Alarm system for a portable device

• US 20040178907A1
• Filed: 01/13/2004
• Published: 09/16/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/13/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Juan Carlos Cordoba
• Original Assignee: Juan Carlos Cordoba
• Inventors: Cordoba, Juan Carlos
• Granted Patent: US 7,009,512 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/539.21
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1427 with transmitter-receiver for distance detection
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0213 System disabling if a separation threshold is exceeded disabling electrical appliances in case of unplugging G08B13/1409
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0216 Alarm cancellation after generation

Abstract

The present invention relates to an alarm system (10) for preventing loss or theft of a portable and/or movable device (14; 12). The alarm system (10) comprises a first portable and/or movable device 814) provided with a first communication means (18) operable to communicate wireless with another communication means, a second portable and/or movable device (12) provided with a second communication means 816) operable to communicate wireless with another com-munication means. At least one of said first and second communication means (18, 16) is configured to generate an alarm signal when a distance (D) between said first and second communication means (18, 16) exceeds a predetermined distance (d).

Claims

1. An alarm system (10) for preventing loss or theft of a portable and/or movable device (14;

12), wherein the alarm system (10) comprises a first portable and/or movable device (14) provided with functionalities of a first communication means (18) operable to communicate wireless with another communication means, a second portable and/or movable device (12) provided with a second communication means (16) operable to communicate wireless with another communication means, wherein at least one of said first and second communication means (18, 16) is configured to generate an alarm signal when a distance (D) between said first and second communication means (18, 16) exceeds a predetermined distance (d).

2. An alarm system (10) for preventing loss or theft of a portable and/or movable device (14;

12) according to claim 1, characterized in that at least one of said first and second communication means (18, 16) is configured to stop said alarm signal when the distance (D) between said first and second communication means (18, 16) decreases and falls below said predetermined distance (d).

3. An alarm system (10) for preventing loss or theft of a portable and/or movable device (14;

12) according to claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that at least one of said first and second portable and/or movable device (14, 12) also comprises a locking means (20) operable to lock said at least one portable and/or movable device (14, 12) when said alarm signal is trigged.

4. An alarm system (10) for preventing loss or theft of a portable and/or movable device (14;

12) according to claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that at least one of said first and second portable and/or movable device (14, 12) being made non-functional when said alarm signal is trigged.

5. An alarm system (10) for preventing loss or theft of a portable and/or movable device (14;

12) according to any one of claims 1-4, characterized in that at least one of said first and second communication means (18, 16) is a chip (18, 16).

6. An alarm system (10) for preventing loss or theft of a portable and/or movable device (14;

12) according to claim 5, characterized in that each said chip (18, 16) comprises a radio transmitting and receiving device using low power.

7. An alarm system (10) for preventing loss or theft of a portable and/or movable device (14;

12) according to any one of claims 1-6, characterized in that a current position of at least one of said first and second portable and/or movable device (14, 12) is determined with the aid of said communication means (18, 16) and a GPS system.

8. An alarm system (10) for preventing loss or theft of a portable and/or movable device (14;

12) according to any one of claims 1-7, characterized in that each of said first and second portable and/or movable device (14, 12) can be in the form of a mobile telephone, a mobile communicator, a personal digital assistant, a handheld computer, a portable computer, a wallet, a tag or a suitcase.

9. An alarm system (10) for preventing loss or theft of a portable and/or movable device (14;

12) according to any one of claims 1-8, characterized in that said predetermined distance (d) can be adjusted.

10. An alarm system (10) for preventing loss or theft of a portable and/or movable device (14;

12) according to any one of claims 1-9, characterized in that said alarm signal is in the form of a sound alarm signal, a visual alarm signal, or a vibration alarm signal, or an optional combination of the above mentioned signals.

11. An alarm system (10) for preventing loss or theft of a portable and/or movable device (14;

12) according to any one of claims 1-10, characterized in that one of said portable and/or movable device (14, 12) is mounted into a vehicle, and in that said device (14;

12) disables the electrical system in said vehicle when said alarm signal being trigged.

