Abstract: An automatically opening and closing dog or other pet door is provided with a mechanism to open the door responsive to the presence of an animal to either side of the door along with a transmitted electronic code which identifies that the animal is authorized for entry and exit. In one embodiment, an ultrasonic sensor is utilized along with a transponder on the dog's collar to indicate the presence of authorized pet. Alternatively, a proximity sensing device is utilized which senses the proximity of an activated transponder which when pinged transmits the fact of the presence of the animal within a predetermined range of the door and also the animal's identification number. Detection circuitry adjacent the door detects the presence of the animal by a proximity sensor and the identity of the animal through a transmitted code.

Abstract: A wireless phone based system to accommodate users of wireless phones for providing information as to the location of certain services such as gasoline stations, movie theatres, drug stores, etc., includes the utilization of a GPS receiver and a wireless phone, with the wireless phone adapted to call a predetermined number requesting the desired service and providing the location of the cellular phone. In one embodiment, the GPS receiver is co-located with the wireless phone in a car, with the wireless phone being carried in a handsfree cradle having a number of service-request buttons, such that depression of a service-request button activates the wireless phone through its bus structure to call a predetermined number and provide the identity of the caller along with the caller's location.

Abstract: A wireless phone based system to accommodate users of wireless phones for providing information as to the location of Certain services such as gasoline stations, movie theatres, drug stores, etc., includes the utilization of a GPS receiver and a wireless phone, with the wireless, phone adapted to call a predetermined number requesting the desired service and providing the location of the cellular phone. In one embodiment, the GPS receiver is co-located with the wireless phone in a car, with the wireless phone being carried in a handsfree cradle having a number of service-request buttons, such that depression of a service-request button activates the wireless phone through its bus structure to call a predetermined number and provide the identity of the caller along with the caller's location.

Abstract: An audio coupling is provided between a location reporting unit and the microphone of a wireless phone in which location information is provided either by synthesized voice and/or DTMF tones through the audio coupling to the microphone such that the location of the wireless phone can be broadcast on the normal voice channel to a dispatch operation such as a Public Safety Answering Point or to a location-based service provider. The subject interface makes possible the adaptation of any wireless phone to provide location-based information without change to the wireless phone and without any additional infrastructure for the wireless network. The utilization of synthesized speech and/or DTMF tones over the voice channel provides a universality for the system, which can be utilized anywhere where there is both wireless and GPS satellite coverage.

Abstract: In a wireless transceiver in which digital data is to be transmitted over a wireless network, digital data such as from a GPS receiver is encoded by a synthetic speech synthesizer, which generates DTMF tones that are injected into the audio channel. For digital wireless phones in which audio signals are digitized via compression and expansion, the utilization of the speech synthesizer provides tones of such clarity and purity that they are unaffected during the compression and expansion process.

Abstract: A GPS receiver is mounted within a wireless handset in which the GPS receiver is spaced from a phone motherboard carrying a transmit section, with shielding interposed between the GPS receiver and the phone motherboard for suppressing radiation which interferes with the proper operation of the GPS receiver. The result is that the GPS receiver is not mounted to the phone motherboard but rather is spaced from one side thereof, with the receiver, in one embodiment, being placed in a shielded housing so as to form a Faraday cage around the GPS receiver. In order to further minimize interference between the radiation from the transmit section of the phone motherboard and the GPS receiver, a GPS antenna is utilized which has a two or three pole filter and a low noise amplifier tuned to reject the interfering radiation from the phone motherboard and in one embodiment is provided with a semi-rigid coaxial cable to prevent interfering radiation from entering the GPS receiver through the coaxial cable.

