Ultrasonic sensor component signal communication to standalone universal serial bus keyboard emulator for entry/exit computer proximity determination

• US 7,346,933 B2
• Filed: 08/15/2002
• Issued: 03/18/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/05/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ComputerProx Corp.
• Original Assignee: ComputerProx Corp.
• Inventors: Elliott, Mark Thomas, Gliniecki, Gregory James
• Primary Examiner(s): Zand; Kambiz
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tolentino; Roderick
• Application Number:
  US10/219,651
• Publication Number:
  US 20030046588A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,042 Days
• Field of Search: 345/168, 726/34, 713/182
• US Class Current: 726/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/35 communicating wirelessly

Abstract

A device in one example comprises a standalone universal serial bus keyboard emulator and an ultrasonic sensor component. The standalone universal serial bus keyboard emulator is coupled with a computer through a universal serial bus port. The ultrasonic sensor component is coupled with the standalone universal serial bus keyboard emulator. The ultrasonic sensor component communicates one or more signals to the standalone universal serial bus keyboard emulator that serve to allow the standalone universal serial bus keyboard emulator to make a determination of entry to or exit from a predetermined proximity of the computer by a user. The determination of entry to or exit from the predetermined proximity of the computer by the user causes the standalone universal serial bus keyboard emulator to send a corresponding entrance or exit user configurable keystroke sequence to the computer through the universal serial bus port.

Claims

1. A universal serial bus (USB) device, consists of:

a USB processor component that comprises a USB keyboard emulator and a configuration settings component; and

an ultrasonic sensor component;

wherein the ultrasonic sensor component is coupled with the USB keyboard emulator within the USB device;

wherein the USB keyboard emulator is coupled with a computer through a USB port;

wherein the ultrasonic sensor component communicates one or more signals to the USB keyboard emulator within the USB device that serve to allow the USB keyboard emulator to make a determination within the USB device of entry to or exit from a predetermined proximity of the computer by a user;

wherein the determination within the USB device by the USB keyboard emulator of entry to or exit from the predetermined proximity of the computer by the user causes the USB keyboard emulator to send a corresponding entrance or exit user configurable keystroke sequence to the computer through the USB port;

without reliance on a timer based application that is independent of the USB device; and

any one of;

immediately upon the determination within the USB device by the USB keyboard emulator of entry to or exit from the predetermined proximity of the computer by the user;

or

after expiration of a delay set within the USB device by the configuration settings component, wherein the user moves from within the predetermined proximity of the computer to without the predetermined proximity of the computer and stays without the predetermined proximity of the computer at least until the expiration of the delay;

wherein a receipt by the computer of the exit user configurable keystroke sequence serves to place the computer in a secure state without reliance on a timer based application that is independent of the USB device.

2. The USB device of claim 1, wherein the ultrasonic sensor component communicates within the USB device one or more of the one or more signals to the USB keyboard emulator that serve to allow the USB keyboard emulator to make a determination within the USB device of exit from the predetermined proximity of the computer by the user;

wherein the determination within the USB device of exit from the predetermined proximity of the computer by the user causes the USB keyboard emulator to send the exit user configurable keystroke sequence to the computer through the USB port;

without reliance on a timer based application that is independent of the USB device; and

any one of;

immediately upon the determination within the USB device by the USB keyboard emulator of exit from the predetermined proximity of the computer by the user;

or

after the expiration of the delay set within the USB device by the configuration settings component;

wherein the exit user configurable keystroke sequence serves to place the computer in the secure state without reliance on a timer based application that is independent of the USB device.

3. The USB device of claim 2, wherein the exit user configurable keystroke sequence comprises a CTL-ALT-DEL “

k”

sequence.

4. The USB device of claim 1, wherein the ultrasonic sensor component communicates within the USB device one or more of the one or more signals to the USB keyboard emulator that serve to allow the USB keyboard emulator to make a determination within the USB device of exit from the predetermined proximity of the computer by the user;

wherein the determination within the USB device by the USB keyboard emulator of exit from the predetermined proximity of the computer by the user causes the USB keyboard emulator to send the exit user configurable keystroke sequence to the computer through the USB port;

without reliance on a timer based application that is independent of the USB device; and

any one of;

immediately upon the determination within the USB device by the USB keyboard emulator of exit from the predetermined proximity of the computer by the user;

or

after the expiration of the delay set within the USB device by the configuration settings component;

wherein the exit user configurable keystroke sequence serves to place the computer in the secure state and one or more of a low-power state and a standby state without reliance on a timer based application that is independent of the USB device.

