Patent Document

PRIORITY REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/130,784, entitled JACKET LOCATOR, filed on Jun. 2, 2008 by inventors Eyal Bychkov, Tal Engelstein, Yair Leshem, Uri Ron, Ron Levy and Hagit Perry. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The field of the present invention is wireless communication. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     With advances in miniaturization of electronic components, ever smaller consumer electronic devices are becoming available. Mobile phones, PDAs, cameras and media players are some examples of such devices. These and other devices have become so small that they fit inside a shirt pocket. As a result, people are tending to misplace these devices. 
     Various solutions have been proposed to locate misplaced electronic devices. One such solution uses sets of electronic locators, which are attached to the small devices. An example of such a locator is the KeyRinger™ manufactured by Sierra Systems of Oakland, Calif. When one of a set of KeyRingers is pressed, the other KeyRingers produce audible and visible indications, which enable an owner to find them. 
     Another such solution uses a transmitter and a receiver, where the receiver knows its distance from the transmitter. The transmitter is generally attached to a small device, and the receiver indicates to an owner when the distance between the receiver and the small device exceeds a predefined threshold. 
     A drawback with conventional solutions to locate misplaced devices is that the transmitters, which are attached to or embedded in the devices, require a power source, typically a battery. If the battery is not regularly replaced or recharged, then the transmitters fail. 
     It would thus be of advantage to have a locator for electronic devices that does not require transmitters attached to or embedded in the devices. 
     SUMMARY OF THE DESCRIPTION 
     Aspects of the present invention provide a system and method for locating electronic devices, without the need for attaching or embedding transmitters to the devices. 
     Embodiments of the present invention relate to a modular wireless communicator that attaches to a plurality of electronic devices referred to herein as jackets. The wireless communicator enhances the jackets by providing them with wireless connectivity, and the jackets enhance the wireless communicator by providing electronics and interfaces. In an embodiment of the present invention, the wireless communicator has an embedded global positioning system (GPS). The GPS operates in conjunction with the wireless communicator so that at locations where GPS signals are weak or unavailable, such as indoors, the GPS uses cellular location sensing capabilities to determine position. An example of such an enhanced GPS is the eGPS® system manufactured by CSR plc of the United Kingdom. 
     The wireless communicator maintains a history log of the jackets to which it is attached, and the locations and times of attachment to and detachment from these jackets. The history log includes entries that record (i) a jacket identifier, (ii) a GPS location, and (iii) a date &amp; time. A history log manager adds new entries to the history log when log trigger events occur. Log trigger events include powering on/off of the wireless communicator, attaching/detaching the wireless communicator to/from a jacket, using the wireless communicator to dial a phone number, using the wireless communicator to send an SMS/MMS message, using the wireless communicator to play an audio/video file, and using the wireless communicator to browse a designated web site. 
     A user can view the history log on his wireless communicator in order to locate a jacket that he misplaced. Moreover the wireless communicator&#39;s GPS generates navigable directions to reach a designated one of any location recorded in the history log. 
     There is thus provided in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention a locator system for electronic devices including at least one jacket for a modular wireless communicator, each jacket having a unique identifier, and a modular wireless communicator that attaches to each one of the at least one jacket, including a positioning system for identifying a location of the wireless communicator, a clock for identifying a date &amp; time, a log manager, coupled with the positioning system and with the clock, for recording a plurality of entries in a history log, each entry including (i) a jacket identifier, (ii) a location as identified by the positioning system, and (iii) a date &amp; time as identified by the clock, and a controller coupled with the log manager for notifying the log manager of occurrence of a log trigger event, wherein the log manager records a new entry in the history log when it receives a notification of a log trigger event from the controller. 
