Method and system for securing an electronic device

• US 20050134431A1
• Filed: 12/16/2004
• Published: 06/23/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Daedalus Blue LLC
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Seuron, Georges, Perez-Garcia, Fernando
• Granted Patent: US 7,289,025 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/7.200
• 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 21/0277 Communication between units on a local network, e.g. Bluetooth, piconet, zigbee, Wireless Personal Area Networks [WPAN]

Abstract

A security control system secures electronic devices. The electronic devices communicate wirelessly with the security control system. The security control system can be used to define an authorized wireless communication area for the electronic devices. On a regular basis, the security control system checks the presence of the electronic devices within the authorized wireless communication area. If an electronic device is removed from wireless communication without a deconnection request, an alarm is sounded.

Claims

1. A method for securing an electronic device having first wireless communication means to communicate with a security control device, said security control device having second wireless communication means to define a wireless communication area, said method comprising the steps of:

creating a control information shared between said electronic device and said security control device;

checking for the presence of said electronic device within said wireless communication area by using said control information during a wireless communication between said first and said second wireless communication means; and

launching an alarm process if no control information is received by said security control device during said checking step.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein said creating step includes a step of assigning a user password to said electronic device.

3. The method according to claim 1 wherein said checking step includes a step of requesting said electronic device to answer to said security device at regular time intervals.

4. The method according to claim 1 further comprising a step of determining an arrival of said electronic device within said wireless communication area before said creating step.

5. The method according to claim 1 wherein said launching step includes a step of starting an audible or visible alert.

6. The method according to claim 1 further comprising a second security control device having third wireless communication means to define a second wireless communication area, wherein said method includes a step of checking for the presence of said electronic device within said second wireless communication area before said launching step.

7. The method according to claim 1 wherein said second wireless communication means is Bluetooth technology compliant.

8. The method according to claim 1 wherein said first and said second wireless communication means are Bluetooth technology compliant.

9. The method according to claim 7 wherein said checking step includes a step of issuing a Bluetooth Paging command to said electronic device at regular time intervals.

10. The method according to claim 4 where said determining step includes a step of issuing a Bluetooth Inquiry command.

11. The method according to claim 1 wherein said security control device is selected from the group consisting of mobile telephones, pagers, personal data assistants, laptop computers and personal computers.

12. The method according to claim 1 wherein said electronic device is selected from the group consisting of mobile telephones, pagers, personal data assistants, laptop computers and personal computers.

13. A security system for securing an electronic device having first wireless communication means to communicate with a security control device, said security control device having second wireless communication means to define a wireless communication area, said security system comprising:

means for creating a control information shared between said electronic device and said security control device;

means for checking for the presence of said electronic device within said wireless communication area by using said control information during a wireless communication between said first and said second wireless communication means; and

means for launching an alarm process if no control information is received by said security control device during said checking.

14. A computer program product to secure an electronic device having first wireless communication means to communicate with a security control device, said security control device having second wireless communication means to define a wireless communication area, said computer program product comprising:

a computer readable medium;

first program instructions to create a control information shared between said electronic device and said security control device;

second program instructions for checking for the presence of said electronic device within said wireless communication area by using said control information during a wireless communication between said first and second wireless communication means; and

third program instructions to launch an alarm process if no control information is received by said security control device during said checking; and

wherein said first, second and third instructions are recorded on said medium.