Wireless proximity detector security feature

• US 5,970,227 A
• Filed: 04/30/1996
• Issued: 10/19/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Lenovo PC International Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Dayan, Richard A., McGovern, Joseph P., Newman, Palmer E.
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, DIEU MINH T
• Application Number:
  US08/640,366
• Time in Patent Office: 1,267 Days
• Field of Search: 395/186, 395/187.01, 395/188.01, 380/4, 380/23, 380/25, 380/56, 380/59, 364/222.5, 364/286.4, 364/286.5, 364/260.81, 340/825.31, 340/825.32, 340/571, 340/540, 340/568, 340/825.37, 340/825.34, 340/500, 340/539
• US Class Current: 726/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/88 Detecting or preventing theft or loss

Abstract

A security system for computers defines a control zone using radiation, preferably at radio frequency, having a distinctive characteristic, such as a particular frequency. The zone may be established, for example, at a door exit or other limited passage to a secured area. Computer systems are provided with receivers that detect the distinctive characteristic and responsively produce an alarm signal which triggers security logic. The security logic cooperates with the start-up logic of the computer and disables start-up so that the computer becomes inoperative. In a more complex variation, the radiation triggers a device in the computer that in turn sends out a serial number signal. A receiver located near the control zone applies the serial number to a table look up computer that triggers an emergency signal if a match to an authorized list of serial numbers does not occur. The emergency signal activates a transmitter that sends out a radiation signal with a second distinctive characteristic. A second receiver in the computer then responds to the radiation with the second characteristic to trigger the security logic to render the computer inoperative.

Claims

1. A computer system which stores and processes data, which computer system includes a security system to control access to that data in the event of an unauthorized movement of such system through a gate where radiation having a first distinctive characteristic is present and where radiation having a second distinctive characteristic is selective applied in response to radiation signals bearing identifying characteristics, said computer system comprising:

an electronic computing apparatus which when energized becomes operative by sequencing through a power on logic that performs set up operations;

a first detector for radiation having the first distinctive characteristic, which first detector upon a detection responsively produces a selection signal to indicate a detection has occurred;

identification logic which responds to the selection signal to generate a radiation signal bearing identifying characteristics;

a second detector which responds to radiation having the second distinctive characteristic to produce an alarm signal; and

security logic connected to the second detector to receive said alarm signal and cooperating with said power-on logic to block said electronic computing apparatus from becoming operative in response to said alarm signal whereby said computer system maybe selectively disabled upon passing through said gate.

2. A computer system according to claim 1 wherein said radiation is a radio frequency signal and the distinctive characteristic is the frequency of the radiation.

3. A computer system according to claim 1 which further includes password checking logic, a display device and a user operable input device and wherein said password checking logic prompts the user for a password if an alarm signal is present and disables said security logic from preventing said electronic computing apparatus from becoming operative if a correct password is asserted at said input device.

4. A security system for user systems at an enclosure having a portal defining an exit point, said security system comprising:

a first radiation transmitter at the portal exposing said portal to radiation having a first distinctive characteristic;

at least one user system having start up logic that, on energization, sequences the user system through a process to become operational, said user system having an identifier device that detects radiation having said first distinctive characteristic and responsively emits radiation bearing a respective encoded identification signal;

a receiver near said portal, responsive to said identification signal, which reciver performs a search on a defined list of identifier codes to determine if the received encoded identification signal is listed and produces an alarm signal if no match is found;

a transmitter responsive to the alarm signal to emit radiation having a second distinctive characteristic into the portal;

a receiver mounted in said user system which is responsive to radiation having said second distinctive characteristic to produce a system alarm signal; and

security logic, cooperating with said start-up logic and responsive to said system alarm signal, to disable said start-up logic from making said computer system operative, whereby said computer system maybe selectively disabled at said portal.

5. A security system according to claim 4 wherein said first and second distinctive characteristics are first and second frequencies and the radiation is radio frequency radiation.

6. A security system according to claim 4 wherein said user system further includes password checking logic and a user operable input device and wherein said password checking logic prompts the user for a password if an alarm signal is present and disables said security logic from preventing said user system from becoming operative if a correct password is asserted at said input device.