(19) 0
`
`, ee
`
`European PatentOffice
`Office européen des brevets
`
`LNAAI0AN000
`
`EP 0 708 952 B1
`
`(11)
`
`(12)
`
`EUROPEANPATENTSPECIFICATION
`
`(45) Date of publication and mention
`of the grant of the patent:
`26.03.1997 Bulletin 1997/13
`
`(21) Application number: 94923033.8
`=
`(22) Date offiling: 07.07.1994
`
`(51) Intci®: GO8B 13/14
`
`(86) International application number:
`PCT/AT94/00105
`
`(87) International publication number:
`WO 95/02874 (26.01.1995 Gazette 1995/05)
`
`(54) ELECTRONIC DEVICE FOR CONTINUOUS, OR DISCONTINUOUS, CONNECTION BETWEEN
`PERSONS AND OBJECTS
`
`ELEKTRONISCHES GERAT ZUR KONTINUIERLICHEN ODER DISKONTINUIERLICHEN
`VERBINDUNG ZWISCHEN PERSONEN UND GEGENSTANDEN
`
`DISPOSITIF ELECTRONIQUE ASSURANT UNE COMMUNICATION PERMANENTE OU
`DISCONTINUE ENTRE DES PERSONNES ET DES OBJETS
`
`(84) Designated Contracting States:
`AT BE CH DE DK ES FR GB GRIE LI LU MC NL
`PT SE
`
`(30) Priority: 15.07.1993 IT MI931559
`04.07.1994 IT MI941390
`
`(43) Date of publication of application:
`01.05.1996 Bulletin 1996/18
`
`(73) Proprietor: Buonavoglia, Girolamo
`24040 Stezzano (IT)
`
`(72) Inventor: Buonavoglia, Girolamo
`24040 Stezzano(IT)
`
`(74) Representative: Filippi, Remo
`Via Aldrovandi, 7
`1-20129 Milano (IT)
`
`(56) Referencescited:
`EP-A- 0 230 173
`WO-A-92/21112
`
`CH-A- 615 522
`US-A- 4 598 272
`US-A- 5 196 825
`
`WO-A-87/06748
`WO-A-93/25983
`
`GB-A- 2 248 331
`US-A- 5 119 072
`
`
`
`EP0708952B1
`
`Note: Within nine months from the publication of the mention of the grant of the European patent, any person may give
`notice to the European Patent Office of opposition to the European patent granted. Notice of opposition shall befiled in
`a written reasoned statement. It shall not be deemed to have beenfiled until the opposition fee has been paid. (Art.
`99(1) European Patent Convention).
`
`Printed by Jouve, 75001 PARIS (FR)
`
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`EP 0708 952 B1
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`Description
`
`The invention concerns alarm and safety devices
`for persons and mobile objects.
`A well-knownfeature of society today is the increas-
`ing frequencyof thefts committed with dexterity, and the
`ease with which people lose wallets, bags, keys and
`documents.
`
`Elderly people and children getlost in the streets,
`in gardens, in public places.
`All these situations give rise to considerable prob-
`lems and are the cause of serious trouble.
`
`There are numerous electronic devices, patented
`and available on the market, that, by meansof electro-
`magnetic waves, permit remote connection among peo-
`ple, objects or other people such as children and ani-
`mals in need of protection,
`in the main based on two
`types of electronic apparatus, one being substantially a
`receiver and the other substantially a transmitter. The
`devices may both be transceivers.
`The transmitter is carried by the person or object to
`be protected while the receiveris controlled by the per-
`son entrusted with their protection.
`When the transmitter-carrying person or object
`strays farther away than the established, adjustable.dis-
`tance, an electronic threshold is exceeded and an alarm
`given.
`Other devices employing rotary antennas, triangu-
`lations or other means can, in addition, find out in which
`direction the protected object has gone when the dis-
`tance previously set has been exceeded.
`For example, the Nutter Enterprises patent WO A
`87 06748 comprises a system of remote control and
`alarm operating between a transmitter carried by a per-
`son or object and a receiver to which alarm signals are
`sent from a distance by the transmitter.
