Patent Abstract:
A locator device carried on or by a person, particularly a child, sends out a signal using satellite technology known as GPS—Global Positioning System. Once the child is wearing the GPS locator device, the parent, guardian, or care giver, logs onto a computer, or a cellular phone or other communication equipment with a GPS feature, and a Web page map reveals the child&#39;s location to within a few feet. The locator device also has a built-in personal identification chip in which a child&#39;s personal information is recorded. The locator device is configured as a tiny article that can be easily attached to the child&#39;s clothing and may be camouflaged in various ways so as to avoid suspicion by a kidnaper that the article contains a GPS locator device. Alternative attachment arrangements enable the user to select the optimum attachment arrangement for the type and nature of the material upon which it is to be affixed.

Full Description:
REFERENCE TO DISCLOSURE DOCUMENTS  
         [0001]    Reference is made to U.S. Disclosure Document No. 517218 recorded Aug. 27, 2002, the entire contents of which is incorporated herein by reference.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0003]    This invention relates to a system for locating persons, especially children, or objects, and in particular to a wireless communication system for use in locating and tracking persons and/or objects.  
           [0004]    2. Brief Description of the Prior Art  
           [0005]    According to the U.S. National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, each year between 3,200 and 4,600 non-family abductions are reported to authorities. Family abductions account for an additional 354,100 abductions annually. Obviously, the chances for successfully locating the whereabouts of a child, or for retrieving a kidnaped child, would be greatly enhanced if it were possible to know the whereabouts of the child in real time using an electronic tracking system.  
           [0006]    Several solutions along these lines have been proposed, such as those offered by Singer et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 5,485,163, and by Wherify Wireless, Inc., 2000 Bridge Parkway, Suite 201, Redwood Shores, Calif. 94065, and found in U.S. Pat. No. 6,362,778 to Neher.  
           [0007]    The Wherify GPS Personal Locator For Children is said to employ integrated GPS and digital wireless technologies to determine the wearer&#39;s location.  
           [0008]    The personal locator system of the Singer et al. patent is said to comprise a portable locator unit that can be implemented in the form of a tag or ornamental bracelet. While the Singer et al. patent hypothetically foresees, with appropriate miniaturization, that the portable locator unit shown and described could be incorporated in almost any object, such as a belt, watch, or earring, there is no teaching in the patent as to how such a miniaturized device could be constructed or how it could be implemented in the object forms suggested.  
           [0009]    While there are other technologies offering persons/object location methods, these remain mostly out of reach of the average person due to the cost prohibitive nature of the solution. Prior to the present invention, it was thought that any system incorporating a GPS receiver would, although providing accurate location information, add undesirable bulk and perhaps several hundred dollars to the materials and construction cost of the locator device. The Wherify wrist watch implementation has proven the ability to contain the necessary GPS and cellular electronic components in small enclosures. However, the wrist watch implementation remains rather bulky for need of a relatively large sized watch band connected to the “watch” face. Additionally, the large casing and emergency buttons to be pressed by a person in distress are highly visible to any observer, raising suspicion by a child abductor as to the item worn by the child.  
           [0010]    Moreover, prior art locator devices are not easily carried by the wearer, particularly by children, or easily attached to the wearer&#39;s clothing without drawing attention to it.  
           [0011]    Thus, there is a need in the GPS locator system art for a true more miniaturized children locator device that is low in cost and yet provides reliable and accurate child location information, while at the same time is camouflaged so as not to draw attention to itself.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0012]    The present invention fulfills the aforementioned needs in the GPS locator system art by providing a personal location device which can inform the parents of their child&#39;s whereabouts, and which can act as either a deterrent to potential kidnappers, or at least as an aid to law enforcement authorities during their investigation in a missing child case.  
           [0013]    The invention involves the convergence of state-of-the-art enhanced global positioning with wireless communications, and other technologies, which will empower people with the ability to locate loved ones, especially children, whenever and wherever needed.  
