Patent Publication Number: US-2016227377-A1

Title: System for locating an object and a method of using the same

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     The present application is related to, and claims the priority benefit of, U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/110,826 filed Feb. 2, 2015, the contents of which are hereby incorporated in their entirety into the present disclosure. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE DISCLOSED EMBODIMENTS 
     The presently disclosed embodiments generally relate to secure storage and asset tracking, and more particularly, to a system for locating an object and a method of using the same. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSED EMBODIMENTS 
     There are many types of industries and businesses that require the management of a large inventory, such as a car dealership to name one example. Car dealerships often have large inventories of vehicles to sell. The vehicles at a dealership, when stored together, occupy multiple lots on large and sometimes remote locations. The vehicles are often moved for various reasons, making their current locations unpredictable. When looking for one particular vehicle, it is time consuming and impractical to search multiple area(s) in their entirety. Generally, current systems for locating vehicles can be expensive to install, complicated to operate, have many system components, and may or may not give reliable location results. Accordingly, there exists a need for an effective, efficient, and low-cost system and method for locating desired objects within a large area. 
     SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSED EMBODIMENTS 
     In one aspect a system for locating an object is provided. The system includes a container configured to store a container item and transmit a container signal; wherein the container signal comprises a signal indicative of a container event. In an embodiment, the container is removably attached to a vehicle. In another embodiment, the container includes a first identifier. In one embodiment, the first identifier contains at least one uniquely identifiable container attribute. In an embodiment, the container item includes a second identifier. In one embodiment, the second identifier contains at least one uniquely identifiable item attribute 
     The system further includes a first mobile device configured to receive the container signal and to obtain positioning information of the mobile device upon receipt of the container signal. In one embodiment, the mobile device is selected from the group consisting of: smartphones, cellular phones, personal digital assistants, and tablets. 
     In an embodiment, the system further includes a remote device in communication with the mobile device, wherein the remote device is configured to exchange information with the mobile device. In one embodiment, the remote device is selected from a group consisting of a remote storage device and a second mobile device. 
     In one aspect, a method for locating an object is provided. The method includes the step of operating the container to initiate a container event. In an embodiment, the container event comprises one of closing the container, locking the container, and opening the container. 
     The method further includes the step of operating the container to transmit a container signal, wherein the container signal comprises a signal indicative of the container event. In another embodiment, the container signal further includes container information. In an embodiment, the container information comprises at least one of container attributes and item attributes. 
     The method further includes the step of operating the mobile device to receive the container signal, and obtain positioning information for the mobile device upon receipt of the container signal. In an embodiment, operating the mobile device to receive the container signal includes placing the mobile device in close proximity to the container. In another embodiment, the method further includes associating the positioning information with the container information. 
     In an embodiment, operating the mobile device to obtain positioning information for the mobile device includes requesting positioning information from a positioning system. In one embodiment, the positioning information comprises position coordinates. 
     The method further includes the step of transmitting the positioning information to a remote device. In one embodiment, transmitting the positioning information to a remote device includes operating the mobile device to transmit the positioning information to the remote device. In another embodiment, the method further includes operating the mobile device to transmit the container information to the remote device. 
     In an embodiment, the method further includes the steps of retrieving at least one of the positioning information and the container information from the remote device, and displaying the at least one of the retrieved positioning information and the retrieved container information on the mobile device. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  illustrates a schematic flow diagram of a method for locating an object according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; and 
         FIG. 2  illustrates a schematic drawing of a system for locating an object according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DISCLOSED EMBODIMENTS 
     For the purposes of promoting an understanding of the principles of the present disclosure, reference will now be made to the embodiments illustrated in the drawings, and specific language will be used to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of this disclosure is thereby intended. 
       FIG. 1  illustrates a method for locating an object, the method generally indicated at  100 . The method  100  includes step  102  of operating a container  12  (described in greater detail below with reference to  FIG. 2 ) to initiate a container event. In an embodiment, the container event includes one of closing the container  12 , locking the container  12 , and opening the container  12 . It will also be appreciated that a container event may include keeping the container  12  open, and moving the container  12 , to name a few non-limiting examples. 
