Method for setting a programmable allowed movement time on an asset protection device

• US 7,796,035 B2
• Filed: 11/22/2006
• Issued: 09/14/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/22/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Scena, Ralph, Hallbert, William E, Edwards, Lewin
• Primary Examiner(s): Wu; Daniel
• Assistant Examiner(s): GIRMA, FEKADESELASS
• Application Number:
  US11/603,387
• Publication Number:
  US 20080117072A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,392 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 340/568.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/552 involving long-term monitoring or reporting
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/88 Detecting or preventing theft or loss
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1427 with transmitter-receiver for distance detection
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1436 with motion detection

Abstract

A method and apparatus for generating an alarm signal upon detecting movement of an object over a time that is greater than a field settable allowed movement time. The method includes the steps of locating a housing with respect to the object, setting the allowed movement time for the object, monitoring the movement of the housing, detecting a movement that exceeds the allowed movement time of the housing, generating an alarm signal, and transmitting by wireless transmission the alarm signal to a remote receiving station. Setting the movement time for the object is achieved by the following steps: powering the apparatus while depressing a tamper switch, initiating a time counter, moving the object an acceptable distance, releasing the tamper switch, stopping the time counter, and reading the allowed movement time from the time counter. Detecting a movement greater than the allowed movement time includes the steps of detecting a movement of the housing, enabling an allowed movement time counter to count down the allowed movement time, enabling a restore counter to count down a restore time, detecting movement of the housing during the restore time, allowing the allowed movement time counter to continue to count down the allowed movement time, and determining when the allowed movement time counter has completed counting the allowed movement time.

Claims

1. A method of monitoring movement of an object comprising:

a) programming a movement-detecting device with an allowed movement time by

i) applying power to the movement-detecting device while depressing a tamper switch to initiate an allowed movement time counter,

ii) moving the movement-detecting device an acceptable distance,

iii) releasing said tamper switch to stop said allowed movement time counter, and

iv) reading said allowed movement time from said allowed movement time counter and storing said allowed movement time in memory;

b. locating the movement-detecting device with respect to the object, detecting if the movement-detecting device is being moved,

c. if the movement-detecting device is being moved, then determining if the movement-detecting device movement is for a time period that exceeds the allowed movement time stored in memory,

d. if the movement-detecting device is being moved for a time period that exceeds the allowed movement time, then transmitting an alarm signal.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of detecting if the movement-detecting device is being moved comprises the step of sampling an output signal from an accelerometer at a predetermined time interval.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of determining if the movement-detecting device movement is for a time period that exceeds the allowed movement time comprises the steps of:

a. enabling an allowed movement time counter to count down the allowed movement time,

b. enabling a restore counter to count down a restore time, wherein said restore time is less than said allowed movement time,

c. detecting movement of the movement-detecting device during said restore time,

d. allowing said allowed movement time counter to continue to count down the allowed movement time when movement of the movement-detecting device has been detected during said restore time, and

e. determining when said allowed movement time counter has completed counting said allowed movement time.

4. A movement-detecting device comprising:

means for detecting movement of the movement-detecting device,

means for programming an allowed movement time,

means for determining if the movement-detecting device movement is for a time period that exceeds the allowed movement time, and

means for transmitting an alarm signal if the movement-detecting device movement is determined to be for a time period that exceeds the allowed movement time;

wherein said means for programming an allowed movement time comprises;

i. an allowed movement time counter,

ii. a tamper switch for initiating and stopping the counter, wherein the tamper switch is depressed while applying power to initiate the allowed movement time counter and released to stop the allowed movement time counter,

iii. processing means for reading and storing a count from the allowed movement time counter after said tamper switch is released, and

iv. memory means for storing the allowed movement time count.

5. The movement-detecting device of claim 4 wherein said means for detecting the movement of the movement-detecting device comprises an accelerometer.

6. The movement-detecting device of claim 5 wherein said accelerometer comprises a gravitational sensor.

7. The movement-detecting device of claim 6 wherein said gravitational sensor measures movement along two axes.

8. The movement-detecting device of claim 6 wherein said gravitational sensor measures movement along three axes.

9. The movement-detecting device of claim 6 wherein said gravitational sensor measures movement along one axis.

10. The movement-detecting device of claim 4 wherein said means for determining of the movement-detecting device movement is for a time period that exceeds the allowed movement time comprises processing circuitry that

a. enables an allowed movement time counter to count down the allowed movement time,

b. enables a restore counter to count down a restore time, wherein said restore time is less than said allowed movement time,

c. detects movement of the movement-detecting device during said restore time,

d. allows said allowed movement time counter to continue to count down the allowed movement time when movement of the movement-detecting device has been detected during said restore time, and

e. determines when said allowed movement time counter has completed counting said allowed movement time.

12. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the sensor comprises an accelerometer.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the accelerometer comprises a gravitational sensor.

11. An apparatus for generating an alarm signal upon detecting movement of an object over a time that is greater than a field settable allowed movement time comprising:

a. a sensor for providing position data of an object,

b. memory for storing an allowed movement time,

c. an allowed movement time counter for counting the allowed movement time stored in the memory,

d. a processor programmed to;

i. read the position data of the object from the sensor,

ii. determine if there has been motion based on the position data, and

iii. if there has been motion, then

1. initiate the allowed movement time counter to count the allowed movement time,

2. determine if the motion has continued past the allowed movement time, and

3. if the motion has continued past the allowed movement time, generate an alarm message, and

e. a transmitter for receiving the alarm message and transmitting the alarm signal;

further comprising a tamper switch for initiating and stopping the allowed movement time counter, wherein the tamper switch is depressed during power on to initiate the allowed movement time counter and released to stop the allowed movement time counter and wherein the processor reads the allowed movement from the allowed movement time counter after the tamper switch has been released and stores the allowed movement time in the memory.

14. The apparatus of claim 11 further comprising a restore counter and a motion counter, wherein the restore counter counts a restore time and the motion counter counts the number of times the position data shows motion within the restore time and wherein the processor determines if there has been motion based on the number of times the position data shows motion within the restore time.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the processor determines there has not been motion when 80% of the position data read during the restore time shows no motion.