Importance

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Abstract

Parking lots are divided into sections, and each section is equipped with a transmitter. Each transmitter broadcasts information about the location of the section, such as section identifier, level, parking lot address, parking lot GPS coordinates. Vehicles are equipped with small short-range transmitters. A transmitter senses the interior light turning on as the vehicle door opens, and transmits a short-range signal. Vehicle owners are provided with locator devices. When a vehicle is parked, the locator device receives a signal from the vehicle sensor. The locator then listens to the nearest parking lot transmitter and stores the message it receives. If the locator does not find any parking lot transmitter, the locator may determine the current GPS location and store it in memory. Upon receiving a user request for finding a parked vehicle, the locator looks at the last message stored in memory and displays the location message to the user. This message helps the user return to the parked vehicle. The locator may determine the user's current GPS location and compass direction, and display a pointer and distance to the parked vehicle location. The locator remains dormant until it senses the trigger event or until a user requests the location of the parked vehicle. As such, the functionality of the present invention is unobtrusive yet convenient.

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First Claim