. In another example, the perceptible alerting mechanism  42  may be configured to produce a presence alert which is visual so as to be able to be sensed by eyes of a human. In yet another example, the perceptible alerting mechanism  42  may be configured to produce a presence alert which is tactile so as to be able to be sensed by the skin of a human. 
     The alerting assembly may comprise a remote alerting mechanism  44  which may be configured to produce a remote presence alert signal which is receivable remotely from the exit unit  30 . The remote alerting mechanism  44  may wirelessly transmit the remote presence alert signal using any suitable communication protocol and technology, and may transmit using, for example, the Bluetooth low energy (BLE) protocol. In some implementations, the remote presence alert signal transmitted by the alerting mechanism may be configured to be received by an information handling device  6 . The information handling device  6  may be configured to provide the remote alert signal to an application program resident on the information handling device, via communications circuitry typically provided on a device, such as a radio receiver capable of receiving BLE signals. The information handling device  6  may include a so-called “smart” cellular telephone with processing capabilities in addition to communication capabilities, or a desktop or laptop portable computer with suitable communication circuitry. In some embodiments, the remote alerting mechanism  44  may include a secondary transmitter  46  that is configured to transmit the remote presence alert signal and may also be configured to transmit the exit identification code for the exit unit  30  with the remote presence alert signal. 
     The exit unit  30  may also include a power source  48  configured to provide power to elements of the exit unit. The power source  48  may be positioned on the housing  32  and may comprise a battery, such as a rechargeable battery, but may also comprise a power cord configured to interface with an electrical power outlet of the structural wiring of the building. 
     In some embodiments, the system  10  may also include a remote unit  50  which is configured to provide a perceptible remote alert at a location that is remote from the exit unit receiving a proximity signal. For example, the exit unit  30  may be positioned on the exterior of the building adjacent to the exit opening, or in the building interior adjacent to the exit, which may not be the most effective location for providing a broad range or reach for sensing the perceptible presence alert. The remote unit  50  may have similar elements to the exit unit  30  so that the remote unit is able to emulate some functions of the exit unit. For example, the remote unit  50  may include a remote housing freely positionable with respect to the exit unit  30 , a remote receiver for receiving the remote presence alert signal produced by the remote alerting mechanism  44  of the exit unit, a remote alerting assembly configured to provide a perceptible alert in the space about the remote housing, and a remote power supply configured to provide power to elements of the remote unit. Additional elements may also be provided, such as, for example, a remote processor. 
     In another illustrative embodiment  60 , such as is depicted in  FIG.  3   , an exit unit  62  of the embodiment may include an emitter  64  that is configured to emit radiation outwardly from the exit unit, and may emit the radiation from the exit unit in free air. The emitter  64  may be mounted on the housing of the exit unit. In some of the most preferred embodiments, the emitter  64  may be configured to emit infrared (IR) radiation, and the IR emitter may be configured to emit IR radiation having a wavelength of approximately 940 nm, although other suitable IR wavelengths may be utilized. The exit unit  62  may also include a detector  66  which is configured to receive and detect a reflection of the radiation emitted by the emitter. The detector  66  may be mounted on the housing of the exit unit, and upon detection of reflected radiation, the detector may be configured to produce an alert signal. In some embodiments, the detector  66  may be configured to detect a reflection of the radiation emission which has reflected off an object within a specific distance or proximity to the exit unit. 
     The embodiment  60  may also include a pet unit  70  to be associated with the pet, and the pet unit may have a reflector element  72  which may be configured to reflect radiation emitted from the emitter  64  when the radiation reaches the reflector element, so that a portion of the reflected radiation may be detected by the detector  66 . The reflector element  72  may have a reflective surface which may be reflective to the radiation emitted by the emitter, so that waves of the emitter radiation striking the reflective surface may be reflected outwardly from the surface and, to some degree, back toward the exit unit and the detector. The reflective surface may be formed on a surface associated, or associable, with a pet, such as an item easily worn by the pet. In some implementations, the reflective surface may be formed on a pet collar, and illustratively the reflective surface is formed on a length of tape, with the reflective surface forming one side of the tape, and the tape may be attached to the pet collar (or other pet accoutrement) by any suitable technique, such as by adhering using adhesive. Other elements of the system  10  described herein may also be utilized in the embodiment  60  as is suitable and desirable. Those skilled in the art, having the benefit of this disclosure, will recognize that the system  10  may also be used for recognizing the need for the pet to reenter the structure through the door, and the system  10  may be adapted by simply positioning the exit unit on the exterior of the structure adjacent the exit opening in the building so as to sense a pet proximate to the exterior side of the door. 
     In other embodiments of the disclosure, such as are illustratively shown in  FIGS.  4  and  5   , a system  80  for providing an alert of movement of a being  82  into proximity of an object  84  is provided. In exemplary implementations, the being  82  may be a person who may or may not have physical impairments, or a companion animal such as a dog. The being  82  may be relatively mobile or movable while the object  84  may be relatively stationary. In further exemplary implementations, the object  84  may be, or may be associated with, a portion or area of the structure or building or an opening into a structure, or an object such as a bull from which a pet drinks or feeds. 
