Detecting a security breach of an electronic device

• US 9,070,264 B2
• Filed: 07/19/2011
• Issued: 06/30/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/19/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AmZetta Technologies, LLC (American Megatrends International, LLC)
• Original Assignee: America Megatrends Incorporated
• Inventors: Sivertsen, Clas
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Ashok
• Assistant Examiner(s): GRACIA, GARY S
• Application Number:
  US13/186,142
• Publication Number:
  US 20130024952A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,442 Days
• Field of Search: 726/34
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/08 by opening, e.g. of door, of window, of drawer, of shutter, of curtain, of blind
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/181 using active radiation detection systems

Abstract

A system and method for detecting a security breach of an electronic device are provided. The system includes a sensor assembly having at least one IR LED which outputs IR light, and an IR sensor which detects the IR light output by the IR LED and outputs corresponding IR detection signals. The system further includes a processor which generates an IR profile of an interior of the enclosure with reference to the IR detection signals output by the IR sensor. The processor determines that there has been a security breach of the enclosure at least in response to detecting IR activity in the enclosure from the IR detection signals that does not correspond to the IR profile. Output signals from a various other sensors may be used to confirm whether the security breach has occurred.

Claims

1. A security system for detecting a security breach of an enclosure of an electronic device, the security system comprising:

a sensor assembly, including;

at least one infrared (IR) light-emitting diode (LED) that outputs IR light in a random pattern and is disposed within the enclosure of the electronic device, and

an IR sensor that detects direct IR light and indirect IR light output by the at least one IR LED and outputs IR detection signals; and

a processor that performs actions to;

receive a first set of IR detection signals from the IR sensor during a first time period, wherein at least a portion of the IR detection signals change during the first time period, based, at least in part, on IR disturbances that occur in the enclosure of the electronic device during the first time period,

generate a first IR profile of an interior of the enclosure using the first set of IR detection signals output by the IR sensor that uses the direct IR light and the indirect IR light and accounts for the IR disturbances that occur in the enclosure of the electronic device,

store the first IR profile that accounts for the IR disturbances in a memory,

receive a second set of IR detection signals during a second time period,

generate a second IR profile using the second set of IR detection signals,

determine whether there has been a security breach of the enclosure by comparing the first IR profile with the second IR profile; and

wherein if the first IR profile is different from the second IR profile, and if security breach of the enclosure has not taken place, update the first IR profile stored in memory in response to detecting a difference between the first IR profile and the second IR profile.

2. The security system of claim 1, wherein the sensor assembly further comprises at least one of:

a temperature sensor detecting a temperature in the enclosure and outputting a corresponding temperature signal to the processor,

a camera obtaining an image of the interior of the enclosure and outputting a corresponding image signal to the processor,

a security switch associated with a door of the enclosure which is activated when the door is opened and outputs a corresponding switch signal when activated,

an accelerometer disposed on a system board and which measures acceleration of the enclosure and outputs a corresponding acceleration signal, and

a radio frequency (RF) unit comprising a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag mounted on the door of the enclosure that is rendered non-functional when the door is opened, and an RF reader that reads the RFID tag and outputs an RF signal indicative of the non-functional status of the RFID tag,

wherein the processor determines whether the security breach of the enclosure has occurred in response to both comparing the first IR profile with the second IR profile and any one or more signals output by the temperature sensor, the camera, the security switch, the accelerometer, and the RF unit.

3. The security system of claim 1, further comprising a learning switch, wherein the processor generates the first IR profile in response to activation of the learning switch.

4. The security system of claim 3, wherein the processor determines that the generation of the first IR profile is complete after a predetermined time following activation of the learning switch.

5. The security system of claim 3, wherein in response to determining that the security breach of the enclosure has occurred, the processor performs one or more of:

triggers an audible alarm, triggers an ink-cartridge to explode, shuts down the electronic device, erases data in a memory of the electronic device, and transmits a security breach signal to an external device or to a web portal via a communication network.

6. The security system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of IR LEDs are disposed on a system board of the electronic device and at another location within the enclosure of the electronic device.

7. A method for detecting a security breach of an enclosure of an electronic device, the method comprising:

generating infrared (IR) light by one or more IR light-emitting diodes (LEDs) disposed within the enclosure of the electronic device, wherein the IR light is output by the one or more IR LEDs in a random pattern;

detecting the IR light by at least one IR sensor generating IR detection signals;

receiving the IR detection signals by a processor during a first time period and generating a first IR profile of an interior of the enclosure that accounts for IR disturbances in the enclosure of the electronic device, wherein at least a portion of the IR detection signals change during the first time period, based, at least in part, on IR disturbances that occur in the enclosure of the electronic device during the first time period;

storing the first IR profile in a memory;

receiving the IR detection signals by the processor during a second time period and generating a second IR profile of the interior of the enclosure;

comparing the first IR profile with a second IR profile to determine whether there has been a security breach of the enclosure; and

wherein the processor updates the first IR profile stored in the memory in response to detecting a difference between the first IR profile and the second IR profile and the security breach of the enclosure has not been determined.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the security breach of the enclosure is determined in conjunction with processing output signals from one of a temperature sensor, a camera, a security switch, an accelerometer, and a radio frequency (RF) unit.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising the step of:

receiving an output from a learning switch, wherein the processor generates the first IR profile in response to an output signal from the learning switch.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the processor determines that the generation of the first IR profile is complete after elapse of a predetermined time following receipt of the output signal.

11. The method of claim 7, further comprising, in response to determining the security breach of the enclosure has occurred, performing one or more of:

triggering an audible alarm, triggering an ink-cartridge to explode, shutting down the electronic device, erasing all or specific data in the memory of the electronic device, and transmitting a security breach signal to an external device or to a web portal via a communication network.

12. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having computer readable instructions stored thereupon that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to:

receive infrared (IR) detection signals during a first time period from at least one IR sensor detecting IR light generated by one or more IR light emitting diodes (LEDs), wherein the one or more IR LEDs is disposed in a random location within an enclosure and wherein the IR light is generated by the one or more IR LEDs in a random pattern;

generating a first IR profile of an interior of the enclosure that accounts for IR disturbances that occur in the enclosure of the electronic device during the first time period;

storing the first IR profile in a memory;

receiving IR detection signals during a second time period from the at least one IR sensor;

generating a second IR profile of the interior of the enclosure;

comparing the first IR profile with a second IR profile to determine whether there has been a security breach of the enclosure; and

updating the first IR profile stored in the memory in response to detecting a difference between the first IR profile and the second IR profile and the security breach of the enclosure has not been determined.

13. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 12 further comprising instructions which, when executed, cause the computer to:

receive signals from one of a temperature sensor, a camera, a security switch, an accelerometer, or a radio frequency (RF) unit; and

confirm whether a security breach has occurred using the signals from one of the temperature sensor, the camera, the security switch, the accelerometer, or the RF unit.

14. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the first IR profile of the interior of the enclosure is generated in response to receiving an output signal from a learning switch.