Luggage locator system

Abstract

An object locator system includes a transmitter unit which sends an RF signal upon actuating a pushbutton, and a receiver unit attached to or incorporated into an object for detecting the RF signal and illuminating a light element only for so long as the RF signal is sent by the transmitter unit. This allows the receiver to emit light only when the pushbutton on the transmitter is actuated. When a user scans an area where an object might be found, a visual perception of light flashes being emitted in response to the user's pushbutton presses provides a direct visual feedback to make it easy to pick out the flashes in a crowded visual field, and thereby locate the object. Preferably, a light pipe is mounted on an external part of the receiver unit and has a length running at least partially around a perimeter of the receiver unit. The transmitter and receiver units are set by dip switch arrays, or by factory pre-setting, to send and detect a unique coded signal, whereby the receiver unit only responds to the transmitter unit sending the unique coded signal. A second embodiment has the light illumination element and attachment element combined in a single element.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.