`The coded FM signals are produced atintervals by
`the transmitter in the form of digital words.
`The receiver immediately produces an alarm if at
`least one of the coded wordsis not received during any
`one oftheintervals,
`The receiver can control two transmitters simulta-
`
`neously, adjusting the coded words so that they can ap-
`pear at different intervals.
`Even though in theory this apparatus has two trans-
`mitters, it does not deal with the problem of supervising
`several objects, persons or animals with a aingle receiv-
`er, partly for reasons of bulk, partly because of thediffi-
`culty of stowing awaythe different parts when notin use
`and partly because of the problem of coordinating the
`operative and idle phases of one or other of the trans-
`mitters.
`
`Handling problems may arise or others of interfer-
`ence among the various transmitters, also that of rec-
`ognition. Operation of various transmitters towards one
`receiver only can be very time-taking especially tuning
`up and syntonizing connections.
`It is also practically impossible to use known devic-
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`es such as communicators to assist in searching for
`people and objects under trying or extremely difficult en-
`vironmental conditions, such as when hidden under av-
`alanches or when needing help of some kind.
`Purpose of the present invention is to provide an
`inexpensive and easily carried device able to eliminate
`or reduce the seriousness of the above accidents by
`maintaining connections, which may even be continu-
`ous, by means of electromagnetic waves between the
`user and other persons and objects placed under the
`protection or at least under the control of the user mak-
`ing it easy to raise an alarm, operate means of security
`and various types of equipment.
`Subjectof the invention is an electronic unit able to
`establish continuous, or intermittent, connection among
`persons or between persons and objects,said unit com-
`prising two devices, the first that here will be called a
`receiver, and the second formed of one or more bodies
`that will here be called a transmitter.
`The receiver and each of the transmitters are con-
`
`nected by electromagnetic waves, to be employed re-
`spectively by the user and by the persons or objects who
`are under the projection or control of said user.
`The electromagnetic waves are, as the case may
`be, radio waves, microwaves, sound waves, supersonic
`waves, infrared waves and others.
`The receiving and transmitting devices have inde-
`pendent electric feed by batteries and the like or photo-
`electric panels.
`The devices are preferably pocket-size and minia-
`turized. The signals sent out by the electromagnetic
`waves can be coded to prevent interference among
`transmitters.
`
`In one advantageous execution the receiver com-
`prises one or more compartments each carrying one
`transmitter.
`
`Wheneachtransmitter is physically separated from
`the receiver, there are special devices and circuits to
`activate the separated receiver and transmitter.
`When each transmitter is physically reunited with
`the receiver, said transmitter becomes deactivated,
`Whenall transmitters are thus reunited, the receiver
`is deactivated.
`The automatic devices for activation and deactiva-
`
`tion may be microswitches worked whenthe transmitter
`is connected with or disconnected from the receiver.
`
`The meansfor attraction and disactivation may be
`magnetic attracting means that simultaneously retain
`the transmitter in the receiver and activate a magnetic
`microswitch within the transmitter that deactivatesit.
`
`At the momentof deactivation, as there is no mag-
`netic field the microswitch reactivates the transmitter.
`
`Transmission by electromagnetic waves is made by
`using a double, or multiple, carrier technique to improve
`reception in closed environments or to overcome any
`blind spots that may be causedby obstacles orreflection
`of the signal.
`The transmitter sends out signals on one or more
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`different frequencies, which are fixed or dynamically
`variable over time.
`
`The receiver usesthe alternative frequency instead
`of one which may have been weakened by obstacles or
`reflection.
`
`The transmitters can comprise a circuit which, due
`to activation of a special control device on said transmit-
`ter or due to emission of a vocal sound, producesa sig-
`nal towards the receiver which then sends out an alarm
`
`signal useful for checking onthe safety of children or of
`any person in need of help. Said vocal sound could be
`a baby crying.
`The transmitters can comprise a circuit containing
`an acoustic warning which sounds whenthe transmitter
`receives from the receiver a certain signal; in this way
`the transmitter is relocalised when, for example, per-
`sons or objects have been found.
