Communications: electrical – Condition responsive indicating system – Specific condition
Reexamination Certificate
1999-10-21
2001-10-23
Lee, Benjamin C. (Department: 2736)
Communications: electrical
Condition responsive indicating system
Specific condition
C340S531000, C340S525000, C340S870030
Reexamination Certificate
active
06307472
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to networked architectures and, more particularly, to systems and methods for indicating location usage or occupancy.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In many situations there is a need to know whether an object is in a certain location, or whether a certain location is being used or occupied. For instance, it would be very useful to know whether a Post Office Box contains mail, whether a parking spot is occupied by a vehicle, whether a seat of a multi-passenger vehicle is occupied by a passenger, whether a seat is occupied by a patron at a theater such as a movie house, play house, symphony house or stadium. To know this information would allow people to know when mail is in their Post Office Box, and, in regards to a theater or a multi-passenger vehicle, to know not only how many seats are occupied, but also how many seats are unoccupied and the locations of the occupied and unoccupied seats. In response to having this information, people would then, for instance, know when to pick up their mail, and be able to not only direct patrons or customers to unoccupied seats but also ensure seats are properly occupied. Given the lack of devices or systems for accommodating these goals, the need for certain new and useful improvements in the art is evident.
Accordingly, it would be highly desirable to provide a new and improved system and method for indicating location usage or occupancy.
It is a purpose of the invention to provide new and improved apparatus having nodes defining seats, slots, Post Office Boxes, or parking spaces, and a system for indicating node usage or occupancy.
It is another purpose of the invention to provide a new and improved system for indicating location usage or occupancy that is easy to construct.
It is still another purpose of the invention to provide a new and improved system for indicating location usage or occupancy that is easy to use.
It is a further provision of the invention to provide a new and improved system for indicating location usage or occupancy that is easy to implement in multi-passenger vehicles, parking lots, theaters, video and book stores, post offices, etc.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The above problems and others are at least partially solved and the above purposes and others realized in new and improved apparatus comprising a plurality of nodes each movable between an unoccupied condition and an occupied condition, a plurality of sensor devices each movable from an inactive condition to an active condition in response to movement of one of the nodes from the unoccupied condition to the occupied condition, and indicator apparatus defining a plurality of indicator elements each for emitting a stimulus in response to movement of one of the sensor devices from the inactive condition to the active condition. The indicator apparatus is fixed, mounted or positioned at a location either remote from or adjacent to the nodes, and each sensor device is coupled in signal communication to the indicator apparatus over a communication pathway. The indicator apparatus may further comprise a panel or framework housing a plurality of indicator elements, or may comprise a plurality of individual units such as pagers, monitors, computers, telephones or individual subscriber units such as wireless ground- or satellite-based telecommunication devices. The stimulus may comprise an audible stimulus and/or a visual stimulus.
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Goltry Michael W.
Lee Benjamin C.
Parsons Robert A.
Parsons & Goltry
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