5. The USB device of claim 1, wherein the ultrasonic sensor component communicates one or more of the one or more signals to the USB keyboard emulator within the USB device that serve to allow the USB keyboard emulator to make a determination within the USB device of entry to the predetermined proximity of the computer by the user;

wherein the determination within the USB device by the USB keyboard emulator of entry to the predetermined proximity of the computer by the user causes the USB keyboard emulator to send the entrance user configurable keystroke sequence to the computer through the USB port;

without reliance on a timer based application that is independent of the USB device; and

any one of;

immediately upon the determination by the USB keyboard emulator within the USB device of entry to the predetermined proximity of the computer by the user;

or

after the expiration of the delay set within the USB device by the configuration settings component;

wherein the entrance user configurable keystroke sequence serves to place the computer in one or more of an active state, a login state and a re-authentication state without reliance on a timer based application that is independent of the USB device.

6. The USB device of claim 1, wherein the ultrasonic sensor component communicates one or more of the one or more signals to the USB keyboard emulator within the USB device that serve to allow the USB keyboard emulator to make a determination within the USB device of entry to the predetermined proximity of the computer by the user;

wherein the determination within the USB device by the USB keyboard emulator of entry to the predetermined proximity of the computer by the user causes the USB keyboard emulator to send the entrance user configurable keystroke sequence to the computer through the USB port;

without reliance on a timer based application that is independent of the USB device; and

any one of;

immediately upon the determination by the USB keyboard emulator within the USB device of entry to the predetermined proximity of the computer by the user;

or

after the expiration of the delay set within the USB device by the configuration settings component;

wherein the entrance user configurable keystroke sequence serves to place the computer in an armed state without reliance on a timer based application that is independent of the USB device, wherein exit by the user from the predetermined proximity of the computer in the armed state will cause the computer to be placed in the secure state.

7. The USB device of claim 1, wherein the delay allows the user a predetermined time to move from within the predetermined proximity of the computer to without the predetermined proximity of the computer and back within the predetermined proximity of the computer without the USB keyboard emulator sending the entrance user configurable keystroke sequence to the computer and without the USB keyboard emulator sending the exit user configurable keystroke sequence to the computer.

8. The USB device of claim 7, wherein the ultrasonic sensor component communicates one or more of the one or more signals to the USB keyboard emulator within the USB device that serve to allow the USB keyboard emulator to make a determination within the USB device of the expiration of the delay;

wherein the determination within the USB device by the USB keyboard emulator of the expiration of the delay causes the USB keyboard emulator to send the exit user configurable keystroke sequence to the computer through the USB port without reliance on a timer based application that is independent of the USB device.

9. The USB device of claim 1, wherein processor component comprises a range determination component, wherein the ultrasonic sensor component and the range determination component serve to allow the user to set a very specific distance as the predetermined proximity to the computer.

10. The USB device of claim 1, wherein the ultrasonic sensor component continuously sends pulses of ultrasound toward a user space to obtain the one or more signals the ultrasonic sensor component communicates to the USB keyboard emulator within the USB device that serve to allow the USB keyboard emulator to make the determination within the USB device of entry to or exit from the predetermined proximity of the computer by the user.

11. The USB device of claim 10, wherein the ultrasonic sensor component receives corresponding reflections, from a body of the user, of the pulses of ultrasound the ultrasonic sensor component continuously sends toward the user space;

wherein the USB keyboard emulator within the USB device employs time between one or more of the pulses and corresponding one or more of the reflections to calculate within the USB device a distance of the user from the ultrasonic sensor component.

12. A method, comprising the steps of:

coupling a universal serial bus USB keyboard emulator of a USB device with a computer through a USB port;

coupling an ultrasonic sensor component of the USB device with the USB keyboard emulator within the USB device;

communicating one or more signals from the ultrasonic sensor component to the USB keyboard emulator within the USB device that allow the USB keyboard emulator to make a determination within the USB device of entry to or exit from a predetermined proximity of the computer by a user; and

causing, through employment of the determination within the USB device of entry to or exit from the predetermined proximity of the computer by the user, the USB keyboard emulator to send a corresponding entrance or exit user configurable keystroke sequence to the computer through the USB port;

without reliance on a timer based application that is independent of the USB keyboard emulator and the ultrasonic sensor component; and

any one of;

immediately upon the determination within the USB device by the USB keyboard emulator of entry to or exit from the predetermined proximity of the computer by the user;

or

after expiration of a delay set within the USB device by a configuration settings component of the USB device, wherein the user moves from within the predetermined proximity of the computer to without the predetermined proximity of the computer and stays without the predetermined proximity of the computer at least until the expiration of the delay;