`A special circuit constantly evaluates the distance
`betweentransmitters and the receiver. Said distance is
`
`compared with an electronic threshold which the user
`modifies by means of a special selecting device.
`Reaching the threshold sets off in the receiver one
`or more devices corresponding to alarm or some oper-
`ative function when a certain distance, representing a
`given threshold value, is exceeded.
`This alarm is acoustic or visual, or of both kinds.
`The chosen function is operated by a push button
`from among those available corresponding to that func-
`tion.
`
`The device gives rise to an operative function if the
`threshold value is exceeded because a distance has
`
`been reachedeither greater than that corresponding to
`the threshold value, or lesser.
`The purposeof this is to permit, for example, auto-
`matic remote activation of an anti-theft device for an au-
`
`tomobile, for a home or some enclosed space, of an au-
`tomatic closing device on a gate and a doororfor de-
`activating a system, such aslighting or heating, when
`the user with the transmitter goes away from, for exam-
`ple, the automobile in which the receiveris installed, or
`else to permit the opposite functions when the user is
`approaching.
`A special circuit and means of control, such as a
`two-way selector on the receiver,will set off the alarm
`
`-
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`-
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`either when the distance between transmitter and
`
`receiver is increasing,
`or whenthe variation of said distance is diminishing
`the first being useful when for example, persons or
`objects should not move too far away,and the sec-
`ond when, for example, a search must be madefor
`a lost person or object.
`
`The distance varying between a transmitter and a
`receiver is visualised numerically on the receiver. The
`distance can be found by measuring the delay in the
`echo signal compared with the signal sent out by the
`device called a receiverto a transmitter.
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`The distance can be found by measuring the time
`taken by a signal emitted by a transmittor or by the re-
`ceiver when ordered to emitit by the other.
`A specialcircuit constantly evaluates the direction
`between the receiver and one or more of the transmit-
`
`ters visualising said direction on a dial on the receiver.
`The direction may be analogically visualised on a
`linear or circular bar-graph or with pointers or with digits
`on a numerical display.
`The direction may be measured by triangulation
`techniques. The direction of each transmitter in relation
`to the receiver can be found by manual or automatic ro-
`tation of an antenna on the receiver and measuring the
`variation in amplitude of the echo signal in relation to
`that sent out by the device called a receiver. to a trans-
`mitter.
`
`The receiving and transmitting devices have inde-
`pendent electric feed by batteries and the like or by pho-
`toelectric panels.
`Receiver and transmitters can be equipped withal-
`ready known devices, operating on radio frequencies or
`with supersonic orinfrared wavesor by other means and
`can be completed with acoustic transducers, micro-
`phones and loud speakers and with devices suited to
`transmission and reception of Morse signals andbe fit-
`ted with suitably powerful batteries to permit use of the
`device in searching for personsor objectsin difficult en-
`vironmental conditions.
`Communication can thus be maintained between
`underwater divers and their boats on the surface, be-
`tween emergency aid services and people lost in the
`snow, in fog or hidden under avalanches.
`The invention offers evident advantages.
`The possibility of being able tofit all the transmitters
`when not in use into the places made for them in the
`receiver assures both minimum bulk and the most ef-
`
`fective protection for the transmitters themselves.
`Automatic activation and deactivation of transmit-
`
`ters by simply detaching them or putting them awayin
`the receiver greatlyfacilitates efficiency by making them
`available quickly and easily if required in an emergency.
`It possesses an exceptional degree of versatility
`which makesit adaptable to many kinds of uses.
`By keeping the receiver in an inside pocket or in
`some similar position or in any case close at hand, the
`user can be immediately informed if some person or ob-
`ject, to whom or to which a transmitter has been asso-
`ciated, goes awayor is removed beyondthe distance
`set by the receiver.
`The user can therefore be warned if a thief steals
`
`his wallet in some crowded means of public transport,
`orif he forgets his umbrella or to supervise his baggage.
`The advantages are also clear from the possible
`concrete examples of how the invention can be used.
`Entering a caff, the user places his umbrella, to
`which one ofthe invented transmitters is attached, in an
`umbrella stand. On leaving he forgets to collectit.
