Monitoring tag with removal detection

DETAILED DESCRIPTION According to one embodiment of the present invention, a tag is provided for being secured near a surface of an object to be monitored for use in determining whether the object is physically within an area being monitored by a remote monitoring system.
The tag includes electromagnetic or optical means for sensing when the tag is being held near the surface of the object and means for periodically transmitting status messages to the monitoring system, which messages permit the monitoring system to determine whether the tag has determined that it is being held near the surface of the object and whether the tag is within the area being monitored by the system.
In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, a tag for being secured near a skin surface of a warm-blooded animal and for use in determining whether the animal is within an area monitored by a monitoring system is provided.
The tag of this embodiment of the present invention essentially comprises means for sensing the temperature near the tag and for determining based upon the sensed temperature whether said tag is near the skin surface.
Also in this embodiment, means are provided for periodically transmitting status messages to the remote monitoring system.
The status messages permit the monitoring system to determine whether the tag is near the skin surface and whether the tag is within the area being monitored.
Advantageously, the tag of the present invention does not suffer from the aforesaid and/or other disadvantages of the prior art.
Specifically, the tag of the present invention permits the remote monitoring system to determine whether the tag is being held near the object whose location is being monitored, but does not require transmission of electrical energy through the object to do so.
These and other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent as the following Detailed Discussion proceeds and upon reference to the Drawings, in which like numerals depict like parts, and wherein: