IP Library Granted Patent US 8,451,127
Granted Patent B2
US 8,451,127 · App. 13/567,057 · Granted May 28, 2013

Jacket locator

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,451,127
App. No.
13/567,057
Granted
May 28, 2013
Kind
B2
Abstract

A locator system for electronic devices including at least one jacket for a modular wireless communicator, each jacket having an 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 modular wireless communicator, a log manager for recording a plurality of entries in a log, each entry including the jacket identifier for a jacket currently attached to the modular wireless communicator, and a current location as identified by the positioning system, and a controller for notifying the log manager of occurrence of a log trigger event, wherein the log manager records a new entry in the log when it receives a notification of a log trigger event from the controller, and wherein the log trigger events enable determination of a location where a jacket was last actively used with the modular wireless communicator.

Claims (29)

1. A locator system for electronic devices comprising:

at least one jacket for a modular wireless communicator, each jacket having an identifier; and

a modular wireless communicator that attaches to each one of said at least one jacket, comprising:

a positioning system for identifying a location of the modular wireless communicator;

a log manager, coupled with said positioning system, for recording a plurality of entries in a log, each entry comprising the jacket identifier for a jacket currently attached to the modular wireless communicator, and a current location as identified by said positioning system; and

a controller coupled with said log manager for notifying said log manager of occurrence of a log trigger event,

wherein said log manager records a new entry in the log when it receives a notification of a log trigger event from said controller, wherein the log trigger event includes a designated action performed by a jacket to which said modular wireless communicator is attached, from among the group consisting of sending an SMS or an MMS message, browsing a designated web site, and playing an audio or a video file, whereby the log trigger events enable determination of a location where a jacket was last actively used with said modular wireless communicator.

2. The locator system of claim 1 wherein said modular wireless communicator further comprises a log reader, for viewing the plurality of entries recorded in the log.

3. The locator system of claim 1 wherein said positioning system generates navigable directions to reach a designated one of the locations recorded in the log.

4. The locator system of claim 1 wherein aid positioning system is a global positioning system (GPS).

5. The locator system of claim 1 wherein said positioning system is a cellular based positioning system.

6. The locator system of claim 1 wherein said positioning system identifies the location of said wireless communicator based on a connection to a device in its vicinity.

7. The locator system of claim 6 wherein said positioning system identifies the location of said modular wireless communicator based on a near field communication (NFC) connection.

8. The locator system of claim 6 wherein said positioning system identifies the location of said modular wireless communicator based on a radio frequency identification (RFID) connection.

9. The locator system of claim 6 wherein said positioning system identifies the location of said modular wireless communicator based on a BLUETOOTH® connection.

10. The locator system of claim 6 wherein said positioning system identifies the location of said modular wireless communicator based on a WiFi connection.

11. The locator system of claim 6 wherein said positioning system identifies the location of said modular wireless communicator based on an infrared (IR) connection.

12. A locator method, comprising:

maintaining a log for a wireless communicator that attaches to at least one jacket, each jacket having an identifier, the log comprising a plurality of entries and each entry comprising a jacket identifier and a location;

monitoring the wireless communicator for detection of occurrence of a log trigger event, wherein the log trigger event includes a designated action performed by a jacket to which the modular wireless communicator is attached, from among the group consisting of sending an SMS or an MMS message, browsing a designated web site, and playing an audio or a video file, whereby the log trigger events enable determination of a location where a jacket was last actively used with the wireless communicator; and

in response to detection of occurrence of a log trigger event, adding a new entry to the log.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising presenting a view of the log to a user.

14. The method of claim 12 further comprising generating navigable directions to reach a designated one of the locations recorded in the log.

15. The method of claim 12 further comprising identifying the location in the history log entry based on a connection of the wireless communicator to a device in its vicinity.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising identifying the location in the history log entry based on a near field communication (NFC) connection.

17. The method of claim 15 further comprising identifying the location in the history log entry based on a radio frequency identification (RFID) connection.

18. The method of claim 15 further comprising identifying the location in the history log entry based on a BLUETOOTH® connection.

19. The method of claim 15 further comprising identifying the location in the history log entry based on a WiFi connection.

20. The method of claim 15 further comprising identifying the location in the history log entry based on an infrared (IR) connection.