           [0014]    Reference is made to what is referred to as “Snap Track Personal Location Technology”, a preferred technology for use with the present invention, offered by SnapTrack Inc., a subsidiary of Qualcom®, a Campbell, California based company. The technology is based on a thin-client Wireless Assisted GPS system and may be incorporated into cellular phones and other wireless devices.  
           [0015]    In accordance with the invention, there is provided a GPS Children Locator Device for use in a system for locating persons, especially children, or objects, the locator device comprising an upper housing and a lower housing, and wherein the upper and lower housings comprise, respectively, first and second attachment members cooperating to permit removable attachment of the upper housing to the lower housing, and to securely capture a thin piece of material therebetween.  
           [0016]    In another aspect of the invention, there is provided a housing unit containing all of the electronic functional components of the GPS Children Locator Device, and a separate clip. The housing unit is provided with a thin piercing pin which snap fits into the spring clip, whereby a thin sheet of material can be captured between the housing unit and the spring clip, similar to the manner of fitting an earring to a pierced ear.  
           [0017]    In yet another aspect of the invention, there is provided a housing unit containing all of the electronic functional components of the GPS Children Locator Device, with a pin hinge fixed to one side of the housing unit, and a pin-lock mechanism fixed to the opposite side of the housing unit. A piercing pin, after passing through a thin piece of clothing, is latched in the pin-lock mechanism.  
           [0018]    More specifically, the present invention is directed to a locator device, carried on or by a person - particularly a child, which sends out a signal using wireless communication technology in combination with satellite GPS (Global Positioning System) technology. Once the child is wearing the GPS locator device, the parent, guardian, or care giver, logs onto a computer or cellular phone with a GPS feature having a wireless network, and a Web page map reveals the child&#39;s location to within a few feet. The locator device also has a built-in personal identification chip in which a child&#39;s personal information is recorded. The same personal ID information is also recorded in the Personal Assistant Link Center of the GPS Children Locator System. The locator device is configured as a tiny electronic component that can be easily attached to the child&#39;s clothing and may be camouflaged in various ways so as to avoid suspicion by a kidnaper that the article contains a GPS locator device.  
           [0019]    Importantly, the GPS Children Locator Device is wearable by children of all ages, while prior art products have certain limitations on the child&#39;s age. Wherify&#39;s watch, for example, is not suitable for smaller children.  
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING  
       [0020]    These and other aspects of the invention will be better understood, and additional features of the invention will be described hereinafter having reference to the accompanying drawings in which:  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the GPS Children Locator Device;  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the components making up the upper housing of the GPS Children Locator Device, as seen from a position slightly above the upper housing;  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the components making up the upper housing of the GPS Children Locator Device, as seen from a position slightly below the upper housing;  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the lower housing, as seen from the upper side of the lower housing;  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 5 is a an exploded perspective view of the lower housing, as seen from the underside of an inverted lower housing, and showing a decorative object that may be attached to the underside to serve as a camouflage cover;  
         [0026]    [0026]FIG. 6 is a cross sectional view of a first embodiment of a lower housing showing the major internal components;  
         [0027]    [0027]FIG. 7 is a cross sectional view of a first embodiment of an upper housing showing the major internal components;  
         [0028]    [0028]FIG. 8 is a view similar to that of FIG. 6, showing the relationship of the lower housing relative to a thin piece of material to which the GPS Children Locator Device is to be affixed;  
         [0029]    [0029]FIG. 9 is a cross sectional view showing the upper and lower housings, from FIGS. 6 and 7, respectively, prior to being coupled together, with a thin piece of material sandwiched therebetween;  
         [0030]    [0030]FIG. 10 is a cross sectional view showing the upper and lower housings, from FIGS. 6 and 7, respectively, after being coupled together, with a thin piece of material sandwiched therebetween;  