`After walking away for a certain distance (the dis-
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`EP 0708 952 B1
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`tance is that which said user has set on the device) the
`invented receiver,
`in the user's coat pocket, sounds a
`warning signal.
`A parent does not wanthis little boy, playing in a
`park, to get too far away, for example not more than 40
`m. Using the knob of the potentiometer he sets this dis-
`tance on the receiver and puts a transmitter into the
`child's clothing.
`If the child disobeys and goes off to far, the warning
`will sound and the parentbe told.
`A thief enters an apartmentat night but one ofthe
`invented transmitters has been mounted on the door,
`
`after careful measurement, also done by the device, of
`the distance betweenthe doorof the apartment and the
`occupier's bed.
`On opening the doorthe thief brings the transmitter
`closer to the receiver, on the occupier's bedside table
`for example, thus setting off the warning signal.
`A shortsighted person does not remember where
`he has put down his glasses or the remote control to
`which the invented transmitters are applied, or else he
`wants to find his cat who likes to hide away and who has
`a transmitter on him.
`
`The user sets a low value (e.g. 50-100 cm) on the
`receiver and then searches every corner in the house
`until a warning informs him that he is close to his glass-
`es, his remote control device orto his cat.
`In situations of extreme environmental difficulty,
`such as snow, fog, under water and others, the arrival
`of help is enormouslyfacilitated.
`Automatic activation of alarm signals can be made
`in automobiles, at work, in the home, for closing gates
`and doors, for turningoff lights, heating and other useful
`functions when the house occupier leaves homeor gets
`out of his car.
`
`Said functions, even without specific action by the
`user, ensure protection in cases of forgetfulness or ina-
`bility.
`On returning, the user can obtain automatic deacti-
`vation of alarm systems, opening of gates, doors and
`anything else. Generally speaking, with the electronic
`unit described the chancesoflosing people and objects
`are greatly lessened, while activation and deactivation
`of alarms and systems generally, opening and closing
`of doors, structural and electronic means of protection
`are all facilitated, to the great comfort of the user.
`The electronic unit deseribed is extremely simple in
`its structure,
`is inexpensive and practical to use, thus
`permitting universal diffusion.
`Characteristics and purposes will be made still
`clearer by the following examples of its execution illus-
`trated byfigures.
`
`Fig.1
`
`Fig.2
`Fig.3
`Fig.4
`
`The receiver of the electronic unit subject of the
`invention.
`
`One of the transmitters.
`Receiver with four transmitters.
`Layout of the receiver
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`Fig.6
`Fig.6
`
`Fig.7
`
`Fig.8
`
`Fig.9
`
`Layout of the transmitter.
`Layout of the receiver with alternating logic of
`the carriers, for measuring distance.
`Layout of the receiver with alternating logic of
`the carriers for detection of direction.
`
`for
`receiver-transmitter
`Layout of
`communication by voice and Morse.
`Layout of receiver-transmitter for relocalizing a
`transmitter.
`
`two-way
`
`The receiver 10 of electromagnetic waves, shaped
`like a flat box, has a compartment 11 to housethe trans-
`mitler 30 of electromagnetic waves, this too shapedlike
`a small flat box.
`
`The receiver 10 comprises a battery 12 for electric-
`ity, a microswitch 13 for connection to this electric feed,
`an antenna 14, an AF demodulator filter 15, a preampli-
`fier 16, a decoder amplifier 17, a comparator 18, a po-
`tentiometer 19 with graded scale 20, a slide selector 21,
`an output stage 22 for a visual or acoustic alarm signal,
`an analogico-digital converter 23, a 3-figure display 24,
`an electric ringer 25.
`The transmitter 30 comprises a battery 31 for elec-
`tric feed, a microswitch 32, an oscillator 33, a variable
`condenser 34, an amplifier 35, a modulator 36, an an-
`tenna 37, aLED 38.
`The receiver 40 possesses the essential features
`of the receiver 10 but instead has four compartments
`41-44 substantially the same as the compartment11 of
`the receiver 10 housing the transmitter 30 and the trans-
`mitters 52-54 substantially the same as the transmitter
`30.
