Communications: electrical – Condition responsive indicating system – With particular coupling link
Reexamination Certificate
2002-10-21
2004-09-07
Crosland, Donnie L. (Department: 2636)
Communications: electrical
Condition responsive indicating system
With particular coupling link
C340S539110, C340S539150, C340S870030, C036S001000, C036S07500A, C455S562100, C455S575700, C701S213000, C342S357490
Reexamination Certificate
active
06788200
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to footwear and, more specifically, to a locator unit contained within footwear providing a method for GPS position determination and transmission of said location determination data to a central monitoring station which disseminates the data through the use of proprietary software and the Internet.
The footwear in the preferred embodiment contains the electronic circuitry in the mid sole of the shoe having GPS location determination unit and transponder whereby a remote location can determine the position of the wearer of said footwear having said device.
Furthermore, the present invention provides for additional elements by having the GPS unit and transponder contained within a socket positioned within the heel of the shoe.
The location component can be selectively inserted and or removed from the midsole or heel.
The socket in the midsole is comprised of a throughbore having spaced apart sidewalls and a top wall having retaining means positioned on each sidewall.
The heel socket is comprised of spaced apart sidewalls, top wall, a back wall and frontal aperture with the location of the socket preferably in the instep or heel of the shoe.
The insertable removable component has means for engaging the sidewalls of the receptacle and closure means for securing the component within said receptacle. Furthermore, the component can form a compartment for the inclusion of a GPS receiver and transponder for locating the wearer of said shoes.
The present invention provides for another additional element wherein the position determination component is contained within the tongue of the footwear.
In addition, to the electronic circuitry being embedded in the tongue of the shoe the antenna can be contained within a logo prominently placed on the tongue of the shoe which will increase the effectiveness of the device.
While the preferred embodiment of the present invention provides for an unobtrusive concealed locator device contained within the body of the shoe, it additionally provides for the attachment of a positioning determining device and transponder for transmitting the location data on demand in a module that can be releasably attached to the exterior of the shoe by means of the shoelaces or hook and loop material to the back of the footwear.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There are other receptacles designed for footwear. Typical of these is U.S. Pat. No. 1,597,823 issued to Randolph on Aug. 31, 1926.
Another patent was issued to Agrillo on Aug. 28, 1956 as U.S. Pat. No. 2,760,278. Yet another U.S. Pat. No. 2,897,609 was issued to Bodkin on Aug. 4, 1959 and still yet another was issued on Oct. 27, 1987 to Dassler as U.S. Pat. No. 4,703,445.
Another patent was issued to Ormanns et al. on Sep. 26, 1989 as U.S. Pat. No. 4,870,700. Yet another U.S. Pat. No. 5,473,518 was issued to Haber et al. on Dec. 5, 1995. Another was issued to Goldston et al. on Feb. 15, 1994 as U.S. Pat. No. 5,285,586 and still yet another was issued on Sep. 17, 1996 to Musa as U.S. Pat. No. 5,557,259.
Another patent was issued to McCarthy on Nov. 12, 1996 as U.S. Pat. No. 5,574,432. Yet another U.S. Pat. No. 5,655,316 was issued to Huang on Aug. 12, 1997. Another was issued to Ingargiola et al. on May 5, 1998 as U.S. Pat. No. 5,748,087 and still yet another was issued on Oct. 26, 1999 to Inman as U.S. Pat. No. 5,970,631.
Another patent was issued to Robinson on Jan. 11, 2000 as U.S. Pat. No. 6,012,822. Yet another U.S. Pat. No. 6,014,080 was issued to Layson, Jr. on Jan. 11, 2000. Another was issued to James on Jun. 19, 2001 as U.S. Pat. No. 6,247,251.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,597,823
Inventor: Simon Randolph
Issued: Aug. 31, 1926
In combination with a shoe including a heel section formed with an opening extending longitudinally of the shoe and opening at the front and rear walls of the heel, a lining disposed in said opening and including a rear wall for closing the opening at the rear of the heel, a self-contained electrically operated illuminating means disposed inwardly of the lining in a manner whereby the light rays therefrom will project from the opening at the front of the heel, normally spaced apart contact arms disposed inwardly of the rear wall of the lining, and means carried by the rear wall of the lining, and means carried by the real wall of the lining for moving the contact arms into engagement with one another for completing the circuit through the illuminating means.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,760,278
Inventor: Paul Agrillo
Issued: Aug. 28, 1956
A shoe, the combination which comprises a sole, an upper mounted on the sole, a heel supporting the rear portion of the sole in an elevated position, a wearing sole covering and secured to the lower surface of the heel and extended forwardly to a point spaced from the toe, said wearing sole being secured to the lower surface of the forward portion of the shoe and the heel portion being flush with side surfaces of the heel of the shoe, a wedge-shaped pad positioned in and substantially filling the area between the forward surface of the heel and point of intersection of the lower surface of the sole of the shoe and upper surface of the wearing sole, said wedge-shaped pad having a substantially semi-spherical opening in the intermediate part, a substantially hemispherical balancing element with a vertically disposed opening therethrough positioned in the hemispherical opening of the pad, and a coil spring positioned in the opening of the balancing element and extended from the sole of the shoe to the inner surface of the wearing sole.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,897,609
Inventor: Lawrence E. Bodkin
Issued: Aug. 4, 1959
A shoe having a sole member including an integral heel portion, an arcuate guard element affixed to the heel portion of said sole member and depending therefrom and forming therewith a walled socket having an opening, a movable heel member fitting said socket, said movable heel member having a forward end and a rearward end, a hinge attaching said forward end to said sole member, said opening being positioned and proportioned to pass said movable member into and out of said socket as said movable member is swung on said hinge, releasable friction catch means carried by and disposed within said socket and cooperative catch means when said movable member is in housed position in said socket, said catch means being disposed spaced from the axis of said hinge, said movable member having a surface portion engaging a portion of the wall of said socket and having a storage chamber opening through said surface portion and normally closed by said socket wall portion when said movable ember is housed in said socket and accessible when said movable member is swung from said socket.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,703,445
Inventor: Armin A. Dassler
Issued: Oct. 27, 1987
An athletic shoe system for running disciplines and a process for emitting and or exchanging information concerning movement factors of running disciplines enabling the athlete to always be sufficiently informed regarding his her training program that is in progress or completed. In particular, in an area of the sole that is less stressed during use, at least one free space is provided where a transmitter is housed which, via a sensor provided in the sole, can emit at least one output signal. In accordance with preferred embodiments, a transmitter in a first shoe of a pair of shoes receives the signals from the sensor and transmits emissions in correspondence with their receipt. The transmitted emissions are received by a remote receiver, that is linked with a computer, and the remote receiver receives the transmitted emissions directly from the transmitter of the first shoe and indirectly via a receiver and transmitter of a second shoe of the pair. The computer determines the distance between the first and second shoes, on the basis of the delay between receipt by the remote receiver of the directly and indirectly received emissions, as well as other characteristic values related to stride rate or length.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,870,700
Inventor
Bertagna Patrick E
Davis, Jr. Ralph H
Jamel Mitchell W
Crosland Donnie L.
Kroll Michael I.
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