         [0031]    [0031]FIG. 11A is a partial cross sectional view showing the left half of assembled upper and lower housings constructed according to a second embodiment of the invention, in a standby, or normal, mode of the GPS Children Locator Device;  
         [0032]    [0032]FIG. 11B is a partial cross sectional view showing the right half of assembled upper and lower housings constructed according to the second embodiment of the invention, in a normal, or standby, mode of the GPS Children Locator Device;  
         [0033]    [0033]FIG. 12A is a partial cross sectional view showing the left half of assembled upper and lower housings constructed according to the second embodiment of the invention, in an emergency, or active, mode of the GPS Children Locator Device;  
         [0034]    [0034]FIG. 12B is a partial cross sectional view showing the right half of assembled upper and lower housings constructed according to the second embodiment of the invention, in an emergency, or active, mode of the GPS Children Locator Device;  
         [0035]    [0035]FIG. 13 is a general schematic block diagram showing the interconnection of the main functional electronic components of the GPS Children Locator Device;  
         [0036]    [0036]FIG. 14 is a line drawing of a piece of clothing showing how the GPS Children Locator Device may be attached to a child&#39;s clothing in a manner not to raise suspicion as to its actual purpose and function;  
         [0037]    [0037]FIG. 15 is a pictorial representation of the complete GPS Children Locator System showing the participants, electronic apparatuses, and transmission paths involved and in place while in a normal, or standby, mode;  
         [0038]    [0038]FIG. 16 is a pictorial representation of the complete GPS Children Locator System showing the participants, electronic apparatuses, and transmission paths involved and in place while in an emergency, or active mode;  
         [0039]    [0039]FIG. 17 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the invention showing a single housing containing all of the functional electronic components of the GPS Children Locator Device, and a first alternate embodiment of an attachment arrangement;  
         [0040]    [0040]FIG. 18 is a perspective view of yet another embodiment of the invention showing a single housing containing all of the functional electronic components of the GPS Children Locator Device, and a second alternate embodiment of an attachment arrangement; and  
         [0041]    [0041]FIG. 19 is a perspective view of a backpack upon which an embodiment of the invention such as those shown in FIGS.  17  or  18  is secured. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
     DEFINITION OF TERMS  
       [0042]    For the purposes of this description, the following definitions are provided.  
         [0043]    “GPS” is an acronym for Global Positioning System, a system of satellites, computers, and receivers that is able to determine the latitude and longitude of a receiver on Earth by calculating the time difference for signals from different satellites to reach the receiver. Developed and operated by the U.S. Defense Department, the global positioning system (GPS) is a radio-navigation system consisting of a 24-satellite constellation. Using precise location and timing signals emitted by these satellites, GPS permits land, sea and airborne users to determine their three-dimensional position, velocity and time 24 hours a day, in all weather. GPS works anywhere in the world, providing location with a precision and accuracy far better than any other radio navigation system.  
         [0044]    “SnapTrack” refers to wireless Personal Location Technology based upon a thin-client Wireless Assisted GPS system and may be incorporated into cellular phones, pagers, personal digital assistants, and other wireless devices. The SnapTrack system either runs as software on the handset&#39;s own digital signal processing (DSP) chip or as a tightly integrated enhanced GPS capability at the baseband chip level.  
         [0045]    It will be understood that the use herein of the terms “upper housing” and “lower housing” is for convenience of description only, and the two terms may be considered to be interchangeable, depending on the desires of the designer or manufacturer, or the way the children wear them. Clearly, the configuration and contents of the two housings can be reversed without departing from the intended construction or installation of the GPS Children Locator Device. For example, the pin-like projection  31  (FIG. 4) can just as easily be part of the upper housing, and the receptacle  19  (FIG. 3) would then be part of the lower housing. Similarly, at the discretion of the designer or manufacturer, any of the electronic component parts of the invention can be housed in either the upper housing  3  or the lower housing  5  interchangeably, in order to optimize available space within the two housings  3  and  5 , or to minimize the number and lengths of current carrying interconnections. As an example, either or both of the GPS receiver &amp; wireless module  37  and the antenna  39  (FIG. 6) may be contained inside of upper housing  3 , and the lower housing  5  can simply be a camouflage component.  
