Security system for a personal computer

• US 5,821,854 A
• Filed: 06/16/1997
• Issued: 10/13/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Motorola Solutions, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Scutch, Frank M. III, Dorinski, Dale W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hofsass, Jeffery A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pope, Daryl C.
• Application Number:
  US08/876,469
• Time in Patent Office: 484 Days
• Field of Search: 340/539, 340/825.31, 340/825.56, 340/825.69, 340/825.72, 340/573, 367/93, 367/94
• US Class Current: 340/539.21
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/35 communicating wirelessly
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/554 involving event detection and direct action
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/74 operating in dual or compartmented mode, i.e. at least one secure mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2103 Challenge-response
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2105 Dual mode as a secondary aspect
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2111 Location-sensitive, e.g. geographical location, GPS
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2147 Locking files
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1418 Removal detected by failure in electrical connection between the appliance and a control centre, home control panel or a power supply

Abstract

A security system (300) for a personal computer maintains computer terminal (302) in an active mode of operation while the user is within range of the terminal. The system includes a radio (314) worn by a user (316) which generates a low level RF signal (318). As long as the user (316) remains within range of the computer (302), a receiver (312) will detect a received signal strength which maintains the computer monitor (306) in an active mode of operation. When the user (316) walks away from the computer terminal (302), the received signal strength decreases below a threshold which causes the monitor (306) to go into a lock-out condition.

Claims

1. A security system for a personal computer, comprising:

a computer;

a receiver coupled to the computer; and

a radio for transmitting a radio frequency (RF) signal to the receiver of the computer, the computer enabling a security lock-out screen when the RF signal strength falls below a predetermined threshold.

2. The security system of claim 1, wherein the RF signal includes coded signaling.

3. The security system of claim 1, wherein the radio comprises a two-way portable radio.

4. A security system for a personal computer, comprising:

a computer having an active state and a lock-out state, the computer including;

a transmitter for generating a radio frequency (RF) signal;

an antenna for transmitting the RF signal;

a microphone for detecting an inaudible sound, the computer remaining in an active state until an inaudible sound is detected; and

a radio for receiving the RF signal and generating the inaudible sound in response to the RF signal falling below a predetermined threshold, the computer entering the lock-out state when the microphone detects the inaudible sound.

5. The security system of claim 4, wherein the radio comprises a pager.

6. A security system for a personal computer, comprising:

a radio worn by a user, the radio generating a radio frequency (RF) signal; and

a computer terminal having an active mode of operation and a lock-out mode of operation, the computer including a receiver for receiving the RF signal, the computer remaining in the active mode of operation when the received RF signal falls above a predetermined threshold, the computer going into the lock-out mode of operation when the received RF signal falls below the predetermined threshold, and the computer automatically returning to the active mode of operation when the received RF signal returns above the predetermined threshold.

7. The security system of claim 6, wherein the RF signal is transmitted periodically.

8. The security system of claim 7, where the wherein the RF signal is a coded signal.

9. A security system for a user'"'"'s personal computer, comprising:

a portable radio worn by the user, the portable radio for transmitting radio frequency (RF) signals;

a computer capable of detecting the RF signals within a predetermined range of the computer; and

wherein the computer automatically enables a lock-out mode of operation when the radio is outside of the predetermined range, and the computer automatically enables an active mode of operation when the radio is within the predetermined range.

10. A method of providing security to a personal computer, comprising the steps of:

transmitting a radio frequency (RF) signal from a computer terminal;

receiving the RF signal at a portable radio;

measuring the received signal strength of the RF signal;

comparing the received signal strength to a predetermined threshold;

maintaining an active mode of operation at the computer terminal when the received signal strength falls above the predetermined threshold;

transmitting an inaudible sound from the portable radio when the received signal strength falls below the predetermined threshold;

detecting the inaudible sound at the computer terminal; and

enabling a computer lock-out mode of operation when the inaudible sound is detected.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising the step of entering a password at the computer terminal to re-enable the active mode of operation after a lock-out mode of operation has been enabled.

12. A method of providing security to a personal computer, comprising the steps of:

periodically transmitting a radio frequency (RF) signal from a portable radio;

receiving the RF signal at the personal computer;

comparing the received signal strength of the RF signal to a predetermined threshold;

automatically enabling a lock-out mode of operation when the received RF signal falls below the predetermined threshold; and

automatically enabling an active mode of operation when the received RF signal falls above the predetermined threshold.