     There is also provided in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention a locator method, including maintaining a history log for a wireless communicator that attaches to a plurality of jackets, each jacket having a unique identifier, the history log including a plurality of entries and each entry including (i) a jacket identifier, (ii) a location, and (iii) a date &amp; time, monitoring the wireless communicator for detection of occurrence of a log trigger event, and in response to detection of occurrence of a log trigger event, adding a new entry to the history log. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The present invention will be more fully understood and appreciated from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the drawings in which: 
         FIG. 1  is an illustration of a wireless communicator being inserted into a jacket, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is an illustration of the wireless communicator of  FIG. 1 , in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  is an illustration of the jacket of  FIG. 1 , in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  is an illustration of a plurality of wireless communicators and a plurality of jackets, whereby each wireless communicator may be attached to any of the jackets so as to operate in combination therewith, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 5  is a simplified block diagram of the wireless communicator of  FIG. 1 , in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 6  is simplified block diagram of the jacket of  FIG. 1 , in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; and 
         FIG. 7  is a simplified flowchart of a method for locating a misplaced jacket using a history log stored in the wireless communicator, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Aspects of the present invention relate to a small modular wireless communicator that connects to a plurality of other electronic devices and enables the other devices to communicate wirelessly. The modular wireless communicator of the present invention operates both in standalone mode as a wireless phone, and also in conjunction with devices to which it is connected. 
     The devices to which the wireless communicator connects may be jacket covers, which include user interface controls for operating the wireless communicator; or they may be electronic devices having other functionality including inter alia cameras, media players and portable digital assistants (PDAs). For ease of exposition, these devices to which the wireless communicator connects are referred to herein generically as jackets. When the wireless communicator is connected to a jacket, the jacket enriches the capabilities of the wireless communicator, and the wireless communicator enriches the capabilities of the jacket. 
     Reference is now made to  FIG. 1 , which is an illustration of a wireless communicator  100  being inserted into a jacket  200 , in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
     Reference is now made to  FIG. 2 , which is an illustration of wireless communicator  100 , in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
     Reference is now made to  FIG. 3 , which is an illustration of jacket  200 , in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. Jacket  200  shown in  FIG. 3  includes a user interface for an audio/video player. Specifically, jacket  200  includes a microphone  271  (shown in  FIG. 6 ), an earpiece  273 , speakers  275 , a keypad  280  and a display  285 . 
     It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the components of jacket  200  in  FIG. 3  are illustrative of one jacket design, and that the present invention applies to a wide variety of jacket designs. It will similarly be appreciated that the present invention applies to a wide variety of types of wireless communicators, including inter alia 2.5G communicators, 3G communicators and CDMA communicators. In this regard reference is now made to  FIG. 4 , which is an illustration of a plurality of wireless communicators  100   a - 100   c  and a plurality of jackets  200   a - 200   h , whereby each wireless communicator  100   a - 100   c  may be attached to any of the jackets  200   a - 200   h  so as to operate in combination therewith, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
     Reference is now made to  FIG. 5 , which is a simplified block diagram of wireless communicator  100 , in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. Wireless communicator  100  includes eight primary components, as follows: a global positioning system (GPS)  101 , a real time clock (RTC)  102 , a connection controller  110 , a memory storage  115 , a modem  120  for sending and receiving data and voice communications, a power management subsystem  125 , a power amplifier  135  and a user interface  170 . 
     Modem  120  includes a log manager  121 , which writes and maintains a history log  116  in storage  115 , recording a history of jackets to which wireless communicator  100  is attached and detached. Each record in history log  116  includes entries for (i) jacket, (ii) location and (iii) time, indicating where and when wireless communicator  100  was attached to and detached from each jacket  200 . Jackets  200  are specified in history log  116  by a jacket UID. Location is specified in history log  116  by using GPS  101 . Time is specified in history log  116  as a date &amp; time according to RTC  102 . Since history log  116  is maintained by wireless communicator  100 , there is no need for transmitters and power sources in the jackets. 
     Further in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, log manager  121  updates history log  116  upon occurrence of log trigger events. Such log trigger events include inter alia one or more of the following events:
         Attachment of wireless communicator  100  to a jacket  200 ;   Detachment of wireless communicator  100  from a jacket  200 ;   Powering on of wireless communicator  100 ;   Powering off of wireless communicator  100 ;   Dialing a phone number;   Sending SMS/MMS messages;   Browsing specified websites;   Playing audio/video files;   Arriving at a location of interest;   Departing from a location of interest; and   Passing of a designated time period.       