wherein a receipt by the computer of the exit user configurable keystroke sequence serves to place the computer in a secure state without reliance on a timer based application that is independent of the USB keyboard emulator and the ultrasonic sensor component.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the step of communicating the one or more signals from the ultrasonic sensor component to the USB keyboard emulator within the USB device that allow the USB keyboard emulator to make the determination within the USB device of entry to or exit from the predetermined proximity of the computer by the user comprises the step of:

communicating one or more of the one or more signals from the ultrasonic sensor component to the USB keyboard emulator within the USB device that allow the USB keyboard emulator to make a determination within the USB device of exit from the predetermined proximity of the computer by the user;

wherein the step of causing, through employment of the determination within the USB device by the USB keyboard emulator of entry to or exit from the predetermined proximity of the computer by the user, the USB keyboard emulator to send the corresponding entrance or exit user configurable keystroke sequence to the computer through the USB port comprises the step of;

causing, through employment of the determination within the USB device by the USB keyboard emulator of exit from the predetermined proximity of the computer by the user, the USB keyboard emulator to send the exit user configurable keystroke sequence to the computer through the USB port;

without reliance on a timer based application that is independent of the USB keyboard emulator and the ultrasonic sensor component; and

any one of;

immediately upon the determination within the USB device by the USB keyboard emulator of exit from the predetermined proximity of the computer by the user;

or

after the expiration of the delay set within the USB device by the configuration settings component;

the method further comprising the step of;

placing the computer in the secure state through employment of the exit user configurable keystroke sequence without reliance on a timer based application that is independent of the USB device.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the step of causing, through employment of the determination within the USB device by the USB keyboard emulator of exit from the predetermined proximity of the computer by the user, the USB keyboard emulator to send the exit user configurable keystroke sequence to the computer through the USB port comprises the step of:

selecting the exit user configurable keystroke sequence to comprise a CTL-ALT-DEL “

k”

sequence.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the step of communicating the one or more signals from the ultrasonic sensor component to the USB keyboard emulator within the USB device that allow the USB keyboard emulator to make the determination within the USB device of entry to or exit from the predetermined proximity of the computer by the user comprises the step of:

communicating one or more of the one or more signals from the ultrasonic sensor component to the USB keyboard emulator within the USB device that allow the USB keyboard emulator to make a determination within the USB device of exit from the predetermined proximity of the computer by the user;

wherein the step of causing, through employment of the determination within the USB device by the USB keyboard emulator of entry to or exit from the predetermined proximity of the computer by the user, the USB keyboard emulator to send the corresponding entrance or exit user configurable keystroke sequence to the computer through the USB port comprises the step of;

causing, through employment of the determination within the USB device by the USB keyboard emulator of exit from the predetermined proximity of the computer by the user, the USB keyboard emulator to send the exit user configurable keystroke sequence to the computer through the USB port;

without reliance on a timer based application that is independent of the USB device; and

any one of;

immediately upon the determination within the USB device by the USB keyboard emulator of exit from the predetermined proximity of the computer by the user;

or

after the expiration of the delay set within the USB device by the configuration settings component;

the method further comprising the step of;

placing the computer in the secure state and one or more of a low-power state and a standby state through employment of the exit user configurable keystroke sequence without reliance on a timer based application that is independent of the USB device.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the step of communicating the one or more signals from the ultrasonic sensor component to the USB keyboard emulator within the USB device that allow the USB keyboard emulator to make the determination within the USB device of entry to or exit from the predetermined proximity of the computer by the user comprises the step of:

communicating one or more of the one or more signals from the ultrasonic sensor component to the USB keyboard emulator within the USB device that allow the USB keyboard emulator to make a determination within the USB device of entry to the predetermined proximity of the computer by the user;

wherein the step of causing, through employment of the determination within the USB device by the USB keyboard emulator of entry to or exit from the predetermined proximity of the computer by the user, the USB keyboard emulator to send the corresponding entrance or exit user configurable keystroke sequence to the computer through the USB port comprises the step of;

causing, through employment of the determination within the USB device by the USB keyboard emulator of entry to the predetermined proximity of the computer by the user, the USB keyboard emulator to send the entrance user configurable keystroke sequence to the computer through the USB port;

without reliance on a timer based application that is independent of the USB device; and

any one of;

immediately upon the determination within the USB device by the USB keyboard emulator of entry to the predetermined proximity of the computer by the user;

or

after the expiration of the delay set within the USB device by the configuration settings component;