     For example, with reference to  FIG. 2 , the system  10  includes a container  12 . In an embodiment, the container  12  is removably attached to a vehicle (not shown). It will be appreciated that the container  12  may be removably attached to any object, such as a building structure, a door knob, a wall, or a door, to name a few non-limiting examples. A user places a container item  14 , for example vehicle keys or vehicle fobs to name a couple of non-limiting examples, in a storage receptacle  16  and closes the container  12 . A sensor (not shown) may recognize that the container  12  has been closed, and as such a container event is initiated. Alternatively, if the user places the container item  14  into the storage receptacle  16  and locks the container  12  using a locking mechanism  18 , a container event is initiated. In other embodiments, other actions may cause a container event to be initiated. 
     The method  100  further includes step  104  of operating the container  12  to transmit a container signal, wherein the container signal is indicative of the container event. For example, with continued reference to  FIG. 2 , upon closing or locking the container  12 , a container communication device  20  transmits a signal that the container event has occurred. It will be appreciated that the container communication device  20  may include any known types of communication devices that transmit and receive signals over one or more communication systems of a type well known in the art, such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, CDMA, GSM, Local Area Network (LAN), NFC, Bluetooth Low Energy signal, Z-WAVE®, DASH7™, or ZIGBEE® to name a few non-limiting examples. It will also be appreciated that the container communication device  20  may transmit the container signal once, repeatedly at periodic intervals, or continuously following the container event. 
     In an embodiment, the container signal further includes container information. In one embodiment, the container information includes at least one of container attributes and item attributes. In the embodiment shown, the container  12  includes a first identifier  22 , such as a RFID tag to name one non-limiting example, which contains a uniquely identifiable container attribute, such as a unique serial number to name one non-limiting example. The uniquely identifiable container attribute is operable to differentiate the container  12  from other containers  12  within the system  10 . The container item  14  includes a second identifier (not shown), such as a RFID tag to name one non-limiting example, which contains a uniquely identifiable item attribute, such as the make and model of a vehicle associated with the keys to name one non-limiting example. It will also be appreciated that the first identifier  22  and/or the second identifier (not shown) may also be a Dallas key, such as an IBUTTON® device, available from Maxim Integrated Products, San Jose, Calif. USA, to name a couple non-limiting examples. 
     It will be appreciated that that the container  12  is further configured to read and ascertain the at least one of container attributes and item attributes using the container communication module  20 , via any desired means. It will further be appreciated that the container information may include information describing the container event, information regarding the type of container  12 , and any other relevant information about the container  12  or the container item  14 , to name a few non-limiting examples. 
     The method  100  further includes the step  106  of operating the mobile device  24  to receive the container signal, and obtain positioning information for the mobile device  24  upon receipt of the container signal. For example, with continued reference to  FIG. 2 , the mobile device  24  may include a mobile device communication device  26  configured to exchange a mobile device signal over one or more communication systems of a type well known in the art, such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, CDMA, GSM, Local Area Network (LAN), NFC, 4G, Bluetooth Low Energy signal, Z-WAVE®, DASH7™, or ZIGBEE® to name a few non-limiting examples. In an embodiment, the mobile device  24  is selected from the group consisting of smartphones, cellular phones, personal digital assistants, and tablets. It will be appreciated that the mobile device  24  may be any mobile device capable of performing the functions disclosed herein, for example, any device capable of being carried by a person outside of a home or structure, to name a few non-limiting examples. 
     In an embodiment, operating the mobile device  24  to receive the container signal includes placing the mobile device  24  in proximity to the container  12 . For example, after a user has initiated a container event, such as closing the container  12 , the user places the mobile device  24  in proximity to the container  12  to receive the container signal via the at least one mobile device communication module  26 . It will be appreciated that upon reception of the container signal indicative of the container event, the mobile device  24  may process the container signal to determine whether the container event has occurred. It will also be appreciated that the container signal indicative of the container event may be received by any mobile device  24  located in proximity to the container  12 , and configured to receive the container signal. 
