Apparatus and method for tamper detection of a mounted device

• US 10,403,103 B1
• Filed: 05/07/2018
• Issued: 09/03/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 05/07/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Kugler, Andrew, Parker, Ryan Michael, Willis, Edward Snow
• Primary Examiner(s): Hunnings, Travis R
• Application Number:
  US15/973,361
• Time in Patent Office: 484 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/08 by opening, e.g. of door, of window, of drawer, of shutter, of curtain, of blind
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 29/046 prevention of tampering with detection circuits

Abstract

A method and apparatus for determining tampering at a device coupled to a moveable object includes receiving a plurality of orientation states of the device, the plurality of orientation states measured by an orientation sensor, determining, based on the received orientation states, at least two expected orientation states, receiving a further orientation state of the device measured by the orientation sensor, in response to determining that the further orientation state differs from the at least two expected orientation states, generating a tamper alert.

Claims

1. A method for determining tampering at a device coupled to a moveable object comprising:

receiving a plurality of orientation states of the device, the plurality of orientation states measured by an orientation sensor;

determining, based on the received orientation states, at least two expected orientation states;

receiving a further orientation state of the device measured by the orientation sensor;

in response to determining that the further orientation state differs from the at least two expected orientation states, generating a tamper alert.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the moveable object is a roll-up door, and the at least two expected orientation states are a door-open orientation state and a door-closed orientation state corresponding to an open position and a closed position, respectively, of the roll-up door.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the moveable object is a crane arm, and the at least two expected orientation states are a lowered orientation state and an extended orientation state corresponding to a lower position and an extended position, respectively, of the crane arm.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein determining the at least two expected orientation states comprises determining the at least two most common orientation states from the received plurality of orientation states.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein determining the at least two expected orientation states further comprises determining that each of the at least two most common orientation states meets a threshold number.

6. The method according to claim 4, wherein determining the at least two expected orientation states is performed in response to the number of the received plurality of orientation states being at least a predetermined number.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the received plurality of orientation states are generated during a calibration process in which the orientation sensor measures, at least, a first expected orientation state when the moveable objection is in a first expected position and a second expected orientation state when the moveable object is in a second expected position, and wherein determining the at least two expected orientation states comprise setting the at least first expected orientation state and the second expected orientation state as the at least two expected orientation states.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the orientation state of the device is received in response to movement of the movable object.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein movement of the moveable object is movement that meets a threshold amount.

10. An apparatus for determining tampering at a device coupled to a moveable object comprising:

a processor in communication with an orientation sensor of the device, the processor configured to;

receive a plurality of orientation states of the device, the plurality of orientation states measured by an orientation sensor;

determine, based on the received orientation states, at least two expected orientation states;

receive a further orientation state of the device measured by the orientation sensor;

in response to determining that the further orientation state differs from the at least two expected orientation states, generate a tamper alert.

11. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the device is coupled to a door, and the at least two expected orientation states are a door-open orientation state and a door-closed orientation state corresponding to an open position and a closed position, respectively, of the roll-up door.

12. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the moveable object is a crane arm, and the at least two expected orientation states are a lowered orientation state and an extended orientation state corresponding to a lower position and an extended position, respectively, of the crane arm.

13. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the processor is configured to determine at least two expected orientation states by determining the at least two most common orientation states from the received plurality of orientation states.

14. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the processor is configured to determine at least two expected orientation states when each of the two most common orientation states meets a threshold number.

15. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the processor is configured to determine at least two expected orientation states in response to the number of the received plurality of orientation states being at least a predetermined number of orientation states.

16. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the received plurality of orientation states are generated during a calibration process in which the orientation sensor measures, at least, a first expected orientation state when the moveable objection is in a first expected position and a second expected orientation state when the moveable object is in a second expected position, and wherein determining the at least two expected orientation states comprise setting the at least first expected orientation state and the second expected orientation state as the at least two expected orientation states.

17. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the orientation state of the device is received in response to movement of the moveable object.

18. The apparatus according to claim 17, wherein movement of the moveable object is movement that meets a threshold amount.

19. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the apparatus is a server in communication with the device.