     The system  80  may include a wearable unit  86  which is wearable or otherwise carriable on the body of the being  82 . The wearable unit  86  may have a size configured for wearing on a part or a portion of the body of the being  82 . In some embodiments, the wearable unit  86  may be associated with something carried on the body or in close association with the body of the being  82 , such as a wheelchair, a walker, or a cane, 
     In greater detail, the wearable unit  86  may include a case  88  with an interior  90 , and the case may have structure facilitating or permitting the mounting of the case of the wearable unit on the part of the body. The structure may comprise, for example, a clip suitable to clip onto or engage in a secure manner a portion of the clothing worn by the being, or hook and loop fastening tape, or other suitable device. The wearable unit  86  may also include a transmitter  92  configured to transmit a wireless proximity signal, which may have the form of an infrared (IR) signal, but other forms may also be utilized such as radio frequency (RF or for example, RFID) may be used. The infrared (IR) signal transmission is highly suitable for providing a proximity signal with controlled or limited range which reduces the opportunity for “false” alarms by the system  80 , as other transmission forms, such as radiofrequency (RF) signals, may be less controllable in range and also may be more susceptible to signal interference. The transmitter  92  may be mounted on the case  88 , and may be positioned in the interior of the case. The transmitter  92  may have a transmission range, and in some implementations the range may measure less than approximately 5 feet, and may measure at least approximately 3 feet. 
     The wearable unit  86  may also include a power source  94  which is configured to provide power to elements of the wearable unit and may be positioned on the case  88 . In some embodiments, the power source  94  may comprise a rechargeable battery, although interchangeable single use batteries may also be utilized. The wearable unit  86  may have a processor  96  which is mounted on the case  88  and is configured to cause the transmitter  92  to transmit the proximity signal. Illustratively, the processor  96  may be configured to cause the transmitter  92  to transmit the proximity signal at a selected interval in between signal transmissions, and the selected interval being preselected or may be selectable by a user of the system  80  via the processor. The processor  96  may be configured to cause the transmitter  92  to transmit the proximity signal with an identification code of the wearable unit to identify the wearable unit (and the being wearing the unit) with which the proximity signal is associated. Each of the wearable units  86  of the system may have a unique identification code. The wearable unit  86  may also include a being movement sensor  98  configured to detect movement of the being associated with the wearable unit. The being movement sensor  98  may be mounted on the case, such as in the interior  90 . The being movement sensor  98  may be configured to generate a movement signal when movement of the wearable unit  86  is sensed, and the movement signal may be provided by the wearable movement sensor to the processor  96 . In some embodiments, the being movement sensor  98  may include an accelerometer. 
     The system  80  may further include an object unit  100  which is positionable at the object  84 , such as a relatively stationary object. In some implementations, a plurality of the object units  100  may be utilized and may each be positioned at a discrete object. For example, the object unit may be positioned in that area or space of the building for which it is desirable to provide an alert when a being  82  moves into proximity of that area or space. 
     Each object unit  100  may comprise a housing  104  configured to be mounted on or otherwise physically associated with one of the objects  84 . The housing  104  may define a housing interior  106 , and may also have structure for mounting the object unit  100  on, or in close physical association with, an object. Each object unit  100  may further comprise a receiver  108  which is configured to receive a wireless proximity signal transmitted by a wearable unit  96 . The receiver  108  of the object unit  100  may be configured to produce an alert signal when a wireless signal is received. For example, the receiver  108  may be configured to receive the IR signal transmitted by the transmitter  92  of the wearable unit  86 , and may be configured to derive the identification code derived from a wireless proximity signal received by the receiver  108 . 
     Each object unit  100  may also comprise a processor  110  which is configured to receive the identification code associated with the proximity signal received by the receiver  108  to identify the wearable unit, the processor being configured to compare the received identification code with a list of identified identification codes to identify the wearable unit transmitting the proximity signal, the processor being configured to log temporal information associated with the received proximity signal, the temporal information including a time and date of reception of the proximity signal, Each object unit  100  may comprise an alerting assembly  112  configured to provide a presence alert when the receiver receives a wireless proximity signal, and the presence alert may provide an identification of the object unit  100  which produced the proximity alert. In some implementations, the presence alert may include or encode an object identification code to identify the particular object unit with which the presence alert is associated, and each of the object units of the system may have a unique object identification code to enable or facilitate distinctions to be made in the alert or alerts produced by the object unit. 
     The alerting assembly comprises a perceptible alerting mechanism  114  which may be configured to produce a presence alert which is a perceptible presence alert which is perceptible to a sense of a human. For example, in some illustrative embodiments, the perceptible alerting mechanism  114  may be configured to produce a presence alert which is auditory to be sensed by ears of a human. As a further example, in some embodiments, the alerting mechanism may be configured to produce a presence alert which is visual to be sensed by eyes of a human. As yet a further example, in embodiments, the alerting mechanism may be configured to produce a presence alert which is tactile to be sensed by the skin of a human. 