the method further comprising the step of;

placing the computer in one or more of an active state, a login state and a re-authentication state through employment of the entrance user configurable keystroke sequence without reliance on a timer based application that is independent of the USB device.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the step of communicating the one or more signals from the ultrasonic sensor component to the USB keyboard emulator within the USB device that allow the USB keyboard emulator to make the determination within the USB device of entry to or exit from the predetermined proximity of the computer by the user comprises the step of:

communicating one or more of the one or more signals from the ultrasonic sensor component to the USB keyboard emulator within the USB device that allow the USB keyboard emulator to make a determination within the USB device of entry to the predetermined proximity of the computer by the user;

wherein the step of causing, through employment of the determination within the USB device by the USB keyboard emulator of entry to or exit from the predetermined proximity of the computer by the user, the USB keyboard emulator to send the corresponding entrance or exit user configurable keystroke sequence to the computer through the USB port comprises the step of;

causing, through employment of the determination within the USB device by the USB keyboard emulator of entry to the predetermined proximity of the computer by the user, the USB keyboard emulator to send the entrance user configurable keystroke sequence to the computer through the USB port;

without reliance on a timer based application that is independent of the USB device; and

any one of;

immediately upon the determination within the USB device by the USB keyboard emulator of entry to the predetermined proximity of the computer by the user;

or

after the expiration of the delay set within the USB device by the configuration settings component;

the method further comprising the step of;

placing, through employment of the entrance user configurable keystroke sequence without reliance on a timer based application that is independent of the USB device,the computer in an armed state, wherein exit by the user from the predetermined proximity of the computer in the armed state will cause the computer to be placed in the secure state.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein the step of coupling the USB keyboard emulator with the computer through the USB port comprises the step of:

selecting the USB device to comprise the configuration settings component;

wherein the step of causing, through employment of the determination within the USB device by the USB keyboard emulator of entry to or exit from the predetermined proximity of the computer by the user, the USB keyboard emulator to send a corresponding entrance or exit user configurable keystroke sequence to the computer through the USB port comprises the step of;

setting the delay within the USB device through employment of the configuration settings component, wherein the delay allows the user a predetermined time to move from within the predetermined proximity of the computer to without the predetermined proximity of the computer and back within the predetermined proximity of the computer without the USB keyboard emulator sending the entrance user configurable keystroke sequence to the computer and without the USB keyboard emulator sending the exit user configurable keystroke sequence to the computer;

wherein the step of communicating the one or more signals from the ultrasonic sensor component to the USB keyboard emulator within the USB device that allow the USB keyboard emulator to make the determination within the USB device of entry to or exit from the predetermined proximity of the computer by the user comprises the step of;

communicating one or more of the one or more signals from the ultrasonic sensor component to the USB keyboard emulator within the USB device that serve to allow the USB keyboard emulator to make a determination within the USB device of the expiration of the delay;

wherein the step of causing, through employment of the determination within the USB device by the USB keyboard emulator of entry to or exit from the predetermined proximity of the computer by the user, the USB keyboard emulator to send the corresponding entrance or exit user configurable keystroke sequence to the computer through the USB port comprises the step of;

causing, through employment of the determination within the USB device by the USB keyboard emulator of the expiration of the delay, the USB keyboard emulator to send the exit user configurable keystroke sequence to the computer through the USB port.

19. The method of claim 12, wherein the step of coupling the ultrasonic sensor component with the USB keyboard emulator comprises the step of:

selecting the USB device to comprise a range determination component;

selecting the ultrasonic sensor component and the range determination component to allow the user to set a very specific distance as the predetermined proximity to the computer.

20. The method of claim 12, wherein the step of communicating the one or more signals from the ultrasonic sensor component to the USB keyboard emulator within the USB device that allow the USB keyboard emulator to make the determination within the USB device of entry to or exit from the predetermined proximity of the computer by the user comprises the step of:

continuously sending pulses of ultrasound from the ultrasonic sensor component and toward a user space to obtain the one or more signals communicated from the ultrasonic sensor component to the USB keyboard emulator within the USB device that allow the USB keyboard emulator to make the determination within the USB device of entry to or exit from the predetermined proximity of the computer by the user;

the method further comprising the steps of;

receiving, through employment of the ultrasonic sensor component, corresponding reflections, from a body of the user, of the pulses of ultrasound continuously sent from the ultrasonic sensor component and toward the user space;

employing, within the USB device at the USB keyboard emulator, time between one or more of the pulses and corresponding one or more of the reflections to calculate within the USB device a distance of the user from the ultrasonic sensor component.