         [0046]    It will also be understood that the figures and description herein, directed to a preferred implementation of the invention as a GPS Children Locator Device, are equally applicable to an adult person locator, or an object locator, or a pet locator.  
         [0047]    [0047]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the GPS Children Locator Device  1  comprising a top housing  3 , a lower housing  5 , and constructed and assembled in a manner to leave a gap  7  between the two housings  3  and  5 , for the placement of a thin piece of material such as a piece of clothing worn by the wearer, e.g., a child in the preferred application of the invention.  
         [0048]    [0048]FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the components making up the upper housing  3  (FIG. 1) of the GPS Children Locator Device  1 , as seen from a position slightly above the upper housing and looking downwardly.  
         [0049]    The upper housing  3  is comprised of three major components, a battery housing  9 , a (preferably rechargeable) battery  11 , and a cap  13  attachable to and supported by the battery housing  9 .  
         [0050]    The battery housing  9  is shown to comprise a battery cavity  15  for receiving the battery  11 , battery contact circuitry  17  (shown schematically), a receptacle  19 , a battery level indicator  21 , and a pin-lock indicator  23 , all of which will be described as to function and construction in detail hereinafter.  
         [0051]    [0051]FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the components making up the upper housing  3  (FIG. 1) as seen from a position slightly below the upper housing, revealing the generally cylindrical shape of the receptacle  19  and an opening  27  therein.  
         [0052]    [0052]FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the lower housing  5 , as seen from a position slightly above the lower housing  5  and looking downwardly. The main structural components of the lower housing  5  are a base  29  and a pin-like projection  31 , hereinafter referred to as a pin  31 , both of which will be further described as to function and construction, with reference to more detailed illustrations.  
         [0053]    [0053]FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the underside of the lower housing  5  (inverted in the figure), additionally showing a camouflage cover  33  which may be attached to the underside of base  29  to camouflage the lower housing  5  so as not to draw attention to it. In the example of FIG. 5, the camouflage cover  33  is in the form of a button with simulated button holes  35 . Alternatively, the camouflage cover  33  may exhibit a design, or it may be covered with a material color matched to the child&#39;s clothing, or it may be concealed by affixing a picture or a relief representation of a child&#39;s favorite cartoon character, and the like. The means for attaching a camouflage cover  33  to the underside  30  is left to the discretion of the designer/manufacturer.  
         [0054]    [0054]FIG. 5 also shows an annular groove  32  intermediate the ends of pin  31 . Groove  32  is part of a securing arrangement for locking the upper housing  3  with the lower housing  5 , to be described in connection with FIGS. 8-10.  
         [0055]    [0055]FIG. 6 is a cross sectional view of a first embodiment of a lower housing  5  showing the major internal components housed in the base  29 , a GPS receiver &amp; wireless module  37 , and an antenna  39  coupled to the GPS receiver &amp; wireless module  37  by a connector  41 .  
         [0056]    [0056]FIG. 7 is a cross sectional view of a first embodiment of an upper housing  3 , showing the major internal components. Specifically, this figure shows the battery housing  9  having a battery cavity  15  for receiving a battery  11 , the bottom battery terminal of which is in electrical contact with the battery contact circuitry  17  shown schematically arranged in the battery housing cavity  15 . The battery contact circuitry  17  is seen to turn downwardly in the opening  27  of receptacle  19 , in order to be electrically coupled to an inserted pin  31 .  
