Automobile lock and locate method and apparatus

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION FIG.
1 illustrates a remote transmitter and locator, or "lockator" operating in accordance with the present invention.
The remote lockator 100 is preferably attached through a chain 102 to a key 104 for starting the automobile.
Alternatively the key 104 and lockator 100 could be integrated or the mechanical key portion 104 and chain 102 eliminated.
The remote lockator has lock and unlock buttons 106 and 108 for locking and unlocking the automobile.
Pressing the lock button within the limited range between the automobile and remote lockator, the limited range may be as great as 30 meters or more, causes the automobile doors to lock.
Pressing the unlock button within the limited range causes the automobile doors to unlock.
Such locking and unlocking also causes the automobile to generate an audio and visual alert such as tooting the horn and flashing the lights.
Such locking and unlocking may also activate and deactivate, respectively, an automobile alarm system.
The remote lockator 100 also has a GPS receiver that, in response to pressing the lock button activates the GPS receiver and determines the location of the remote transmitter, which substantially corresponds to the stationary location of the vehicle.
This location is indicative of the location of the parked automobile.
Thus, the automobile is both locked and its location automatically determined by the single manual act of pressing of the lock button.
Since drivers are used to locking their automobiles after parking, coupling locking to location determination automatically facilitates determination of the location of the parked vehicle by the simple act of locking it.
Thus, the driver does not need to remember additional steps or operations to record the location of the parked vehicle other than the act of locking it.
Pressing the unlock button 108 with a second manual input causes transmission of the unlock signal to the automobile.
If the automobile is within the limited range, the vehicle unlocks and an audio/visual alert generated facilitating pinpoint location of the automobile