Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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Electronic device for continuous, or discontinuous,
connection betweeen persons and objects
The invention concerns alarm and safety devices for
persons and mobile objects.
A well-known feature of society today is the increasing
frequency of thefts committed with dexterity, and the
ease with which people lose wallets, bags, keys and doc-
) uments. ,,
Elderly people and children get lost in,the streets, in
gardens, in public places.
All these situations give rise to'considerable problems
and are the cause of seri~us trouble.
Purpose of the present invention is to provide an inex-
pensive and easily carried device able to eliminate or
reduce the seriousness of the above accidents by main-
taining connections, which may even be continuous, by
means of electromagnetic waves between the user and other
AMENDED SHEE~
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There are numerous electronic devices, patented and
available on the market, that, by means of electro-
magnetic waves, permit remote connection among people,
objects or other people such as children and animals
in need of protection, in the main based on two types
of electronic apparatus, one being substantially a re-
ceiver 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 receiver is controlled by the
person entrusted with their protection.
When the transmitter-carrying person or object strays
farther away than the established, adjustable,distance,
an electronic threshold is exceeded and an alarm given.
Other devices employing rotary antennas, triangulations
or other means can, in addition, find out in which di-
rection the protected object has gone when the distance
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 person or object and
a receiver to which alarm signals are sent from a distance
by the transmitter.
The coded FM signals are produced at intervals by the
transmitter in the form of digital words.
The receiver immediately produces an alarm if at least
one of the coded words is not received during any one of
the intervals .
The receiver can control two transmitters simultaneously,
adjusting the coded words so that they can appear at dif-
ferent intervals.
p~ENDED SHEEr
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Even though in theory this apparatus has two transmit-
ters, it does not deal with the problem of supervising
several objec~s, persons or animals with a aingle re-
ceiver, partly for reasons of bulk, partly because of
the difficulty of stowing away the different parts when
not in use and partly because of the problem of coordi-
nating the operative and idle phases of one or other of
the transmitters.
Handling problems may arise or others of interference
among the various transmitters, also that of recognition.
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 devices
~5 such as communica~ors to assist in searching for people
and objects under trying or extremely difficult environ-
mental conditions, such as when hidden under avalanches
or when needing help of some kind.
AtA~ND0 SHEET
W095/0~74 ~¦ 6 6 ~ 61 2 - PCT/~94/00105
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persons and objects placed under the protection o~ at
least under the control of the user making it easy to
raise an alarm, operate means of security and various
types of equipment.
Subject of 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,caL~led a transmitter.
The receiver and each of the transmitters are connected
by electromagnetic waves, to be employed respectively 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, infra-
red waves and others.
The receiving and transmitting devices have independent
electric feed by batteries and the like or photoelectric
panels.
The devices are preferably pocket-size and miniaturized.
The signals sent out by the electromagnetic waves can be
coded to prevent interference among transmitters.
In one advantageous execution the receiver comprises one
or more compartments each carrying one transmitter.
When each transmitter is physically separated from the
receiver, there are special devices and circuits to acti-
vate the separated receiver and transmitter.
When each transmitter is physically reunited with the re-
ceiver, said transmitter becomes deactivated.
When all transmitters are thus reunited, the receiver is
deactivated.
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W095/02874 ~ 6 ~ PCT/IT94/00105
The automatic devices for activation and deactivation
may be microswitches worked when the transmitter is con-
nected with or disconnected from the receiver.
The means for attraction and disactivation may be mag-
netic attracting means that simultaneously retain thetransmitter in the receiver and activate a magnetic micro-
switch within the transmitter that deactivates it.
At the moment of deactivation, as there is no magnetic
field the microswitch reactivates the transmitter.
Transmission by electromagnetic waves is made by using a
double,or multiple, carrier technique to improve recep-
tion in closed environments or to overcome any blind spots
that may be caused by obstacles or reflection of the signal.
The transmitter sends out signals on one or more different
frequencies, which are fixed or dynamically variable over
time.
The receiver uses the alternative frequency instead of one
which may have been weakened by obstacles or reflection.
The transmitters can comprise a circuit which, due to ac-
tivation of a special control device on said transmitter ordue to emission of a vocal sound, produces a signal towards
the receiver which then sends out an alarm signal useful
for checking on the 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 acous-
tic warning which sounds when the transmitter receives from
the receiver a certain signal; in this way the transmitter
is relocalised when, for example, persons or objects have
been found.
A special circuit constantly evaluates the distance between
transmitters and the receiver. Said distance is compared
with an electronic threshold which the user modifies by
W095/0~74 ~ 6 6 ~ 6 1 PCT/IT94/00105
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means of a special selecting device.
Reaching the threshold sets off in the receiver one or
more devices corresponding to alarm or some operative
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 function.
The device gives rise to an operative function if the
threshold value is exceeded because a distance has been
reached either greater than that corresponding to the
threshold value, or lesser.
