Electronic location system

Abstract

A vehicle locating system that includes a hand-held remote unit associated with a user and a locator unit associated with a vehicle. The locator unit utilizes a GPS to store a location of the vehicle. The remote unit is selected from the group laptop computer, key ring, GPS watch, cellular telephone and PDA, and it utilizes a GPS to store a location of the user. The remote unit queries the locator unit to obtain the location of the vehicle, and then compares the location of the vehicle to its own location, whereupon the remote unit displays a direction for the user to travel in order to reach the vehicle.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A system for locating an object using the Global Positioning Satellite System (GPS), the locating system comprising:
 a locator unit connected to the object; 
 the locator unit including a first processor, a first transmitter for transmitting a position request signal to the GPS, and a first receiver for receiving a first position signal from the GPS indicative of the position of the object and providing the first position signal to the first processor for storage; 
 a hand-held remote unit selected from the group consisting of a laptop computer, a GPS watch, a cellular telephone and PDA a personal digital assistant (PDA), for determining a position of the remote unit relative to the object; 
 the remote unit including a second processor, a second transmitter for transmitting a position request signal to the GPS, a second receiver for receiving a second position signal from the GPS indicative of the position of the remote unit and providing the second position signal to the second processor for storage; 
 means connected to the second processor for generating a request signal requesting the first location signal from the locator unit, whereupon the locator unit retrieves the first location signal from the first processor and transmits the first location signal to the remote unit, such that upon receipt of the first location signal the second processor compares the first location signal to the second position signal and determines a position of the remote unit relative to the object; and 
 display means connected to the second processor for displaying a visual signal and issuing an audio signal to indicate the position of the remote unit relative to the object, the display means including an indicator having directional arrows showing a direction from the remote unit, and an area on the display indicating by color the relative altitudes of the remote unit and the object. 
 
     
     
       2. The object locating system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the object is a vehicle and the first processor is connected to an ignition system of the vehicle, the first processor controlling the first transmitter to transmit the position request signal automatically upon detecting that the ignition system has been turned off. 
     
     
       3. The object locating system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein altitude is indicated by an LED that is illuminated in a first color when the second processor determines that the remote unit is at a higher altitude than the object and is illuminated in a second color when the second processor determines that the remote unit is at a lower altitude than the object. 
     
     
       4. The object locating system as recited in  claim 3 , wherein the LED remains unilluminated when the second processor determines that the remote unit is at a same altitude as the object. 
     
     
       5. The object locating system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the remote unit transmits the request signal at predetermined intervals to the locator unit for updating the position of the object with respect to the remote unit. 
     
     
       6. The object locating system as recited in  claim 1  wherein transmission mediums used in the locating system are selected from the group RF radio waves, Doppler RF, microburst access system, Satellite radio, CDPD, GSM, TDMA, CDMA, AMPS, RFID and MOAERIS. 
     
     
       7. A method of locating a vehicle in an area that is crowded with vehicles, comprising the steps of:
 providing a locator unit; 
 mounting the locator unit on a vehicle; 
 providing a first GPS device in the locator unit to obtain vehicle-location-information; 
 programming the first GPS device to be activated upon a user parking the vehicle and turning off the vehicle, whereupon the locator unit stores vehicle-location-information including latitude, longitude, and altitude of the vehicle as obtained by the first GPS device; 
 providing a hand-held remote unit to be carried by the user, the remote unit being selected from the group consisting of a laptop computer, a GPS watch, a cellular telephone and PDA a personal digital assistant (PDA); 
 providing a second GPS device in the remote unit to obtain user-location-information; 
 providing a first button on the remote unit to activate the second GPS device to obtain and store user-location-information including latitude, longitude and altitude of the user; 
 providing a second button on the remote unit that is operable to obtain latitude, longitude and altitude vehicle-location-information that is stored in the locator unit; 
 providing that upon the user parking and leaving the vehicle in the area, and thereafter returning to the area, the user may push the first button to obtain user-location-information, and may push the second button to obtain vehicle-location-information; 
 providing that the remote unit compares the user-location information to the vehicle-location-information and displays a direction for the user to move in order to approach the vehicle, that the remote unit displays any difference in altitude between the user and the vehicle, and that the remote unit issues an audible signal indicating a distance between the user and the vehicle. 
 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 7  including the step of:
 providing that transmission mediums used in the method are selected from the group RF radio waves, Doppler RF, microburst access system, Satellite radio, CDPD, GSM, TDMA, CDMA, AMPS, RFID and MOAERIS. 
 
     
     
       9. A method for locating a vehicle, comprising:
 obtaining first location information from a vehicle locator unit connected to a vehicle, the first location information identifying a location of the vehicle, wherein said first location information is automatically obtained upon the occurrence of a predetermined vehicle event;   transmitting, from the vehicle locator unit, at least a portion of the first location information directly to a portable remote unit, the portable remote unit being selected from the group consisting of a laptop computer, a GPS watch, a cellular telephone and a personal digital assistant (PDA);   at a time subsequent to obtaining said first location information, obtaining second location information associated with a location of the portable remote unit;   comparing said second location information to said first location information; and   generating an output at said portable remote unit indicative of a relative position of said portable remote unit to the location of the vehicle.   
     
     
       10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:
 storing said first location information to produce stored location information, wherein said step of comparing comprises comparing said second location information with said stored location information.   
     
