System and method for monitoring a security state of an electronic device
First Claim
1. A portable electronic device comprising:
- a first piece;
a second piece connected to the first piece by a hinge; and
a sensor connected to the hinge that detects the relative position of the first piece and the second piece for determining a current security state of the portable electronic device, wherein (i) the portable electronic device is operable to engage in a financial transaction with a point-of-sale device when the current security state is in a first given security state of a plurality of given security states, and (ii) the portable electronic device is not operable to engage in a financial transaction with a point-of-sale device when the current security state is in a second given security state of the plurality of given security states.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method for monitoring a security state of a portable electronic device (PED), such as a personal digital assistant (PDA), are provided. A security state may be determined by physical or electronic characteristics of the PED. The relative position of PED pieces, the position of a latch, and/or the status of a software application may determine a security state. Furthermore, a PED may have open, closed, and partially open security states. Information about a current security state of a PED may be transmitted to a point-of-sale device (POS), system processor, and/or financial institution. The PED or any of these other devices may use this information to determine whether to allow or restrict a financial transaction involving the PED. Additionally, a software program on the PED may be allowed or restricted from running depending on the information about the current security state.
181 Citations
54 Claims
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1. A portable electronic device comprising:
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a first piece; a second piece connected to the first piece by a hinge; and a sensor connected to the hinge that detects the relative position of the first piece and the second piece for determining a current security state of the portable electronic device, wherein (i) the portable electronic device is operable to engage in a financial transaction with a point-of-sale device when the current security state is in a first given security state of a plurality of given security states, and (ii) the portable electronic device is not operable to engage in a financial transaction with a point-of-sale device when the current security state is in a second given security state of the plurality of given security states. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A method for determining whether to allow a portable electronic device to carry out a financial transaction, wherein an operative state of a logic component of the portable electronic device defines one of a plurality of current security states, the method comprising, in combination:
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detecting the operative state of the logic component so as to define a current security state of the portable electronic device; comparing the current security state to a plurality of given security states so as to determine which one of the plurality of given security states the portable electronic device is operating in; if the current security state is in a first given security state of the plurality of given security states, then allowing the portable electronic device to carry out a financial transaction; and if the current security state is in a second given security state of the plurality of given security states, then not allowing the portable electronic device to carry out a financial transaction. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A system for determining whether to allow a financial transaction, comprising:
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a point-of-sale device; and a portable electronic device, wherein the portable electronic device comprises a processor, and a memory for storing logic executable by the processor to; detect the operative state of the logic component so as to define a current security state of the portable electronic device; compare the current security state to a plurality of given security states so as to determine which one of the plurality of given security states the portable electronic device is operating in, allow the portable electronic device to carry out a financial transaction when the current security state is in a first given security state of the plurality of given security states; and not allow the portable electronic device to carry out a financial transaction when the current security state is in a second given security state of the plurality of given security states. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41)
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42. A portable electronic device comprising:
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a processor; and memory for storing logic executable by the processor to; detect the operative state of the logic component so as to define a current security state of the portable electronic device; compare the current security state to at least one of a plurality of given security states so as to determine which one of the plurality of given security states the portable electronic device is operating in; and allow the portable electronic device to carry out a financial transaction when the current security state is in a first given security state of the plurality of given security states. - View Dependent Claims (43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54)
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Specification