Abstract: A wireless phone is provided with a GPS receiver and a system which is utilized to report the local position of the wireless phone either prior or during to the time of a telephone placed wager, in which the geographic coordinates of the phone are transmitted to the sports bet for verification that the wager is being placed within the geographic limits of the wagering authority. In one embodiment spoofing of the system is prevented by having the wireless phone report the time since last fix such that an individual within the wagering authority's jurisdiction cannot remove himself from the jurisdiction with the location having been remembered, with the wager taking entity processing as valid only those geographic coordinates having a time since last fix of, for instance, ten minutes. Anything over this predetermined limit is determined to be an invalid wager.

Abstract: The control of a wireless phone from a universal module having a predetermined serial output stream is provided to a minicompiler or microprocessor which compiles the output from the module into a form compatible with an existing wireless phone, either by converting the predetermined format into one acceptable to the phone or by providing that the serial data be transformed into switch closure signals which are directly coupled to the keypad of the phone. In this manner a module such as a GPS-based locator system may be utilized to control the phone to dial a particular phone number and to provide the GPS data either by directly controlling the data transfer mechanism within the wireless phone or by actuating the key switches to dial the particular phone number and to then provide the location information via switch activations.

Abstract: An infrastructureless system is provided for automatically providing the telephone number of the phone making an emergency call by utilizing a synthetic voice announcement of the phone number during the emergency transmission from the phone, thereby to eliminate infrastructure involved in providing the telephone number to the recipient of the emergency call.

Abstract: In a wireless emergency location system in which a cellular phone is utilized to communicate the location of an individual or vehicle by announcing position based on the output of a GPS receiver, time since last fix is computed and annunciated to permit emergency personnel to ascertain if the position information is valid. In a one embodiment, velocity and direction of travel are also annunciated for permitting emergency personnel to calculate the location of the phone and thus a stricken individual. Time since last fix as well as velocity and direction annunciation is also used to enable location of stolen or hijacked vehicles assuming location information is no longer available at the phone or satellite fix has been lost.

Abstract: An Emergency Vessel Location System (EVLS) which broadcasts a verbal MAYDAY message including the vessel or vehicle identification number (VIN) and the vessel position via a transceiver controlled by the EVLS is provided with a verbal scrolling technique to initially load a VIN number into the EVLS. The verbal scroll entails annunciating letters of the alphabet and then numbers one at a time. In one embodiment programming is performed by two switches, one a TEST switch on the microphone, although any two switches may be used singly and in combination to enter the VIN. One switch is used to advance the scroll, while the other is used to select an entry.

Abstract: A system is provided for enhancing the reliability of rescue services by providing a 911 back-up system in which the termination of an emergency call is sensed followed by dialing the telephone number of a predetermined dispatch office, with the dispatch office providing a call back to the nearest PSAP to ascertain whether or not rescue is on the way. In one embodiment for cellular phone applications, termination of the emergency call is sensed by detecting the call-in-progress flag available on the phone's bus. In another embodiment, the originating phone transmits the telephone number of the originating phone to permit personnel at the dispatch office to call the originating phone back to ascertain the nature of the problem and if dispatched help has arrived.

Abstract: A cellular phone based emergency vessel/vehicle location system which includes a navigation unit to determine position and speech synthesis to modulate a transmitter with the emergency message includes a combined dialer and activation detector, in which activation may either be from the cellular phone keypad or from a panic button, a Lojack/hijack sensor, a car theft alarm, airbag deployment, a man down sensor, or other form of remote activation. Upon activation, the activation detector/dialer causes DTMF tones to be generated for telephone number dialing. After dialing, the transmitter for the transceiver is modulated with the emergency message in natural speech. In one embodiment, the dialer and activation detector is actuated from the keypad of the cellular phone, such as 911, *CG, *SP or other predetermined activation code.