     
       11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:
 first transmitting a signal from said portable remote unit to said vehicle to request said stored location information.   
     
     
       12. The method of claim 9, wherein said predetermined vehicle event comprises the ignition of said vehicle being turned off. 
     
     
       13. The method of claim 9, wherein obtaining said first and second location information comprises obtaining first and second GPS coordinates, respectively. 
     
     
       14. The method of claim 13, wherein said first and second GPS coordinates are obtained using first and second GPS receivers, respectively. 
     
     
       15. The method of claim 9, wherein generating an output comprises:
 generating a visual output indicating a direction from said portable remote unit toward said vehicle.   
     
     
       16. The method of claim 15, further comprising, in conjunction with generating said visual output indicating a direction, generating at least one of:
 an audible output; and   an altitude output indicating an elevation difference between said location associated with said vehicle and said location associated with said portable remote unit.   
     
     
       17. The method of claim 9, wherein obtaining said second location information is performed by said portable remote unit. 
     
     
       18. A method for use with a portable electrical device for locating a vehicle, comprising:
 receiving, directly from a vehicle locator unit connected to the vehicle, at a portable remote unit, vehicle location information representing location of the vehicle automatically obtained upon an ignition of said vehicle being turned off, the portable remote unit being selected from the group consisting of a laptop computer, a GPS watch, a cellular telephone and a personal digital assistant (PDA);   storing said vehicle location information to a memory to generate stored location information;   obtaining remote location information associated with a location of the portable remote comparing said remote location information to said stored location information; and   generating an output at said portable remote unit indicative of a relative position of said portable remote unit to the location of said vehicle.   
     
     
       19. The method of claim 18, wherein said vehicle location information and said remote location information are obtained utilizing separate location determining devices. 
     
     
       20. The method of claim 19, wherein at least one of said vehicle location information and said remote location information is obtained using GPS. 
     
     
       21. The method of claim 18, wherein generating an output comprises at least one of:
 generating a visual output indicating a direction from said portable remote unit toward said vehicle;   generating an audible output; and   generating an altitude output indicating an elevation difference between said vehicle location and said location of said portable remote unit.   
     
     
       22. The method of claim 18, further comprising:
 first transmitting a signal from said portable remote unit to said vehicle to request said stored location information, wherein said memory is attached to said vehicle.   
     
     
       23. A method for locating a vehicle, comprising:
 attaching a vehicle locator unit to a vehicle, wherein said vehicle locator unit is operative to obtain vehicle location information;   providing a remote locator unit operative to obtain remote locator unit location information, the remote locator unit being selected from the group consisting of a laptop computer, a GPS watch, a cellular telephone and a personal digital assistant (PDA);   establishing a direct wireless link between said remote locator unit and said vehicle locator unit;   obtaining vehicle location information at said remote locator unit via said direct wireless link;   comparing said vehicle location information with said remote unit location; and   generating a visual output indicative of a relative position of said remote locator unit to said vehicle.   
     
     
       24. The method of claim 23, wherein said remote locator unit obtains vehicle location information at predetermined intervals after establishing said wireless link for updating the relative location of said remote locator unit to said vehicle. 
     
     
       25. A method for locating an object, comprising:
 obtaining first object location information using a locator unit attached to the object, wherein said first location information is obtained at a first time;   establishing a direct wireless link between said locator unit and a remote unit, the remote unit being selected from the group consisting of a laptop computer, a GPS watch, a cellular telephone and a personal digital assistant (PDA);   transmitting said first object location information from said locator unit directly to said remote unit via the direct wireless link;   obtaining a first remote unit location using said remote unit;   comparing said first remote unit location with said first object location; and   generating a first output indicative of a first relative position of said remote unit to said object.   
     
     
       26. The method of claim 25, further comprising:
 obtaining second object location information at a second time after said first time;   transmitting said second object location information to said remote unit; and   generating a second output indicative of a second relative position of said remote unit to said object.   
     
     
       27. The method of claim 26, further comprising:
 obtaining a second remote unit location using said remote unit; and   comparing said second remote unit location with said second object location, wherein said second relative position is indicative of a change of position of both of said object and said remote unit.   
     
     
       28. The method of claim 25, wherein said first output provides information regarding a different in altitude between said remote unit and said object. 
     
     
       29. A system for locating an object using the Global Positioning Satellite System (GPS), the locating system comprising:
 a locator unit connected to the object;   the locator unit including a GPS receiver, and being configured to determine the location of the locator unit, wherein the connection between the locator unit and the object allows the location of the locator unit to represent the location of the object;   a hand-held remote unit configured to determine the location of the remote unit, the hand-held remote unit being selected from the group consisting of a laptop computer, a GPS watch, a cellular telephone and a personal digital assistant (PDA);   means for generating a request signal at the remote unit to request from the locator unit the location of the locator unit, wherein in response:
 the locator unit transmits the location of the locator unit to the remote unit, and the remote unit compares the location of the locator unit to the location of the remote unit and determines a position of the remote unit relative to the received position of the locator unit; and 
   display means for displaying a visual signal and issuing an audio signal to indicate the position of the remote unit relative to the object, the display means including an indicator having directional arrows showing a direction from the remote unit, and an area on the display indicating by color the relative altitudes of the remote unit and the object.