`
`Whenidle the transmitter 30 is put in the housing
`11 of the receiver 10.
`
`When so placed the switch 13 of the receiver 10 and
`the switch 32 of the transmitter 30 are in the open posi-
`tion and therefore the electronic unit formed of the re-
`ceiver 10 and of the transmitter 30 is deactivated.
`Extraction of the transmitter 30 from the receiver
`closes the above switches 13 and 32 which activates
`the receiver and the transmitter,
`In the oscillator 33 of the transmitter 30, a carrier is
`generated at the previously established frequency, by
`means of the variable condenser 34.
`
`Said carrier, suitably amplified in the amplifier 35
`and modulaterin the AF modulator 36, is sent to the an-
`tenna 37 for transmission of the signal.
`The receiving antenna 14 picks up the signals trans-
`mitted by the transmitter 30 and these are sent to the
`AF demodulator filter 15.
`This filter eliminates the carrier and extracts the
`
`modulator superimposed overit, on condition that the
`transmitter 30 has been tunedin, through the variable
`condenser 34, to the frequency of the receiver 10.
`The AF demodulatorfilter 15 generatesatits output
`a signal that is suitably preamplified in the preamplifier
`16 and sent to the amplifier-decoder 17.
`Recognition of the code of modulation and amplifi-
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`cation takes place here. Said signal is compared in the
`comparator block 18, with a threshold, set by the user
`by meansof the potentiometer 19 with a rotating shaft.
`According to the position of the slide selector 21
`present on the box holding the receiver 10, an output
`warning signalwill then be generated in oneofthe fol-
`lowing cases:
`
`-
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`-
`
`ifthe signal sentout by the transmitter goes beyond
`the established threshold because the distance be-
`tween the transmitter that is moving away and the
`receiver exceeds a certain value:
`ifthe signal sent out by the transmitter goes beyond
`said threshold because the distance between the
`
`approaching transmitter and the receiver is less
`than said value.
`
`The alarm signal is sent to the output stage 22 of
`the receiver 10 for a visual signal, by means of a LED
`88, or an acoustic signal.
`Said alarm will therefore meanthat the distance be-
`
`tweenthe transmitter and the receiver is lesser or great-
`er than a previously established value.
`Simultaneously the signal sent out by the transmit-
`ter is sent to an A/D converter 23 and there changed
`into a numerical signal that appears on a display 24 to
`show the actual distance in metres between transmitter
`and receiver.
`
`Operation at high frequency and the possibility of
`mounting the device with SMD circuits mean that both
`parts composing the invented device can be miniatur-
`ized, greatly reducing bulk and making it possible for
`one of them, particularly the transmitter, to be incorpo-
`rated into objectsin use al the time of their manufacture.
`Fig. 6 diagrammatically shows the use of a double
`carrier technique to find the distance between the re-
`ceiving device 59 and the transmitter 30.
`The receiver 60 at A frequency alternates with the
`receiver 61 at B frequency by means of the carrier al-
`ternating logic 62.
`The circuit 63 finds the amplitude variations on the
`basis of which said distanceis visualised in the circuit
`64.
`
`When the above mentioned threshold is exceeded
`
`the alarm is given activating the pilot light 65.
`Figure 7 showsin diagrammatic form how the dou-
`ble carrier technique is used to detect the angular posi-
`tion betweenthe receiving device 89 and the transmitter
`30.
`
`The receiver 70 at A frequency alternates with the
`receiver 17 at B frequency by means of the carrier al-
`ternating logic 72.
`By rotation of the revolving head 74 controlled by
`the circuit 75, circuit 73 finds the amplitude variations in
`accordancewith which the angular position between the
`receiver 69 and the transmitter 30 is visualised in the
`circuit 76.
`
`Indication of this position facilitates continuity of
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`connection between the user who hasthe receiver and
`
`the person or object to be protected in possession of the
`transmitter.
