Portable loss prevention system

• US 7,664,463 B2
• Filed: 08/17/2005
• Issued: 02/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/17/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Optima Direct, LLC (2S Ventures, LLC), Mourad Ben Ayed
• Original Assignee: Mourad Ben Ayed
• Inventors: Ben Ayed, Mourad
• Primary Examiner(s): Maung, Nay A
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hsieh, Ping Y
• Application Number:
  US11/204,483
• Publication Number:
  US 20070042714A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,644 Days
• Field of Search: 455/419, 455/420, 455/404.1, 455/404.2, 455/410, 455/421, 455/41.2, 340/571, 340/540
• US Class Current: 455/41.2
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1427 with transmitter-receiver for distance detection
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/025 System arrangements wherein the alarm criteria uses absence of reply signal after an elapsed time
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0277 Communication between units on a local network, e.g. Bluetooth, piconet, zigbee, Wireless Personal Area Networks [WPAN]
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/24 Reminder alarms, e.g. anti-loss alarms
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A loss prevention system containing a Bluetooth transceiver and a motion detection system monitors the presence of a portable electronic device such as a cell phone in the vicinity and alerts when that device leaves its vicinity. The system transceiver is activated upon detecting a movement and turned off after a check is done in order to conserve battery.

Claims

1. A unitary remotely configurable portable electronic device loss prevention system comprising:

a first portable device, said first portable device comprising a first Bluetooth transceiver, a motion detection system for detection of movement of said first portable device, wherein said first Bluetooth transceiver can obtain the Bluetooth ID of a second Bluetooth transceiver in a second portable electronic device when said first portable device is in the vicinity of the second portable electronic device having a second Bluetooth transceiver, a memory wherein said memory can store the Bluetooth ID of a second Bluetooth transceiver when transmitted to said first Bluetooth transceiver, a processor, and an alert system, wherein upon detection of movement of said first portable device by said motion detection system said first portable device determines the presence or absence of a second portable electronic device in the vicinity by determining whether or not there is a second Bluetooth transceiver within the vicinity of said first portable device that transmits a Bluetooth ID that matches the Bluetooth ID stored in said memory, wherein said first portable device turns off said first Bluetooth transceiver when said second portable device is present in the vicinity and wherein said first portable device activates said alert system in the event the second portable electronic device is not detected in the vicinity.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein said second portable electronic device is a wireless communication device.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein said motion detection system comprises one or more motion detectors.

4. The device of claim 1 wherein said motion detection system comprises one or more sensors selected from the set comprised of switches, tilt sensors, vibration sensors, accelerometers and gyros.

5. The device of claim 1 wherein said alert system comprises a buzzer.

6. The device of claim 1 wherein said alert system comprises an audio system.

7. The device of claim 1, further comprising at least one battery.

8. The device of claim 1 comprising means for attaching said loss prevention system to a person or clothing selected from the group consisting of:

a clip, a ring, and a fastening mechanism.