Tracking the location of an individual or an object or even an animal such as a domesticated animal or a pet that can move in unknown directions over a considerable range of territory has been a concern for a number of years. A number of systems have been proposed which employ existing wireless communication capabilities but which tend to be cumbersome, bulky, expensive or all of the above. With the advent of satellite navigation systems such as the global positioning system (GPS) services in the U.S.A. or the Global Navigation Satellite System (GLONASS) in Russia, it has been possible to provide relatively inexpensive location systems for determining the location of a moving object. This type of system has typically been utilized on trucks to provide location information for companies that have large fleets of trucks in use at any one particular time. The position of an individual truck is determined by coincident reception of signals from at least three navigation satellites by a satellite navigation system receiver, which position can then be stored or can be transmitted to a central receiving station via some sort of wireless link. Moreover, the wireless link can be a two-way communication link wherein the positioning information is only transmitted in response to receiving a request. One disadvantage, particularly in a small, portable unit, is that the satellite navigation system receiver that much be included in a locating device requires the use of substantial electrical energy during the period in which the location information is being acquired and developed from the GPS system. Further, a small portable object locator, in addition to minimizing the use of electrical power while being subject to less than ideal orientations to enable quick and efficient location by the GPS system, must also be very simple and easy to use.
USPTO Backgrounds
USPTO Backgrounds