         [0057]    An emergency button &amp; microphone arrangement  25  is affixed to the underside of cap  13  at its center. The cap  13  supports the arrangement  25  suspended above and spaced from battery  11 . The cap  13  itself may be sufficiently thin so as to flex by pushing down on its center at the location of the emergency button &amp; microphone arrangement  25 , or the outer rim of cap  13  may be relatively rigid, and the center  47  may be made of flexible synthetic plastic or rubber material. In either case, the center  47  is pushed down until the bottom of the arrangement  25  contacts the top terminal of battery  11 . As will be explained, this action activates the GPS receiver &amp; wireless module  37 , permitting GPS location information, together with audio sounds picked by the microphone portion of arrangement  25 , to be transmitted via a wireless communications network to a wireless receiver.  
         [0058]    This figure also shows a resilient clip  43  which resiliently accepts the pin  31  (FIG. 6) and snaps into groove  32  to releasably retain pin  31  in receptacle  19 .  
         [0059]    [0059]FIG. 8 is a view similar to that of FIG. 6, showing the relationship of the lower housing  5  relative to a thin piece of material  45 . The pin  31  can either pierce the material  45  or be inserted into a button hole or other opening in the child&#39;s clothing. Alternatively, the pin  31  can be inserted into a belt buckle hole or an existing or formed hole in the child&#39;s back pack, or the like.  
         [0060]    [0060]FIG. 9 is a cross sectional view showing the upper and lower housings  3  and  5  from FIGS. 6 and 7, respectively, prior to being coupled together, with the thin piece of material  45  sandwiched therebetween.  
         [0061]    [0061]FIG. 10 is a cross sectional view showing the upper and lower housings  3  and  5  from FIGS. 6 and 7, respectively, after being coupled together, with the thin piece of material  45  sandwiched therebetween. In this view, the locking together of the upper and lower housings  3  and  5  is seen to be releasably secured by the action of the internal spring clip  43  in receptacle  19  being seated in groove  32  of pin  31 . The distal end of the pin  31  is seen to touch the bottom of battery  11  which at least partially closes the opening in receptacle  19  and may function as a stop for the free distal end of pin  31 , limiting the extent the pin  31  can enter the receptacle 19 , thereby positioning the pin  31  at a predetermined axial position relative to the opening in receptacle  19 .  
         [0062]    [0062]FIGS. 11A and 11B are, respectively, left and right side partial cross sectional views of assembled upper and lower housings  3  and  5 , respectively, constructed according to a second embodiment of the invention. In these figures, the GPS Children Locator Device is in a normal, or standby, mode.  
         [0063]    In this embodiment, cap  13  is constructed of a rigid plastic material, and button  47  is preferably made of a flexible synthetic plastic or rubber.  
         [0064]    Emergency &amp; microphone arrangement  25  is retained under the center of the emergency button  47  by an attachment arrangement  50 . In the normal mode, the emergency button &amp; microphone arrangement  25  are suspended over the battery  11  by the emergency button  47  portion of cap  13 , and therefore no battery power is routed to the arrangement  25 .  
         [0065]    However, in the normal mode, the battery level indicator  21 , the pin-lock indicator  23 , and the GPS receiver &amp; wireless module  37  are supplied with battery power.  
         [0066]    Preferably, battery level indicator  21  and pin-lock indicator  23  have dual illuminating LEDs which can emit either green or red color light. Such LEDs are well known in the industry and can additionally comprise microchips within the LED housing which control the operation of the LEDs upon the application of power to them, an example being an LED device which continuously blinks on and off when power is applied and which is available from any Radio Shack® electronics store. For the present invention, the microchips (not shown) in indicators  21  and  23  control the respective internal LEDs as follows.  
         [0067]    Upon insertion of a battery  11  in battery housing  9 , a green LED lights in battery level indicator  21  to indicate a fully charged battery. After 5 seconds, the green LED will go out to conserve battery energy. When the battery voltage falls below an acceptable threshold level, a red LED lights and remains lit until the battery  11  is drained, alerting the user that the battery needs to be recharged or replaced.  
