Method and system for locating a notebook computer

• US 8,855,667 B2
• Filed: 07/31/2009
• Issued: 10/07/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Lada, Henry F., Atkinson, Lee W.
• Primary Examiner(s): KIM, WESLEY LEO
• Application Number:
  US13/259,517
• Publication Number:
  US 20120015671A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,894 Days
• Field of Search: 455/418, 455/419, 455/456.1, 455/574, 455/466, 455/456.2, 455/575.1, 455/575.3
• US Class Current: 455/456.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1616 with folding flat displays, e.g. laptop computers or notebooks having a clamshell configuration, with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1677 for detecting open or closed state or particular intermediate positions assumed by movable parts of the enclosure, e.g. detection of display lid position with respect to main body in a laptop, detection of opening of the cover of battery compartment
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1684 Constructional details or arrangements related to integrated I/O peripherals not covered by groups G06F1/1635 - G06F1/1675
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1698 the I/O peripheral being a sending/receiving arrangement to establish a cordless communication link, e.g. radio or infrared link, integrated cellular phone details of antennas disposed inside a computer H01Q1/2266
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/88 Detecting or preventing theft or loss
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management

Abstract

A method for locating a notebook computer by sending a Wake on Wireless WAN (WoW) signal via a wireless network to the notebook computer to switch ON the notebook computer; instructing the notebook computer to determine its own location using GPS if the notebook computer lid is open.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

transmitting a wake-on-wireless wide-area-network (WoW) signal to a portable computing device having WoW capability;

upon the portable computing device entering an awaken state responsive to the WoW signal, transmitting a first instruction to the portable computing device to report back a current location of the portable computing device;

where the current location of the portable computing device is unavailable at the portable computing device, determining whether a lid position sensor of the portable computing device indicates a lid-open state or a lid-closed state; and

in response to the lid position sensor indicating the lid-closed state, transmitting a second instruction to the portable computing device to, when the lid position of the portable computing device subsequently indicates the lid-open state, automatically enter the awaken state, determine the current location using a global positioning system (GPS) module of the portable computing device, and report back the current location,

wherein after receiving the second instruction, the portable computing device exits the awaken state.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

in response to the lid position sensor indicating the lid-closed state, refraining from transmitting any further WoW signals to the portable computing device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein after the portable computing device exits the awaken state after having received the second instruction, and after the lid position sensor subsequently indicating the lid-open state, the portable computing device automatically enters the awaken state, determines the current location using the GPS module, and reports back the current location.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

in response to the lid position sensor indicating the lid-open state, receiving the current location as determined by the portable computing device using the GPS module after the first instruction was sent.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

where the current location of the portable computing device is available at the portable computing device, receiving the current location as determined by the portable computing device using the GPS module before the first instruction was sent,

wherein the portable computing device exits the awaken state after reporting back the current location.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the current location of the portable computing device is available where the current location was determined by the portable computing device using the GPS module before the first instruction was sent, and the current location of the portable computing device is still valid.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the current location of the portable computing device is still valid where a motion detector of the portable computing device has not detected motion since the current location was determined.

8. A method comprising:

receiving, by a portable computing device, a wake-on-wireless wide-area-network (WoW) signal;

in response to receiving the WoW signal, entering an awaken state, by the portable computing device;

after entering the awaken state, receiving, by the portable computing device, a first instruction to report back a current location of the portable computing device;

in response to receiving the first instruction, determining, by the portable computing device, whether the current location is available;

in response to determining that the current location is unavailable, determining whether a lid position sensor of the portable computing device indicates a lid-open state or a lid-closed state;

after determining that the lid position sensor indicates the lid-closed state, processing, by the portable computing device, a second instruction to, when the lid position of the portable computing device subsequently indicates the lid-open state, automatically enter the awaken state, determine the current location using a global positioning system (GPS) module of the portable computing device, and report back the current location; and

after receiving the second instruction, exiting, by the portable computing device, the awaken state.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

after exiting the awaken state after having received the second instruction, and after the lid position sensor subsequently indicating the lid-open state, automatically entering the awaken state pursuant to the second instruction, by the portable computing device;

after automatically entering the awaken state, determining pursuant to the second instruction, by the portable computing device, the current location using the GPS module; and

after determining the current location using the GPS module after having automatically entered the awaken state, reporting back pursuant to the second instruction, by the portable computing device, the current location.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

in response to the lid position sensor indicating the lid-open state, determining, by the portable computing device, the current location using the GPS module;

after determining the current location, reporting back, by the portable computing device; and

after reporting back the current location, exiting the awaken state, by the portable computing device.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein determining whether the current location is available comprises:

determining, by the portable computing device, whether the current location was previously determined using the GPS module before the first instruction was sent;

in response to determining that the current location was previously determined before the first instruction was sent, determining, by the portable computing device, whether the current location as previously determined is still valid; and

in response to determining that the current location as previously determined is still valid, concluding, by the portable computing device, that the current location is available.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein determining whether the current location is available further comprises:

in response to determining that the current location as previously determined is no longer valid, concluding, by the portable computing device, that the current location is unavailable.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein determining whether the current location is available further comprises:

in response to determining that the current location was not previously determined before the first instruction was sent, concluding, by the portable computing device, that the current location is unavailable.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein determining whether the current location as previously determined is still valid comprises:

determining, by the portable computing device, whether a motion sensor of the portable computing device has not detected motion since the current location was determined;

in response to the motion sensor having detected motion since the current location was determined, concluding, by the portable computing device, that the current location as previously determined is no longer valid; and

in response to the motion sensor not having detected motion since the current location was determined, concluding, by the portable computing device, that the current location as previously determined is still valid.

15. A portable computing device comprising:

a global positioning system (GPS) module to determine a current location of the portable computing device;

a wake-on-wireless wide-area-network (WoW) module to receive a WoW signal to cause the portable computing device to enter an awaken state;

a lid position sensor to indicate a current state of the portable computing device as one of a lid-open state and a lid-closed state;

a processor; and

a memory storing instructions that when executed by the processor cause the portable computing device to;

receive the WoW signal,

in response to receiving the WoW signal, enter an awaken state, and then receive a first instruction to report back the current location,

in response to receiving the first instruction, determine whether the current location is available, and in response to determining that the current location is unavailable, where the current state is the lid-closed state, process a second instruction

for the portable computing device to, when the lid position of the portable computing device subsequently indicates the lid-open state, automatically enter the awaken state, determine the current location using the GPS module, and report back the current location,

after processing the second instruction, exit the awaken state.

16. The portable computing device of claim 15, wherein, after exiting the awaken state after having received the second instruction, and after the current state subsequently becoming the lid-open state, the portable computing device automatically enters the awaken state, determines the current location using the GPS module, and reports back the current location.

17. The portable computing device of claim 15, wherein, where the current state is the lid-open state, the portable computing device determines the current location using the GPS module, reports back the current location, and exits the awaken state.

18. The portable computing device of claim 15, wherein the portable computing device determines whether the current location is available by determining whether the current location was previously determined using the GPS module before the first instruction was sent and is still valid, and in response to determining that the current location was previously determined and is still valid, concluding that the current location is available.

19. The portable computing device of claim 18, wherein the portable computing device determines whether the current location is available by concluding that the current location is unavailable in response to determining that the current location was not previously determined or was previously determined but is no longer valid.

20. The portable computing device of claim 18, further comprising:

a motion sensor to detect motion of the portable computing device,

wherein where the motion sensor has not detected motion since the current location was previously determined, the current location is still valid,

and wherein where the motion sensor has detected motion since the current location was previously determined, the current location is no longer valid.