Abstract: To provide a selective radio paging receiver which can receives timely and efficiently even under heavy traffic the service information which include vast amount of data. The selective radio paging receiver of the present invention comprises a receiving unit for receiving selective radio paging signal, a user operation unit for accepting operations by a user, an analyzing unit for analyzing the received signal, a memory for storing temporarily the information which was divided at the time of transmission, an assembling unit for assembling the divided information, a man-machine interface for analyzing the operation information, and a display unit for displaying the output of man-machine interface.

Abstract: A vehicle status device and system for remotely updating and monitoring the status of a vehicle. The vehicle status device is located in a vehicle and reports status information for the vehicle and an owner to an interrogating unit. The device includes a database of status information for the vehicle and owner. An update receiver in the device receives updated information from a wide area paging network for storage in the database. An interrogation receiver receives an interrogation signal from the interrogating unit, and a response transmitter transmits encoded status information, including a vehicle identification (VID), to the interrogating unit in response. The updating and monitoring system also includes an interrogating unit which includes an interrogation transmitter for transmitting the interrogation signal to the vehicle status device, and a response receiver for receiving the encoded status information from the vehicle status device.

Abstract: A waiter paging system is provided for use in a restaurant. The system includes a plurality of table transmitters (there being one transmitter at each table) which transmit a “waiter call” signal and a plurality of pager units (there being one pager unit for each waiter). The pager unit notifies the waiter via a vibrator or buzzer that a request has been received and displays the request. In one embodiment, the system includes a central unit which receives the “waiter call” signal from the table transmitter and which effectively relays the “waiter call” signal to the pager units. In a second embodiment, there is no central unit. Rather, the waiter pager units receive the “waiter call” signal directly from the table transmitters. Each pager unit is associated with a set of tables (and hence table transmitters), each set of tables being fewer than all the tables in the restaurant.

Abstract: A vehicle status device and system for remotely updating and locally indicating the status of a vehicle. The vehicle status device is located in a vehicle and indicates status information for the vehicle on a vehicle-status indicator on the vehicle when the device is interrogated by an interrogating unit. The device includes a database of status information for the vehicle and owner. An update receiver in the device receives encoded updated information from a wide area paging network for storage in the database. An interrogation receiver receives an interrogation signal from the interrogating unit, and a processor decodes the status information and sends it to the status indicator in response. The system also includes an interrogating unit which includes a police radar transmitter or a laser transmitter for transmitting the interrogation signal to the vehicle status device. The status indicator includes a set of summary status lights and may also include an LCD display for detailed status information.

Abstract: A system for identifying multiple electronic tags that include a plurality of electronic tags attachable to a single object, each electronic tag having a unique identifier. One or more electronic tag readers are configured to read the unique identifier of each electronic tag within the non-overlapping readable region, and a computing system is connected to the electronic tag reader to provide digital services in response to reading the unique identifier of each electronic tag.

Abstract: A method of and system for conducting a hunting tournament or contest. Passive transponders are inserted subcutaneously into the game to be harvested. Tagged animals are released back into their natural habitat. The hunting portion of the tournament is conducted. Animals harvested during the hunting tournament are brought in and scanned. The passive transponder, if present, responds to the scanning by transmitting an identification code. The code transmitted by the passive transponder is used to determine the prize the hunter is awarded. Hunter identification tags can be distributed to all participants in the hunting tournament and be used to tag the harvested animal. The passive transponder can be constructed to respond only to a particular scanning device.

Abstract: The response of an object to a single time-varying magnetic field is sensed to determine object position and/or manipulation on a horizontal or vertical surface. A time-varying interrogation signal, which interacts with tags disposed on the surface, is read by an array of sensing coils. Control circuitry receives signals from the sensing coils representing this interaction and, based thereon, determines the identity, position, and manipulation of each of the objects based on the sensed signals and the known positions of the sensing coils. Feedback to the user can be provided in the form of a localized output (e.g. light, sound, heat, etc.) physically coincident with the object.

Abstract: A radio frequency (RF) sync pulse is transmitted throughout a building having a plurality of rooms to be traversed by a plurality of players during, for example, an assault training exercise. Ultra-sound pulses are transmitted from fixed piezoelectric transducers mounted at each corner of each room. The ultra-sound pulses with encoded room identity information are generated in a predetermined timed sequence by different ultra-sound transducers after each RF sync pulse. Each player carries an RF receiver for receiving the RF sync pulses. Each player also carries multiple microphones for receiving the ultra-sound pulses transmitted in a room in which the player is currently located. Timing circuitry carried by each player generates signals representative of the delays between each RF sync pulse and the receipt of each of the ultra-sound pulses sequentially received thereafter.

Abstract: An emergency locator system (10) for firefighters (100) including a first housing unit (11) carried by a firefighter and containing a global positioning receiver unit (12), a memory unit (13), and a data transmitting unit (13) which communicates continuous positional data relative to the location of the first housing unit (11) to a central processing unit (15) that can store, retrieve, and transfer the positional data from the first housing unit (11) to a second housing unit (11′) that includes at least a memory unit (60) that is associated with an LED array (40) having directional arrow icons (45) that are activated by the transferred positional data from the first housing unit (11) to permit rescuers to retrace the path of travel of the first housing unit (11) by using the second housing unit (11′) to locate a disabled firefighter.

Abstract: A transponder communication device interrogates an operational test transponder that is permanently within a receiving range of the transponder communication device. In response thereto, the operational test transponder sends operational test information to the transponder communication device. The transponder communication device checks whether received operational test information is valid, and generates an error signal if the received operational test information is invalid.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is used to of validate a vehicle identification number (VIN). At least a first VIN having a plurality of characters in a plurality of positions is received. At least a first character in a first position of the first VIN to inspected to determine if the first character is included in a first set of valid characters. The first character is identified as being in error when the first character is not in the first set of valid characters. The first character is replaced with a substitute character.

Abstract: A system for identifying multiple electronic tags that include a plurality of electronic tags attachable to a single object, each electronic tag having a unique identifier. One or more electronic tag readers are configured to read the unique identifier of each electronic tag within the non-overlapping readable region, and a computing system is connected to the electronic tag reader to provide digital services in response to reading the unique identifier of each electronic tag.

Abstract: The invention describes a turn-on delay device (10) for a visual display unit (14) which can be placed into an idle state by disabling at least one signal (H-SYNC IN, V-SYNC IN) controlling the visual display unit (14). The turn-on delay device contains, amongst other things, a disabling device (42, 44, 46) which disables the signal (H-SYNC IN, V-SYNC IN) for a predetermined delay period. When the delay period has elapsed, the signal (H-SYNC IN, V-SYNC IN) is supplied to the visual display unit (14).