         [0068]    Upon connecting the upper housing  3  to the lower housing  5 , a green LED lights in the pin-lock indicator  23  to indicate that the two housings  3 , 5  are securely connected together. After 5 seconds the green LED will go out to conserve battery energy. When the housings  3 , 5  are disengaged, the green LED will go out for lack of an conductive path to the battery through the pin  31  of the lower housing  5 . For example, if the external threads  51  of pin  31  have not been fully screwed into the internal threads of the receptacle insert  20  to be at a predetermined axial position, the pin-lock indicator  23  will not light.  
         [0069]    The top  53  and sidewall  10  of the battery  11  is the (+) terminal, and the bottom  54  is the (−) terminal. The GPS receiver &amp; wireless module  37  receives (−) battery potential through electrical power contacts  60  and  61  being biased into electrical contact with the bottom battery terminal  54 . Power contacts  60  and  61  are integrally formed with an electrical conductive receptacle insert  20  affixed to the interior of receptacle  19 . Pin  31 , also being electrically conductive, is coupled to the GPS receiver &amp; wireless module  37 , thereby routing battery (−) potential from the bottom of battery  11 , through insert  20 , on to pin  31 , and finally to module  37  at the connection of pin  31  to the module  37 , as shown.  
         [0070]    The GPS receiver &amp; wireless module  37  receives (+) battery potential from the sidewall  10  (FIG. 11B) of battery  11  through electrical power contact spring strip  55 , through conductor strip contact  56 , over (+) power line  57 , and on to (+) power receptacle contact  58 . With pin  31  in full locked position, (+) battery power is passed from receptacle contact  58  through (+) power pin contact  80  on pin  31 , and on to the GPS receiver &amp; wireless module  37 .  
         [0071]    To power the battery level indicator  21 , battery (+) power is routed directly to one side of indicator  21  from conductor strip contact  56  via (+) power line  57 . Battery (−) power is supplied to the other side of indicator  21  directly from the (−) battery bottom terminal  54  through (−) battery contact  59 .  
         [0072]    The pin-lock indicator  23  will be unlit without the pin  31  fully inserted in the receptacle  19 . Indicator  23  will light, for five seconds, when pin  31  is properly inserted and locked in a predetermined axial position within receptacle  19 .  
         [0073]    For power, pin-lock indicator  23  receives (−) battery potential from the battery bottom  54  through (−) power contact  62  and (−) power line  63 .  
         [0074]    As explained above, (+) power from the battery  11  exists on (+) power receptacle contact  58  at all times. However, a current path to pin-lock indicator  23  is interrupted when pin  31  is not locked in proper axial position in receptacle  19 . That is, the (+) battery potential on receptacle contact  58  can pass on to receptacle contact  78  (FIG. 11A) only through pin contact  80  which extends peripherally around the body of pin  31 . When pin  31  is in proper locked position, receptacle contact  78  carries (+) battery potential on to pin-lock indicator  23 , thus lighting it for five seconds, as previously described.  
         [0075]    Thus, during the respective five second intervals, a simple visual inspection of the battery level indicator  21  and the pin-lock indicator  23  will verify that the GPS Children Locator Device has enough power, has been properly installed, and is operative.  
         [0076]    [0076]FIGS. 12A and 12B are, respectively, left and right side partial cross sectional views of assembled upper and lower housings  3  and  5  constructed according to the second embodiment of the invention. In these figures, the GPS Children Locator Device is in an emergency, or active, mode.  
         [0077]    To place the GPS Children Locator Device  1  in the emergency mode, emergency button  47  is pressed by the child, moving the center of button  47  downwardly until the barbed end of button latch arm  69  passes the barbed cap latch projection  68  on cap  13 . Latch arm  69  flexes inwardly as it passes over projection  68  and then returns to its initial position due to its plastic memory characteristics, locking the emergency button  47  in its depressed condition.  