     In some embodiments, the alerting mechanism  114  may comprise a remote alerting mechanism  116  which may be configured to produce a remote presence alert signal which is receivable remotely from the object unit  100 . The remote alerting mechanism  116  may wirelessly transmit the remote presence alert signal. The remote alerting mechanism  116  may be configured to wirelessly transmit the remote presence alert signal via the Bluetooth low energy (BLE) protocol. The remote presence alert signal transmitted by the alerting mechanism may be received by the information handling device  6 , and the remote alert signal may be provided to an application program resident on the information handling device. Implementations of the system  80  may also include a secondary transmitter  118  configured to transmit the remote presence alert signal with the object identification code of the object unit with the remote presence alert signal. 
     The object unit  100  may also include a power source  120  which is configured to provide power to elements of the object unit  100 , and the power source may be positioned on the housing  104 . 
     It will be recognized by those skilled in the art that a remote unit, such as is described with respect to remote unit  50 , may be utilized with the system  80 . 
     In some embodiments, such as illustratively shown in  FIG.  6   , the system  10  may have features for optimizing the operation of the system by, minimizing the power consumption of the wearable unit  86  by limiting the operation of the elements of the wearable unit to times when the wearable unit is in proximity to the object unit. In such embodiments, the object unit  100  may include a wakeup transmitter  122  which is configured to wirelessly transmit a wakeup transmission. The wakeup transmitter  122  may continuously transmit the wakeup transmission while the system is operational and independent of the proximity of the units  86 ,  100  to each other. Illustratively, the wakeup transmitter  122  may be an infrared (IR) transmitter configured to transmit IR energy. In some implementations, the wakeup transmission may be characterized by the transmission lacking any data. The wearable unit  86  may include a wakeup receiver  124  configured to wirelessly receive the wakeup signal from the wakeup transmitter of the object unit  100 . The wakeup receiver  124  may be configured to send a wakeup signal to the processor  96  of the wearable unit  86  when the wakeup receiver detects or receives the wakeup transmission from the wakeup transmitter  122 . The wakeup receiver  124  may be mounted on the case  88  of the wearable unit. Illustratively, the wakeup receiver  124  may comprise a photo detector, such as a photo diode. The wakeup receiver  124  may be positioned on the case  88  in a manner such that the photo detector is exposed to space exterior of the case, and able to receive energy from the IR transmitter of the object unit  100 . 
     In such embodiments, the wearable unit  86  may have a lower power mode of operation and a higher power mode of operation, and the wearable unit may be configured to change from the lower power mode to the higher power mode upon receiving the wakeup signal from the wakeup receiver. The lower power mode may be characterized by elements of the wearable unit  86  consuming less power than the elements of the wearable unit in the higher power mode. The lower power mode may be further characterized by the processor  96  being in a low power consumption mode. The higher power consumption mode of operation may be characterized by the processor being out of the low power consumption mode. The higher power mode of the wearable unit  86  may be characterized by the processor  86  causing the transmitter  92  of the unit  86  to transmit the proximity signal. 
     In the operation of embodiments employing the wakeup feature, the wakeup transmitter  122  of the object unit  100  may continuously or substantially continuously transmit the wakeup signal, such as in the form of IR energy, in the space adjacent to the object unit so that when the wearable unit  86  moves into the space adjacent to the object unit, the wakeup receiver  124  of the wearable unit is able to sense or detect the IR energy from the wakeup transmitter. Upon receiving the IR energy from the wakeup transmitter  122 , the wakeup receiver  124  may send a wakeup signal to the processor  96  to cause the wearable unit to change from the lower power mode (at which the wearable unit had previously been operating) to a higher power mode in which the transmitter  92  of the wearable unit may transmit the wireless proximity signal which may include the identification code or other data to be received by the receiver  108  of the object unit. Such an implementation may be utilized in place of periodic transmissions of the proximity signal by the transmitter  92 , which may significantly reduce power consumption by the wearable unit and the need to replace or recharge the power source  94  of the wearable unit. 
     It should be appreciated that in the foregoing description and appended claims, that the terms “substantially” and “approximately,” when used to modify another term, mean “for the most part” or “being largely but not wholly or completely that which is specified” by the modified term. 
     It should also be appreciated from the foregoing description that, except when mutually exclusive, the features of the various embodiments described herein may be combined with features of other embodiments as desired while remaining within the intended scope of the disclosure. 
     Further, those skilled in the art will appreciate that steps set forth in the description and/or shown in the drawing figures may be altered in a variety of ways. For example, the order of the steps may be rearranged, substeps may be performed in parallel, shown steps may be omitted, or other steps may be included, etc. 
     In this document, the terms “a” or “an” are used, as is common in patent documents, to include one or more than one, independent of any other instances or usages of “at least one” or “one or more.” In this document, the term “or” is used to refer to a nonexclusive or, such that “A or B” includes “A but not B,” “B but not A,” and “A and B,” unless otherwise indicated. 
     With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the disclosed embodiments and implementations, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art in light of the foregoing disclosure, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present disclosure. 
     Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the disclosure. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the disclosed subject matter to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to that fall within the scope of the claims.