Method and apparatus for detecting portable electronic device functionality
First Claim
1. A method for detecting the functionality of an electronic device comprising the steps of:
- providing a trigger on an electronic device, wherein the trigger identifies the functionality of the electronic device;
detecting the trigger; and
identifying the functionality of the electronic device based on the detected trigger.
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Abstract
The present invention is a method and apparatus for the detection of portable electronic device functionality. In a preferred embodiment, the present invention includes a chemically coated antenna to serve as a trigger for device functionality detection. The chemically coated antenna may be passively or actively detected. In active detection, a detection apparatus releases a chemical which reacts or otherwise respods with the chemical trigger in a detectable manner. The detection apparatus detects the reaction, which is specific to the functionality of the portable electronic device. In passive detection, a detection device simply detects the chemical trigger, which is specific to the portable electronic device functionality. Other trigger embodiments utilizing optics, radio frequency (RF) signals, sound waves, and magnetic identification are also disclosed.
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Citations
28 Claims
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1. A method for detecting the functionality of an electronic device comprising the steps of:
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providing a trigger on an electronic device, wherein the trigger identifies the functionality of the electronic device;
detecting the trigger; and
identifying the functionality of the electronic device based on the detected trigger. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method for detecting the functionality of an electronic device comprising the steps of:
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providing a trigger on an electronic device, wherein the trigger identifies the functionality of the electronic device when activated;
activating the trigger to create a response;
detecting the response of the activated trigger; and
identifying the functionality of the electronic device based on the detected response. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. An apparatus for detecting the functionality of an electronic device, wherein the electronic device includes a trigger, the apparatus comprising:
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an activator for activating the trigger of the portable electronic device;
a sensor for detecting the activation of the trigger and identifying the functionality of the electronic device;
a database for storing a mapping of triggers and electronic device functionality;
an interface for outputting the functionality of the portable electronic device; and
a controller for controlling the activator, sensor, database, and interface. - View Dependent Claims (27)
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28. A method for determining whether the functionality of an electronic device is permitted in a protected area, the method comprising the steps of:
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a. creating a checklist of each identified functionality of a portable electronic device;
b. determining whether the functionality is permitted in a protected area;
c. determining whether the functionality is restricted in the protected area;
d. repeating steps (b) and (c) for every identified functionality of the electronic device;
e. determining whether any combination of functionality is restricted in the protected area; and
f. setting an alert flag indicating the electronic device includes restricted functionality.
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Specification