         [0078]    As seen in FIGS. 12A and 12B, microphone  49  has thus been lowered to effect the closing of two separate electrical contacts  71 , 72  providing battery power to the microphone. As described above, battery (−) potential exists on (−) power contact  62 . Via power line  63 , this potential is routed to (−) power contact  64  and on to microphone contact  65 . The (−) microphone power lead  66  then carries the (−) battery potential on to (−) microphone contact  71 .  
         [0079]    Microphone  49  gets its (+) power supply potential by direct contact of the (+) microphone contact  72  with the top battery (+) terminal  53 .  
         [0080]    Simultaneously with the application of battery power to microphone  49 , a male connector  73  on the microphone  49  contacts female connector  74 , these contacts carrying the microphone audio output signal to signal line  75 , through microphone line contact  76 , then over a continuation of signal line  75  to microphone receptacle contact  77 . When pin  31  is in operational position in receptacle  19 , the microphone audio output signal is routed to microphone pin contact  81  on pin  31  and on to the GPS receiver &amp; wireless module  37  for voice/sound transmission via antenna  39 .  
         [0081]    [0081]FIG. 13 is a general schematic block diagram showing the interconnection of the main functional electronic components of the GPS Children Locator Device. The GPS receiver &amp; wireless module  37  contains a GPS receiver  87 , a wireless signal transmitter  89 , an identification memory  91 , and signal processing chipset  85 . Inasmuch as the operation of each of these functional blocks is well known in the art, detailed description of such functional blocks is not warranted, as a person of ordinary skill in the art will know where to procure the indicated electronic components and how to interconnect them. Similarly, a necessary antenna  39  and power source  11  are functional electronic elements quite familiar to the skilled artisan. Finally, following the illustrations in FIGS. 11A-12B, and the associated descriptive text, the manner of interconnecting a microphone/emergency button to the signal transmitter  37  under control of the signal processing chipset  85  is well known technology.  
         [0082]    Upon sensing a microphone audio output signal, the chip set  85  indirectly senses the pushing of the emergency button &amp; microphone arrangement  25  by the fact that the microphone output signal, which is routed to chip set  85 , also acts as an emergency triggering signal. Thus, upon pushing the emergency button &amp; microphone arrangement  25 , the electronics in the GPS receiver &amp; wireless module  37  initiates transmission of the microphone audio output signal, as well as GPS location data and personal identification data from memory  91  to a wireless communication network (FIGS. 15 and 16).  
         [0083]    [0083]FIG. 14 is a line drawing of a piece of clothing  93  showing how the GPS Children Locator Device may be attached to a child&#39;s clothing  93 , in the example shown a T-shirt, in a manner so as to not raise suspicion as to its actual purpose and function.  
         [0084]    [0084]FIG. 15 is a pictorial representation of the complete GPS Children Locator System showing the participants, electronic apparatuses, and transmission paths involved and in place while in a normal, or standby, mode, i.e., the emergency button &amp; microphone arrangement  25  has not been pushed.  
         [0085]    A GPS Children Locator Device  1 , worn by a child  95 , continually receives GPS location signals  99  from satellites  97 . These GPS signals  99  are picked up by antenna  39  (FIGS. 11A-12B) and, in the emergency mode, transmitted by signal transmitter  89  via a signal  101  to a wireless communication network  103 . The wireless communication network  103  relays the location information to a location server  105  which, in turn, relays the location information to a Personal Assistant Link Center  107 . The Personal Assistant Link Center  107  is in two-way communication with the parent  109  who may, depending upon his or her available communication equipment, track the whereabouts of the child  95  via the Internet using a computer  111  or by a properly equipped cellular phone  113 .  
         [0086]    In the normal mode:  
         [0087]    1. the emergency button  47  is not pressed;  
         [0088]    2. there is no audio transmission; and  
         [0089]    3. the parent  109  can track the whereabouts of the child  95  through connection with Personal Assistant Link Center  107  by computer  111  via the Internet, or by cellular phone  113 , or by other equipments employing GPS signals.  
