Method and apparatus for visually determining object location
AssigneeXerox Corporation
InventorsEdward A. Richley, Mark D. Weiser, Alexander E. Silverman, Matthew E. Howard, Bryan T. Preas
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method and apparatus for determining the location of an object. An object to be located can be provided with an object locator that includes a display. When the object locator receives a signal indicating that the object associated with the object locator is to be located, the display changes display state to provide a visual indication that the signal has been received. The object locator can be ambient energy-powered, and the display can be a bistable display, such as a rotating element display device.
Claims17
An object locator comprising:
- a display that can provide at least two different display states;
- a power source that can receive ambient energy and converts the ambient energy to an available supply of power;
- a receiver that can receive a transmitted signal associated with the object locator;
- and
- a controller that can use the supply of power to cause the display to change display states when the receiver receives a signal that corresponds to the object locator.
An object position locator system comprising:
- a locating system that determines and transmits a signal corresponding to an object to be located;
- and
- a plurality of object locators, at least one of the object locators capable of receiving the signal transmitted by the locating system, and, in response to the signal, changing a display state of a display in the object locator to provide a visual indication that the signal has been received;
- wherein each of the plurality of object locators comprises:
- a display that changes display state;
- a power source that provides energy to at least drive the display and can convert ambient energy into electrical energy to operate the object locator;
- a receiver that receives a signal from the locating system;
- and
- a controller that controls the display to change display states to provide a visual indication that a signal corresponding to the object locator has been received.
A method for locating an object, comprising:
- determining an identity that corresponds to an object to be located;
- providing an ambient energy-powered display associated with the object to be located;
- transmitting a signal that corresponds to the determined identity;
- and
- receiving a visual indication from a location indicator associated with the object that the transmitted signal has been received, the visual indication providing information regarding the object's location.
An object position locator system comprising:
- a locating system that determines and transmits a signal corresponding to an object to be located;
- and
- at least two object locators, associated with different objects, that receive the signal transmitted by the locating system, and, in response to the signal, change a display state of a display in the at least two object locators to provide a visual indication that the signal has been received, with one of the at least two of object locators being in a different display state than other ones of the at least two object locators.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.