`
`Figure 8 showsin diagrammatic form an improve-
`ment to the electronic unit described by addition of re-
`ceiver-transmitters for communication by voice as well,
`useful in the presence of snow, fog and the like, and also
`of the Morse system for communication under water.
`The receiver device 80 comprises the receivers 81
`and 82 which by two-way radio control 93 are connected
`alternatively to transmitters 91 and 92 ofthe transmitter
`90. The microphone 86 and loudspreaker 87 can be
`seen,
`
`Morse type announcementor reply can be madeit
`pushbutton 88.
`Transmitters 84 and 85 in the receiver 80 are alter-
`
`nately connected to the receivers 94 and 95in the trans-
`mitter 90 by the two-way radio control 83.
`The microphone 96 and loudspeaker 97 can be
`seen.
`
`Morse type announcement and reply can be made
`with the pushbuttons 88 and 98.
`Figure 9 shows diagrammatically an electronic unit
`with receiver and transmitter in sealed shockproof con-
`tainers provided with circuits for relocalizing the trans-
`mitter and therefore persons or objects to be controlled
`and protected in the event of contact having beenlost.
`The receiver 100 comprises the receivercircuits
`101 and 102 which are connected, at normal power, with
`the transmitter circuits 101 and 102 of the transmitter
`100.
`
`If the circuit 113. showsan interruption in the signal,
`by means of the pushbutton 118 a maximum power sig-
`nal can be sent to the receiving circuits 104 and 105 in
`the transmitter 100 by the transmitting circuits 114 and
`115, and diffused by the loud speaker 106.
`This acoustic signal assists in finding the object or
`person connected to the transmitter, by the user con-
`nected to the receiver.
`
`Said acoustic signal can function authomatically if
`the connection has gone too far awayor is lost.
`The transmitter will in any case emit the maximum
`powerin making the acoustic signal increasing the pow-
`er of emission of its own localizing signal so as to re-
`make the lost connection.
`
`Claims
`
`1. Electronic unit for continuous or discontinuous con-
`
`nection between persons and objects comprising
`two miniaturized and pocket-sized devices with in-
`dependent electric feed, possibly even by photo-
`voltaic panels, the first device here called a receiver
`(10,40,.59,69, 80,110) and the second, consisting of
`one or more bodies, here called transmitters (30,
`§2-54,90, 100),said devices being connected byra-
`dio waves, microwaves, sound waves, ultrasonic
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`waves,infrared and electromagnetic waves gener-
`ally to be employed respectively by the user and by
`the persons or objects placed under said user's pro-
`tection and control,
`(10,40,59,
`the receiver
`that
`characterized in
`69,80,110) comprises one or more compartments
`(11, 41-44) each to house one transmitter (30,
`52-54, 90,100) and in that special devices (13,32)
`and circuits determine, at the moment when each
`transmitter is physically separated from the receiv-
`ef, activation of the separated receiver and trans-
`mitter, and determine, when each transmitter is
`physically replaced in the receiver, deactivation of
`the transmitter and, whenall transmitters have been
`replaced, deactivationof the receiver.
`
`Electronic device asin claim 1,
`characterized in that the signals transmitted by the
`electromagnetic waves are coded so as to prevent
`interference
`among transmitters
`(30,52-54,90,
`100).
`
`Electronic device asin claim 1,
`characterized in that the means for automatic acti-
`
`vation and deactivation are microswitches (13,32)
`worked by insertion and removalof the transmitters
`(30,52-54,90,100) in relation to the receiver (10,
`40,59, 69, 80, 110).
`
`Electronic device as in claim 1,
`characterizedin that the devices for activation and
`
`deactivation are means of magnetic attraction that
`simultaneously determine retainment of the trans-
`mitter (90,52-54, 90.100) in the receiver (10,40,
`59,69,80,110) and activation within the transmitter
`of a magnetic microswitch that deactivatesit while,
`on detachment,for lack of a magnetic field, the mi-
`croswitch puts the transmitter back into operation.