         [0090]    [0090]FIG. 16 is a pictorial representation of the complete GPS Children Locator System showing the participants, electronic apparatuses, and transmission paths involved and in place while in an emergency, or active mode, as will be described in detail.  
         [0091]    In the emergency mode, i.e., when the emergency button &amp; microphone arrangement  25  has been pushed and locked in the pushed condition, the system operates similar to that described in connection with FIG. 15 (normal mode), except that, in the emergency mode, the parent  109  receives GPS location data and audio via one-way communication from location server  105 , and the Personal Assistant Link Center  107  of the GPS Children Locator System additionally enables two-way communication with law enforcement  115 .  
         [0092]    In the emergency mode:  
         [0093]    1. the emergency button  47  is pressed and locked;  
         [0094]    2. an audio signal from the microphone  49  is transmitted;  
         [0095]    3. the parent  109  is informed immediately by the Personal Assistant Link Center  107 ;  
         [0096]    4. a GPS location signal is transmitted to both the Personal Assistant Link Center  107  and the parent  109 , and the Personal Assistant Link Center  107  enables two-way communication;  
         [0097]    5. at the discretion of the parent and the Personal Assistant Link Center  107 , law enforcement  115  is informed; and  
         [0098]    6. the parent  109  may track the child  95  through connection with location server  105  or Personal Assistant Link Center  107  by computer  111  via the Internet, or by cellular phone  113 , if his or her phone is installed with a GPS system, or by other equipments employing GPS signals, and may listen to the activities with his or her cellular phone  113 .  
         [0099]    [0099]FIG. 17 is a perspective view of an alternate embodiment of the invention in the form of a pin/clip type arrangement. The figure shows a housing unit  117  containing all of the electronic functional components of the GPS Children Locator Device, and a separate spring clip  119 . The housing unit  117  may be a unitary housing or a two-piece housing comprising an upper housing  118  similar to upper housing  3 , and a lower housing  120  similar to lower housing  5  connected together has hereinbefore described. In either version, an emergency button &amp; microphone arrangement  122  operates in the same manner as the emergency button &amp; microphone arrangement  25  described herein.  
         [0100]    In the embodiment of FIG. 17, the housing unit  117  is provided with a thin piercing pin  121  which snap fits into a spring clip  119 , whereby a thin sheet of material can be captured between the housing unit  117  and the spring clip  119 . The coupling between the housing unit  117  and spring clip  119  is similar to that commonly used to fit an earring to a pierced ear or an emblem to a suit or hat. In this light, it will be appreciated that the housing unit  117  can be released from the spring clip  119  by pressing spring tabs  125 , again likened to the operation of an earring and spring clip arrangement.  
         [0101]    [0101]FIG. 18 is a perspective view of yet another embodiment of the invention showing a housing unit  127  having characteristics similar to housing unit  117  shown in FIG. 17, but with a pin hinge  129  fixed to one side of the housing unit  127 , and a pin-lock mechanism  133  fixed to the opposite side of the housing unit  127 . A piercing pin  131 , similar to that of a decorative jewelry pin, or broach, is pivotable in hinge  129  and, after passing through a thin piece of clothing, is latched in the pin-lock mechanism  133  in a manner well known in the jewelry industry.  
         [0102]    [0102]FIG. 19 is a perspective view of a backpack  135  upon which an embodiment of the invention, such as those shown in FIGS.  17  or  18 , is secured to the side  137  of the backpack  135 . In the example shown, the embodiment of the invention is in the form of the pin/clip embodiment  117  shown in FIG. 17.  
         [0103]    While only certain embodiments of the invention have been set forth above, alternative embodiments and various modifications will be apparent from the above description and the accompanying drawing to those skilled in the art. These and other alternatives are considered equivalents and within the spirit and scope of the present invention.

Technology Classification (CPC): 6