Acceleration-based theft detection system for portable electronic devices

• US 20050190059A1
• Filed: 03/01/2004
• Published: 09/01/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/01/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Computer Incorporated (Apple Inc.)
• Inventors: Wehrenberg, Paul J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,218,226 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/571
• 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: G08B 25/008 Alarm setting and unsetting, i.e. arming or disarming of the security system

Abstract

A theft prevention system for protecting portable electronic devices is disclosed. An acceleration sensor detects the acceleration of a portable electronic device, and a controller analyzes this acceleration to determine whether a theft condition is present. If so, an alarm can be initiated. The theft prevention system can include a filter for attenuating irrelevant acceleration frequencies and isolating those representative of theft, and comparison hardware/software for determining whether the detected acceleration matches a known acceleration profile characteristic of theft. Various parameters of the theft prevention system can also be set by a user through mechanisms such as a graphical user interface.

Claims

1. A theft prevention system for protecting a portable electronic device, comprising:

an acceleration sensor, an audio output device, and a controller operatively connected with the acceleration sensor and the audio output device, the acceleration sensor, the audio output, and the controller each being proximate to the portable electronic device, the acceleration sensor being configured to sense an acceleration of the portable electronic device and provide an acceleration signal to the controller upon detection of the acceleration, and the controller being configured to initiate the production of an alarm signal from the audio output based on the acceleration signal.

2. The theft prevention system of claim 1 wherein the controller further comprises a frequency filter electrically connected to the acceleration sensor, the frequency filter being a low-pass filter configured to attenuate frequencies of the acceleration signal characteristic of an impact upon the portable electronic device, so as to detect frequencies of the acceleration signal characteristic of movement of the portable electronic device.

3. The theft prevention system of claim 2 wherein the controller is further configured to initiate the production of the alarm signal upon detecting the frequencies of the acceleration signal characteristic of movement of the device.

4. The theft prevention system of claim 1 wherein the portable electronic device further includes a microprocessor operatively connected with the controller and the audio output, the controller configured to transmit to the microprocessor a theft detection signal in response to receiving the acceleration signal, the microprocessor configured to engage the audio output to produce the alarm signal in response to receipt of the theft detection signal.

5. The theft prevention system of claim 1 wherein the microprocessor is configured to enter a sleep mode so as to conserve electric power, and wherein the theft detection signal directs the microprocessor to awaken from the sleep mode so as to engage the audio output to produce the alarm signal.

6. The theft prevention system of claim 1 wherein the portable electronic device further comprises a visual output device operatively connected with the controller, the controller further configured to initiate the broadcast of a visual alarm message from the visual output device upon receiving the acceleration signal.

7. The theft prevention system of claim 6 wherein the controller is further configured to display a visual warning on the visual output device, the visual warning a warning against theft of the portable electronic device.

8. The theft prevention system of claim 6 wherein the controller is further configured to display a graphical user interface for a user of the portable electronic device to initiate or configure the detection of the acceleration.

9. A portable electronic device having a system for protecting against theft, comprising:

a housing of the portable electronic device;

an acceleration sensor proximate to the housing and configured to detect an acceleration of the portable electronic device;

an output device; and

a controller operatively connected with the acceleration sensor and configured to initiate the output of an alarm from the output device based on detection of the acceleration by the acceleration sensor.

10. The portable electronic device of claim 9 wherein the controller further comprises a frequency filter electrically connected to the acceleration sensor, the frequency filter a low-pass filter configured to attenuate frequencies of the acceleration characteristic of an impact upon the portable electronic device, and to pass frequencies of the acceleration characteristic of movement of the portable electronic device so as to detect theft of the portable electronic device.

11. The portable electronic device of claim 10 wherein the controller is further configured to initiate the output of the alarm upon detecting the frequencies of the acceleration characteristic of movement of the device.

12. The portable electronic device of claim 9 further including a microprocessor electrically connected to the controller and the output device, the controller configured to transmit to the microprocessor a theft detection signal in response to detection of the acceleration by the acceleration sensor, the microprocessor configured to engage the output device to output the alarm in response to receipt of the theft detection signal.

