Systems and methods for monitoring spatial relationship between mobile objects

A method to remotely monitor the security of an object, the method comprising:

• providing the object with (a) a remote unit having a proximity adjuster and (b) a child unit attached to the object, the child unit having a motion detector, a proximity transmitter, and an alarm;
• adjusting a near field proximity generated by the proximity transmitter;
• detecting whether there is a movement of the object using the motion detector;
• in response to the movement, determining whether the object is within a near field proximity of the remote unit using the proximity transmitter;
• and
• in the absence of a confirmation signal from the remote unit to indicate that the object is within the near field proximity of the remote unit, causing the alarm to generate a signal to indicate that the object has moved beyond the near field proximity.

A spatial monitoring system comprising:

• (a) a parent unit having:
• a first transceiver capable of transmitting and receiving data signals;
• a first motion detector coupled to the transceiver for generating a movement signal in response to a detected motion in the parent unit;
• an activation element coupled to the first transceiver and capable of directing the first transceiver to transmit an alarm signal representative of a command to activate an alarm;
• and
• (b) a child unit having:
• a second motion detector for generating a movement signal in response to a detected motion in the child unit;
• a proximity transmitter coupled to the second motion detector for transmitting a proximity signal having a near field proximity to the first transceiver in response to the motion detected in the child unit;
• an alarm;
• and
• a second transceiver coupled to the proximity transmitter and the alarm for providing bi-directional transfer of data signals, the second transceiver, in the absence of a confirmation signal from the first transceiver to indicate that the parent unit is within the near field proximity, being capable of (i) transmitting to the first transceiver an alert signal to indicate to a user that the parent unit is no longer within the near field proximity, and (ii) activating the alarm in response to the alarm signal received from the first transceiver, which alarm signal may be generated by a user triggering the activation element of the parent unit in response to the alert signal.

A method for remotely providing security to an object being monitored, the method comprising:

• providing the object with (a) a remote unit and (b) a child unit attached to the object and having a proximity transmitter and an alarm;
• detecting whether there is movement in either the remote unit or the child unit;
• determining whether the object is within a near field proximity relative to the remote unit using the proximity transmitter;
• and
• in the absence of a confirmation signal from the remote unit indicating that the object is within the near field proximity to the remote unit, causing an alert signal to be directed to the remote unit;
• and
• transmitting a signal from the remote unit to the alarm, so as to generate a signal to indicate the object is no longer within the near field proximity to the remote unit.