The purpose of this is to permit, for example, automatic
remote activation of an anti-theft device for an automo-
bile, for a home or some enclosed space, of an automaticclosing device on a gate and a door or for deactivating
a system, such as lighting or heating, when the user with
the transmitter goes away from, for example, the automo-
bile in which the receiver is 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
- either when the distance between transmitter and recei-
ver is increasing,
- or when the variation of said distance is diminishing
the first being useful when for example, persons or ob-
jects should not move too far away,and the second when,
for example, a search must be made for a lost person or
object.
The distance varying between a transmitter and a receiver
is visualised numer~cally on the receiver. The distance
can be found by measuring the delay in the echo signal
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compared with the signal sen~ out by the device called
a receiver to a transmit,ter.
The distance can be found by measuring the time taken by
a signal emitted by a transmittor or by the receiver when
ordered to emit it by the other.
A special circuit constantly evaluates the direction be-
tween the receiver and one or more of the transmitters
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 re-
ceiver can be found by manual or automatic rotation 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 transmitter.
The receiving and transmitting devices have independent
electric feed by batteries and the like or by photoelec-
tric panels.Receiver and transmitters can be equipped with already
known devices, operating on radio frequencies or with su-
personic or infrared waves or by other means and can be
completed with acoustic transducers, microphones and loud
speakers and with devices suited to transmission and re-
ception of Morse signals and be fitted with suitably power-
ful batteries to permit use of the device in searching for
persons or objects in difficult environmental conditions.
Communication can thus be maintained between underwater
divers and their boats on the surface, between emergency
aid services and people lost in the snow, in fog or hid-
den under avalanches.
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The invention offers evid~nt advantages.
It possesses an exceptionaL degree of versatility which
makes it adaptable to many kinds of uses.
By keeping the receiver in an inside pocket or in some
similar position or in any case close zt hand, the user
can be immediately informed if some person or ob~ect, to
whom or to which a transmitter has been associated, goes
away or is removed beyond the distance set by the receiver.
The user can therefore be warned if a thief steals his
wallet in some crowded means of public transport, or if '
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 caffe, the user places his umbrella, to which
one of the invented transmitters is attached, in an um-
brella stand. On leaving he forgets to collect it.
After walking away for a certain distance (the distance
is that which said user has set on the device) the inven-
ted receiver, in the user's coat pocket, sounds a warning
signal.
A parent does not want his 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 distance 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 parent be told.
A thief enters an apartment at night but one of the inven-
ted transmitters has been mounted on the door, after care-
ful measurement, also done by the device, of the distance
between the door of the apartment and the occupier's bed.
On opening the door the thief brings the transmitter clo-
ser to the receiver, on the occupier's bedside table for
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The possibility of being able to fit all the transmitters
when not in use into the places made for them in the
receiver assures both minimum bulk and the most effective
protection for the transmitters themselves.
Automatic activation and deactivation of transmitters by
simply detaching them or putting them away in the receiver
greatly facilitates efficiency by making them available
quickly and easily if required in an emergency.
AMENDE~ Sl IEET
WO 95/0~74 ~ 1. 6 ~ 9 6 ~ PCT/~94/00105
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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 in-
vented 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-lO0 cm) on the receiver
and then searches every corner in the house until a warn-
ing inform~~ himl that he is close to his glasses, his
remote control dévice or to his cat.
In situations of extreme environmental difficulty, such
as snow, f~, under water and others, the arrival of help
is enormously facilitated.
Automatic activation of alarm signals can be made in auto-
mobiles, at work, in the home, for closing gates and doors,for turning off lights, heating and other useful functions
when the house occupier leaves home or gets out of his car.
Said functions, even without specific action by the user,
ensure protection in cases of forgetfulness or inability.
On returning, the user can obtain automatic deactivation
of alarm systems, opening of gates, doors and anything
else. Generally speaking, with the electronic unit described
the chances of losing people and objects are greatly les-
sened, 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 described is extremely simple in its
structure, is inexpensive and practical to use, thus per-
mitting universal diffusion.Characteristics and purposes will be made still clearer
by the following examples of its execution illustrated by
~igures.
WO 95/02874 PCT/IT94/00105
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Fig.] The receiver of the electronic unit subject of
the invention.
Fig.2 One of the transmitters.
Fig.3 Receiver with four transmitters.
5 Fig.4 Layout of the receiver
Fig.5 Layout of the transmitter.
Fig.6 Layout of the receiver with alternating logic of
the carriers, for measuring distance.
Fig.7 Layout of the receiver with alternating logic of
the carriers for detection of direction.
Fig.8 Layout of receiver-transmitter for two-way commu-
nication by voice and Morse.
Fig.9 Layout of receiver-transmitter for relocalizing
a transmitter.
The receiver 10 of electromagnetic waves, shaped like a
flat box, has a compartment 11 to house the transmitter
30 of electromagnetic waves, this too shaped like a small
flat box.