13. The portable electronic device of claim 9 wherein the microprocessor is configured to enter a sleep mode so as to conserve electric power, and wherein the theft detection signal directs the microprocessor to awaken from the sleep mode so as to engage the output device to output the alarm.

14. The portable electronic device of claim 9 wherein the output device is an audio output device proximate to the housing and operatively connected with the controller, the controller further configured to initiate the output of an audible alarm message from the audio output device upon detection of the acceleration by the acceleration sensor.

15. The portable electronic device of claim 9 wherein the output device is a visual output device proximate to the housing and operatively connected with the controller, the controller further configured to initiate the output of a visual alarm message from the visual output device upon detection of the acceleration by the acceleration sensor.

16. The portable electronic device of claim 15 wherein the controller is further configured to display a visual warning on the visual output device, the visual warning a warning against theft of the portable electronic device.

17. The portable electronic device of claim 15 wherein the controller is further configured to display a graphical user interface for a user of the portable electronic device to initiate or configure the detection of the acceleration.

18. The portable electronic device of claim 9 further including a microprocessor operatively connected with the acceleration sensor and the output device, wherein the microprocessor includes the controller.

19. A method of protecting a portable electronic device against theft, comprising:

monitoring the portable electronic device so as to generate an acceleration signal corresponding to an acceleration of the portable electronic device, the acceleration signal having frequency characteristics of movement of the portable electronic device;

filtering the acceleration signal so as to isolate the frequencies characteristic of movement of the device;

comparing the acceleration signal to a frequency profile so as to determine a metric measuring a correspondence between the frequency profile and the frequency characteristics of movement of the device; and

generating an alarm based upon the metric.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the generating further comprises generating an audible alarm.

21. The method of claim 19 wherein the generating further comprises generating a visual alarm.

22. The method of claim 19 further comprising displaying a visual warning against theft of the portable electronic device.

23. The method of claim 19 further comprising displaying a graphical user interface configured to allow a user of the portable electronic device to initiate or configure the monitoring.

24. The method of claim 19 further comprising updating the frequency profile from time to time.

25. A computer readable memory including at least computer instructions for directing an electronic system to provide theft protection, comprising:

a first set of computer instructions to acquire an acceleration signal corresponding to an acceleration of the electronic system, the acceleration signal having frequencies characteristic of movement of the device;

a second set of computer instructions to process the acceleration signal so as to isolate the frequencies characteristic of movement of the device;

a third set of computer instructions to compare the acceleration signal to a frequency profile so as to determine a metric measuring a correspondence between the frequency profile and the frequencies characteristic of movement of the device; and

a fourth set of computer instructions to initiate the production of an alarm based upon the metric.

26. The computer readable memory of claim 25 further comprising a fifth set of computer instructions to initiate the display of a graphical user interface configured to allow a user of the portable electronic device to initiate the execution of the first set of computer instructions.

27. The computer readable memory of claim 26 wherein the fifth set of computer instructions further includes computer instructions to initiate the display of a graphical user interface configured to allow the user to configure the fourth set of computer instructions to initiate the production of an audible alarm.

28. The computer readable memory of claim 26 wherein the fifth set of instructions further includes computer instructions to initiate the display of a graphical user interface configured to allow the user to configure the fourth set of computer instructions to initiate the production of an audible alarm at a specified volume.

29. The computer readable memory of claim 26 wherein the fifth set of computer instructions further includes computer instructions to initiate the display of a graphical user interface configured to allow the user to configure the fourth set of computer instructions to initiate the production of a visual alarm.

30. The computer readable memory of claim 26 wherein the fifth set of computer instructions further includes computer instructions to initiate the display of a graphical user interface configured to allow the user to specify a sensitivity level at which the acceleration signal is acquired.

31. The computer readable memory of claim 26 wherein the fifth set of computer instructions further includes computer instructions to initiate the display of a graphical user interface configured to allow the user to specify a visual warning message to be displayed by the portable electronic device.

32. The computer readable memory of claim 26 wherein the fifth set of computer instructions further includes computer instructions to initiate the display of a graphical user interface configured to allow the user to initiate the display of a reminder to initiate the execution of the first set of computer instructions.

33. The computer readable memory of claim 25 further comprising a fifth set of instructions to update the frequency profile.