Anti-theft device for computer apparatus and a method for protecting computer apparatus thereby

• US 20050033546A1
• Filed: 07/22/2003
• Published: 02/10/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Godo Kaisha IP Bridge 1 (IP Bridge, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Asahi Matsushita Electric Works Ltd. (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Yamamoto, Masahiro, Ogi, Kazufumi, Hamaguchi, Hideshi, Yoneyama, Kenichi
• Granted Patent: US 7,305,714 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/141
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/88 Detecting or preventing theft or loss
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1409 for removal detection of electrical appliances by detecting their physical disconnection from an electrical system, e.g. using a switch incorporated in the plug connector
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1436 with motion detection
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/20 Attack-actuated defeating mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/5004 For antitheft signaling device on protected article
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/5009 For portable articles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/5049 Attache or briefcase, portfolio
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/8027 Condition indicators

Abstract

An anti-theft device for a computer device, including a main body having at least one protrusion portion which protrudes from the computer device when the body is connected to the computer device, an acceleration sensor provided in the main body and configured to detect impact, a detection processing unit positioned in the main body and configured to output a signal based on the impact detected by the acceleration sensor, a first memory unit including a driver program which facilitates communication between the detection processing unit and the personal computer, a program transfer unit which temporarily installs the driver program in the computer device, a connector configured to attach the body to the computer device and facilitate electrical connection between the computer device and detection processing unit, and an indicator configured to provide indication according to the signal.

Claims

1. An anti-theft device for a computer device, comprising:

a main body having at least one protrusion portion which protrudes from the computer device when the body is connected to the computer device;

an acceleration sensor provided in the main body and configured to detect impact;

a detection processing unit positioned in the main body and configured to output a signal based on the impact detected by the acceleration sensor;

a first memory unit including a driver program which facilitates communication between the detection processing unit and the computer device;

a program transfer unit which temporarily installs the driver program in the computer device;

a connector configured to attach the body to the computer device and facilitate electrical connection between the computer device and detection processing unit; and

an indicator configured to provide indication according to the signal and positioned on the body.

2. The anti-theft device according to claim 1, wherein the acceleration sensor comprises a three-axis acceleration sensor.

3. The anti-theft device according to claim 1, wherein the indicator comprises a light emitting device configured to emit visible light and is positioned on the at least one protrusion portion of the main body.

4. The anti-theft device according to claim 3, wherein the light emitting device is configured to change a flashing pattern of the visible light being emitted based on the signal output by the detection processing unit according to an intensity of the impact.

5. The anti-theft device according to claim 3, wherein the light emitting device comprises at least one LED.

6. The anti-theft device according to claim 1, wherein the indicator comprises a sound generating device configured to generate audible sound.

7. The anti-theft device according to claim 6, wherein the sound generating device is configured to change a volume of the audible sound being generated based on the signal output by the detection processing unit according to an intensity of the impact.

8. The anti-theft device according to claim 2, wherein the driver program includes an alarm indication program which indicates an alarm message on a display device of the computer device when the detection processing unit determines the impact constitutes a theft.

9. The anti-theft device according to claim 2, wherein the driver program is installed in a RAM unit in the computer device such that the driver program is automatically uninstalled from the computer device when the connector is disconnected from the computer device.

10. The anti-theft device according to claim 1, further comprising a second memory unit configured to store setting data which the driver program utilizes.

11. The anti-theft device according to claim 10, wherein the setting data include preference settings including at least one of a password, a set value for determining whether the impact constitutes a password to activate and deactivate a security operation, and at least one threshold value for determining whether the impact constitutes a theft.

12. The anti-theft device according to claim 2, wherein the driver program includes a network transmission program which sends out data through a network connection device in the computer device.

13. The anti-theft device according to claim 1, wherein the detection processing unit is configured to determine whether the impact constitute a certain touch pattern and switch a security operation between an activated state and a deactivated state when the certain touch pattern is detected.

14. The anti-theft device according to claim 1, wherein the connector is configured to be connected to a USB port.

15. The anti-theft device according to claim 1, wherein the connector is configured to be engaged into a PCMCIA card slot.

16. The anti-theft device according to claim 1, wherein the detection processing unit comprises an MPU, a flash memory, and a RAM.

17. The anti-theft device according to claim 1, wherein the detection processing unit is configured to perform comparative computation based on the impact and at least one threshold value and determine whether the impact constitute a theft.

18. The anti-theft device according to claim 1, wherein the indicator is configured to continuously provide a warning indication once the connector is connected to the computer device.

19. The anti-theft device according to claim 18, wherein the indicator is configured to provide the indication which is different from the warning indication when the detection processing unit determines that the impact constitutes a theft, and the detection processing unit is configured to instruct the computer device to issue a secondary indication using at least one hardware in the computer device.

20. An anti-theft device for a computer device, comprising:

detecting means for detecting impact;

detection processing means for outputting a signal based on the impact;

connecting means for facilitating electrical connection between the computer device and detection processing unit;

indicating means for providing indication according to the signal; and

a protrusion portion positioned to protrude from the computer device when the connection means is connected to the computer device,

wherein the indicating means is provided in the protrusion portion.

21. A method for protecting a computer device, comprising:

providing an anti-theft device including a main body having at least one protrusion portion which protrudes from the computer device when the body is connected to the computer device, an acceleration sensor provided in the main body and configured to detect impact, a detection processing unit positioned in the main body and configured to output a signal based on the impact detected by the acceleration sensor, a first memory unit including a driver program which facilitates communication between the detection processing unit and the computer device, a program transfer unit which temporarily installs the driver program in the computer device, a connector configured to attach the body to the computer device and facilitate electrical connection between the computer device and detection processing unit, and an indicator configured to provide indication according to the signal and positioned on the body;

attaching the anti-theft device to a computer device via the connector;

temporarily installing the driver program in the computer device by the program transfer unit; and

facilitating communication between the detection processing unit and the computer device by the driver program.