`
`Electronic device asin claim 1,
`characterized in that the transmitters (30,52-54,
`90,100) comprise a circuit which, following a special
`command given to said transmitter or following a vo-
`cal sound, sends a signal to the receiver (10,40,
`59,69,80,110) such as will create on said receiver
`an alarm signal useful for control and safequarding
`of children and of people generally in need of help,
`the vocal sound even being the crying ofa child.
`
`Electronic device as in claim 1,
`characterized in that a special circuit continuously
`evaluates the distance between the transmitters
`
`(30,52-54,90, 100) and the receiver (10,40,59,
`69,110), said distance being constantly compared
`with an electronic threshold whose value can be
`
`modified by the user by meansof a selector (19),
`and determines in the receiver entry into effect of
`one orf more devices corresponding to alarm or to
`
`10
`
`15
`
`20
`
`25
`
`30
`
`35
`
`40
`
`45
`
`&0
`
`operative functions when a certain distance, corre-
`sponding to a certain threshold,
`is exceeded, the
`alarm device being acoustic or visual or of both
`types, the chosen function being put into effect by
`pressing a push button, corresponding to the cho-
`sen function, from among those available.
`
`Electronic device asin claim 6,
`characterized in that the device whose function is
`
`to give an alarm or execute a function comesinto
`effect if the threshold value is exceeded by a dis-
`tance having been reachedthatis greater than that
`corresponding to the threshold value or is lesser,
`andthis in order to permit a remote control device,
`for example, to switch on automatically an anti-theft
`system for an automobile, for a home, for indoor en-
`vironments generally, to activate automatic closure
`of agate or door,orto turn off, for example. a lighting
`or heating system when the user in possession of
`the transmitter
`(30,52-54,90,100)
`leaves some
`place, for example, an automobile in which the re-
`ceiveris installed, and to permit the opposite oper-
`ations to take place when the user once more ap-
`proaches the place.
`
`Electronic device asin claim 6,
`characterizedin that a special circuit whenin receipt
`of an adequate command such as that given by a
`two-position
`selector
`(21)
`on
`the
`receiver
`(10,40.59,69,110) sets off the alarm as desired:
`
`-
`
`-
`
`either whenthe distance between transmitters
`
`and the receiver (10,40,59,69,80,110) is in-
`creasing,
`orf when the variation of said distanceis dimin-
`
`ishing, the first being useful when for example,
`it is desired to prevent personsor objects from
`moving away, and the second when searching
`for a lost person or object,
`
`Electronic device as in claim 1,
`characterized in that the receiver (10,40,59,69,80,
`110) and the transmitters (30,52-54,90,100) are
`provided with devices functioning at radio frequen-
`cy or at supersonic channels or infrared or with oth-
`er means and completed with acoustic transducers,
`microphones (86) and loudspeakers (87) and are
`equipped with batteries of suitable power so that
`use can be madeof the instrument for communica-
`tion and aid when searching for persons and objects
`under difficult environmental conditions such as in
`
`snow, fog, at low temperatures and similar situa-
`tions of hard weather, making possible communica-
`tion between search parties and people lost or hid-
`den under avalanches orin any case needing help.
`
`10.
`
`Electronic device as in claim 1,
`characterized in
`that
`the
`receiver
`
`(10,40,59,
`
`Google EX1014 Page 0006
`
`

`

`11
`
`EP 0708 952 B1
`
`12
`
`69,80,110) and the transmitters (30,52-54,90,100)
`are protected by sealed antishock containers and
`arefitted with devices operating at radio frequency
`or with supersonic channels or infrared or other
`means and are completed with transducers and
`means (88,89) suitable for transmitting and receiv-
`ing Morse type signals so that communication can
`be made even withoutuse of the voice, for example
`as in the case of underwater communication.