     Connection controller  110  executes programmed instructions that control the data flow between wireless communicator  100  and jacket  200 . Modem  120  controls the wireless communication functionality of wireless communicator  100 . Power management subsystem  125  includes charging circuitry for charging a battery  145 . Power amplifier  135  includes a radio frequency (RF) interface  136 , and is connected to an antenna  140 . User interface  170  includes a microphone  171  and an earpiece  173 . User interface  170  also includes an optional speaker  175 , an optional vibrator  177 , an optional keyboard  180  and an optional display  185 . It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that user interface  170  may include additional components. 
     Wireless communicator  100  includes an optional audio/video subsystem  130 , which includes inter alia a voice, audio and video interface. 
     Wireless communicator  100  includes a connector  150 , which itself includes a jacket connector  160  and an optional USB connector  155 . Jacket connector  160  is used for attaching wireless communicator  100  to jacket  200 . Wireless communicator  100  optionally includes a subscriber identification module (SIM)  190 . 
     Wireless communicator  100  operates in standalone mode or in conjunction with jackets, such as jacket  200  shown in  FIG. 3 , when it is connected to the jackets via connector  160 . 
     In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, the interface between connection controller  110  and storage  115 , and the interface between connection controller  110  and modem  120  are SD interfaces. The interface between connection controller  110  and jacket connector  160  is a customized connector interface. 
     Reference is now made to  FIG. 6 , which is simplified block diagram of jacket  200 , in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. Jacket  200  includes a connection controller  210  and a wireless communicator connector  260 , for attaching wireless communicator  100  to jacket  200  via the wireless communicator&#39;s connector  160 . Jacket  200  includes an optional auxiliary processor  205 , an optional storage  215 , an optional power management subsystem  225 , an optional battery  245 , and an optional SIM  290 . 
     Jacket  200  comes with a user interface  270  including an optional microphone  271 , an optional earpiece  273 , an optional mono speaker or optional stereo speakers  275 , an optional vibrator  277 , an optional keyboard  280  and an optional display  285 . It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that user interface  270  may include additional components. 
     In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, the interface between connection controller  210  and storage  215  is an SD interface. The interface between connection controller  210  and connector  260  is a customized connector interface. 
     Reference is now made to  FIG. 7 , which is a simplified flowchart of a method for locating a misplaced jacket using a history log stored in the wireless communicator, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. At step  710  an owner attaches his wireless communicator  100  to one of a plurality of his jackets  200 , such as one of the jackets shown in  FIG. 4 . At step  720  the owner, in using the jacket to which wireless communicator is attached, activates a log trigger event. At step  730  the owner detaches his wireless communicator  100 . Processing then returns to step  710  where the owner attaches his wireless communicator  100  to the same or to a different jacket  200 . 
     At each event  710 ,  720  and  730 , log manager  121  updates history log  116  with an entry recording the specific jacket  200  being used at the event, the location of the event, and the date &amp; time of the event, as indicated at step  740 . 
     At step  750  the owner reviews the history log in his wireless communicator  100  to locate the whereabouts of one or more jackets that he misplaced after detaching wireless communicator  100  therefrom. 
     An example usage scenario is that of a user who uses his wireless communicator  100  in his car, by attaching it a jacket, such as jacket  200   a  of  FIG. 4 , which is an audio deck for a car. If the user forgets where he parked his car, he can review the history log of his wireless communicator  100  to find the last location of audio deck jacket  200   a . Moreover, in an embodiment of the present invention GPS  101  directs the owner to the location of his parked car as recorded in the history log. 
     In reading the above description, persons skilled in the art will realize that there are many apparent variations that can be applied to the methods and systems described. Thus it may be appreciated that GPS  101  is not required in some embodiments of the present invention. Instead, wireless communicator  100  determines its position based on connections to other devices in its vicinity using inter alia Near Field Communication (NFC), Radio Frequency Identification (RFID), Bluetooth, infra-red (IR) and WiFi connections. E.g., a user may connect wireless communicator  100  and jacket  200  to a WiFi hot spot in a coffee shop, and the location of the coffee shop is recorded in history log  116 . 
     In the foregoing specification, the invention has been described with reference to specific exemplary embodiments thereof. It will, however, be evident that various modifications and changes may be made to the specific exemplary embodiments without departing from the broader spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims. Accordingly, the specification and drawings are to be regarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense.

Technology Category: g