Method for setting a programmable allowed movement time on an asset protection device

• US 20080117072A1
• Filed: 11/22/2006
• Published: 05/22/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/22/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Hallbert, William E., Edwards, Lewin, Scena, Ralph
• Granted Patent: US 7,796,035 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/670
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/552 involving long-term monitoring or reporting
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/88 Detecting or preventing theft or loss
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1427 with transmitter-receiver for distance detection
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1436 with motion detection

Abstract

A method and apparatus for generating an alarm signal upon detecting movement of an object over a time that is greater than a field settable allowed movement time. The method includes the steps of locating a housing with respect to the object, setting the allowed movement time for the object, monitoring the movement of the housing, detecting a movement that exceeds the allowed movement time of the housing, generating an alarm signal, and transmitting by wireless transmission the alarm signal to a remote receiving station. Setting the movement time for the object is achieved by the following steps: powering the apparatus while depressing a tamper switch, initiating a time counter, moving the object an acceptable distance, releasing the tamper switch, stopping the time counter, and reading the allowed movement time from the time counter. Detecting a movement greater than the allowed movement time includes the steps of detecting a movement of the housing, enabling an allowed movement time counter to count down the allowed movement time, enabling a restore counter to count down a restore time, detecting movement of the housing during the restore time, allowing the allowed movement time counter to continue to count down the allowed movement time, and determining when the allowed movement time counter has completed counting the allowed movement time.

Claims

1. A method of generating an alarm signal upon detecting movement of an object over a time that is greater than a field settable allowed movement time comprising the steps of:

a. locating a housing with respect to the object,

b. setting an allowed movement time for said housing,

c. monitoring the movement of the housing,

d. detecting a movement that exceeds the allowed movement time of the housing,

e. generating an alarm signal, and

f. transmitting by wireless transmission the alarm signal to a remote receiving station.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of setting an allowed movement time for said object comprises the steps of:

a. powering said apparatus while depressing a tamper switch,

b. initiating an allowed movement time counter,

c. moving said object an acceptable distance,

d. releasing said tamper switch,

e. stopping said time counter, and

f. reading said allowed movement time from said allowed movement time counter.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of setting an allowed movement time for said object comprises the steps of:

a. selecting said allowed movement time by setting user selectable switches, and

b. reading said selected allowed movement time from said user selectable switches.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of setting a allowed movement time for said object comprises the steps of:

a. connecting said apparatus to a computer via an interface connection,

b. selecting said allowed movement time from a display on said computer, and

c. transferring said selected allowed movement time from said computer to said apparatus.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of setting an allowed movement time for said object comprises the steps of:

a. selecting said allowed movement time from said remote receiving station,

b. wirelessly transmitting said selected allowed movement time from said remote receiving station, and

c. wirelessly receiving said selected allowed movement time at said apparatus.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of monitoring the movement of said housing comprises the step of sampling the output signal from an accelerometer at a predetermined time interval.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of detecting a movement that exceeds the allowed movement time of the housing comprises the steps of:

a. detecting a movement of the housing,

b. enabling an allowed movement time counter to count down the allowed movement time,

c. enabling a restore counter to count down a restore time, wherein said restore time is less than said allowed movement time,

d. detecting movement of the housing during said restore time,

e. allowing said allowed movement time counter to continue to count down the allowed movement time when movement of the housing has been detected during said restore time, and

f. determining when said allowed movement time counter has completed counting said allowed movement time.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of producing a confirmation beep at said remote receiving station after the step of setting said allowed movement time.

9. An apparatus for generating an alarm signal upon detecting movement of an object over a time that is greater than a field settable allowed movement time including:

a. means for monitoring the movement of the object,

b. means for setting an allowed movement time,

c. means for detecting a movement greater than the allowed movement time,

d. means for generating an alarm signal, and

e. means for transmitting by wireless transmission the alarm signal to a remote receiving station.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said means for setting said allowed movement time comprises:

a. an allowed movement time counter,

b. a tamper switch for initiating and stopping the counter, wherein the tamper switch is depressed during power on to initiate the allowed movement time counter and released to stop the allowed movement time counter,

c. processing means for reading and storing a count from the allowed movement time counter after said tamper switch is released, and

d. memory means for storing the allowed movement time count.

11. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said means for setting an allowed movement time is user selectable switches.

12. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said means for setting an allowed movement time is a computer interface connection.

13. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said means for setting an allowed movement time is a wireless receiver.

14. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said means for monitoring the movement of the object is an accelerometer.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein said accelerometer is a gravitational sensor.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein said gravitational sensor comprises two axes.

17. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein said gravitational sensor comprises three axes.

18. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein said gravitational sensor comprises one axis.

19. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said means for detecting a movement greater than the allowed movement time comprises processing circuitry that

a. detects a movement of the housing,

b. enables an allowed movement time counter to count down the allowed movement time,

c. enables a restore counter to count down a restore time, wherein said restore time is less than said allowed movement time,

d. detects movement of the housing during said restore time,

e. allows said allowed movement time counter to continue to count down the allowed movement time when movement of the housing has been detected during said restore time, and

f. determines when said allowed movement time counter has completed counting said allowed movement time.

20. An apparatus for generating an alarm signal upon detecting movement of an object over a time that is greater than a field settable allowed movement time comprising:

a. a sensor for providing position data of an object,

b. memory for storing an allowed movement time,

c. an allowed movement time counter for counting the allowed movement time stored in the memory,

d. a processor adapted to;

i. read the position data of the object from the sensor,

ii. determine if there has been motion based on the position data, and

iii. if there has been motion, then

1. initiate the allowed movement time counter to count the allowed movement time,

2. determine if the motion has continued past the allowed movement time, and

3. if the motion has continued past the allowed movement time, generate an alarm message, and

e. a transmitter for receiving the alarm message and transmitting the alarm signal.

21. The apparatus of claim 20 further comprising a tamper switch for initiating and stopping the allowed movement time counter, wherein the tamper switch is depressed during power on to initiate the allowed movement time counter and released to stop the allowed movement time counter and wherein the processor reads the allowed movement from the allowed movement time counter after the tamper switch has been released and stores the allowed movement time in the memory.

22. The apparatus of claim 20 further comprising a receiver for receiving the allowed movement time transmitted from a computer device, wherein the received allowed movement time is read by the processor and stored in the memory.

23. The apparatus of claim 20 further comprising user selectable switches for setting the allowed movement time, wherein the set allowed movement time is read by the processor.

24. The apparatus of claim 20 wherein the sensor is an accelerometer.

25. The apparatus of claim 24 wherein the accelerometer is a gravitational sensor.

26. The apparatus of claim 20 further comprising a restore counter and a motion counter, wherein the restore counter counts a restore time and the motion counter counts the number of times the position data shows motion within the restore time and wherein the processor determines if there has been motion based on the number of times the position data shows motion within the restore time.

27. The apparatus of claim 26 wherein the processor determines there has not been motion when 80% of the position data read during the restore time shows no motion.