`
`Patentanspriiche
`
`1. Elektronischer Komplex zur Verbindung, auch zur
`kontinuierlichen Verbindung, von Personen und
`Gegenstanden, bestehend aus zwei in die Tasche
`steckbaren Vorrichtungen im Miniformat mit auto-
`nomer Stromversorgung auch ber photovoltai-
`schen Paneele, von denen die erste nachstehend
`“Empfanger" (10, 40, 59, 69, 80, 110) und die zweite
`aus einem oder mehreren Einheiten besteht, die
`nachstehend "Sender" (30, 52-54, 90, 100) genannt
`werden; diese Vorrichtungen, die ber Rundfunk-
`wellen, Mikrowellen, Schallwellen, Ultraschall,
`In-
`frarotwellen und elektromagnetische Wellen im all-
`gemeinen miteinander verbunden werden, sind je-
`weils fir den Bediener und fir die Personen oder
`
`Gegenstande bestimmt, die seitens des Bedieners
`geschitzt oder Uberwacht werden sollen;
`die Einheit wird dadurch charakterisiert, daB der
`
`Empfanger (10, 40, 59, 69, 80, 110) ein oder meh-
`rere Facher (11, 41-44) zur jeweiligen Aufnahmeei-
`nes Senders (30, 52-54, 90, 100) enthalt, sowie da-
`durch, daB spezielle Vorrichtungen (13, 32) und
`Schaltkreise im Augenblick einer physischen Tren-
`nung jeder dieser Vorrichtungen der Sender vom
`Empfanger die Aktivierung des Empfangers und
`des abgetrennten Senders bewirken und im Augen-
`blick der erneuten physischen Einfligung jedes ein-
`zelnen Senderteils in den Empfangers die Deakti-
`vierung des Senders bewirken und da bei erneuter
`Einfligung samtlicher Sender die Deaktivierung des
`Empfangers bewirkt wird.
`
`Wie unter der Beanspruchung 1) beschriebener
`elektronischer Komplex, dadurch charakterisiert,
`daB die Uber elektromagnetische Wellen Ubertrage-
`nen Signale derart kodifiziert sind, da Interferen-
`zen zwischen den Senderteilen (30, 52-54, 90, 100)
`ausgeschlossen werden.
`
`Wie unter der Beanspruchung 1) beschriebener
`elektronischer Komplex, dadurch charakterisiert,
`da®B die Vorrichtungen zur automatischen Aktivie-
`rung und Deaktivierung aus Mikroschaltern (13, 32)
`bestehen, die im Augenblick einer erneuten Einfi-
`gung sowie einer Trennung der Senderteile (30,
`52-54, 90, 100) in den bzw. vom Empfanger(10, 40,
`
`10
`
`15
`
`20
`
`25
`
`30
`
`35
`
`40
`
`45
`
`&0
`
`59, 69, 80, 110) aktiviert werden.
`
`Wie unter der Beanspruchung 7) beschriebener
`elektronischer Komplex, dadurch charakterisiert,
`daB die Vorrichtungen zur Aktivierung und Deakti-
`vierung aus magnetischen Anziehungselementen
`bestehen, die gleichzeitig den Sender (30, 52-54,
`90, 100) im Empfanger (10, 40, 59, 69, 80, 110) hal-
`ten und einen im Sender installierten magnetischen
`Mikroschalter aktivieren, der die Abschaltung des
`Senders bewirkt, wahrend der Mikroschaiter bei ei-
`ner Trennung der Gerate liber die Unterbrechung
`des magnetischen Feldes den Sender aktiviert.
`
`Wie unter der Beanspruchung 1) beschriebener
`elektronischer Komplex. dadurch charakterisiert,
`daB die Sender (30, 52-54, 90, 100) einen Schalt-
`kreis enthalten, welcher Uber die Aktivierung eines
`entsprechenden auf dem Sender selbst prasenten
`Steuerbefehis oder aber Uber eine vokale Lautab-
`
`gabe ein Signal an den Empfanger (10, 40, 59, 69,
`80, 110) ausstrahlen, das im Empfanger die Aktivie-
`rung eines Warnsignals bewirkt, welches zur Kon-
`trolle oder Uberwachung von Kindern und hilfsbe-
`dirftigen Personen dient oder aber im Falle einer
`Stimmenabgabe zur Uberwachung von Neugebo-
`renen verwendet werden kann.
`
`Wie unter der Beanspruchung 1) beschriebener
`elektronischer Komplex, dadurch charakterisiert,
`daB ein spezieller Schaltkreis Augenblick fur Au