Patent Publication Number: US-2012037088-A1

Title: Miniature remote gps recovery system

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/338,743, filed Feb. 24, 2010. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
     This invention relates to a GPS recovery system and more specifically to miniature GPS recovery units for use in finding or locating remote or lost items. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     One of the major problems in the world today is the loss of items that are valuable and/or prized by the owner. The loss can occur through, for example, pets or prize animals wandering too far, misappropriation, or outright theft. The valuable or prized items that can be lost include pets or other animals, small portable devices that are easily carried, valuable art objects, etc. In many instances when any of these items run off or are mislaid it may take a great deal of time and effort to find them. In many instances if the items are misappropriated or stolen they may never be found. 
     At the present time the only known attempt to solve this problem is a system by which automobiles can be identified and found. However, as far as understood, the known system is only useful in finding automobiles and is not adaptable to items such as contemplated herein. 
     It would be highly advantageous, therefore, to remedy the foregoing and other deficiencies inherent in the prior art. 
     Accordingly, it is an object the present invention to provide a new and improved GPS recovery system including a miniature remote GPS unit and control assembly. 
     It is another object the present invention to provide a new and improved miniature remote GPS unit and control assembly miniaturized sufficiently to be installed or implanted into virtually any prized item. 
     It is another object the present invention to provide a new and improved miniature remote GPS unit and control assembly especially useful in identifying and locating any of a variety of animals and/or small portable devices. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Briefly to achieve the desired objects of the present invention in accordance with a preferred embodiment thereof, provided is a miniature remote GPS unit and control assembly assembled in a unit designed to be either implanted in an animal or secreted in an inanimate device. The assembled unit includes a GPS module normally in an inactive mode and switchable between the inactive mode and an active mode. The GPS module is designed to receive signals in the active mode from GPS satellites and develop position coordinates in response to the signals. A communications module is remotely switchable between a standby mode and an active mode. The communications module is designed to receive signals from a remote control station and to switch from the standby mode to the active mode in response to an activation signal from the remote control station and to supply coordinates to the remote control station. A micro-controller is coupled to receive signals from and to supply signals to both the GPS module and the communications module. The micro-controller is designed and connected to receive a control signal from the communications module when the communications module is switched from the standby mode to the active mode. The micro-controller is designed and connected to control the GPS module to switch from the inactive mode to the active mode and to develop position coordinates. The micro-controller is further designed and connected to receive the position coordinates and supply the position coordinates to the communications module. A power supply is coupled to the GPS module, the communications module, and the micro-controller. 
     To further achieve the desired objects of the present invention in accordance with another embodiment thereof, a GPS recovery system includes a personal communications device, such as a cell phone or a lap top, including software designed to supply an activation signal and to receive coordinates of an item to be recovered. The GPS recovery system also includes a miniature remote GPS unit and control assembly including a GPS module normally in an inactive mode and switchable between the inactive mode and an active mode and designed to receive signals in the active mode from GPS satellites and develop position coordinates in response to the signals, a communications module remotely switchable between a standby mode and an active mode, and a micro-controller coupled to receive signals from and to supply signals to both the GPS module and the communications module. The micro-controller is designed and connected to receive a control signal from the communications module when the communications module is switched from the standby mode to the active mode, to control the GPS module to switch from the inactive mode to the active mode, and to receive the position coordinates from the GPS module and supply the position coordinates to the communications module. A power supply is coupled to the GPS module, the communications module, and the micro-controller. The miniature remote GPS unit and control assembly are assembled in a unit and positioned in the item to be recovered. A remote control station is designed to communicate with the personal communications device and the miniature remote GPS unit and control assembly. The remote control station is designed to supply signals to the communications module in response to reception of the activation signal from the personal communications device to switch the communications module from the standby mode to the active mode and to receive the coordinates from the communications module and to supply the coordinates to the personal communications device in response to reception of the activation signal from the personal communications device. 