     In an embodiment, operating the mobile device  24  to obtain positioning information for the mobile device  24  includes operating the mobile device  24  to request the positioning information from a positioning system  28 . The positioning system  28  is configured to determine positioning information indicative of a geographical position using one or more positioning systems or protocols of a type well known in the art, such as Global Positioning Systems (GPS), Global Navigation System (GLONASS), Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS), Galileo, Long Range Navigation (LORAN), National Marine Electronics Association (NMEA), Trimble Standard Interface Protocol (TSIP), DELORME® EARTHMATE®, Rockwell PLGR Protocol, iBeacon®, and SIRF®, to name a few non-limiting examples. It will also be appreciated that positioning system  28  may include local, regional, or site-wide systems of a type well known in the art, such as radio frequency identification (RFID), infrared (IR), sensor networks, Wi-Fi-based positioning, and Ultra-Wideband (UWB) positioning systems, to name a few non-limiting examples. The positioning system  28  is further configured to exchange a positioning signal with at least one of the container  12 , mobile device  24 , and remote device  30 , wherein the positioning signal is operative to transmit the positioning information. It will also be appreciated that the positioning information may include types well known in the arts such as, geographic latitude and longitude, Universal Transverse Mercator (UTM) and Universal Polar Stereographic (UPS) coordinates, stereographic coordinates, geodetic height, Cartesian coordinates, and street address, to name a few non-limiting examples. 
     In an embodiment, positioning information includes position coordinates of the mobile device  24 . In another embodiment, the mobile device  24  operates to associate the positioning information with the container information. For example, with reference to  FIG. 2 , once the mobile device  24  receives the container signal indicative of the container event, the mobile device  24  operates, automatically or by human intervention, to communicate with the positioning system  28  via the mobile device communication module  26 , and obtain positioning information by any means appreciated in the arts. Continuing with the example above, once the mobile device  24  determines that the container was closed, it receives the positioning information, thereby determining its own position and the position of the container  12  (because the mobile device  24  is in proximity to the container  12 ). 
     The method  100  further includes step  108  of transmitting the positioning information to a remote device  30 . The remote device  30  is configured to exchange a remote device signal with the container  12 , mobile device  24 , and/or positioning system  28 . In an embodiment, the remote device  30  is selected from a group consisting of a remote storage device and a second mobile device. It will be appreciated that the remote device  30  may be at least one or more computers, servers, smartphones, tablets, wearable technology, computing devices, touch screen devices, display monitors or systems of a type well known in the art, such as a mainframe computer, cloud network, workstation, personal computer, laptop computer, hand-held computer, cellular telephone, or personal digital assistant to name a few non-limiting examples. It will also be appreciated that remote device  30  is operable to exchange at least one remote device signal over one or more communication systems of a type well known in the art, such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, CDMA, GSM, Local Area Network (LAN), NFC, to name a few non-limiting examples. 
     In one embodiment, transmitting the positioning information to the remote device  30  includes operating the mobile device  24  to transmit the positioning information to the remote device  30 . For example, the positioning information is transmitted to the remote device  30  to allow other users of the system  10  to access the remote device  30  to obtain the positioning information of a particular container  12 . 
     In another embodiment, the mobile device  24  is operable to transmit the container information to the remote device  30 . For example, the container information is transmitted to the remote device  30  to allow other users of the system  10  to access the remote device  30  to obtain the associated container information of a particular container  12 . It will be appreciated that the positioning system  24  may send positioning information to the mobile device  24  and the remote device  30  simultaneously. 
     In one embodiment, the method  100  includes the step  110  of retrieving at least one of the positioning information and the container information from the remote device  30 , and displaying at least one of the retrieved positioning information and the retrieved container information on the mobile device  24 . For example, when a user needs to locate a desired container  12 , the user operates their mobile device  24  to access the remote device  30  to perform a plurality of different searches, for example, navigate through a series of menus, or perform any applicable methods to indicate the desired container  12 , or a desired container item  14  within a container  12 . Once the desired container  12  is identified within remote device  30 , the remote device  30  transmits the positioning information and/or container information associated with the desired container  12 , to the mobile device  24  to be displayed thereon, for example, on a map, on a grid, or in any other relevant means appreciated in the arts. If the container  12  is attached to a vehicle in an embodiment, other users will be able to access the remote device  30  to obtain the parking location of a particular vehicle. 
     It will therefore be appreciated that a user can easily locate a desired container  12  by retrieving positioning information associated with the container  12 , and displaying the positioning information on a mobile device  24  to quickly guide them to the container  12 . It will also be appreciated that the positioning information is stored on a remote device  30  to allow access to positioning information for a number of different users. 
     While the invention has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and foregoing description, the same is to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive in character, it being understood that only certain embodiments have been shown and described and that all changes and modifications that come within the spirit of the invention are desired to be protected.