Protection against loss or theft of identification badges and other items

• US 20060267762A1
• Filed: 05/31/2005
• Published: 11/30/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Wilkin, George P., Jedlicka, Timothy E.
• Granted Patent: US 7,271,718 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/539.230
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1427 with transmitter-receiver for distance detection
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0255 System arrangements wherein the parent unit emits, i.e. the parent unit incorporates the emitter
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0275 Electronic Article Surveillance [EAS] tag technology used for parent or child unit, e.g. same transmission technology, magnetic tag, RF tag, RFID

Abstract

An exemplary electronic apparatus monitors whether a security badge remains within an area proximate to the electronic apparatus in order to protect against loss or theft of the badge especially when the user is away from the secure environment for which the badge facilitates access. A transmitter periodically transmits a poll signal intended for reception by an RFID module attached to the badge, the poll signal having a predetermined magnitude to limit the effective reception range of the poll signal to the proximate area. A receiver can receive a reply signal generated by the RFID module in response to receipt of the poll signal where the reply signal includes identification information that is unique to the electronic device. The received identification information is compared with first identification information stored in memory of the electronic apparatus to determine if the received identification information matches the first identification information. An alert is transmitted if the identification information is not received that matches the first identification information.

Claims

1. An electronic apparatus for monitoring whether an electronic device remains within an area proximate to the electronic apparatus, the electronic apparatus comprising:

a transmitter adapted to periodically transmit a poll signal intended for reception by the electronic device, the transmitter transmitting the poll signal with a predetermined magnitude to limit the effective reception range of the poll signal to said area;

a receiver adapted to receive a reply signal generated by the electronic device in response to receipt of the poll signal where the reply signal includes identification information that is unique to the electronic device;

means for comparing the received identification information with first identification information stored in memory of the electronic apparatus to determine if the received identification information matches the first identification information;

means for transmitting an alert if the identification information is not received that matches the first identification information following the transmission of the poll signal by the transmitter.

2. The electronic apparatus of claim 1 wherein the electronic apparatus further comprises a laptop computer adapted to communicate a first alert to a user of the laptop computer.

3. The electronic apparatus of claim 2 wherein the laptop computer further comprises means for determining whether the computer is being currently accessed by the user, the first alert consisting of visual indicia if the determining means determines that the computer is being currently accessed by the user, the first alert comprising an audible sound if the determining means determines that the computer is not being currently accessed by the user.

4. The electronic apparatus of claim 2 wherein the laptop computer is adapted to automatically generate a second alert comprising a wireless transmission of an e-mail message to a predetermined site that maintains security associated with the electronic device and electronic apparatus.

5. The electronic apparatus of claim 4 wherein the laptop computer generates the second alert only if a manual input from the user of the laptop computer is not entered on the laptop computer within a predetermined time of the communication of the first alert.

6. The electronic apparatus of claim 1 wherein the electronic apparatus further comprises a cellular telephone adapted to communicate a first alert to a user of the cellular telephone.

7. The electronic apparatus of claim 6 wherein the cellular telephone further comprises means for determining whether the cellular telephone is being currently accessed by the user, the first alert consisting of visual indicia if the determining means determines that the cellular telephone is being currently accessed by the user, the first alert comprising an audible sound if the determining means determines that the cellular telephone is not being currently accessed by the user.

8. The electronic apparatus of claim 6 wherein the cellular telephone is adapted to automatically generate a second alert comprising a wireless transmission to a predetermined site that maintains security associated with the electronic device and electronic apparatus.

9. The electronic apparatus of claim 7 wherein the cellular telephone generates the second alert only if a manual input from the user of the cellular telephone is not entered on the cellular telephone within a predetermined time of the communication of the first alert.

10. The electronic apparatus of claim 1 wherein the electronic device comprises a security badge.

11. The electronic apparatus of claim 10 wherein the security badge includes a radio frequency identification (RFID) module that is responsive to receipt of the poll signal.

12. A method for monitoring loss or theft of a security badge being carried by a user outside of a secured environment for which the badge facilitates access comprising the steps of:

periodically generating a poll signal from an electronic apparatus being carried by the user outside of the secured environment;

receiving a reply signal by the electronic apparatus from a radio frequency identification (RFID) module attached to the security badge in response to receipt of the poll signal where the reply signal includes identification information that is unique to the security badge;

comparing by the electronic apparatus the received identification information with first identification information stored in memory of the electronic apparatus to determine if the received identification information matches the first identification information;

transmitting an alert if the identification information is not received that matches the first identification information following the transmission of the poll signal.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising using a laptop computer adapted to communicate a first alert to a user of the laptop computer.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising determining by the laptop computer whether the latter is being currently accessed by the user, the first alert consisting of visual indicia if it is determined that the computer is being currently accessed by the user, the first alert comprising an audible sound if it is determined that the computer is not being currently accessed by the user.

15. The method of claim 13 further comprising automatically generating a second alert by the laptop computer where the second alert comprises a wireless transmission of an e-mail message to a predetermined site that maintains security associated with the security badge.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising generating the second alert only if a manual input from the user of the laptop computer is not entered on the laptop computer within a predetermined time of the communication of the first alert.

17. The method of claim 12 further comprising using a cellular telephone adapted to communicate a first alert to a user of the cellular telephone.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising determining by the cellular telephone whether the latter is being currently accessed by the user, the first alert consisting of visual indicia if it is determined that the cellular telephone is being currently accessed by the user, the first alert comprising an audible sound if it is determined that the cellular telephone is not being currently accessed by the user.

19. The method of claim 17 further comprising automatically generating a second alert by the cellular telephone where the second alert comprises a wireless transmission of an e-mail message to a predetermined site that maintains security associated with the security badge.

20. The method of claim 19 further comprising generating the second alert only if a manual input from the user of the cellular telephone is not entered on the cellular telephone within a predetermined time of the communication of the first alert.