     To further achieve the desired objects of the present invention in accordance with a method thereof, a method of locating or positioning an item includes the step of providing a personal communications device including software designed to supply an activation signal and to receive coordinates of the item. The method further includes the step of providing a miniature remote GPS unit and control assembly assembled in a unit. The assembled unit includes a GPS module normally in an inactive mode and switchable between the inactive mode and an active mode. The GPS module is designed to receive signals in the active mode from GPS satellites and develop coordinates representative of position of the item in response to the signals. The assembled unit further includes a communications module remotely switchable between a standby mode and an active mode and a micro-controller coupled to receive signals from and to supply signals to both the GPS module and the communications module. The micro-controller is designed and connected to receive a control signal from the communications module when the communications module is switched from the standby mode to the active mode, to control the GPS module to switch from the inactive mode to the active mode, and to receive the position coordinates from the GPS module and supply the position coordinates to the communications module. A power supply is coupled to the GPS module, the communications module, and the micro-controller and the miniature remote GPS unit and control assembly is positioned in the item. The method further includes the step of providing a remote control station and designing the remote control station to communicate with the personal communications device and the miniature remote GPS unit and control assembly, designing the remote control station to supply signals to the communications module in response to reception of the activation signal from the personal communications device to switch the communications module from the standby mode to the active mode, and designing the remote control station to receive the coordinates from the communications module and to supply the coordinates to the personal communications device in response to reception of the activation signal from the personal communications device. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Specific objects and advantages of the invention will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment thereof, taken in conjunction with the drawings in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a flow chart illustrating operation of the GPS recovery system, including a miniature remote GPS unit and control assembly, in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a simplified block diagram of the GPS recovery system according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  is a simplified flow chart in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  is a block diagram of the miniature remote GPS unit and control assembly of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIGS. 5A and 5B  illustrate a schematic diagram of one embodiment of the miniature remote GPS unit and control assembly of  FIG. 4 ; and 
         FIG. 6  illustrates connections and placement for the components of the schematic diagram of  FIGS. 5A and 5B . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring specifically to  FIG. 1 , a flow chart is illustrated depicting operation of the present GPS recovery system, generally designated  10 , in accordance with the present invention. System  10  includes a miniature remote GPS unit and control assembly  12  positioned within a prized animal or other prized item, hereinafter “item” designated  14 . In accordance with and as a component of system  10 , the owner or custodian of item  14  has a cell phone or other communication device, designated  16 . When the owner or custodian wishes to locate item  14  they simply communicate with a dispatch location  18  using an identifying code, generally identifying both the owner and the item. Dispatch location  18  then contacts a control module of remote GPS unit and control assembly  12 . Assembly  12  is normally in a sleep mode to save the battery and contacting assembly  12  activates the remote GPS unit, which establishes the coordinates of its position or location from three or more satellites in the GPS positioning system. A control module of assembly  12  sends the GPS coordinates to dispatch location  18  and, in the preferred embodiment, dispatch location  18  converts the coordinates to a visual map with item  14  marked thereon and sends the map to communication device  16 . To simplify the explanation the “coordinates” are sent or received throughout this disclosure but it will be understood that signals representative of the coordinates are actually sent. When the process is completed assembly  12  is returned to the sleep mode. 
     Referring additionally to  FIG. 2 , a simplified block diagram of GPS recovery system  10  is illustrated. Device  12  is a GPS unit that is miniaturized to the point it can be implanted in a prized animal or secreted in a prized item. Dispatch location  18  is a control station that can communicate with device  12  and, in this preferred embodiment, a custom web page, designated  20 , on the internet. Cell phone or other communication device  16  is capable of communicating with control station  18  and receiving information from custom web page  20 . In this preferred embodiment communication device  16  is supplied with an APP that is made available by the licensing or issuing company for placement on device  16 . The customer or owner of device  16  simply logs onto the company web site to track device  12 . 
     Turning additionally to  FIG. 3 , a mobile flow chart is illustrated, which explains in more detail the APP described in conjunction with  FIG. 2 . As indicated, device  12  with the company APP installed includes an embedded web browser. No user controls are included. Upon launch, the web browser navigates to a unique web page, located on the company server and the location of item  14  is displayed on, for example, a “Google Maps” map. It should be understood that different implementations may be used for each mobile platform (device  16 ) the company supports. For example, the process is different between a Windows laptop and a Droid smart phone. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 4 , a block diagram is illustrated of miniature remote GPS unit and control assembly  12  in accordance with the present invention. Assembly  12  includes a GPS module  40 , a cellular module  42 , a micro-controller  44  and a power supply  46 , such as a battery or the like. The components are interconnected so that when cellular module  42  receives a signal it signals micro-controller  44  to activate GPS module  40 . GPS module  40  then receives coordinates of its position or location and sends the coordinates through micro-controller  44  to cellular module  42 . Cellular module  42  is in a stand-by mode to conserve battery life. GPS module  40  is deactivated at all times until called upon by micro-controller  44 . When the GPS coordinates are determined and sent to micro-controller  44  micro-controller  44  returns GPS module  40  to the stand-by or deactivated mode. 
     Assembly  12  is a self-contained encapsulated assembly in which GPS module  40  and control module  42  are each about the size of a baby&#39;s fingernail and the entire assembly  12  is about the size of the U.S. coin known as a quarter, i.e. less than approximately one inch in diameter if round and across a diagonal if rectangular. Further, in this preferred embodiment assembly  12  is encapsulated in a biocompatible epoxy resin or the like (same as a pacemaker), which will not irritate any tissue when implanted into an animal. 
     Referring additionally to  FIGS. 5A and 5B , a schematic diagram of one embodiment of miniature remote GPS unit and control assembly  12  is illustrated, with components that can be used to provide the functions described. Also, a wiring and position diagram is illustrated in  FIG. 6  depicting one arrangement for a rectangularly shaped mother board. It will be understood that other components and wiring arrangements and configurations may be devised but the embodiment illustrated comes within the concept of being miniaturized sufficiently to be installed or implanted into virtually any prized item. 
     Thus a GPS recovery system including a miniature remote GPS unit and control assembly is disclosed. The miniature remote GPS unit and control assembly is a self-contained encapsulated assembly that is sufficiently miniaturized to be installed or implanted into virtually any prized item. Also, the miniature remote GPS unit and control assembly is or can be encapsulated in a biocompatible material which will not irritate any tissue when implanted into an animal. 
     Various changes and modifications to the embodiments herein chosen for purposes of illustration will readily occur to those skilled in the art. To the extent that such modifications and variations do not depart from the spirit of the invention, they are intended to be included within the scope thereof which is assessed only by a fair interpretation of the following claims.