Abstract: A knotmeter impeller eliminator system is provided which includes a circuit that simulates the pulsed output of an impeller-type transducer system by generating pulses having a pulse repetition rate corresponding to speed, with the speed being derived from a navigation unit such as a LORAN, GPS, SAT/NAV or OMEGA unit which provides as an output thereof a standardized NMEA 0183 coded signal corresponding to calculated speed. In one embodiment, a switching system is provided which switches the knotmeter input between either the impeller output or the simulated output to provide a speed indication regardless of whether or not the impeller is jammed by seaweed, eel grass, or other debris.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for extending the range of portable RF transceivers and for providing a select-call system includes a hybrid remote control system to extend the range of a portable transceiver and to permit the operator of a vessel or vehicle to communicate hands-free through the utilization of his own full power base station and antenna, in which a modified full duplex system is used to control transmit and receive cycles from the portable unit so that the system can operate regardless of interference on the channel to which the base station is timed. Also provided is a selective calling system in which a recipient's transceiver is turned on by the transmitting transceiver through punching in the recipient's call letters or at least its address. As an added feature, the transmitting station automatically transmits its own call letters which are displayed at recipient's receiver. This system thereby quiets all receivers until the particular transceiver is digitally addressed.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for extending the range of portable RF transceivers and for providing a select-call system includes a hybrid remote control system to extend the range of a portable transceiver and to permit the operator of a vessel or vehicle to communicate hands-free through the utilization of his own full power base station and antenna, in which a modified full duplex system is used to control transmit and receive cycles from the portable unit so that the system can operate regardless of interference on the channel to which the base station is timed. Also provided is a selective calling system in which a recipient's transceiver is turned on by the transmitting transceiver through punching in the recipient's call letters or at least its address. As an added feature, the transmitting station automatically transmits its own call letters which are displayed at recipient's receiver. This system thereby quiets all receivers until the particular transceiver is digitally addressed.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is provided for alerting the operator of a vehicle as to the distance from the rear of the vehicle to a structure such as a loading dock to which the vehicle is being backed through the utilization of sonar ranging and means for converting a detected range into an audible call out of the distance from the back of the vehicle to the structure to which the vehicle is being backed. In one embodiment the talking unit is activated upon the placing of the vehicle in reverse gear. When used on trucks, the transducer is removably mountable to the rear of the truck, with a transmission line lead to the cab of the truck. In the preferred embodiment, a 50 kH.sub.

Abstract: A system is provided for the detection of an unsuitable water condition in which either large globules of solid material or bait fish suspended in the water beneath a vessel adjacent the hull of the vessel are detected and the associated depth sounding device is inhibited from providing a depth output. This eliminates the display or annunciation of erratic depth data, or the use of erratic data for closed or open loop control systems. In one embodiment, the unsuitable water condition is sensed through the detection of returns in a short water column adjacent the hull. In a further embodiment, returns from the water column coupled with receiver gain being open above a predetermined threshold provide the indication of the presence of the unsuitable water condition.

Abstract: Acoustic delay means are interposed between the face of a transducer and the bottom of a vessel, with the delay being equal to or greater than the shallowest depth the associated depth sounder capable of, whereby subtracting out the depth associated with the acoustic delay, the water under the vessel can be measured down to zero feet. In a preferred embodiment, a water column is utilized as the delay media, with the transducer being mounted at the top of the water column and with the water column being terminated at the bottom of the boat. The transducer pulses are projected through the water/hull/water interface to the water beneath the vessel. For digital depth sounders, the depth associated with the water column may be subtracted out to give the zero reading.

Abstract: An omega, loran or satellite navigation receiver is provided with a speech synthesizer coupled to its latitude/longitude output which is in turn coupled to a transmitter which transmits the latitude and longitude along with a "mayday" indication on an emergency channel when an emergency button is depressed on the unit. The emergency button turns the power on for the navigation unit and bypasses all functions except those relating to the production of a lat./lon. signal. The emergency button also activates the synthesizer after determining that the navigation unit has obtained lock. Upon the obtaining of lock a repeat timer produces repeated dump pulses to the speech synthesizer which modulates the transmitter to transmit the "mayday" indication plus an indication of the latitude and longitude of the vessel. As an option, the vessel name, type and color may be entered into a memory for the speech synthesizer so that the identity of the vessel and its type and color may be ascertained.