12. An alarm system (10) for preventing loss or theft of a portable and/or movable device (14;

12) according to any one of claims 1-10, characterized in that one of said portable and/or movable device (12, 14) is a wallet, and the other portable and/or movable device (12, 14) is a mobile telephone, the mobile telephone (12;

14) will send a message, like an SMS, a voice message, an EMS, an MMS or similar, to e.g. a bank to stop a credit card, when said alarm signal being rigged.

13. A method for preventing loss or theft of a portable and/or movable device (14;

12) with the aid of an alarm system (10), comprising a first portable and/or movable device (14) provided with functionalities of a first communication means (18) operable to communicate wireless with another communication means, a second portable and/or movable device (12) provided with a second communication means (16) operable to communicate wireless with another communication means, wherein the method comprises the steps of;

to establish wireless communication between said first and second communication means (18, 16);

to continuously determine a distance (D) between said first and second communication means (18, 16); and

to generate an alarm signal when said distance (D) exceeds a predetermined distance (d).

14. A method for preventing loss or theft of a portable and/or movable device (14;

12) according to claim 13, characterized in that said method also comprises the step;

to stop said alarm signal when said distance (D) between said first and second communication means (18, 16) decreases and falls below said predetermined distance (d).

15. A method for preventing loss or theft of a portable and/or movable device (14;

12) according to claim 13 or claim 14, characterized in that said method also comprises the step;

to lock said at least one portable and/or movable device (14, 12) when said alarm signal being trigged.

16. A method for preventing loss or theft of a portable and/or movable device (14;

12) according to claim 13 or claim 14, characterized in that said method also comprises the step;

to make at least one of said first and second portable and/or movable device (14, 12) non-functional when said alarm signal being trigged.

17. A method for preventing loss or theft of a portable and/or movable device (14;

12) according to claims 13-16, characterized in that each of said first and second communication means (18,16) is a chip (18, 16).

18. A method for preventing loss or theft of a portable and/or movable device (14;

12) according to claim 17, characterized in that said wireless communication is performed by a radio transmitting and receiving device using low power comprised in each said chip (18, 16).

19. A method for preventing loss or theft of a portable and/or movable device (14;

12) according to anyone of claims 13-18, characterized in that said method comprises the step;

to determine a current position of at least one of said first and second portable and/or movable device (14, 12) with the aid of said communication means (18, 16) and a GPS system.

20. A method for preventing loss or theft of a portable and/or movable device (14;

12) according to anyone of claims 13-19, characterized in that each of said portable and/or movable device (14;

12) can be in the form of a mobile telephone, a mobile communicator, a personal digital assistant, a handheld computer, a portable computer, a wallet, a tag or a suitcase.

21. A method for preventing loss or theft of a portable and/or movable device (14;

12) according to anyone of claims 13-20, characterized in that said method also comprises the step;

to adjust said predetermined distance (d).

22. A method for preventing loss or theft of a portable and/or movable device (14;

12) according to anyone of claims 13-21, characterized in that said alarm signal is in the form of a sound alarm signal, a visual alarm signal, or a vibration alarm signal, or an optional combination of the above mentioned signals.

23. A method for preventing loss or theft of a portable and/or movable device (14;

12) according to anyone of claims 13-22, characterized in that one of said portable and/or movable devices (14;

12) is mounted into a vehicle, wherein the method also comprises the step;

to disable the electrical system in said vehicle when said alarm signal being trigged.

24. A method for preventing loss or theft of a portable and/or movable device (14;

12) according to anyone of claims 13-22, characterized in that one of said portable and/or movable devices (14;

12) is a wallet, and the other portable and/or movable device (12;

14) is a mobile telephone, the method also comprises the step;

he mobile telephone (12;

14) will send a message, like an SMS, a voice message, an SMS, an MMS or similar, to e.g. a bank to stop a credit card, when said alarm signal being trigged.

25. At least one computer program product (102₁, . . . , 102_n) directly loadable into the internal memory of at least one digital computer (100₁, . . . , 100_n), comprising software code portions for performing the steps of claim 13 when said at least one product (102₁, . . . , 102_n) is/are run on said at least one computer (100₁, . . . , 100_n).