ACCELERATION-BASED THEFT DETECTION SYSTEM FOR PORTABLE ELECTRONIC DEVICES

• US 20070146133A1
• Filed: 03/02/2007
• Published: 06/28/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/01/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Wehrenberg, Paul
• Granted Patent: US 7,548,161 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/568.100
• 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 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.

2. The computer readable memory of claim 1 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.

3. The computer readable memory of claim 2 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.

4. The computer readable memory of claim 2 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.

5. The computer readable memory of claim 2 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.

6. The computer readable memory of claim 2 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.

7. The computer readable memory of claim 2 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.

8. The computer readable memory of claim 2 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.

9. The computer readable memory of claim 1 further comprising a fifth set of instructions to update the frequency profile.

10. A method for directing an electronic system to provide theft protection, comprising:

acquiring an acceleration signal corresponding to an acceleration of the electronic system, the acceleration signal having frequencies characteristic of movement of the device;

processing 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 frequencies characteristic of movement of the device; and

initiating the production of an alarm based upon the metric.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

initiating the display of a graphical user interface configured to allow a user of the portable electronic device to initiate the acquiring of the acceleration signal corresponding to an acceleration of the electronic system.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the initiating the display of a graphical user interface configured to allow a user of the portable electronic device to initiate the acquiring of the acceleration signal corresponding to an acceleration of the electronic system further comprises:

initiating the display of a graphical user interface configured to allow the user to configure the initiating the production of the alarm based upon the metric to initiate the production of an audible alarm.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein the initiating the display of a graphical user interface configured to allow a user of the portable electronic device to initiate the acquiring of the acceleration signal corresponding to an acceleration of the electronic system further comprises:

initiating the display of a graphical user interface configured to allow the user to configure the initiating the production of the alarm based upon the metric to initiate the production of an audible alarm.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein the initiating the display of a graphical user interface configured to allow a user of the portable electronic device to initiate the acquiring of the acceleration signal corresponding to an acceleration of the electronic system further comprises:

initiating the display of a graphical user interface configured to allow the user to configure the initiating the production of the alarm based upon the metric to initiate the production of a visible alarm.

15. The method of claim 11 wherein the initiating the display of a graphical user interface configured to allow a user of the portable electronic device to initiate the acquiring of the acceleration signal corresponding to an acceleration of the electronic system further comprises:

initiating the display of a graphical user interface configured to allow the user to specify a sensitivity level at which the acceleration signal is acquired.

16. The method of claim 11 wherein the initiating the display of a graphical user interface configured to allow a user of the portable electronic device to initiate the acquiring of the acceleration signal corresponding to an acceleration of the electronic system further comprises:

initiating 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.

17. The method of claim 11 wherein the initiating the display of a graphical user interface configured to allow a user of the portable electronic device to initiate the acquiring of the acceleration signal corresponding to an acceleration of the electronic system further comprises:

initiating 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.

18. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

updating the frequency profile.

19. A portable consumer electronic product, comprising:

a microprocessor for processing executable computer instructions; and

an acceleration sensor for detecting an acceleration undergone by the portable consumer electronic product in communication with the microprocessor, wherein the acceleration sensor examines characteristics of the detected acceleration to determine if a theft condition is present, the acceleration sensor transmits a theft detection signal to the microprocessor that responds to the theft detection signal by broadcasting an alarm.

20. The portable consumer electronic product as recited in claim 19, wherein the alarm broadcast through an audio output device and/or displayed as a message on a visual output device each of which are connected to the microprocessor.