Patent ID: 7460019

Claim:
A personal locator system comprising: a portable transmitter-receiver having: a position calculator capable of determining a position of the portable transmitter-receiver; a satellite voice and data communicator operatively connected to the position calculator; a display operatively connected to the position calculator and the satellite voice and data communicator; a memory unit operatively connected to the position calculator and the satellite voice and data communicator capable of storing encrypted personal identification information including one or more selected from the group consisting of name, address, zip code, state, age, school district, place of employment, and medical information; and a signaling button operatively connected to the memory unit, the position calculator, and the satellite voice and data communicator capable of initiating a silent signal comprising at least a portion of the encrypted personal identification information and the position of the portable transmitter-receiver; and a ground monitoring unit having: a satellite voice and data communicator operatively connected to the portable transmitter-receiver satellite voice and data communicator capable of receiving the silent signal and processing the encrypted personal identification information and transmitting messages to the portable satellite voice and data communicator; a display operatively connected to the satellite voice and data communicator and capable of displaying the personal identification information and the position of the portable transmitter-receiver; and a remote portable transmitter-receiver activator operatively connected to the ground monitoring unit satellite voice and data communicator capable of remotely initiating the portable transmitter-receiver broadcasting the silent signal comprising at least a portion of the encrypted personal identification information and the position of the portable transmitter-receiver in one of: a selected single portable transmitter-receiver, and a selected plurality of portable transmitter-receivers.