The receiver 10 comprises a battery 12 for electricity,
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 electric
feed, a microswitch 32, an oscillator 33, a variable con-
denser 34, an ampLifier 35, a modulator 36, an antenna
37, a LED 38.
The receiver 40 possesses the essential features of the
receiver 10 but instead has four compartments 41-44 sub-
WOg5/02874 PCT/IT94/00105
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stantially the same as the compartment 11 of the recei-
ver 10 housing the transmitter 30 and the transmitters
52-54 substantially the same as the transmitter 30.
When idle the transmitter 30 is put in the housing 1] 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 t~ansmitter 30 from the receiver clo-
ses the above switches 13 and 32 which activates the re-
ceiver 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
modulater in the AF mod~lator 36, is sent to the antenna
37 for transmission of the signal.
The receiving antenna 14 picks up the signals transmit-
ted by the transmitter 30 and these are sent to the AFdemodulator filter 15.
This filter eliminates the carrier and extracts the mo-
dulator superimposed over it, on condition that the trans-
mitter 30 has been tuned in, through the variable conden-
ser 34, to the frequency of the receiver 10.The AF demodulator filter 15 generates at its 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 amplification
takes place here. Said signal is compared in the compa-
rator block 18, with a threshold, set by the user by
means of the potentiometer 19 w.ith a rotating shaft.
W095/02874 ~ 9 6 ~ PCTt~94100105
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According to the position of the slide selector 21 pre-
sent on the box holding the receiver 10, an output warn-
ing signal wilL then be generated in one of the following
cases:
5 _if the signal sent out by the transmitter goes beyond the
established threshold because the distance between the
transmitter that is moving away and the receiver exceeds
a certain value;
-if the signal sent out by the transmitter goes beyond
said thresbold because the distance between the approach-
ing 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 38, or
an acoustic signal.
Said alarm will therefore mean that the distance between
the transmitter and the receiver is lesser or greater than
a previously established value.
Simultaneously the signal sent out by the transmitter is
sent to an A/D converter 23 and there changed into a nu-
merical signal that appears on a display 24 to show theactual distance in metres between transmitter and receiver.
Operation at high frequency and the possibility of mount-
ing the device with S~ID circuits mean that both parts
composing the invented device can be miniaturized, greatly
reducing bulk and making it possible for one of them, par-
ticularly the transmitter, to be incorporated into objects
in use at the time of their manufacture.
Fig. 6 diagrammatically sh~ws the use of a double carrier
technique to find the distance between the receiving de-
vice 59 and the transmitter 30.The receiver 60 at A frequency alternates with the receiver
W095/0~74 . ~1 6 ~ 3 ~1 PCT/IT94/00105
61 at B frequency by means of the carrier alternating
logic 62.
The circuit 63 finds the amplitude variations on the ba-
sis of which said distance is visualised in the circuit
64.
When the above mentioned threshold is exceeded the alarm
is given activating the pilot light 65.
Figure 7 shows in diagrammatic form how the double car-
rier technique is used to detect the angular position
between the receivingidevice 69 and the transmitter 30.
The receiver 70 at A frequency alternates with the recei-
ver 17 at B frequency by means of the carrier alternating
logic 72.
By rotation of the revolving head 74 controlled by the
circuit 75, circuit 73 finds the amplitude variations in
accordance with 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 con-
nection between the user who has the receiver and the per-
son or object to be protected in possession of the trans-
mitter.
Figure 8 shows in diagrammatic form an improvement to the
electronic unit described by addition of receiver-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 alterna-
tively to transmitters 91 and 92 of the transmitter 90.The microphone 86 and loudspreaker 87 can be seen.
Morse type announcement or reply can be made with pushbutton
88.
WO9S/0~74 ~ ~ 6 6 ~ ~ ~ PCT/~94/00105
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Transmitters 84 and 85 in the receiver 80 are alter-
nately connected to the receivers 94 and 95 in the
transmitter 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 containers
provided with circuits for relocalizing the transmitter
and therefore persons or objects to be controlled and
protected in the event of contact having been lost.
The receiver 100 comprises the receiver circuits 10l and
102 which are connected, at normal power, with the trans-
mitter circuits IOI.and 102 of the transmitter 100.
If the circuit ll3 shows an interruption in the signal,
by means of the pushbutton 118 a maximum power signal
can be sent to the receiving circuits 104 and 105 in the
transmitter l00 by the transmitting circuits l14 and 115,
and diffused by the loud speaker 106.
This acoustic signal assists in finding the object or per-
son connected to the transmitter, by the user connected
to the receiver.
Said acoustic signal can function authomatically if the
connection has gone too far away or is lost.
The transmitter will in any case emit the maximum power
in making the acoustic signal increasing the power of
emission of its own localizing signal so as to remake
the lost connection.
